Legends of Amacia Srandi: Last Bastion of the Caverias

As Hannibal made his way from across the one hundred fifty foot radius raised platform that formed the main access to the keep, he noticed the flagstones he walked on were smaller than those of the main courtyard were. These dark brown andesitic granite blocks were octagonal spanning a mere ten feet whereas those in the main courtyard spanned thirty feet. He also noticed this area had been swept clean of debris, allowing him to see strange glyphs, arabesques, and intricate scrollwork etched into the pavers in an alien, yet beautiful pattern unlike anything he’d ever seen before. Yet the beautiful alien depictions were also pockmarked with small blast craters from artillery and plasma strikes along with the impacts of large blocks of stone debris that had fallen from above. Some of the craters were five feet across but only a foot deep. Hannibal scanned the entire platform while approaching the keep’s entrance, walking with ease around the blast craters, which were fairly large out at the edge of the platform and got increasingly smaller the closer he came to the keep. He felt it showed the keep itself somehow protected this area. The call he felt from the keep and the déjà vu grew exponentially the closer he came to the entrance. Finally, he stood before the massive doors of the keep at a distance of twenty feet so he could take in the full story they told.

“My God,” Thomas breathed as he felt like a flea next to a titanosaur. “This place is beyond enormous, and so alien I have trouble believing my own eyes.”

“I agree,” Ned murmured, so shaken by the immensity and alien nature of the place he could barely speak. “Acheron doesn’t hold a candle to this. I’m utterly without words.”

Hearing both Thomas’ and Ned’s comments, Nemesis said softly, “It’s all right, guys. I felt the same way when I first saw this place, but you do get used to it after a while. Still, I’m awed every time I set foot in this place.”

“I can see why,” Tyr agreed in a stunned tone. “I’ve seen some insanely big ruins from the 1st Age in Cimmeria, but this place puts those places to shame. It’s as if this place is the granddaddy of them all.”

“You might not be too far off on that, my Cimmerian friend,” Hannibal called out when he heard Tyr’s comment. “We know nothing of the genesis of this place, how it was built, or by whom. Now that I’m actually standing at the front door of this place, I feel this place may be like Tiamat...a truly alien structure that our ancestors came across and retrofitted so they could use it. Just look at this door. Isn’t this the most alien thing you’ve ever seen in your life? Look at the way the Roc and the drakens are depicted here. There’s an alien feel to it; at least it feels alien to me.”

“I agree,” Harry concurred softly, walked up beside Hannibal. “This place definitely feels like Tiamat to me, and if I’m not mistaken, this door actually seems like a bulkhead or blast door to me. It looks damnably like some of the bulkhead doors we encountered in Tiamat with the exception of the decorations on it. That’s the only difference. I doubt anything could pry or blast it open even without the reflective shield Nemesis spoke of.”

Hannibal’s eyebrow rose at Harry’s observation. “You know, I think you’re right, Harry,” he replied with intrigue. “This thing does look like some sort of blast door, and they do resemble some of the heavy bulkhead doors we saw in Tiamat. I also remember seeing doors like this on Selina’s ship when I rescued her and Nathanael, but they were nowhere near this massive. Furthermore, this is definitely not Kaitian make. This is far older and much more alien than the bulkhead doors I saw on the Interceptor.”

“I never considered that possibility,” Nemesis chimed as he and the rest of the team gathered around Hannibal, looking at the door. “Now that you mention it, this does look like a blast or bulkhead door. The Emperor had such doors installed in both the Black Fortress and Kartoom around the core and gateway areas. They were a failsafe mechanism to prevent access to the vital areas or for containment if something went wrong with either the core or the gate temples. Let’s face it. Sometimes the Cadre found some very nasty things on the other side of those gates they opened that they shouldn’t have, neither could they control them, if you know what I mean.”

“I do indeed,” Hannibal said grimly. “The Old Ones and the demoniac forces are not groups you can control or deal with on an honest level. They often have their own deceitful, hateful agendas that won’t coincide with your own goals, if you know what I mean.”

“You speak as if from experience, milord,” Tau observed, hearing Hannibal’s dark tone.

