CHAPTER XII: THE FINAL VISION
Your appearance in the Universe was expected and the result of many events from a very distant past.
Corporal Harlan was still trying to calm his breathing. Major Boyd was silent, yet his face clearly revealed he was very angry. The crypt was unusually quiet. The Major's scanner did not detect any activity from the direction of its depths, while it read numerous chaotic signals from behind, where the base and the mutants were. A quick inventory indicated that the two men had two shotguns, two pistols, a half-empty plasma gun, a berserk pack, and an ammo backpack to help them survive the perils if the subterranean labyrinth. Fortunately, they were not injured and their armor was in good condition. They hoped they would find a way to call for help, or find something within the dark depths that would help them against Dr. Stalker and his army. It would be pointless to just stand there and wait. Dangerous or not – they had to advance further.
The Major put on the backpack and waved – they had to go. As the corridor ended, they found themselves once again in the hall with the statues. There, Kyle stopped – something had changed since the last time. He looked at all the eerie monuments that filled the hall – they were the same, and then there was that ring of thirteen Gatekeepers, which was...
One of the Gatekeeper statues was missing now. Apparently, it was carefully removed from its place, and taken away, deeper into the crypt. This was probably nothing to worry about, yet Harlan somehow felt this could be important. He gave the Major a sign to be careful. The amphitheater was empty – all the Hell Knight corpses were gone, the floor was cleaned, and the tunnel from which, as it was now clear, mutants came, was sealed. One threat less, one mystery more – for a thousandth time Kyle asked himself why it was him that was at the heart of all this madness. For one brief moment, he wished he had perished on Phobos, when it all started.
"Forget these foolish thoughts - it is not your destiny to be defeated, human! Like it or not, you are taking part in events that will change the destiny of us all." – The familiar voice echoed in Kyle's head and made him jump in surprise.
The Major looked at him with an expression of bewilderment. Harlan could not answer – once again, he felt his body heavy, dark whispers arose from all corners, the infernal music of a fiendish organ deafened him. With the last vestiges of his strength, he could only whisper: "Do not worry... sir... it will pass after a few minutes. Just wait... and guard here... do not leave me... it is... fine... no more... I cannot..."
As everything blurred, the voice of the Gatekeeper emerged once again:
"Do not be surprised. We were enemies once, but now we have to cooperate. A great threat hangs over humanity and what is left of my own race. This is the last revelation for you. You have come closer to the truth – you are closer to seeing that, which I want, you will soon want, and He used to want; something that they want, my brothers and I never dared to want, and you were forbidden to want. Watch carefully and listen! Time is running out!"
The scene changed. Kyle was no longer in the crypt, instead he found himself on a balcony, which overlooked a great and beautiful city, built in a peculiar style he could not recognize. Two other men stood beside him. They both wore white robes; their skin was covered in weird tattoos of runes and astrological symbols. One of them held a scepter, the other held a tome. They looked at the city, ancient looking, yet teeming with life. Night was falling – lights emerged and the city changed its visage. The stars in the sky above seemed unfamiliar. The distant noise did not cease, it intensified as the population ended the long day of labor. It was then a hissing sound was heard, and an ethereal apparition joined the two men. It did not have a distinctive form – it clearly had a horned head and two long arms. It stood right next to the men, and then turned to them with an icy voice:
"You seem worried, honored Disciples. You are probably contemplating something that stirs conflict within your souls?"
"Yes, you have sensed it right, Lord Baphomet. I thought about the future, about where humanity would one day find itself."
"The future." Baphomet intoned, as if to himself.
"Today I went among them in disguise – among the people in the city." The second man spoke, "They hate us. They have no trust in us. To them, we are oppressors, not Disciples of wisdom; the Gods are vile entities, not sources of guidance and eternal light."
"Oppressors? Is that not exactly what you were meant to be, Disciple?" Baphomet responded with hardly concealed irony.
"Why did it have to be like this? Is it not your fault, o great Deity?" the first Disciple asked.
"You are a young and confused race. Do you think you could fathom our designs? Do you know what is at stake?" Baphomet's voice grew even colder.
The Disciple did not reply. He stared at the city below, and listened to the crowds. Then he looked at the dark apparition that shared their company.
"We will inherit the Universe, Lord Baphomet. You know it as much as I do. You may possess all power of Existence, yet you are doomed and nothing can prevent that."
The apparition came a step closer to the man.
