Chronosphere

Chronosphere  3780 Words

The rain lashed upon the boat’s worn and ragged sails like waves upon a cliff. The storm tossed the boat side to side and the lightning which struck inches from the masts threatened to send the boat to the bottom of the sea. In the rain the skull and crossbones upon the flags was barely visible, but the crew knew it was there. Despite the raging hurricane around them, the pirates worked on the decks, tying the sails and the masts, feigning lookout and attempting to navigate. The only two among them that were not frantic were their captain and his co-captain.

“We’ve been searching the Caribbean for months now, sir!” the co-captain shouted through the pounding storm. He held his hat firmly against his head as the wind ripped across the boat, kissing the rain on his neck. It trickled across his face, tickling the tiny hairs on his cheeks and chin.

“The storms have only gotten worse, Black. The sea knows we are close and she is trying desperately to stop us!” the captain responded from under his massive hat, which was so large and saturated with water that the wind had no power to move it. His thick black beard gave him an eerie look.

“We don’t even have a heading! How can we be getting closer when we are going around in circles?” the co-captain Black shouted again, moving closer. With the wind threatening to blow him overboard, he kept his muscular body low and his weight concentrated.

“The legend says that the island moves to hide its treasure! We know we are close! This storm is unnatural. It’s the fury of the gods come down upon us. This island was never meant to be found, Black!”

“Yes, yes, I’ve heard the legend! It also states that the treasure is a folly. There is no point in searching for it,” Black paused dramatically before resuming his sentence, “because it only leads to death and suffering for all involved.”

“I say that if this treasure was never meant to be found then the gods would not have placed it upon an isle in the sea, so close to the curiosity of man!”

Black’s attitude grew fierce, “You know the legend, Righty!” he barked at his captain, his friend. “The gods created it as a tool for deserving humans to change their pasts. They forgot that humans were too plagued by greed to use such a device so righteously. When it was abused, they attempted to destroy it, but the magic that had crafted it was tainted by the evil of men. Gods could no longer destroy it. Instead of letting it fall back into human hands, they hid it, far away from the known world where they thought the people would never find it. They hid it even further to prevent people from looking for it. They knew a person could cause terrible devastation with the artifact and also knew only a human could destroy it. They hid it in a place that is only discovered by those with intentions of destroying it.”

“And you, Captain Black, intend to do what? You know what this device can do. You cannot really believe that you can destroy it. The temptation is too great. The most pious of monks would not be able to resist its drawing force; you cannot expect to.”

“I can certainly try! And what would you do with it? A power like that would destroy any man as quickly as a guillotine severs a head. It says it only leads to pain and suffering. Did you forget that part of the legend? And did you forget that it is only a legend. There is no proof behind any of these facts,” Black spoke, feeling strongly about what he said.

Righty only smirked, his expression unmistakable, even through the dense rain they shouted over the sound of. “Did you also forget what you could do using that device?” he asked. Knowing he had struck Black’s attention, he moves closer so he could speak softly to his friend. Leaning in close to his ear, he whispered, “You did love your Linda very much. Imagine seeing her again? Wouldn’t you love that? Spend every day with her. You would be undeniably happy. And the world wouldn’t fall beneath your feet. Just think of that.”

That was when the rain suddenly stopped. The clouds immediately parted revealing the starry night sky. The silhouette of a large, towering thing could be seen in front of the boat. The pirates stared up in awe as the top of the moon started to peek out from behind it. As it rose, the black mass was slowly illuminated.

The boat lurched to a sudden halt. The pirates were thrown onto the deck, face first. They looked up at the now glowing object they had landed on. It was an island. The wind had not been blowing. The island had risen up from directly beneath them when the storms had surrendered. The moonlight revealed a temple at the top of the mountain of the island.

“It must be there. A Greek temple atop a magical mountain. Our search is ended.  The world is ours!” Righty stood up and moved to leave the boat. Black was already on is feet and his rapier was quickly drawn across Righty’s chest. Righty flashed his smirk again, asking, “What exactly is it you are doing?”

“You’re staying here,” Black demanded.

“Oh, you are mistaken,” Righty laughed. He drew his rapier and pushed Black’s away from his chest. “Do you really want to cross blades with me, boy?”

“No,” Black said, sheathing his weapon. He looked at Righty and smirked. “Let it be a race then. First to the top wins!” Black bolted from the boat and vaulted over the side of the deck. He landed in the soft sand beneath them and ran toward the mountain blanketed in forest. He knew he could reach the artifact before Righty could, and, if the legend was right, only the one with the good intentions could handle it.

