Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Aliens, Ancient Advanced Civilizations and Christianity?

I had a wonderful experience as a guest on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory (October 12, 2015). In the interview, we talked largely about the inspiration for my SciFi book Harmonic Wars: Guardians of the Crystal Skulls which was the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The premise for Harmonic Wars is that an ancient civilization once existed on Earth thousands of years ago that was much more advanced than we are today. This is a major problem for many people, particularly modern historians, and Egyptologists. But there are many archeological finds that fly in the face of the most "accepted" narrative. One of those narratives involves the Great Pyramid of Giza (GP) specifically. It supposes that the people who constructed the GP were primitive in comparison to us, used nothing more than human labor, block, and tackle, and copper chisels to cut, move and place 2.5 million stones into place, weighing anywhere from 2-70 tons each, and do so with laser precision. Right. Let's just focus on using copper chisels on granite: that is the modern day equivalent of using a plastic knife to cut down a red tree. Sure you could do it eventually, after thousands of man-hours and millions of plastic knives. But at what point exactly does human nature take off and say "There has to be an easier way"? Would that be at 500,000 knifes? Or maybe 200,000? It wouldn't take me more than a few minutes of hard work before I would see the senselessness of the project. "Necessity is the mother of invention" and I can't imagine that human nature would not find an easier way. 

The only reference we have to the construction of the pyramid indicates that the Egyptians had a force of some 100,000 workers to complete the project in roughly 22 years. In order to accomplish the great feat, they would have had to cut, transport and place each stone with laser precision roughly every 2 minutes without fail. Didn't they ever get tired? At some point, quality begins to degrade seriously if you maintain a high ops tempo. But the GP is perfection from start to completion. Geologists have identified beyond a doubt that the granite used came from the Aswan quarry some 500 miles away. So how did they accomplish this? Some of the heaviest granite blocks are over 70 tons each! We would have extreme difficulties moving them today across the desert. One must also consider that 4,500 years ago geologists have determined that Egypt was still a desert, so there were no forests close by to use as much needed resources to move the large blocks. Any trees that would have been found at that time in any fashion of abundance in the desert were either fig trees or olive trees. I find it doubtful that a desert people would be agreeable to destroying a much-needed food source to build a monument for a dead guy, even if he was considered a god.


Speaking of which, if the pharaoh was their god, then how come there were never any religious writings found inside the GP? In fact, there was never a mummy found much less any remnants to suggest that it was a tomb. Egyptologists claim that the tomb had long ago been raided, but even tombs that had been raided show some prior existence of painting, reliefs carved into the walls, broken pieces of pottery, etc. But not in the GP ... in fact it was almost sterile in comparison! And the most compelling piece of all is the sarcophagus in the King's Chamber. It is starkly different from all other sarcophagi found. 







Compare it to the King Tut exhibit, which showed a box within a box within a box, etc., with the outside of each box beautifully decorated and adorned with jewels and gold. The top craftsman of the day worked to make the outside of each a true work of art. But the sarcophagus in the King's chamber, arguably the crowning achievement of any society is a rough-hewn solid piece of unremarkable granite ... to bury their god-king? And this is believable to who?






If we are to believe the narrative, it also claims the GP was built some 4,500 years ago by the 4th Dynasty Egypt and is one of three pyramids on the Giza plateau that represents the stars in Orion's
belt. This placement of the pyramids is a problem for modern astronomers, since the star charts 4,500 years ago would not have shown those stars in it's current configuration. The Earth wobbles in its orbit and causes the constellations to move slightly with time. The pyramids are aligned with the stars of Orion's belt in our current star configuration. But 4,500 years ago the stars would have been in a straight line. So either the so-called primitive people in Egypt had advanced knowledge of the exact placement of those stars, or the pyramid was built much earlier. In fact, you would have to go back at least 10,000 years to see those stars in the current configuration with Mintaka slightly off-center as it is today. Now we really start having a problem with the timeline. 

I believe anytime we try to put a timeline together based on ancient history or especially trying to prophesy the end of the world or future events in general, we are just asking for trouble! So normally, I try to avoid this at all costs. This places atheists and Christians at stark odds at times, because from our current knowledge we realize that civilizations require time to build and grow to a point where they can hope to create structures like pyramids and obelisks. Many Christians believe that we have been on this earth for 6-8 thousand years while some are willing to entertain as many as 10,000. But for a primitive society to grow from genetic Adam and Eve to building the pyramids could take several thousand years. So arguably, we could assume humanity has been in existence for 12,000 years or so. 

More troubling to me is the growing insistence that humans could never have built these wonderful structures without the help of aliens. Sigh. I think that sells humanity short. Look at the major advancements we have collectively made in the last 50-60 years alone. In the US, we went from a country where black and white TVs were not uncommon, but certainly not in every home, and color TVs were a luxury. Now, we have more raw computing power in the hands of millions of people using smartphone technology, than a room full of computers in the early 1960s ... and that IS in every home in the US. So, if we can advance so quickly in the last 60 or so years, why could we have not done it in the past 12,000 years? In 200 years we went from horse and carriage to Cadillac Escalade, but many would rather believe aliens built the pyramids than we were once much more advanced than we are today. I find that arrogant.

I believe we were much more advanced in our past, and that we lost the technology and our history. Is that so hard to believe? For some it is, but it is really simple if you to think about it. What would happen today, if the electrical grid was totally destroyed? What would you lose? Well, in short you would lose everything, including knowledge. We are a society being "dumbed down" by the convenience of the internet. When you research stuff today, how much do you print and save, or do you just bookmark it for future reference? If the electrical grid goes down, how will you get on the internet? What happens to the web? It's gone, and if the grid cannot be restored it will be gone forever. How many pictures do you have on your smartphones that are not printed? Even if they were, how long would they last? Would they last 100 years? Probably not. How many documents have you passed off this week alone that were saved to the cloud, or only on a server or your hard drive? Now move 10 years into our future and realize that very few paper copies of anything will exist. Bookstores, newspapers, and magazines all over are migrating to an e-book. So, is it really impossible to believe that the plans to build the Great Pyramid have never been found?

How could this happen today? It could be a terrorist attack using one well placed EMP, and that will take down the entire grid in the US. But terrorists of today would never rely on a single attack ... they would do coordinated efforts, making it impossible for society to return as it once was. The chaos created would be devastating. But we don't need a terrorist attack for this to happen. We could be hit with a supermassive solar flare and that would be more devastating than a terrorist attack. One only needs to see what happened during Hurricane Katrina, Ferguson, Occupy Wall Street, Oakland, Baltimore, etc., to see the kind of devastation when mobs rule. Think how much more so it would be when they have no food or water.

People would go into a "survival mode" and basically, forget about the comforts of yesterday. Those memories would only be told around the campfires as "tall tales" of a time long forgotten. The "Great WiFi god" and magic like electricity would be passed on to future generations. In fact, within two generations nobody would even understand wireless technology like cell phones or wifi as anything but magic to a generation still trying to live in survivor mode. If you don't believe me, ask yourself how many kids of today have ever seen a rotary phone, much less used one? How about listen to Elvis sing "Hound Dog" on a 45 record, or even seen an LP? That technology is not so long ago, yet it is all but forgotten. In fact, we have come so far with wireless technology that when I went for the interview with Coast to Coast I was required to call in on a hard line telephone. I could not find anyone that I personally knew within 100 miles that owned a hard line that I could use, so I had to get a room at a local hotel! Most people that I know have migrated fully to cell technology and have given up the older tech. In a few years, broadcast television will also be a thing of the past as people opt for broadband programming instead. We gave up our cable long ago in favor or internet shows and news.

