Page 20 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

Shrugging, Luis turned to look at the road ahead. "I just wanted to say that the Yope utilized the topography created by volcano activity to build their settlements in defendable fortresses. In a moment, we will start seeing the ruins."

The vegetation suddenly cleared, and stone structures appeared.

"This is the ball court," Luis said. "The games were ceremonial, and the losing team was sacrificed to the gods."

Frankie shivered. "I hate that part of history. People used to be so bloodthirsty."

Edna turned around and gave her a sad smile. "They still are, Frankie."

Dagor

As the vehicles rolled to a stop, Dagor stepped out of the truck and took a moment to cast his senses far and wide to scan the area.

Nothing suspicious registered, but he couldn't shake the unease in the pit of his stomach.

"Stay close to me," he said, offering his hand to Frankie.

"That's not a problem." She took it and let him pull her against his body as soon as her feet were on the ground.

He wondered whether she'd acquiesced so quickly because she wanted to be close to him or because she also had a gut feeling that not everything was as tranquil as it seemed.

The air was thick with the scent of earth and growth, the sound of the surrounding forest a steady buzz against the quiet of the weathered stones of the ruins, but aside from the sounds of nature and the noise their group was making, he couldn't discern any other human activity.

Casting a sidelong glance at Kalugal and their tour guide, Dagor noted that neither looked concerned, which should have been reassuring but wasn't. He'd learned long ago not to put his trust in the ability of others to keep him safe.

As Negal sidled up to him, Dagor leaned toward his teammate. "Is it just me, or does something smell off about this place?"

Negal shrugged. "I don't smell anything that is not supposed to be here, but I'm not letting my guard down." He patted the weapons he had strapped under his vest. "I wouldn't mind giving these a try, but I doubt any animals would dare attack us. We are at the top of the food chain predators, and they know that."

Frankie chuckled. "Is that what gods are? Top of the food chain predators?"

"You betcha." Negal's eyes scanned the area.

"Doesn't it bother you that we are the only tourists here?" Dagor whispered. "This is supposed to be a major tourist attraction, so where are all the visitors? Were they all scared away by rumors of cartels operating in the area?"

"Perhaps it's for the best," Negal said. "If we get ambushed, which we won't be, because we will hear them coming from miles away, the Guardians won't need to worry about protecting random humans in addition to the members of our group."

"I know." Dagor let out a breath. "I don't know why I'm so antsy. We are gods. What can a bunch of humans do to us?"

"Precisely." Negal clapped him on the back before walking over to where Kalugal stood.

"Please gather around." Kalugal lifted his hand, and when they’d formed a small circle around him, he produced a stack of folded pages from his pocket. "I made copies of the map for everyone and included translations wherever possible. We can either proceed as a group or split into teams to search for the amulet."

Looking at the piece of paper, Dagor had his doubts about the original's authenticity, and not just because the map looked like something a kid had scribbled.

Noting his expression, Kalugal smiled. "Given the source of this map, I don't really expect us to find anything, but a treasure hunt is a fun way to explore the ruins." He motioned for one of the Guardians to come forward. "If any of you want to get your hands dirty, I also brought some tools for you to use."

As the guy opened the large duffle bag, several people approached, including the two females with the special talents that Kalugal had mentioned before.

"The ancient Yope carved their lives into these rocks, leaving behind a legacy beneath these roots and vines for us to uncover." Kalugal's gaze swept over the crumbling pyramids and fallen columns.

The tall immortal who could shroud a city block walked up to the Guardian and took an ax pick. "I prefer for us to stay together if you don't mind." He glanced at the human drivers and then back at Kalugal. "Do you want me to employ my special skill on them?"

"What does he mean?" Frankie whispered in Dagor's ear.

"He can shroud our entire group, including the trucks, so no one will see us. It will be as if we are not even here."

"Nifty trick," she murmured.