“You can say that, Lord Tau,” Hannibal replied coldly, glancing at Tau. “I’ve dealt with them often and seen it first hand, both as a former dark wizard and now as the Last Caverias. The Dark Powers cannot be trusted at all. They will as quickly turn on each other, as they will destroy us if it’s in their own interest. After all, they do adhere to the idiom of survival of the fittest. These things’ only goal is to get to the top of the heap and rule for as long as possible before being dethroned or destroyed. If destroying one of their own advances that goal, they will do it without hesitation.”

“I see,” Tau rumbled thoughtfully. “I’ll have to remember that. Maybe it’s something we could leverage in the future, not that I would willingly deal with any of the Dark Powers. After all, we’re in this position because of them.”

“That is so true,” Hannibal agreed. “But we can talk of demon politics later. I have to focus and figure out this mechanized conundrum sitting in front of me.”

“Then by all means go ahead,” Tau stated, “Don’t let my musings distract you.”

“You say I can touch this without threat as long as I don’t attack it, right Nemesis?” Hannibal asked, looking over at Nemesis.

“Yes,” Nemesis answered, “I touched it many times, but only elicited a hostile response when I tried to force the door by various aggressive means.”

“I need to get a closer look,” Hannibal said, stepping forward towards the door. “Where is the control panel you saw, Nemesis?”

“Right over here,” Nemesis stated, walking over to a control console that was cleverly camouflaged to look exactly like the rest of the wall. “The console is very difficult to spot. I admit that I must have looked at it over a dozen times before I actually noticed it, which speaks to the cleverness of the architect’s ability to conceal such things in plain sight. It thoroughly impressed me at their cunning for not much escapes my eye.”

“Indeed, I can vouch for that for often you’ve seen things I missed,” Hannibal stated, going over to where Nemesis stood gesturing to a dingy crusty section of wall immediately past the smaller arch blocks that didn’t seem any different from the rest of the wall. Once standing there with Nemesis, he examined it closely and marveled. What appeared to be a large bland panel four feet square fifty-four inches feet up the wall from the platform sat there unobtrusively, not calling any attention to its presence. A crude simple two-foot square inert display screen sat centered in the panel with what appeared to be a strange keyboard below it and a dark sensor eye of milky crystal above it. For a moment, Hannibal stared at the console with perplexity as he searched it closely. He went as far as to brush off the dust and scale of millennia carefully from the console with his fingers, blowing on it to finish clearing the keyboard of the dust. “I don’t get it,” he muttered, “If Srandi is as advanced as I suspect, why have such a crude access panel? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Everyone gathered around, giving Hannibal a six-foot perimeter as he continued to examine the panel. “What are you thinking, milord?” Assad asked. “Are you suggesting this panel is not what it seems?”

“I...don’t know,” Hannibal answered hesitantly, “Everything about this seems so familiar it’s scary, but you may be correct, Assad. I’m beginning to think this panel may be a diversion. If it is, then it may be why Nemesis wasn’t able to get anything out of it except the hostile electrical pulses when he tried to open it. This console is designed to appear to be the real thing, right down to the stone language etched onto the keyboard keys here. However, my recent experiences with the ancient tech have shown me the makers of this tech never used physical keys on a keypad, but used a holographic interface for inputs into the machinery. This doesn’t match up with what I’ve seen in Kaal Bek, Acheron, the Red Tower, or even in Kartoom and the Black Fortress, so I think this is a fake console...a trap designed to prevent anyone from accessing the keep that wasn’t familiar with its tech. Leila, does that sound right?”

“Vaguely,” Leila replied, “What you say sounds very familiar to me, but I cannot be sure. I do know the main access panel to the keep is very close by and hidden so enemies wouldn’t get access to it.”

“That makes sense,” Nemesis admitted, “My scans showed a magnetic seal around this thing, which made me think it was the real console, but it blocked me from seeing anything internal with my sensors. It puzzled me that Thoth would have let something like this be out in the open. Jo, do you have any recollection of the panel from before the coup?”

