My IoG Novelization

[PaGaN3l3m3nts]

The world was in an age of exploration. As man explored the
world, searching for new lands, he uncovered the relics of ancient
cultures. Cultures long deceased, no human memory of them remaining.
Yet, they were remembered. Through their relics and ruins, the memory
of these cultures outlasted them as time overtook them. As man
explored time, many legends began to surface. A legend from each
ruin, a legend from each culture... One of the legends told of
strange statues in the shapes of spirits. What was a spirit to
ancient people? The ruins don't tell us. The ruins do not remember.
People who entered the ruins, searching for wealth, went in and were
never seen again. Some said there were traps to protect the treasure,
others said it was a curse. No one thought these ruins would bring
about disaster...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

.----._________________________________________
/ \ The Illusion of Gaia /
( 00 )novelized by PaGaN3l3m3nts@yahoo.com /
\ /_______Expedition 00: Prologue_______/ 03/13/05
'----'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A bird was soaring overhead. A young boy's eyes were focused
upon that bird. How did it fly? Where was it flying from? Where was
it flying to? And why was it flying there? The boy extended his
fingers towards the bird, stretching his arm. As the boy gazed
upwards towards the empty azure sky, the only entities his eyes
beheld were his outstretched arm and that bird. With no background
to provide perception of depth, the boy was able to lead his eyes to
believe that bird was minuscule, and but an inch away.
Simultaneously, he closed his fingers and closed his eyes,
envisioning that the tiny bird was now grasped in his hand, which he
now brought to his chest. He opened his eyes. He opened his hand. His
hand was as empty as the azure sky. But, only the sky held the bird.
The boy scoffed, as though disappointed with the results, though
he had expected them. He slowly rose to his feet. He continued to
gaze at the bird and the sky. It wasn't the bird he was grasping for.
It was its spirit. The boy had no idea how or why that bird flew. He
only knew that the bird did indeed fly. And that was enough. Without
hesitation or doubt, it moved on. Unbound by earth and sea, it
continued along the path it had decided upon. It was that free spirit
the boy sought to grasp.
The boy had none of these thoughts. His young mind analyzed none
of this. It was his young heart, filled with youthful vigor and
imagination. He only felt that that bird's conviction and freedom was
something that might be wonderful. Yet, here he stood, while the bird
flew on. The bird left the boy's eyes, and he continued to stare
upwards, the endless sea of azure sky reflected in his eyes. If he
didn't look down, perhaps he could lead himself to believe he was in
that sky. Slowly, the boy closed his eyes. The boy spread his arms,
feeling the rushing wind around him. And slowly, he let himself fall
backwards. He let himself fall into the sky...

"Whoa, there, kid!"
The boy found that rather than falling into the sky, he'd
fallen into the arms of his father's acquaintance. The man was tall
and well-built, dressed in a commoner's clothes. His rough, tanned
skin told of many days spent in the rugged outdoors. His flaming red
hair depicted an equally fierey spirit. And through his thin beard,
his hearty grin conveyed his adventurous, child-like heart.
"We've been at sea this long, and you still can't find your
legs?" the man smiled.
"I can stand and walk just fine," the boy replied, looking up
at the man. "I'm just tired of this boat."
"I know the feeling!" the man chuckled. "Though you travel
faster on a boat than on foot, since you're not accomplishing the
movement yourself, there's no sense of travel or accomplishment."
Raising a hand over his eyes to block out the sun, the man gazed
towards the sea as he added, "The lack of change in scenery doesn't
help much either, eh?"
"I've always wanted to join my father on one of his
expeditions. It always seemed so incredible, being able to see a new
place every day. But since leaving South Cape, I've only seen the
same ocean day after day."
"It'll build up your patience. Patience is a virtue, you know?
Learn to use the time to think on things you've seen, and reflect on
them..." The man spoke with experience from the countless expeditions
he'd joined the boy's father on. However, he caught himself,
realizing that this was no scholarly explorer he was speaking to, but
a young boy, filled with dreams of adventure. "I suppose things
would've been much better for you if my son Lance could've joined us.
At least that way you'd have some company of the same age on the
trip. But his mother worries about him so much. She keeps him on such
a tight leash, he's going to be pulling back when he gets older...
Well, at any rate, there'll be plenty of excitemnt once we reach our
destination. For now, why don't we go see your father? Actually, he
sent me here to fetch you."
"Alright."

