The Ophir

by Irene Patino

  Each of the fingers on the hand that held the coffers would have to be manipulated in the right order, and at the right time, to free the ancient booty from its hold without endangering the excavators. It was an ingenious construct that would confound the most advanced engineers, turn technology into useless mechanics and cause many adventurous or greedy men to feel the sting of failure.

  It took three years to dig and rig the pit with effective and deadly traps that would frustrate the attempts of man to come. Until one of great virtue and reason should find the way to plug the waterways, lock the floodgates erected to protect the treasure from mortal man and open the real entry to the unnatural vault.

  With a sense of humor, the engineers created hope by placing layers of flooring at different levels. Should the determined discover the first floor, he would also discover a false floor leading to yet another lower and more dangerous level. With serious intent, they set charms in place and worked the magik given to them by the ancients to prevent its discovery, before a righteous man was called into action by his faith and love of the world.

  At 90 feet, a stone inscribed in Aramaic would lead looters on with additional temptation. Man would try to decipher the ancient code, and men would lose their lives trying to reach the bottom of the pit. They would not lose their lives not because they lacked virtue or reason, but because it was not yet time. The world was not yet sufficiently enlightened.

  Captain Contona and his consultant, Antonio, stood watch, as did Captain O’Keefe while the noble engineers completed their task. The skies turned dark. Thunderclouds, black and ominous, accumulated above the surface opening to the buried treasure. Captain Lavier stood at the bow of his ship with raised voice, thundering incantations to seal and obscure the entrance to the revered collection of spiritual relics and magik tombs, that they might be hidden from man’s eyes. The winds screamed as the energy rose and rose. At the highest pitch, a roar of thunder heralded the bolt of lightning that followed. It struck the ground with such force that its vibration was felt on the mainland.

  As the seas and heavens calmed, the grand Knight turned and blessed the pirate ships.

  “May the heavens show you the way. May you be guided and protected by the League of Mercy and God’s hand.” All three ships turned and sailed toward their final destinations.

  * * * *

  In the deep waters off the coast of the Mariana Islands, named after the queen of Spain, a crew of vampire pirates laid in chains for three days before the last metal cage was prepared and put into place. The crew had sailed the seas, searching for decades, before finding a suitable place for their final resting. They were led to this place with no hand on the tiller.

  The moon was full as it rose into the sky. It had an orange hue suited for such a solemn occasion. The call for all hands went out to the crew. No sound carried in the breeze as they moved toward the mast. Captain O’Keefe stood before the men and let his voice be heard.

  “You’ve been good mates, and better crewmen could ne’er be found, but it’s time for a final count. Be there any among you experiencing a change of heart? If so, let him step forward.” After a few seconds passed, no one stepped forward.

  “There be no shame if you did. I ask only so that we can make sure you and your wishes might be accommodated. We head for the long sleep and there will be no turnin’ back on whim. So I ask one final time. Is there any among you who has had a change of heart? If you have any concern, ask now.” One man stepped forward.

  “Captain O’Keefe, I be among the young on this ship and do not possess full understanding of this final step. The crates are strong. I have little fear there. We need no breath. The pressures of the ocean deep will not affect us. These things I understand. What I don’t understand is how we’ll be protected from the monsters that exist in the dark of Davie Jones. Our crates are small and puny compared to some.”

  “A fair question, mate. All I can tell you is that there are forces at work that have created a bargain ‘tween them and us. They’ll be our guides and guardians, so says Captain Antonio. This is an adventure new to us all. I understand your fears. I asked the same questions whispering from your minds. Would I send you without knowing that you will not come to harm? Nay. I would not.”

  “What guarantee is there?”

  “None. I can’t guarantee today, let be tomorrow. Can you? Can anyone, save our Lord and Savior?

  What I can tell you is that we’re bein’ watched by those with greater power. They control the deep. The creatures told of in story are real, but answer to them. I got this from Captain Antonio himself, and he himself will be with the Lumurians of ancient times, times before man himself existed.”

  Another man stepped forward. “Captain ... what of you?”

  “I stay with the ship ‘til each is sequestered safely in the deep. I’ve chosen to go down with my ship. Once all’ve been lowered and tethered, The Wasp will be set afire at sunrise. My hand will strike the match. This is my choice. I have no questions left. My wanderlust is quenched. My curiosity satisfied. This was my time; I lived it fully.” The men drew their swords. With the blade pointed skyward, they touched the cross-guard first to their left shoulder, then to their foreheads, and finally thrust high in salute. The Captain nodded in acknowledgement. The men replaced their swords smartly into their scabbards.

  “Are there anymore items to bring forward?” No more stood forward. The pact was made.

  A lone voice spoke from a distance. It moved on the wind, strong, clear.

  “You have chosen your fate; so it shall be. Take heart. The day will come when man will have progressed beyond any imagination we’ve shared. On that day a man, worthy and true, will step forward and bring change into the world that even the most advanced among men will shake his head. He will be known as the Captain of a hoped for future, and a harbinger of death to many traditions and beliefs. It will, in the end, be his undoing. The world will move in a surprising and totally new direction from which there will be no return. When the turmoil has calmed, we will rise again. It is then that we will join man and take our rightful place.