How does all of this relate to Harmonic Wars? In SciFi, a writer can afford to let their imagination run a little wild, and so I did. But I also used many of these facts to help provide at least a level of believability in my SciFi story. But I wanted to do this without compromising my Christianity. So I chose to make this planet as a colony and NOT the Biblical Earth as described in the Scriptures. In doing so, things fell into place very nicely, including a society landing on this planet 12,000 years ago to establish a colony. Then war broke out and scattered the settlers into a survival mode until they eventually forgot their own past. Not so unbelievable once you put things into context and consider the possibilities, is it?


Harmonic Wars: Guardians of the Crystal Skulls is available on Amazon, Kindle, iBooks and Nook. For a limited time, you can get signed copies for $5 off the regular price only through my publisher at http://3lpublishing.flyingcart.com



Monday, February 8, 2016

Prologue: A Little Peek of "Guardians of the Crystal Skulls"

I'm reposting the first several chapters of "Harmonic Wars: Guardians of the Crystal Skulls" which I've placed on sale for all e-books. For a very short time you can find Book 1 of Harmonic Wars on Kindle, Nook and iBooks for only .99 cents. Please enjoy, and pick up the book for the exciting conclusion!



Prologue
“I’M COMING,” ANA’KA TUA’AGAR SAID dreamily as she heard her name being called out. She dreamed that she got out of bed and noted that her life mate, Ukit Took, was up as well. She paused for a second as she looked at his lean, muscular figure in his short clothes. She loved how his muscles rippled with his every movement. An avid outdoorsman, he was darkly tanned. He had a handsome smile and kind green eyes. He preferred to keep his thick, dark hair neatly trimmed; as it grew longer, it became wavy.

   Ana’ka heard the musical voice call her name again. I must be dreaming again, she thought as she reached for her robe to cover her thin nightshirt. She was very short compared to Ukit. Where he was a tall, lean and muscular warrior, she was a tiny and curvaceous young woman. Her auburn-colored hair, full lips, and large, slightly slanted green eyes contrasted nicely against her lightly tanned skin. Like most of the Grand Council members, she had the telltale sign of the somewhat-elongated head of the Balsarius descendants.

   Ukit Took, the Mayan King, was a tall and lean warrior and a strong leader. Together they led the Mayan Grand Council that was left in charge of the colony by the human settlers from the planet Balsarius. The Grand Council stayed in contact with the Balsarius outpost, even though the majority of the colonists there had long forgotten the past. Together Ukit Took and Ana’ka exited the cavern that served as their home.

   The musical voices called out again as a light floated in front of Ana’ka and Ukit. They followed the light and soon joined the rest of the council in the main tunnel that led out of the cavern. Wordlessly, they walked into the night air.

   The musical voices called out to them from the lights. Ana’ka thought dreamily, That’s strange. Why is the Grand Council out in public in their night clothes? The guards slept as the lights led them to follow the lakeshore around to the smaller hill that stood out close to the river that fed the lake. They followed the lights around the hill until they arrived at the backside where they noted anopening filled with a warm and inviting light. The musical voices now called them into the inner chambers. They found themselves in a tall room of polished limestone. At the far end of the room stood a magnificent being who towered over them. His golden hair fell in soft curls on his shoulders. He had large dimples on his cheeks, a cleft chin and large blue eyes that glittered and stood out against his fair skin. He was heavily muscled and dressed in gold and silver armor. Four strong wings protruded from his back and extended out 12 feet to either side as he flexed them. The wings resembled his armor with rows of alternating gold and silver feathers, each edge razor sharp. Twin scimitars that glowed and shimmered with heavily worked gold and silver inlays hung on a belt around his waist. Ana’ka smelled a sweet-spicy scent in the air.

   Follow me and speak not, he commanded with his musical voice that was not spoken, but rang out in his subject’s mind. Ana’ka walked in a dream-like haze. She was not frightened, but she thought the whole dream strange.

   They followed the being through a passageway at the back of the room. Ana’ka was vaguely aware of where she walked. She smelled the damp earthy smell of the passageways mixed with the spicy scent of the being. She followed Ukit and the being as they climbed the passageway that wound up through the center of the stone structure inside the hill. She looked back and saw that the Grand Council followed behind her. Just as she began to wonder if they were lost, the being led them into an altar room with highly polished granite walls.

   At the back of the room was a dark-green granite altar with a giant crystal sphere that rested on top. The bottom of the altar was a large, roughly cut granite block. The lid on top of the block was a thick piece of polished dark-green granite with golden-winged horses at each of the four corners of the lid. On top of the wings rested a thin, pink granite circular shelf. A large crystal sphere rested above the shelf on a golden band two feet wide at the base. It cradled the huge crystal sphere that rested gently on pads that protruded from the golden band. The golden band was decorated with visions of men with falcon heads, jackals, snakes and other animals as well. Golden dragons were set at equal distances across the gold band and between each dragon there appeared to be a small golden door with a silver skull inlayed in the center of the door.

   Choose your place. The being silently directed the Grand Council members to a series of thick, woven mats of dark wood evenly placed in a semicircle in front of the sphere. Ana’ka approached the altar as she tightly held Ukit’s hand.

   After each couple stood together on the mats, the crystal sphere began to glow and spin. Ana’ka watched as lights flashed from the sphere. Musical notes filled the room changing with the flashing lights. Then the golden doors opened to reveal highly polished crystal skulls inside of each compartment. The lights that flashed out from the Crystal sphere now were drawn back into the sphere and with it the music diminished to almost nothing.

   In a rush, lights shot out of the crystal skulls into each couple. Each couple was locked in a different musical note and color, in a sudden explosion of music and light. Ana’ka felt the warmth of the blue light that locked on her as the music of the universe filled her heart and mind. Strange visions flashed in her mind as the music and light filled her until there was nothing else.

   Ana’ka awoke with a start. Her heart raced as she labored to breathe. A second later Ukit was up and had to catch his breath too.

   “What a dream!” Ukit exclaimed.

   “Me too,” Ana’ka said as she leaned over and kissed him. “I dreamt we walked to the Pyraportal, but it was open ...”

   Ukit snapped his head around to look at her. “Did you see the angel, too?” 

   Ana’ka nodded with her eyes wide in surprise. “And the Crystal Skull?”

   “Something tells me this wasn’t a dream,” Ukit said as he pointed to the dresser.

   Ana’ka looked to her left and saw the perfectly formed and polished Crystal Skull on the dresser beside them.

*   *   *


   The Artisan Guild Elder, Shanle Galen, flipped his long red hair out of his face as he stood patiently painting a portrait of a beautiful nude brunette who had just taken a bite out of an apple. He smiled at the gentle curves of her body until he was interrupted when his holographic personal assistant suddenly materialized in front of him.