The boy accompanied the man across the ship. The air was damp
with sea water, and winds rushed along the deck, urging the vessel
towards its destination as they were caught in the sails. Aside from
wind and water, fire also filled the air. A sizzling excitement
racing through the ship's busy crew. Today was the day that they
would finally reach their destination. A return to land was always a
comforting experience for the seafarers. But on this journey, they
were finally to solve the age long mystery...
As the two entered the captain's cabin, the forms of two men
were huddled over a desk, engaging in conversation over a sea chart.
The two glanced towards the entrance upon hearing the door squeak
along its hinges. The captain released a baritone sailor's growl, and
let his eyes return to the chart. The other man smiled widely and
ushered them closer with an open arm.
"Will! Come here, son!"
The boy, Will, came to his father Olman's side.
"How are you holding up?" Olman asked his son.
"A little bored. I've been around the ship a hundred times. I've
memorized the whole thing, so I'll be ready if anything happens."
"That's my son!" Olman laughed.
Olman's friend chuckled, "Expecting some pirates, are we, kid?"
Will stared at the man with an insulted look, feeling he was
being treated like a child, which he was in many people's eyes,
having just reached the age of fourteen. However, his father placed
his hand on Will's shoulder, and smiled, "Now, now, Angelo, Will's
not a child anymore. He's joining us on this expedition as a fellow
explorer!"
"Is that so?" his friend replied. "Well, quite the kick-off for
his astounding career, isn't it? Though with the way you've been
going at it, do you even think there'll be anything left to explore
by the time he comes into his own?"
"Of course! There will always be things to explore! This world
is far older than we humans. And it will outlast us as well. Humans
are an insignificant flicker in the life of the Earth. We'll be
forgotten before we've even begun to remember all there is to know."
"Ah! But nothing has changed the face of this planet as much as
the human race! Our influence on this planet is the greatest of all!
Our influences on this planet, be they beauty or scars, will forever
have a lasting impact."
"All things in the universe, no matter how small, have a
lasting impact. Every event ripples through space and time, and the
result is neverending."
Angelo smiled and shook his head. "You always have to one-up me
once I start being philosophical don't you?"
"I've had to spend a lot of time dwelling on things. Besides,
you could keep the conversation going as long as you pleased. You
just tire of it before me."
"Or maybe I'm just not so long-winded?"
"That may be!" Olman laughed. "Still, I can't help but feel
profound at this point in time. All my efforts will bear fruit today.
At long last, I have all the keys necessary to gain access to the
origin of human culture and the single place in which the earth
grazes the heavens..."
"The Tower of Babel."
The two men's eyes met. This was the bond they had. This was the
essence of their tried and true friendship. In one another's eyes,
they could see the same burning excitement for discovery that they
felt within themselves. Will, whom the conversation had left behind
some time ago, watched the two men. Though he didn't quite understand
all the things they said, he understood the look in their eyes. For
he had the same look in his own.
"It's been quite a journey acquring all the keys and the crystal
ring," Olman said.
"That ring is going to get us in a world of trouble. I'm still
concerned about the fact that you never told King Edward that you
found it. You know that he demanded it be given to him as
compensation for his funding of our excavations."
"If I'd given it to that old man then we'd never be able to
explore the greatest depths of this tower. It's one of the most
significant artifacts we've located, and is an essential piece of the
puzzle here. It's not the sort of thing to be shown off as a royal
treasure."
"So you really think that all those legends we've been catching
here and there of have some truth to them?"
"Of course. This IS the moment of truth." Turning towards Will
once again, Olman said, "I'm happy that you're with us today, Will.
The things we discover today will teach us more about humanity's past
than we've ever known. Not only that, but it may very well hold the
key to our future as well. I'm glad you're here." Shifting his eyes
back to his friend, he sighed, "It's such a shame your son couldn't
join us."
"Well, you know how it is. His mother is too worrisome. She gets
onto me for going on these little outings myself. She worries too
much. She also complains about missing me too much. It's not like I
enjoy it either. I wish she'd come along, like Shira did." He halted,
realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned her."
"Not at all. I'm sure she'd be glad to know that the living are
still speaking fondly of her. It shows that she's missed and
remembered. Of course it still hurts to be without her. She was the
best wife a man could ask for. But what comes from the earth will
return to the earth. I'll be joining her one of these days. And I
hope that whoever's left will speak fondly of me as well."
"...Are you sure you should be speaking of that around your son
like this?"
The two adults glanced at Will, who seemed focused on their
conversation.
Olman answered, "No, he accepts death as a part of life. He
knows my time will come one of these days. But let's all just hope
it's not anytime soon, right?"
Olman placed his hand affectionately on his son's head,
tussling his hair about. Will smiled up at his father. Yes, the loss
of his mother had taught him that death is an inevitability. However,
she'd been sick for some time before she finally passed away. Seeing
the life shining from his father, he knew that the man still had many
years ahead of him. He and his father were destined for great things
together in the world of exploration...

