Mars Underneath The Sceptre of Eternity

Labyrinth of Mars

Finally, the time had come; the submerged causeway revealed fully before its human visitors. The causeway was made up of red, orange and yellow pillars of crystalline rocks. The magma river was flowing much below those columns. Those cylindrical columns were positioned in such an interlocking way that trained horses could cross it, at least Vézian thought so. However, very soon, he realised that the task was not possible for ordinary horses and human beings.

"Ahh, what a nice bridge; Léal, I want a snap of mine on those columns." Merionne requested. She wanted to run towards the causeway, but Captain Azora caught her hand; "No, wait;" she stopped her. She looked at Cygus and Cygnus brought out a small cage from his tent. There was a white rat in the cage; he brought it out and threw it from the cliff.

The rat fell on one of the red column; as the creature touched the rock, its body melted away like an ice droplet on hot sand.

"See Bookworm;" Azora grinned; "It is not our planet; it is Mars; anything can happen here."

Merionne was looked aghast; Vézian too looked confused and broken; "Then an ordinary man cannot cross the magma river, not even stand on the causeway."

"No, Mr. Moore;" Azora said; "That is why I killed this innocent creature. It is your assumption that your sister and her lover will come back from the other side of the planet by using this causeway; as it is a bridge on a river or a hanging balcony. Mr. Moore, no King will come and you're wasting our time as well as hard earned money of yours."

"I'll go beyond the river, I'll go beyond the Tharsis plateau, even if I have to cross the Olympus Mons, and I can."

"But we cannot; we have limitation, Mr. Moore." Azora snapped; "I cannot understand, why you scientists try to prove yourself God to these aliens and attempt to do something foolish."

"Captain Azora; you're here on a mission, not in a seminar; please try to cooperate with us, otherwise, I'll complain." Vézian said; "Please prepare the Air Capsules; tomorrow evening we will go beyond the magma river by following this submerged path. I think, there is a passage at the end of the causeway which will lead us to the land beyond the Tharsis."

Captain Azora glared at him; she did not reply to Vézian; but turned back and said, "Pavo, prepare our capsules for tomorrow." She walked pass Vézian and others.

Vasudha came close to Vézian and asked in whispering tone, "I also like to accompany you."

"Yes, you can, but not the students, Vasudha." Vézian said; "it is not a studio, that you can take snaps anywhere, Merionne."

Vasudha softly asked Merionne and Léal to leave the place; she too followed them towards the tent. Vézian looked at the sky; he saw the Martian Moon was in the mid sky; it would set very soon; the new and bigger Moon did not change its position and growing bigger and bigger every day. The Martian surface was no less interesting than the sky above; only a few days ago, Vézian was completely unaware of the Magma River and its submerged causeway; he had never seen glass-hills with colourful crystal rocks. Those rocks were so bright and colourful, that even in the night one could see the surrounding very clearly. The shape of the hills was also unique; all the hills had depression on their summits and large hollows in their walls.

"I was thinking about passes and passages; but there may be caves and tunnels beneath this plateau." Vézian thought. "Only few hours are left to reveal the truth."

The next day, was a busy day to Vézian. He supervised Captain Azora's capsules and weapons. They had taken enough protective garments which could save them from fire, heat and radiation; masks were also ready to defend them from poisonous gases; shoes were brand new and had magnetic soles to maintain their balance. All the Air Capsules had at least two oxygen cylinders. Food capsules and thirst-resistant tonics were also kept in the freezer; they had no idea, how long it would take to search the place.