   Galen had highly customized Androdika, so she wore a skin-tight black leather body suit over her petite body. Her bright-red hair was shaved on the right side and cropped close on top while the left side was braided and hung down over her left breast. She glanced over her right shoulder at the object of Galen’s attention and rolled her eyes.

   “Elder Galen, your meeting with the Council of Elders begins in two minutes. Elder Sandowski sent you this reminder, and hopes you can make it on time.”

   “Oh shit,” Galen exclaimed. “That insufferable man won’t let me live down being late again. Get dressed, dear, and I’ll see you same time tomorrow.”

   Galen blew the model a kiss as he hurried out of his private art studio and stopped to wash some of the paint off his fingers. He pulled the painter’s smock off to reveal a very colorful set of tights that covered his entire body. Galen looked at his figure in the mirror and smiled as he put on the white elder robes and the sash of his office. The Artisan Guild sash was purple with an inkwell and quill crossed over an artist’s paintbrush and palette in full color. Instead of simply wearing it over his shoulders as was customary, today he put it on like a scarf and started out of the office.

   “Elder, did you forget something?” Androdika asked at the receptionist desk as she pointed at the stack of colored pencils and notebooks that sat at the edge of her desk.
   “Oh yeah. Thanks, Androdika!” Galen said as he messily scooped them up and hurried to the conference room down the hall.


   “Well, of course the Fruitcake is late again,” complained Elder Gregory Sandowski of the Workers Guild as he rubbed his bald head with strong hands that showed the scars of the years in the smithy. He had a weathered look to his face, as though he spent the majority of his life outside. He hated his position and would rather have been back with a hammer in his hand in his shop than at this meeting, but he was a man of duty. His green sash had a hammer and wood saw crossed over an anvil all in gun-metal gray, which he chose to wear around his waist like a belt. Sandowski was neat and orderly, with a pen and small pad of pa- per precisely placed in front of him to the side of his cup of coffee and personal recorder. All of which were perfectly spaced apart and in line with the table, exactly six inches from the edge.

   “I’m here. We can get started now,” Galen said as he stormed into the room and unceremoniously dropped the pencils and notepads onto the table in front of him. Sandowski rolled his eyes and huffed.

   “Glad you could fit us into your busy schedule, Fruitcake,” Sandowski said sarcastically, to which Galen simply stuck his tongue out.

  “Gentlemen, if you please. Thank you all for joining us. Now let’s get to the point: We’re losing this war,” Shihan Marcus Kahn said to the Council of Guild Elders. The silence was deafening in the Great Hall, where they had met for this important meeting. He ran his hands along the four-inch-wide red sash with the golden crossed swords embroidered down the center which signified that he was the Elder of the Warrior Guild. It was his responsibility to protect the colony, and he was tired of all the resistance from the other elders. Shihan’s well-trimmed beard and long dark-brown hair were now peppered with gray in the thick braid that hung to the middle of his back. The tall, slim warrior had a steely glint in his piercing blue eyes as he let those last words sink in to the other elders in the room. “The G`Alad have more weapons than we do, so this becomes a simple game of numbers, and Admiral Ares knows that.”

    Elder Danshe of the Religious Guild ran his fingers through his thick, silver hair. His small, dark brown eyes looked from elder to elder as the portly, aged gentleman stood up to address the council. His guild sash was dark blue with silver triangles embroidered down its length. He stood up beside Shihan and asked, 

  “Why can’t we try negotiation? Maybe we can reason with them?”

   Shihan sighed deeply at the portly man’s suggestion. “Because the last time we negotiated he broke the treaty and raided our military supply depots. Now, we can barely defend ourselves. Oh, Ares will meet with you so that he can rebuild his broken MARs units while we try in desperation to hold our ground. Time is on his side, not ours. We need something that will change the tide in our favor before Ares wipes us out.”

   Galen shook his head as he drew and scribbled on several notepads at the same time, sometimes using both hands. Being ambidextrous had its advantages. “We’re not getting anywhere like this. Elder Kahn, what do you need from us to win this war?” Galen asked.

   Shihan sighed deeply. “We want to use anti-matter weapons.”


   “Absolutely not!” cried Elder Roberto Salvatore from the Science Guild. “We would’ve been better off if we had never created those damn things. Excuse my language, Elder Danshe, but it’s impossible for us to prevent a singularity from forming after the explosion. As we learned in the Crystalline War, the results can destroy entire solar systems if ample material feeds into it. Millions died as each planet in the Kaldori system was swallowed up by the black hole. The Science Guild will not make one, period. Find another way, Shihan.”

   Roberto’s red face clearly showed his determination. The short, thin man had a face like a rat because of his buck teeth and big nose, but he was a brilliant scientist. The sash for the Science Guild was yellow with a glass beaker containing an atomic structure. The protons and neutrons at the center were red and blue while the multiple electrons orbiting the nucleus were dark gray.

   Shihan shook his head. “We’re fast running out of options, gentlemen. Unless the Science Guild can activate the Space Portal so we can get reinforcements, our MARs units will be overrun within the year.”

   Elder Salvatore shook his head. “We have some new projects that show some promise. Give us a month to kick some things into gear. We’ll see what we can do about the Space Portal, but right now the last Pyraportal must remain hidden. Our Balsarius ancestors built it in secrecy because they didn’t trust the G’Alad. God only knows how they have not found it before now. They’ll stop at nothing to destroy it like they did the others. We’re just lucky it can still channel this planet’s energies enough to fire its weapon. It’s the only thing that stands between us and their warships.”

   “Well, that and this base station,” replied Shihan.

   “But even Ark 1 has its limits,” replied Sandowski.


   “We have many challenges ahead of us,” Elder Galen commented as he scribbled on two of several small notepads in front of him simultaneously. 

   “What kind of challenges would those be, Fruitcake?” Sandowski asked as he sneered across the table at the very messy Galen.

   Galen looked up and smiled as he shredded up both pieces of paper and casually threw them out on the table without another word.

   “Gentlemen, if you please!” Shihan interrupted. “You’re worse than an old married couple. You can annoy each other on your own time.”

   “Is there no room for negotiation at all?” asked Elder Danshe again as he sat back down beside Shihan. “Are we not a civilized society?”

   Shihan looked at Elder Danshe who was seated beside him, and then gently placed his hand on Danshe’s shoulder. “Yes, my dear friend, we’re civilized but our enemies are not. Words can seldom be used to put out a forest fire, but water or more fire will work. Sometimes you have to fight for your way of life if you wish to survive. We’ve certainly been at that point for a long time. This war has been going on for thousands of years, and I see no reason to believe that the G`Alad wish it any other way.”

   Elder Danshe nodded his head sadly, “I suppose you’re right Shihan. For everything there is a time and place. The Religious Guild will support the decision of this council.”

   “The Artisan Guild shares your concerns, Elder Danshe,” replied Elder Galen. “We would like to see an end to this conflict.”

   “So do we all,” answered Shihan. “Adjourned until the Science Guild can come up with a solution?”

   “So adjourned,” seconded Elder Danshe. As they rose up from the table Danshe grabbed Shihan by the arm and said aloud, “Elder Salvatore, I wonder if I might have a word with you and Elder Kahn in private?”

   “Certainly. Meet me at my chambers in 10 microns?” asked Shihan. When they both nodded in agreement, Shihan bowed his head slightly and left the Great Hall. Within minutes he arrived back at the door to his private quarters.

