Chapter 6
The Mission had increased their pace to keep in front of the Shadows. Soon, they’d made it up over a ridge where they were rewarded with a spectacular view. In the distance they could see the Face of Mars.
“Look! You can see the two faces on the Face of Mars from here,” said Elise.
Everyone stared down, some of the Keepers trying to determine whether it was caused by a shadow being cast by the adjacent mountain. Finding no evidence of that, they turned around to see a circular, tessellated arena covering most of the area and, much further on, a dome structure which had collapsed. Running parallel to this loomed the unusual pyramid structures. Elise immediately recognised this place from the vision the Oracle had given them earlier in the year.
“This is the Temple,” she said. “There was a war here a long time ago – long before human history – between the Guardians and the Shadows.”
“How do you know?” asked Bernard, who was transfixed by the view.
“The Oracle took Steve and me there,” said Elise.
Steve nodded, although no one would have seen this beyond his helmet. “Yes, it was a mixture of something really pleasant and something really evil.”
“Hey, do you want to know something, everyone?” said Matsu, studying his arm-band computer. “There’s a breathable atmosphere here.”
Everyone checked their own computers.
“Yes,” said Bryan, studying the data, “we’re in a huge invisible dome just like our Moon but much larger.” Bryan immediately began to remove his helmet. He grinned at the others, other than Sean, who hesitated. “It’s a weird smell, but pleasant.” Everyone removed their helmets.
“The Guardians did the same here as what Arden did on the Moon with the Oracle,” said Sean, putting his helmet on the ground. Elise looked at the Temple, saying nothing.
“This is weird standing out here with no helmet,” said Steve. “You guys should take a closer look at the Temple.”
“Well, I might do just that,” said Bernard. “Marie, are you coming?”
Suddenly, they saw a mass of Shadows coming up toward the ridge. Marie stared down the ridge at the army.
“I think I’ll keep guard.”
“How many are there?” muttered Bernard.
***
Elise briefly eyed the Shadow army before taking in the flat open area of the Temple. Several things were missing. The shallow pond and the bridge were completely gone – the pond filled up over the aeons, the bridge probably destroyed in the war. The pillars that had surrounded the round tessellated area were gone, but rocky remnants remained here and there.
The main dome structure and its pillars largely remained, except for the fact that it had collapsed. Even the Ardesh symbols were still on the fallen pillars, and an etching of the Primordial Fountain was proudly displayed on the dome.
“This area and the dome have similarities to the Temple of the Goddess in India,” said Marie.
“Interesting how this can be built thousands and thousands of years ago, by another race,” said Sean, “and be very similar to the very Temple that many people make a pilgrimage to every year on Earth.”
Elise was nodding but couldn’t say anything as she had gone thoughtless. She could feel a sudden surge in the Oracle. She knew it was about to reveal something.
The ground below them started to rumble, but the movement was confined to the circular tessellated area. Rock and dust were being shifted, but not in a way that a logical mind could perceive. It was being cleared, much like metal pellets rolling on a glass sheet. The rumbling suddenly stopped.
“It is a large Oracle,” said Sean, rubbing his stubbly chin, “and it’s displaying the subtle system.”
“A ‘Planetary Oracle’ representing our solar system,” said Elise.
“Not only that,” said Bryan. “I can see how it links our countries as well. Find your symbols and stand on them.”
Elise looked at Sean. “You already know more about the subtle system than most of us in our generation. You lived in a time that will never be seen again.”
Sean looked at Elise and the Oracle she had velcroed to the opposite side of her armband computer.
“Yes. You know, you may be the only person in your generation, who wasn’t in those times, who knows that.”
“I know,” said Elise. “It comes with the job.”
“Indeed,” said Sean.
“We’re all standing on the energy centres of the right channel,” Matsu reminded them.
“Yes, we are the dynamic right side,” said Sean. “Remember, we are the Sun.”
“Then what about the left and central ways?” asked Elise.
“You mean, who stands on them?” asked Sean.
“Yes.”
“Perhaps we don’t need the remaining thirty-six keepers to stand on them,” muttered Sean.
Bernard was puzzled at all the empty realms.
“We don’t have Starships. So we can’t bring that many people, anyway.”
“We don’t need them physically,” said Elise. She looked at her arm-band computer.
“You mean, if you open a direct line of communication to all the people who represent the remaining centres...” suggested Sean.
