Valley of Light -Templo Techo De Las Nubes (Part 3)

Hunted

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The wraith had stalked them up the waterfall and was here now. That much Alex was certain. He was in the middle of hastily stuffing the last items of their camping supplies into the worn duffle bag his father had used in his field work for the last 20 years when he focused on the foliage on the far side of the small clearing he was in.

For a brief moment he wondered if he had indeed seen something as he stood there staring into the darkness at the jungle, his eyes in a soft focus, noticing nothing but the ubiquitous chirp of the insects around him. That was until a telltale ripple of movement confirmed his suspicions plunging his stomach into nausea and terror.

A wave of disturbed vegetation marked the passage of the invisible hunter as it crept toward him. The entity purposely manuevering on a flanking course that would soon entrap him by blocking the path that lead out of the clearing and toward his father further up the trail still observing the scene unfolding at the strange temple perched on the neighboring mountain.

With renewed desperation his legs stomped off the earth, catapulting him in a dead run towards the trail head. He needed to get himself off this mountain immediately before that thing got him. God knows what its intentions were.

Alex could hear the leaves and twigs snapping behind him as the phantom gave persuit. Indifferent to the consequences he charged head first through whatever obstruction he met in his mad dash towards his father. His senses oblivious to whatever cuts and abrasions he recieved in the process. He needed to get away. To survive.

"Thats interesting..." Dr. Harold Lewellyn thought out loud as he spied the temple and surrounding mountain it resided on when the frenetic popping and cracking of vegitation being torn up behind him captured his attention. He turned just in time to see the pale waxy face of his son bursting through the small thicket of scrub that concealed the trail they had used earlier to reach this little observation post.

"Alex! What in the world is going on? I think I've just figur---WHAT THE!..." The doctor exclaimed as his words were cut short by the sight of the jungle cleaving its self open by an unseen force just a few meters behind where Alex had emerged.

"ALEX!!!!" He managed to scream in warning when a flashbulb of light drowned out all senses and a familiar orange glow seeped in from above casting everything in its eerie hue.

As if heeding commands from the fireball, retreating back deeper into the shadows of the forest the foliage twisted and bent away in the path of whatever had been chasing his son. In a blink the orange was gone and the familiar moonlight returned along with the sounds of the jungle.

Struggling to comprehend what had just happened, Harold glanced back and forth between the jungle path and his son now collapsed on the ground in shock beside him. Time felt in slow motion as he watched his son rock back and forth when it dawned on him. "Son...I think that orange globe called off your persuer. It can control it. Command it...I think."

Alex croaked something unintelligable in response.

"Common Son. We have to get moving." The Dr. nudged Alex on the shoulder reassuringly. "I think I figured out how were going to get up that mountain to those ruins without a helicopter or climbing rigs.

Lights of Eden

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The stream may have been the most beautiful he'd ever seen. Gushing over soft round bolders, pristine glasslike sheets of water welcomed Alex's body as it rushed over his tortured and overheated feet and legs. The fuzzy warmth of light caressing the burbling tributary in discrete places casting a powdery blue sheen ocassionally. Its hypnotic movement leaving his eyes happily dazzled and dazed.

There he sat and watched as the water frolicked on a meandering path through lush groves of fire red and yellow colored pendulant blossoms of Heliconia. Their paddle like leaves illuminated chartreuse by the downward stretching gossimers of sunlight that peeked through the canopy of the shade filled hollows that defined the tropical valley around him.

In its center a spire dominated the skyline before him. The verdent monolith, ribboned in white streaks of cascading water pierced confidently the low slung clouds as it soared from one strata to the next above it. Up there at its apex were the ruins of the fabled Templo Techo De Las Nubes.

The tranquility of this almost eden like valley gave little respite to the perplexities, bouts of confusion and terror that stained the last few days of his fathers enterprise through the forbidden expanses of the Republic of Nueva Costa.

"Whooo!!" Alex could hear his father up in the distance shout in jubilee. "Alex! Son, come see this!"

Grumbling to himself he got up and put his shoes back on and headed off to see what had got his father so excited. Like they hadn't seen enough weird things in the last few days.

Alex found his father nestled in some bushes behind a clump of trees engrossed in observing one of the oddest sights hed seen in his life. Just a hundred yards ahead beyond the forest, at the base of the mountain, was a clean concise stone built arch and enterance to what appeared to be a tunnel of some sort. The opening surprisingly high. At least ten meters or so with light eminating grom further within. Framing it was the stone arch ornate with wavy lines carved in relief. Alex thought the overall feel of the motif represented the waters of the abundant tributaries in this valley. The design didnt match anything he knew to exist in South America....or anywhere. It felt somehow beyond human sensibilities. Sinewy ribbing and boning grew out of the stone in a set pattern that undulated contrapuntal to the waves of the "water." The effect left him feeling uneasy and seemed somehow grotesque.

However, what brought the biggest question to mind was the fact that the whole structure seemed brand new. Nowhere had nature or the jungle reclaimed any portion of it. The wild growth perfectly manicured in a perimeter around the arbor like structure.

"See! This is what i was talking about. Our way up the mountain. I saw the enterance last night. The lights drew me to it. " Harold explained.

"Lights?" Alex questioned.

"Wait for it.....There!" The Dr's finger pointed, directing him to look past the gate and deep into the tunnel it's self. A orange light was making its way towards the aperature of the strange structure, escorting a dragonfly like drone the size of a large bird. The insectile drone had a pearlescent silvery shimmer surrounding it like a halo. Evident of some sort of field that encased the contraption. Perhaps its form of propulsion.

"Dad..." Alex said apprehensively.

"Don't worry son. I've been watching it for the better part of the hour. Every few minutes one comes out. They look like glowing fireflies from a distance at night. I saw them spread throughout this entire valley doing...Something from our observation nest up the ridge last night. They lead me to this place. That tunnel leads up the mountain to several landings along the way. I could spot the lights from them once I knew what to look for. I'm betting the tunnel leads all the way to the top." Dr. Lewellyn reasoned.

"You think we can make it up by nightfall?" Alex inquired.

"No idea." His father responded. "Now watch! See what the escort does."

Alex watched as the escort posted its self in the center of the opening and with a flicker of light a silvery bubble expanded across the arch sealing the enterance.

"The other one I think is a caretaker. I watched it use some sort of beam to burn off moss and algea from the stones right before I called you over." Harold explained as they both watched the machine manuever around the archway seemingly inspecting it for imperfections.

" When it's done cleaning, the security drone will drop that sheild and the maintenance drone will go back inside with it in tow." Alex looked at his father not liking where this conversation was headed.

"When it does, that'll be our time to make our move and enter. We'll have to move fast and get up to the next landing before it comes back. There doesn't seem to be any security measures up higher from what I can tell. " The doctor said laying out his plan.

"Dad I think we should find another way." Alex said attempting to persuade his dad onto a more reasonable course of action.

" Theres no time! The scientists!" Dr. Lewellyn interjected. "Our next window is in fifteen minutes."

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To be continued in part 4.

All pictures provided by Pixabay.com

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This is part of an ongoing series inspired by my initial entry into the 365daysofwriting challenge related to the image of Machu Picchu.

The next chapter will continue Alex's adventure as he and his father enter into the strange ruins in search of the stranded scientists and answers to the inigma the temple presents itself.

Best,

Steemydave