Sea of Secrets Anthology Read online

  Sea of Secrets

  A Dragon Soul Press Anthology

  Edited by J.E. Feldman

  Copyright © 2019 by Dragon Soul Press

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under the international and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Editing & Formatting by Dragon Soul Press

  Cover Art by Vanesa Garkova

  Contents

  A.M. Cummins

  Stephen Herczeg

  Antonio Gonzalez-Rodriguez

  Melinda Kucsera

  Winter Lawrence

  Sofi Laporte

  Zoey Xolton

  Vonnie Winslow Crist

  Archit Joshi

  Jo Seysener

  Meg Boepple

  A.R. Johnston

  V.P. Allasander

  Layne Calry

  Aditya Deshmukh

  Kathryn St. John

  D.S. Durden

  Galina Trefil

  About the Publisher

  A.M. Cummins

  Biography

  A.M. Cummins is a fantasy author, graphic designer, and a self-proclaimed organizational freak living in Toledo, Ohio with her husband, son, and two spoiled cats named Indiana Jones and Dollface. When not working her day job, she enjoys making characters come to life in her yoga paints and messy bun while munching on an egg roll and sipping bubble lemonade.

  She adores hearing from her fans! Contact her through her website!

  Eye of Hedad

  A.M. Cummins

  “Stop!” Todd yelled over the loud shrieks of wind. Unsure if his voice could be heard over the winter storm, he stalked to the front and waved his hands in the air to get his teammate’s attention. A large black box hung from a red canvas strap around his neck. Once he noticed the eyes of his partner looking at him, he whipped his gaze back down to the monitor. The view from his goggles was questionable at best. With both hands, he grabbed the screen and lifted it up closer to his face for a better view.

  Hugh paused from dragging the heavy ground penetrating radar equipment behind him. A cloth bag stuffed with orange flags bounced on his right hip at the sudden stop. He reached in to pull one out, but they were tangled, causing him to curse under his breath. He looked to his right at the dozens of flags already waiting for further investigation and shook his head before returning his focus to the mess.

  “Is this a good one?” Hugh bellowed out. His strong voice sounded clear even through the layers of scarves covering his mouth.

  Todd chuckled at the man who struggled with the sack at his side and recognized some words his father used when changing a tire.

  The ancient ruins of massive stone steps leading to an abandoned city of giants loomed to the left of Todd. A shutter slipped down his spine when he thought of how large the people had to have been to live here. Standing at six foot two inches it took four strides before he reached the next step. Making him feel small was a large feat, but everything about this place had done so. The frigid temperature dropped quickly, and the blowing snow caused dangerous drifts. They would need to head back to the tent soon for a cup of Joe and dry clothes.

  He nodded his head before returning his eyes to the monitor. Todd took a few steps in the direction of the ground equipment. His boots crunched in the snow and googles were fogged under his heavy breathing, hiding the view of his eyes.

  “You don’t understand. There’s a huge cavern under our feet and with the data coming back, something enormous is down there.” Leaning forward, he shoved the screen in Hugh’s face.

  “Did we finally find giant bones?” Hugh asked. Despite his salt and peppered beard being frozen, a smile crossed his mouth – a painful one judging by his wince.

  Todd shook his head and pulled the black box back with his thickly-gloved hands. “Whatever is under there looks to be alive. We should head back to base camp to share the data and get better equipment to really look into this.”

  “…and to warm up, you mean,” his partner added.

  Eight yellow flags were stuck in the ground near the radar before the two retreated in the blizzard-like conditions back to the orange tent.

  The heat from the wood stove hit them in the face upon entering the canvas shelter. Jeffery sat in a folding chair on the left, fiddling with their communication signal. He didn’t look up at the two frozen men returning from the cold but pulled a wool blanket closer around his shoulders at the sudden introduction of cold air.

  “We got something,” Todd called out, his voice cracking with excitement. He hurried to Jeffery’s side, connecting the black box to a computer.

  “Yeah,” Hugh scoffed as he parked the sled at the front near the flaps. “Brainiac here thinks there’s a living giant hiding in a cave underground.” As he removed layers of clothing, he laughed at the thought.

  “I never said that.” Todd rolled his eyes then refocused his attention to the computer. With a couple keystrokes, radar images were flashing on the monitor. He pulled the other folding chair over from the eating table and tossed his wet coat and gloves to the ground next to him.

  Leaning over the table, Jeffery looked at the pictures he pointed at. “He gets grumpy when he’s cold. Don’t pay him any attention. What did you find?”

  “He’s not all wrong. I do think there is something alive under there,” Todd whispered. “Look at these images. They are taken of the same spot, but do you see the bump changes to different areas.” The winter hat and googles on his head were removed and thick black-framed glasses replaced them on his face. With his elbow resting on the table, he covered his mouth with his hand and squinted at the pictures like he always did when he was deep in thought.

