Monkey Spider Mountain

On a costal shore, in the night a warm oceans waves bring in the tide, softly marking the beach. In the wet sand left behind from the tides churning there are left gifts such as seashells, sea stars and clamshells. However, on this night something dreadfully unfamiliar was dragged on the beach from the tide, the dead bodies of royal navy soldiers as well as debris from there sunk boats.

That was what a returning falcon saw as she returned to the beach on the coast of the Vine Jungle.

Further inland from sandy beach lay the partially hidden boat that belonged to Consul Ari, the Sarada named after a former lover of his. The elderly consul resided within his boat now being consoled by his personal aid Mensa. The light from within the bridge where Ari sat in his captain's chair while Mensa comforted him shown like a beacon in the night.

Mensa could do very little except listen as Ari buried his head in his hands while periodically turning to him with tears in his eyes to tell his woes.

In between sobs, Ari would ask, "Why has she forsaken me...again?"

Mensa would often not give Ari an answer for the real one would probably not resonate at all any way to the poor deluded man.

The hope was for Ari to worry himself to sleep so that Mensa could take him back into his cabin to lay him down for the rest of the night.

"I have been discarded like rotten fruit...", consul Ari would say in-between sobs, while going on, " Sarada has broken my heart once more...", though always, Ari would add, " Though no matter how many times my heart is laid to waste, I will always forgive my one true love...Sarada..."

The poor deluded fool, Mensa thought to himself. Though even before the consul had become putty in Evil-Lyns hands he was lovesick for Sarada which only made it easier for the witch with her illusion casting powers to seduce him.

If only Mensa could shock his master out of his delusion.

Mensa barely heard it, a tapping that came from the window, then the noise came again.

When Mensa turned to see the tapping, he saw the falcon who had been captured at Aris estate some time ago. When noticing Mensa, the falcon raised its other leg which had a scroll tied to it.

The distraught Ari, did not even concern himself as Mensa walked over from him to greet the falcon. Mensa had to exit the door onto the deck of the boat in order to except the falcon's message to him. The falcon flew onto the boats side nearest Mensa as he exited the bridge of the boat. Then the falcon extended her leg with the scroll tied to it again though this time it was received by Mensa who held it with his left hand while he slowly tried to untie it with his right hand. The falcon even helped out by using its beak to give the tied string a good yank which did loosen it enough for Mensa to break the scroll free.

The falcon spoke to Mensa with a caw that while could not be understood verbally the sentiment was understood. Then as Mensa watched the falcon fly away from him, he turned to re-enter the bridge of the boat once again.

Immediately, Ari asked if the scroll in Mensas hand had anything to do with Sarada.

To which Mensa replied, "I do not know the sender did not tell me who it was from. Though I can open it up to read it for you."

It appeared that Ari was slightly interested as it could be a message from Sarada, so he allowed it.

Mensa was glad because this message was most certainly from a rescue party. Then as Mensa unsealed the scroll from its magnetic lock by turning its key, he unfolded it to read:

" Good Journey to you. This is Master-At-Arms Captain Zarek of the Majestic! If you are reading this message now, then all should be well as the carrier Falcon I sent ahead to deliver you my message was to inform you of a rescue party heading out towards your location now. My advice to you and the Consul would be to stay in your beached vessel the Sarada. This is not only for your safety but to make sure your rescue is done as expediently as possible."

Signed Captain Zarek and stamped with the Royal Navy Seal of approval.

"Well, it looks like we're going to get rescued.", Mensa said emphatically so as to reassure consul Ari.

"Not without Sarada, I won't! I won't go without the love of my life, not for an instant.", Ari said stubbornly.

A hapless soldier directs his miniscule artificial light between his thumb and forefinger along the artificially made hollowed out walls inside of a nameless mountain. As a soldier called Man-At-Arms he was trying to survive through the night. As a man he was humbled by the wonder of what he had stumbled inside of. In his proactive inventors mind he wanted nothing more than to study the insides of this mountain to its core.

Duncan who was a combination of all three; man, soldier and inventor was scared, pragmatic as well as in awe of what he had stumbled into. As well as envious of the engineering skill it took to make this mountain denizen. So far Duncan knew that the inhabitants of this mountain where not responsible for its precision cut laser walls. However, the inhabitants were able to utilize the mechanisms to open the hidden entry points that led into the mountain. This could mean that the Monkey Spiders were either placed here by whomever had hollowed out this mountain. Or the Monkey Spiders stumbled upon it and eventually made it their home.

