The Prodigal Sun: A Novel

by S. E. Meyer

“Drop your weapons!” yelled one of the soldiers at the front of the line, who seemed to be in charge. The general nodded and motioned with his hands for his men to lay down their weapons. The man in charge turned. “And secure that ship!” he ordered to a group of soldiers standing behind him. Several men ran towards the stairwell. The soldier in the lead jumped onto the walkway just as it snapped shut, cutting him in half. The other men jumped backwards as the soldier’s lower torso and legs fell onto the flat rock in front of them with a gruesome thud. The ship’s engines grew louder and the men ran out from under it in a panic. One of them turned and began to fire. “Hold your fire! Hold your fire!” the man in charge ordered. “Our orders are to secure the ship, intact,” he barked.

  The general watched the giant ship turn in place as it hovered above the ground. It made a terrible noise and a fierce, gale force, wind blew out from under it in all directions. The general watched through wincing eyes as the ship accelerated down the plateau. It lifted off the ground and disappeared from sight.

  The End OF Eden

  As soon as Traedon was gone, millions of the small orbs poured up and out through the opening. “What’s going on? What are they?” Jenny asked, marveling at the translucent cerulean bubbles bounce around the room in front of her.

  John smiled in amazement. “He did it. The son of a bitch did it!” he shouted, raising his hands in celebration and shaking his fists in the air.

  “Who did what?” Jenny asked. “What are you talking about?”

  Frank and Ninti began to come around. They opened their eyes and stared in wonder at the beautiful round shapes that filled the room.

  “Braedon,” replied John with a look of sheer joy. “After he showed me how to use the control panel, he told me he was going to get help. I didn’t really know what he meant until now,” explained John. “The orbs, they’re souls. Countless numbers of souls.” He shook his head in disbelief as he stared at them floating around the room. “Braedon used his last remnant of strength to open the Shi Habannatu. The container of souls!”

  “Braedon? But why?” Jenny asked, giving John a confused look.

  “Revenge. Revenge for his brother’s betrayal and his obsession with keeping you alive,” explained John. “It was the only way to destroy Traedon and keep you safe at the same time.” John gave Jenny a look of amusement. “Not just to keep you safe from Traedon, he also wanted to make sure you would be safe here on Earth, safe from Nibiru. Genius!” John clapped his hands together. He shook his head and gave Jenny an odd facial expression.

  “What?” she asked, noticing the strange look.

  “It’s just that now, I suppose I’m going to have to hate him a little less, that’s all.”

  The orbs began to leave the room. They poured out through the doorway as thousands more continued to flow up through the shaft. “They’re beautiful,” said Frank from behind him. John turned around and rushed to his side. Jenny followed and bent down next to Ninti.

  “Are you guys okay?” John asked as he placed his hand on Frank’s shoulder.

  “I think so,” replied Frank. Ninti just nodded as John and Jenny helped them to their feet.

  The blue orbs started behaving erratically. They began crashing into the walls, knocking small chunks from the pillars and perpetuating a rainstorm of falling debris.

  “What are they doing?” Jenny asked, ducking her head as several large pieces of rock fell around them. John grabbed Jenny and pulled her out of the way as a car-sized boulder dislodged from the ceiling, crashing to the ground where she had been standing only a second before.

  “Vengeance,” answered John as he urged the group out of the room and led them down the corridor.

  “Vengeance?” asked Jenny.

  “Yes, I can feel their rage,” replied John. He glanced upward at the small blue wrecking balls pounding the rock above their heads. “It’s not enough that they’re free. They want to free the world of this place, and the torturous tomb that has held them captive.”

  “Some of those souls have been down here a very long time,” added Ninti. “Their hatred has had thousands of years to fester.”

  “What do you think they did with Traedon?” asked Jenny as they continued to run along the corridor, back towards the main city.