  “So, you don’t think it’s a giant?” Jeffery teased. They both turned to see Hugh sitting on his bed near the stove. Several blankets wrapped around him.

  With a chuckle, Todd cocked his head. “As much as I would love it to be, no, it’s not a giant.”

  The thunderous sound of the wind filled the shelter again as the flaps were opened once more. A tall figure walked in, securing the entrance shut behind him. He shook the snow off of his clothing before unzipping his coat.

  “Lord help me! Whose idea was it to come here in the middle of a storm? I don’t care what God answers my prayers at this point, but I need to get back to civilization where I don’t have to don such heaviness just to travel in a snow storm to another tent to use the facilities.” Bill hung his coat up to dry on the hook above the ground radar equipment. Even though the tent was large, fitting four men and all their equipment inside left little room for comfort.

  “Bill, come look at what Todd found.” Jeffery motioned with his hand.

  “Right, because Todd pulled the heavy ass sled and monitored the readings all by himself,” Hugh grumbled as he took off his thick socks to exchange them for dry ones.

  Todd shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. “WE found a large cavern just right of the steps to the city. There could be something down there alive or otherwise, according to the radar pictures. We need a game plan on how to approach this.”

  “Our equipment options are limited,” Bill replied. “I say we go in blas
ting!” With his hand on the small white table, he slouched closer to the computer monitor, peering over the evidence.

  “Wow, wow, wow,” Hugh said, finally on his feet and joining the other men. “We’ve been sanctioned to take pictures of the city and recover any artifacts we can find outside the grounds to support our claim that giants used to live among humans.” Water dripped from his beard onto the floor. “We got the pictures of the Eye of Haded. Are you all willing to risk destroying history for curiosity?”

  “We have permission to excavate outside the city. This is outside the city. Obviously, we’ll be careful. But what if this is it? The proof we’ve been searching for.” Todd paused to look Hugh in the eye. “Are you willing to risk walking away from our life dream? We have the proof there is a cave with something in it.” His fingers taped the screen. “We are very justified to see what it is.”

  “I agree,” Hugh argued back. “But we need to do this the right way AND with the right equipment. If you go in there blasting, you could ruin the very evidence we’ve been searching for. I say we call for the plane to pick us up, schedule for an excavator to be delivered by a boat here, and return when the weather permits.”

  “What you’re talking about could take decades to accomplish. We are here now. What if there is a giant living in a cave below ground? I’m not saying there is, but what if? He might not be here when we come back.” Wrinkles appeared on Todd’s forehead. “If we find something or someone, you bet your ass I’m telling them you tried to talk us out of investigating. You know, the whole reason why we are here.”

  Hugh opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it before uttering a word. A look of anger and disappointment crossed his face. He returned to his seat on the bed near the heat of the wood stove.

  The next morning Todd, Jeffery, and Bill returned to the site. It was a group decision to leave Hugh at base camp to keep the fires going. The wind blew so aggressively the night before, several of the flags were buried under snow drifts. But not the drift that counted. As Todd took a few steps to retrieve the marker, his boots sloshed in mud under the snow. It was odd, he thought, since the rest of the ground seemed frozen solid. It must be because of the cave below. Possibly a hot spring? With a shovel, he made quick work of removing the snow so Bill could set up the small explosion.

  Another snow storm moved in as they worked, but the team was determined to see this through. Within a half an hour, they were huddled together about a hundred feet from the area, ready to set off the blast.

  “Three, two, one,” Bill counted before pushing the button.

  A loud boom reverberated through the air and large chunks of dirt and debris erupted out of the now small hole. The ground trembled, knocking all three men from their feet.

  “Is everyone alright?” Todd asked as he scrambled back up. He reached out his hand to Jeffery, offering him assistance from the ground.

  The blustery wind had stopped blowing and the air around the men warmed dramatically. Todd thought about removing a layer of clothing to cool his now sweating body. Rock cracked underneath them, shaking the ground once more. But this time, they all remained standing with their knees bent. The men rushed to the new hole they created, peering down. Snow turned to wet slosh under foot. The blast went down far enough to the large cavern full of steaming water. As the snow melted, a rush of water could be heard pouring into the gap. A large scaly tail whipped across the small opening and the ground rocked again.

  “What’s happening?” Jefferey asked. His eyebrows furrowed. “And what the hell was that?”

  The sky above darkened to a deep shade of gray. Thunder boomed so loudly the group covered their ears. Todd pushed his body closer to the other two men only to realize his body trembled. A blue flash of lightning struck the earth at the top of the giant steps. He jumped back in surprise.

