The Dawn of the New World

"Do you understand?" Burak asked loudly in an authoritative tone of voice. His previous nonchalant attitude disappeared instantly when he addressed them, as did their lack of enthusiasm.

Even though they were drained from the continuous fighting which had been going on since before Hao Xuan arrived at the scene, hearing Burak's words they couldn't help but be invigorated for what was to come.

Hao Xuan on the other hand was quite confused. From what Burak had said these threadworm-controlled creatures came out in waves every few days. How and why was that possible? Where did they come from exactly? Was it only when the barbarians arrived here or did they do so regardless?

From the sound of it, it wasn't their first time entering the Pyramid.

While Hao Xuan was busy thinking to himself, Burak turned around and glanced at the Pug that was hiding just five meters behind Hao Xuan. He looked directly at it in one go as if he knew it was there from the start.

He rubbed the stubby beard on his face with a pondering expression for a short moment. His lips slowly arched into a sly grin before he winked in the pug's direction, making sure it could see him clearly.

Back in the Barbarian camp Princess Na'im who was watching everything from the comfort of her bed suddenly straightened her back, "Don't you dare, little thing!" she hissed fiercely.

Burak bent down and lightly patted Hao Xuan on the shoulder, sending him almost reeling into the ground by accident.

"Ready?" he asked with a mischievous smile.

Hao Xuan's brow furrowed tighter than ever before. He had Baracus quickly translate a couple of words.

"For...what?"

"To go in. I can't very well leave you out here. What if someone else came and wanted to harm you? My sister will kill me if that happened," he said factitiously, taking Hao Xuan by surprise.

Hao Xuan stared into his twinkling clear eyes and then at the pyramid's entrance that, in the darkness, looked like the gaping maw of some long-forgotten ancient creature, ready to swallow him whole.

The whispers suddenly intensified and a searing pain hit Hao Xuan's right eye, making him lose focus and look away.

"I...am okay. You guys...go ahead..." Hao Xuan waved his hand slowly which Burak ignored completely.

"Great. We leave when the 'milk' cools down!"

Hao Xuan looked at the translation in confusion for a couple of seconds trying his best not to scream from the pain before another line appeared from Baracus explaining what it meant.

'It is a primitive method for measuring time.'

'Ah, kinda...makes sense,' Hao Xuan nodded inwardly, pretending to take out a cigarette from inside his shirt while summoning it from the storage space and lighting it. He took a couple of deep puffs and closed his eyes to focus on keeping out the unrelated whispers while listening only to the loudest ones.

It was the same ones from before, from the same person too judging from the voice.

"This- I...I don't know what to say. How could a place like this exist?"

"It's cursed I tell you! There is no other way to describe it, it just doesn't make sense. "

"Ancestors please guide us back to the entrance! I was a fool for coming here!"

"Brother you mustn't make any noise! I know it hurts but please bear with it for now. They will hear us!"

"Which ones are there this time?"

"There are too many to even count. They are fighting against one another..."

"We really shouldn't have come here, this place...it's a trap! It will never allow us to leave!"

"Brother, can you walk on your own? I am also getting tired..."

The whispers started to become a little muddled, not following the same pattern as before. In some of the whispers it sounded like he was talking to himself, while in the others he was talking to somebody else but Hao Xuan never heard another voice in there besides his.

Barely 10 minutes had passed when Burak grabbed the preoccupied Hao Xuan by the shoulder and picked him up.

"It is time," he said firmly, "Can you walk or do you want me to carry you?" he asked with a questioning gaze.

Flabbergasted, Hao Xuan first looked at him and then at the 15 other faces staring in their direction.

"Can I...not stay...outside?" he asked in a low voice to which Burak shook his head as a matter-of-factly.

Hao Xuan let out a deep sigh, "I...can walk..."

"Great!"

A minute later with Hao Xuan and Burak in the lead, the barbarian party entered the pyramid and vanished within its swirling blackness.

***

Some 20-30 minutes later, a distant bang resonated throughout this entire world, gathering the attention of all the leaders from the various tribes.

Everyone that could hear it ran outside and in the night sky saw a blazing red ball of flame fall down from the upper atmosphere followed by half a dozen others within the next few minutes.