ARCANA Chapter 17 by William James Johnson

Koster and the others were astounded by the incredible adventures of John and his small team. They had no idea such terrifying possibilities existed on the outer reaches of their paradise.

"What you have gone through is the result of man's behaviour on earth," said David.

"This is the kind of hell you will find if you continue with your plans to return. Change your minds and stay with us. Worship IAM and share in his bountiful blessings."

"It's too late to change, " said John. "If what you say about earth is true, that's even more reason we must bring man this truth, no matter what may happen to us."

Koster preferred to hear it from the others. "And you all feel like John?...you, Sandra, André...and, Tuma, you too?"

"Mr. President, eternity in the pool of light has got to be the cruelest truth man has to face if he rejects his God," said André, as sincere about his commitment as John. "It is our duty as fellow creatures to return to earth and tell man what he faces."

"I feel the same way," said Sandra. "I'm going back for two reasons. The first is that I love John, and I want to be with him, no matter what happens. And the second reason is I love IAM, and I feel I can best show my love for my Creator by doing whatever I can to bring his message of love to all men. The world must be told about Arcana. This holy secret is its last chance for redemption."

"What kind of platitudinous pap is that? Are you all crazy? Did that hot tar sear your sensibilities? You, Tuma...you feel the same way as they do?"

"Tuma go with his friends."

Koster had been very dispassionate before this, but now, seeing their determination, he had to use all of his years of training as a behaviourist to convince these earthlings to reconsider.

"All of man's millions of years of conditioning has been to foster a more successful formula for living in harmony with his environment, but our earth has been so violently abused in recent times by man's selfish pursuits that it has truly become hell. It is beyond saving, don't you realize that? If you go back, you will all be destroyed. I beg you, remain in the Domain and enjoy for all eternity this blissful existence."

"David, please...obviously somehow you have become a true Monad," said John. "We understand what it is you're saying. But you must realize we are still earthlings. Bad as it is, earth is still our home. It will never get better if we turn away from our duty to try and save it. Sandra is right. We must share Arcana with all men."

Koster sighed deeply, indicating he was satisfied he had done his best to save them. He knew even IAM would not go against their free choice.

"If you're so sure that's what you wish to do, then I'll help you any way I can."

John was relieved that their small conflict had been resolved. "Thank you, David. What we need is help in constructing a balloon to take us over the Warbies."

"Why a balloon?"

"The ancient man told us that was the only way."

"But he is the master deceiver. If he told you to build a balloon, he has a plan to use this against you. I suggest you use the AGC instead. It will get you beyond the Warbies."

John felt Koster was still trying to interfere with their plan to return. "But we went through all that torment to find out how to get out of the Domain. We can't risk going against the advice of the ancient man. After all, he is the Lord Photar."

"The lord of Darkness is more like it. I wouldn't believe anything he says. Mark my words, this evil creature is a scheming monster. If he said use a balloon, he has his reasons."

John Robins was becoming very impatient with Koster's apparent meddling. The others did not wish to interfere in this exchange. If anything, they felt they should go with the plan given them by the ancient man.

"You're not making this very easy for me, David. I think we'd all do better if you just backed off and let us get on with our work." He tried to be as tactful as his earth temperament would permit.

"But I only..."

"I said back off...now let's get Mehnra. Hopefully he will get us what we need for our journey."

Many weeks in earth time passed while they fashioned the huge hot air balloon which would get them over the perverse Warbies. Little did they realize that the U.S. had gone through another election, and that the new head of the Koster regime in America was President Gerald Thorpe. He had done what Koster had threatened to do, and the world was now the inheritor of another of man's horrendous weapon, the neutron bomb.

In the first year of his administration, he had witnessed what Koster had hoped to see, the use of this indescribable energy released on the small population of Rocas. With pride, President Thorpe announced to the world that all creatures, large and small, man included, had been devastated by the new weapon, but thankfully, the land could be occupied immediately after the bombing because there was no residual radiation. This was truly, in his opinion, the weapon to end all wars.

The narcotic situation in America had worsened. The program of state control administration of the distribution of drugs was not able to cope with the increasing dependency for chemical release from the hellish conditions of totalitarianism which had become entrenched since the behaviourists had taken power.

One of the main federal occupations was the construction of more and more penal institutions, and the land of the free had developed, in the interior of its great country, a massive system of prairie Gulags.

The most incorrigible offenders, who had tried to bring the government down in their attempt to get control of the narcotic traffic, were given heavier penalties. Marched overland to the west coast, then along the Alaskan highway, they were forced north to spend years at hard labour in this Arctic clime. Thorpe justified it as a way of opening up this region.

