* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * *
“Ms. Katie, could you cancel my three o’ clock and reschedule it please?” Came a
very arrogant voice on the speaker. It was Mr. Arturo, the owner of the biggest business
enterprise in the face of the modern world. He’s so rich he practically owns different
countries and resources that come with it.
“Certainly Mr. Arturo. Will ten o’ clock tomorrow morning be all right?” Ms.
Katie replied. She was very careful not to make a mistake. After all, she was working for
the most powerful man in the world. After Mr. Arturo said he didn’t need anything else,
she returned to the papers she was working on all day.
It was five minutes to three o’ clock. Mr. Arturo left his place of work and went
inside his limo. When he was comfortable, he told the driver to go to the university. The
limousine was on its way right after he said the destination. His driver Paul, is also his
personal bodyguard. Paul is a well built man with an expressionless face, like a machine.
It took them almost an hour before they reached the university. Paul parked the
limousine right outside the front door. Mr. Arturo took an envelope from his pocket and
made sure whatever was inside it was there. “Would you like me to escort you inside,
sir?” Paul asked in very low voice. He looked at the back view mirror to see his
employer browsing through the envelope.
“That won’t be necessary Paul. I can take care of myself.” Mr. Arturo replied
assuring his bodyguard that he will be fine. After all, he did donate two million dollars to
this particular university. He knows he will be welcomed here. Paul nodded in response.
Mr. Arturo walked the steps leading to the front door. When he reached the
archeological department of the university, he tapped an old professor on the shoulder so
as to surprise him. When the old man turned, they shared a smile. “How are you doing’
Johnson?” Mr. Arturo said in a friendly voice.
“Not so bad old man.” Mr. Johnson, the old professor said in reply. He was
working on some inscriptions on an old tablet. It was probably Egyptian.
“Old man? Is this how you treat old friends now?” Mr. Arturo said in a joking
manner. “Did you get my message?” Suddenly, his expression changed from joy to
seriousness. Although the expression of joy from seeing an old friend lingered on his face.
He passed his hand through his white hair, almost embarrassed to ask his question.
Mr. Johnson looked at his old friend trying to figure out what he was up to. “Yes,
I did. I must say, it’s pretty wild. Are you sure its real?” He asked very curiously. He
almost did not believe his friend.
“It’s real. I acquired it for my collection because of the legend behind it. I was
wondering if you could translate it for me.” Mr. Arturo said trying to explain his situation.
“Well, it’s one hell of a legend. An island beyond the boundaries of time and
space? It’s interesting but a legend still.” Mr. Johnson said. He was adjusting his
spectacles like something is not clear to him. His explanation that it was just a legend
triggered an almost automatic reaction from Mr. Arturo.
“It’s real. I have in my personal collection, documentation from the apprentice of
the sorcerer who came to this island saying what happened and how he did it.” Mr.
Arturo said as a matter of factly. His explanation captured the professor’s attention.
“If you have all these information, then why do you need my services for?” The
professor asked curiously, trying to figure out what his friend really wants from him.
“A big discovery like this? I think you deserve the credit. After all, you’ve been
working on your field for so long. It’s time the world knew you.” Mr. Arturo replied.
From the time he finished his little speech, he knew he got the professor to help him.
“Alright Arturo. I’ll help you. This project seems very promising.” Mr. Johnson
said, realizing that his friend was right.
“I won’t disappoint you. I promise.” Mr. Arturo said. When he said he promised
that this project will be big, the professor gave him a smile. He shook the professor’s
hand and returned to his limousine parked outside.
When he sat down the leather seat of the limousine, he told his driver, “Let’s go
home.” He took out the envelope he had with him and returned it to his suitcase. The
driver drove on until they reached a great hotel in the great city. When he got out of his
limousine, he was greeted by his doorman.
“Good Afternoon, Mr. Arturo.” Greeted the stout doorman in front of his building.
He opened the door for the smiling Mr. Arturo.
Mr. Arturo entered his towering home and took the rest of the day off. While at
his place, he picked up many old dusty books and began reading through them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It has been a few weeks since Mr. Arturo met up with his old friend, Mr. Johnson.
The businessman has been skimming through his old books ever since they met up. He
was very anxious at the results his friend’s work would reveal. It was almost nine o’clock
when his phone rang. He was very busy at what he was doing that he ignored it. Then,
the answering machine came on. “Arturo, it’s me. Pick up.” Came a very familiar voice.
Arturo hurriedly picked up the phone.
“What’s up? Anything new?” Arturo asked in a very anxious voice. Johnson was
surprised at how quick he answered the phone. It was like he was waiting for the birth of
his child. It was almost funny to the professor.
The professor hesitated. He enjoyed the fact that the most powerful man on earth
can’t wait at what he was going to say. He feels really high at that moment. In a moment,
he answered.
“I wish you came to me sooner, friend. I think you should come to my place. It
will be safer here.” Replied the professor. He tried not to say too much. His information
was far too valuable to loose over phone taps.
“I’ll be there. Is it really that big?” Arturo asked curiously. He motioned Paul,
who was standing by the door, to go down stairs and warm up the car.
Johnson replied almost automatically, “As big as a promotion from street bum to
president.” He then said goodbye and put the phone down.
Arturo dressed quickly enough to catch up with Paul at the parking lot downstairs.
After he sat down, he told his driver where to go. The whole time he was in his seat, he
was daydreaming. Paul was surprised. He had never seen his employer like this. But he
showed no emotion for it. When they got to Johnson’s building, Arturo got up alone.
Paul did not even bother to offer him an escort for the way. He knew how his employer
would respond.
Finally, Arturo reached his friend’s apartment. He knocked at the door and he was
greeted by Johnson. “That was pretty quick.”
“I have a very good driver.” Arturo replied jokingly. He was lead to the living
room by the professor and he was offered a drink. “What do you have for me?”
“The man who came to this island really did find an island beyond the barriers of
time and space. Not only that, his apprentice left notes on how to get there.” Johnson
proclaimed his recent discovery. He was really hyped about it. His friend tried to calm
him down, but even he can’t calm an erupting volcano.
Finally, Arturo came up to his friend and slapped him gently on the cheek. “Calm
down. This project is all yours. No one will take it away from you.”
“That’s very good to hear. So now what?” Johnson replied. He was pleased that
he will still be working on this discovery. He was very anxious to what the next step of
his project would be.
“Do you think you can…transport us to this island?” Arturo asked. He was not
sure to what the professor’s response would be.
“What? I’m no sorcerer. I can’t just do that. I won’t know if what I’m doing is
right. I could mess up and who knows what will happen.” Johnson said hysterically. It
was like the whole world was going down on him. He almost sounded crazy.
