by K. T. Tomb
“Okay. I’m stumped. Any ideas why the water won’t flow back in there?”
Jonathan bravely immersed himself, but returned to the surface before anyone could fall into full-on panic.
“I can’t see that well, but from what I noticed and what you told us, Phoe, I might have an idea about what was going on. Isn’t the concept of Ragnarok similar to the Christian version of the end of the world?”
Peter looked at him, shaking his head in disbelief.. “I can’t believe I missed it...but that might honestly be the connection here, Jonathan.”
Jeremy’s face lit up; obviously delighted by where the conversation had moved to. “At the end of Ragnarok, there is a World Tree where a man and woman come out to start the world over again. It’s supposed to end where the Bible’s first chapter begins.”
Peter looked at the water, and added his own two cents to what Jeremy revealed. “In the Bible, the world was destroyed by a flood. God promised that the world would never again be destroyed by water. Some say that’s why there are rainbows. They say that is God putting his War Bow down.”
“I think I’ve got it!” said Phoe, excitedly. “Fire! The world is supposed to be destroyed by a cleansing fire! We need fire to activate this portal!”
They all looked down at the water and frowned at what appeared to be an impossible task: Bringing fire into the water? Jonathan glanced at the ceiling, where a fissure had been created. “Can someone lift me up while I try something?”
Peter agreed, and so did Jeremy. They moved over to him and while maintaining a precarious perch on a stone shelf, they lifted Jonathan to where he pulled down two rock pieces from either side.
“Flint and sulfur! Ha-ha! It was a lucky guess, but I’ll sure as hell take it!” said Jonathan, laughing. He started to strike them together, but then hesitated. “This shouldn’t work, but we know much of this is an illusion. I can’t swim...but all of you can. Someone needs to take the sulfur and flint down to the portal sand strike them together.”
“What? Are you nuts?!” said Peter.
“Maybe he is...but I get what’s supposed to happen,” said Phoe, grabbing the sulfur and flint from Jonathan. Before anyone could stop her, she dove into the water.
She didn’t understand how it would work—it shouldn’t be remotely possible. Striking a wet flint rock against sulfur normally would do nothing....Yet, even so, while holding her breath she struck the rocks together. To her delight a spark flashed. To her surprise and amazement, all at once, the entire perimeter of the portal ignited in a strange blue flame.
“Can you believe it!” she shouted loudly, after returning to the surface. Meanwhile,, the water’s flow speed increased dramatically as it poured into the portal. “Oh Shit!”
Before anyone could prevent it, Phoe was sucked into the portal and disappeared, leaving her three male companions in a panic to save her.
Chapter Thirty Six
Phoe was pulled down into darkness, while her screams became mute in the rushing water. Fortunately, the water’s force threw her out of the flow and on to what felt like a beach. Gradually the darkness lessened, as a greenish glow from crevices in the surrounding rock walls grew brighter. A cave, though small. She moved away from the rushing water and toward the strange green light closest to her.
The light grew brighter as she approached, revealing a large archway and a stone path leading deeper into whatever place this was.
“Ahhhh, shhhiiiittt!”
Phoe whirled around, surprised to find Peter, Jonathan, and Jeremy thrown on to the beach in the same manner she had been tossed just minutes earlier.
“What in the hell is this place?” asked Peter, standing and looking around at the strange green light.
“I don’t know,” she replied, motioning for all of them to join her. “This entire experience has been one continuous mind-fuck. But I bet we’re getting close to an answer...a resolution. At least I hope so, as I am about to lose it!”
“What if we are about to find the very thing you’ve come for?” Peter said, gently. Jonathan nodded supportively, while Jeremy rolled his eyes, shaking his head disgustedly.
“It had better show up soon,” she said, releasing a low sigh. “The Hammer of Thor had better show itself very soon!”
“We’re ready to follow you,” said Jonathan. Peter and Jeremy nodded.
