Chapter 21: Kiribati, April 2040

I was studying Sabina as we sat on a private jet, heading from Hawaii to Kiribati. It felt strange. For the first time, I had the opportunity to speak with Sabina in private for an extended period. Yet, I did not know what to say, and things were evidently not friendly between us.

Sabina fascinated me. She was my daughter with supernatural powers destined to save the world. I believed that Elaine was wrong in her assessment. I didn't sacrifice Sabina. I sent her to save us. If anyone could save us from the apocalypse and Rangda's evil influence, it was Sabina. Rangda, in her arrogance, thought that Sabina didn't stand a chance against her. But it was such wicked arrogance that would lead to Rangda's downfall.

I woke up from my daydreaming when Sabina grabbed my arm and looked into my eyes. I could sense what she was trying to do. I couldn't blame her. We had kidnapped her husband, so of course, she would try using her powers against me.

"I wouldn't try that. The monocle protects me against your empath abilities." I scoffed.

Sabina let go of my arm and got seated in the armchair opposite me.

"So, I take it you were part of the Mossad Conspiracy all along?" Sabina taunted.

Sabina's tone pissed me off. Hadn't I killed the Yehuda Brothers and put myself into harm's way to save her sorry ass? "I am not part of any conspiracy. I have been trying to help Keila Eisenstein to stop the apocalypse for the last two decades. You should thank me!" I yelled back.

"Thank you? You kidnapped my husband to force me to come with you. You wouldn't live if he wasn't in your custody." Sabina roared, and her eyes were glowing with fury.

I didn't respond. Sabina had reason to be upset with me, and there was no need to escalate the argument.

After a few seconds, Sabina's eye colour reversed to normal, and she calmed down. "So, how do you afford this if you are not part of a conspiracy? Travelling the world, hiring planes, and kidnapping people aren't exactly cheap." She asked mistrustingly.

I considered my options. I did not want to rat out Elaine and her company. If Sabina took out her fury on me, I wanted her trail to go cold. I feared what the powerful sorceress could achieve if she put her powers towards vengeance. I took up my wallet and handed Sabina a photo of Elaine and me winning the Powerball jackpot back in 2020.

"This is how I can afford all of this!" I stated.

"Wow! Who is this woman, and why do you look so unhappy at the photo?" Elaine asked.

"Hmm, that's very perceptive of you. I guess I can't fake a smile with my eyes?" I asked.

Sabina didn't reply, and I spoke again. "The woman's name is Elaine, and we were unhappy because our win came at a cost," I revealed.

"Where is Elaine now?" Sabina asked.

"That's none of your business, Sabina!" I lashed out, and Sabina answered me with silence.

I moved over to another seat in the plane. Even though I wanted to speak to Sabina, and try to set everything right, it was better if we didn't speak at all.

***

"O le a ou le alu i le Banaba Island. E le o toe mamao le mauga. E matautia tele." Captain Ahohako said.

Having spent a few years on Kiribati, I had some understanding of the language, and I replied "E i ai au uo matautia. Afai e te le fesoasoani mai ia te aʻu, o le a latou asiasi ia te oe i le po nei."

After that, I opened my jacket, which concealed my pistol, to emphasise my message.

"Okay, Mr. $10,000 is fine. I take you to Banaba Island." Ahohako sighed.

"Cool. I'll leave the money in the boatshed. Call your wife and tell her to pick them up. And don't try any tricks." I stated.

I left the cash under a bucket in the boatshed, and I got on the boat. "Hurry up, Sabina. We are heading to Banaba Island." I shouted.

Sabina got on the boat and replied. "He didn't seem very keen to do the job despite the big payment. What's up with that?"

"He won't have much use for his money if he is dead. People expect Banaba Island to have a massive volcanic eruption at any time." I revealed.

"So, what about us?" Sabina asked.

"We'll be alright. Only a lunatic or a visionary would visit an island moments before a volcanic eruption blows it up!" I smirked.

"And you consider yourself a visionary?" Sabina heckled.