“I wish I did,” Josephine replied grimly, “When Bolthor and that beast Surtur made me into this cybernetic monstrosity, they drained my memories of anything strategic I remembered about Srandi and the Caverias line. Once they got what they wanted, they wiped my mind, which is one of the worst side effects of the cyberization process. However, I don’t think they were able to completely purge those memories. I think they actually locked them up the same way they locked and purged my identity.”

“Why do you say that?” Hannibal asked, turning to Josephine with a raised eyebrow. “Did I do more than just find and release your identity on the sex floor when I identified you?”

“I don’t know,” Josephine replied with some puzzlement, “but I do believe you may be right. Some memories they left me so they could use them to torment me while the other strategic memories they tried to purge. If the mind wipe didn’t take properly, they must have sealed them away the same way they did with my identity. Since you unlocked my identity, Hannibal, I’ve started to recall some of those memories they tried to steal from me. Just by being here is making those old synapses fire again and I remember something about the entrance here from very long ago. It’s very vague and hazy, but I think it has to do with the console we’re looking at. I do think it’s a fake console, a trap as you put it and something deep in my mind and heart are saying Thoth’s ring will show you the way to the real panel.”

Hannibal smiled broadly as Josephine’s vague explanation confirmed something he’d suspected. “I knew you’d be helpful, Jo, just like Leila,” he crowed, turning back to the panel. “Even though your memories about this place are fragmented and still very hazy, you just confirmed what Leila said and what I suspected. This control panel is a ruse...a trap designed to thwart anyone finding the real panel who didn’t know about it. I suspect Thoth’s old weapons master Gordo may have had something to do with that. Furthermore, you suggest Thoth’s ring may be the key to discovering the right panel. If that’s the case, then all I need is to find the keyhole.” An icy tingling surge raced across Hannibal’s spine as something bright caused a shadow to be cast from behind.

“Hannibal, the Scepter on your back just started glowing bright as a spotlight,” Harry called out. “It’s definitely reacting to something here.”

“Is that a fact,” Hannibal replied with a raised eyebrow. “Then maybe we should investigate.” He triggered the Draken Gauntlets, allowing them to open to their full operational form, covering his hand and fingers in a mailed leather glove.

“Are those the Draken Gauntlets of Ryu-Fudo?” Tau asked with great surprise.

“Yes,” Hannibal stated turning and showing the Gauntlets off to everyone present. “Thoth’s weapons master Gordo made these for his youngest daughter Cleo, who married one of the sons of Noah and survived the Kragonar by being on that giant ship he built back in the 1st Age. She’s my connection to the Caverias line.”

“That’s amazing,” Tau breathed. “Where did you find Cleo Caverias’ Gauntlets?”

“They were stored in the armory of the Red Tower at Thoth’s order after Cleo went with Noah and his family on the ship,” Hannibal stated. “That’s where I found them, along with the Hellion and Grimm’s Bane. All three weapons were stored in a remote corner of the Red Tower’s armory and all three of them called to me. Now the Hellion and Grimm’s Bane I’m certain are possessed of incredibly ancient and powerful spirits of the Light because they truly called telepathically to me. The Gauntlets, on the other hand, drew me to them likely because of my blood tie to the Caverias line through Cleo. They stirred my blood, leading me like a bloodhound following a scent right to them. I’ll tell you the entire story later. Right now, we need to solve this puzzle and get into the keep.”

“Of course,” Tau stated, “Forgive me for diverting your attention again.”

“It’s all right,” Hannibal stated while unslinging Shadizar Kahn’s scepter in one fluid motion. “I understand, but now let’s see what Shadizar Kahn’s staff has to say about this place. In the past, I’ve seen it react to the ancient machinery whenever it gets close to it. Oh my, no wonder I felt that icy tingling race down my spine. This thing is glowing like a lighthouse. This is proof positive I was right. There’s a major stash of ancient machinery here. Now let’s see if we can’t activate it safely. Okay, Mr. Shadizar Kahn, show us you truly knew the secrets of the Caverias line.”

Tau was about to ask about the scepter, but Assad hushed him, calling out to Hannibal, “Your destiny beckons you, Beowulf. Time to embrace your fate; follow your instincts and open the last bastion of the Caverias as the prophecies foretold.”