Duncan had only to make it through the night to find out for in the morning he would have to try and find out if the Sorceress was successful in contacting the Majestic. Despite the loss of the Royal Navy Boats that were in pursuit of his captors upon his arrival to the Vine Jungle, Duncan knew that military protocol meant that a transmission was sent out for reinforcements to the location.

The AI generated voice of Rohad that came from the device hung around Duncans neck in the form of a necklace was also scanning the corridor. It stated to Duncan, "There seems to be a 'Y' in the road up ahead." Rohads visuals were sonic resonance scans reverted back to it which could create crude visual scans of its surroundings.

The green tiger from outside the mountain who the Sorceress had contacted was alerted by either some noises or scents which could only mean Monkey Spiders were nearby. Duncan was against the wall at the end of the corridor where the passageway branched off into two directions as the tiger snarled. The problem for the tiger was that it had to snarl in two opposite directions as it could not do so simultaneously. Duncan tried to calm the tiger down in its agitated state when he suddenly felt himself pulled back by multiple appendages on his arms!

Only darkness entered Duncans sight as the hidden door he was pulled into re-sealed itself once more!

The small but powerful micro-flashlight was released unwittingly from Duncans grip before he was even pulled behind the sealed wall!

Duncan then felt a sensation of movement the kind one felt in a lift or hover platform.

The sensation of movement felt as if Duncan was being lowered somewhere.

Duncan did not sense that this was a death trap though despite that feeling he fought against his capture! After a futile struggle the soldier ceased his attempt to break free against the appendages. Then a light came on!

What looked like an eye on a long tentacled stalk was staring at Duncan who was adjusting his eyes to the brightness of his traveling cubicle.

Then the sensation of traveling slowed to a halt.

As the small, confined space of Duncans elevator finally stopped the nimble eyeball that was staring at Duncan became interested in his necklace.

"I am being contacted by another AI; apparently one that is attached to this wobbly eyeball.", Rohad told Duncan.

Rohad continued," This eyeball is emitting an encrypted algorithm in subsonic form."

"What is it saying to you?", Duncan asked.

"It is in another language...I believe it is of Gar-Shan origin.", Rohan surmised.

Duncan then felt his appendages being let go of by the spindly tentacled arms of the eye robot as the doors opened up to reveal a vast room.

"You may enter the Cerebrum...the complex that houses me...along with its hosts whom you refer to as the Monkey Spider.", the foreign AI informs Duncan as he slowly exits his cubicle which then shuts itself behind him.

Inside the vast room, Duncan begins to recognize the design of some of the architecture as being of Gar-Shan origin. In the center of the room atop a circled staircase where the largest one served as its base where several other gradually smaller circles led up to a platform where sat a large Monkey Spider wearing a unique form of headgear. There were about a half dozen or so other Monkey Spiders scattered around the area of the vastly large room.

"You may come closer.", it was the voice of the foreign AI with its voice filling up the entirety of the vast room.

As Duncan slowly approached the circled stairwell which led up to a control panel other Monkey Spiders closed in. All of the Monkey Spiders gawked at Duncan with an almost excited curiosity then the one wearing its tall crown came over as well. As the lead Monkey Spider with its crown came closer Duncan came to a halt. This whole scene felt like a coronation of sorts thought Duncan as he stood firm. If that was the case, why was he being coronated, for what reason could there possibly be for a soldier of the enemy being coronated?

Duncans eyes widened as the lead Monkey Spider took his tall-pointed crown of its head.

It was what the foreign AI told him, Duncan thought as he instinctively knelt down to receive his crown...while taking off his own helmet.

The foreign AI voice announced to Duncan as the Monkey Spider placed the long-pointed crown on his head, "We have been expecting you exalted Technician."

Duncan was allowed through by the hosts or guards namely the Monkey Spiders which for some reason meant that he was to serve some purpose...though exactly what that purpose was what he had to find out.

"Arise...Gar-Shan technician so that you can commence the countdown to Shavazustra."

In horror, Duncan's eyes widened as he stood up trying not to seem too nervous as he whispered to Rohad,"I know what it means do not say anything."

In his teaching of history, especially military history Duncan had learned the name of the Gar-Shan goddess of annihilation...who was called Shavazustra. Duncan also knew that threw Gar-Shan advanced science, cloning as well as genetic manipulation was used militarily. The fact that the Gar-Shan could deceive their enemies by cloning imposters was a double-edged sword which also gave them gave them a distinct weakness. An example of this was that the expected Gar-Shan to arrive at this mountain instillation could look like anyone. It was this anonymity which so far has allowed Duncan to live. Duncan only now hoped for just how long he could keep it up.