Chapter 25 — The Deep Sea Lighthouse, Guiders to the Stars
1. Invitation from the Abyss, and Eyes of Suspicion
For those who had barely escaped the hellish pursuit of 'Cerberus' with their lives, this unidentified benefactor, emerging from the deepest recesses of the abyss, was it a beacon of salvation, or the beginning of another insidious trap?
Lilith: (In a very low voice, barely audible even to Kai) "Kai… when they speak of 'a star like yours'… could they be referring to your 'Urim and Thummim'? Or… is there something else, something we don't know? Can we… can we trust them?"
Kai closed his eyes for a moment, once again attuning himself to the subtle vibrations of the white and black stones nestled in his palm. The stones still pulsed with a gentle light, sending a strong sense of attraction towards the unfamiliar submarine before them. It wasn't a signal of danger. Rather… it felt like a profound sense of relief, mingled with a strange, exhilarating anticipation of a long-awaited encounter.
Kai: (As if having made a decision, taking Lilith's hand) "I don't know, Lilith. But we have no other options right now. And… the voice within me is whispering to trust them. At the very least, they speak a language entirely different from that of 'Babel'."
He used the 'Noah's' communication system to send a short reply. "We accept your invitation. However, if our safety is not guaranteed, we will willingly choose our final resistance in the darkness of this abyss."
After a brief pause, the serene voice emanated from the strange submarine once more. "A wise decision, travelers of the stars. And be assured. The Lux Obscura never harms innocent life. Now, follow us. We will guide you to a place where you can truly rest, and prepare for all that is to come."
2. The Abyssal Sanctuary, Secret Base of the 'Lux Obscura'
The unidentified submarine moved at a very slow, deliberate pace, navigating between colossal basalt pillars and through the scalding steam of hydrothermal vents, as if traversing the ruins of an ancient underwater city. Kai and Lilith, piloting the 'Noah' in its wake, did not let down their guard for a single moment.
How much time had passed, they couldn't tell. They finally arrived at the entrance to a vast cavern, seemingly formed naturally, near the summit of a massive undersea mountain range. The entrance was covered by a special energy shield emitting a faint blue light, and beyond it, a sight unfolded that defied all imagination.
It was the secret deep-sea base of the Lux Obscura, one that had evolved in a manner entirely different from human history for centuries, perhaps even millennia. Inside the colossal dome-shaped structure, a massive geothermal power system, seemingly drawing energy directly from the Earth's core, was in operation, alongside a perfectly established self-sufficient ecosystem that purified seawater into drinking water and produced oxygen. Here and there, research facilities and living quarters, a bizarre yet harmonious blend of ancient stone architecture and cutting-edge future technology, were situated. A very small number of people moved among them with a quiet, orderly grace. Their attire was simple yet dignified, and their eyes seemed to hold a profound wisdom, a certain sorrow, and an unyielding strength all at once.
The two submarines docked safely at a massive underwater station inside the base. As the airlock opened and they finally set foot on твёрдая земля(solid ground), Kai and Lilith unknowingly let out a deep sigh of relief. And before them stood an old man with a gentle smile, the one whose voice they had heard through the communication system, seemingly the leader of the Lux Obscura. His silver hair, almost white, was braided long down his back, and his face was etched with the deep wrinkles of countless ages of wisdom and tribulation. Yet, his blue eyes shone with the depth and clarity of the abyssal sea itself.
"We finally meet, descendants of the stars. I am Elias, Guardian of the Lux Obscura." His voice was low and gentle, yet it resonated with a profound power that seemed to pierce through worlds.
3. Ancient Wisdom, and the Hidden History of 'Babel'
Elias guided Kai and Lilith to a vast library, resembling an ancient temple, located in the deepest part of the base. There, instead of paper books, countless information crystals, inscribed with light, glittered like the stars in a night sky.
Elias: "This place, for millennia, is where we, the Lux Obscura, have preserved the history and wisdom of humankind, and… the records of our struggle against the forces of darkness. Those entities you call 'Babel,' we have known them since ancient times as the 'Shadows of the Nephilim,' or the 'Apostles of Fallen Stars'."
