​Kasey had the look in his eyes. The look, to those

that knew him also knew that they weren’t leaving

that place until they got their prize. It was right in

front of him. He could almost touch it, if maybe he

jumped or if he had someone hold him he could get

it. He was breathing raggedly, it had taken a lot to

get to this point. Sweat dripped off of him, pouring

off of his face to drop onto the ground that until

recently hadn’t been disturbed for centuries.

The air was thick with various insects, buzzing all

trying to get what piece of the group they could.

Kasey just ignored it and continued to stare in front

of him at the piece of the tablet that would finish the

story. Not ​a​ story, but ​the​ story. The one that he

had been chasing for months now.

“Someone hold on to me.” His voice echoed in

the cool dark cavern where the glint of sunlight

teased the image of the stone relief. “What?!”

Jacob sounded incredulous even though he had

heard more crazy things from Kasey before. “What

do you mean hold onto you?!” His voice was getting

higher as his frustration was mounting.

“We literally have no tools to help us here Kasey,

nothing. We used the last bit of rope to get up to

this damned room, and the ladders were set up at

the start to get us into this hole!” The accent was

hard to place, especially with the echoing. Maybe

English? Welsh? It was extremely light, but added

certain inflections whenever he spoke and only

really came out when he was truly excited.

“Actually.” Kasey’s baritone drowned out Jacob’s.

“What?” “Actually, not literally. You’re not in book,

you need to use ‘actually’ now hold onto me I can

almost reach it.” Only scoffs could be heard from

Jacob.

“You’re both right. Actually is what you need to

say, but we have nothing left.” The husky tones of

Odell echoed perfectly with the contours of the stone

cavern. “That idiot is going to get himself killed

though unless we help Jacob.”

Kasey still was fixated on his goal in front of him.

“Yeah, yeah cut the chatter I just need someone to

hold onto me.” He never turned his attention when

his prize was before him. It was only when he felt

someone grab onto his belt loops and the back of

his shirt did he start to lean forward.

The sunlight glinted down on the stone relief in

front of him. Even though time bore its mark on the

stone it was still visible and legible. There were

three men on horses on the left side. On the right

side there was a miserable looking figure. It stood at

an awkward angle to show it being bent and old. It

had in its hands fire, and its back waiting to be called

upon were pieces of the ground itself. At its side

was a figure covered entirely in black. There was a

chain connecting the two together.

He could feel the edges of the stone press into his

fingertips. “C’mon! Just...a...little...more!” Kasey

cried out, with only grunting and moaning as his

answer. The gulf underneath Kasey belched its

infinite blackness up at him. He averted his eyes

from looking down, and not being able to see the

bottom. He was fixated on his prize and nothing

would steer him aside.

Sweat was trickling down his arm. He could feel it

tracing its path to his wrist. Even though the cave

was cool it was still extremely muggy in the middle of

the Brazilian rain forest. His fingers grasped around

the stone fragment. “Get the bloody thing will ya!”

Jacob’s voice shook slightly.

Kasey let go of the tablet and shook his hand. He

could see the golden specks of sweat reflecting the

sunlight as they flew in their arc. He wiped his hand

on his pants to make sure that it was completely dry.

He slowly reached out again with both hands this

time. His body leaning forward much to the protest

of his friends holding onto him from behind. He

grabbed the fragment with both hands and hoisted it

up.

“I got it!” Kasey’s jubilant cries were immediately

cut off as he was reeled back in with the fragment in

tow. As the fragment cleared the edge of the pit the

stone port above closed with surprising force. The

impact of it sent dust raining down onto the heads of

the three.

“I thought you checked for traps.” Odell slightly

panting chastised everyone and no one. “You need

to get into better shape if you’re going to keep doing

this.” She shot to Jacob’s wheezing form sprawled

on the ground. “I am in damn well fine shape thank

you very much, Kasey is no feather and I’m not

super human like you apparently.” Jacob retorted.

“Quiet!” Kasey’s voice immediately shot down

any argument before they started as they normally

did. “I checked for traps myself, there weren’t any.

Even looking at the holder I couldn’t see any.

Anyone got a light on them?”

The only thing that could be heard was Jacob’s

slight wheezing and a rummaging in a sack. After a

few moments the darkness was pierced with the

glare of the flashlight in Odell’s hand. Kasey quickly

moved to cover his eyes from the shine as well as

motion for Odell to give it to him.

