The Way Back Home

[YanYanGanaffi]

Randy Lynn fired his pump shotgun into the dark priest's stomach, watching the robed fingure tumble to the ground. Lisa Hayes had just ran the blade of her fighting knife through the throat of another alcolyte, who managed to take two steps before the blond woman pushed him to the ground. Rasheem Ali sliced open one of the dark monks with one of the spiritual relics the Druids had brought with them, the Sword of Musashi. The other relic; the Stone of Saint Paul, was in the possession of Jody Belfort, who was using it to disspell the barrier of protection placed over the dark monks' ritual area, deep inside an old mining shaft in the Arizona desert.

 

Lonnie Dunn fired his AR-15 (a civilian version of the M-16) into a group of the monks, felling two of them. Appearently, the dark monks, known as the Order of the Holy Cabal, hadn't been informed that guns work quicker then magic in defending or assualting a ritual area. One of the high priests formed a glyph in the air with his hands, unleashing a bolt of dark energy at Lisa. Before she could reach for her protective broach, the wave of dark energy hit her. She screamed a high pitch wail as it passed over her body, leaving nothing but a blood stained skeleton in it's place. The skeleton fell to it's knees, arms limp at it's sides, head tilted at an odd angle with it's jaw open wide in an eternal scream.

 

Randy took off a handgrenade from his tactical vest; a white phosporus grenade, pulled the pin, and lobbed it into the edge of the barrier. Jody dove to the ground away from the projectile as it hit the ground and covered her head. The blast reverberated the inside of the mine shaft. Thinking quickly, Rasheem used the energy of the node that the monks were trying to corrupt to generate a blast of air that carried the white phosphorus into the monks. As the white cloud came into contact with the monks, a chorus of howls erupted from them. However, the Druids saw that three of the ten remaining monks seemed unaffected by the chemical, one of them being the high priest that killed Lisa. "Holy handgrenade of Antioch," Lonnie exclaimed," Three of them are undead!"

 

Jody was picking herself up off the ground as one of the monks broke the barrier and yanked her into the air. In shocked reaction, she slammed her hand containing the relic into the undead monk's head. A shaft of holy light blasted there to the other side of the monk's skull, leaving a gaping hole. Releasing his grip on Jody, she dropped safely to the ground as the monk fell. Before Jody could brace herself, a wave of dark energy rolled over her body, eating her flesh like a cloud of acid. Her body, in the same condition as Lisa's, fell to the ground with a gory crunch.

 

Utilizing the energy of the node once more, Rasheem dashed with blinding speed at the high priest, slicing him across the chest with the blessed blade. Blood, black as pitch, sprayed from the large wound as the monster staggered a few step toward Rasheem. Lowering the blade and taking a step back, Rasheem lunged forward pulling the sword in a horizonal slice across the undead's waist. It was like cutting through tar, but Rasheem finally pulled the blade out throught the monk's back, cutting him in half.

 

While Rasheem was finishing off one of the undead priests, the other one was weaving a sigil over the node stone, turning and corrupting it's power. The node stone began to pulse with energy. Rasheem, in his use of it's power, unintentionally weakened it's natural resistence to the dark powers of the high priest. Randy charged the alter like a batter charges the mound after being beamed with a pitch. The undead raised his arms, arcs of dark power streaking and flashing in the air about him, his total concentration on turning the node stone. He didn't even notice Randy shoving the shotgun barrel in his face until it was too late. He eyes wide, he tried to stop Randy; for if he broke his spell, the node stone might rupture, causing only God knows what to happen. It was too late, however. Randy pulled the trigger, sending the firing pin into the primer of the shotgun shell, igniting the powder that pushed the lead metal slug down the barrel at seven hundred feet per second, and finally into the face of the high priest, ripping it into a cloud of red mist and gory confettii. The undead's body pitched backwards, falling to the stone floor of the cavern.

 

As the mist of blood began to settle, Randy felt an odd pulse from the surface of the alter. Looking down, he sees the node stone, with normally looked like a finger-sized glowing quartz crystal, shake and crack. Lonnie ran up to the alter as the node stone ruptured. A blinding flash bathed the mining shaft with light, the most light the old silver mine had ever seen. After what seemed like an eternaty, Rasheem could finally see. Randy and Lonnie were gone. The walls of the cave glowed with an almost angelic light, which seemed to ebb and grow with a stready rythem. Rasheem stood for a long moment wondering what had happened and what to do.

 

 

"Nodes and vortexes. These are the means by which the natural energies of the Earth flow. Usually, this energy collects in certain geographical spots. If a node collects enough energy, it forms what is called a node stone or node crystal.The first civilization to truly understand this concept were the Egyptians. The temple priests knew that they could channel the energy to places such as towns and farms to enhance their quality of life and grow better crops. They are also the first known society to have node mages. As you know, we node mages can utilize the energies of the Earth through these nodes. These places of power, along with the energy lines that connect them (called lay lines), enhance the psychic potential in most humans. In some, they manifest unusually high rates of magnification. Most epic events in mythology and religous history are the results of a node or node relic being used to accomplish the deed.