  “They took him down below and locked him in his own prison. To the Shi Habannatu, where he can suffer in torment and anguish just like they did,” John explained. He nervously glanced at the orbs. “I don’t think they intend on hurting us, but they’re going to flatten the city. We’re going to end up getting flattened along with it if we don’t get out of here.”

  They came to the end of the corridor. Here it opened up into the massive cavern where the city stretched out in all directions. Everyone watched in awe as the swarm of orbs tore at the ground, ceiling and walls. The sun was growing weaker, along with the technology that powered it. The alien ingenuity that had once made the city beautiful was falling into ruin before their eyes. John watched the last dying rays of the orange sun shining through the cloud of blue orbs. It reflected an eerie shade of green on everything around them as the debris continued to rain down in a torrent of rocks and pebbles. A large chunk of stone broke away from the ceiling and landed on one of the small houses in front of them. It made a deafening crash as the roof exploded into fragments and a plume of smoke began to rise from the crater it left behind.

  “Come on,” urged John. “We really have to get out of here before this whole place comes down on our heads.”

  They made their way to the nearest elevator, continuing to dodge large pieces of debris along the way. As soon as they reached the elevator doors, everyone climbed inside. John operated the controls and they immediately began racing for the surface. They looked through the window as they climbed, watching the city below them crumble into pieces. Millions of the orbs crammed into the cavern, smashing against its walls and structures, leaving only a blanket of rubble and dust. Just before the elevator disappeared into the smaller shaft above them they watched a torrent of water explode through the top of the far wall. It came spewing out like a massive waterfall, crashing down onto the crippled city below.

  “Where’s all the water coming from?” Frank asked.

  “We’re deep underground,” replied Ninti. “The Annunaki’s technology is what was keeping the water out of this place. Now that it’s being destroyed, there’s nothing to hold it back,” she explained.

  They raced upwards through the shaft until they reached the higher levels and the main elevator exchange. “We have to get to high ground,” said John. “This entire place is going to fill up with water.” The elevator stopped and as soon as the doors opened water began to rush in around their ankles.

  “Close the doors, quick!” yelled Jenny. John managed to get them shut before the water rose above their knees.

  “Where are we going to go?” Ninti asked

  “The Garden!” said Jenny. She turned to look at John. “John, the mountains around Eden remember?”

  “Yes! It’s above ground. That should be high enough,” John replied and directed the elevator north to the mountains. The elevator slowed down several times along the way, making the trip take longer than it should have.

  It almost stopped just before they got to their destination and Jenny looked at John with concern. “What’s wrong with this thing? Are we going to make it there?” she asked.

  “I think so,” replied John just as the elevator started moving again. “This underground world is dying Jen, and the technology that makes it work is dying along with it,” he explained.

  After several more tense moments, limping along in the elevator, they finally made it to the garden. The elevator doors only opened halfway as the energy that powered it finally expired. The two feet of water around their knees poured out between the doors onto the smooth rock floor in front of them. John led them single file through the doors, into the rock cavern beyond. They were standing at the entrance of the garden that John and
Jenny had visited months before. Jenny ran to the ledge to get a glimpse of the lush, green land below them. She longed for the warm green grass and beautiful flowers that filled the air with unimaginable aromas. Jenny sucked in a breath as she reached the ledge. Instead of the utopian garden she expected, all that was visible were two suns and the ominous image of Nibiru reflecting off of a lake of water below. John came up behind her. He frowned at the landscape of water that stretched out before them as far as they could see. “What happened to it?” Jenny asked. “Why is it flooded?”

  “I don’t know, but it seems to be getting higher,” replied John as he watched the water level creep up the valley below them. “And it’s moving fast.”

  “It’s the tides,” said Frank. He and Ninti were taking in the view from behind them.

  “Tides? All the way up here?” John asked, turning to face Frank.

  “Yes, remember what Lucas said about the tides and the effect Nibiru might have on them?” Frank asked, looking at John with his head cocked to one side.