   “Hello, Elder Kahn,” said the female computer voice that had scanned him before the door opened. “Would you like some tea?”

   “No thank you, Sarah,” Shihan replied as he walked through his living quarters. The quarters were simply decorated. A comfortable set of red leather lounge chairs sat in front of a stone fireplace. The walls were cream-colored and led to the kitchen and bedroom to the right of the entry. Shihan headed into his private study to the left.

   Against the front wall next to the door was a small table with two unlit candles close to each end. They flamed to life as Shihan approached. He knelt at the small but simple altar of the Holy Warrior that few people had ever seen. A symbol made of wood rose from the surface of the table and floated in between the lit candles. The “Great Circle” symbol was a carved wooden circle with a twisted purple crystal triangle in the center. The circle was carved with dark flames that spun off the outside in a counter-clockwise motion, while the inside of the circle had light-colored flames that spun clockwise toward the twisted crystal triangle in the center as if drawn to it. This represented the “Circle of Life” that surrounded the “Creator” and served as a reminder that people lived in the circle of life and served the Creator at the center. Those who rejected the Creator were cast out, but all were welcome. On either side of the small table were the two pieces of his “Qatassendor” staff with its curved, purple crystal blades that gleamed in the low light. This was the main weapon of the Holy Warrior. It was his direct link to the Creator that gave him strength, protection, and prolonged his life. 

   This was one of the ways that he had lived for so many thousands of years. Stasis chambers had helped him sleep through the centuries that the G`Alad were not overly active. But whenever a major offensive began, the Guild Elders woke Shihan up out of his stasis. This time his generals had foolishly waited too long before they requested Shihan’s help, and it had cost them the central lands that tied the southern and northern continents together. The last skirmish had cost them the majority of the northern continent. The G`Alad had used the huge settlement on the northern pole they had named Hyperborea as a point to launch and infiltrate the commoners settlements all over the planet. Shihan had tried to warn them, but the council ignored him. The commoners viewed the G`Alad as magicians or gods as they were so far removed from the truth – they had become so involved with the daily struggle just to survive.

   Shihan pulled a golden “Great Circle Medallion” out of his shirt, which also had a twisted purple crystal triangle in the center. He placed his hands on the Qatassendor, which immediately caused the blades to brighten. The crystal triangle in the center of both Great Circles glowed in response as Shihan closed his eyes and cleared his mind. Visions of a crystal skull in the right hand of an elderly man with long white hair braided back and a long white mustache filled his mind. His name was Master Yen Tsu, and this man was his mentor and fellow Holy Warrior.

   Yen Tsu pointed to Shihan and said, “Answer the door.”

   Shihan looked up as he heard the chimes at his door. Has it been 10 microns already? The door slid closed behind him as he exited his private study and an- swered the front door.

   “Come in,” said Shihan. Elder Salvatore and Elder Danshe entered with two colonists dressed in long red linen robes. Their darkened skin and dark hair stood out in stark contrast to the elders dressed in white silk. Shihan immediately recognized the male as a capable warrior who was nearly as tall as Shihan. The much shorter and shapely woman was beautiful by any standard and was obviously his mate. In her right hand she held a black cloth bag that had a strange bulge in it.

   “May the Light shine through you,” greeted Shihan as he welcomed them into his living quarters and offered them a seat.

   Elder Danshe slightly bowed his head. “Shihan, let me introduce to you King Ukit Took and his life-mate Queen Ana’ka. They’re of Balsarius descent and are the leaders of the Mayan Grand Council on the colony. They’re fully aware of our history.”

   “Well met,” Shihan said as he slightly bowed his head to them both. “What do you have on your mind?”

   Elder Danshe smiled, “Shihan, I had a vision during my prayers on how we can activate the Pyraportal. Queen Ana’ka?”

   Ana’ka reached into her bag and pulled out a perfectly formed crystal skull that immediately began to glow. She lifted the skull in her right hand for Shihan to see and was surprised when the skull gently lifted out of her hand and floated over in front of Shihan of its own free will. Shihan placed his hands together palm-up in front of the skull as it set down in his hands.

   Shihan closed his eyes and visions filled his mind.



*   *   *

   Admiral Ares watched as the pilot guided the shuttle from his flagship the Argus down to the settlement on the northern pole that the G`Alad called Hyperborea. The fortress was grown from quartz crystals, which provided a tremendous advantage. First, it was more easily hidden from the commoners who lived on the many continents across the globe. Second, the very walls of the fortress were used to focus and generate the majority of the energy and data storage needs for the settlement.

   Ares was pleased that Commander Apollon had done so well. Because of him the commoners worshipped them as gods. Anything to keep them from the truth. Ares smiled as he heard the voices of Klaxon sing out in his mind. The sentient sword had spoken to him for many thousands of years now, and this sword was the source of power that allowed him to live for so long.

   Thou must feed me. I hunger, Klaxon begged. Ares looked over at his political officer Commander General Menelaos who also heard the voices of Klaxon. Menelaos had greasy, dark hair combed to the side in typical military fashion. His short, dark mustache and goatee were neatly trimmed and were equally as greasy as his hair. His slender build and pasty-white skin reminded Ares of a funeral parlor director. 

   Menelaos looked instinctively down at the bracelet and rings on his left hand and the silver pendant that resembled a lightning bolt, which was pinned to his dark-blue military uniform’s lapel. The stones on the bracelet and rings, were colored in a deep, dark blue, and matched the stone in the hilt of the small golden-bladed scimitar that Ares held. Runes circled a band of gold just above the scimitar’s hilt where the large, blue stone brilliantly displayed. Ares held Klaxon in his right hand as his left hand absently reached up to the large pendant that hung around his neck under his crisp, white uniform. Menelaos’s many pieces of jewelry and Ares’s knife and pendant were a matching set that shared one thing in common: the brilliant blue stones that pulsed like a heartbeat.

   The shuttle landed as Commander Apollon greeted the admiral with a sharp salute. He was dressed in a sharply pressed charcoal-gray uniform and at his waist was a golden-bladed kukri. Its blade glowed and the blue stone in the hilt pulsed. Runes circled the base of the hilt and continually changed. The sentient blade called itself J’Anx and talked more and more to Apollon. Music from J’Anx now filled his mind as the Admiral approached. Time to feed? Please feed us, too!

   “Admiral on the deck!” Apollon shouted. Be patient, my friend. I’ll feed you soon. J’Anx laughed insanely. The shuttle docked in a large bay beside multiple other shuttles. Several Mobile Attack Robots, more commonly called “MARs” units, were being loaded aboard a ship in the next dock.

   The blue and white MARs units stood 30 feet tall. Its torso was the size of a van, and the round head sat upon its shoulders like a small command module capable of holding a full-grown man inside. The left shoulder had a block of rocket launchers while the right shoulder had a small cannon that protruded at a downward angle to be able to stay in the cargo hold. Both arms had pulse cannons attached to the sides of the forearms. Each arm ended in a forked claw that could be manipulated to pick up and hold items – and it was used in hand-to-hand combat.