“Hey, it’s not like I’m asking you to commit suicide.” The professor’s friend said,
trying to calm him down. Johnson was walking impatiently back and forth on the living
room. He was making his employer very irritated since the professor was the one who
accepted the project. It can be seen through the expression on Mr. Arturo’s face.
“You’re asking me to do something far, far worse.” The professor blurted out.
He now had misgivings about his project. He can’t deny the wishes of his friend because
he knows he is also the man who will propel his dormant career.
Arturo wanted to say something to make his friend help him in this project. “Look
at it this way. You’ll have your long awaited fame and I’ll have what I’ve always looked
for.”
“Like what? What would a man like you need anything else for?” Johnson asked.
He knew he struck a nerve on his friend by the look on his face. He tried to apologize but
he was cut off.
“Family.” The rich man said in a soft voice. He knew his friend didn’t mean to
offend him. He turned and left his apartment. Outside the building, Paul was waiting by
the passenger door. It was a quiet night out. Almost like everybody was asleep. This
was very unusual for a big city like this one.
“Everything went all right, sir?” Paul, the expressionless Goliath asked. He
opened the passenger door and his employer sat comfortably in the leather seats.
When Arturo was comfortable enough, he looked at the rear view mirror to see his
driver. “It went all right. Let’s go home, Paul.”
The driver started the limousine and drove off into lights and sights of the city Mr.
Arturo practically owned. He has so much power it owned him. He can do whatever he
wants and the resources to make it with. When they reached his building, Arturo settled
into his working table and continued the work he was doing before he was called by the
professor.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The professor was busily translating the diary of the apprentice when he found a
colored sketch of a sword with a caption below it. When translated it says, “With this
sword, the forever living soul will be thrust into hell by his own brother.” He was
dumbfounded when he realized that that same sword belonged to Mr. Arturo. In fact, he
was the one who authenticated it after his rich friend acquired it for his personal collection
almost ten years ago. The professor now had second thoughts about this project. It could
either be coincidence or Arturo has something else in mind for his project.
Finally, he convinced himself that it’s nothing more than a coincidence. After all,
his friend was the richest man on earth. He continued on with his work. He reviewed the
procedure written on the diary and made sure that he didn’t miss anything. When
everything was in order, he started to set the stage for their transportation. After he was
done, he contacted his friend. All he needs to do now is wait.
Looking at all that he had done for his project, he wondered if it will even work. If
it did, then he would become famous for his work. In the other hand, all of his efforts
would have been for nothing if the procedure failed. He was very nervous about actually
doing it. He did not know if it will work or something else might happen. His head was
filled with all these thoughts that he watched the time literally fly by. In a few moments
after this realization, Mr. Arturo entered his work place.
Arturo entered and saw that everything was set up just as he pictured it from one
of his old books. The professor did his job well and he thought that he could give him a
bonus for it. There was a big circle in the center of the room. Inside this circle were four
large vases with smoke coming out of it. These vases were set up in the form of a square
within the circle. In the middle of this formation was a tall scepter. Mounted on top of
this gem-covered rod was a crystal that sparked to light the dark room. In the shadows,
he saw the professor with his face buried in his hands. He came up to him and gave him a
tap on the shoulder.
“Oh. I didn’t see you come in.” Johnson said startled by his friend. He stood up
and tried to check the stage for the transportation, but he was held back by his rich friend.
“I have to see if everything is in place.” The professor said in protest. Arturo
wanted to say something and he stopped to listen.
“I know you’re scared. I’ve decided to do it myself.” Professor Johnson tried to
say something to what he just heard, but Arturo held up his hand to silence the man. “I
know what you want to say. However, I know a helluva lot more than you think. I’ll do
it. You’ve already done so much for me. I could never thank you enough.”
Professor Johnson looked into his friend’s eyes and saw the seriousness in his face.
He nodded in agreement and asked, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Trust me on this one. I haven’t spent all my time reviewing the diary every night
for all these weeks.” Arturo said trying to convince the professor to let him do it.
“Alright then, let’s get the hell out of here.” Professor Johnson said in approval.
They went to center of the formation by the scepter and Mr. Arturo took over from then
on.
Arturo held the scepter by its long stalk and chanted under his breath. He chanted
over and over. Everytime he repeated it, he chanted it faster and faster. In the climax, he
stopped. He took the scepter, raised it above the floor and hammered the floor with it
three times. Then, the crystal mounted on the scepter glowed until they were blinded by
the light. Both men fell to the ground to protect themselves from the light. They did not
fall to the ground. The ground beneath them disappeared and they fell helplessly into
nothingness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nothing left for the eye to see but the deep blue see. The water was very clear.
Floating on its surface, was a skiff. It was small, but large enough to fit two people. The
wind blew gently against the water creating small currents. It was a beautiful scene.
Everywhere you looked was the deep sea, almost like an aquarium for someone to view to
unwind after a long day’s work. In a moment, this serene view will be disturbed by
visitors.
Our two travelers find themselves desperately trying to find something to break
their fall. The two hit the water hard and it took them a while before they can surface.
When both surfaced, they looked at their surroundings and had many questions in mind.
“Where are we?” The professor asked, confused. He expected his friend to provide him
with an answer since he was the one who brought them there.
“Reach for the boat.” Arturo commanded. He followed next to his friend after
the professor grabbed for the boat. The rich man sat comfortably in one end of the skiff
and stretched his limbs. The professor just watched as his friend relaxed at the worst time
ever.
“What are you doing? You don’t know where we are. The least you can do is
look around.” The professor demanded. He was very frustrated. He never should have
let Arturo run the whole thing. The professor blamed himself at that moment. Then,
Arturo came to calm him down.
“For once in your life Johnson, let things take care of themselves. Just go with the
flow, alright?” Arturo calmed his curios friend. He then laid back and lowered his hand
so as to touch the water. In a moment after both calmed down, the currents started to get
stronger. The currents got strong enough to move the boat. The boat moved at a steady
pace. The professor watched as they were being carried somewhere. In no time, land was
in view.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was almost dusk. The sun was about to rest for the night and provide warmth
and power the next day. In a beach, spectators watched this transition. Among these
spectators were children, women, and men who come to this site every chance they get.
This was a beautiful site which the inhabitants of this island don’t take for granted. In the
background was an old man with a walking stick in hand. In the woods behind him, he
heard small noises. He turned to see what it was.
“Julian, it’s me.” Proclaimed a middle-aged man. He was built like a barbarian
warrior. He held a sword in hand and wore animal fur all over his body. It seemed that he
came running down from the snow-capped mountains in the north. He was very tired and
was taking in deep breaths.