"LAND, HO!!!"
Instinctively, every inhabitant of the ship rushed to the deck,
eager to catch the site with their own eyes. Will, especially eager,
used his size to an advantage, darting between the ship's crew to
reach the edge of the ship. However, he was forced to wait in
painfully eager anticipation, lacking any sort of telescope such as
the occupant of the crow's nest possessed. Slowly, but surely, a dark
vertical line began to fade into view on the horizon.
A hush fell over the crew as the massive structure loomed into
view. A monstrous structure, tall and epic, stretching toward's the
world's zenith. As the ship drew ever nearer, the tower's size became
ever more apparent. It stretched as tall as the human eye could see,
it's glory fading into the atmosphere. As the ship drew nearer still,
it's grandoise size was found to lie not only in size. It's body had
to be strong enough to support, and so, skinny as it may seem to its
own proportions, its girth was still titanic. A product at the height
of human achievement, it seemed strangely alien. As though it were
not fashioned by human hands, but rather by the earth, as if it had
always resided over the planet for countless eons, watching over the
world's aching revolutions. The Tower of Babel.
"At last..!" Olman whispered so low that no other man heard
the words.
Mother Earth churned with anticipation, continuing the cycle of
shift and erosion it had maintained since antiquity...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The last of the crew came ashore at dusk. The excitement was at
its peak. The tower loomed over them, outlined in flame by the sun it
eclipsed. As they stared in awe, Olman finally made his approach
towards the tower's monstrous stone gate. Will was his father's
shadow, Angelo following close behind. As they stood at the tower's
base, their own frailty became apparent to them. The structure before
them was enormous and timeless. The idea that human hands could have
fashioned it seemed ludicrous at that moment. Pressing on, they
reached the gate. A moment that seemed to stretch on for hours
passed. Finally, as though mesmerized by the tower's power, Will
stepped forward and placed his hand on the gate. He felt the cold
stone against his hand. The warmth of his hand may have been the first
life to enter that stone in an eternity. He withdrew his hand slowly,
feeling as though he had committed a mortal sin by violating the
structure with his touch.
Olman now stepped forward, prepared to open the gate. From his
satchel, he removed several stone discs, carved with images. Slowly
but certainly, in a pattern he'd played through his mind countlessly
on the journey, he fit these stone discs into hollows in the door.
He'd been on countless expeditions for the purpose of acquiring
these discs so that he might enter this tower. As he inserted each
disc, each one was accompanied by a myriad of memories. The story
behind his acquiring of each disc played through his mind until at
last, only one remained. Tension filled the air as he slowly inserted
the last disc.
A chilled silence filled a moment in time. And then, the
rumbling began. A sound like the screeching of the earth. Stone
grinding against stone, metal against metal, and a jagged tremor that
ran through the earth and shook the bones and very souls of all
present. Then, just as suddenly, the earth was silent. The gate had
been opened. And so, man set foot in the tower once more.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A gargantuan entryway filled the first room. Blue, dull mosaic
tiles adorned the floor. Perhaps at one time, they had shone with
immaculate detail and brilliance. But now, they were only beaten,
weathered stone. The walls were lines of dull brown brick pillars.
The bottom four feet of each wall were lined with a layer of thick
stone, carved with etchings that showed that at one time, detailed
works of art had been carved into the stone. Time had worn upon the
beauty man had created. Time filled the empty air, and declared its
dominance.
A single archway lead deeper into the tower. Lined in silver,
with a gigantic, dark blue gem embedded at the apex of the arch.
Olman now produced a torch, flint, and steel from his satchel.
Without a word, Olman handed the flint and steel to Angelo in
a request for assistance. Cooperatively, Angelo took the items.
Striking the flint on the steel, he sparked Olman's torch to life.
Olman smiled at his friend, his face seeming to say thanks. Angelo
smiled back in response as he returned the flint and steel to his
friend's pouch.
The party advanced onward, deeper into the belly of times
forgotten. Through the arch, an endless hall stretched on to the
right. As they traversed the gaping hallway, it curved ever slightly
to the left, spiraling inward towards the tower's center. The massive
structure of the tower became all the more real, as the endless
spiral went on and on. As the footsteps of the large group echoed
through the winding corridor, the tower groaned in response, as if
waking from a slumber of 1000 years.
At long last, an aberration occured in the endless tunnel.
Along the wall stood two large statues. These ancient sculptures were
identical, depicting a knight, clad in armor. His outstretched hands
held the stone depiction of a sheathed sword. A large flowing cape
decorated the back of his armor. Perfectly straight, flowing locks
fell upon his shoulders. His face depicted a sense of duty and
purpose. Between the two statues, a hollow was embedded in the wall.
In this hollow lay an ornate, golden box.
"Our first discovery?" Olman asked rhetorically.
The party jumped at the sudden noise that had pierced the
