“And a few other elements we would also find: crystal quartz, copper, iron.” Tacito crossed his leg.
Josué considered the weapon and the three dimensional map. Could he do it? He’d always promised himself he would find El Umbral when he grew up. He just hadn’t imagined growing up this fast. Belief was written in the faces of the men around the table. Josué cleared his throat and found himself saying, “I’ll do it.”
Chapter 3, Timeos
Josué wiped sweat from his eye and swung his machete downward. A weed so long he couldn’t see its ends tugged at his ankle, connecting him to the mountain they’d just searched. How many mountains had it been? He’d hoped to have been back by now – with Felisa. He would check on Germán again and make preparations to repel the Galactic troops at Southern Ops.
Basilio, his appointed guide – who didn’t believe in carrying a weapon and ate off the land – chopped at a large branch. The wood split, taking a whole section of jungle with it and revealing another mountainside opposite the river.
Josué stopped and kicked his foot free. “There it is. Mountain Range five. Or is this six?” His smile felt fake. They’d seen so many mountains in the past few days. Josué swung at the brush and kicked aside a branch. Maybe he could keep his foot free for a few more steps.
“Perhaps this is the one.” Basilio stepped forward.
“I hope you’re right.” Josué stretched, pushing at the small of his back with the handle of his machete. They had moved at a breakneck pace the first two days. Disappointment, weeds and underbrush had slowed them since. Most of all, it had been the disappointment.
When he was honest with himself, he wondered if the whole thing wasn’t hopeless. “Do you really think the Elders are right on this? Maybe the sacred sands didn’t mean for us to find El Umbral after all?” He was beginning to wonder if he still had the link. Had he seen yellow since Sonora City? He couldn’t remember.
“It’s only been a week. Don’t give up now,” Basilio said firmly.
“Why do we get to wander the jungles of Sonora IV while the Syndicate fights galactic troops at Southern Ops?” Josué slashed at the foliage. “I never meant to be gone this long.”
Basilio shrugged. “If we find it, your fight will be over.”
Josué missed the branch he swung at, almost chopping off his kneecap. “Are there any Syndicate members left to fight? If the sacred sands wanted me to find this place . . . ,” but Josué didn’t know how to finish that statement. He wondered if Germán had healed by now, or if Felisa missed him as much as he missed her.
Can you hear me, Felisa? he called, but nothing came back – as usual. He headed for the river, ashamed he’d tried to talk to Felisa again. If they found El Umbral, they could return. “Are you coming?” he called over his shoulder.
“Right behind you.” But Basilio took a long drink from his canteen first.
“How many more mountains are in this range?” Josué eyed the one in front of them. He paused mid-swing and pointed to the cresting peak in the center. “Basilio, do you think that peak resembles a fault?”
“A fault, sir?” Basilio wrinkled his brow as he examined the peak. It was obvious the man didn’t know what a fault was.
“If there’s water coming down from that mountain, it would be a good sign.” Josué took a step. The mud and sap layered onto the bottom of his shoes made him feel like he was walking on a carpet. “Strong gold-quartz veins form in the presence of water,” he said, trying to convince himself more than Basilio. “Gold, in the amount the legends tell us of would need an underground river or something. If we’re lucky . . . .” He looked up again. “Yes, let’s cross here.”
Basilio’s smile looked placid. Why didn’t Josué feel placid?
Later that evening they finally found a place to cross without getting soaked. As the sun hid behind the mountain range, Basilio cut away a branch, exposing a creek coming down from the mountain. It wasn’t large, but it was water.
“Let’s camp here.” Josué sunk down against a tree.
***
He woke the next morning to the smell of grilled fish. He had to give his guide credit. The man knew how to find food when it looked like there wasn’t any.
“Shall we search this one?” Josué glanced at the mountain while swallowing a mouthful of deliciousness.
“The creek will make it easier to climb.” Basilio pointed up the hillside. “The underbrush grows thinner in there.”