“What’s wrong, Duncan?” Asked the old man. He was very concerned about the
warrior. Julian offered the man some water from a small jug wrapped around his waist.
The man took big gulps and thanked the old man for his generosity.
“It’s them. I saw them through the lenses. Two of them in a skiff.” Said Duncan.
He was very nervous. He flailed his sword in the air as if implying to attack the two he
was talking about.
“Return to the mountains. I can take care of this.” Said Julian. He looked into
the sea to try to catch a glimpse of the visitors. He put a hand on the strong shoulders of
the warrior and said, “It’s almost time. Everything is in motion now. All we can do is
wait. Don’t worry about me. Go on, I can take care of this myself.”
Duncan nodded in response and started off into his frozen mountain home. He put
his wide sword in its sheath and put on his hood for the cold journey. Once he was out of
sight, Julian returned to the beach to admire the warm sun fading away into the horizon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Wake up.” Professor Johnson said as he tapped Arturo on the head. Land was in
full view. It was a large island. The beach was a beautiful sight in the fading sun. In the
beach were the inhabitants of the island admiring the sunset and Julian the sorcerer in the
background. The skiff touched the shore and the passengers stepped off into the gray
sands of the beach.
“Welcome brother.” Said Julian in an inviting voice. He opened his arms to
welcome Arturo into the island. Arturo hugged him back. The people of the island and
Professor Johnson watched in marvel as the two seeming strangers greeted each other.
“What took you so long?” Asked the sorcerer.
“This place isn’t very easy to find.” Replied the rich man. He gave a smile to his
brother and turned back to get a good look at his aged brother.
“Come. You must see our city.” Julian said to his brother. He motioned for the
others and Professor Johnson to join them. As the people came to pass by Arturo, they
were amazed by his strange apparel and his comrade.
As they were leaving the beautiful beach for the city, Professor Johnson ran up to
Mr. Arturo and grabbed his arm. “Who is that man? He says your his brother.”
“We are brothers. We have been for one thousand years. I’m immortal, Johnson.”
Replied the rich man to his baffled friend. Johnson released his grip from his friend’s arm.
Johnson was shocked at this discovery. “It’s alright, Johnson. I don’t bite.”
“You’re a very interesting man, friend.” Replied Johnson. He was now a little
calmer than he was before. He put a hand around Arturo’s shoulder and said, “You must
have stories to tell.”
“Yes, I do. Some are centuries old.” Arturo looked into the almost dark sky,
reliving the experiences he had gone through in his life. Some were good. Some were
triumphant. Some left him alone to live out his never-ending journey.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The two travelers were lead into the city of stone walls and glass towers. It was
very much like the cities of the real world except for the gridlock traffic. Inside, they were
greeted by soft lights and strange sculptures by the gates of the city. There were people
walking and looking at the sorcerer’s guests.
“Back so soon, Julian?” Greeted a young lady with midnight hair. She gave a
smile to the visitors as they took out their hand to shake hers
“Are you friends of Julian?” Asked the curious female to the strangers of this isle.
Instead of shaking their hands, she took their forearm and held it tight. The professor
showed a painful face at the grip of the young warrior. Arturo knew a warrior when he
saw one. It showed in her eyes. That hungry look. Hungry for a battle. She will get one.
Soon.
“I’m his brother.” Replied the smiling visitor. He turned to his aged brother.
Julian nodded at the young warrior and she turned away. The young one walked like a
feline in a hunt. Very careful. “What’s her name?” Asked Arturo.
“Her name is Athena. I’d be careful if I were you.” Answered the sorcerer. He
was quite sure what his brother had in mind. He motioned the others to follow them into
an eating place. This place was quite large. It could probably seat thirty or more people.
Inside were paintings and sculptures like a museum.
“This is my favorite place.” Commented Arturo’s brother. He was admiring the
art in the building and greeting the people inside. The people wondered who the visitors
were until someone outside entered and whispered the information. Some became uneasy
but still managed to take their seats. Julian told them to calm down. As they did, Julian,
Arturo, and the Professor took a seat in the back of the room.
“I don’t think they like you, Arturo.” Said the professor. The people were again
starting to become restless in their seats. In a few moments, food was brought to the
table. Their dinner consisted of a pig and a chicken roasted and skewered on a sharp
stick. The professor never saw anything like it. It looked tantalizing but his friend saw it
differently. He was so used to food in a plate. It was barbaric to him. In the middle of
their meal, everyone else stopped to see who entered the building.
By the door were five bodies. The first two were Athena and Duncan. Behind
them were the rest of their party. In the left was a dark-skinned man with a large staff in
his hand. Next to him was a thin man covered in black. Strapped to his back was a thin
sword in its sheath. In the far right was a young lady. She looked very intelligent. In the
mind of Arturo, she did not fit in with the pack. They were welcomed by everybody in the
building. Julian offered them seats to their table.
“So, this is your brother?” Duncan asked Julian. Julian nodded in response and
asked the stout man who seems to own the building more food for the guests.
The Professor was very interested on the intelligent looking woman. “What is
your name?” Asked the professor. He gave the young woman a smile.
“My name is Angela.” Replied the young woman. The professor tried to move his
seat closer to hers. She had blazing red hair as rich as blood. She seemed very interested
in the Professor’s clothing. She has never seen clothing like that before. The clothes the
inhabitants of this island wore were similar to European clothes in the sixteenth century
with a few differences in style. Also, she noticed the Professor’s watch. “May I see that
device?” Asked Angela. The professor took off his watch and explained to her what it
was and what it did.
“Where are you from?” Asked the mysterious one in black. He was not like the
others. He was a native of this island even before Julian and the first group of humans
arrived. He was a watcher. But recently, he was recruited by Julian to join his warriors.
“Me and my friend here came from the world Julian abandoned centuries ago.”
Arturo replied. His answer illuminated the watcher and at the same time cast a shadow
over him. He doesn’t know any other world from the one he has watched over since time
and space was formed. He became curious about the world this stranger said.
“Is your world much like ours?” Asked William, the dark-skinned warrior. He
held a large staff as his walking stick and weapon. He looked very calm and curious. By
his side was a dog. He petted the dog until it sat comfortably on the hard floor. The dog
seemed very old and blind. The dog almost banged himself into the legs of the chair next
to him until William held him back.
“No, my world is totally opposite from yours. It’s very hard to imagine, but it
exists.” Replied Arturo. He tried to make them picture his world in their own different
ways. The real world is better seen through the mind than through your own eyes. The
world has changed greatly since Julian left it. Now, technology rules the world.
After the group finished their meal, they went out to get some fresh air. Julian and
Arturo went further into the city. Professor Johnson and Angela headed for the beach.