infinite silence. Angelo exhaled to relieve the tension on his
nerves. "I'm glad you finally said something," he muttered. "The
silence was making me feel far too much like a trespasser. I feel as
though I'm not meant to be here."
"You're sweating up a storm. Are you that tense?"
"Maybe so, but in case you haven't noticed, it's sweltering in
here. Despite the cold outside, this place is well-insulated. At any
rate, what do you make of this? Are the knights meant to warn us
that we'll be punished for seeking whatever's in that chest?"
"I don't think so. Their swords are sheathed, and they look
peaceful. If they were a warning, don't you think they'd look more
aggressive? I think there's deeper meaning here. I've seen these
statues at ruins before. Don't you recall?"
Angelo gazed at the statues with a look of confusion, his eyes
attemtoping to trace the statues features back into the recesses of
his memory. "The Pyramids in Egypt!"
"That's right," Olman nodded. "We thought that they seemed out
of place there. And now, we see the same statues. They indicate that
herein lies the property of the dark knight."
"The dark knight? I've heard you speak of it before, but do we
have any idea what it really means?"
"Who knows? I suppose that if the ruins don't tell us, we don't
need to know. Text is carved at the base of these statues. The same
text can be found on the replicas of these statues I've seen. And,
all I can translate fom them is that they represent that this is a
place meant for the dark knight. At any rate, there's no threat.
Why not take a look?"
As Olman started towards the box, Angelo held out a hand to stop
him. "Wait! Olman, are you crazy?! If it's meant for this 'dark
knight,' don't you think they'd want to keep anyone else from getting
a hold of it? You've been in plenty of ruins! You should be well-
aware of the risk of a trap!"
"And you've been with me to plenty. You should be well-aware of
how good my intuition is."
"Olman!"
However, Olman had already made up his mind. He reached for the
box unhesitatingly, as though reaching for something he reached for
every day. He opened the box without event. And from within, his
hands produced a golden flute.
"What did I tell you?" Olman smiled. "All that fuss over a
little flute."
"You're always so stubborn! It'll be the end of you one of these
days. Hmph. At any rate, this is obviously an item of great
significance to the people that constructed this tower. I wonder what
role it played in the mythology of these people..."
"Music itself is important. Music is beyond language. It can
carry memories and emotions between cultures. Music can have a
profound effect on humans, but why it is capable of this is beyond
human understanding. It's not something that makes sense according to
evolution. Yet, it is a part of humanity."
"There you go, on one of your metaphysical rants again. All that
aside, there's a reason this specific artifact was preserved."
"No doubt. But let's press on. This tower will take some time to
explore, so the finer details can wait for now. I know you're not the
type to sit and chat when there's more to see."
"Undoubtedly so, yet, I'm already feeling exhausted. Walking in
circles like this must be making me tired."
"I get the same feeling. How are you, Will?"
"I'm fine!" Will smiled excitedly. "Let's keep going!"
"Must just be us," Olman muttered as he placed the flute into
his satchel.
"We must be getting old," Angelo chuckled.
As they pressed on, the endless corridor continued to spiral
inward. As before, it seemed neverending, and they began to wonder if
they were making progress at all. Exhaustion seemed to be slowly
overtaking them, as though they had indeed been walking for miles.
Will began to lead the way, apparently the only one with energy to
spare at this point. He came to a stop upon reaching the next change
in the path. The tiled floor disappeared, and a chasm took it's
place. The floor could be seen resuming in the distance. However, for
meters ahead, the floor gave way to a pitfall, the bottom of which
was lined with iron spikes.
"Well now," Angelo muttered. "This is a change of pace. Tell me,
Olman, do you STILL think that they don't mind our being here?
Forgive me for saying so, but this isn't the most inviting welcome
mat I've seen."
"Don't mock the ancient ruins. You'll make them angry," Olman
chuckled back.
"I'm not the one carrying their flute."
"You're just jealous. Now, seriously, this does complicate
things a bit. This miniscule island has no vegetation, so we've
nothing to build a bridge with unless there's something convenient on
the ship..."
"Need I remind you that we have that ship under contract? We
can't just go around yanking boards and dining tables up."
"Well, how else are we going to proceed further to find the
treasures to repay them? I'm sure they won't mind if it helps us
along."
"Have you always been this reckless, or has it just taken until
now for me to realize it? I'm getting a headache..."
"Maybe you're losing your adventurous streak?" Olman jested as
he removed his jacket and satchel and began tightening his belt.
Eying his friend suspiciously, Angelo asked, "Might I inquire
just what you're doing?"
"Well, you seem to have qualms with foraging the ship for
building materials. Not to mention that it would take quite some time
to drag the materials in here and get it constructed safely. We've
hardly made any discoveries yet, so I'm not quite ready to head back
for the entrance yet. So, I'm just going to scout ahead a little."
With that, Olman tossed his satchel across the pit, and then handed
the torch to Angelo.
"You're insane!" Angelo said in shock. "And just how do you plan
