Mystery Of Arcadian Ruins
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The following is a true story. I have seen it told in the most credible manner by an old soldier of fortune who had been present and heard from many others who were not. It happened over twenty years ago on the shores of Lake Ontario, near Rochester, New York State.
When my friend George—who was with me when we found this thing—told me about it some months after our return to San Francisco, he said: “If you can imagine anything that would be more incredible than what actually occurred, then you must see this.”
He was right. But if you’re susceptible to such things, try as I may, the reality will remain indelible in your memory; and even now, after all these years, it still takes away my breath.
It was a warm summer evening, and George and I had just returned from hunting rattlesnakes in the mountains above Big Bear Lake, California. We’d spent two days there, sleeping under trees or in a tent set up on the bank of a small stream that ran off into the lake and foraging for food in the surrounding forests.
The snakes made us nervous. They hadn’t bothered us much while we were camping out, but once we left camp in search of prey they seemed to find our scent irresistible.
As soon as we’d entered the woods we began hearing their heavy scuttling footsteps through the underbrush, and whenever we ventured too close to any tree they darted across our path and disappeared into the foliage. In the end, we decided to cut short our hunt.
After loading our bags onto our horses, we headed back toward Big Bear City, where we could get a room at the Mountaineer Hotel. The ride was uneventful until we reached the ruins, which lay high atop a ridge overlooking the valley below.
Once again we dismounted and led the animals down the winding trail leading to the abandoned village. On reaching the bottom, George and I walked around a large boulder to enter the main plaza. Then, turning to face the ruins, we paused to stare at the massive stone archway that served as the entrance to what had once been a magnificent temple.
We couldn’t help but notice how different it looked that night, bathed in the light of the full moon.
“I don’t know,” said George, “it looks different tonight than it did last time.” His words were like a dagger in my heart. I didn’t reply. Instead, I stared at the sky, trying to make sense of what his words meant. I felt suffocated. I wanted to flee and leave this place behind, but even as I fought against it I knew it wasn’t possible. I had no choice but to stay.
After a few moments, I turned back to look at the ruins. Something was happening inside the temple. There was a soft glow coming from within its walls. Gradually, the brightness intensified, and I saw that the archway was glowing with a soft blue-green radiance.
A faint breeze blew through the open doorway, carrying with it the smell of incense that filled the air. For a moment I thought I might faint, overwhelmed by what I was seeing. When I closed my eyes I could almost hear the music that floated from the interior of the temple. And then I heard a voice.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?” It sounded like a woman’s voice, singing softly.
George stepped closer to the archway and peered inside. “What do you think?” he asked. “Do you feel something here?”
I shrugged. “Yes,” I said, “but what? What are we looking at?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know; maybe nothing. Maybe I’m imagining things. This place has always given me the creeps.”
“You’re not imagining things,” I said, “and neither am I. Besides, this thing is far older than either one of us.”
Once again we approached the archway. With each step, the sound of the voice grew louder. It became clear that whoever was speaking had entered the temple. She was singing now, and her voice was beautiful and sweet, like the wind sighing through a forest. I recognized it instantly. I’d heard it before, though not in person. I’d only heard it on the radio.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?” she sang. “I sing this song for those who come seeking wisdom and enlightenment.”
We both continued to approach the archway, stepping slowly. I took another step forward to peer into the temple. As I did, the voice came close behind. I could barely make out the figure of a woman standing between the columns, leaning slightly to one side, as if she was listening closely for someone’s answer.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?” the voice repeated.
I tried to catch her eye, but she didn’t turn. Instead, she smiled and nodded when she saw me. Her hair was long and dark, and I could see that it was bound back tightly. She wore a white robe, and a gold pendant hung around her neck. The rest of her body was hidden beneath the folds of her clothing, but it was obvious that she was young and beautiful.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?” the voice said. “Have you come to worship and learn the secrets of my people? Do you wish to join the ranks of my chosen few? Are you searching for answers?”
“No!” I shouted, unable to contain myself any longer.