She led the way into the pathway that was just wide enough to allow them to travel single file. The strange greenish glow, that was almost like some subterranean worms, had seeped in between the rocks jutting out along every side, illuminated the path—including the passageway’s ceiling, roughly fifteen feet above their heads. But soon, a thick black mist greeted them, quickly surrounding them all. It grew so dense that they could barely see one another and they held onto each others’ shirts while Phoe continued to lead the way.
Just when she began to panic, the fog cleared, as if reacting to her latest state of mind. They were no longer in the passageway, and now stood in a large empty room. Eight members of the Brotherhood blocked the only visible exit. Something golden glowed brightly in another room just beyond the eight hostile figures, six males and two females.
One of the women stepped forward. “Ich habe Angst sie werden nicht in der Lage sein, fortzufahren. Sie haben uns viele der Bruderschaft. Jetzt ist Herr Riddick steht mit Ihnen. Er ist nicht erlaubt, die Technik, die wir mit ihm. Dies ist unsere finden.”
The woman’s words affected Jeremy and Jonathan, and they looked at Phoe worriedly.
“What did she say?”
“We can’t leave here alive,” said Jonathan, quietly. “They feel that since Jeremy betrayed them and many have died today, we must stay.”
Jeremy slapped the back of Jonathan’s head.
“Ow!” Jonathan flinched.
“That’s enough!” said Phoe. “Tell them they can’t stop us from achieving our goal, and we’re not about to stay here. Oh, hell, I’ll tell them myself!”
She ran toward the woman who had made the announcement, who pulled out a gun. Phoe propelled herself into the air right before she reached her, kicking her in the chest and taking out two males standing close by. Looking up, she yelled, “Jonathan! Peter! Get in the room behind me! There’s something in there!”
Jeremy launched himself into the rest of the Brotherhood. “Run and join Phoe—I’ll be there as soon as I can!”
Jonathan and Peter bowled over the other woman, who was of slighter build than the first one. When they caught up with Phoe, all they could do was stop and stare at the same object that had seemingly mesmerized her.
In the middle of the room, suspended roughly ten feet above a chasm was a shimmering golden statue of Thor with his arms at his sides. A primitive work, it obviously came from the ancient Norse tribes. The statue appeared to be standing on a crystal dais that somehow floated in the air. Lying beside Thor’s feet was an object crafted from an unusual type of metal....
“Oh, my God! Is that his Hammer?” whispered Phoe, in awe.
Mjölnir wasn’t golden like the statue. But it made sense. It carried a soft blue glow.
Jeremy joined them, and the beaten Brotherhood hovered near the doorway, obviously dismayed when he kicked the pile of guns he took from them into the chasm, keeping one automatic rifle for himself. Peter whistled when, after a minute, a tiny report came back up the chasm that the weapons finally landed on something.
“How do we get it?” Phoe asked the question to no one in particular, but then looked at her companions for the answer. “If we try to jump to reach the platform and miss, or slip....”
“Maybe it’s like that movie where they have to do the leap of faith,” suggested Jonathan.
Peter eyed him disdainfully. “I would expect more from you than pulling a Hollywood stunt out of your suggestion box,” he said, but then smiled wryly. “You’re starting to sound like Phoe.”
Jonathan grinned at the comparison.
Meanwhile, Phoe mentally pictured various sc
enarios to try to get to the statue without dying.
Jonathan, Peter, and Jeremy—along with the sullen faces of the Brotherhood gathered in the doorway—stood watching her, as if expecting her to somehow solve the impossible puzzle.
“Wait a moment,” she said, reaching for a handful of small change from her fanny pack. Phoe tossed the coins to different areas of the room. The coins disappeared without making a single sound. “Well, I’ll be damned....”
The realization hit her hard. The gas. The machine that invaded dreams. The serpent. The flood....Everything was so fantastic and daunting to overcome, but it didn’t stop them from getting this far!
Phoe looked up at the golden statue and the Hammer of Thor again, just sitting there for the taking. If only? Yes!