on crossing?"
Pointing to the walls, Olman replied, "As you can see, the stone
base of this wall is extended slightly from the pillars that make up
the core of the wall. So, it stands to reason that with a little
effort, I should be able to climb onto the base and shimmey along the
wall to get across."
"Father?" Will asked, grabbing hold of his father's hand.
"Will? What is it?"
"I want to come with you."
Olman stared at his son, turning the request in his mind.
Weighing the possibilities, and looking into his son's eyes, he
replied, "Stay close to me."
Will's face lit up as Angelo shouted, "Olman, what are you
thinking?! You've always been a daredevil in the ruins, but your
son-!"
"My son can handle himself just fine. I'll keep him close, don't
worry."
"OLMAN!"
"Relax. Are you sure your wife's not the only one to worry?"
"That's not funny at all."
"I expect you to lead the rest of the party while I'm gone. Set
up a camp near this point, and bring the supplies in."
"Just get going. The sooner it's over with the better..."
Olman simply smiled, as he pulled himself up onto the base of
the wall. His feet slanted sidewyas along the wall, clinging to what
little bit of it they had. He pressed his body into one of the
contours where two separate pillars met, fighting for an extra bit of
space. With considerably more effort, Will managed to pull himself up
as well. His face was ridden with fear, but he was determined to
press on, just like his father.
Slowly, the two began to inch their way across. Olman began to
drift away from safety, so that a loss of balance would leave him
with nowhere to land but upon the bed of spikes. Will was directly
behind him. He was much less coordinated, but likewise, he was much
smaller, so maintaining his balance was slightly easier for him.
Angelo had stopped breathing without realizing it. He watched the two
slowly progress, a tremendous lump building in his throat. His heart
leapt in fear as he saw a small piece of the base chip away under
Olman's foot.
Quickly sliding his foot along, Olman was able to save the
situation, resulting in only a slight fluctuation in his balance.
Ever so slowly, the tense seconds passed, and Olman neared the other
side. He glanced behind him at Will, who was focused entirely on his
own movements.
"We're almost there, Will. Good work!"
Hearing his father's words, Will turned to smile at his father.
This single break in concentration was enough to throw his balance
off. He leaned away from the wall only a fraction of an inch. So
little that once he realised his mistake, he put only a fraction of
effort into correcting himself. However, with his minute center of
balance, and his land legs still not quite found, gravity had taken
hold, and pulled him away from the wall.
It happened in an instant. Will fell from the wall. All his
dreams, aspirations, hopes, and memories flashed before his eyes.
Angelo and the other onlookers cringed in terror. Olman reached for
his son in a panic, not even taking into account that the attempt
would throw himself off balance. Spinning, Olman grabbed hold of his
son's sleeve, and hurled him towards the side they were so close to
reaching. He had only enough time to see his son safely land on the
other side before his spinning heel ran out of room, and slid from
the base. Leaning his body towards that side, Olman stretched his arm
out for it, knowing full well that it was beyond his reach.
Will jerked his head towards Olman, screaming, "FATHER!!!"
Fate must have been smiling upon him. The edges of his fingers
barely made contact with the edge of the pit. Pain shot through them
as Olman struggled to hold on by his fingertips. His nails tore along
the floor as he slowly slid away. Will dived for his father, grabbing
hold of his arm and struggling to pull up the significantly larger
man. But, in that moment of desperation, Will was somehow able to
find the strength within himself to pull his father up enough that he
could pull himself to safety.
All men present exhaled in a deep sigh of relief. "Damn fool,"
Angelo muttered, terribly relieved himself.
Will and Olman stared at one another as they panted heavily.
Olman was the first to speak, "Are you alright Will?"
"I'm fine. Sorry..."
"Well, how are you liking your first adventure?" Olman smiled.
Will simply stared at his father in shock. He was beginning to
see why Angelo was at times put at his wit's end by the man. Yet, he
found himself smiling back at his father. The two began to laugh,
perhaps from nothing more than relief.
"The boy's just as crazy as the old man," Angelo muttered.
Olman rose to his feet, and Will followed. The two dusted
themselves off, and then Olman began rubbing his hand as he shouted,
"Angelo! Go ahead and toss that torch over here! I've got my satchel,
so it's not a problem if it goes out!"
Angelo complied, producing an unlit torch from his own satchel.
Pressing it against Olman's torch, he ignited it. He then tossed
Olman's torch across. As it reached the other side and rolled across
the floor, Olman scooped it up. Luckily, it managed to stay lit.
"Alright," Olman shouted. "We'll press on, and should be back in
about 20 minutes unless we encounter some problems. Maybe we'll get
lucky and finally find the stairs to the next floor."
"With it taking this long to traverse just one floor, I'm not
sure that I WANT there to be any more! The thing's much taller than
wide, so I can't even begin to imagine how long it'll take to explore
it..."
"And just imagine what wonders might await us at the top!"
With that final comment, Olman turned and began walking down the
corridor once more. Will followed close behind.