The rest of the pack went their separate ways for the night.
Towers of glass and huge stone walls covered the city. The glass towers glistened
in the moonlit sky like skyscrapers in New York City. The stone walls entrapped the city
like an oasis in a baking dessert. As the two walked on the cobblestone paths, Arturo saw
something that caught his eye. It was a fountain that spat out water to refresh the weary
travelers in the city. On the pool of the fountain were carved scenes from the history of
the island.
One scene pictured Julian and his comrades arriving on the island. Another scene
showed the people of the island befriending the mysterious creature in black at the tavern.
It says that he is a watcher of the island. Finally, Arturo saw a carved picture of him and
Julian in battle with their armies behind them. However in this scene, Professor Johnson
was with Julian’s army.
“So, this is how it will end.” Commented Arturo. He was admiring the details
done on his footsoldiers and other artilleries.
“Maybe. I can’t tell you.” Replied the sorcerer. He was looking at the other
frames which depicted the conflict between Julian and his people and the watchers of the
island like the creature in the tavern. “It doesn’t have to be like this. You can trust me,
brother.” Added Julian.
Arturo sat in the ledge of the pool and looked straight into his brother’s eyes.
“The centuries have taught me that to trust someone completely is to expose yourself. To
be vulnerable.”
“That is the reason you have been alone all these centuries.” Replied Julian. He
put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. He knew that he hit his brother hard at that moment.
Julian left his brother to be alone. Like he has been for centuries.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Why are you called Professor?” Asked Angela. She was still examining the
watch of Professor Johnson. They were on their way to the beach where the sand was
gray and the waves broke roughly at the shore.
“A Professor is someone who is knowledgeable and teaches what he knows to
others.” Explained Professor Johnson. He was very attracted to this lovely woman.
Although she was young for him, it did not matter at the moment.
“What do you teach?” Asked Angela. As they approach the beach, she took his
hand into hers.
“I teach archeology. I teach of the past and the remnants from that time.” Replied
the Professor. He admired the beautiful hands of Angela. They were like delicately
carved figures out of cold stone.
“If you are a teacher, then what are you doing here with Julian’s brother?”
Pondered Angela. They just arrived in the beach and Angela lead Professor Johnson on
top of a rock in the shore where the waves wildly broke at it.
Professor Johnson told Angela about the apprentice’s diary and how they got
there. Angela returned the watch to the Professor. She was really fascinated by the
watch. Never in the island has she seen anything like it.
As the two settled down on the flat rock, Professor Johnson admired how
Angela’s hair shimmered in the moonlight. The Professor tried to complement her but
nothing came out of his mouth. He was nervous as a fourteen year old on a first date.
Actually, it was their first date.
“How long have you lived on this island?” Asked Professor Johnson. He
desperately tried to keep their conversation going so that she won’t lose interest.
“I’ve lived here ever since I was born. Although I haven’t seen everything there is
to see on this island.” She looked into the star-filled sky. Professor Johnson did the same.
He noticed that some of the constellations in his world were present here.
“Have you ever been out in the sea? You know, explore what’s beyond the
horizon?”
“What for? Everything I need is here. My friends. My family.” Countered
Angela. To her, that is everything she will ever need.
“Adventure. To see what’s out there. To learn new things. Meet new people.
That’s why.” Professor Johnson lectured Angela as she listened.
“Is that why you’re here?” Asked Angela. There were sounds in the woods. She
turned to look at what it was. There was nothing there.
“That’s one reason. Mostly, it was just luck.” The Professor said in reply. Again,
sounds from the bushes came to disturb this quiet scene.
Resting on a branch of a towering tree was the shadow creature. He was surprised
at how they got together well even though they just met. The warrior in black too was
very interested in Angela. However, he never thought of talking to her because he was
not even of her species. Slowly, he disappeared into the darkness of the night like a
shadow approaching the light. He knew better than to interfere with her affairs.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, Arturo headed for the beach to return to his world. In the
beach, he saw Professor Johnson and Angela snuggled in together. They spent the whole
night at the beach. Arturo approached them. “Professor, let’s go.” Arturo woke up the
Professor from his seemingly relaxing sleep.
The Professor stood up but was still disoriented. He put on his glasses and spoke,
“I want to stay in for a little while longer.”
“Very well. I hope you have a good time here. When I come back, I hope you do
the right thing and join me.” Arturo pointed out. He knew the Professor knew what he
meant. After their conversation, Arturo walked toward the boat he and the Professor used
to get here.
“What did you have in mind?” The Professor shouted. His friend just kept on
going. Finally, Arturo stopped and turned back.
“I will destroy everyone on this island. And you might be one of them. But I hope
you’re not.” Whispered Arturo into the Professor’s ear. He was very sincere upon saying
this.
Professor Johnson turned away and sat next to Angela. Arturo knew his friend
had made his decision. His decision was to be his enemy. Again, Arturo headed towards
the skiff. He pushed it into the water and it was taken out further into the sea.
While on the boat, Arturo can see the island disappear slowly. Finally, the currents
calmed and the skiff stopped in the middle of nowhere. All of a sudden, the currents
wildly tossed the boat around almost flipping it over. Then, the ocean swallowed the skiff
with Arturo in it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The buzzing of the alarm clock woke the sleeping figure from his rest. His hand
came to reach for the alarm clock, shutting its cry. Arturo stood up from the covers,
confused and disoriented.
“Where the hell am I? My bedroom? How did I get here? The waves…” Arturo
thought to himself. He looked at his alarm clock. It was three o’clock in the morning.
Arturo went to his kitchen to fix himself some coffee. He drank the hot substance
and walked towards his living room. In the far end of the room, there was a huge screen
mounted on the wall. He pressed the power button on the remote control on the sofa he
comfortably sat on. The screen flashed open. A movie was playing on that channel. He
scrolled through the different channels.
“I got all the channels in the country and nothing good is on.” Arturo muttered to
himself. He turned the screen off and returned to bed. Before he returned to sleep he
picked up the phone beside his bed and dialed a phone number.
“Yes?” Asked the person in the other end of the line.
“It’s me. Gas up the jet. I’m leaving for Germany this morning at ten o’clock.
Could you do that?”
“Of course. Your jet will be ready by then.”
“Thank you.” Arturo hung up and went back to bed. He nestled in his warm
blanket and peacefully rested.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The jet has just touched down on German ground. As the jet was about to come
to a stop Arturo gets up from his seat, waiting for the door to open. When the metal
doors opened, he was greeted by the welcoming party.
“Did you have a nice trip, Mr. Arturo?” Asked a lanky individual dressed up in a
suit. He shook Arturo’s hand and lead him to a parked car outside.
