Diary of Erik Lehnsherr

30 June ―

The reoccurring earthquakes of Java has not cease, it only worsens, the locals seems to think of this as a sign for a coming disaster and was very frank to our Admiral, who believes in the nonsense as much as myself.

Lieutenant Cassidy approached me this afternoon with a letter in his hand, I could see even before it was in my hand that it is my long awaited letter from Dr. Xavier. I do not think that the Professor is aware of my location, as a letter from England would not have so easily reach the Dutch East Indies, especially with the limited amount of intelligence of the military, I am in pride that the letter was not mistaken as a food source. Joy.

It came to my attention that the earthquakes that has been plaguing the land is due to the mountain connecting the island of Java and Sumatra, it has been reported spouting clouds of sulfuric smoke and creating a deep rumble seemingly from the earth's very core, to this I cannot hold back my curiosity, I dashed for Lieutenant Cassidy and set up a carriage for the journey, the latter I find easy to achieve, but Cassidy, being one of the most fearful man in the whole of Java, refused even after I tried to threaten him with the lack of money and gold that he will be receiving.

Later when I was occupied in setting up my carriage, he came to me, and I have thought that he might change his mind, as I know the man would do anything to be off duty, but then he said: ―

"I would be willing to go with you on one condition."

"And what is that Lieutenant?"

"Take me back with you to England."

"Cassidy, I might be here on diplomatic immunity, but I am not of power, I could not simply take away a serving soldier whenever I please, I am very sorry to disappoint you, but the answer has to be no." His face was that of a complete hopelessness, and for a moment I felt sorry for the man, I took off my hat in a motion of apology, and bid my farewell.

And so the journey begins, I sat on the back of the carriage, excusing myself for such rare luxury, the journey will be that of two days, not very long, but with the occasional earthquakes, we might have to stop here and there as the horses, unlike the ones in England, are tiny (almost that of a mule) and incredibly frightful and foolish.

I took this opportunity to read the letter from Dr. Xavier, and I was no more than excited at the news, as hitherto I have not heard from him any more than unimportant blabbering of his personal life, which I am grateful to receive once in a while, but in the middle of all the chaos such serenity of life is to be envied.

I will need to arrange my trip back to England as soon as I am done with this journey, a shame as this place is one of paradise, with spices to range from all flavors, to the ever shining sun, and the mountains, islands, and seas to explore.

1 July ―

The coachmen informed me that we have reached Batavia, and I am to get supplies from the large trading market, I went quickly to get a few things that will be required for my expedition, the market is different from the ones in England, as this was less organized with baskets of fish and meat is strewn all over the ground, fresh with eyes of red, and the yelling of sellers advertising the low price, women with their shopping balanced on their heads, which still puzzles me to this moment, servants I would assume, to some local upperclassmen.

The market, though foul with the smell of meat and fish, creates a picturesque image, with the sun rising over the horizon and people setting up their little tents which would be their little shops for the day, a women, as they see me they started to speak in dutch to sell me their goods, spices, of all colors that a man could see, I declined with slight nod and a polite smile, never have I liked being in a crowded place so much before, filled with people so engrossed in their activity.

I walked further to where they sell tools, and found one just by the corner of the market, in a workshop, selling ropes and pickaxes and the kind, so I stopped there and bought what I needed, the old man was tall and stern, uncharacteristic of the locals, he grunted in assent as I asked him for the items, and bid me farewell with another.

"Where are you going, if I may ask, sir?"

I was surprised, and took a few steps back to face the man, since English is not a language common on the island, "To see the source of the earthquake, and to hopefully put it for education for the rest."

The man laughed, though I could not figure out whether it was on mockery or not, "It's the Tambora."

I nodded my head, as the mountain that my journey leads to was indeed the Tambora, "Yes, I do believe that it is so, but the locals seems to think that there is some kind of superstition behind this phenomenon, and I would have to figure this out in the name of science to educate them."

The man laughed just as he did before, "There is no use, sir, for this believe is embedded in their minds, if that indeed is your only reason of going, you would be better off back to where you were before, it is a dangerous trip that you are going for."