“It’s too easy and the answer’s right in front of us.”
Peter looked at her questioningly.
Phoe stepped back several feet into the previous room. “Clear a path for me.”
“Are you sure about this?” asked Peter, looking increasingly worried as if fully understanding what was about to go down.
“As sure as I’ll ever be about this place...sure enough!” she said.
Everyone moved away from the doorway. Phoe took a deep breath and sprinted toward the statue. Gritting her teeth, she worried she wasn’t running fast enough.
There’s no turning back now!
Leaping off the ledge, she twisted her torso, allowed herself to grab the Hammer of Thor. Catching the handle by her fingertips and picturing herself thrusting the weight of the Hammer in front of her, carrying her to the other side where she tumbled and rolled. But she pulled her hand back at the last moment. The only thing that matched her vision was tumbling to the other side. Her feet dangled over the edge until she pulled herself up, hearing cheers from everyone but Peter.
Confused, he asked, “Why didn’t you get the Hammer?”
“It would have been suicide,” she told him. “I didn’t know how much the Hammer weighs. It could have thrown me off and sent me down into the pit. At that last moment, I realized that life is far more important. Perhaps, that’s the theme of this whole underground playground.”
“Are you frigging serious?” He laughed. “I mean, that’s fine...you mean far more to me, and certainly everyone else, by being alive. But, this is a three-sixty change in thought for you, isn’t it?”
“I guess it is,” she said shyly. “It seems like every lesson we learned was about deceit or surviving tests that shouldn’t have even existed. Lies and hidden truths. I’ve come to value life much more than any treasure.”
“Life is the greatest treasure of all,” he agreed. “Well, I’ll be....”
He pointed behind Phoe, where the wall suddenly faded from view, revealing a staircase heading up. They were getting out of there...a lesson learned?
“Looks like you’re right,” said Jeremy, upon joining Peter and Jonathan as they strode to where she waited.
Phoe smiled and led the way up the stairs. The journey to find the Hammer of Thor was over. They would leave empty handed but with a new perspective on life.
Chapter Thirty Seven
The trip back to the United States was a somber affair. Some sadness as Phoe, Jonathan, Jeremy, and Peter quietly discussed what might’ve been. Unsure what to tell Simon, Phoe ignored the special hotline that constantly rang until the jet landed in Taos.
“It’s been a pleasure, Phoe,” said Jeremy. I’m staying on board with Jonathan, as we are headed to the headquarters for Kessler Industries. That’s where I’ll be working...If you ever need anything, I suppose you can contact me there, and I’ve got your address and number in case I discover something you might find...interesting.”
Phoe eyed him suspiciously.
“What? You’re the only one who knows how to expertly explore the Internet?” He laughed, to which she nodded sheepishly. “You should try harder to be ‘un-findable’.
“I hope you both will stay in touch,” she said, giving a goodbye hug to both Jonathan and Jeremy.
They watched her leave the plane with Peter, and waiting for them on the tarmac were two separate taxis.
“Well...I guess this is it, huh?” Peter said.
There was longing in his eyes, and she almost moved to kiss him. Almost. Instead, she reached out to shake his hand.
“Don’t treat me like that,” he chided, opening his arms for a hug. She consented, and the pair held each other tightly until her shoulders started to go numb.
“Don’t be a stranger, okay?” he told her, his eyes watering.
“Don’t you either,” she said.
It wasn’t until she reached the cab waiting for her that she started to weep. But she held it in, until she was safely inside the taxi, and Peter’s driver had already left with him in tow.
During the drive back to Simple Treasures, she wondered if it was all just a surreal dream, with some good and some bad....Well past her bedtime, Charlotte was waiting with open arms in front of the store. Phoe hugged her tightly, and then her assistant helped carry her bags inside.
“So, how was the trip?” asked Charlotte, wearing a knowing smile.
“It was...quite compelling.”
“Really?” said Charlotte, suspiciously. “Want to talk about it?”