 

From what we understand from archiological records from anceint Egypt and two manuscritps from the Maccabbeeian Era of Palistine, one of the greatest node stones, the size of a bowling ball, was carried out of Egypt in a gold covered box. This 'travelling node', as it became known, is in what most people call the Ark of the Covenent. During the time that the Ark was being made in the Temple of Ra in Thebes, a prince named Motak began a cult that worshipped a foriegn God. The cult didn't catch on with the Egyptians, but the Hebrew slaves took to it like a duck to water. The cult's numbers grow so large that Ramses the Second feared a rebellion. Knowing he could quell it if it did strat, doing so would weaken his kingdom, leaving it open to the barbarians to the north. Instead, he offered them freedom if they left Egypt forever.

 

Happily, they agreed and began to prepare for the journey. As the legend goes, the cultist learned of the creation of the Ark and sent word to Motak. Motak, like many Egyptian royalty, knew the power of the nodes and could channel the energy himself to a limited degree. He had his followers slay the priests and guards one night, stealing the newly compleated Ark. The next day, as Motak had planned it, the slaves left Egypt. Word reached the pharoh that the Temple of Ra had been pillaged and the Ark stolen. Ramses the Second sent his oldest son to releave the rebellious prince Motak, later changed to Moses, of the Ark. The Egyptians thundered across the desert in their chariots in hot pursuit. They caught up to Motak at the Reed Sea. Unlike the Biblical story, the Hebrews, as the race was called, didn't cross the Red Sea. Even with a node stone of that size and a powerful adept, you're not parting a huge body of water like that. The Reed Sea is located in the Nile River Delta. This place was a huge marsh filled with crocodiles, snakes, and lots of mud. It was the mud and muck that brough down the Egyptian army that day. With their chariots and horses near-useless, the Egyptians fought on foot. Without bringing a complement of archers, the Pharoh's army was easily cut down by the volleys from the Hebrew's bows. Motak, using the Ark, finished off the remaining Egyptians by displacing a large section of mud under them, creating a deep sink hole. As the Egyptians were trapped in the large pit, Motak let them sit there, letting the high tide fill the pit and drowned them.

 

 

Arizona, April 5th, 1881

 

Lonnie woke from his dream. The lecture had been given by the High Druid Bill Duffy a few years ago when he was first initiated into the Druidic Order. He felt like he'd been through a meat grinder, twice. Looking around and getting his bearings, he noticed that he was no longer in the mine, but outside it. The mine was a bustle of activity with men in old fashioned clothing walking around with picks and shovels. Looking for Randy and Rasheem, Lonnie saw Randy talking to one of the miners who was eyeing his weapons and clothing wearily. After a few moments, Randy walked to Lonnie.

 

"Enjoy your nap," Randy asked.

 

Lonnie strected,'Hell no," he answered," My back is sore from sleeping on my .45s." Lonnie, armed to the teeth as the other Druids were, had a pair of ivory handled Colt .45s in a double back holster. Along with his AR-15, he had a fighting knife, two flash grenades, and a garroting wire. Randy was armed with his trusty Ithica combat shotgun, a Desert Eagle .50, a M67 fragmentation grenade, a trio of throwing knives, and a Glock 9mm in a shoulder rig. They looked very out of place in their black military fatigues and 'boonie' hats. "Where's Rasheem?"

 

"I don't know," Randy answered," It seems that the node stone ruptured. Guess what the date is."

 

"For some reason, I don't think I want to know," Lonnie looked forlornely at the miners," but I'm pretty sure it's not April 5th, 2005.'

 

"Well, it is April 5th," Randy replied," But it's 1881."

 

Lonnie got up and brushed the dirt off of his back and stretched again. He slung his weapon over his right shoulder, holding the sling of the rifle tightly in his hand. "So, what do we do know?"

 

"Well, the man I was talking to said that there is a town about ten miles east of here. We could get there before sundown."

 

"Excuse me," a dust wore voice called over to them. There was an older, slightly pudgy man walking over to them. Both Lonnie and Randy turned toward the man, who stopped about ten feet short of them. His shirt was ragged as were his pants. The boots he wore had been long worn down. He had a big bushy beard that surrounded a nearly toothless smile. "I came over to make sure you boys were alright," he explained," What were you doing down in that cave anyway?"

 

Randy lied," We were attacked by a mountian lion and ran into the mine for shelter. We got lost and must have passed out down there." Lonnie could see that the man didn't buy it for a minute, but he just nodded and smiled.

 

"Is there a town near here," Lonnie asked.

 

"Yes sir,' the man replied," Tombstone is ten miles east of here. It's a rough place, but it's close. I have a wagon going there if you want a ride."

 

"Much better the hoofing it," Randy said to Lonnie. Lonnie smiled and nodded.

Edited February 13, 2005 by YanYanGanaffi