  I salute you, Captain O’Keefe. Your courage and decision will be rewarded and remembered until that day comes and long after. May Davie Jones give you peace until that time.” Captain Antonio stood proud of his crew. Using his power of remote viewing, he watched as the cages were lowered into the deep waters of the Mariana Trench. Long-bodied creatures floated nearby. Their intelligent eyes watched the first cage touch the surface of the water.

  The largest of the cylindrical creatures released spurts of water from an orifice propelling it forward to wait by the crate. It excreted ink thickened with mucus as it moved its body over the gentle swells. Its startling array of colors danced to an ancient rhythm around its body. Its eyes, calm and soft, observed the strange creatures moving about the ship.

  “Who will be the first lad to test my promise?”

  “I, Cap’n’.” He was the smallest of stature. Although he had a young man’s face, he was the oldest in the crew.

  “Good man, James.” James climbed the rail and stepped into the crate. The men watched as it was lowered and disappeared beneath the surface.

  The structured crates’ gibbets were formed from woven steel strips forged of the finest tinsel possible by the smiths of Spain. The strips created a closed rectangular basket to protect the sleeping lamia. The creature wrapped eight arms around the crate and dove. Its club tipped tentacles trailed behind.

  Ocean predators would not be able to penetrate the cages, nor would they be able to crush them in powerful jaws, although some monsters of the deep could swallow them whole, it was told.

  The steel strips were set far enough apart to allow for circulation of the currents. Free circulation would prevent the heavy cages from being easily torn from the ‘O’ rings tethered to solid rock. The rings, part of a port that sank many centuries before, were constructed of a material unknown to man. Each cage was placed in crevices hid
den to predator’s eyes and protected by the luminescent creatures of the sea.

  And there, in the dark waters of the deepest part of the ocean, the vampires would sleep until such time as the world was ready for their re-emergence.

  Captain O’Keefe watched as the cages were placed in a queue for the men to board. The creatures came forward and took each cage in turn. When all 37 cages had been taken, the sun was just rising over the horizon.

  The Captain of The Wasp saluted his men. A blood tear escaped and ran down his petrified cheek. The match was lit. The Wasp and its Captain disappeared, never seen nor heard from again.

  * * * *

  The giant squids’ bodies continued to glow in the freezing waters of the trench. A shark at least 60 feet in length, with a head and jaw almost as big as The Wasp itself, swam at a distance from the cages and their escorts. Its huge eyes rolled back into its head as its lips pulled back to bare its teeth. It charged the floating meal. A bell tolled in the deep as the jaw with seven rows of teeth as big as a man’s head opened, ready to tear its prey apart.

  The resonance of the bell was thunderous, its peel of such strength that the reverberation aimed at the shark’s midriff hit like a sledgehammer. Its body bent in half from the blow. Blood poured from its eyes, gills and mouth. The shark’s entrails followed its body down like a kite tail as it spiraled onto the ledge of the trench. The waves traveled undersea and registered on a volcanic island situated in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. A chain reaction began to build that would take almost three quarters of a century to surface. When it did, it would have cataclysmic effects on the population. The year was 1812.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lemuria, an island of many myths, existed for the percipient mind. It was known by the gentle Polynesians as the motherland of mankind. Generations would know it by this name and others. Its location moved with the telling of its existence.

  It could, according to the teller, be in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa or even the eastern coast of North America. The Sargasso Sea held mysteries, too. Regardless of where the conscious mind placed it, the Ophir would find it.

  “The time has come. We must decide now where our final paths will take us.” The Captain stood on deck with his men, not above them as he would under other circumstances. He wanted them to know he was just one more sailor in the crew at this juncture.

  “Is there one among you who will speak for all? If so, let him step forward.”

  With that edict, Obana, a quiet and peaceful ex-patriot from Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, took one step toward the Captain. Obana had been taken aboard the Ophir centuries before when he jumped ship near Kenya in Africa. Aboard the treasure ship captained by the fierce pirate Zheng He, relative to the Xunade Emperor of China, he was brutalized. Rather than die at the hands of the eunuch captain, he took his chances with the sharks.

  Captain Antonio discovered him hiding in the bowels of a trader vessel heading back to the mid-Pacific. He fought bravely but finally was taken by Contona, who took him under his protection and tutelage. The year was 1492.

  “Aye, Captain. I will speak.” Obana stood near six feet in height, with broad back and shoulders. His voice ricocheted in the timbers and echoed in the air. He looked down at the Captain and bowed in respect.

  “Those that will go forward with you are aboard the Ophir. All others have chosen to transfer to one of the other eight ships or are sleeping in the deep.

  Purser has kept a good accounting of the booty taken, and it has been divided fair. The fate of the others is not our concern, nor should it be yours. We are ready and will set sail with you. We made our choice and are satisfied.” He spoke mind to mind.

  Captain Antonio, having already lost many of his vampiric ‘gifts’, showed no emotion. His crew was unaware that he could no longer hear their thoughts. He nodded and said, “So be it.” Taking his cue from Contona, he saluted the men.