The pirates fired their pistols at him angrily but none of them could hit their mark. The sands around Black erupted with the gunfire as Black sprinted away from the boat. He slowed when he got out of range of the pirates’ pistols and Righty’s angry shouts filled the now still, clear air.

Black ran into the dark forest. Soon it became so dark that he could only feel the trees pushing against his body. He only knew if he was even headed in the right direction by his occasional views of the sky. The moon was rising over the summit.

He ran for a while before falling into a clearing, face first. He lifted his head and looked around. It seemed like there was light there, but everything was black. The outline of trees could be seen not too far away. The ground did not feel like anything.

“Welcome, traveler,” A deep, male voice said over him. Black looked up. A man stood over him wearing a Greek battle harness which barely covered him. Black could see him clearly, as if a light was coming from the pitch black ground.

“Who are you?” Black asked as he stood up.

“I am the spirit of Heracles. I am here to lead you through the trials of the Treasure of Time,” the man said. He certainly looked like he could be Heracles. His body was covered in nothing but massive muscles. Everything but his face seemed powerful and monstrous. His face seemed caring, nurturing, almost childlike.

“Trials?” Black asked.

“There are three trials. I shall lead you through the first two and to the last one. You must get through the last trial yourself, however.” Heracles explained. “If not, you cannot expect to receive the treasure.”

“What’s the first trial?”

“I’m glad you asked.” Heracles pointed into the black clearing. “The first trial is a trial of choice. You cannot fail this trial. In this trial you must choose between two things. There are a group of villagers being held by some Royal Navy troops.” Within the clearing, a cell filled with people appeared. Royal Navy officers patrolled alongside it, shouting at the prisoners. “Your choice is this: Save the villagers or take the gold that the Navy has at their table.” A table appeared near the cell. The table was covered with gold coins and the navy officers didn’t seem to pay any attention to it. The path to the table was clear. “You cannot choose both. Only one.” The path to the prisoners was patrolled by the Navy officers. He would need to kill them if he intended to free the prisoners.

“Why are they imprisoned?” Black asked. Heracles smiled.

“That is the exact question you should ask. These natives were imprisoned because they attempted to steal the gold from the Navy ship as it got water from their island. They killed seven Navy officers, all of whom had families back in Britain to support. One of them never got to see his newborn son.”

“Is there a third option? The gold isn’t rightfully mine, and the prisoners committed a crime that they are lucky they were left alive for. Can’t I just go about my business? There is no wrongdoing here. Neither side deserves what the choices are,” Black asked.

“There is an option of doing nothing and moving on. Is that your choice?” Heracles asked, pointing to a dark sector of the clearing.

“Yes, it is.”

“You have chosen… wisely.” Heracles smiled again. “Let’s continue to the next trial you must overcome. If you do not overcome this trial, there is no hope of ever reaching the Temple and receiving the Treasure of Time.”

“What if I had chosen one of the other options?” Black asked as he followed Heracles.

“The next trials would be much more difficult. We run now!” Heracles bolted off into the forest. Black followed immediately after. The spirit of Heracles was glowing and lighting the way, so Black was able to follow him. He ran behind him all the way up the mountain until they reached a massive gorge. The temple was on the opposite side.

“The second trial. You must find a way to cross the gorge.” Heracles then sat upon the ground and waited.

“That’s it? No other information?” Black asked. Heracles did not respond. He stared at the dirt and tossed some rocks around.

Black looked at the gorge before him. It was certainly too far to jump across. The trees weren’t far enough over to jump from either. He walked along the gorge, examining everything he could. It thinned out slightly as he moved along it, but the trees no longer hung over it at all. He wished he had brought some explosives from the boat.

“Having trouble? Some people have spent the remainder of their lives up here. Or ended their lives down there.” Heracles pointed down the gorge. Black could hear Righty shouting on the opposite side of the gorge.

“Different choice, different trial,” Heracles said.

“That bastard took the gold,” Black said.

“Focus on your trial.”

Black had only one option. A large stone at the small end of the gorge seemed to be the only way to cross. He would have to roll it into the crevice. The only problem was he didn’t know how he would roll it. Heracles waited on the opposite side for him.