The corridor resumed its endless stretch. Will's father marched
on, sweat pouring from his forehead, and a grimace on his face.
"Father? Are you alright?"
As usual, Olman simply smiled back at his son. "Perhaps I'm
getting old after all, eh? That last little stunt seems to have worn
me out a good bit. The conditions here don't help much either... My
head's pounding..."
"Do you need to rest?"
"No, let's press on."
As they pressed on, Will continued to look upon his father with
a concerned expression. His father seemed to be extremely fatigued.
His shoulders slumped, his eyes crinkled, sweat continued to steadily
drip from him, and he moved as though struggling against aches and
muscles at their limit. Never before had Will seen his father in such
an exhausted state. To Will's relief, these observations were brought
to a sudden halt by the realization that they had at long last
reached the end of the corridor. The pair stopped simultaneously.
The corridor's end was an open doorway, bathed in blue light.
The light seemed to be emitted from the frame of the door itself,
forming a curtain of light that separated the corridor from whatever
lay beyond. Slowly, Will's father approached it. Olman began by
holding his hand before it, acknowledging that there seemed to be no
heat emissions from the light. Taking this as a sign of safety,
Olman gingerly placed his hand upon the light. As before, his hand
made contact with the light without event. Olman proceeded to wave
his hand back and forth within the light, confirming the apparent
safety of it.
"Aesthetics and nothing more?" Olman muttered to himself as he
stepped through the doorway. "It seems to be harmless, Will. Let's
continue."
Acknowledging his father's words, Will stepped through the door.
Or rather, he would have, had it not repelled him the moment he made
contact with it. An electric warmth filled Will's body for only an
instant before the sensation of his body being compressed overwhelmed
him and a massive wave of pressure catapulted him away from the door
and into the opposite wall. Upon impact, Will's vision blackened and
his body went numb with pain. Vaguely, he heard his father's voice
call out to him. As he forced his eyes open, he say his ftaher rush
through the door and to his side. Will attempted to rise to his feet,
but found that his body was unresponsive.
"I'm sorry, Will! I'm such a fool! I should have realized that
the veil of light was the barrier that the crystal ring was needed
to pass!" As the feeling returned to Will's body, he stared at his
father with an expression blurring pain and confusion together. "Are
you alright?"
Will nodded. He was shaken up a bit, but he was still more
concerned for his father than himself. "I'm fine. Just a little
dizzy..."
"I think this is enough for today after all," Olman said, rising
to his feet. "From this point forward, exploration will be much more
difficult." Olman's eyes drifted back to the doorway, an eagerness to
press on still burning within him. However, hsi priorities were else-
where. "Can you walk, Will?" Will began to rise, but quickly found
that he would need a moment more. "It's alright, just rest." As they
sat at that spot, Olman's eyes once more drifted to the doorway.
Finally, he rose to his feet, declaring that, "I'm going to go on
ahead a bit, Will. Stay put, and get your strength back. I'll only
be a moment."
Will nodded once more, and watched his father travel through the
door once more. Will didn't feel the least bit concerned that his
father had left his side. Instead, it was something he was proud of.
It showed a certain level of faith Olman had in Will's self-reliance.
With the torchlight gone, Will was left with only the pale glow from
the doorway that had refused him. Apparaently, one could only pass it
while wearing the crystal ring his father and Angelo had been
discussing. In that case, could only one person at a time continue
beyond this point? Furthermore, what was the secret behind the
discussion Angelo and his fatehr were having about King Edward? Were
they doing something against the king's wishes? As Will continued to
dwell upon these things, he found himself slowly drifting asleep.