The frustration experienced by Thorpe, as he ordered more and more stringent controls to be applied to his fellow Americans, made him wish he could go back in time to the innocent days of Watergate when the most serious crime was a diffident President trying to get information on his competitor in a coming election. And the sin of all sin, the man was trapped by his own tape recording of the events because he wanted to be remembered in history.

Third world countries were finally getting their share of the good things of life. They had become very expert in the production of cocaine and heroin, and had even gotten into the so called designer drugs which now passed freely between nations.

The leaders of these small countries gave their poor, houses and untainted water in exchange for growing the raw material for drug manufacture high in the hills of the central and south American mountain ranges.

Information of this changing world had been kept from the earthlings, but Koster had tried to give them as strong a warning as he could. No matter what he would say, he knew they would return to earth.

In the pleasant glow of the greenish light of the Domain, several Monads and the former members of the Nobile crew came to the launching of the balloon which John had named "Liberty." The speeches were brief and the embracing even shorter, as the four earthlings were helped into the basket which had ballast bags hanging from the sides. Monads held the anchor ropes and when John gave the signal, released them and the balloon rose slowly over the waving throng.

Riding in a balloon is a completely different experience than one might think. The balloon feels as though it is remaining still, and the ground is moving away from you. It is a contradictory sort of event. The ease of movement is pleasant, almost ethereal, combined with the instinctive inner feeling that the airy vehicle has a mind of its own and you as passenger, are captive inside the wicker basket.

The launch of the Liberty had to be delayed until the prevailing winds would take it in the direction of the Warbies. The terrain of the Domain moved under their light craft at about ten knots. At this rate, from what Stellar had told them, they would be on this heading for about two days earth time.

It was agreed that there would always be at least one person on watch while the others sitting, or lying on the bottom of the crew basket would relax waiting their turn to look out for the smoke from the Warbie fires. Tuma, his arms resting on the top edge of the basket, smiled as he scanned the horizon looking for any signs of activity.

John noticed the joyous expression on his face.

"What are you so happy about?"

"Tuma soon be back with mother Aegerta and my beautiful girl Meelanie."

"I can't believe it. If I didn't know better, I'd say you blushed then, Tuma."

"Don't pick on the boy," said Sandra, giving John a friendly poke on the arm.

"I'm not picking on him. I think it's great. We all have something to go back to...even Tuma."

The huge gas bag above them was refilled occasionally as they felt themselves lose altitude when the outside air became colder. Each of the crew wore a Monad temperature suit, thus giving them the maximum in protection from the elements, plus the personal comfort of being maintained at about 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

André Goulet was keeping a record of the outside temperature and the pressure on the gas bag. The Liberty was not equipped with any sophisticated scientific instrumentation. It was merely the simplest way of flying over the Warbies as was recommended by Photar.

Below them, the crew noticed that the sun domes were no longer present. The vegetation became more sparse as they headed outwards. Occasionally they saw muskox-type animals running through the small clumps of brush which formed the only relief to be seen on this barren landscape.

As the sky became greyer and the distant green light of the interior sun became obscured by the presence of airy sediment, they all noticed that the darkness brought with it the odour of burning organisms.

"Not again...do you smell that gawd awful stench?"

André coughed before replying."Must be those fires Photar spoke of." With this, he saw in the distance, an orangey red, breaking up the darkness on the horizon.

"There...over there. See that?"

"That's it. That must be the fire of the Warbies," said John. "What do you think, André? Shall we take the Liberty up higher?"

"I would if I were you. No sense taking any unnecessary chances."

The wind had increased since the darkness fell and the small basket moved briskly towards the distant fires. As John turned the valve to permit more flame to enter the balloon opening, it sputtered as though the gas jet was plugged with something.

"Did you hear that, André?"

"Sounds like some dirt has gotten into the opening. Maybe it will burn itself out."

Sandra could sense the men were disturbed by something. "What is it, John? Something wrong?"

"Nothing serious. Seems there may be a bit of dirt in the gas jet. Should burn out by itself. Nothing to worry about."

She wasn't convinced by his explanation. Her closeness to him was almost telepathic. She knew when he was telling the truth or trying to cover up.

"Shouldn't we fix it before it's too late?"

"Like how? What do you want me to do?"

"Maybe we should go back down before we get to the Warbies and clean it. Something like that."

André could tell she was really concerned. "Sandra, we might be able to fix it here, in the air, without returning to land. John, Tuma and I will lift you on our shoulders, and then you take this fine wire and push it in and out of the opening. I think that'll fix it."