  Jeffery ran in the direction of the tent. “Run,” he called over his shoulder. Another set of footsteps sinking into the fresh mud sounded in Todd’s ear.

  His mind screamed for him to run, to escape, but his feet were frozen in place.

  More lightning rained down from the heavens. With every flash, it fell closer and closer to the ground. If his body wasn’t in such a panic, Todd realized he would have been impressed with the display. Shielding his eyes from the brightness, he dared himself to look at the source. Afterall, if he was too cowardly to run for his life, he could at least face his doom head on.

  A giant of a man landed at the top of the city stairs, bending at the knee to brace himself for the impact. He stood at least ten-foot-tall and had strong shoulders. With a curly, reddish-brown beard, the matching hair on his head was braided and secured to the back of his head in a bun. A mighty golden crown sat atop his head with bull horns protruding from it.

  Todd gasped at the man’s presence. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his companions had rejoined him. Despite hearing a click of a camera, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the raw power before him.

  “It’s a… It’s a…,” is all Todd could manage to say.

  “Giant,” Jeffery finished for him.

  The colossal man stood up straight, dragging a monstrous club up in his right hand. He peered down at them with ice-blue eyes. Anger on his face. The sky behind him returned to daylight.

  “Who dare remove the God Stone from its resting place?” His deep voice projected with authority.

  “Do you mean the Eye of Hedad? We haven’t disturbed any of the relics here,” Bill responded with a shaky voice. “I wonder if the blast knocked it from the altar,” he said more to himself than to anyone else. His head turned to the side as if in thought.

  “Who are you?” Jeffery’s voice sounded less confident then his companion’s.

  The giant let loose a thunderous laugh. “Humans, with your overly simple naming conventions. Have you forgotten this place and the lessons it taught?” Slinging the club over his shoulder, he took the steps down to where the three men stood. “I am Hedad, son of El and brother to Yamm.”

  “Hedad,” Bill whispered low enough the giant couldn’t hear. “The Mesopotamian god of rain?”

  “…and thunderstorms. And don’t forget my title of Rider of the Clouds.”

  The earth quaked again underneath them as the god approached the hole. Todd crouched to his knees to keep his balance. The sound of the rushing water from the melting snow drowned out his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

  “You’ve woken the beast. I must hurry to replace this Eye of Hedad to keep him frozen in the cave.” The urgency in the god’s voice had the three men looking at each other in confusion. When Todd’s gaze fell back to the giant, he was already sprinting toward the center of the city.

  The ground underneath vibrated again as if a big hammer struck against the earth underfoot.

  “Run,” Todd heard shouted again, but this time his feet weren’t rooted in place. All three men stumbled as they attempted to make their way quickly to the voice.

  Hugh stood about fifty feet away. He motioned with his arms to follow.

  A deafening cracking sound caused Todd to turn and glance at the hole again during his flight. He toppled to his side in the mud as the opening they had created exploded. His arm covered his head and he pushed his face toward the ground to protect himself from any flying debris.

  A fierce roar rumbled behind him and he didn’t need to look to know what was there.

  “What is that? What the hell is that?” Jeffery said scrambling in the mud toward him.

  A cold wind blew across the field, but heat from the creature could be felt. Todd closed his eyes when he realized what that meant. Ice replaced the melted snow as the temperature fell quickly again. He realized the God Stone must have been replaced from the sudden change of weather.

  “Haven’t you studied tales of the ancient gods? If the giant is truly Hedad, then the beast is…”

  Todd turned his head back in the direction of the noise. The sea snake’s neck protruded from the now massiv
e hole. With a head of a dragon, fleshy tentacles moved in waves from its huge snout. Iridescent green scales covered its body and sharp dark fins graced it’s head like a crown. But the eyes held such anger, he could not break the connection.

  “Leviathan,” Todd managed to finish before spewing his breakfast to the ground next to him.

  “Run!” Hugh called from behind them.

  When Todd looked back up at the monster, its mouth opened and the light of fire grew in the back of its throat. Scrambling to his feet, the new sheets of ice made it impossible to find his footing. Jeffery grabbed his arm, pushing him back to the ground and climbed over.

  A scream bellowed out from the bottom of his stomach. The creature’s eyes were still locked on him and Leviathan sucked in air to release its deathly breath.

  With a thud, Hedad’s club pounded down on its head. Todd released his breath and his tight muscles relaxed.

  Leviathan rammed the top of his head into his stomach, knocking the god out of striking distance. An unnatural hiss sounded before the sea snake launched its body from the hole. Chunks of frozen tundra blasted in all directions.

  The body of the creature was massive and the colored scales reflected the sunlight. A gasp released from behind Todd. Turning, he realized Hugh had made his way to them.