“Come on, Chris,” Buck encouraged. “If we don’t like the story, we close the book. Besides, the movie will probably be out in no time.” Buck wasn’t taking any of it seriously. Chris could tell that Ezra, too, thought it was a farce. J.D. was willing to believe and both Josiah and Nathan were confused.

Larabee eyes were drawn to Vin.

Tanner shrugged. “I can’t tell you what to do, Cowboy, but I reckon there’s no escaping this so I say we face it head on -- whatever it is.”

“Cowboy?” Chris asked smiling. Again, there was a stirring in the caverns of his memory. “I’ve never liked that.”

Vin smiled, and for the first time his face relaxed. There was a youthful mischief there that Chris knew he’d seen before -- a long, long time ago.

“If I believe any of this, and I...“ Chris licked his lips. “...I’m not sure I do, the seven of us will be going up against forces we can’t even begin to comprehend.“ He heard his own words and snorted, dismissing them. Quests. Monsters. God's warriors. There couldn‘t be any truth in it. He walked forward and laid his hand over Vin’s. The dial turned one more time and then the book’s cover lifted without human aid. The torches on the wall sent flames leaping toward the incredibly low ceiling and rolling along it. The men stepped back, J.D.‘s eyes wide with wonder. The book opened and together the seven peered down on the page.

“It’s blank!” Buck cried. He stared at the others and burst out laughing. Turning to the curator, he cried, “Mister, you really had us going. This museum is fantastic! Can’t wait to see your other exhibits.”

“Captain, this is not an exhibit. The book is blank because you have not agreed to the quest. Once you do, the book will begin writing. It will provide clues to guide you on your journey. I’m afraid it is time for you to make the decision. You have one week to find the first gem and complete the first trial.”

“What if we say no?” Josiah asked quietly.

“Then all is lost.”

“All of what?” Buck asked. “So far you’ve used some spectacular special effects and told us a fantastic story. Josiah, you don’t believe any of this do you?”

“I have an open mind and I see no way to explain how each of us came here without knowing where we were going. Something is at work here. Something we don’t understand,” Josiah murmured. "Jesus walked on water and he calmed storms. Science doesn’t explain that. Faith does. Not that many years ago, Christians just like me believed that this world God created was flat. They believed that the Earth was the centre of the universe, and those who said different were branded heretics. We now know that the Earth is round and far from the centre of this solar system, let alone this universe. Is it so fantastic that the Lord also created worlds we nothing about? That when those worlds collide the unexplained happens? That God would provide a path for a chosen few to protect his people from an evil that threatens them?"

Buck shook his head. "You're off with the fairies again, Josiah."

“Some sort of drug or gas could have been used to fog our minds,” Ezra theorized. “Mass hypnosis, perhaps.”

“For what purpose?” Custode asked.

“Oh, I believe you believe that there are seven gems hidden all over the globe and you want us to go and find them for you,” Buck claimed.

“All modesty aside, we are the best,” Ezra agreed with Buck. “If these gems are hidden in countries where there is unrest, we have the ability to sneak in and sneak out again.”

“You are looking for excuses to turn your back on your destiny,” Custode stated, calmly.

“I’ve got a question,” Vin murmured. “We find the gems, we stumble across this sword and then you said we have to go to the place where this Prince of Darkness is imprisoned. Where is that?”

“I don’t know,” Custode admitted . “Only the seven warriors know that.”

“But they’re dead,” Nathan pointed out.

“Only in body. Again, you are looking for a scientific explanation. A moment ago you unlocked the Book of Fate. I had no idea how to, but you knew. You knew because you were there when it was sealed. You will know where the Prince of Darkness is imprisoned when the time is right because you are the ones who imprisoned him.”

“Okay, ding, ding, everyone off, we’ve arrived at Looney Land City Central,” Buck announced.

“Are you saying that we are the warriors from 7000 years ago?” J.D. asked intrigued.

“Aren’t you?” Custode asked, gently. The men of Em7 stared at each other.

“I am sorry, but none of this means anything to me” Ezra stated with certainty. “And despite your very apt storytelling and spectacular effects, I cannot believe that there is any truth in this. I do not believe there is a Prince of Darkness. I do not believe there are gems, and I certainly do not believe that half man, half beast creatures have ever existed except in the pages of children's books.”

Abruptly, all seven doors of the heptagonal shaped room blew inwards. The men of Em7 looked to their host whose face had shadowed with concern.

Without warning, the openings filled with figures.

“This room’s taken,” Buck called down to them. “Please come back later when our tour’s finished.”

Two figures entered through each door. Their clothes were black and embellished with the symbol of a snake holding a sword.

“Custode?“ Chris demanded as the newcomers began to climb the stairs. As they stepped into the light, the men recoiled. The intruders were almost human, yet their skin was scaled, almost reptilian. It had a grey tinge, and the pupil of each eye was split vertically.

“Serpent Soldiers!” Custode exclaimed.

“Please tell me that they are just men in incredibly good costumes,” J.D. pleaded, searching for his revolver. “I don’t have my gun.”