"Okay, if you think it's really necessary, " said John.

The two men bent down and John got on to their shoulders. Struggling, they got back on to their feet with the help of Sandra and John was able to reach the gas jet. The end of it was still hot.

"Be careful you don't burn yourself, mon ami," cautioned André.

John worked the thin wire into the jet and moved it back and forth. Small specks flew out of the opening as he got back down from their shoulders.

"Try it now."

It burned cleanly and the crew felt pleased with themselves, particularly Sandra, because she was certain nothing would have been done until it was too late.

"Who's turn is it on watch?" asked John.

"It's my turn, " said André."Get some sleep while you can."

This was the first time since they had arrived in the Domain that anyone had even mentioned sleep. It gave them their first real sense that they were heading home. Sandra nestled comfortably against John and closed her eyes. Tuma remained standing with his friend André, speaking in a low voice in order not to disturb the others.

Soon, if the winds prevailed, they would be past the threat of the Warbies, and they could begin searching for the blood red river that flows into the fjord in the Arctic.

By the time John and Sandra took their turn on watch, the atmosphere had become heavy with the choking fumes and smoke from numerous Warbie fires. Even though they could scarcely make out the details of the flaming pits below them, they had a vivid picture, placed in their imaginations by Photar, of tortured creatures being ravaged and then being consumed by their rapists after being roasted. Knowing what was going on below them sent the adrenalin coursing through their veins making them super alert while at the same time rapidly depleting their energies.

In the distance they could see the end of the Warbie region and the start of the razor sharp jagged rocks Stellar had described. John was sure they were going to make it and was pleased now he had gone with the advice of Photar, rather than Koster, choosing the balloon, instead of an AGC.

"Not much longer. See how the ground lightens up over there?" He pointed to the distant horizon which had the glow of earth light behind it.

"Once we reach the razor rocks we'll only have the physical environment to worry about, and with Liberty, we won't even have to risk getting cut."

"Thank God we didn't have to get involved with those horrible Warbies. I can hardly believe what Photar said about them."

"Like I said, not much longer."

"Koster seemed so sure Photar was trying to trick us."

"What does Koster know? He didn't go through what we did. Photar tested us and we made it. That's why he helped us, " said John, convinced they had an ally in the Prince of Light, as he called himself.

"I hope you're right."

"You know I'm right. Besides Stellar gave me the laser cone in case we need it. Don't worry, Sandra, we're going to make it."

The tension which had been increasing ever since they saw the first stream of smoke rising from a Warbie fire pit, began to ease as they got closer and closer to the boundary. Their fear was gradually being replaced by a sense of accomplishment, even though there were still Warbies below them.

"You've got to hand it to Photar. He sure knows how to get inside your head with his terrible descriptions."

"I can't imagine what it would be like to be captured by those beasts, " said Sandra.
"Apparently they make no distinction between the sexes.

Stellar told me that the Warbies are hermaphroditic. They'll jump anything and everything."

André joined in the discussion. "The way I heard it, these beasts will push their organs into any opening available and in some situations, have been known to make new openings."

"Sounds like some of the creeps that have come out of our so called sexual revolution," said John cynically.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sandra.

"You know what I mean. Whoever called them queers in the first place should've been given a medal."

"I'm surprised you sound so antagonistic, mon ami. Homosexuality has been a part of our world from the beginning."

"Not a part of my world. In Nam, we got rid of the fags. No one wants to find his rear being covered by some goddamn fruit. Then we got back to the good old US and found someone had opened all the so called closets in the country, and suddenly we had faggots trying to convince everyone that ten percent of our population preferred getting it on with their own sex. Well I for one don't buy that crap."

"Then why get so uptight?" asked Sandra.

"Because it was the homos and the women libbers who screwed up our country."

"Now wait a minute. Just like that, you're going to put us all in the same bag?"

"She's right, John. You must be reasonable. You can't just link these two things together."

"Why not? If women had stayed home and worked at being wives and mothers, there wouldn't be so many mixed up kids joining cults, doing anything for drugs and getting screwed by fags. Mehnra was right. As long as man is concerned only about himself, we will continue to live in Hell."

"But IAM gave man free will. If man chooses to express himself sexually in a different way, who are we to interfere."

"No way. Remember what Stellar said, 'Truth is nature, and nature is Truth'. Sex with your own sex is not truth."

"And who will be the judge of that?" asked André.

"I'm not pretending to be a judge. But I know one thing for sure. If God wanted man to put his dink into a septic tank, he would not have permitted AIDS. I guess that's His way of saying to man 'enough already'".