"I know that I am. The thermal energy from the erupting volcano is just what we need to recharge the primordial Zeto Crystal. Now hurry up, we don't have all day!"

Sabina didn't reply. I don't know if it was because she believed me or if she simply resigned to her fate.

Time passed, and we got closer to the Island. As Ahohako saw the giant smoke pillar and smelt the sulphur from the volcano, he became agitated.

"I can't go on. We are all going to die." Ahohako whined.

I knew that if I convinced Ahohako to drop us off at the island, he would ditch us as soon we got off the boat. That was a terrible scenario. If my plan didn't work, we would need immediate evacuation.

I looked at my pistol. If I shot Ahohako, I could anchor the boat at the island, and it would still be there when we needed to leave. I hesitated. I didn't want to kill Ahohako as I knew him since my time as a hermit on the islands. Furthermore, I did not want to kill someone in cold blood in front of Sabina. Oh yes, Sabina. She was my solution. I walked up to her and spoke:

"Sabina. I need you to use your powers. Convince Captain Ahohako to take us to the island and wait for us there, or I'll need to kill him." I said.

Sabina gave me a disapproving look, and she stared at my pistol for a long time. I felt terrified, if she were to attack me, I would perish, and the future of humankind would be at risk. Eventually, Sabina walked over to Ahohako and used her empath powers to make him cooperate.

I sighed of relief. This had been a close call.

Under Sabina's influence, Ahohako took us to the island without objecting. 10 minutes later, we got off the boat. Thick smoke covered the island and worried that the gasmasks that I had brought wouldn't be enough to save us. I took a few steps, and Sabina gave me another reason to worry as she called out to Ahohako. "Go back to your family Ahohako. Ailana needs her kidney transplant."

Screaming this, Sabina released Ahohako from her spell, and he hurried to steer the boat away from the island. I thought of shooting him to stop his escape, but it wouldn't help, and I put down my pistol.

"What's wrong with you? Why did you send the Captain away?" I asked.

"Captain Ahohako is a good man, and I can't risk the life of an innocent," Sabina replied sanctimoniously.

"But what about us, you lunatic?" I asked.

"I have divine protection, and I wouldn't hesitate to throw you under the bus," Sabina replied coldly.

Her reply made me furious. I wanted to punch that smug, holier-than-thou smirk off her face. We were screwed, and there was no way I could find someone stupid enough to evacuate me now.

I calmed down. All I needed to focus on was getting that Zeto Crystal to the crater, wrap it into Pachamama's veil, chant the verse, throw it in and hope for the best.

Thinking about the absurdity of my plan, I started laughing at it, and I replied to Sabina: "Good to know that we are on the same page. Put on this gasmask. You'll need it for the hike ahead of us."

Having said this, I put on my gas mask, and Sabina followed suit, walking behind me towards the crater.

***

In the traditional Christian view of hell, it is a place full of fire and sulphuric vapours. From that point of view, our hike to the top of Banaba Island was a hike in hell. I usually enjoy walking in the mountains, but this was the exception to the rule.

The hot sulphuric gas burnt on my skin and coloured me yellow. I hadn't brought proper equipment to be close to an erupting volcano. All I wanted was to run down the slope and jump into the cooling water. But that wasn't an option. Once the volcano erupted, it would create a powerful tsunami that would kill everything in the vicinity of the island. Besides, we were here on a mission, and I could not give up when I was this close.

As we got close to the volcano, I pulled off my gas mask and exclaimed. "Give me the Zeto Crystal!"

To my great relief, Sabina didn't stop and argue, and she handed me the crystal.

I wrapped the crystal in Pachamama's Veil. The hot sulphuric vapours burned into my lungs when I tried to recite the chant. "Gikan sa kalalim sa Yuta. Bag-o ang gahum nga nagdala kinabuhi." (From the depth of the Earth. Renew the power that brings life.) I chanted. After that. I chucked the Zeto Crystal, wrapped in Pachamama's Veil, into the crater.

I collapsed to the ground. My lungs were burning, and I was coughing up yellowish sulphuric blood. 'I need to put on the gasmask' was my last thought before everything turned black.