George drew his gun and pointed it at the girl. He pulled the trigger. But even as the shot rang through the temple, there was no indication of an impact—no recoil or blast of air, and certainly no bullet. George lowered his weapon and stared at the empty chamber.
“Damn,” he muttered. “Well, let’s find out who the hell she is.”
I followed George across the plaza, past the column where the girl stood, to the main temple door. He grasped the handle and yanked it open. We entered, and immediately the sound of the voice grew loud and clear.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?”
The glow of the archway illuminated the interior. Inside, the floor was covered with a patterned mosaic depicting what appeared to be a dancing goddess. As we walked further in, the walls changed color, from pale pink to crimson, and then to deep purple.
Above us, the ceiling glowed bright red with the light of thousands of candles. My eyes scanned the room, taking in the details of the many statues and paintings, all of which depicted scenes from ancient times.
“This place is incredible,” George exclaimed, “and I mean that literally. Look at this!”
The wall behind us had been painted with a series of images. At first, they looked like waves crashing against rocks, but then I realized it wasn’t water that formed the image—it was fire. Dozens of burning flames rolled over the stones of the wall, changing the rock to a mass of molten lava. The heat was intense enough to burn our skin.
“What is that?” I asked.
George squinted at the painting. “It’s supposed to depict the cleansing of Tartaros when our ancestors were banished to the underworld after committing the great sin.”
I glanced back at the girl, who was smiling and singing. Suddenly, she turned toward me, as if she’d heard my words. Then she waved her hand and vanished.
I turned to George. “Someone told her about us.”
He nodded. “Yeah, and she knew exactly what we were up to. If she hadn’t taken off, I would have killed her.”
I walked over to one of the columns and ran my fingers along it. The stone felt warm beneath my touch. I could feel that the energy within the temple was growing stronger. The more time we spent here, the hotter the temple became. And the longer I remained inside, the harder it was to breathe.
“Come on,” George said impatiently. “Let’s find out who this kid really is.”
We stepped into the main room, and the voice of the girl echoed loudly throughout the temple.
“Who comes to my sacred temple?” she sang. “Do you seek answers to your questions? Do you wish to become one of my chosen few? Do you desire power beyond anything you have ever imagined?”
“Stop playing games with us and tell us what you want,” George called out. “You know damn well we’re not stupid.”
She paused for several seconds, and when she finally spoke again, her voice sounded different. It was deeper and fuller than before; the notes seemed to reverberate through the walls and fill the very air.
“Are you ready?” she said. “Have you prepared yourself to enter the sanctum of the gods?”
As soon as she uttered those words, the floor under my feet shook violently. The columns cracked, and the tiles on the floor began to crackle and pop. The whole temple was beginning to crumble, and the flames in the paintings were consuming themselves as if they were being consumed by the building itself.
I took another step forward, and the column beside me gave way, sending shards of marble flying through the air. Without thinking, I ducked and covered my head as debris clattered above me. When the dust settled, I checked to make sure I hadn’t sustained any injuries.
Only then did I turn my attention to the girl. She was gone. So was the column. Both lay scattered on the ground, having broken apart and fallen to pieces.
I turned to George and tapped him on the shoulder. “That’s odd. Where’d she go?”
For a second, George didn’t reply. He looked around, confused, and then suddenly he broke into a run. He dashed straight through the column, scattering the pieces of marble. The next moment, his body went limp. A small piece of stone had pierced his back. Blood poured from the wound, and the creature began to grow.
***
“Oh God,” I whispered.
The monster was changing George’s shape, transforming him into something hideous. The scales of its body expanded until they covered his entire back and chest. His arms elongated into reptilian appendages, while his fingers became claws. The creature’s face grew long, and it opened its mouth wider than I thought possible. Its teeth were sharp and jagged, like knives.
Now the creature stood taller than an elephant, and its massive size filled the room. For a split second, we both stared at each other, and then I let out a scream. In that instant, the monster leapt toward me. I tried to dodge, but the creature’s speed was too much. Before I could react, it slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.
I screamed again as my skull hit the ground. Pain surged through my brain, and I fell unconscious.
The End