"And how do you mean?"

"From the earthquakes and the smoke I think you already know, sir."

"That it is bound to erupt? Yes, but it only just started from a few weeks ago it wouldn't erupt for another month or so."

"This one is different, sir."

I frowned, as I could not understand his thinking, "Oh, how so?"

"This one has not erupt for a long time, and so it will be one for the scale that we have never seen before." He said, somewhat grimly and nonchalant, as if he has already accepted said fact.

I gaped at him, not knowing what to say, as this thinking is perfectly sound, but not one of fact, "and you are educated in this matter, yes?"

The man shook his head, and let out a long sigh, "do not belittle me of education, sir, for I am more of an expert in the subject than any of your written books."

This man is beginning to rope my interest, as he spoke like that of an English gentlemen, with a slight difference in dialect, but educated to the brim, "And pray my man, do tell me of your knowledge and education you speak of, for I am an explorer and a man of education myself, I would never belittle a man of the same interest."

For the first time the man faced me, and only then I realized that he is taller than me, and not as old as I originally thought, "I have been observing Tambora for a long time, and among all the quietness it holds something that you would not thought to have ever existed."

"I would guarantee whatever you might say I would believe it with all my mind."

He looked at me with intense scrutiny, and I could not help but feel threatened at this, but there was nothing to be done, for whatever it is this man speaks of is worth a little of my dignity, "Come with me." He gathered a single carrier and took down the plank which closes his workshop, in my stillness he grunted: ―

"The knowledge is not within the tools, sir, if you are indeed interested on this, I advise you to come with me."

"I would have to inform my coachmen, and then I will be with you."

And with this I joined him for a walk to a quite forest filled with trees of the most voluptuous fruits, and of tall trees and fallen leaves, the man spoke not one word during our walk until I finally could make out our destination, a massive house made of wood and statues of stones seemingly guarding it, and plants that were well taken care of as the most beautiful of decorations.

I stepped inside, taking off my boots, as is the norm of the locals, and followed him inside, the inside of the house is just if not more, beautiful than the outside, this is a house of an upperclassmen of the most prestigious, not that of a blacksmith in a crowded market, and because of this I felt on guard in case that the man is nothing more than a crook or a murderer.

He led me to a library with shelves full of books of all kind, I had the chance to make out a few, those of geography, physics, and one I am most familiar with, one written by my dear friend, Dr. Xavier on genetics and mutations.

Whilst I am trapped in awe of the library, the man handed me a book, one of beautifully made from leather and paper of high quality, but it was worn as I could see marks on the leather,

"It is all there, what I have come to conclusion of, mount Tambora, was a study that I started for a very particular reason, that of us."

"Of us?"

"As a species, and as a being, my mentor, a man of incredible knowledge, was obsessed with the idea of power, not one of high rank or land, but raw power, the ability for us as a species to unlock abilities to control things as a sixth sense, something of natural power, just like running or walking, these powers he speaks of begins with mount Tambora, and will end with it, as he discovered a plateau of skeletons that are seemingly just like the rest of us, but contains one key difference, they were advanced, and more so than us, even though they lived centuries ago, they had crafts of vast scale, but no tools were ever found."

What he speaks of was overly similar to what Charles and I found, this theory that this man speaks of, so unbelievable to the modern world, that it was set aside as no more than insanity by numerous expert minds on the subject but Charles and I, this is not a mere coincidence of interest. My eyes were as wide as a saucer, and I must have looked like a fool for the man sighed loudly and said: ―

"Even your mind could not comprehend and believe what I am saying, if you could please step out of―"

"Have you found the reason?"

The man looked surprised at this and the first time since I have met him he was caught off guard, "The reason?"

"The key to unlock these powers, these mutations as my colleague and I put it, for he and I have understood that this mutations are still in some of us, just stored away, hid in a corner, suppressed."

In this he flashed me a smile and another being was behind me,

Two, that looks exactly just like the man,

Staring at me with the same smile of knowing,

And I grew weak and had to be put to bed to make sense of this discovery.