He turned around with the flashlight in hand and

looked at where the fragment was resting. It felt

cool even through his shirt, he had no idea how long

it had been down here. It was cradled against his

body as if it was his child. As he stared at the

resting place he couldn’t see anything that would

have tripped the door above.

“It must be well hidden, I can’t see anything from

here.” Kasey chuffed as he turned back around. He

started to hand the light back to Odell when he

caught the expression on her face. Confusion and a

rising fear was building there. “What’s got into you?”

Odell could only come back with gesturing behind

him. Kasey turned around and saw the roof was

beginning to glow. No not glow, something was

casting light on it. He looked down at his flashlight

which was pointed down, and when he brought his

eyes back up was when he caught the light glowing

from the pit below.

He carefully stepped up to the edge and peered

over. It was blinding, and getting brighter. He

shielded his eyes, in doing so something caught his

attention. He whipped around to his friends, “Run!”

Odell and Jacob didn’t have to stop and question

they obeyed. They grabbed what they could and

started running.

The caves echoed with their footfalls and

scramblings. The lanterns they had set up along the

path to light their way were being consumed by the

light streaming from behind them. The contours of

the cave were appearing before them. Every nook

and cranny was having a brilliance cast upon it.

“Hurry!” Kasey’s voice was quickly drowned out by a

bizarre humming that reverberated off of the cave

walls.

The slappings of their feet on the stone below

them were accentuated by an occasional popping

noise. Odell looked over her shoulder, her dark

brown eye could be seen through the swirl of her

chocolate hair trailing behind her. “Don’t look back

just run!” Jacob’s voice could be barely heard as the

vibrating was being amplified by the shape of the

cave itself.

There were gulfs throughout the cave. Pits that

when they were crossed the first time yawned down

into a murky blackness. The ladders themselves

were now glowing with the light that was streaming

up from below.

They carelessly ran over, their breathing ragged

in their throats. The vibrating surrounding them,

inside of them. It felt like hours they were trapped

below the surface. Now it was taking them seconds

to get back to their starting point. Yet still the

vibrating was getting louder.

Finally they came to the ladder that led up to the

surface. “Ladies first!” Kasey gestured toward the

path to freedom. Odell shook her head, the look in

her eyes pleading for Kasey to go first. Jacob

charged ahead and began to practically run up the

ladder. “Hey!” was all Odell could manage before

she began her ascent as well.

Kasey looked back again. It looked like the sun

was filling the cavern behind them. He squinted and

held his hand out to block some of the light. He

could feel the heat starting to burn the palm of his

hand. There was a vague silhouette in the radiance,

but he couldn’t take the heat any longer. He

whipped around and with his prize still cradled he

made his ascent.

The air above coated his face as soon as he

broke through to the surface. It felt as if you had

moved from a cooler to a sauna in a matter of feet.

His fingers dug into the ground in front of him, mud

gushing out from in between them. He hauled

himself up by one hand, still with the tablet being

cradled next to him.

As soon as his knees were on the ground Kasey

started to run. “Put a stone over the entrance!

Hopefully that will buy us some time!” He was

shouting over his shoulder as he sprinted out further

into the clearing.

Odell and Jacob both looked at each other, and

snapped to it. The found several medium sized

rocks and built a makeshift blockade over the hole.

After the last stone was placed, Jacob jumped back

with a yelp. Odell looked frantically at him as all he

could do was point shakily at the ground around the

stones. She looked down, and became visibly more

pale. The grass itself was charring around the

barricade. The stones were glowing with intense

heat, so much so that they were changing to a fierce

orange before their eyes.

“What ever it is that you’re doing, do it quick!”

Odell shot back to Kasey. She quickly backed away

from the glowing formation. Jacob was already half

way to Kasey, arms flailing in the air.

Kasey had wrapped the piece of the tablet up in a

rag and set it down beside him. He sat down and

began to stare at the rocks as they slowly began to

crack apart from the pressure and the heat. He

struggled for a moment as he pulled his right arm

out of his sleeve.

Sweat trickled down and dangled off of his

forearm. It was covered in various tattoos, some

shapes, others mostly letters. Differing fonts, letters,

symbols, there was no rhyme or reason to it. He did

a quick glance of each letter before moving on to the

next. The only thing that could be heard was the

stillness of the jungle, and the sizzling of the

barricade that was quickly falling away.

“C’mon, c’mon where is it. I could’ve sworn I just

saw it three days ago. Where...is...it?!” Kasey’s

voice was becoming frantic. “Find it Kasey, you

better bloody well find it. I’m not dying out here!”