   The nuclear-powered MARs had a neurological interface that the operator accessed through recessed tanks in the command pod that the operator placed his hands and feet inside. The tanks were filled with a biological gel that bonded with the user’s nervous system, and it allowed them full control of the MARs unit. Holographic screens and displays appeared in front of the operator to provide them operational information at a glance. The command pod became a stasis pod that, in case of emergency, provided ejection whether on land, sea, or even space.

   The weapons platform was considerable, with machine guns, rocket launchers, and lasers that could cut through the defenses of most armored vehicles. Maneuverability was hampered only by the operator’s limitations. The unit was designed to respond to the operator to run, walk, and jump as if it was an extension of the operator. With the rocket boosters in its legs and arms, it could fly for short distances in the heavy atmosphere. The jetpack on its back allowed it to maneuver in space and even under water. Its built-in force field could extend outward for 75 feet to protect support ground troops. The torso held a squad of 10 soldiers for very short distances for troop deployment.

   “As you were, Commander,” Ares responded. “Walk with us. I trust that you have things ready for us to feed?”

   “Yes, Admiral. If you would like to follow this way we can make that happen right away, then after you clean up we can continue with the briefing. Or would you prefer to get business out of the way first?” Apollon asked.

   “Just tell me, are we still progressing like we were in your last report?”

   “Yes, Admiral,” Apollon answered with a smile. “Our forces push the colonial forces back at every battle. We expect they’ll run out of MARs units in six to eight months. The last two raids cut their supplies in half. We’ve also infiltrated each guild, but not at very high levels. That’ll still take some time.”

   “You’ve done well, my friend,” Ares said with a smile. “A promotion may soon be in order for you. Now, let us feed and then after we rest you can finish your report.”

   Apollon led them out of the bay and into a corridor that opened into an auditorium. Inside the auditorium were a thousand men, women, and children dressed in plain farm clothes. The majority of the colony had reverted to a pre-industrialized society as they struggled to survive with the sudden loss of electricity after the destruction of the world power grid. In only two generations the vast majority of survivors had no knowledge that electricity had flowed freely in a wireless power grid that all the colonists had shared.

   Ares looked at Menelaos and watched as his eyes became pitch black, and he felt Klaxon’s voices grow to a fevered pitch. Feed us, yes, Love. Feed us! Likewise, Ares’ eyes turned pitch-black as he approached the first farmer and plunged the knife deep into his heart. He felt the farmer’s memories fill his mind with needless dribble such as how to care for a horse, when to plant, when to sow. Who cares about this mindless stuff? he thought to himself as he reached down to feel the core of the man’s life force. Ares drank it into himself and felt himself get stronger by the second. He could smell the fear all around him.

   He smelled the burned flesh and hair as he pulled Klaxon from the charred man’s smoky husk of a body. Ares stomped his foot down hard on the man and smiled wickedly as his body burst into dust before the other peasants. 

   Yes, brother. Let’s fill ourselves with their energy and make better use of it than they ever would, Menelaos called out through the mind link they shared through Klaxon.

   Ares looked over and saw that Menelaos had already placed his hand out to another peasant and started to draw the person’s life force into himself. Ares was the weapon, but Menelaos was the well of power that Ares could draw on to do so many wonderful things with Klaxon. He hated to depend on anyone, but they were indeed stronger together than apart.

   Yes, brother, Ares replied as he stabbed Klaxon deep into another pathetic peasant.


*   *   *


   The demon Legion licked its giant maw. Legion was a collective of demons that had banded together and had become of one purpose. They were nearly as powerful as the Dark Lord himself – nearly. Legion had carefully planned their rise to power in a way that didn’t threaten the Dark Lord. Legion had seduced many lower-ranking demons to join the collective with the promise of strength in numbers.

   They knew they were not strong enough to challenge the Dark Lord directly, and they would never survive a direct attack from him either. By banding together into a collective, and with a hive mentality, they had become strong enough that the Dark Lord would have to use so much energy to destroy them that it would leave him vulnerable to the others. So Legion had to carefully balance its actions and not overplay the hand it had been dealt.

   Today they had chosen the form of a black dragon, as they had done for many centuries. The many shadows convulsed together to create the form, and they could still be seen as individual shadows by the more powerful demons. Legion stretched its leathery wings out as it gave a mighty yawn.

   The Dark Lord would be happy with the progress they had made in the Realm of Man. More souls for him, and the tide of war rolls as the Dark Lord instructed. Taste sweet, it will!  Legion had set things into motion that guaranteed a great many souls would join them, one way or another. If not mankind, then the others would join once the space portal was opened again. Now all they had to do was wait. This time it would be different because time was on their side.

   Savor this, we will! Legion said to themselves as they licked their maw.


More to come!
~D.B. Stearns



About the Author


DOUGLAS “D.B.” STEARNS is a happily married father of five. They are also very proud grandparents.
D.B. was born January 10, 1965 in Reno, Nevada and moved to Georgetown, Texas where he stayed through high school. He entered the Air Force on October 4, 1983 and retired at Scott AFB Illinois 20 years later filled with many rich experiences, a wonderful wife and family. After a short tour overseas as a logistics manager for a contracting company during the Iraq war, D.B. returned home to the St. Louis area and became an IT project manager for a defense contractor.
   In 2011, their youngest son decided to follow the family tradition and joined the military. With this big change they suddenly found themselves to be “Happy Nesters,” and they took a long, hard look at the direction of their lives. They decided that the corporate world was just not worth the heavy toll on the family. So, he resigned and moved back to Texas. D.B. became inspired by a special on the Great Pyramid of Giza and was fascinated by the advanced engineering built into the pyramid. There are many theories to explain the purpose of the Great Pyramid, but D.B. was certain this was never a tomb. After a full year of research on ancient mysterious sites, a rich storyline unfolded in front of him. D.B. signed on with 3L Publishing and began to write the Harmonic Wars series.

You can find D.B. at the following social media platforms: 
www.facebook.com/DBStearns.HarmonicWars 
google.com/+HarmonicwarsBlogspot 
https://twitter.com/DBSHarmonicWars 

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Chapter One: Another Sneak Peek from Guardians of the Crystal Skulls!