Hannibal cast a grim, serious look at Assad, showing a brief flash of displeasure at the statement, but then sighed and smiled soberly. “All right,” he said, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained; let’s see what the staff can show us.” He paused and whispered, “Okay Lord, show me how to get into this place.” With that, he carefully brought the scepter’s crystal spearhead close to the panel. It grew brighter until it shined with an unearthly brilliance. “Interesting,” Hannibal murmured, slowly swinging the scepter back and forth across the panel as if using it to scan the device. The moment the crystal passed beyond the edge of the strange console, it dimmed noticeably. When Hannibal reversed direction, the scepter’s crystal grew brighter again. He waved the scepter across the entire width of the panel, getting the same reaction until he reached the lower right corner of the panel, where the scepter started blazing with an almost blinding brilliance.

“Looks like the staff found something important, Hannibal,” Harry called out. “That crystal is shining like the sun.”

“That it is,” Hannibal answered. “There’s something very important right here. Harry, take the scepter for a moment while I get a closer look.” Harry sat his war hammer down headfirst on the deck of the platform and took the scepter in his gloved hand from Hannibal, stepping back to give him space. Hannibal quickly triggered the Draken Gauntlets so they folded back into their vambrace form to free his hands and looked closely at the spot. Finally, he saw a small, ring-sized indentation in the corner next to one of the arch stones. “Something’s definitely here,” he called out as he started to rub the spot vigorously, removing the eons of dust and scale from the indentation. With seconds, he’d uncovered a small ring-sized socket hole in a disk of an unknown gold/electronium alloy four inches across embedded in the stone. Writing lay engraved in a circular pattern all around the socket, which obviously looked as if were a keyhole. A broad smile crept across Hannibal’s lips as he uncovered the find, crowing, “We’ve got writing here along with an obvious indentation in this metal disk the same size as the signet.”

“What does it say?” Carver called out.

“Only the blood of the true king can open the way with a word of power,” Leila blurted out as she suddenly recalled the mechanism Hannibal was looking at. “Hannibal; that’s the keyhole and Thoth’s signet is the key!”

“Are you shitting me?” Harry asked in crude amazement. “Is that what it says, Hannibal?”

Hannibal turned with a triumphant smile, saying, “You’re damned right, Harry. Leila’s memories are definitely returning for that’s exactly what it says. Furthermore, she’s right about Thoth’s signet being the key for I can clearly see the indentation has the mate for the Roc bas-relief on the ring down inside it. I do believe we found the access point for the real console. Stand back, everyone. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next.”

Everyone retreated, making a perimeter of twenty feet from Hannibal and the main entrance. Only Nemesis stayed close, but giving Hannibal a good six feet of space. Hannibal balled up his fist and looked at the signet on his right index finger for a moment. He sighed and glanced over his shoulder at his audience, saying, “Okay...here goes nothing.” As he was about to act, he suddenly noticed the ring had started to glow softly too. His smile broadened at the sight. “The ring knows the machines too,” he called out. “It just started glowing.”

“Is that a fact?” Enoch asked.

“Indeed,” Hannibal answered, lifting his fist so everyone could see the glowing ring on his finger. “See for yourself. This is the first time I’ve seen the ring react to anything.”

“Son of a bitch,” Cracko cursed in amazement, finally having found his tongue after getting over the shock of seeing Srandi’s immensity. “Look at that! It is glowing!” A rumble of amazement rose softly from Hannibal’s audience, agreeing with Cracko’s profanity-laced statement.

“Use the ring,” Leila called out urgently. “Use it while it still has a charge. It will power the console and allow access.”

“Right, Leila,” Hannibal replied evenly, knowing what he had to do. “Let’s crack open this thing.” He turned back to the panel, and by instinct, he laid his left palm on the keyboard area of the panel to steady himself while ramming the signet ring into the indentation. It fit perfectly, sliding in with a quiet click only those with exceptional hearing could detect. A violent icy chill raced down Hannibal spine as he turned the ring clockwise for an eighth of a turn until it stopped moving. He then turned the ring counterclockwise and it moved in the slot almost a third of a rotation with a noticeable metallic grinding noise emanating from the disk as it moved. When the ring stopped this time, another much louder click snapped from the disk and the writing on the keys of the keyboard Hannibal had his left palm on suddenly glowed brightly, almost as if the keyboard were actually a scanning sensor. Hannibal’s smile grew to maniacal proportions as he suddenly became aware of exactly what he needed to do.