Josué nodded. “This mountain looks like it has formed at the edge of a fault. Pressure from a rock formation like that can only promise good things.”
By midmorning they were halfway up. As Josué stepped over a rock, his heart jumped. A weird shaped pebble, prickly like a fossilized bird dropping sparkled in the sunlight. He bent over to pick it up. It was stiff and bent under the pressure of his fingertips. He bit into it and smiled. “Gold.” He handed it to Basilio.
They moved twice as fast after that discovery. Near the top, the mountain became more rock than jungle. Boulders and crevices took the place of trees and underbrush.
It wasn’t long before they came to a mid-sized pool bubbling up from a large flat rock. Gold flecks covered the massive headstone, glinting in the late morning light.
“The creek source!” Josué sat down on a rock. He reached over to splash water on his face. “Somewhere on this mountainside must be the entrance to the mine, or to a mine with a good amount of gold in it.”
With little warning, Josué’s vision turned yellow. He saw a carefully aimed blaster in his mind. “Look out,” he shouted and leaped into Basilio, knocking the guide backward.
The heat of a laze blast flashed over Josué’s shoulder. The tree behind Basilio was cut by the blast. Its leaves and branches fell over them, providing cover.
Josué rolled to the nearest boulder. “Did you see where it came from?”
The guide pointed to a ledge no more than a few hundred feet away. “There.”
Josué peeked through the limbs of the fallen tree. The squinty face of someone he recognized peered down at them. “Timeos! What’s he doing on Native land?”
He wished he had his voice weapon with him now, or any weapon for that matter. He’d taken enough shots from Timeos. Biting his lip, he turned to his guide. “Basilio, distract him. Make noise with those branches over there. I’ll circle around and get above him.”
“Alright.” Basilio looked solemnly up at the ledge.
As quickly and as silently as he could, Josué ran parallel to the ledge through the thickest part of the jungle. The trees behind him began to shake.
A laser blast burned into the jungle, stopping the branches. Josué hoped it hadn’t harmed his guide. When the noise started again he gritted his teeth and dashed across the open rock.
Making it to the ledge, he swung up and around the rock over Timeos.
Timeos stood in a narrow cave-like structure. The boy leaned over the ledge and searched the mountainside, eyeing the path Josué had just taken. It was only a matter of time before Timeos looked up.
Josué clenched his fists, tried to still the pounding in his ears then jumped. Timeos turned. Josué latched onto his arm, spun and slammed it into a rock. The blaster clattered to the ground. Josué kicked it and watched with a satisfactory smile as the weapon slid over the edge.
Timeos’ arm wrapped around his neck. He was thrown backward. A sharp rock hit Josué in the hip. His leg went numb.
A strong uppercut caught Josué in the eye. He staggered, leaned into what he knew would be a feeble kick. He cried out. The searing pain in his leg stopped his foot before it connected.
Timeos raised his fists like a boxer. “Where’d you come from, half-breed? You’re supposed to be dead! But, don’t worry. I can fix that for you.” He threw a punch that would have sent Josué over the ledge if he hadn’t ducked.
“We’ll see how tough you are without your blaster.” Josué kicked with his other leg and connected.
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“Hah!” Timeos shouted. “You think you can take me? Half-blood! Native!”
Timeos threw a punch that landed on Josué’s left temple, knocking him into the rocks. Stars danced in his vision.
“Take that back to your manor dojo.” Timeos spat.
Before Josué could stand, his opponent was on him like the wind, maneuvering his arms around and behind Josué’s head. Locked up like a coat hanger, his arms hung uselessly in the air.
The larger kid heaved Josué toward a particularly pointy rock. As Timeos heaved, Josué grunted and kicked. Pushing back with his shoulders, he managed to walk up the wall and flip over Timeos.
From behind, he grabbed Timeos in a headlock and watched the boy’s face turn red. Timeos kicked, but Josué hung on, thankful for the months he’d spent plowing Ormand’s fields. Timeos kicked again. Josué held. Finally, with one huge kick, Timeos knocked them both over the ledge.