And the saga continues!
~D.B. Stearns


                                                  
Chapter One 
   EACH GENERATION OF civilized societies look back on their accomplishments and proudly proclaim that they are the most advanced civilization to date. They look back arrogantly on the previous civilizations as primitive and ignorant, which is based on the accepted historical accounts in spite of the mounds of evidence that continues to pile up through new archaeological findings. 
   But what if historians got it all wrong? Children are taught a lesson about rumors by playing a game called “Pass It On”. The class gets in a circle, and the teacher tells a secret to the first student who passes it to the next and so on until the secret is passed back to the teacher. However, after being passed through the mouths, minds and ears of 30 students, the message that returns to the teacher is completely different from the original passed only moments ago. History has seen this same thing happen, but multiplied times thousands of years. 
   Time has a huge impact on everything. Many people believe time flows continuously, while others believe it comes in cycles. The truth is there is a beginning and an end to everything. At the beginning there was Light, and there was Dark. The Light created, and the Dark destroyed. Through the ages they battled for control, with Light staying just ahead of Dark. Ages passed as time moved toward the inevitable battle. This is not the final battle, but it is an important and ongoing battle. 
  The common people lived on, most times oblivious to the ongoing battles that surrounded them day after day. They went to work, loved and laughed as if this existence was meant to be. Occasionally, a few gifted people were shown visions of the Light or the Dark, and were drawn directly into the fight. Still, time continued its journey. 
   After many thousands of years, precious few were left who knew the truth. They continued their vigilant stand against the Dark as they waited patiently for the threat to arrive and the war to continue anew. Plans were made and set into motion, some at great personal sacrifice. The stakes were high and yet life continued. 
   The Guardians of the Crystal Skulls were some of those gifted and precious few who were shown the truth. They shared breakfast together before their short trip into the heart of the last Pyraportal. This ancient relic was the last operational Pyraportal on the planet. Built in secrecy by the Science Guild, it complemented the existing World Power Grid in ancient times. The Pyraportals served multiple purposes for humankind. They provided free wireless electricity by using the planet’s natural energies. They could concentrate that energy and direct the discharge as a lethal weapon that could protect the planet from asteroids or attacks from enemies. 
   The Masu`ri, the Balsarius, and the G`Alad were all races of humans who had once coexisted together as one society separated into five guilds: Artisan, Religious, Warrior, Science, and Worker. The Masu`ri and the Balsarius were peaceful societies who predominately made up the Artisan, Religious, and Science guilds. The G`Alad, however, were the Warrior Guild first and foremost. If any G`Alad failed as a Warrior, they became part of the Worker Guild. The arrogance of the G`Alad became so great because of their conquests in space that they demanded more and more of the other guilds. Eventually war broke out between the guilds for control of the crystals and gems that they used to power much of their highly advanced technology. 
   Ana’ka and Ukit lay beside each other as they caught their breath after another long lovemaking session. Lately their days had been filled with joy and lots of lovemaking. Ukit looked over lovingly at his life mate, not looking forward to the conversation that they needed to have now. He sighed and touched her face gently. 
   “You know it’s been three months since we had the visions,” Ukit said. “Our time approaches.”
   “I know,” replied Ana’ka. “Can’t we just leave, and not do this? Maybe someone else can do this?” 
   “I don’t think that’s what the Light has in mind for us, do you?”
   “But we don’t want to do this without you,” Ana’ka pleaded.
   “We?”
   “I think a son has a right to know his father, don’t you?” Ana’ka responded as her hands went to her stomach.
   “Are any of the others expecting as well?” Ukit asked.
   “I suspect Alana and MeNana both are, but they have not said anything yet.” 
   Ukit smiled as he rested his hand on Ana’ka’s stomach.  “My heart is filled with joy and sadness at the same time. The Light will find a way. For now we must follow our path,” Ukit said as he stood and got himself prepared. The visions they had received from the Crystal Skulls promised a final victory for their sacrifice. Now the time for that sacrifice was at hand. 
   Elder Danshe and Elder Salvatore dressed in their white silk robes stood at the mouth of the underground compound to say farewell to the couples. Elder Danshe kept his eyes averted as the women dropped their traditional dresses or huipils in favor of the ceremonial shoupa, which was nothing more than a wrap around their waists that ended in the middle of their thighs. This deerskin wrap was the only clothing the women wore aside from the light golden chain-mail tops. Ana’ka had long, flowing auburn hair that fell softly over her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. Her large, ample breasts stood out prominently for such a short woman. Like the other women she wore an open-backed golden chest piece of tiny interlocking links that resembled chain mail and lightly covered her breasts. Interwoven into the mail was a series of strategically placed gems and stones such as rubies, emeralds, diamonds, black onyx, and opals. A single four-inch-long crystal shard hung from the center of the necklace and nestled between the young woman’s breasts. The crystal at the center of the necklace matched the two-inch-long shards that hung from her ears. The golden chain mail left very little to the imagination and caused Elder Danshe to blush furiously. 
   “Everything’s in place,” said Elder Danshe. “May the Light bless your journey, and shine through you always.” 
   “The Pyraportal is active now, so choose your steps carefully and do not stray from the path,” warned Elder Salvatore. 
   “Isn’t the Pyraportal nearly out of energy?” asked Ukit. 
   “The energy reserves are nearly depleted, but there is still enough to kill you if you stray from the path,” replied Elder Salvatore. “Now go quickly before the G`Alad detect it.” 
   Ukit bowed his head as a show of respect to the elders, and the rest of the men bowed as well. Each man was well over six feet tall and wore long-hooded robes made of rich red linen. Each man had a black bag strapped over his shoulder that hung down his left side. Ukit Took entered first as was his right as the king. Their shaved heads and faces were painted over white and black to look like a skull. 
   As they exited the caves with their life mates, the men pulled the hoods up over their heads. A group of 40 local tribal warriors heavily armed with spears, bows, and arrows surrounded them. They wore loin cloths and were otherwise painted head to toe in red. 
   The group stopped at the head of a trail that lead through the forest. In the distance was a giant stone pyramid; its outer surface gleamed in the early morning sun with its polished stone that reflected the rays of the sun. Only months before the Pyraportal, which was covered over by tons of dirt, had resembled a simple hill at the base of the mountain range. The warriors stayed at the forest’s edge while the leaders continued toward the pyramid’s entrance. 
   The pyramid’s capstone was a large golden sphere that shone brilliantly. It had gems and quartz crystals embedded throughout that glittered in the morning sun. It spun slowly as it hovered a few feet above the pyramid. Thick bolts of electricity shot up to the sphere then out toward four giant obelisks made of polished pink granite. 
   Ukit stopped and admired the spectacle. “So that’s what the Pyraportal looks like uncovered. We need to hurry before the G`Alad spots it.” 
   The group continued toward the dark entrance and walked on a clearly visible path in single file. They took a deliberate path that everyone followed carefully. In the distance, a mad dog ambled toward them from the cover of the jungle, its maw dripped with foamy disease. 
   “Look!” someone at the back shouted.
   Ukit turned to see the dog as it wandered forward. “Stay on the path! Everybody down. Now!” Ukit warned as all of them dropped to the ground as ordered. As the mad dog approached the Pyraportal, a bolt of electricity struck down the poor animal with such a tremendous force that the group felt the aftershock as surely as if a bomb had just detonated. If any of the group had been on their feet, they would have been knocked off the path from the aftershock’s sheer force. The smell of burned hair and electricity filled the air as the group rose to see the dog’s charred remains. 
   The bolts pulsed toward the obelisks as they continued on the path to the dark entry at the base of the Pyraportal. As they approached the entryway, Elder Sandowski stood before them with a glowing crystal stone that he had placed in a cradle at the top of his walking stick. 