Jacob’s accent was injecting itself into his cries.

The stone barricade exploded in front of them.

Light poured out from it, enhancing the already

brilliant sky above. The temperature began to rise

quickly, plants started to droop as the thermometer

began to skyrocket.

“No...no...no...NO!” The agitation in Kasey’s voice

was clear. He quickly cast a sidelong glance at the

beacon flaring out of the hole in the ground. As he

squinted he could see the hooves of some beast

tear at the ground for a hold. It seemed surreal as

the earth became white hot and sunk away from the

hole itself, becoming wider for whatever was

underneath it.

“NO...NO...YES!” Both Odell and Jacob’s faces

were overcome with joy as Kasey ripped his sleeve

apart. As the fabric was peeled away it revealed the

symbols of ​艾丝. Kasey touched them, and closed

his eyes. His fingers began to glow, not to the same

amount of light that was present before him though.

Kasey began to speak in a slow rhythmic pace.

“The Earth used to be a much brighter place. For

one would look into the sky and never see night for a

sun was always present. Shiho the solar goddess

and her ten children which were suns saw to that.

For each day Shiho would take one of her children in

a chariot ride across the sky, while the other nine

would play in the mythical tree of Fusang which

touched the skies itself. It went on like this for years

upon years until the suns grew bored of their

responsibility. They took it upon themselves to run

across the sky at the same time. They thought this

was a brilliant plan, they could generate enough

heat and light to last for a few days so then all of

them could play in the leaves of the mythical tree.

Their plan worked, there was enough light and

heat to go on for days upon days. As they thought

that was good enough they took to the tree and

laughed and played while the world below became

burned and scorched. Rivers dried up, and the

fields which were so prosperous only yielded dust

and ash.

The sun god Dijun had watched all of this, and

while he was glad of his children’s mirth he saw the

havoc they had caused on the world below. He

knew that something would have to be done to save

the suffering mortals. So Dijun called upon Hou Yi,

whose name had been spread far and wide due to

his unparalleled skill. When Hou Yi came to the

court of Dijun he was given a feast. At the end of

the feast Dijun called him up to his throne. ‘Hou Yi,

your skill has been heard of even among the gods. I

must see it for myself however, as I have a grave

task and only the best can truly fulfill it.’

Hou Yi nodded and pulled out his bow and quiver

of arrows. ‘Tell me what you require of me sun god

Dijun and I will make sure my shot never strays from

its mark.’ Dijun nodded and had his servants bring

forth a target. They placed it at the end of the

banquet hall and painted a black dot in the center.

Dijun gestured to Hou Yi, ‘If you can hit that black

dot from this distance I will know that your aim is true

and you will have established that you can fire from

such a distance.’ Hou Yi nodded and took aim. For

many moments he stared at the dot in the center of

target, for he was keen of eye. He let loose and the

arrow flew through the air whistling behind it until it

landed in the center of the target. The servants

came forth and gestured to Dijun that indeed Hou Yi

had found his mark.

Dijun laughed, and the hall seemed brighter for it.

‘Next I need you to prove to me that you can hit a

target that is fleet of foot and will not be caught

resting.’ With a sweep of his golden hand, Dijun had

several cages brought forth. With a nod from his

luminous head the cages were opened and the hall

was filled with swarms of hummingbirds flitting

about.

‘There is one among this throng that stands out

from the rest, I need your arrow to find its mark

among all of these.’ Dijun stepped back as Hou Yi

knocked an arrow to the string. For many moments

again Hou Yi was still. The arrow’s fletching resting

against his cheek. Then quick as a rabbit Hou Yi

released. The arrow soared through the flurry of

birds and struck a single white hummingbird in the

breast.

As it fell to the ground Dijun laughed at the skill

that was displayed by the mighty hunter. ‘Excellent!

Excellent! You have proven yourself worthy for the

task I must give to you. Though it is with a heavy

heart I must do this, my children have run amok.

They will not listen to their mother or I and they must

be punished. They are too quick for either of us

however and I need someone of your prowess to

discipline them. For that I give this to you!

With a wave of his hand the servants brought

forth an empty stand. Hou Yi, not wanting to offend

the god simply stared at the stand itself. Dijun took

a moment before he realized that mortal eyes could

not see the mighty gift that was before him.

Dijun stepped forward and grabbed at the empty

air. He gestured to Hou Yi to hold open his hand, as

he did so Dijun placed something in his hands. As

Hou Yi looked down there was a bow and quiver full

of arrows where there were none before. They

appeared to be made out of the purest black itself.”