“It went fine. Thank you for asking, Mr. Strauss.” Replied Arturo. He followed
Mr. Strauss into the parking lot. Mr. Strauss opened the door for the rich man and
entered after Mr. Arturo.
The car headed for an industrial site not far from the airport. They were stopped
at the front gate where two armed soldiers came up to them. The driver pulled down his
window and said, “Charlie sent me.”
As the driver said this, the guard backed off and opened the gate. Inside was an
old, burnt building in the far east end. The two passengers, Mr. Arturo and Mr. Strauss,
entered the building. There was nothing in the building but steel cabinets. Mr. Strauss
approached one of the cabinets and opened it. Inside was a control panel. He pressed the
colored buttons in sequence. As he did this, the inner cabinet opened to reveal an
elevator. The two entered the elevator and again there was a control panel. Mr. Strauss
again pressed the buttons in the same sequence he did the one before it.
“We will be there in a few minutes, sir.” Commented Mr. Strauss. As he said this,
the elevator plummeted down the shaft in great speed. The two braced themselves for the
high-speed ride. In a few moments, the elevator slowed down to a complete halt. The
doors opened to reveal an underground hall.
Mr. Strauss was the first to get out of the elevator. “Follow me, Mr. Arturo.”
Said Mr. Strauss. At the end of the hall was a double door labeled ‘C-21’. Next to the
double door was a key hole. Mr. Arturo took out a small key from his pocket.
“This is my cue.” Arturo murmured to himself. As he turned the key, the double
door separated to reveal a large room. In this room were men entrapped in large glass
oval casements filled with water. They had on wet suits and virtual reality headsets.
Some were suspended in the water like sea weeds. Some fought to free themselves from
their watery coffins.
“They are now in the programming stage. In a few days, they will be ready to
serve.” Proclaimed the scientist. He admired his creations from afar. To him, they were
perfect fighting machines. They were coordinated and organized like a large battalion of
army ants searching for food. They will destroy anything and everything in their path to
achieve their goal.
“Amazing. You must be very proud.” Arturo saw the resisting ones slowly giving
up to the program. “Where are the others?” Asked Arturo.
“Sub-level 22. Just below us. But we are still adding the modifications to your
exo-armor.” Answered the scientist. All these war machines were his creations. He was
funded by the German government ever since they won World War III. Germany is now
the world’s military super power. The United States seconds that title. However, all his
work here is being funded by Arturo himself. Mr. Strauss’s work here was only the
beginning.
The scientist lead Mr. Arturo out the hallway they came in. Once again, Doctor
Strauss pushed the colored control panel in sequence to open the elevator doors. Once
they were inside, he again pushed the buttons. They were then sent hurtling down the
long shaft. In a few moments, the elevator stopped slowly. When the doors opened,
another hall was in sight. At the end of the hall was a wide steel door. Next to this door
was a small screen.
As the two approached, the screen flashed to reveal a digital face. “Hello Mr.
Arturo and Mr. Strauss.” Said the digital facade. His voice was so human it could easily
pass for a New Yorker.
“Hello Charlie.” Greeted Arturo. He bent his knees so that he would be eye to
eye with Charlie.
“So, how about those Yankees?” Said Charlie. He tried to make some small talk.
Seeing that the two humans were not interested, he turned to business. “If you two would
only tell me your security verification codes, I’ll let you in.” The expression on his face
turned from friendly to serious at once.
Arturo was the first to speak. “Black Ice 2055.”
“Avalon 936.” Replied Doctor Strauss after Arturo said his code.
“Gentlemen, you may enter.” Said Charlie. The doors opened next to him to
reveal a large dark room. The two entered and the door behind them closed. At the two
sides of the room where glass windows. At the other side of these windows were robotic
soldiers twice the size of a man. These mechs could be controlled by a soldier from inside.
There were about ten of them in the room. At the far end, there was a metallic figure
inside a glass capsule. It could not be seen clearly because of the mist that formed inside.
“Open it up.” Commanded Arturo. The doctor went closer to the capsule and
took out a remote control from his pocket. He pressed a button and the capsule opened.
The cold mist leaked out of the capsule as the object inside was exposed.
Arturo stretched out his hand to touch the figure. When he did, his fingers just
went pass through it. “Like I said, we are still working on the real thing.” Said Doctor
Strauss from behind the curios spectator.
“It’s beautiful. It also looks alive.” Admired Arturo. The design of the armor
well fitted his own body. The Doctor pressed another button from his remote control.
The capsule then closed.
“Technically, it’s not alive. But it has the ability to adapt and learn. This was first
designed as an android soldier. When you asked me to build you an exo-armor, I thought
I’d modify it a bit to suit your specifications. Expect to receive all of the goods by next
week.” The doctor said to Arturo. He started to leave and Arturo followed him back into
the hall. Back to the elevator. Back to the surface.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“The watchers are in place.” Proclaimed the shadow creature to the warriors and
people of the island. Everyone was there except for Duncan. They were all carrying their
weapons. The shadow creature had his sword, William had his staff, Athena had her bow
and arrows, and Angela had her magic.
Duncan came crashing down the cabin. “They are here. Five ships. Big ones.”
Said Duncan. He had his sword at hand, ready to fight.
All of them including the Professor, exited the cabin and walked to the beach
cautiously. The Professor walked behind them, being inexperienced in combat. “This will
be a great battle.” Commented William with his old dog by his side.
When the party arrived, the ships have already docked. The vessels crowded the
shallow waters like great beasts in a water hole. “What are they?” Asked Athena. Never
in the life of the people of this island have they seen such huge ships. The ships towered
over the warriors, blocking the sun from their sight.
“Cargo ships. Really big ones.” Replied Professor Johnson. Footsteps came from
the first ship. A dark figure rose from the shadows of the ship. The figure jumped from
the ship and landed right in front of Julian’s crew.
“Hello, Julian.” Came a mechanical voice from the dark figure. He took his hand
and twisted two knobs at the base of his neck. Then, air puffed out of the base of the neck
of the figure. He twisted the artificial head off to reveal Arturo underneath the armor.
The party was surprised by Arturo’s entrance. The warriors drew their weapons
and had their guard up. They don’t know what to expect from him. “Come with me now
and I promise not to make a big mess.” Said Arturo. He was sure of himself.
“You don’t have to do this. He’s your own brother. You can trust him.”
Professor Johnson tried to persuade Arturo not to attack.
“Don’t tell me about trust!” Shouted Arturo. His ferocity can be seen through his
eyes even though his face revealed total concentration.
“What happened?” Asked Professor Johnson. Julian put a hand on the Professor’s
shoulder and shook his head in disapproval.