The boulder seemed immovable. No amount of strength Black possessed could budge it. He tried to find objects for leverage but nothing helped. He stood there for a few moments thinking of how to move it. There just had to be a way. He fell to the dirt, defeated. Leaning back on his arms, he pushed some dirt and observed a small rock roll along the path he made. The idea just flowed naturally after that.

The realization came to him instantly. He found the sturdiest branch he could and started digging a hole from the edge of the cliff to the boulder. If he dug it right, the boulder would roll right along it and into the gorge. The digging was quick and there was only necessity to dig precisely beneath the boulder without getting crushed. When he managed to do that, the boulder rolled along the path he had dug and into the crevice. It wedged itself in a few feet down. It was enough for him to walk across and climb back up on the other side.

Black carefully crossed the boulder and met up with Heracles. Heracles did not seem to notice him at first and was startled when he destroyed the little sand castle he was making. “I didn’t expect you to do it so soon,” he said, seeming slightly flustered. “We part ways here. Your next trial is inside the temple. Good luck. It was a pleasure.” Heracles flashed one last smile before he vanished.

Black was alone before the temple. He entered cautiously. Inside was a circular room with only one door. After going through it, the door closed on its own and then quickly turned into a solid wall. It was dark where he stood, but as he moved forward, a veil lifted, revealing a glowing pink room. There was a small bath in the center and flowers were blooming all around him. The air was heavy with the flowers’ scents and with the warmth of the bath. Black felt incredibly comfortable.

Then he saw her. She had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She was sitting in the bath, but stood when she saw him. He was awestruck. He could see thin beads of water flowing down her naked body, emphasizing every curve and every muscle. When she moved, he could see her muscles flex and move under her skin.

“And who might you be?” she asked. Her voice was even more seductive than her body.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Black said, his eyes ever wandering. She had the exact look of his dream woman. She slowly walked toward him, examining him closely.

“I am Aphrodite. The Goddess of Love and… sexual feelings,” she said, her voice caressing Black’s every nerve. She moved her hand past his face slowly. He could feel sexual desire rising in him. He had heard stories of the Love Goddess’ ability to please whatever she touched. He realized what his trial was.

“You’re my trial,” Black said as she slowly moved closer. He retreated as she encroached on him and collapsed into a chair behind him which he had not noticed earlier.

“Yes. I like to think of myself as the best trial. If you choose wisely in the first trial, I'm like a gift. It would just be unfortunate if there were another person trying to get the stone at this very same moment,” she smirked at Black’s disappointment. “There is another person trying to get to it, isn’t there? So you need to pick between getting the stone and getting me? That certainly is a trial.”

Black was so angry. A trial like this would push any man to the limits. The Love Goddess was offering herself to him, and he knew he had to deny her. Knowing a simple touch could send a man into a craze, he wondered what else she could do.

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. If he stayed, then Righty would get his prize. There was a moment where he considered it would be alright if Righty got the stone. The temptation of the lust was so strong. The room was obviously an aphrodisiac meant to make the man never want to leave. Then he wondered if Righty had the same trial. If he did, Righty would most likely take the sex. But Aphrodite said that Black’s choices led him to her. Righty had made different choices.

“You can’t take a few minutes to just sit and relax?” Aphrodite’s hands moved down Black’s chest. He could feel the energy building inside him. She moved her hands away and grabbed Black’s hand. She raised his finger to her mouth and sucked on the tip. A warm feeling flowed form his finger all across his body.

She pulled his finger from her mouth and slowly moved it along the front of her body. She was still wet and soapy from the pool and the light made her skin glisten. Black stared at his finger as she moved it down her chest. Occasionally he glanced up at her eyes, which revealed nothing to him. At moments he would be trapped in them, forgetting his finger and only seeing the glorious blue iris.

She led him across her stomach, which was firm beneath his finger. The shape of her abs was clear in the light of the room, and his gaze became fixed on it. He moved in with his other hand to feel her fully. The muscle beneath her skin was erotic and powerful. He longed to be with her, to make love to her, but there was something in his mind that wouldn’t let him. Something poked at him like a bored child in his mind. It rushed back to him like a flood the moment he focused on it.

“No! He cannot get the treasure!” Black pushed Aphrodite away and started moving away from her. He turned away to avoid her image, and breathed through his mouth to avoid the fragrance of the bath and flowers. The pain of making that kind of decision was so strong, he began crying. He didn’t have a chance to notice. “Let me continue!”

“If that is your wish. But do not expect to return,” Aphrodite warned. She snapped her fingers and a wall opened, revealing a passage.