They landed in separate heaps. Unfortunately, Josué got to his feet second. When he did, Timeos stood over him, his blaster pointed at Josué’s chest.
Josué took a step back and raised his hands. “Easy there Timeos. No need to kill anyone here.” A thin wisp of vapor trickled out of what looked like a crack in the blaster’s casing. Something Enrique had said about the dangers of a blaster came back to Josué’s mind. He took a larger step backward.
“Hah! Let’s see you get out of this one, Trevino scum. I’ve got you, and you’ve had it coming.” Timeos gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.
Timeos blinked and pulled the trigger again. The blaster emitted a high-pitched whine.
Josué dove behind a tree.
A blinding flash filled the hillside, engulfing the foreman’s son. When Josué looked, a kid-sized mushroom cloud hung in the air where Timeos had been.
Chapter 4, The Mine
Josué led Basilio to the entrance of the cave. Timeos’ pack lay in the narrow opening. A headlamp and clean pickaxe handle stuck out from the bundle of food and climbing gear.
“Timeos must have just arrived.” Josué gave a weak smile. “This is unregulated land. It belongs to the natives. Timeos shouldn’t have been here.” Josué searched his guide’s face, but Basilio just shrugged and stepped into the cave.
Josué decided to change the subject. “Look at the worn ground. Do you think it’s from natives using this entrance in ancient times?”
The guide still said nothing, stepping further into the cool darkness of the cave.
The passage led down. Josué grabbed Timeos’ headlamp, but quickly found he didn’t need it. A glow emanated from a shelf-like outcropping of rock where phosphorescent moss grew.
The tunnel turned to the right and continued down with a steep grade. Further on, more moss lit the way. Another chill ran down Josué’s spine. He was sure the moss had been placed there on purpose. “Basilio, I think we may have found it.”
The native’s walk betrayed no excitement. His shadowy face was unreadable.
“Good thing we got here before Timeos found it.”
“We haven’t found anything yet.” Basilio quiet voice sounded bitter.
Josué scratched his head. “You must not realize how crude settler mines are. There’s no way a settler could have made anything this clean cut and well fashioned, not to mention the moss lanterns. Settler lamps would have replaced those. Not to mention this is native land. . . .” His voice trailed off.
The passage continued downward to a tall chamber where it dead-ended at a narrow bridge across a wide chasm. Glow-moss grew along the bridge’s edge. Long shadows reached along the sheer walls of the chamber.
“Look at that bridge!” Josué took a step, kicking a stone over the edge as his foot moved. He counted, “. . . thirteen . . . fourteen . . . fifteen. Fifteen seconds. How deep is that?”
Basilio grinned. “Deep.” The guide looked at the bridge as if he wanted to cross.
“Do you think it’s safe?” Josué placed a foot on it, leaning forward with all his weight. “How long has it been since this mine was lost?”
“The natives hid it shortly after the settlers arrived.” Basilio looked across the chasm. “Once it became obvious how gold-hungry they were.”
Josué heard the accusation. Perhaps Basilio thought he was here to steal the gold like Timeos had been. Josué couldn’t blame him if he did. Settlers had invaded his world.
He took a deep breath and moved quickly to the bridge’s center. It was as solid as the passageway above. “It seems safe.” He stepped the rest of the way across.
On the other side, a six-foot stonework gate had been built into the wall of rock. A solid iron portcullis in front of wooden doors sealed the passageway.
Josué glanced at Basilio. “This must be it.”
A smile tugged at the guide’s mouth.
“Don’t you think?”
Basilio shook the heavy iron portcullis. Dust fell to the floor like slow drifting snow. “How do we get in?”
“There’s got to be a way.” Josué walked to the solid wall. The stone felt smooth and cold to the touch – dishearteningly cold.
He blinked and his eyesight turning golden yellow at last! Anxious he might lose the link, he moved his hand across the rock. A glimmer of light flared around a square seam. He pushed at the square’s center before it disappeared.
