The camp was just a few kilometres; the fast flowing water that was hindering the canoes was unnoticed by the hovercraft passing over all obstructions, leaving no wake. The few Caymans that were on the surface had a rush of air as the black and yellow beast passed directly over their heads, leaving them confused but unharmed. Teddy slowed as he approached the camp, leaving the river for an area that had been cleared of debris, a fifty-metre hole in the jungle, large enough for the generators, solar cells and one large striped hovercraft. He slid her along, the craft going sideways rather than turning directly, a floating ballerina. He set her down on the timber logs and shutdown the engine. ‘Everyone out, last stop!’ Laurent did not get the joke, but Jacob did ‘thank you driver!’
The camp was quiet, middle of the day, heat and humidity slowing everyone down. Jacob crossed over the inclined ramp to the main area a few metres above the water. He was just getting his bearings when he heard his voice called out, it was Katherine. ‘Jacob! Jacob! So great for you to be here!’
Jacob was quite taken aback and Andy Huang who was behind him was even more amazed at the young woman. He introduced Katherine to Andy, and explained about her being brought up like an adopted daughter, sort of, Andy appeared less confused by her greeting afterwards.
Katherine then proceeded to hug Kevin with just as much enthusiasm, ‘Okay Kath, Okay, I missed you too, come on you are spoiling my image!’
‘What image, you are still my little brother!’
Andy was even more surprised, ‘This is your sister, but she is h… nothing like you?’
Katherine took them into the dining hall and announced them all, introducing all of them to anyone she could find, her ever-present positivity filling the room.
After the room had cleared, Jacob asked some key personnel to stay including Evelyn, Michael, Katherine, Andy, Kevin and of course Laurent. ‘I have some updates on what you have found, and what we have discovered in Canada.’
Jacob’s laptop had been connected to a projector and some rugs had been taped over the few windows in the room to block the afternoon sun. Jacob showed the group what they had found in Canada, the ship scans showing the similarity in the structure of the ship there and the one in Ecuador. The wooden boxes found in both Captain’s cabins, identical dimensions, but different symbols and contents.
‘Now this is where things differ between the digs. The crew in Canada died of starvation or exposure and left notes on bidding farewell to their families, but no indication we could find of their mission. We have passed their messages on to the Chinese authorities.’
Jacob continued showing the pictures of finds in Ecuador and thanking Laurent for his contribution, which he of course accepted. ‘Now we have seen mention of two areas of interest, the first is the Bow of Yi, mentioned in the Legend of the Ten suns, the second is the five elements, which we are all familiar with.’
Laurent interrupted, ‘this legend of the suns and Bow of Yi is linked how?’
‘The parchment in the Canada ship mentioned that they were carrying one of the keys to the Bow of Yi. The Legend of the Ten Suns is that the Goddess Xihe would lead her children, the ten suns to the Valley of Light in the East. There she would wash her children in the lake and put them in the branches of an enormous Mulberry tree called Fusang. From the tree, one sun would be allowed to move into the sky for a journey of one day to reach Mount Yen-Tzu in the Far West. But the ten suns grew tired of this routine and decided to all appear in the sky together, the combined heat made life on Earth unbearable. To prevent the destruction of the Earth, Emperor Yao asked Di Jun, the father of the ten suns, to persuade his children to appear one at a time. The children did not listen to him, so Di Jun sent the archer Yi, armed with a magic bow and ten arrows to frighten the disobedient children. However, Yi shot and killed nine of the suns leaving only the sun we see in the sky today. Di Jun was so angry for the death of his nine children he condemned Yi to live as an ordinary mortal on Earth.’
Everyone was silent, not all seeing the connection between the artefacts and the legend, Jacob continued.
‘Look the legend may not be real, but the Chinese believed they had found the keys for the Bow of Yi, as you know many legends are based around fact, and the symbols for the elements are the key indicators.’
‘Jacob there is a lot of conjecture here, you have no proof on what the Chinese did or did not find here?’
‘No Christophe I do not, but there are five elements and we have found reference to only four of them, the element water is missing.’
‘And how is that significant?’
‘Water is associated with death in the Chinese elements.’
‘So you think there are five artefacts like the one we have found here.’
‘No there are four artefacts and we have found three of them.’ Jacob opened his bag and removed the iceberg ships artefact, wrapped in its silk sheath, the crystal catching the projectors light.
‘This has some unusual properties, we have done tests on the crystal, and had unique results.’
‘Like what?’
‘We had a small necklace, and the crystal in the centre stored enough light energy to wipe out my small lab.’
‘What it exploded?’
‘No, it absorbed the energy, and then when it became overloaded, discharged all the energy in a few seconds.’
‘So it is a weapon?’
‘Unknown, but I suspect the Chinese realised the properties of this crystal.’
‘And if this is the second amulet, where is the third?’
‘You found it in Peru, look here.’ The projector behind brought up the image of the black five-pronged artefact stolen from the museum.
‘It appears nothing like the others, are you sure the glyphs match?’
‘We need to find out what connects them, and where the Chinese were taking them too?’
‘That is easy Jacob they were taking them as prizes for the Emperor!’
‘No Christophe, you have learnt nothing about the Chinese explorer’s way, you are thinking like a European. The Chinese treasure fleets were interested in trade, not invasion, they wanted allies to pay tribute to the Emperor, not conquer.’
‘So why take them?’
‘I don’t know, but I believe the answer is here.’
‘You think it is to do with this Bow of Yi?’
Jacob paused, ‘Perhaps, we need to examine the parchment and whatever else is in the hull of that ship.’
Jacob finished his brief, and had Christophe assign tasks, so as not to undermine his authority, then moved off to the latrines. He was just checking for any unwelcome spiders when a quiet voice surprised him. ‘Mr Mathias I need to talk with you.’
Jacob turned to see a middle-aged man in camouflage standing six feet behind him, unarmed but suspicious.
‘There is no need to call out Jacob, I mean you no harm, but we must discuss the amulets.’
Jacob was surprised ‘The amulets?’ do you mean the artefacts we have found here?’
‘Yes you have one in your bag and the one found here on the ship, we have been looking for them for many years.’
‘Who has been looking, you said we, we who?’
‘I am sorry my name is Osvaldo Rodrigo Moreno Borboa, I am the leader of La gente de la luz azul.’
‘The Blue light people?’
‘I see your Spanish is acceptable Mr Mathias, you need to come with me.’
‘That does not sound like a request?’
‘It is, but I suspect your curiosity will persuade you?’