“He cannot get the treasure,” Black repeated as he left the room. The wall shut behind him, and all the tension that he felt suddenly vanished. A wave of relief washed over him. The third trial had been passed.

The passageway led into the mountain. It moved across a ledge with a view of the interior. A river of magma flowed freely, but Black did not feel heat rising from it. The path led him deep into the mountain, where the magma flows grew larger and more frequent. He soon reached another temple within the mountain.

This temple was not closed. It was a dome supported by various pillars and Black could see clearly across. In the center was a pedestal with a glowing blue stone on it. “The Chronosphere!”

“Yes, the Chronosphere!” a voice called out in glee beside him. Black turned immediately and reached for his rapier. He was relieved to see it was only a white haired old man. His pointed white beard reached the floor and he wore plain but ragged robes. He leaned upon a staff which had an hourglass at the tip. “Come, boy! You have earned the right to handle the Chronosphere.”

“Who are you?” Black asked.

“I am Chronos, the God of Time. Some have referred to me as Father Time, in the changing world. I guard the Chronosphere from the hands of undeserving men,” the old man explained. “I can sense great struggle in you. To fully make your choice, you must know the powers of this Chronosphere.”

Chronos led Black to the pedestal. “With this stone, you can travel to any point in time you wish. However, just because you can travel there does not mean that you have the power to change what transpired there. The legend tells of the stone bringing only pain and sadness. You miss your love dearly, I can see. This stone will not bring her back to life. No matter what you do in the past, events will always transpire the way they originally did. You being there was something that was already taken into account when the event transpired. Nothing you do can change that.”

Two gunshots rang out. Black felt the bullets strike his back. He fell to the ground, his face upward. He could hear someone moving closer. Righty had passed his three trials as well.

A bag of gold dropped next to Black. “The Chronosphere,” Righty said, in awe. He moved to grab the blue orb.

“Destroy it!” Black shouted through his pain. But it was futile. Righty and the stone had vanished the moment after he grabbed it.

“Do not worry. He did not earn the treasure. Wait,” Chronos said.

Righty reappeared instantly, his body damaged badly. “He did not hear my speech. The stone has brought him only sadness and suffering. His attempts to take over the old world proved useless. He will die here.” Chronos stepped over Black and kneeled down next to Righty. He searched his person and removed the Chronosphere.

“How?” Righty managed to ask through his spouts of blood and stutters.

“You cannot change the past or the future. Time will always lead to the same conclusion,” Chronos said.

“How can you know that?” Righty asked.

“Because I am the God of Time. And your time,” Chronos looked at the hourglass in his staff, “is now up,” The sand in the hourglass was moments from running out. As the last grain fell to the bottom of the glass, Rightly let out his final breath and died upon the ground.

“You still wish for me to destroy this device? The evildoer is no longer able to use it,” Chronos asked Black.

“Destroy it. No one shall be tempted by it ever again,” Black said, moaning from his pain. He knew that death was coming for him.

“If that is your wish, you must do it yourself. Only a human hand can destroy the Treasure of Time,” Chronos said, offering his hand to Black.

Black was able to lift himself from the ground, but he immediately fell upon the pedestal. On it were a hammer and chisel. “Strike it with the chisel,” Chronos commanded.

Black did what he was told. The stone shattered instantly and the blue glow dulled to nothing. A small powder came from the center of the stone. Chronos gathered the powder and put it in a silk drawstring bag, which he quickly hid in his robes.

“Because of your selfless deeds, I have granted you a gift of time. Your body has gone back to how it was five minutes ago. The bullets are no longer existent in your back. Now that we no longer need this temple, I will send you away before the destruction. And feel free to take the gold with you, he won’t be needing it,” Chronos explained. Black’s pain had gone away and he was able to stand. Before he could say or do anything else, the temple and the mountain vanished around him and he found himself floating on a raft, surrounded by water. The bag of gold was beside him. He floated on the raft until a Navy boat found him and picked him up. They did not believe his story of course, but they allowed him to give them the gold he offered them when they made port.

He never regretted his decisions in the cave. He knew that he had been given a new chance at life, and he took his chance and made a new life in the port town. He told the story of the Chronosphere and the beautiful goddess, Heracles and Chronos often, even if the people didn’t believe him. He kept some of the gold from his adventure but most he gave away to charity or to poor people on the streets. And every once in a while, he swore he saw an old man in ragged robes with a long white beard walking down the road.