  “I have one last request to make before I hand all power to Captain Contona. We agreed that I would lead one last time as we sail toward unknown waters. I gave my word to Ahkmed that we would help him find his last resting place. Is there any among you to object? No? Good.

  Gentlemen, we sail for the Ring of Fire. To the south of the ring there are many islands. One island lies close to our destination. It is there that we will lay Ahkmed to rest. Captain Contona, the helm is now yours.” Captain Antonio acknowledged Contona with a slight nod and took a step back.

  “As you were, men. Obana, you are now my first mate. Give orders to come about. We head for Lemuria and the Ring of Fire.” The orders were given and the men busied themselves with the ship’s duties. It was back to business as usual--for now.

  The Ophir set sail with a crew of 35. A course was laid for due south. The crew would see the shores of Africa and South America. It headed down around the Falkland Islands and rounded Cape Horn. They sailed in a northerly direction from Africa toward the Ring of Fire. Led by dolphins riding the waves as the Ophir cut through the water, the ship reached its destination and dropped anchor at Latitude 22.0833˚N and 159.5000˚W. Obana, the Ophir’s new first mate, knew this place and his heart swelled with pride.

  * * * *

  “Beautiful land.”

  “Yes. It is my home.” Obana had not seen his homeland in several centuries. He wondered what changes had taken place. Na Pali was a natural fortress and the perfect site for Ahkmed’s spirit to reside.

  “Are you sure your people will accept our proposal?”

  “Aye, Captain. They are, or perhaps I should say once ‘were’, a simple people that believed we should honor ancestors. Our ancestors taught us to respect the land. It feeds, clothes and shelters us. It is through the experience of our ancestors that we learned many important things. If things have not changed, they will honor your request.”

  “Will you stay with him when we leave?”

  “It would be my honor to do this.” Obana stood tall and pointed to the shoreline. Double hulled outrigger sailing canoes filled with gift baskets of sweet potatoes and breadfruit, propelled by ten Na Pali natives, cut through the waves and headed for the ship.

  “Here they come, Captain. They’re here to welcome you.”

  Observation of the rugged coastline was possible with the use the Quartermaster’s glass. The telescope made the images crisp and clear. The coastal region sheltered a reef that supplied a stock of fish used for trade. With many rivers and waterfalls available, the inhabitants raised their own vegetables seen along the shoreline and in hanging valleys further inland. Trade was done via canoe and various foot trails that rose to 4,000 feet in some areas.

  “But, Obana, how will you survive?”

  “There are many ways to live without sacrifice. I will live in the remote areas of this coast. I know of caves that are beneath the surface. The walls of the Na Pali cliffs drop straight down. The storms break against those walls with such strength that not even the bravest among my people would venture. Fear of the “barking” sands would keep them away, too. They believe the beaches and cliffs are alive with evil spirits.”

  “Are they?”

  “I don’t know. I thought so too, but since I was taken aboard, I have seen many wondrous things I didn’t understand. I learned long ago that if you respect the people, the land and ancestors of the land, it will respect you too. I will learn and adapt as needed.”

  “What of Ahkmed?”

  “I have created a Bei much like those used by mothers in China. Father Ahkmed is no more in size than a large child. There is little weight. He will ride on my back. The Bei leaves my arms free to use for climbing, swimming and work. He will be safe.”

  “What is the vantage point? Captain Antonio and I would like for him to witness the events that will take place north of the islands. He will need his journal, writing tools and eye glass.”

  “When I was just a boy, I wanted to hear the barking sounds and see the evil spirits. I explored
this area many times and found wombs and many sheltered ledges near the surface that were carved by mother earth when she gave birth to new land. She no longer bleeds, but her birthing place left shelter from storms. It is there that I will create a safe haven for Father Ahkmed. He will not be disturbed and I will stay in the ocean beneath his lair. I will ascend only to eat and keep a watchful eye on the Father.”

  “Are you sure we will be welcomed?”

  “You have already been invited. The canoes are decorated for celebration. They carry gifts and are singing their welcoming song. This is the time of Makahiki when we celebrate our ancestry. The time is right.”

  * * * *

  The natives were welcomed aboard. They brought their baskets of food and fish aboard to celebrate and leave an open invitation to the men of the Ophir. The celebration went on into the early hours. When it was time to end the festivities, a special pontoon that had arrived during the night waited for Ahkmed and Obana to board.

  “Ahkmed, we bid you farewell. Obana will stay to carry you to your new accommodations and see to your safety. It will be high enough for you to see all events clearly. The islanders believe you to be Obana’s ancestor; they will pay you the respect and homage long due you. May the peace you’ve longed for be yours.”

  Ahkmed, cradled in the Bei at Obana’s back, sat high in the pontoon in a place of honor. He held to his small chest the things most precious to him: a quill, parchment and ink. At last he would rest. His desire to be forgiven his sins no longer existed. He accepted, nay, longed for this day. His time was at an end. All that was left was the recording of the rise of Lemuria and the final confrontation between Kadar Nazim and The One.