As he felt the warmth of the keyboard against his palm, Hannibal pushed hard against the ring with his fist, growling, “Come on; open up damn you.” The fist-sized metal disk the ring was embedded in suddenly slid in with a loud bang, sinking into the wall up to Hannibal’s wrist. “Yes!” he crowed triumphantly while rotating his fist and ring back clockwise nearly half a turn. The sound of stone grating against stone mixed with the metallic grinding as Hannibal rotated his fist clockwise until it again stopped. This time, something extraordinary happened Hannibal didn’t expect. A deep growling rumble came from the wall in front of Hannibal and something grabbed Hannibal’s fist inside the recess containing his fist. Searing pain filled Hannibal’s fist and wrist, feeling as if some beast were trying to eat it. At the same time, Hannibal’s palm became stuck to the keyboard of the panel as if it had been welded to it. “What the hell,” he cried out in pain, trying futilely to remove both hands from the ancient devices.

Those who watched saw the dire turn of events with great concern, not knowing what to do. Nemesis immediately rushed to Hannibal’s side with the intention of extricating him forcibly from what now everyone realized was a device of unknown make and power before it could further damage him. As Nemesis reached out to grab Hannibal, he called out urgently, “Don’t touch me, Nemesis! The machine will kill both of us if you do. Keep back. I’ve got this. I know what’s going on now.”

“Then why is it inflicting such obvious pain on you?” Nemesis demanded.

As Nemesis asked the question, Hannibal’s face relaxed noticeably as the pain vanished, saying with a sigh, “I’m going to be okay, Nemesis. The machine is no longer tormenting me. Just stand back and let it finish.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nemesis asked with deep concern.

“I’m going to be fine,” Hannibal reassured, “You see, I’ve encountered machines like this before and survived them.”

When it became obvious Hannibal was okay, just physically bound to the wall by anomalous means, Enoch called out, “Where did you encounter a machine like this, little brother?”

“In the Circle of Hammunaptra in Xabalba on the other side of Skull Pass outside the caverns, big brother,” Hannibal answered bluntly. “It was in the Caverias colossus statue there and it grabbed me with a device exactly like this.”

“What’s it doing?” Tau asked with fearful curiosity.

“This is a security device,” Hannibal explained as he tried rotating his fist and the ring in the recess to no avail, “It’s designed to test the identity of whoever tries to open this thing. I’m sure the pain I felt just a minute ago was the machine taking physical samples of my blood and flesh so it could test for the Caverias gene sequence. That’s what the Caverias Statue colossus in Hammunaptra did. Its sole purpose was to test for the Caverias gene sequence of the Last Caverias so he or she could walk the Path of the Ancients as the prophecies foretold. If it didn’t find the Caverias genes in the user, it would kill that person instantly. Obviously, the Caverias Statue machine found the Caverias gene sequence in me otherwise I would not be here with my hand stuck in this thing. Apparently, the machine of this fortress is doing the same thing as the other machine...testing me to make sure I am of the Caverias bloodline before opening the console and ultimately the door to the keep. Does that sound right, Leila?”

“Yes,” Leila agreed, “That’s what the engraving meant on the disk. Anyone can bear the Caverias signet, but only with the machine checking for the Caverias gene sequence through physical sampling of the blood and flesh, and through the speaking of the security code sequence will it let the ring bearer end the lockdown and allow full access to the keep.”

“That’s one heck of a security system,” Harry declared. “Are you still stuck in that thing, Hannibal?”

