Project Blackthorne

Chapter 6 The Winds Of Change Are Dangerous

A group of six buzzards and one hawk flew over head eyeing very closely far down on the Mesa floor a pale white humanoid figure walking in the dry one hundred and eighteen degree heat. The group of birds had been eyeing the figure for the last three and a half hours expecting the weird lone figure too bottom out from lack of water  becoming a nice little meal for the group. The area had still not reached the zenith of the day as of yet so at least the buzzards were still hopeful for a meal. The hawk was a bit of a different story it seemed too hang far enough back not too attract the buzzards but keep a watchful eye on the lone figure. Plenty of Indians in nothing but loin clothes had walked this land centuries ago. So the lone figure wasn't exactly an all too uncommon sight. After another thirty or so minutes a jack rabbit as well as a puma watched the lone figure as he closed in on the looming mountain range seeming now to appear to be the lone figures destination. The puma seemed too think the jack rabbit was more of a sure catch than the figure but still watched it move onward. The slow steady moving figure mercifully walked into a cave close to the buttom of the mountain range that he had been walking towards for the past four hours. He had intended on landing a whole lot closer towards this mountain range in the first place but his rough ride through the Rift had thrown his navigation systems for a loop. The energy produced in the anomaly was still be studied back on the world he came from in its own timeloop. Normally his ride through the Rift was smooth sailing but he had been under the gun too make it too this strange Blue Planet. He had been living comfortably on his new planet when he was informed by the elders that he must come too Earth. They were a bit vague on exactly why all the rush as well as with the who exactly he was suppose too contact here on Earth. But the Elder as last told that the who would appear when he arrived on site. The heat of the desert pounded down on his pale nude form the sun's ray were just this side of smoking from the heat. The animals that were within eye sight eyed the strange pale form from a safe distance. This area wasn't exactly crawling with your average vacationer. There was always a handful of fools who seemed  too think walking the dry area was a healthy experience. Those same said Indians who had 9nce called this area home would only trek out into the open at this time of day were trying too converse with the spirit world. So to see a pale nude form did not seem too faze the animal's too much. His home world of Alter was a colder climate type of planet with clear crisp air and wide open spaces. At least it was until the darkness took over his planet which he surmised was part of the reason that he was here on this planet. The mountain range was looming up in front of the lone figure who had no problem getting his bearings sighting the cave that he was being drawn too. As the pale figure walked further into the cave as darkness began too thicken a pale blue light appeared off the humanoid's skin. Like a flashlight the glow allowed the humanoid too see clearly as he moved further into the cave. The pale light also had the desire cooling effect on the being as he began too move a little easier and fasterthe further he got into the cave. The interior of the cave seemed like it went for miles into the ground widening then dropping back narrow again at odd intervels. The temperature dropped with each step forward becoming cooler with each passing meter into the long winding caven. The now moist crisp air seemed too refresh the humanoid's body even more. After about ten minutes of walking the humanoid came to a bend in the walkway. He eased forward breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing what was around that particular corner. The long tunnel turned from rough carved stone to smooth sculptured stone. The former look of a centuries old cave quickly turned into looking more like a stone altar room with hand drawn pictures painted on the wall. At different intervals along the way the paintings were crude at the beginning but as one ventured further they gradually grew finer in their detail. The first one showed what could only be indigenous Indian figures kneeling looking in a certain direction deeper into the alter room.

The local tribal Indian's actually built this altar room in a way so that they may worship a God they had met many moons ago. The humanoid walked further into the room looking around closely till his eye fell upon what he needed. The humanoid was looking in the same direction as the faces of the painted Indian's on the wall on either side of where he now stood. After his eyes scanned the walls ahead he walked over to a southern wall. There was what appeared  too be a natural rock shelf that looked like a mantel which in fact was exactly what the Indian's had used it for. On the wall at the very center of the stone mantel was a small alcove. The opening  was hand carved about three hands high by two hands wide. The humanoid's eyes were crystal clear sharp now allowing for him too see into the space. Inside of the space was a dark bundle covered in thick stone dust and decent blanket of spider webs. The still glowing humanoid walked up too within arms reach of the mantel stood there staring down at the alcove then reached up gently moving the thick dusty webbing out of the way wiping at the dust with great care around the handmade animal skin pouch laying there. The humanoid  was cautious before he reached into the pouch not wanting too find a hidden critter within. He gently poured the contents into his empty hand carefully flipping the bundle back onto the pouch then rested everything back on the open mantel. After looking everything over then a good bit of hand polishing a large crystal began too light in flicker's and flashes with each of the humanoid's touch. When the crystal was completely clean it glowed brighter than the humanoid himself chasing back the gloom and darkness lighting up the alter room in a warm yellow glow. The crystal was nothing like anything that was a natural forming material from this area let alone on this very planet.  It had been placed there by the god's that the Indians had met then and began worshipping as their time grew together. The Humanoid looked squarely into the crystal staring intently then the crystal took on a blue glow. It intensified until a solid glow of energy stretched out across the front of the crystal which intensified blinding out the surrounding other than directly there in the alcove. Another face almost exactly like that of the humanoid but this one showed a little more age with a few creases in the jowls and a white tuffs of hair on each side of the head above the ears. The elder humanoid looked back at him relief showing in its watery eyes. "Alexic , you have made your objective I see." the elder humanoid voice was soft but there was a distinct edge too his voice as he spoke. That spoke volumes too  Alexic ad he could still just hear faint echoes of explosions as well as fighting in the background. Those little tidbits told Alexic that his home planet was still under siege. The Elder humanoid features never changing but Alexic knew that the Elder was happy that he had made the journey too Earth and had called back too say that he had arrived.