Dark Blood

Chapter 24

The raw heat and humidity hit her like a wall. Her lungs filled with the warm air, and she instantly broke out in a full-body sweat. It was like the peak of Florida summer multiplied by twenty. As her eyes adjusted, she found herself beneath a vast, amber sunset sky. Within a few steps of the temple, she was swallowed by a swarm of alien activity and quickly lost her companion. Kara was jostled and stumbled side to side as her heels were tread on and hulking shoulders bumped into her from every direction. She raised her free arm and crossed it across her chest in defense against the shifting mass of bodies. Despite barely seeing the ground ahead of her, she moved forward steadily, hoping there was a spot of calm somewhere in this hectic mess. Thankfully, the number of aliens began to thin quickly the further she moved away from the temple entrance. After maybe eight feet, there was enough space for her to lower her arm and walk comfortably. She turned around, anxious to take a look at the structure she had just left, and it was just as impressive as it had been on the inside.

Architecturally, it was a multi-tier Mayan temple that was larger than any building she had ever seen. There were pillar-like structures that had the appearance of stacking blocks with a pyramid at the top set at each corner of the base. Further up on the different tiers, monoliths of varying heights lined the staircase and the outer edges of the platforms. One level below the top of the temple, pill-shaped edifices rose on the left and right sides of the building, reaching just a few feet above the temple's peak. It looked like a variety of materials had been used in its construction; the steps and monoliths were chiseled from stone, but the body of the temple looked like some sort of metal alloy. It didn't have the sleek luster of silver or chromium, but its color and shine were almost that of a hematite stone in the dying light. The tops of each additional construct were seemingly made of gold, and streaks of the metal ran like veins down the entire building.

Kara took a few steps back, trying to take in more of its immense grandeur. Suddenly, the sensation of having her back turned to a wide-open space rushed over her and she spun around, realizing she was mere inches away from tumbling off into a void. She choked on a gasp and wheeled back, her heart pounding furiously. The Xenomorph squeaked in fright and grappled at her shirt, searching for a more secure purchase on the fabric. The shock of nearly plummeting to their demise was quickly overtaken by the pure awe and wonderment of what lay before them.

They stood on the precipice of a colossal crater; it had to be at least a hundred miles wide and nearly just as deep. Four different waterfalls emerged from the thick, lush jungle vegetation and canopies that surrounded the area. Following their descent down into the crater, the streams of water dissipated into mist long before they neared the middle section. If one were to continue to gaze further down into the chasm, being careful to not lose balance and topple over the edge, they would find that its shape narrowed slightly the further down you went, forming an upside-down cone. At the very bottom was a vast lake, completely unmarred by rocks, waves, or ripples. It was almost as if someone had cut out a piece of the sky and simply just dropped it into this crater.

Circular pathways had been hewn into the sides of the chasm, rising from the bottom in a wide, unbroken spiral. The parts of the crater hadn't been left barren or paved for roads and footpaths could only be described as a completely harmonious blend between nature and civilization. The city looked as if it had grown from the dirt alongside the trees and dense undergrowth. Statues carved from gold, silver, and unknown precious metals encircled the edge of the crater, popped up at certain points along the paths within the pit, and lined the roads of the top level of the city, all of which significantly dwarfed the Statue of Liberty. At least six other temples identical to the one behind her were built at even intervals around the topmost level. Some buildings were similar but slightly different in design and size at some of the middle and lower levels and, they were spread out along the further reaches of the city that stretched beyond what she could see. She caught glimpses of T-shaped poles sporting large banners erected around the temples and other buildings. The black fabric made the green and gold eye pop even at a distance, and she noticed that the shape was identical to the marking that adorned her companion's head.