   “You must remain in total silence until you arrive at the Altar,” Elder Sandowski warned. Then he folded his hands and bowed his head and said, “Time is running out, so do not delay. May the Light shine through you.” 
   The men quickly disrobed to reveal lean bodies covered only in simple loincloths. They placed the robes on a long bench at the room’s right side and replaced the black bags back over their shoulders. Each man grabbed an ornately carved and decorated walking stick that leaned against the wall and picked up a crystal stone from a stone ledge and placed it in a cradle at the top of the walking stick. Ukit hummed to the crystal, which flickered to life to light the way forward. He paused momentarily and glanced back at Ana’ka before he ducked into the short, dark corridor at the back of the room. Ana’ka followed close behind him into the corridor. Each couple followed Ukit and Ana’ka down the corridor with their own crystal light. 
   The oppressive weight and darkness permeated throughout the Pyraportal, and it swallowed the light as the absolute darkness resumed quickly behind the group. They reached the bottom of the corridor and entered a large room with a slightly higher ceiling, which allowed the group to stand fully and stretch. The room had the feel of a type of living chamber, as there appeared to be sleeping mats in recesses along the walls. Ana’ka smelled the somewhat-damp and cool air in this chamber and marveled at the lack of stale air at this depth. She wondered how the builders of this massive structure could have provided ventilation. Ana’ka followed Ukit as he entered another corridor that ascended at an odd angle at the opposite end. The entrance was raised about two feet from the floor and was much shorter than the previous corridor, which caused everyone to crouch low as they climbed up the five-foot-tall corridor. The corridor floors were perfectly flat with no steps. This made the ascent difficult for anyone who was not in good physical shape. 
   A few feet up, the corridor turned sharply and reversed its direction before it continued for what seemed like forever and finally ended in a large high-vaulted chamber. Water flowed down the center from a hole in the ceiling and disappeared into a hole in the floor. Both holes had been worn from what looked like years of water pouring down the shaft. Ukit looked back at Ana’ka as they felt the air drafts drawn here as the water flowed. From this room several corridors and airshafts jutted off in multiple directions. Ukit paused to allow the group to stretch and take long drinks of water from skin pouches they carried at their waists. After a few short minutes, Ukit silently urged the group forward as he ducked into a small corridor opposite from the one they had entered. They followed him into a very small room that looked to be little more than a large broom closet, but the walls were encrusted with what looked like salt. 
   They exited the opposite end and entered another short corridor that turned sharply the opposite direction before it opened into a great room with a high-vaulted ceiling that continued up at a slight angle. They passed to the right of the resonators that hung from the ceiling and filled the room with eerie sounds. They looked like strings of golden balls hung from the ceiling, each ball smaller and smaller as it neared the top. The balls on the bottom were massive in size, big enough for a full-grown man to stand inside upright with his arms outstretched inside. Ukit felt the vibrations chime from the resonators as the silent group quietly passed without a word. The group’s soft footsteps gently crunched the salt-encrusted floors as they continued wordlessly. The resonators remained pristine while all the other surfaces glimmered with salt for a strange and beautiful contrast. The group continued to the end of this great room only to find another small “broom closet” at the end with yet another small corridor that led off the opposite end. 
   As they crawled through the last short corridor, they entered a large room with a high ceiling of perfectly polished dark granite. Fresh air entered from two airshafts at opposite ends of this room and water could be heard as it flowed in the distance. The Crystal Altar of their dreams sat dark and silent as they entered the room. The doors that had once held the Crystal Skulls were now closed at the base that held the giant crystal sphere. 
   Ukit reached out to Ana’ka and projected his thoughts, I love you. 
   I love you too, mi corazón, Ana’ka replied in kind. Her heart suddenly filled with fear. 
   Ukit turned to the others who silently projected to their own life mates. 
   It’s time! Ukit projected to the others as the Crystal Skulls now allowed them to project thoughts and emotions to each other. Ukit approached the altar and knelt before it with his arms outstretched and his walking stick in his left hand. Then he reached into a black bag that hung at his waist and pulled out the solid Crystal Skull. He used his right hand to thrust it forward toward the altar. Its incandescent glow reflected light from the stick-like lamps that surrounded the room. Each of the males in the room then knelt in a semicircle as a reflection of the altar with six men on each side of Ukit with the females behind. Each man in turn stretched his arms as Ukit had and produced his own Crystal Skull and thrust it at the altar. The women stretched their hands out to the shoulders of the men before them and began to chant in unison. Moments passed as the chant then turned into a song. Their song rang out and reverberated through the great room below filled with the resonators. 
   The Pyraportal rumbled to life and vibrated to the sounds of the song as each door opened on the upper altar. One by one, each man rose and placed his Crystal Skull into the recess left behind from the open door. The women sang in unison as the Pyraportal came to life from their song. Louder and louder the women sang in unison as the tune became more complex by the minute. The huge crystal sphere slowly began to glow and emanate heat. The women then began to harmonize and change the rhythm of the song. Three words from this woman, four words from another woman, then several from another. Another woman, another pitch and different words. The nonsensical words were unlike standard communication, but the sounds and resonance they created were important. 
   A pattern emerged as each man entered and removed his Crystal Skull in unison with his mate who sung behind him. Individual Crystal Skulls vibrated and illuminated as each woman sang her portion of the song. Sometimes she sang solo, sometimes in harmony with another woman whose corresponding male would simultaneously enter and remove his Crystal Skull. More and more complex, the song continued to ring until everything around them shook. Then all the women sang aloud together in perfect harmony as the men placed their Crystal Skulls into the altar, stepped back, and joined the women in their song an octave lower, yet in unison with their partners. The huge crystal sphere now floated above the altar and spun as the crescendo of joined voices reverberated throughout the Pyraportal. Lights flashed from the Crystal Skulls into the eyes of each of the men with the pulse of the song. Faster and faster, brighter and brighter, each flash drew something out of the men and into the machine that now spun impossibly fast. Sweat poured off both men and women alike as the heat radiated throughout the chamber now. Just as the heat seemed almost unbearable water began to enter the chamber. Higher it rose as each couple sang louder and louder. 
   A loud moan emanated from the Pyraportal itself as the Crystal Sphere shot a brilliant beam of blue light into Ukit’s eyes that was reflected back into his specific Crystal Skull. Ukit was now bathed in blue and locked in his tone. The Crystal Sphere then bathed another man in a brilliant red light. This continued to repeat for each couple. Another man and another tone and another color until all were locked together, and then a loud noise exploded from the altar. Willowy wisps of smoke escaped each man only to be sucked up into his specific Crystal Skull placed before him in the altar. The women’s vocals increased as the male voices began to subside. Color now drained from their faces; the men looked drawn and haggard as the song continued. The water was now up to the men’s chests. Slowly their life forces were drawn into the crystal machine before them, as their earthly bodies began to slump further and further down until all at once every man fell face forward into the water. They were depleted of all life. Abruptly the song ended and each woman grasped for her deceased mates. 
   Ana’ka struggled with the water now at her chin as she tried to lift the much heavier Ukit. She finally turned him over and held him close to her. 
