Vindication - A Heavenly Adventure

Chapter VII - Exploration

DURING THE FLIGHT TO PERU

Leo – It's kinda cool that we have wings, that way we don't have to pay for the plane ticket. And we're going surprisingly fast!

Amanthiel – So you really had no idea that you were... more than human?

Leo – No, my life was too busy to notice anything off-place.

Lucia – Hey Vance, where are we going again?

Vance – To an ancient angelic temple near Machu Picchu. The city was on top of the mountain but the temple is inside the mountain. The ruins should be coming into view soon.

Annie – How will we get inside the temple?

Vance – If I recall correctly, There should be some hieroglyphs that don't match the Incan's. I don't know exactly how we're going to get inside, but I know it has something to do with them.

Kai – Should we expect some guards or any type of threats?

Vance – No, because the angels built the temple from Heaven, they sort of "channeled" it there. Its only purpose is to hide the artifacts, and no angel would dare to leave Heaven, so we won't have any trouble.

Lucia – Guys, we're almost there! Ready to land?

Annie – Let's go!

The group lands on the mountain top and heads to the center of the city.

IN MACHU PICCHU

Leo – You said the temple was inside the mountain, so we should be looking on the edge of the city that doesn't have a cliff.

Vance – Good thinking. How should we look?

Amanthiel – We should spread out to cover more ground. Although, I know you said there were no threats, but I still think we should be at least in pairs.

Lucia – Agreed. Kai, wanna come?

Kai – Sure, be right with ya.

Annie – Come on Vance, you can give me a tour, if you know so much about history.

Vance – Challenge accepted!

Amanthiel – Guess that leaves the two of us.

Leo – Hope you're not too disapointed.

Amanthiel – Of course not.

Amanthiel shoots a shy smile at Leo, who smiles happily in return.

The crew spreads into the pre-established pairs and starts to search for the hieroglyphs on the North edge of the city, because it's the only part that ends in a wall of mountain rock. Leo and Amanthiel look on the right, Kai and Lucia on the left, and Vance and Annie in the middle. But mid-search, Vance heads to a ruin of a house near the left side to go to the bathroom.

Kai – Lucia, I don't know if I can tell him. I don't think he likes me back...

Lucia – You'll never know if you never ask him. And even if he doesn't like you, I'm sure he'd be cool with it.

Kai – Yeah, but I don't think I could live with the shame of being around him and Amanthiel if I told him I liked him and he ended up dating Amanthiel instead...

Lucia – I get what you mean Kai, but if you never try you will regret it.

Kai – I suppose you're right... I'll try to tell him before we head back home.