“Realms," corrected Elise. She held up her left arm and pressed the touch screen display. A holographic icon of Skype appeared to float above the screen. This was replaced by a list of floating icons that represented different contacts. She selected a group called Keepers. Suddenly, full holographic images of that group materialised on their corresponding realms.
“Hello, everyone,” said Elise. “Thanks for making yourselves available on short notice.”
“That’s OK,” said the closest hologram at the beginning of the left way. She was a young African girl. “We know how important this is.”
Elise was just thinking that the holograms looked like they were suffering from poor bandwidth, when their clarity dramatically improved.
***
The Shadows approached the temple and stopped with rifles raised, looking at Marie.
“Hey, guys,” said Marie, “I may need your attention. The Shadows are here.”
Resh noticed that the Earthers were already trying to open the realms!
Jul suddenly growled and charged toward Marie.
Elise could feel a surge of vibrations from the Oracle. She turned around and saw Marie charging toward a giant Shadow.
“Marie!” called Elise, stunned.
Jul fired at Marie, but the shot went wild, causing an explosion of rock and dust to fly everywhere.
Marie performed some type of martial arts manoeuvre, which landed Jul flat on his back. In a rage, Jul pressed a button and removed his translucent helmet, revealing a dark, shadowy head. He lashed out with his leg, knocking Marie on her back.
Jul’s body suddenly started transforming. It was increasing in size like some evil-looking Incredible Hulk. His uniform stretched to accommodate his new, massive size. His face had changed to look more like a monster than previously.
“Rrrrrr!” roared Jul. He pulled out his hand-gun, but Marie kicked it aside. Marie could feel tremendous negativity coming from the giant Shadow and she pushed back the urge to vomit.
The moment may have looked a little comical if it were a different situation; Jul was huge, but Marie was quite small in comparison.
Jul charged, but his movements were a little unsteady. Marie charged toward him and karate-kicked him back toward the ridge. Suddenly, Jul froze as if something had struck him. He reached for his face, which started to melt. Black slime was running down his suit. Then, what was left of his body fell to the ground.
“Marie!” called Elise sharply. “Don’t move. You’re right on the edge of the perimeter!”
Marie cursed herself; she could have walked right into the Martian atmosphere, which would have resulted in instant death, just like Jul.
“OK, turn carefully,” said Elise. She stopped as Resh appeared directly beside Marie with his translucent helmet lowered.
***
Resh had transformed his Shadowy face into a young human male in his mid-twenties.
“Hello, there,” said Resh. “I loved your performance.” Resh had also transformed his dark, brutal nature into that of a kind, polite gentleman.
“Keep away from me,” said Marie.
“Beautiful, in fact,” Resh was saying, “just like you.”
“Marie!” called Elise. “Get away from him!”
Marie felt like talking to him, but another part of her was saying, “Don’t do it!”
***
With Jul dead, the Shadow army had stopped in formation on the edge of the cliff.
Elise and the Keepers had gathered together as Sirek entered the Martian dome.
“We must all put our attention on Marie,” said Elise.
Sirek was walking toward them pointing a hand-gun at them.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Elise held up the Oracle as Sirek fired, and the Oracle absorbed the white beam. Elise threw the Oracle like a Frisbee, hitting the gun out of Sirek’s hand. The Oracle returned like a boomerang to Elise’s hand.
“Why didn’t I get one of those?” muttered Steve.
“Now, let’s use that similar power by focusing our attention on Marie,” said Elise. “We need her.”
“What about the soldiers?” asked Matsu.
“Well, they’re not attacking us yet,” said Elise. “First things first.”
Everyone held up their rings, directing their collective energy toward the Oracle. This amplified the Oracle’s power so that everyone’s desires could be manifested.
***
“You and I,” continued Resh, “could rule this galaxy together.”
Marie was starting to become captivated by Resh. He was young, adventurous and romantic, but she suddenly released how artificial this all seemed. Something was pulling her back to reality and pulling her back fast.
“No,” said Marie. “I can’t.”
Resh reached for her as Marie had a sudden realisation of which way to run without going through the perimeter. She felt a surge of dynamic energy and ran toward the others. There was normal Earth gravity in the Temple, but it could still have been Martian gravity as far as she knew. She had moved very quickly!
“Sorry to interrupt you love birds,” said Steve to Marie, “but we still have a Planetary Oracle to activate.”
Elise hugged her. “Glad to get you back.”
“I’m sorry, guys,” said Marie. “I won’t try to take them on single-handed anymore.”
“It’s all right, my dear,” said Sean, smiling. “We know.”
“And what we now know about this Centurion is invaluable,” said Elise.
***