“Maybe later,” said Phoe. “I’m bushed and I need to recharge my batteries.”
“Okay. Why don’t you just wind down and take it easy,” said Charlotte. “See you in the morning.”
“Yep. Goodnight, Char.”
Phoe intended to tell her what she thought was important. What Charlotte needed to know...or what was easiest to tell. Tomorrow. She would tell her tomorrow.
Relieved to be home, Phoe stepped into her TV room to unwind, startled to find Simon Kessler watching a program. He turned to smile ar her, and on the coffee table sat a bottle of champagne, open with three glasses. Two of them half-empty and one was full. Hers.
“Congratulations, Phoe! You were an amazing success!”
She didn’t know what to say. “So, I’m not fired for not retrieving the Hammer of Thor? I thought you’d be pissed that I came back empty handed.”
Charlotte appeared in the doorway, and Simon motioned for her to step into the room. She winked and handed the day’s store receipts to Phoe.
Phoe’s mouth dropped open. “How can this be? We made all this money in one week?”
Charlotte nodded, her smile widening. “It’s all because of Mr. Kessler’s advertising! He mentioned you every time he mentioned your quest. People have been coming from all over to buy our merchandise!”
Phoe looked at Simon questioningly, but he motioned there was more. He placed a large wrapped gift on the table. “I didn’t lose any money and your new business rush is your payment from me, for now. Plus, this gift from a friend of yours.”
“I don’t want it,” said Phoe. “I don’t deserve it.”
“Are you sure?” Simon opened it up for her, revealing the Head of Olmec.
Phoe fought back tears. “That bastard,” she whispered. “Where is he?”
“I imagine he is at his home here....Although, he and I have some unfinished business to attend to when he visits me in Van Nuys, in the next few days. You are welcome to come, too, you know.”
“Why? What do you want with him or me still?” She hated sounding rude, but the revelations in the last few minutes alone had her head spinning.
“Maybe you would like to get a closer look at this,” he said, pulling out a tablet from his jacket. He turned it on. “Wouldn’t you like to see this up close and personal?”
“Oh my God!” she gasped.
The Hammer of Thor in all its ancient grandeur sat under soft lights inside an expensive display case.
“It looks splendid in my office, don’t you think?”
She stared at the picture, shaking her head. “Is it really the Thunder God’s hammer?”
“Well, not exactly,” he said, chuckling. “It is a won
derful artifact made in the 1600s and worth untold millions, just from the artisanship alone. But the actual Hammer of Thor? If anyone asks you if you found the Hammer of Thor in Germany, just tell them what I’ve been telling them.” He stepped over to the television and turned up the volume.
“Did you find the Hammer of Thor, Mr. Kessler?” Phoe asked, raising her voice.
He leaned in close, and brought his TV persona smile even closer.
“We found...something. Something that I might just show you some day...if you play your cards right.”
He turned off the tablet and grabbed his jacket, and after nodding to Charlotte, he headed for the door to leave.
“Thank you, Ms. Phoenix!” he called over his shoulder. “I may require your abilities at a later date. So, do keep that phone charged and ready. And, make damned sure you answer it promptly next time!”
She and Charlotte watched him leave, and after he retrieved his rental car and drove away, they said goodnight for the second time that evening. Then she returned to where she had laid the Head of Olmec, next to the TV. She caressed it lovingly with her fingers, lightly tracing the incredible artistry. She wondered about Peter, and why he had given it up so readily. Then she thought about the photograph...the Hammer of Thor sitting inside the protective case in Simon Kessler’s office. Lastly, she ran through the two conversations she had with Kessler and Peter in the last hour, and the offer to join them for the ‘meeting’ mentioned by Simon in Van Nuys.
“This shit’s far from over,” she whispered to herself, allowing a sly smile to spread across her face. “It’s just begun.”
The End
Phoenix returns in:
The Spear of Destiny
A Phoenix Quest Adventure #2
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THE
SPEAR OF DESTINY
A Phoenix Quest Adventure
#2
by