Will awoke to a terrible rumbling. Terrified, Will rushed to his
feet, only to be toppled over once again by the tremors. Rising to
his feet once more, he frantically looked around him for his father,
but to no avail. At that moment, Angelo came running towards him
through the darkness, torch in hand.
"WILL!" he shouted. "Where's Olman?!"
"I don't know! What's going on?!"
"I have no idea! The whole place just suddenly jumped to life!
All of the workers ran back out, screaming that it was a damn curse.
I had to come looking for you. What's your crazy father done now?!"
Rubble began to come crashing down around them, urging them to
hurry. "My father went through that doorway!" Will yelled, pointing
towards the one that had barred his path. "You can't go through it
without some ring!"
"Wonderful!" Angelo cursed in sarcasm. He stared into the door-
way, considering his options. A large segment of the ceiling came
crashing down before him, only three feet away from his position.
Finally, he came to a decision. "Will, come on! We've got to get out
of here!"
"I'm not leaving without my father!"
"Will, I understand, but your father would want you to escape to
safety! You know he's so stubborn that he wouldn't die if you killed
him. We can't do anything for him, but I know that he'd want me to
make sure you'd get out safely."
"But what if he comes, and he needs help getting out, or..."
A huge stone slab came crashing down beside them. As the
adjacent segments of the ceiling began to gave way, Angelo's reflexes
came to life. He quickly dived towards Will, just barely removing
them both from the path of falling debris. "Will, we have to leave!
NOW!" Angelo grabbed Will's arm and began to pull him away.
"Wait! I hear his voice! I hear my father's voice!"
Angelo stopped. Through the doorway, Olman could be seen
sprinting towards them. The two waited, urging him to quickly reach
them. As Olman appraoched the doorway, however, the ceiling above it
gave way. When the dust had settled, rubble had idealistically
obstructed Olman's path of escape.
"FATHER!!" Will screamed in refusal.
"Olman, you idiot!" Angelo yelled as he pulled himself up to the
rubble. "What in the hell happened?!"
"We weren't ready," Olman answered, hidden from site beyond the
rubble."
"What in the hell does that mean?!" Angelo demanded.
"There was another piece of the puzzle that we neglected. This
Tower is only meant to be entered when its ready to be used. This
isn't a place for mortal men. What's more, the Mystic Statues... She
explained it all to me."
"She?! What on earth are you babbling about?!"
"There's no time. You need to get out of here! This place... If
only I'd realized... This place isn't right. Time and space are
twisted by her... Will!"
"Father!" Will screamed once more, pulling himself up to the
rubble separating him from his father. The flickering blue light
rebounding across the rubble, casting an eerie scene. From the other
side, Olman produced the golden flute they'd found and slid it
between the rubble.
"Take care of this! You'll need it to understand it all. I'm
sorry... I thought I understood the situation..."
"We're going to get you out of here!" Will yelled, in tears.
"Will, stop crying!" Will stopped, shocked by the unfamiliar
harshness of his father's voice. "It doesn't help the situation. You
need to be strong. Be calm. Listen to me, and do what I tell you.
There's not much time. Go with Angelo. Get out of here! Take care of
the flute. Do you understand?! Don't let it out of your sight!"
Will was struck silent. Angelo quickly said his last words.
"This is another fine mess you've gotten us into, Olman. You'd better
not die." With that, he grabbed Will's arm and began to sprint down
the corridor.
Will was forced to struggle with all his might to keep up with
Angelo's strenuous pace. The strong man continued running, simply
dragging Will along with him whenever Will's feet slipped out from
under him as a result of the frenzied pace. Behind them, blue light
flickered upon the wall's, flashing and seeming to grow ever closer
and brighter.
"What is that?!" Will shouted in fear.
"Don't look! Just run!"
Rubble continued to collapse around them, the tower threatening
to swallow them. As the blue light behind them drew ever closer,
Angelo cats his torch to the side, the light now close enough that
the entire area was illuminated. Angelo continued to push himself
even harder, pushing his body to a point he'd never even dreamed of