   Tears flowed from the women and sobs of sorrow filled the room as the Crystal Sphere continued to spin, but released the lights that had bathed each man. One by one, each woman began a new song. They chanted its words first in unison and then broke up into harmony. The sphere spun faster and faster as the song became more complex. A brilliant blue light suddenly shot out through the altar room, and the Crystal Sphere no longer looked solid, but looked more like a bubble of water. The light filled the room and reflected off the polished granite. An elderly man floated through the sphere, dressed in brilliant white robes that opened in front to reveal a dark, multicolored one-piece suit underneath. Behind his back was a pair of curved crystal blades that were attached to long staffs that crisscrossed behind him. There was strength in his face, and a power that emanated from him. His long white hair was pulled back into a braid. His long white mustache blew softly around the middle of his chest. 
   There was nothing otherworldly about him; he was just a man. He looked at the women who held their life mates close to them and held on to the last note of the song. Then the room went silent. 
   “I am the Weapons Master, Yen Tsu, and a Warrior of the Light.” Weapons Master Tsu greeted them as he placed his hands in the shape of a triangle in front of him. “I understand that you were able to open this Pyraportal through your sacrifice. I’m sorry for your loss, but you’ll soon find that your loss is not as complete as you might imagine. Until you’re able to make contact through the Crystal Skulls with your true loves, you must train on how to use this Anti-Grav Suit,” he said as he flourished his hand over the suit he wore. “It uses the same technology as the larger Anti-Grav Units, but does a better job of putting you at one with the three states of matter. The Anti-Grav Suit will allow you to control the matter around you at the subatomic level, whether it is a solid, liquid, or gas.” 
   Tsu looked into the watery globe behind him as a number of dark chests floated through the event horizon to each one of the women. Tsu closed his eyes and reached back for the weapons on his back. The crystal blades glowed as Tsu held them out at arm’s length. Light shot between the two blades into a ball over his head. The light took on a life of its own and shot forward out of the Pyraportal. A second ball of light formed between the glowing crystal blades as soon as the first ball left. Again it shot out of the room and left the Pyraportal for some unknown destination. The next light ball formed immediately, but this one shot down into Ana’ka. As the light sunk down into her head, she saw visions that confused her. The visions showed her dressed in a suit similar to the warrior in front of the altar. She could feel the very earth all around her. She watched as she did things that made no sense. She burst things into flame, froze items solid in the heat of the summer sun. She turned rocks to liquid and exploded Earth’s natural gasses all around her. She felt invincible as she destroyed a MARs unit, and all with nothing more than her mind. Then she saw herself going through a new fighting style. Form after form flowed into her mind. She too would become a Warrior for the Light, and she would protect the sacred Crystal Skulls. After several minutes she became numb to the visions that crowded into her mind until finally they ended. Ana’ka gasped for air as she looked around the altar room and saw all the other women doing the same. 
   Tsu shot the balls of light into each woman, then continued to create them between the two blades and shoot down into the base of the altar. The women looked in wonder but were confused by what had just happened. 
   Tsu opened his eyes. “You’ll not likely be able to remember much of what I have just shared with you, so you must seek out the one you call Shihan Kahn to reinforce the training you just received. You need this training to survive, so if you can’t remember anything else remember to seek out Shihan Kahn. Use this power wisely, and the Light will protect you.” With that, Weapons Master Tsu began to back into the event horizon. 
   “Wait!” Ana’ka called out. The Pyraportal shook in protest to the errant sound. 
   Tsu looked up and replied, “Please project your thoughts while you hold this portal open. I can hear them.” 
   What are we expected to do? Ana’ka pleaded as she projected her thoughts. We have so many questions; please don’t leave! The G`Alad are defeating us, and we need your troops, not these suits. Please, send us some upgraded MARs before we perish. 
   Tsu looked down at Ana’ka and sighed, “Have faith, my child. We don’t always get what we want, but we always get what we need to defeat evil. Trust the Light that this is better and you will see once you begin to train with Shihan. I must go before we are discovered. And you must immediately dismantle the pieces of this Pyraportal. May the Light be with you all, but especially you, Ana’ka. Your sacrifice will be one of the greatest, but through you and your descendants is the salvation of this society. Just as you received your visions of what you must do today, the Crystal Skulls will help guide you in the future.” 
   With that, Tsu disappeared into the event horizon. A moment later, the watery surface disappeared in a blinding blue light. The crystal sphere slowed its spin until it stopped, and the only lights that remained in the chamber were the walking staffs that the men had dropped. 
   The water subsided as the Crystal Skulls floated out of the altar over to each of the women. The women grabbed the skulls and placed them into the black bags that still hung around the necks of their now-dead husbands. Ana’ka gently lifted Ukit’s head and was surprised at how easy it had become to lift him. She placed the skull into the bag and hung it around her neck the way Ukit had. Then she grabbed up his staff and hummed into it to regenerate the stone’s light that had begun to fade. Then on an impulse she reached down and picked up Ukit in her arms like a mother would her child. The other women looked in amazement at this tiny woman as she easily lifted her husband. Then she nodded to the others to do the same. One by one they all found enough strength to do the same, and they left the Pyraportal. 
*   *   *
   Shihan knelt at the altar in his private quarters. His hands rested loosely on his weapon, the Qatassendor that stood upright at either end of the small altar. The crystal blades of the Qatassendor glowed as the Holy Warrior knelt in prayer. Nobody in this time even knew what a Holy Warrior was, or how they had helped the human forces defeat the Klah and the Kaldori in the Crystalline War all those thousands of years ago. Now he sat there nearly helpless in the middle of a stalemate that had lasted nearly 10,000 years. When the burden became too much he went back into stasis to wait out a century or two. If I only had a purpose! 
   Shihan opened his eyes as the crystal blades of the Qatassendor flickered wildly. Then without warning a ball of light entered his quarters and filled the room with its light. Instinctively, Shihan spun around in a defensive movement with the Qatassendor in his hands. Then he sensed another Holy Warrior close by, and recognized the ball of light as the ancient means of mind bonding between Holy Warriors. Finally! Shihan knelt back down and waited as the light entered his mind and the visions filled him. 
   Shihan recognized his mentor, the Holy Warrior Yen Tsu. Shihan could see the visions of the new fighting forms enter his mind. There was real power in this new style using the new technology of the Anti-Grav Suits. Then Holy Warrior Tsu left with a warning: 
   The remainder of the Mayan Grand Council has become the Guardians of the Crystal Skulls. Like you, they are now Warriors of the Light. The skulls must be protected from your enemies. The Light gave them to the Balsarius to provide balance in the war. They will provide the Guardians with longevity, guidance and great mental and physical power. We have packed stasis containers with Anti-Grav Suits for the Guardians, and the raw materials and instructions for the Science Guild to make more suits. The Anti-Grav Suits were designed to only be operated by specific genetic markers found in Balsarius descent, and one for you specifically. You must reinforce the training they received as they are not yet experienced in mind bonding. Protect the descendants and protect the suits at all costs. We have foreseen that the G`Alad are close to discovering the location of the last Pyraportal. Use the Anti-Grav Suits to hide its components and the remaining Balsarius cities on the colony, all of which must now be abandoned. Return to the Ark and refrain from direct intervention in the daily lives of the commoners. You may still be among them, but keep your origin secret from now on. 
   Lastly, there is a traitor among you. Beware whom you trust. 
   Shihan watched as visions of more complex fighting forms flowed freely that were obviously meant for him only. After several long moments the visions ceased. Shihan rose with the answers he had sought for so long. 
*   *   *
   Religious Elder Eric Danshe knelt at the foot of his bed in prayer. He thought someone had entered his room so he turned to see a ball of light that floated into the room. The light had a warm glow to it as it hovered briefly above him. He felt a sense of peace come over him as though he should trust the light. 
   “I trust in my Lord to protect me from all evil,” Danshe said calmly as he looked up into the ball of light. 
   A moment later, the ball of light slowly descended on his head. Visions flashed in his mind of impossible things. His head shook in disbelief. Tears streamed down his face as a primal scream echoed in his room. 

   “Noooooo!”