André tried to change the tack of their discussion.

"Did you ever think, Sandra, there may be another explanation for this change in sexual mores?"

"In what way ?"

"The overpopulation of the world may result eventually in humans adopting alternative ways to satisfy their sexual drives without adding to the risk of procreation."

"That's a copout André", said John. "It's that kind of reasoning which has screwed up the world so much. A guy like yourself, a doctor, says something like that, and, next thing you know, you got a bunch of pansies who use your credibility as an excuse to go around seducing innocent young boys."

"More children are molested or abused by heterosexuals than by gays. How do you account for that?" asked André'.

"The world has become a sewer and whoever can tread water the longest will survive. Just because there are so many sickies who take it out on kids doesn't make perversion, willingly practised, any more acceptable. But I have to agree. There are more heterosexual abuses. Using the gays' figures, there are nine times as many of us. I'm not saying we're all perfect. You can't make perversion acceptable just because you get large numbers of perverts to march with banners demanding acceptance by the straight world."

"You are too biased to consider any scientific reasons."

"Mark my words. God has used plagues in the past when man disobeyed his truth, and AIDS is the plague of our generation."

This statement made them all remember the virus which was spreading throughout the world because of homosexual promiscuity.

"If you want to reduce populations," said John, "let them keep on banging their own kind, and eventually there won't be any of them left."

"I can't believe you would make such outlandish generalizations," said André. "Do you realize that the centre for the AIDS virus in the whole world is your own infamous New York city, and the major carrier of the disease and its transference to others is the intravenous drug user. Sharing needles is a part of the ritual of the drug cult, and even though addicts know the risk involved in this sharing, it still goes on today. I wish you were more open minded about the changes taking place in the world."

"Being more tolerant is what has got us into this mess. You're from France. You weren't in my country when President Koster told us that the time had come to reclaim our values for the majority. He had the guts to say we were locked into a willingness to be dictated to by the vocal minority who are more apt to make political points with their demands for more freedom. We got our country back into shape by his courageous action to put the Bill of Rights on hold until the nation could distinguish between freedom and license."

"And your country has become subjugated by one of the most heinous political systems since the mid-thirties in Europe."

As their conversation continued, they did not notice the dark form flying towards them from out of the Warbie smoke. Tuma, scanning the horizon, saw the speck become a large bird heading right for them.

"Quick, John! Look at that huge bird."

They all looked back and saw the dark grey hulk, like a monster vulture much larger than the one they had encountered on the isle of Photar, darting dangerously close to their balloon. John prepared his laser and watched the huge bird make a large circle above them.

"Take care, John, that you don't hit the gas bag if you must fire the laser," said André.

The bird went higher and higher until it was only a tiny speck in the murky air above the balloon. John looked over the side of the crew basket and was relieved to see they had just passed over the boundary of the Warbies.

"Thank God that's over. At least that's one thing we won't have to worry about."

The small black dot came hurtling towards the canopy of their balloon increasing in size and speed as it dove at the fabric which kept them airborne. The flying ogre changed course just enough to rend a great tear in the gas bag before pulling up and away from them. John fired the brilliant ruby beam of the laser and lit up the sky, but missed the destructive beast that had attacked them.

The balloon began to plummet towards the ground. André furiously tried to reinflate the bag by turning the jet full on, but the output valve was clogged again and the crew clung to the basket, bracing themselves for the crashing impact that was moments away.

Like a failed parachute, the huge bag above them slowed the descent, but the crash was still formidable, shattering the base of the basket and enveloping the terrified crew in burning fabric. John and Sandra cleared the wreckage first and then Tuma followed, dragging André from the orangey flames that shot upwards like a railway flare.

As they worked together to clear the crash, they did not notice that coming in on all sides were the grotesque Warbies they had feared so much when they were hundreds of feet in the air. The rancid smell of their corruption and the drooling spittle which coated their fur in anticipation of an orgy would have petrified the earthlings if they were not so intent on rescuing whatever equipment remained in the destroyed balloon.

And hovering overhead, flying in ever narrowing circles was the same black beast which had attacked them. Swooping suddenly out of the fiery sky, the huge vulture smashed its powerful wings against the hairy Warbies with such force that several of them were crushed into the razor rocks bordering the impact point of the balloon.

Bleeding from the slashes of its devastating beak, wounded monsters were easy prey to those Warbies who pressed forward to join the orgy. Dragging the dying and near dead into the flaming remains of the "Liberty", they danced wildly around the roasting bodies, screaming the curses of the damned.