  “You’re not saying that this is all because of a simple ocean tide, are you?” asked John.

  “Oh there would be nothing simple about this kind of tide,” replied Frank.

  “But why now? The weapon fired on Nibiru and it should be getting farther away, right?” Jenny asked. “Shouldn’t the tides be going down?”

  “That’s the thing about tides. They have always been strongest when the moon is high in the sky and begins to pull away from the rotation of the Earth. Gravity has a tugging effect and Nibiru will have a powerful pull on Earth as it passes by. It could stretch our oceans to the greatest heights we’ve ever seen,” explained Frank.

  John stared at the reflection of Nibiru in the sea of water below. Everything he and Jenny had been through over the last few months flashed through his mind. John leaned against the rock wall next to him. He continued to absentmindedly gaze at the immense, imposing disk tracking across the heavens, chasing the twin suns like a hunter pursuing its prey. “Can you believe we actually did it?” John finally asked quietly after several moments of silence.

  Jenny moved closer and put her arms around him. “It’s hard to believe isn’t it?” she asked, intuitively picking up on John’s thoughts. “It just feels so good for this to all be over,” she whispered as she placed her cheek next to John’s and pulled him close. The four of them stared in silence for several minutes until Frank began to feel anxious. The level of disquieting apprehension he felt in his chest was rapidly rising along with the tides.

  “I’m glad we got through it too Jenny,” said Frank. “But I’m sorry to say, it’s not exactly over. What are we going to do?” he asked John, pulling him from his trance.

  John turned to look at him. “I don’t know. The elevator isn’t working anymore. We’re stuck here,” John replied.

  “We’re going to have to figure a way out of here John. The tides keep rising and we have no food or drinkable water.” As Frank spoke, everyone began to hear quiet splashing as small waves began to gently stroke the rock ledge in front of them. “What are we going to do?” he asked again.

  “I don’t know Frank,” replied John, exasperated. “Let me think.”

  Water began to flow over the ledge, slowly at first, then rising to a rushing torrent as it spilled onto the rock floor and swirled around their feet. “Do you have any ideas?” John asked Frank.

  Frank shook his head. “Not really,” replied Frank. He glanced out of the opening at the steep rock wall on each side of them. “There’s no way we can climb up without some kind of gear, the water is blocking us from walking down into the valley and it’s kind of late to start building a boat,” he added sarcastically. John stared out across the water as he contemplated a solution. The rock ledge disappeared under water along with everyone’s knees. “John!” Frank shouted. “Quit staring off into space, we need to figure something out here!”

  John ignored him and closed his eyes. He felt out across the sea of water with his mind. “I’m working on it Frank,” he whispered.

  Frank looked out in the direction John was facing. “What is that?” he asked as his eyes locked on to something large floating towards them. It was moving fast and by the time the water reached their waists the long object had almost made it to the cavern opening. “Is that a tree? A log? That’s your idea John?” Frank asked in disbelief.

  The log stopped in front of them with half of the thirty-foot long trunk outside the entrance to the garden. “Here, grab on,” John suggested as he wrapped one arm around its girth. Everyone did the same and John willed the log to float outside the entrance. Within minutes, the opening to the cave vanished under the waves and the foursome continued to float up along the side of the mountain.

  “John, I think we’re going to have to come up with something better than this,” said Frank, struggling to keep a firm grip with his arm. A wave splashed against the side of his face and he sputtered; water spraying out of his nose. “The water is too cold. We’ll be hypothermic in a few hours,” he explained.

  “It’s just for right now, until we can come up with a better plan,” replied John. He used his mind to move the log away from the side of the mountain so they wouldn’t be smashed against it by the waves. “This is better than drowning, maybe if we get high enough we can find a dry place to go,” he added.