A perfectly cut rock slid back into a slim recess. The sound of stone grating against stone rumbled through the chamber.
The portcullis groaned then shook with a crash. The iron bars trembled and the gate shuddered into motion, rising up out of the way.
Josué held onto the wall, the quaking of the ledge rattled his teeth. He hoped the rock was sturdy enough after all of these years. There was no place to go but down.
The portcullis screeched to a halt and the doors behind it opened like the slow yawn of an ancient one. A high-pitched squeal of protest grated on Josué’s ears.
Basilio stepped under the portcullis, oblivious to the sound, following the doors inward. A satisfied grin finally showed on the man’s face.
Josué followed him inside just as the doors slammed to a stop. Dust from the walls and arches fell softly to the floor. White glow-moss hung inside the keep. A spacious, circular courtyard welcomed them. Two rooms branched off to their right.
Basilio walked into the first and gave a low whistle. Josué looked over his shoulder. The room was lined with golden armor. Mail shirts, peaked helmets, broadswords and golden-tipped spears hung behind round shields made of solid gold, mounted in three rows.
“Incredible!”
Basilio’s shoulders stiffened.
Josué backed out of the room. Perhaps Basilio needed time – alone.
He found a wide-arched doorway past the two rooms leading into an unfinished cavern. This was what he’d come to see! Naked rock framed a rough pathway into a dimly lit tunnel. He stepped into the cavern.
Halfway down the path he tripped over a dented helmet. Picking it up, he blew a cloud of dust off of its round dome, glittering in the phosphorescent light. Josué hoped it was gold dust.
The helmet fit hard against his brow, a little too tight, but he kept it on. With a glance back at the armory, he stepped further into the tunnel.
Carved framework and wooden supports showed the skill and carefulness of the native miners. Their beams were wider; their stone cuts rounder and smoother. It was superior to what Josué had seen in any settler mine. He leaned against a wooden support beam. It was as solid as if it had been installed the day before.
The passage led through a moderately-sized chamber. The walls glittered with quartz, but it was the darker spots that grabbed Josué’s attention. He dug his nail into one and gasped. Gold deposits were on the very wall!
An army to conquer the Galaxy, indeed!
Chapter 5, The Watch
At first, Basilio had wanted to be the one to guard the mine. Josué had agreed, knowing the guide’s issu
es with settlers and gold. Josué would be the one to run back to the village to get the others while Basilio stayed behind.
But, when Josué had asked the way back, it became obvious the guide wanted to change his mind. Maybe he thought Josué would get lost – or worse.
Although, Josué had never been lost in his life, he had never wandered through the jungle on his own either. His experience with the quicksand had given him a healthy respect for the dangers out there.
Awkwardly, he mentioned to Basilio how it made more sense to let him guard the mine. Basilio had agreed and left before mid-day.
Sitting there on the top of the mountain a few hours later, Josué wasn’t sure how glad he was to have won the argument. What would he do if the Omri Guards showed up? Timeos hadn’t brought a viper, or not one Josué could find. The boy must have been left to explore. Whoever dropped him off would surely be picking him up again.
Josué hoped Basilio would return before they did. Eyeing the food pack Timeos had brought, he winced at how light it looked. At least they wouldn’t be searching for Timeos at night, he hoped, pulling a date cake from Timeos’ pack.
Standing on the large rock over the cave entrance, the whole valley opened up below him. The sun sat low on the horizon, perched on the western rim of the mountain range. Its last golden rays warmed his feet.
The single moan of a raptor rose and fell in the valley below. Josué stopped mid-chew then continued when he remembered how raptors kept to the valleys. It was something about their talons grating against the rocks. He’d be safe above the tree line, he told himself.
The sun dropped behind the mountains and a mist rose from the trees. A bright blue and red bird hopped across the jungle canopy to disappear beneath the green foliage. Knocker bugs started a rhythm that echoed across the valley. The night sun began its path across the sky and the stars came out, gleaming through the red haze. It felt more like home than any place he’d been since the night of the raid.