"You are wise. Perhaps too wise for a human – the reason why we never allowed you to become the Protoarchon of the Council of Disciples. Seen the future, you have?"
"Yes, Lord Baphomet. And I have also seen that it will be my destiny to be your servant and as such push the events that would lead to the great change."
The apparition only nodded to show that what the human said was correct... and everything blurred. Dark whispers were heard and the scene changed.
Kyle recognized the Temple of Darkness immediately. The cowering human followers around it were very agitated about something. A special ceremony was taking place. Under the maddening sound of unknown musical instruments, Hell Knights walked out of the temple's depths and assumed positions along the stairs. As the music intensified, a tall dark figure in a black robe appeared at the top of the edifice. The Gatekeeper stood there, watching the crowd with his burning eyes. Then he spoke, and the familiar voice thundered:
"Behold, faithful followers of the Dark Lord's word – we have finally found them – the long sought-after Essences of Life are now in our possession! Behold, and praise the name of Baphomet and the eternal Burning Pit!"
As the crowd screamed in foul ecstasy, an Arch Vile emerged from the temple, carrying four cylindrical objects that Kyle could not see well. The objects were raised in the air, and the crowd cheered uncontrollably. The Gatekeeper grinned. The marine somehow felt that the demon's mission on Earth was finished, and he would leave the Temple, then slaughter all those hapless humans who were enticed into worshipping him and his kind. Then the scene changed once again in a bright flash.
Kyle found himself in Baphomet's throne room – the same place where he fought the Lord of Hell in his citadel. There was a revenant – bigger than most of its brethren, glowing brightly blue, seemingly made of ice and sapphire. The marine could feel the cold aura the creature emanated, and recognized in it the Ice Weasel – the revenant that was once among the Disciples. Kyle had the vague feeling the creature was the same man he saw on that balcony, talking with Baphomet's apparition. The revenant was kneeling before the Demon Lord, and the four cylindrical objects were in front of it. Its cold voice broke the silence.
"As you ordered, my Lord – the four Essences of Life have been brought to you, just as was promised. Your Gatekeeper did a superb job."
An ethereal hand emerged from the floor and touched the cylinders.
"Indeed." Baphomet's voice thundered, "What we sought is now in our possession. They will be secured where it was determined for them to be kept... until the time comes. And about the three Essences of Death..."
"Master, they are still locked in the cursed place where the last Council of the Dark Magi hid them. They used the power of the Rune of Black Magic, and sacrificed their own lives to build a spell, which would shield the artifacts from any demon or undead. As for the humans – they left gruesome traps for them to be killed by."
"I have already seen the future, oh weasel of ice and malice! Know that a human would emerge, one who will, in single combat, defeat my corporeal form that you see before you, and bring about the destruction of Hell. Know that this man shall come to you, and he alone will be able to penetrate the cursed place and retrieve the Essences of Death. You will know when you have met that man."
"Master, how can I make him do as I want him to?"
"Use your cunning, scheming one! Use your innate talent to see, and force him to endeavor on that mission. Once he is done, you will take the Essences to the chosen place, unite them, and fulfil the prophecy!"
The scene blurred and changed once again. Dark tunnels, dripping water, and a skull made of sapphire. Within it, Kyle could sense a powerful spirit, which slept, embraced in eternal cold, waiting for the day to come...
"You are very close to the truth, human. Know that a horrendous task lies before you. And know that you will encounter an old enemy along your path..."
Major Boyd noticed that the Corporal was opening his eyes and knelt next to him. Understanding as he was, the officer did not ask the marine questions – there would be time later when they would discuss it. At that moment, they had to take care of their survival. Their only hope was to find something that would help them defeat the evil that Stalker had awakened and prevent yet another catastrophe from befalling humanity.
Kyle stood up and made a sign to the Major, to show him everything was fine, and that they would indeed talk about it later. The two men took their equipment and headed towards the entrance on the opposite wall. There were no more hesitations – they were to explore the depths of the crypt.
At that same moment, Dr. Stalker observed the scared technicians, who worked under the burning gazes of a group of mutants. Their shaking hands dropped tools and crates, yet they were advancing well. They better would... otherwise, the mutants would terminate them. They were forced to work in the former dimensional research center for the last few hours.
"Hurry up, you incompetent maggots!" Stalker shouted, "Work faster and assemble the Gateway components. Make sure you have made all safety tests! Check twice before configuring the modules. And hurry. Hurry! In less than twenty hours we will open the gateway to Stroggos."