The Hand of God

"You sure you haven't you been here before?" asked Stacy.

Astra shrugged. and went to examine the altar.

"How long has this been here?" asked Stacy.

"Since before I was born," said Carl. "And our story tellers tell us that the Great Temple was here before the first man came to this world, and that was hundreds of years ago."

"So Astra," said Stacy, "do you think you were here, say, a couple of hundred years ago."

"I've been to a lot of places," said Astra, still examining the Altar. "I've done a lot of things. Carl, there is a hand print carved in the surface of this altar."

"Yes, oh great one. It is written that the hand of God placed the Altar here and it is by the hand of God..."

"Just get on with it," said Stacy crossing her arms.

"What?" said Astra.

"You're enjoying all this aren't you? Just put your hand in the thingy on the watsit already."

Astra shrugged and placed her hand on the hand print on altar. The lights in the temple dimmed, replaced by a blue-white glow coming from the altar centered on Astra's hand.

A voice rang out, echoing throughout the chamber. "Welcome Princess Astra. Maelstrom approaching."

"Maelstrom?" said Stacy. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

Astra took her hand away from the Altar but the glow remained. There was a deep rumbling sound that echoed around the whole temple. The roof of the temple seemed to peel back exposing a circle of sky above them.

"What's happening", shouted Stacy over the noise.

Carl fell to his knees. "The Maelstrom! The Maelstrom is coming."

Stacy ran over to Astra and grabbed her hand. "We've got to go!"

Stacy tried to lead her away but Astra resisted, pulling Stacy in near to her. "No!" she said "We've got to stay."

A dark shape appeared in the sky above them, rapidly getting larger. The noise around them grew to a crescendo as the shape blotted out the sky.

1. Maelstrom

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