“The Prince of Darkness has sent them to stop you,” the curator explained.

“The book,” one of the soldiers hissed, his army spreading out as it reached the top of the stairs.

“They are after the Book of Fate. Without it, you will have no way of finding the gems and stopping the Prince of Darkness,” Custode warned.

“Yeah, not to mention the cover of that thing is gold,” Buck commented.

“It is?” J.D. asked, looking down at the black metal. “You’re kidding?”

“The book,” the serpent solider repeated.

“He looks pretty real to me, Ezra,” Nathan commented, his fingers finding only air as he searched for a weapon.

Standish licked his lips. “An effect created with make-up and sophisticated lighting.”

As Ezra finished the statement, lizard-like tongues flicked from the mouths of the soldiers.

“Shit,” J.D. cried. “That looked real to me.”

“Give us the book or you will die,” one of the soldiers demanded. As he did so, his army took on attack stances.

“Look, lizard-breath, we understand that you like the book, but you can’t just take things that don’t belong to you. It isn’t the American way,” Buck explained, flicking his eyes to Chris for some sort of advice.

“Fan out. Cover two each,” Larabee ordered.

The men did, Ezra chancing a glance at Chris. "Colonel, you know what you're doing?"

“I don’t know what the hell gave you that idea,” Larabee remarked, watching as the soldiers began to advance.

“I suppose handing over the book is out of the question?” J.D. asked the others.

“Okay. Hold it!” Vin shouted, drawing his mare’s leg from under his coat. He had been biding his time, half believing that this was some sort of act. However, now that he could see the expressions of the snake-like creatures, he believed they were baying for blood.

“Yes!” Buck shouted with relief. Unfortunately, it was short lived. The serpent soldiers continued to advance, unperturbed by the weapon. One of them leaped at Josiah. Tanner fired, the bullet striking the creature as it lunged through the air. The soldier shattered into a million pieces, but like a movie scene on rewind, reformed mid-air and landed on Josiah. This sparked a full-scale assault from the rest of the creatures.

“Custode?!” Chris bellowed, fending off one of the beasts and tossing it into another. “What the hell just happened?”

“Your weapons cannot harm them,” the curator yelled, moving to stand over the book and protect it any way he could.

“Thanks for the tip,” Vin panted, wrestling two of the soldiers on the ground.

“They have a single weak point at the top of their skull. You must strike that point and they will be destroyed.”

Ezra sidestepped one of the soldiers, and as another approached, he curled up his fist and slammed it onto the top of the creature’s skull. It staggered, regained its balance, roared and then dived on top of him. The clawed hands encircling Ezra’s neck dug into his skin. “That... didn’t... work,” he ground out, gasping for breath.

“The blow must contain considerable force,” Custode shouted.

Black and red blotches formed in front of Ezra’s eyes. His lungs began to burn. His struggles became weaker, and then the reptilian monster was wrenched off him and he was pulled to his feet. Ezra gulped oxygen, his blurred vision clearing. He realized that J.D. was holding him up. The other men had moved into a tight circle, back to back, facing their attackers.

“Are you okay?” Nathan asked.

“Just how much force are we talking about?” Standish demanded, nodding this thanks to Dunne.

“A great deal,” Custode offered, watching as the creatures regrouped.

“Gentlemen, I withdraw my earlier statement. Don’t ask me how, but they’re real,” Ezra announced, rubbing his chaffed neck.

Chris set his jaw, searching for escape. He scanned the room for something to help his team, raising his eyes to the ceiling that was only two feet above their heads. Buck, who was watching his leader, followed his gaze and understood immediately. Larabee glanced at Tanner.

“Yep, works for me,” Vin agreed. “Low ceiling boys. Watch your heads.”

“On my mark,” Chris ordered.

“Yes, sir,” six voices responded.

“This time, we attack them. NOW!” Throwing caution and sense to the wind, the seven men attacked. Buck went in low, grabbing one of the soldiers by the legs. He thrust it straight up. Its head slammed against the ceiling and it exploded into a million pieces, which quickly disintegrated.

“Yeah!”

“The book!” Custode screamed. He wrestled with one of the soldiers, but was knocked to the ground. The serpent leaned over the book, its tongue flicking in and out in expectation.

“No you don’t,” Josiah cried. He swung his arm back in a full arc, closed fist the size of a bowling ball, and brought it smashing down on the creature’s skull just as it was reaching its claws for the book. The serpent soldier fragmented.

As another of the reptilian men grabbed for the book, J.D. snatched it up and brought the heavy volume smashing down on top of its head. The creature shattered. “Yes!”

Having seen Josiah’s success, Nathan grabbed one of the creatures by the arm and, yelling out to his partner, he spun the animal toward him. Josiah wound up like baseball pitcher and his fist slammed down on the creature’s head. “And another bites the dust.”

Ezra swept the legs out from under his opponent, grabbed the front of its shirt and slid it along the ground to J.D. “Incoming!”

The youth lifted the book and crashed it onto the top of the serpent’s head. “Yeah!”