Arturo bowed his head, remembering a painful memory. “I have to do this.” He
said under his breath. His anger has faded and the face of concentration remained.
“What for? Julian told me, but I want to hear it from you if it’s true.” Said
Professor Johnson. He saw his friend differently now. To the Professor, Arturo was now
a stranger.
“My brother is the only one who can kill me. It is a little inconvenient.” Arturo
pointed out. He was arrogant and talked lightly about it.
Julian’s crew turned around and headed back the way they came. Arturo put his
helmet back on and turned to face the ships. The ships opened to reveal the cargo inside.
When the huge doors opened, waves of soldiers armed with rifles stormed out. The last to
come out of the three soldier-carrying ships was Paul. He had with him a cannon-like
weapon.
Paul approached the armored Arturo. He handed him the weapon. Arturo then
attached the weapon to his left forearm. The weapon slid right in, making Arturo look
even more intimidating than he already is.
The armored warrior walked towards his army waiting for his command. He
positioned himself in front of the battalion. He nodded, then the footsoldiers started to
head for the direction where Julian’s crew exited.
The first row of soldiers were just about to get off the beach when they were
swallowed by the sand. The soldiers behind them scattered. The captured soldiers did not
scream, the program made them that way. Some opened fire at the sand, but that did
nothing to the underground attackers. Everywhere there were soldiers sinking in the sand.
Finally, the attack stopped. After the soldiers thought it was over, large, scaly figures
jumped from the sand.
A hoarse, hissing voice emanated from one of the creatures. “What is your
business here?” He was speaking to the distinguished one among the band of similar
soldiers. The creature walked towards Arturo, shoving soldiers that crossed his path.
When the creature got close, Arturo tapped his temple. When he did, his visor flashed.
The flashed stopped, then he signaled something to soldier closest to him. That soldier
reconfigured his weapon. When he was finished, he passed the signal along to the other
soldiers. The soldiers also reconfigured their weapons.
“My business is for me alone, monster.” Cried Arturo. He opened fire at the
monster and hit him at point blank. The creature landed flat on his back. The rest of the
attackers went underground and continued the attack.
Those who made it pass the creatures scrambled when they made it to the woods.
The great trees shaded the soldiers from the sun. Small sounds came from everywhere in
that place. The soldiers were very careful since anything can attack them there. When
they were half way across the woods, a figure appeared and disappeared in one of the
lower branches. The soldier in front of the pack motioned the others to scatter.
The shadow creature was perched on a branch, watching the soldiers scatter. One
group made it out of the woods, heading straight for the city. The other groups were still
wandering, not aware that they were being watched.
The first group that made it out of the woods and were now at the entrance of the
city. Footsteps can be heard at the woods they just came from. When the figure stepped
out into the dying sun, he spoke. “Where are the others?” Asked Paul. He had on a visor
similar to that of Arturo’s. Connected to his helmet by a flexible tube was a large rifle.
“We were separated.” Answered the head soldier of the pack. Paul’s visor flashed
and he hurriedly ran into the city. The rest followed him and spread out a little to cover
more ground.
The city was surprisingly empty. No one was in the streets. They checked the
buildings to see if anybody was hiding. No one was there. When they finished checking
the buildings in the area, the pack returned to meet up at the fountain.
“No one is here.” Reported the head soldier. Paul seemed confused. He looked
at the carvings on the fountain and was surprised at the detail of the pictures. The battle
scene looked very real. The soldiers’ weapons and protective vests were very well carved.
He then focused his attention on the bottom of the fountain where it met the ground.
There were tracks that stopped where the fountain was. He then told the others to back
off from the fountain. He tapped his temple and then his visor flashed. He pushed the
fountain with inhuman strength. Under the fountain they found an underground tunnel.
At the other end of the tunnel, the city dwellers were crawling out towards the
light out of the dark tunnel. The first to come out were women and children who did not
know what exactly was happening. Behind them were the men and warriors of the large
clan. One by one they all got out. Finally the last one to come out was Julian, staggering
due to his old age. When everybody was out of the tunnel, they headed towards the rocky
mountains. Leading them there was the shadow creature, with his sword unsheathed.
Back at the city, the invaders entered the dark tunnel. Inside, they can hear echoes
loud and faint. As they walked cautiously through the hole, they came upon different
paths. The first path was dark and secluded. The other blinked a soft light at the end.
Paul walked towards the lighted path. At the end of the path was an exit. Above the
heads of the invaders was a hole leading out into the light. They came out of the tunnel to
find themselves on an arid place surrounded by rocky mountains. The sun was dying
behind them, so they headed for the mountains for shelter for the night.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The sun has come down and the darkness of the night was upon the land. Paul and
his companions took shelter inside one of the many caves in the area. They did not bother
to light a fire. It will only attract unwanted attention. The head soldier took out from his
back pack, extra ammo for his weapon. He used up much of his ammo on the beasts back
at the beach. Suddenly, a loud roar echoed from the mountains north of their position.
They emerged from their burrow to see what it was. What they saw was unbelievable. In
the sky were winged creatures that flew through the wind like a bullet piercing through the
air. These creatures again roared their frightening roar when they flew pass the cave
where the invaders rested. Paul and his comrades did not show fear. Once the roar
seemed far away, they started to walk opposite where the creatures were headed.
Julian and the others have reached their destination. Upon them was a rocky
mountain with an unseen path that the shadow creature knew. The people were led up the
mountain and through a dark cave. The cave was big enough to fit all of them. Before all
of them could even step foot in the cave, a voice called out. “Who goes there?” Came a
deep voice.
“It’s me. My friends need a place to stay for the night.” Answered the shadow
creature. The people behind him were shocked when the voice from the shadows came
into the light of the moon.
“Humans!? What are they doing here!?” Roared the gargoyle. His wings opened
up making him look even larger. He loomed down the shadow creature, raising his fist.
“You dishonor Father’s house by bringing them here!”
“The island is being attacked. My friends only need shelter for the night.”
Explained the shadow creature. He stood between the gargoyle and his human friends just
long enough for the gargoyle to calm down.
“Attacked? By who?” Asked the gargoyle.
“They are at the beach.”
The gargoyle walked to the entrance to his elevated cave. His sin shined a deep
blue in the moonlight. And his wings looked like a leather cape. Just before he was about
to go, he shouted, “To me, warriors!” All of a sudden, about half a dozen gargoyles
storm out from the shadows. Just when they were about to take flight, the shadow
creature spoke, “Be careful, Roc. They wield very potent weapons.”
Roc turned around and nodded in response. Roc signaled the others to go ahead.
He turned to the shadows and other gargoyles surfaced. He told the first one to appear to
tell the others when they come back from the hunt to follow them to the beach. He turned
to the sky and once again turned to tell something to the ebony-skinned female gargoyle.
