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.