Chris stumbled backward under the weight of three of the creatures. One was dragged off him from the right and another from the left. Larabee forced the third up, and together he, Vin and Buck sent the creatures crashing into the ceiling. The trio blew apart and all signs of them disappeared.

The battle was over. The only sound in the cavern was deep, panted breathing. Slowly, the seven men gathered themselves.

“Congratulations,” Custode celebrated. “The book is safe.”

J.D. replaced it on the pillar.

“The Prince of Darkness knows you have come together. He will stop at nothing to prevent you from finding the gems.”

“We haven’t agreed to go yet,” Buck murmured. “Look, I reckon I’m just crazy enough to believe there may be some truth in all of this. Well, considering the ugly cusses that just attacked us, I guess that’s plenty of proof, but I’m not sure that I can... I mean...” he stumbled. He simply couldn’t get his mind around it.

“I quite agree,” Ezra supported. “What were those creatures?”

“Could be genetically enhanced or manipulated humans. I know there are several countries experimenting with such things,” Nathan offered.

“And they disintegrate when you smash them on the head?” Vin asked skeptically. “I know that what I just saw wasn’t human... or of this world.”

Ezra licked his lips and addressed the curator. “You are asking us to risk our lives for something that has no basis in reality”

“The Prince of Darkness is real,” Custode assured. "As real as the serpent warriors you have just faced."

“What are the odds?” Ezra asked. The smile on his face hid his fears “I like to know the odds before I enter any game of chance.”

For several seconds there was silence. The elderly curator sighed. “Any one of you could be killed.”

“That’s reassuring,” Buck muttered.

“The trials will be dangerous and there is no guarantee that you will find the gems or survive the journey. But you are the world‘s only chance. You have been chosen.”

“I thought this was all written?” J.D. asked confused.

“It is written that if seven men can be found, and if they agree to go on the quests for the gems, and if they successfully find all seven, and if they place them into the Celmeans, and if they defeat The Prince of Darkness and successfully banish him, then peace will reign again.”

“Hell of a lot of ‘if’s’ in there,” Vin muttered.

“If you don’t, nothing will stop him,” Custode whispered.

Tanner rubbed his stubbled chin and shook his head.

Ezra stared at the ground. “What you’re asking is unfathomable.”

Buck glanced at Custode, drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Even J.D., who had been so enthusiastic, was showing signs of doubt. What he had just seen had just shaken the foundations of logic he’d based his entire life on. It was obvious all of his friends felt the same.

Del Libro Custode shut his eyes and lowered his head. “Then all is lost.”

Chris surveyed the other men. In opening the book, they had started something. He’d known immediately there was no turning back.

Chris approached The Book of Fate. For several seconds he contemplated his decision, and then thrust his fist over the manuscript. “I’m in. I’m not going to order any of you to do this. The decision must be yours. I don‘t know what those things were, but if accepting this mission means finding out, I‘m in.”

All eyes rested on him. No one moved, staring at his fist above the book and considering all it meant. Larabee waited.

Tanner crossed the room and slapped his hand down on Chris’, gripping it firmly. “Two.”

Buck stared into the determined face of his oldest friend and nodded. Slowly, he crossed the room and his hand came to rest on Vin’s. “Three.”

Nathan approached next. “Four.”

Josiah glanced at Ezra and the two men advanced together. “After you,” Ezra offered.

“Five,” Josiah declared as his huge fist covered Nathan’s. "If this is the path God has chosen for me, then so be it."

“Six," Ezra stated resolutely.

J.D. hadn’t moved. The youngest man swallowed. He’d been so keen, but something was holding him back.

“I would prefer if you didn’t come anyway,” Chris stated. “Go home, kid.”

Dunne’s eyes widened as something in the back of his mind tweaked. Chris smiled. J.D. walked forward and slammed his hand over the others. The lights around the room flickered.

“Look!” Nathan cried. Below their hands, the Book of Fate was slowly opening. Mesmerized, the group dropped their arms and watched as words appeared on the page as if written by an invisible hand.

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit,” Buck muttered. “Okay, I’m starting to really believe now.”

“Trial One - Your journey begins here,” Josiah read. A map materialized on the page. “That looks like...”

“South America,” Buck finished.

“Boys, it looks like we’re off to South America,” Chris announced. For a moment they stared at their leader, allowing a few moments for everything to sink in. During the battle they had worked as a team -- just as they had done so many times before. There had always been a strange familiarity between them. Perhaps, this wasn't the first life time they had fought side by side.

This was their destiny and in that moment, they knew it.

“You have one week to find the first gem and then move on,” Custode reminded them. “And remember, no matter what happens, do not bring the gems together until you are in the presence of the Prince of Darkness. They must not touch.”

Larabee nodded and shook the curator’s hand. “We’ll do our best. Josiah, get the book. Come on, boys. We have a plane to catch.”

Custode watched the group descend the stairs and disappear -- seven warriors who had signed on for the most amazing and important quest of their time.

The moment they left the room, the lights came on, revealing the intricate carving on each of the doors. Carvings that read...