Kasey’s hands grew dark, his right hand became

pure ebony as he pulled a glove over it. His left

hand grabbed in front of him, and a bow appeared

there. He shrugged his shoulder back and reached

up with his right hand. He pulled out a pitch black

arrow to match the bow in his left hand.

The ground itself had given way. Kasey looked

up and the light was not as bright. He could make

out a horse wreathed in flame with a rider on top of

it. The rider was wearing a tunic made of flowing

fire. His gloves burned with white fury he pulled a

sword from the scabbard. His beard danced as a

flame does in the wind as he lowered his head to a

charge.

Kasey squinted as he took aim. He pulled back

on the string, tendrils of black poured from the bow

itself. Odell and Jacob were fleeing in the opposite

directions from the stand off. The horse was

galloping at full pace, and the cavalier’s face showed

the fury that was pouring from it.

Kasey let free the first arrow. The sky itself

became more dark as it soared through the air.

Eventually finding its mark in the chest of the beast.

The scream seemed to be burned into the air itself

as the creature went down to its knees. The rider

tumbled down, but came swiftly to its feet. Swearing

at the opponent in front of him.

Kasey pulled another arrow from the quiver.

Knocked it, and pulled back. The cavalier was

closing the distance fast as Kasey let fly the next

arrow. It found its mark in the center of his chest.

The rider stumbled, and stepped forward. His sword

drawn, undeterred. He took another step, and

another. Halfway to Kasey he looked down. His

flames were going out. He was no longer glowing

with the fiercest intensity. He stared at Kasey in

confusion and anger. Another step, more light lost.

He looked down again, the arrow was becoming just

an arrow. The darkness was pouring forth into the

rider.

He took two more steps before he collapsed. The

sound of the arrow snapping was the only thing that

could be heard. He was breathing hard now. He

looked back to his horse. The flames had been out

for a bit. He looked up to Kasey who could only

frown back. There were tears in his eyes, “Gracias”

was all he could whisper out as he crumbled into

ash.

The light and heat disappeared with the passing

of the cavalier. Soon after the sounds of the jungle

came pouring back. Kasey still had the quiver and

bow of darkest night on him. He looked at the

ground where the rider had been but moments

before.

“Hou Yi stalked through the plains searching for

his prey. He knew the sacred tree would certainly

be something that would stand out if only he could

find where it was. Village after village he asked if

they knew where the sacred tree was at. None of

them could reply until one day.

As he was on the path toward the next village he

saw an elderly man approaching from the other

direction. Hou Yi was an extremely formal person so

he gave the passerby the utmost respect. As he

bowed low he spoke, ‘It is an honor to be in your

presence oh venerable elder.’

The old man was humbled and filled with such

mirth by the respect of a man of Hou Yi’s age that he

laughed heartily. It could be heard in the hills for

miles around. ‘Well the honor is mine to be treated

by a youth that has regard for his elders! Can you

tell me should I expect much danger on the road

ahead young man? I am so old and tired of being

harassed by those younger than myself.’

Hou Yi being the excellent hunter that he was told

the old man about the various animals that posed a

danger. He was also able to keep the bandits of the

land at bay with the skill of his bow. Whether they

were gone from the land Hou Yi could not say

though, and he told the old man as much.

The old man looked saddened by this and

became fretful. ‘Oh my. I was surely hoping to

make it to the next village without problems. I am

old and my feet are so very tired. I thank you for

your counsel traveller. Safe journey to you!’ With

that the old man began his journey again.

Hou Yi took pity on the man and escorted him

back to the village he was previously at. It took Hou

Yi several days of backtracking to do this, but Hou Yi

did so without a groan or scowl. All this time the old

man talked. He told various stories to Hou Yi about

his home, and his life. All the while Hou Yi listened

intently and questioned where he felt it was

appropriate.

As Hou Yi was about to leave the village the old

man came up to him. ‘You have my thanks for

listening to an old man ramble on. All of those days

you listened to me, but in truth I was a terrible

travelling companion to you. What are you doing so

far from home?’

Hou Yi told the old man about his journey and his

task. When he was finished the old man grinned.

