Crossover Earth '98

"Columbia’s like another world." Marv Bredow turned his head back and forth and looked over the campus as he jogged. "So close to New York City, and yet..."

"So free of its contamination." Alex Rossini smiled, "New York City. It’s like Paris gone wrong. All bad manners and no style."

"You ever been to Paris, Rossini?"

"Studied fencing there for two years." Rossini replied. "They’re so full of themselves." Rossini gave a signal to slow down, and they started walking. "I’m getting a little out of shape. Too much time spent studying for my finals, not enough time in the gym."

"That’s usually the opposite of most people’s problems."

"School is for fools." Rossini spat and took a swig of bottled water. "An empty ritual to qualify us for something we can only earn through experience."

"That’s one way to look at it." Bredow replied, and he stopped. He looked at one of the "I’m feeling something from that building. Something..."

Rossini smiled, white teeth glimmering through a maze of sweat-drenched auburn curls. "It’s power. Raw magic power. We brought it back from Ethiopia."

"No." Bredow stated. "It’s not that - it’s more than just power. It’s something that’s severe, something absolutely uncompromising..."

"It’s absolutely uncompromising." The Golden Face stated. "Magnificent."

"What a discovery." Celia Tagelohn said. "I feel so foolish for not uncovering the glamor the first time we were here. The altar was the Ark."

"This is a complex world, Miss Tagelohn." The Golden Face noted. "It’s very easy to overlook the simple."

Celia was positively bubbling. "This is the discovery of the century. The millennium! Just think what this will mean for humanity!"

It was hard for the Golden Face not to concentrate on the sight of the Ark of the Covenant, but Celia’s words were too important to ignore. "Yes, what it will mean for humanity," he said in a ponderous tone, almost mocking what she said.

"I can’t wait to get this to civilization. Just think what a symbol of this magnitude will mean. A new era of spiritual enlightenment!"

"That could be one of the consequences." The Golden Face said. "Still, before we share our discovery with the human race, there are many artifacts that need to be catalogued. Can I count on your assistance?"

"Of course."

The Golden Face smiled slightly. He pointed to a large pile of coins. "You can start with these."

"You’re a visionary, you say? What do you see?" Rossini asked.

"I see thunder striking a hill." Bredow said. "A big stone hill, in a desert. And I hear a dying calf, and a celebrating crowd. But their joy doesn’t last long."

"You really are a seer." Rossini said.

"I haven’t felt this way since I went on my last Visionquest." Bredow replied. "If anything, whatever’s in this building is far more powerful than anything I encountered on Spirit-Earth."

Rossini took a swig of water. "You magic attuned folk are quite something. Do you see anything else?"

Bredow’s face went ashen. "Another time and place. Right where we’re standing. A lot of people are going to die here. Soon."

"Do we have to catalogue everything?" Celia was tired. Exhausted. She had spent two hours, in the Ethiopian heat. Two hours of grueling, numbing labor, checking inscriptions, writing down routine information.

"Of course. This is an exacting task," The Golden Face replied, and then he began speculate. "I wonder what will happen when we do release our findings to the world? The Ark’s on Ethiopian soil, but undoubtedly the Israelis will claim it. That could cause problems."

"I suppose it could." Celia frowned. Her initial enthusiasm had been thoroughly quenched. The Golden Face wryly noted the fatigue on her face.

They continued to catalog the find. "I found another cache of coins." Decomo said. "What a haul!"

Celia was annoyed by the interruption. "These are artifacts, not some sort of Dungeons and Dragons treasure. You haven’t stolen anything?" Celia asked the security guard bluntly.

"The only way to prevent theft is to catalogue everything precisely." The Golden Face stated, interrupting the cultist’s reaction. "Celia, please work on this new cache while I copy the inscriptions."

Celia sighed heavily and began a new round of careful cataloguing.

A half hour passed. "You know," the Golden Face mentioned. "These demons went to a great deal of trouble to secure the Ark. I hate to think what they would do to any museum where it was being displayed. A lot of innocent people might get hurt."

"Are you saying we shouldn’t turn the Ark over to the authorities?" Celia threw down the coins and confronted the cult leader.

"Well, now that I’ve had some time, I wonder about the wisdom of such an act." The Golden Face said. "But if we were to keep the Ark from the authorities, we would lose a great deal. The Ark would put us down in history."

"History doesn’t matter. Do you think that’s what motivates me?" Celia spun around and snapped.

"As Tolkien said, even the most modest idol cannot resist the sweet trickle of incense." The Golden Face stated. "Are you truly prepared to sacrifice such renown?"

"I’ve never! I... I..."

For once in her life, Celia found herself without words. The Golden Face interrupted the flabbergasted young heroine. "Do not get upset, my dear. Life tests the courage and conviction of us all." The Golden Face shook his head and sighed. "It is unfortunate we cannot allow such a glorious artifact into the world. But it is a great victory to wrest it from the demons. Now, as to its protection."

"My village can protect it." Celia announced. The Golden Face let out a breath of air. "Now what!"

"Nothing. Your village would probably do the job well. Except..."

"What?"

"The demons targeted you in the attack. They know you. They will undoubtedly target your village in their search for the Ark."

"But last time we managed to repel the demons without too many problems..." Celia said, and caught herself.

The Golden Face chuckled for a second. "Your village is well-known as a fortress for white magic. But perhaps it is too well known. If we could build a second fortress..."

Celia stared at him. Was this wisdom, or villainous cunning? The words were a little too honey-soaked for her taste, but she’d have felt more assured in her objections if she could find the smallest hole in his argument.

"The forces of chaos are stirring." The Golden Face repeated what they already knew. "A great darkness threatens the world. The more tools that we can find to fight them, the better."

Celia certainly couldn’t disagree with that argument. She decided to acquiesce - under reasonable conditions. "We’d have to monitor it. My magicks would safeguard it."

"Your assistance would be greatly appreciated." The Golden Face stated. Decomo looked at his boss with a glance of disbelief. The Face shot him a look that made him quail. "It would be folly to refuse someone as powerful as yourself. And if you found any other artifacts of law that are being hidden by the forces of chaos, we would be more than happy to assist in their recovery."

Rossini and Bredow stared at the building. "The Ark of the Covenant." Bredow whispered. "That’s what I’m feeling? I heard the Lordruuites were powerful, but..."

"I’ve never been one for ancient history." Rossini said. "Especially after that concussion I got fighting those demons." He pointed to the back of his skull.

"Can I see the Ark?" Bredow asked eagerly.

"You would have to ask the Master." Rossini stated. "But I would not hold my breath. The Ark is more sacred to us than it was to the Jews. And while I’m not as well versed in magic as most of the others, I understand the wards around the Ark are most impressive..." He noticed Bredow looking skyward. "Are you listening to what I’m saying?"

"I didn’t realize they let ultra-lites fly so close to campus."

There was something in Bredow’s voice that jerked Rossini. A quality that made the information sound like it was the most important thing in the world. "There’s smoke coming out of the tail," the fencer noted. "I don’t see any letters."

"It’s not a skywriter." Bredow said, and he suddenly clenched Rossini’s arm tightly. Rossini was tempted to smack him. "It’s the end of the world. In laughter..."

Next: Where Were You During The Great Gas Leak of ’98?

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