“Protect Father. And watch the humans.” He said it softly enough so that the humans
could not hear. Finally, he turned to the sky and flew with his clan.
The flight was short because of the gargoyles’ great speed. When they arrived at
the beach, the cargo ships were already opened and inside one of them were five armored
helicopters. Inside two other ships were the mechs. The attackers under the sand have
already been dealt with. They were carried by soldiers into one of the ships to be studied.
Roc and the other gargoyles swoop in just above the heads of the soldiers to catch
their attention. As soon as the soldiers saw them, they started firing at the winged beasts.
The gargoyles turned and came back to charge at the soldiers. Two gargoyles touched
down on the ground and blitzed at the pack of soldiers. The soldiers opened fire but
missed everytime. The commotion could be heard from inside the ships. In a few
moments, armed soldiers storm out to help their fallen comrades. More soldiers fired at
the flying gargoyles. However, the gargoyles’ great speed and quick reflexes was a great
advantage over the armed soldiers. Finally, Arturo and the mechs came out for battle.
Arturo fires up his armor’s rocket thrusters and he was airborne in a few seconds.
He flew right by Roc and two other gargoyles, causing them to lose control. The two
gargoyles hit the ground and immediately recovered from the crash.
“Nice of you to drop by.” Said Arturo. Roc recovered from Arturo’s attack
quickly and was still in the air.
“Short talk. How human.” Replied Roc with disgust.
“I am searching for a human called, Julian.”
“Julian…” Roc trailed off. “I believe I’ve heard of him in my hatchling days.
There was a story behind him. He is an immortal sorcerer. He can only die in his
brother’s hands.”
“I am that brother. I never thought I could be that famous around here.” Joked
Arturo under his mechanical armor. This irritated Roc.
“If this Julian weren’t my brother’s friend, I would be more than happy to tell you
where he is. But being that he is my brother’s friend, I cannot allow you to harm him.”
Threatened Roc. He saw his gargoyle brothers and sisters were being pushed back by the
many soldiers.
“Pity.” Murmured Arturo. He then charged at Roc, making the gargoyle fall to
the ground like his comrades. Arturo was out of sight in no more than a few seconds.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“There is something weird in the air.” Said the shadow creature. He was situated
just outside of the entrance to the cave, watching for the invaders. William overheard
what he said.
“What is it?” Asked William.
“ I don’t know. But it’s close.”
Suddenly, they were showered by bullets coming from the large rocks around the
base of mountain. Everyone quickly came inside to avoid the bullets. Just when William
was about to enter the cave, his arm was grazed by one of the bullets. He cried in pain
and was helped inside by one of the gargoyles.
The attackers approached the islanders’ hiding place slowly, hiding behind rocks
so as not to be seen. When they cam close to about twenty yards, the shadow creature
leapt out from the cave and landed on one of soldiers. The soldier could do nothing but
try to break free. The shadow creature then took out his sword and quickly got off of the
soldier. When the soldier stood up and took aim of the creature, he was slashed at from
his chest to his stomach. The blade was sharp enough to cut through the protective vest.
After the soldier fell, his comrades pointed their weapons at the creature. Just when they
were about to shoot, the gargoyles attacked. Most of the soldiers were down and
struggling with the winged beasts. Although some were still free to fire their weapons,
they could not. Athena’s arrows have struck them before they could even pull the trigger.
The only one left to fight among the invaders was Paul. He was quick and agile.
He dodged the arrows with inhuman quickness. He also took care of a few gargoyles in
the process. The man was uncanny. He was an unfeeling killing machine. Finally, only
Paul, the shadow creature, and a few gargoyles were left standing. There was silence.
Deafening silence.
The silence was finally broken. Paul dropped his weapon and stood inside the
circle of enemies, motionless. One of the gargoyles lunged at the motionless figure. In
mid-air, Paul caught the gargoyle and slammed him to the ground with tremendous force.
The beaten gargoyle laid in the ground, unconscious. In anger, two other gargoyles
retaliated. Paul took off into the air and knocked the two gargoyles against each other.
Again, Paul was the victor. Finally, Paul and the shadow creature were all that was left
among the combatants.
Once again, silence fell upon them. Paul charged at the shadow creature. When
he was about to make contact with the creature, it disappeared. Paul could not believe it.
No one was fast enough to avoid his attack. He then tapped his temple, activating his
visor. Even with great technology, he saw nothing. Then, a soft wind blew into the
battlefield. With it came a voice, “I see you.” The voice was soft as the wind but cold as
a winter’s night. With no warning, the shadow creature came down from the heavens and
slashed Paul’s face with his sword.
The human warrior did not cry in pain. “You can’t kill me.” Said Paul. He buried
his face in both of his palms, hiding the damage the shadow creature had inflicted. He
slowly turned to his enemy and showed him what he had done. There was no blood. Only
silver metal under Paul’s skin. He was no man. He was a machine.
“What are you?” Asked the shadow creature. He was unfamiliar with such things
as robotics or artificial intelligence. Paul was the product of great technology. And most
of that technology was acquired by Arturo from a world other than his own and his
brother’s.
“That is not important.” Answered the machine. The spectators inside the cave
were as baffled as the shadow creature was. Except for Professor Johnson. He was
vaguely familiar with such things. However, the islanders were unfamiliar with such
advanced technology. Paul charged at his opponent and this time, he got him. The
shadow creature was now at Paul’s mercy. Paul held the creature’s face in his hand. The
shadow creature tried to cut his opponent’s arm off to escape his deadly hold. But that
proved to be useless. The blade would only cut through Paul’s skin and nothing more.
The machine was about to deliver the final blow when he was attacked from behind.
Duncan and the injured William attacked Paul from behind, making him let go of
his prey. The shadow creature quickly got to his feet to attack. Paul was again
surrounded. Paul was about to attack when the wind brought something with it.
Arturo found his way to the battlefield. His timing was just right since Paul has
never faced such strong and powerful enemies. He turned to look at the damaged Paul.
Arturo pulled up his visor and gave Paul a shameful look. Paul just stared back.
The armored Arturo scanned the surroundings with his visor. It flashed when it
came across the cave where Julian and the others hid. “Julian, don’t make me drag you
out of that hole.” Arturo’s voice was threatening.
Julian slowly came out of the cave into the open. He had his staff with him and
Angela was with him. “You don’t have to drag me out.” He said calmly. He then raised
his staff and chanted, “Soldiers of stone asleep. Rise from your slumber deep.” After he
said the words, the earth rumbled.
Gigantic stone figures rose from the earth. One of them grabbed hold of both
Arturo and Paul. The stone soldiers bought Julian and his friends enough time to escape.