‘You do not have far. I think it was fortune that

brought us together my travelling companion. In the

village I came from we had heard stories of the

clouds that had been swarming constantly at the

base of Mount Kunlun. It is said that in these

constant sunny days that the clouds thin enough to

see the outline of a massive tree. When that

happens there is frantic cries that are heard and the

clouds quickly thicken again. I think Shiho has come

to know of your task and is set on preventing you

from finding Fusang. The start of Kunlun is four

villages away. Good luck my friend!’

With hope filling his heart Hou Yi set off with a

renewed pace. Within weeks he began to see the

clouds forming from a great distance away. As he

left the last village before Mount Kunlun the clouds

gathered low to the ground. Hou Yi was undeterred

however. He crossed many a path created by the

beasts of the forest until he came the trunk of a tree

so vast a village could fit inside of it.

He set about securing his bow and quiver and

began to climb the massive tree. It seemed to take

weeks for him to reach the top. The higher he

climbed however the more he could hear the cries of

the people below.

As he neared the top he could see various bright

lights in the sky above. They were not all gathered

in one place, but rather about the tree itself. As he

got to the closest branch he found the first sun

napping away. The cries at this height were almost

horrible to bear. Hou Yi with tears in his eyes shot

the first sun with his bow of darkest black. It

immediately disappeared in a whirlpool of ink never

to be seen again.

Eight more times Hou Yi had to do this terrible

task, it was only the cries of the people that pierced

his very being that drove him on. After the eighth he

sat and wept. Dijun had tasked him with eliminating

all of the suns, so Hou Yi set about with grim

determination. As he climbed he began to get

exhausted. When he was a day away from the

canopy Hou Yi could take no more and fell into a

sleep.

The last sun had been watching the whole time,

and was fearful for his life. He quietly snuck up to

Hou Yi who only stirred when the sun got close. The

sun quickly grabbed the arrow and began to climb.

Hou Yi woke with a start and frantically went after

the sun.

As Hou Yi reached the canopy he could only see

the trail of the sun as his mother had placed him

aboard her chariot and raced for the highest part of

the sky. Hou Yi sank to his knees, he had failed.

Dijun’s roar shook the very earth to its core and all

who heard it quailed at the merest crash of thunder

forevermore.

Dijun lept to the top of the tree in one bound.

‘You have failed me Hou Yi!’ Hou Yi begged and

pleaded for his life and the mercy of Dijun, but the

sun god could not be swayed. ‘You will belong to me

until your task is complete!’ As Hou Yi claimed that

was impossible his clothes began to change to the

darkest shade. He looked down and began to

scream as his skin became onyx. When it was done

Hou Yi was no longer a man.

Dijun nodded at his work, ‘Hou Yi you now have

the skills to finish the task, do not fail me again.’

With that Dijun returned to his palace as Hou Yi took

his first steps into the sky.

It is said that when the sky darkens on a bright

summer day, that Hou Yi has almost regained his

stolen arrow but the Sun is too fast on his mother’s

chariot and so is able to bring light back to the world

below. The sun never fails in his duties now for he

knows the cost if he does.”

As Kasey slowed to a stop the arrow and quiver

disappeared. He looked to see both Odell and

Jacob staring at him. “Holy shite Kase that was a

doosey of a story now. Couldn’t have picked a

shorter one eh?” Odell rolled her eyes, she stared

at Kasey for a moment and threw her arms around

his neck. “Don’t...ever...do...that...to...us...again!

Got it?!” Kasey’s face began to turn a shade of

purple as Odell was squeezing with all of her

strength. Jacob began guffawing behind them.

After a few moments Kasey began to frantically

tap Odell’s shoulder. She held on longer to where a

look of sincere panic entered Kasey’s eyes but she

soon let go. As Kasey bent over sucking fresh air

into his lungs he coughed out, “Alright alright I got it!”

Jacob just shook his head and went over to the hole

in the ground.

He kicked a small pile of dirt down into the hole,

where it echoed back to him a short time later.

“Damn, that thing melted through most of the cave

we came through. What the hell was that thing?”

Jacob looked fretfully over to the pile of ash that was

behind him.

Kasey shook his head, “I don’t know. I won’t

know until I finish the story. Maybe a conquistador?

It spoke Spanish at the end, and rode a horse so its

possible.” He collected himself and strode over to

his prize.

It was still wrapped in the piece of his shirt that he

had ripped off. He picked it up as if it were a

priceless artifact, and in Kasey’s eyes...it was. He

grabbed his satchel from where he had tossed it

before entering the tunnel and placed it inside.

“Alright, lets head back to the village. We have us a

stone tablet we need translated.

Next Chapter: Chapter Two