“For the moment, yes,” Hannibal stated. “It hasn’t let either of my hands go yet, but it’s not hurting me anymore. I guess it’s not finished checking me out yet.” Just as he finished speaking, everyone heard the grating of stone on stone right in front of Hannibal. This drew everyone’s attention, especially Hannibal since he saw a small round panel six inches in diameter split open and retract into the surrounding rock, revealing a three inch wide clear crystal eye that glowed with a bluish-white light. Hannibal felt a surge of relief fill his mind and body at the sight of the crystal eye. It flashed and shined a beam of bluish-white light in Hannibal’s face, making him freeze for a second.

“What is that?” Carver asked fearfully. “It’s not damaging you, is it Hannibal?”

“No,” Hannibal stated once the brief paralysis fled. “It’s a scanning beam. The Caverias statue machine in Hammunaptra did the same thing. I’m all right, so don’t panic.”

The eye and wall rumbled deeply as a deep bass mechanized voice spoke from the eye, stating, “Caverias gene seed confirmed by genetic sampling and full spectrum scan analysis. Detection of the Ragnar Omicron anomaly recorded in samples and scans. Omega level telepathic, telekinetic, and elemental power and skills detected in subject linked to Ragnar Omicron anomaly. No taint of the Dark Powers or Chaos detected. Royal blood of the Caverias lineage identified and confirmed in the subject; voice print identification and code required for full access to fortress. Identify and relay security code now.”

Hannibal stared into the crystal eye without flinching, emotionless in his expression, declaring, “Lord Beowulf Hannibal Smith Caverias of the Silver Eyes, descendant of Ragnar Omicron Caverias of the Silver Eyes...son of Rayden Ryu Caverias; Iea Ryu Indomitamus Rex Caverias oriaster undar Srandi zimara fltagn undar.”

For a few moments, a deep unearthly silence reigned over the courtyard as if the whole world held its breath. Then the eye and wall rumbled again and the light beam ceased scanning Hannibal. “Voice print identification processed and confirmed,” the deep mechanized voice of the machine rumbled loudly. “Security code accepted and confirmed. Full identity and royal lineage confirmed and registered in the system. Access to the main control panel is granted. Welcome to Srandi, Lord Beowulf Caverias of the Silver Eyes, descendant of Ragnar Omicron Caverias of the Silver Eyes. Finish the unlocking sequence to reveal the main control panel and end the lockdown.”

“Thank you, Srandi,” Hannibal replied in a pleasant, relieved tone. “I appreciate that.” With that, he found his hands no longer immobilized. The fist and ring in the recess came free and he rotated his fist counterclockwise a third of turn until he heard a click. The mechanism pushed his fist halfway out of the recess and stopped. Reversing direction, Hannibal turned the ring and fist clockwise until it clicked again and rumbled ominously, pushing Hannibal’s fist completely out of the recess until the metal disk could be seen with the ring still sticking in the indentation. A loud reverberating bang emanated from the center of the main door that echoed supernaturally throughout the courtyard, getting the attention of not just Hannibal’s team, but of every other soul busy with the cleanup of the courtyard. Everyone stopped and looked towards the main entrance in fearful wonder, seeing the writing on the arch stones light up brightly, starting at ground level on both sides and progressing up to the keystone at the top, which had a smaller bas-relief of the larger Roc image on the main door carved into it.

At the same time, an ominous deep moaning rumble echoed from the keep itself, causing Hannibal’s team, including Nemesis to back away even farther from the door, and leaving Hannibal standing at the ring indentation with wry smile creeping across his lips. He pulled his fist and ring away from the metal disk with the ring socket, seeing it glowing softly with the writing on it blazing as if it had just come out of the forge. Raw, alien power so potent it caused hair and fur to stand on end emanated from the door, which immediately got Hannibal’s attention when he saw the Roc image on the main door move, opening both its taloned feet, revealing two more strange indentations in the palms of the Roc’s feet. A sizzling hiss drew Hannibal’s gaze to the head where he saw the eyes of the Roc open, revealing two giant bluish-white crystal eyes with a smaller crimson crystal in the very center of those eyes. The eyes arced with what appeared to be bluish-white electrical charges that were tinted with a hint of both silver and crimson. The way the eyes sizzled and arced made the eyes look as if they were actually looking down on the platform in front of the entrance. The onlookers cowered fearfully at the activity of the door, ready to bolt if it did anything hostile towards them.