“Where do we go now?” Asked William. The city dwellers helped Julian and the warriors
carry the gargoyles with them to wherever they might go next.
“There is nowhere else to go except the snow lands.” Replied Athena. She would
rather fight than run. The other warriors thought this way as well, but they cannot
endanger the wounded gargoyles. They are far too weak to fend for themselves.
“Then the snow lands is our next destination. Duncan, show us the way.” Julian
declared his decision and the others followed. Duncan was the only one of them who
knew the snow lands well. He lives there, watching the sea for intruders through his
seeing lens.
They walked for miles before reaching the edge of the snow lands. Unfortunately,
Duncan was the only one with warm clothes. The others would have to stay close
together to keep warm. Duncan explained this to the people and they did what he asked
of them. The people huddled together to keep warm. The Professor and Angela stayed
close to keep warm. While the others did the same, Athena was alone. She does not want
comfort from another person. She was very proud and independent. Athena walked alone
and cold until they reached Duncan’s home.
Duncan lived inside a deep and warm cave. The people were relieved to have
warmth crawl upon their frozen bodies. William’s dog especially liked this sensation. It
would snuggle its body close to its gigantic master to be even warmer. Duncan distributed
some blankets and fur coats to the people. Julian was absolutely frozen by the time he got
inside. He was given special attention since he was the leader. Angela offered to help by
building a fire. She gathered some dry twigs Duncan had kept under a warm fur blanket.
She set it up and placed stones around it to reflect the heat. From her small pouch she
took some powder. When she placed it on the dry twigs, it ignited. People started
gathering around the fire. Some put more twigs on it to keep it from dying from the
sudden breeze that blew into the cave.
The sound of cracking snow could be heard by the city dwellers. “What was
that?” asked the Professor. Like the others, he sat close to the fire trying to keep warm.
“Probably a beast looking for food.” Answered Duncan. After he heard the sound
again, he continued, “I will go see if it is a beast. If it is, dinner will be served.” The
others were delighted at the idea.
So, Duncan retrieved his bow and arrow from somewhere in another part of the
cave. He walked slowly, so as not to make so much noise. When he reached the
entranced to the cave, there was no beast. Only Arturo and his loyal machine. Duncan
had a clear shot of them. But he thought to himself, “If I attack now, that will only attract
their attention. I must lead them away from the others.”
Duncan walked away from the cave towards a bunch of dead trees. He hid behind
one of them and armed his bow with an arrow. He shot one straight into Paul. The arrow
hissed as it flew in the air. Before it could come into contact with the enemy, Paul caught
it in mid-air just a few inches before it reached the side of his head. He turned to see who
did it. When he saw Duncan behind the trees, he charged and was on top of Duncan in
less time it took for him to catch the arrow. Paul was about to deliver the finishing blow
when Arturo shouted, “No!” Arturo approached the two and kept Paul from pounding
Duncan into the cold ground.
“He’ll tell us where the others are. If he won’t cooperate, you can do whatever
you want with him.” Explained Arturo. With this, a small smile formed in Paul’s scarred
facade.
Paul picked Duncan up and put his hands behind his back. Arturo amplified his
voice by pressing something in his voicebox and shouted, “I have your friend, Julian.
Come out or you’ll see him in more than one piece.” Arturo’s voice reached every ear in
the snow lands. The people inside the cave heard it too.
Arturo received nothing but cold silence. Then, the cracking of the snow could be
heard behind them. Julian had finally surfaced and ready to face his brother. Surprisingly,
Julian was alone. He was as vulnerable as a sheep in a wolf pack’s home. Julian kneeled
and spoke, “I am in your mercy.”
“Finally, you’re talking some sense.” Said Arturo with his voice still amplified. He
approached his brother and towered over him.
“If mother was alive to see us like this, she would be displeased.”
“Mother is dead. You don’t have to worry about displeasing her.”
“Aren’t you going to kill me?”
“Patience, brother. This won’t take long.” Arturo took off the glove on his right
hand. Under the glove was not a hand, but a bladed apparatus which had the form of a
hand. “I had this done just for you, brother.” Commented Arturo.
Julian stared at the flashing blades as it was held above his head. Duncan tried to
break free from Paul’s hold but he was too strong. “You should know by now that stone
can’t keep me. Nothing can defeat me.” Proclaimed Arturo. He was about to strike but
his brother spoke.
“Nothing can defeat you but me, brother.” Julian said. With what he said, he
should expect an even quicker death.
Arturo held up his bladed hand and wound up like a baseball pitcher. Instead of
finishing off his brother, which was what he always wanted to do in all these centuries, he
did nothing. Finally, after shaking off the cobwebs in his mind, he unwound his arm which
delivered a quick slash.
“Brother.” Murmured Arturo. His brother made no contact with the blade.
Arturo walked away from the scene and Paul quickly followed.
Duncan came to help Julian up. “Why didn’t he kill you?”
“He is an evil man. But family is still important to him. I am the only family he
has left.”
Again Arturo spoke, “Brother.” There was a hint of regret in his voice. For a
moment, Arturo stopped and turned around to face his brother. Then, he started walking
away again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was almost dawn and the defending gargoyles at the beach would turn to stone
and certainly be crushed as they slept. They were cornered. There was a forest behind
them and the sea ahead. They had no where else to go. Suddenly, out of the forest came
two figures. It was Arturo and Paul. Arturo shouted out, “Let’s go home!” As he said
this, the soldiers paused for a moment and backed up from their targets and turned around
to return to their ships. The soldiers also took with them the two remaining undamaged
mechs. The other eight were badly mangled by the gargoyles. It would serve as a trophy
for the battle in the beach.
Before Arturo boarded in the cargo ships, he saw the gargoyles turn to stone as
the sun hit their leather skins. He took a last glimpse of the island and he went on to
return to the real world. The five ships were lost in the dawning sun as they made their
exit.
Arturo was seen entering the university’s archeological department by one of the
guards. The guard slightly bowed. Arturo entered Professor Johnson’s workplace to see
it untouched. He saw the gem-filled staff they used to transport themselves into the
island. He took it out of its place and held it high in his bladed and cold hand.
“I hope you are happy where you are, friend.” Arturo was referring to the
Professor who was still in Julian’s island. He held the staff high and broke it against the
edge of the worktable. The gems were taken forcefully out of their place in the staff. As
they scattered across the room, the chances of the Professor ever returning to the real
world were destroyed with the staff.
“I hope you are happy where you are.” Said Arturo again to himself. He put back
the gloves on his hands so as to disguise his new alterations to himself. He exited and was
taken back to his world. His world of technology. His world where he rules. His world.
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