March 25, 1921
As the party began its final push to the pyramid, they noticed the land had grown arid. No plant life grew there, and the air took on a near-frigid state. The path before them was narrow and precarious, making it impossible for the pack animals to continue. With as much equipment as they could strap to their backs, the group at last forged ahead to the ruins they had sought for so long.
Upon reaching a precipice, they looked down into an ancient walled courtyard that surrounded the ruins. A pair of moving figures was seen shuffling about in the moonlight. As the party attempted a better look, a strange whistling or piping sound was heard on the wind. It was also noted that, despite the drop in temperature due to the increased elevation, an inordinate amount of flies were buzzing about. Just then, the smell of rotting meat and death assaulted their senses, and they were forced to move on.
Following the path down to the site of the ruin, an archway was discovered in the crumbling wall that surrounded the pyramid. Carved into its keystone was a replica human head, albeit a thin and elongated one that featured a grotesquely distended mouth. A curious whistling noise was produced as the frigid Andean air blew past the carving and others like it that dotted the ancient wall, clearly meant as a ghostly warning to stay away from the once-sacred site.
A cursory examination by Ford determined that these carvings were similar to ones found at the Tiwanaku site on the south side of Lake Titicaca, just over the border with Bolivia. He noted that although there were some differences, especially in the forms of the stone heads, it seemed likely that the same people built them. Why these carvings were made a full 60 miles from their counterparts was anyone’s guess.
Returning their focus to the pair of figures moving about the ruins, Brochet pointed out that they appeared to be moving toward the oddly-shaped pyramid that dominated the area. As one of the staggering forms ascended the 5-foot steps that made up the structure’s exterior, the other stayed below as if waiting its turn.
Upon reaching the peak, the first figure kneeled before a crack in the pyramid’s facade and proceeded to vomit a stream of thick, white fluid into the hole. This horrible display of inhuman wretching went on for over a minute.
Once finished, the first figure descended the pyramid stairs as the second began its own ascent. As it made its ghastly climb back to ground level, the first was noticeably more gaunt and frail than it had been before its despicable display atop the pyramid.
Once both repellent lumbering things had finished with their mad purge, it was decided that action must be taken against them in order to stop whatever inhuman designs they may have planned next. With weapons drawn, the party entered the ruins in pursuit of their nauseating quarry.
Once inside the courtyard that surrounded the pyramid, the figures were nowhere to be seen. However, in a far corner, some movement could be made out in the darkness just outside Holder’s lantern light. Taking a few steps forward, it became clear that whatever it was had scurried into a large, square hole in the ground several yards away. The smell of rotten flesh was almost overpowering.
Assuming they had the shambling figures cornered or trapped in the hole, the party hastily moved forward, although their movement was slowed by a dense swarm of flies. Once at the lip of the pit, the source of the putrid stench became maddeningly clear: the hole was full of rotting human remains in varying states of decomposition.
The bodies in the pit had been arranged in such a way that a small tunnel was visible near its bottom. Not eager to wade through a sea of moldering carcasses, Ford began to search for alternative routes into the pyramid. A quick survey showed a number of what appeared to be ventilation shafts or chimneys that led into the ground.
Before choosing a shaft to descend, Brochet and Ford thought it wise to examine the top of the pyramid, specifically where the party had seen the figures disgorge themselves of whatever foul substance they carried inside them. Holder and Elias chose to stay below to guard the hole in the ground in case of an unexpected and unwanted return.
At the top, the smell of corruption and rot was overwhelming, as the flies buzzing about made sight and movement difficult. The area in question was not hard to find and was determined to be nothing more than a three-inch crack in the pyramid’s face that was stained with stinking, whitish bile.
Coming from within the crack was a strange, bubbling or oozing sound that defied explanation. The emanation seemed to come from deep within, but judging an accurate distance proved impossible. With all further discernible exploration exhausted, the pair returned to the pyramid’s base to explore the ventilation shafts, most of which were topped by a thick capstone. One of these capstones, however, was discovered to be broken and open to investigation.
After shining a light into the shaft, it became clear that it went to a depth of roughly fifteen feet below the surface on which the party currently stood. Resolving to descend, a rope was lowered and tied off in preparation for further exploration. With Holder in the lead, it was quickly determined that the floor seen from above was nothing more than a platform, with passageways leading in both directions and sloping down at sixty degrees for another eighty-five feet.
The southern passage, which led in the direction of the charnel pit, was chosen and carefully traversed. At the half-way point, the passage floor took a decidedly steep decline, causing the party to unexpectedly slide down the remainder. Holder and Ford suffered minor injuries as they fell and came to an abrupt stop, while Brochet and Elias came away unscathed.
Now at the bottom and on flat ground, the party headed south once again. As they fought against both the darkness and the overpowering miasma of death, they soon discovered the corpse pit they had seen from above. Among the debris were found a number of valuables, seemingly the belongings of those whose fate ended in this foul place. The items ranged from mundane and relatively recent pieces of jewelry to Spanish doubloons of some worth. A few of the older artifacts were taken for further archaeological study.
Upon turning back to the north and past the initial point of entry, the tunnel’s height began to shorten, causing the party to crawl on their hands and knees in order to proceed. Now close to the ground, Ford caught sight of a strange seam that ran the length of both walls.
The seam was roughly three inches in height and caked with centuries of dirt. After clearing some of the mire away, it became clear that this seam was in fact a long strip of gold and that it matched perfectly in dimension and design the shorn gold band found on the body of Trinidad Rizo in the basement of the university in Lima.
Clearing away the dirt as they went slowed their progression, but gains were made with time. Determined to find the disturbed area of the seam that fit the gold band in their possession, they pressed on further into the unknown. When approaching a “T” intersection, two pairs of legs and feet were noticed laying on a reed mat and protruding from around the corner. Whoever they were, they appeared to be either asleep or dead.
Wary of the unknown, Holder prepared his flame-spewing device and stepped around the corner, which opened up into a large, high-ceilinged room. Now fully visible, the bodies on the floor were identified as the same pair seen regurgitating into the crack back on the surface. A third mat lay on the floor but was unoccupied.
Piled high against the far wall was an assortment of artifacts ranging in age. The presence of items such as modern wristwatches and fountain pens was contrasted by what appeared to be pre-Incan pieces of art and other gold trinkets, small statues, and jewelry. The figures on the floor remained motionless as the party examined the room. However, despite their lack of movement, Holder nevertheless took the opportunity to cleanse the room of their presence by fully engulfing them with his fire-breathing contraption.
As their screams echoed through the room, the once-human things burned for a time and then fell. An eerie silence followed, made more poignant by the smell of charred flesh.
The Friends of Prospero
Peru: Episode VIII • Peru: Episode VII • Peru: Episode VI • Peru: Episode V • Peru: Episode IV • Peru: Episode III • Peru: Episode II • Peru: Episode I
The Two-Headed Serpent
Coming soon…