Glistening in the light of the burning wreckage of the balloon, the accumulated slime on the groins of the Warbies terrified the huddled earthlings. The putrid stench of the monsters' matted hair scorched their nostrils. Rigid with fear, they helplessly waited, as the advancing circle of beasts tightened around them. Tuma protected the dead body of his friend André, willing to die in this last gesture of love. Indiscriminately John fired his laser cone, and as the Warbies fell under the blast of his weapon, other beasts pounced upon their wounded kind and raped their screaming victims.

From out of the pack of licentious beasts came a mammoth like creature, his sexual organ thrust forward like a single elephant's tusk with a slight curve in the end. Grasping it with both paws he charged towards Sandra intent on plunging into her wherever he first made contact.

Dropping out of the sky, the giant vulture smashed into this immense monster with a crashing sound, ripping it asunder. This grotesque massacre rivetted the other Warbies who, almost magically, stopped in the midst of their orgasmic ritual. The great bird knocked the huge Warbie to the ground with several lethal blows from its powerful wings, its razor sharp beak shredding the furry mass...In a loud voice which terrified the vulnerable earthlings, the giant bird shouted, "The woman is mine!"

Instantly John and Sandra recognized the giant form of Photar, the Lord of Light.

"Lord Photar!" screamed John, more out of surprise than fear.

"It is I. I have come to collect my payment."

"What payment...I don't understand."
"The woman. I've gotten you out of the Domain, and soon you will be back on earth. So I have come for the woman."

Horrified by his words, Sandra pleaded, "No John...don't let him touch me. Please, Lord Photar, let me go. I beg you." The Prince of Light thrilled at the helplessness of his victim.

"When I have had my pleasure with you, woman, I'll give you to the Warbies." He roared with delight as he felt her trembling in his mighty grip.

"No, Photar. You mustn't. You promised to help us. Please let her go."

"Promised...ha, ha, ha. The fool says I promised. You must know by now my promise is worthless."

"But you did. It was you who told us to use the balloon. It was your advice, ancient man, that got us here".

"The time has come, woman, for you to pay for the death of your friend Henley."

"But that was an accident...I didn't want him to die."

"You wanted him out of the way so you could take your pleasure with this one. Everything has its price."

"Please Photar...take me instead," begged John.

"I have no quarrel with you. It's this scheming bitch who must pay."

"Oh John...I'm terrified. Do something...Please help me."

"Enough said, woman."

Seizing Sandra he pulled her against him and forced open her tender limbs with his muscular legs.

"Open your thighs, bitch. I want to feel the softness that hides within."

She tried desperately to tear away from Photar's vice like grip which was choking the life out of her as he pushed her forward in front of him and tearing her Monad body stocking as he plunged his erection into the full roundness of her voluptuous bottom. He thrust upwards with his mighty organ as the automatic squeezing of her body brought on by her death spasms intensified his lust.

"Oh...oh source of all pleasure. Woman you are truly the devil's companion. It is no wonder you are master over man."

John was out of his mind in his attempts to stop the rape of his lover. He fired his laser directly at Photar, but the sparks fell off his sweaty body and added to the visual pleasure of the Warbies who were getting off on this orgasmic spectacle.

"Idiot. Do you not know that Photar is the lord of Light. I am the origin of the energy you waste on me. Save it for the beasts. You may need it yourself."

"Sandra...I can't do anything to help you...oh Sandra."

Her screams ended when the evil one penetrated deep inside her, tearing the walls of her womb. At last she was free from the tormenting fears of this abominable creation. Her soul returned to IAM.

Photar began to laugh hysterically as he ridiculed the desperate earthlings. Grabbing Sandra's body stocking, he began to rip it into shreds, revealing the pliant nakedness of this beautiful woman. Seizing her breasts, he began to lift her up and down on his erect penis like some life size vinyl doll until with a resounding gasp, he flooded her with his seed which ran down her lifeless thighs. Pulling her off his now receding tumescence, he hurled her ravaged body among the salivating Warbies. Loud screeching rose from the monsters. That was the last John or Tuma ever saw of Sandra. The stench of the attacking Warbies shocked John back into consciousness.

"Go, now, earth man. You and the boy. The other one is dead. Go now, before I change my mind."

John was in a state of shock. Grabbing Tuma by the arm he tugged him into the razor rocks, and the two fled into the sandy coloured shards, falling as they went, experiencing the knife like cuts they had been told about by Stellar.

In the distance they saw the steep cliffs of the fjord, and running between the cliffs was the blood red river which would lead them home.

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