  They continued to float up with the rising water along the side of the mountain. Everyone became weary of trying to hold on to the log with one arm and tread water with the other. They watched the lowest peak near them and everyone’s heart sank into the dark waters along with the outcropping of rock. John let go of the log momentarily and turned himself around in the water frantically looking around in all directions. The only things visible were the few lonely peaks of the range that wrapped around the garden. Like giant shark teeth they protruded from the lonely waters in uneven rows, an ominous skeletal jaw, patiently waiting just below the surface, ready to snap shut and swallow its prey. “There’s nothing,” whispered John. “Nothing,” he repeated quietly. He ran his hand across the top of his head, wiping away the water that had drenched his hair. John swam to where Frank was. “What are we going to do!” he yelled.

  “I don’t know John. I think this is it,” Frank replied.

  “What do you mean this is it?” John asked. “We’re just supposed to drown up here? After everything we’ve been through?”

  “I don’t know what to tell you John. The water keeps climbing and there’s nowhere to go,” replied Frank. “I don’t know how much longer we can hang on.” Just as Frank spoke, Jenny’s arm cramped up from the cold and she slipped beneath the waves momentarily before resurfacing. She struggled to get her arm back around the log.

  John moved down the trunk towards her and then helped her grab a hold with her other arm. “Are you okay Jen?” he asked her.

  “No. My wrist hurts. I can’t hold on any more,” she replied.

  John moved in close and helped to hold her up. “I’m sorry honey. I guess here we are again. I just don’t know what to do,” he said.

  “Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault John,” Jenny replied.

  “Save the world, but drown in the process. Unknown, and never to be remembered.” John lamented, still holding Jenny tightly in his arms.

  “We’ll be remembered John,” Jenny replied and looked deep into his eyes. “I mean hell, we saved the world right?” She forced a smile.

  “Who’s going to remember us Jen? No one even knows who we are, or what we did.”

  “James and Barb know,” Jenny replied. “And Nathaniel,” she added. “Do you think they’re okay John?”

  John gave her a serious expression. “Yes. I can’t explain it, but somehow I can feel that they’re okay.” He smiled at her reassuringly and then peered over the log towards Ninti. “Ninti, are you okay over there?” he asked her. There was no answer. John pulled himself up and rested his waist on the slippery trunk so he could see her better. Ninti w
as staring out towards the south. “Ninti,” John shouted. “Are you okay? What are you staring at?”

  “Look,” Ninti said as she pointed out over the sea of water.

  “What, what do you see Ninti?” asked John.

  “They’re coming,” Ninti answered. “They’re coming for us. They’re coming for us!” she shouted and then excitedly slapped the water with the flat of her hand.

  Everyone looked in the direction Ninti was pointing and they all could see what she was talking about. There was a bright blue line coming towards them over top of the water. Like a glowing blue ribbon it twisted and turned as it sped toward them. They all had shocked and bewildered looks on their faces as the blue orbs stopped in front of them. The radiant spheres formed themselves into the shape of a large platform with a railing all the way around.

  “They want us to climb on,” said John, feeling their thoughts. He climbed onto the orb dais and held out his hand to help the others. The spheres were crammed together in a tight mass and easily supported John’s weight. Everyone climbed on board, and the electric blue life raft headed south at an unbelievable rate of speed. The group sat down, using the orb railing as a windbreak to protect their drenched skin from the wind. The platform moved along quietly, just skimming the tops of the waves and leaving a fine spray of mist in its wake.

  “What’s that?” Jenny asked, pointing to two orbs towards the top of the railing at the front of the raft.

  Ninti leaned closer for a better look. The two orbs were different from the rest. The main cluster of spheres were all touching each other, but the two Jenny pointed out were actually attached at their sides. The two spheres formed an oval shape, and one couldn’t tell where one orb began and the other ended. “I’ve heard of this before,” said Ninti. “It’s very rare, but I’ve heard the masters speak of it happening.”

  “What is it? What are they doing?” Jenny asked.

  “They are Shishida, the soul-to-soul joining,” explained Ninti, and then turned to face Jenny. “They are soul mates,” she said with a smile.