The Khalanium Blades

Chapter 21: Jungle Temple

We will be arriving in the Khalanium Jungle in approximately two hours," Pia declared all the way from the pilot's cockpit. Ray smirked. Two hours was adequate time for him to know more about Borris. Pia volunteered to the take the pilot's position after seeing how tired the man was after almost six hours of rough non-stop flying. The rest of team used this opportunity to talk and discuss with their new friend.

"How long have you been a pilot, Borris?" Jane asked, curious if he really was the "best pilot ever".

"Since I was sixteen," he responded, "I got my first aircraft as a gift, and ever since I dreamed of being the best and youngest pilot the world has ever seen. Mr. Wilson, Kent, noticed me and asked me to join his little "fleet" as he called it."

Ray liked his new pilot, just as he liked every new person that was assigned to him. The man was firm in speech and had a British accent. To him, anyone with a British accent was cool, and he felt as if he could listen to his voice for ages. All that was given to them was a small, nice-looking jet and a round table where they sat eating their lunch. Feeling queasy from the beginning, Carson lurched forward but shut his mouth. He instantly ran for the bathroom. The audible, disturbing sounds that came next was enough to ruin everyone else's appetite.

But after Sarah did the same thing, the group demanded Pia be replaced for her clumsy and unsteady flying. Rook secretly vowed never to let the agent get her hands on the controls again.

The smell that dominated the inside was bad enough. On the bright side, through the windows, tons of the color green patched up the whole visible surface. It meant the surface of South Africa was only a couple of minutes away.

The team cheered as the platform made its descent. The fresh breeze hit Ray like a rock, almost chocking him on the first deep inhalation. But it felt good, and he knew he would never feel the same about his home knowing the Khalanium Jungle has a better atmosphere. Birds and eagles flew overhead, and leaves swayed in what looked like a rhythmical pattern. Rook held out a pad that showed a sort of map. "The temple should be over in this direction," he said, fully concentrated on his guide. "Unless, of course, this map is dated or something."

Overcoming the path of thick trees, the Special Elite Force or SEF entered a large clearing. Ray stood in absolute awe, speechless like the rest at the scenery. A mossy-stone temple in the shape of a pyramid rested on the solid dirt, engraved in it so long and sturdy that Ray couldn't help but think the ground was actually made of hard metal.

"Wow," Borris expressed. "In all the striking sights I've seen across the galaxy, I've never thought an awestruck sight as this could be found." Ray nodded. Though old and full of cracks the stone may be, the nature of the moss and vines blended well with the bright sky and flowers placed on the grass around it. But no one was more amazed than Jane.

Still, a confusion and disappointment quickly washed over Rook. "But where are the camps here?" he said, scanning the area. "Something happened." Chills ran up Ray's spine, knowing Conquest must have already driven the PROTECT recruits out or even captured them. "Keep your eyes sharp, team. Conquest will reveal itself in its own time."

Pia walked up to Rook. "From my training, Conquest likes to hit two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean," the agent suggested. The commander nodded. She continued, "Since Conquest couldn't control the Specials like planned, they most likely decided to attack us after the Khalanium Blades have been retrieved. So what should we do?"

Ray had overheard the conversation and started brainstorming for ideas. Their predicament was complicated, and a fight would have to be staged either way. He had a solution. "May I interrupt with a solution?" he asked. The three adults focused on what the teen had to say. "So, I propose we do what we came for, and together we can defeat whatever troops out there with the help of the Blades." After saying that, he didn't know what was so complicated.

"Exactly," Rook agreed. Then came the hard part. He paced around professionally, clearly irritated of standing still. "Project Alpha was designed to be a super weapon activated only by the Director. It came with the purpose of guarding the temple until five teenagers were trained."

Ray felt the situation had only one solution, which was the only one anyone could think of. It was to fight. Each side had their equal advantages, but they had to defeat Project Alpha to earn the upper hand. "Ray!" Sam called. Everyone was advancing towards the structure.

From afar the temple looked massive and blended well. But now that he was up close, Ray all of a sudden felt small and separated from the modern world. They walked the short and small steps up the flight of stairs. He now faced a mossy-stone wall, and a darker stone color on the rectangular area, where a door was usually supposed to be, seemed suspicious. The air swirling around became dusty, and pieces of rock crunched underneath.

"This is odd," Ray remarked, closely observing the wall. His gaze fell upon golden text above the supposed "door frame". How did he not see that before? "Look, guys!" Jane and Pia popped out from a corner of the wall.

"Well, at least one of us found something," Jane said. "I have no idea how none of us didn't see that before." Sam rolled his eyes. Even after everyone finished reading the sentence, no one said anything. Ray didn't, too, since he was reading it over and over, trying to get a secure grasp of what it fully meant.

"Only five youths with extraordinary abilities that of which comes from the Red Lightning will be permitted into the Khalanium Temple and will face trials that shall challenge their qualification," Rook read.

"Those are really precise descriptions," Borris said as Ray mentally agreed. PROTECT had shaped them into what they are, following exactly what the temple required. "So I'm guessing we'll wait in the jet?"

Rook nodded. Pia started walking back. "Okay, have fun, Specials!" she said sarcastically before Borris and Rook followed. Watching as the adults left, Ray felt hopeless and weak. Their guidances have gone, and all they now had was their memory of training. They prepared long and hard for the moment, sure they would be ready, but now fear and anticipation of the unknown have taken over. The trials wouldn't be so easy after all.

Ray clasped his hands together. "Listen, team. Prepare yourselves for what is to come, and...just don't do anything dumb, okay?" Four heads nodded nervously. Their leader faced the wall and touched the shaded area. But when bright yellow lines crept up his fingertips like technology itself moving around randomly in four directions up the hand, Ray was taken aback. The strange yellow sank back into the wall.

"Woah," was all he could say. He wasn't frightened and thought it looked mesmerizing, but reacted in shock. Ray looked back at his teammates and saw reassuring faces. "Here it goes."