He slowly raised his hand and pointed towards a transparent crystal, intricately faceted with countless surfaces, that pulsed with a gentle light atop a massive obsidian pedestal in the center of the library. The crystal, as if alive, had minute particles of light swirling within it.
Elias: "This is called the 'Oculus Temporis' (Eye of Time), one of the oldest recording devices left by our ancestors. Sealed within it are the terrible truths of humanity's forgotten memories, from the primordial age of chaos when light and darkness first intermingled, to how the 'Shadows of the Nephilim' have intervened in human history and corrupted them."
As Elias gently touched the surface of the crystal, it erupted in an intense emerald brilliance and levitated into the air! And from within that light, majestic and chaotic holographic images, as if compressing millennia of time, began to fill the entire library, unfolding before them! It was no mere panoramic recording of history. Kai and Lilith held their breath, watching in stunned awe the primordial scenes unfolding before their eyes.
First Image: A primitive Earth, not yet fully formed. Stars fell from the sky, and great pillars of fire erupted from the land in an age of chaos. Amidst this, beings in human form, yet possessing vast wings, a mixture of light and shadow – the Fallen Star Apostles – descended from the heavens, teaching humans how to work metal, build ships, create musical instruments, and… how to hate and kill one another, a chilling tableau unfolding.
Second Image: Time flowed, and scenes of Mesopotamia's colossal ziggurats, Egypt's pyramids, and a mystical underwater city that might have been called Atlantis flickered past. At the center of all these super-ancient civilizations, always, were the giants, the 'Shadows of the Nephilim,' looking down upon and ruling over humans. They bestowed wondrous technologies and knowledge upon humanity, yet simultaneously, they devoured their souls and incited them to rebel against God.
Third Image: Finally, the projection shifted to a secret laboratory in the very recent past, or perhaps, even the ongoing present. There, before a machine that appeared to be an early prototype of the 'Kairos Engine,' scientists in white coats were manipulating human genes, or simulating artificial disasters with satisfied smiles. And over their shoulders, shadowy figures, chillingly familiar, resembling younger versions of Lucian Drake or Julian Adler, flickered past like ghosts.
When the holographic projection finally ceased, Kai and Lilith remained speechless for a long time.
Elias: "'The Kairos Engine'… it is the ultimate tool they have dreamed of for millennia, to perfectly control humanity and usurp the throne of God. But there is something even they do not know. Every perfect system inevitably bears the 'soul' of its creator, and within that soul, an unpredictable 'fissure' always exists. And… to find that fissure and shine a light upon it is the destiny of those, like you, who are guided by the Urim and Thummim." Kai and Lilith listened to his words, holding their breath.
Elias: "We know you must go to the Sky Ark. It is the final ark, a fortress of counterattack, prepared long ago by some of our order's visionaries, like Dr. Schulman, for this final war that was to come. But it is now almost cut off from the outside due to the solar storm, and Cerberus's surveillance network still hovers around it. We will guide you safely there. And… we will lend you our last strength so that you may sound the 'Trumpet of Judgment'." He pressed a small crystal into Kai's hand.
Elias: "This is the 'Tearful Record' left behind by Ariel Cohen, the scientist who created it, hidden within the initial schematics of the 'Kairos Engine.' Within it, perhaps, lies the decisive clue you are searching for. Please… use this wisdom wisely."
New Hope, and the Final Journey to the Sky Ark
During their few days at the secret base of the Lux Obscura, Kai and Lilith gained not only new information but also a profound courage and hope, incomparable to anything they had felt before. They were no longer solitary warriors.
Finally, the time came for them to depart. The Lux Obscura provided Kai with their most advanced stealth submersion technology and a secret route that could pass through the weakest points of the solar magnetic storm.
Elias clasped their shoulders as they were leaving, offering his final words.
"Travelers of the stars, your journey now heads towards its darkest and most perilous passage. But remember. Only in the deepest darkness can one see the brightest starlight. Please… do not lose the light within you."
Kai and Lilith bid their final farewells to Elias and the people of Lux Obscura. Then, they boarded the 'Argo,' another small stealth submersible, crafted with ancient technology, specially prepared for them, a secret passage that led towards the heavens.