before, now simply carrying Will. However, still the light drew
closer and the tremors grew stronger. The violent thundering of the
earth drowned out all other noise.
Finally, they came to the pit of iron spikes. To Will's horror,
Angelo didn't stop, but continued to run. As he drew to its edge,
he put all of his strength into a leap of faith across the chasm. As
he flew through the air, his muscular arms hurled Will across. Will
tumbled into the supplies that had been brought inside to set up the
excavation site. As his tumble came to an end, he looked towards the
chasm, where Angelo hung from the side, struggling to pull himself
up. Without thinking, Will ran to him, struggling to help him up.
"You stupid kid! Just gO! I know I can't make it! GO!"
At that moment, struggling with the weight of the large man,
Will looked up at the approaching light, and then...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In a small coastal fishing village, the people were busy with
the same activities that they occupied themselves with every day.
A calm serenity filled the town, the atmosphere augmented by nature's
clandestine touches. The sound of the gulls speaking to one another,
the waves dancing along the shoreline, and the murmur created by the
overlapping of the numerous conversations of the townspeople. The
guardsman stood watch over the city gate, taking a rare moment to
take in the town. Things had been rather peaceful lately, allowing
him to be more at ease. This village in which he was born and raised,
like most of the other citizans, might be quiet. However, on such
tranquil autumn days, he couldn't help but feel happy to live in such
a place. Uneventful, yes. But, perhaps that wasn't so bad?
The man continued to smile as he returned to his duties, gazing
across the expnase of countryland that stood before the gate. To his
surprise, he saw a figure approaching. Eyeing the figure, the man
struggled to discern its form.
"Is that... Olman's son?" Taking a moment more to confirm this
to himself, the man shouted out towards the town, "Hey, everyone,
Olman's son is here!"
Several of the townspeople gathered, happy, but mainly confused.
"Why didn't they show up at the docks as usual?"
"They're back a bit early this time. Lance's mother will be
happy."
"I only see Will. Where's his father? For that matter, where are
the rest of the villagers that went with them?"
As the crowd became more worrisome, Will drew clsoer. His
posture was slumped, and his eyes held a lifeless expression. His
clothes were torn, and his shoes had been worn through. His lips
were dry and his hair matted with sweat. As the townspeople observed
all of this with shocked expressions, Will came to a halt. Ever so
slowly, as though each individual motion had to be specially
instructed, Will began to turn around. However, halfway through the
motion, he collapsed. The townspeople rushed towards him with
concern. What happened on that expedition to the Tower of Babel? And
how is it that only this boy made it back?
"Get back! Give him some room!"
"Someone bring some water over here!"
"Where's Angelo?! What happened to Angelo?!"
"I told them that place was cursed. I told them they shouldn't
go to those damned places! This is the curse. He should've listened."

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Continued...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon his recovery, Will must adapt to many changes in his life.
However, it is undeniable that this experience has changed him
forever. Despite his best efforts, Will finds that he can't quite
realte to children his own age anymore, until he at long last finds a
child that seems too understand his situation all too well...
The Illusion of Gaia - Expedition 01: Makeshift

[PaGaN3l3m3nts]

So there you have it. The first chapter. Actually, it's not quite done. I need to go over the later part of the chapter and refine it. Unfortunately, I got impatient and had to go ahead and post it... *shrugs* At any rate, please, any kinds of comments are appreciated. I worry that this chapter might be too boring? Ah, oh well...

[Muerte]

1 am here and didn't get much sleep the night before so ... ill read it later and edit this post for a comment, but from the little i read so far its quite good

[PaGaN3l3m3nts]

I didn't sleep any last night either... Too busy juggling between finishing that up and writing a paper on Brazil's economy... Bleh... That's why I KNOW I'll need to go back and rewrite some of the later parts.