***

"Tell Elaine, that you are fine" Sabina urged me, as I woke up. The smoke had cleared, and Sabina held the primordial Zeto Crystal, which shone brightly in her one hand, and my satellite phone in her other hand.

I nodded, and I grabbed the phone.

"I am fine, Elaine. Everything is going according to plan. Proceed as planned, and I'll call you with further updates." I said and hung up the phone.

"So, did you plan to leave me here to die?" I asked.

"I never promised to keep you safe. You are a cold-blooded murderer, and you kidnapped my husband." Sabina replied.

"I am the reason you are still alive. But lucky for Alex that you decided to help me." I taunted.

Sabina stopped herself from responding, and a few seconds later, she had changed to a friendlier approach. "Thank you, Martin, for helping me recharge the Zeto Crystal," Sabina said, forced a smile and help me up on my feet.

"Thank you, Sabina. There are some things that you should know. But I fear what telling you would mean for the task ahead of us." I said, and I forced myself to stay unemotional.

"What things? I doubt many truths come from your lying lips." Sabina scoffed.

I sighed and looked away. This was not the time to repair our broken relationship. There would probably never be a time for that, but regardless we needed to focus on the mission ahead of us. I picked up my satellite phone, and I called Elaine and asked her to send a helicopter. Then I took off my clothes and relaxed in one of the newly emerged thermal springs on the island.

***

1.5 hours later, we were in the helicopter, hovering over the Sunken Pyramid of Kiribati. I didn't know how we would reach the pyramid since it was at over 100 metres depth. "Send the girl to swim down. The Zeto Crystal will keep her safe." Rangda instructed in the back of my head.

I decided to follow Rangda's instructions.

"This is it, Sabina. We are hovering straight on top of the Sunken Pyramid of Kiribati." I proclaimed.

"Are you sure? How comes there is nothing about this Pyramid on the Internet?" Sabina objected.

"Simple. The oceans are vast, and my associates and I decided to not tell the world about it." I stated.

Sabina looked at the surface below. She seemed hesitant. Eventually, she spoke. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"I want you to swim down there and activate the portal," I replied.

"Are you insane? I can't swim that deep. I will die!" Sabina objected.

"Aren't you the Chosen One? Anyone else would die. You have a fully charged Zeto Crystal and divine protection. You'll be fine" I taunted.

Sabina stared at the water below. Eventually, she spoke. "I'll dive done there on one condition."

"I am listening," I replied.

"I need you to release Alex first," Sabina demanded.

Sabina's demand terrified me. If I released Alex, I had no bargaining chip against her, and I knew that she was incredibly powerful.

"I can't agree with that. You'd attack me the moment you know that Alex is safe." I stated.

"What if I swear by the True Maker, to fulfil my mission and leave you unharmed?" Sabina suggested.

This was a tricky suggestion. I didn't know what attitude the True Maker had towards oaths. If I swore by Rangda to not kill anyone, that would make no difference as Rangda didn't care about vows. But, on the hand. I couldn't force Sabina, and she held a magical artefact in her hand.

"Okay. I accept your suggestion." I said, and I called Elaine.

"Are you okay, Martin?" Elaine asked.

"Release Alex and give him a phone. Sabina wants to talk to him once he is safe." I stated.

"Are you insane? If I release him while I am still in Hawaii, he'll call the cops on me, and you have no bargaining chip against Sabina." Elaine objected.

"She promised to not hurt us, and I trust her." I sighed.

"Very well. I'll do as you say. I am getting out of here." Elaine said and hung up the phone.

"All set, Sabina. You should receive a phone call from Alex in a couple of minutes." I stated.

Sabina nodded but didn't reply.

A few minutes later, Alex called and had a melodramatic conversation with Sabina over the phone. Paranoia struck me, and I feared that Sabina would back down on her promise. When she hung up the phone, I aimed my pistol at her.

"Don't back out on your promise, Sabina!" I threatened.

Bah. What about the stupidity in threatening the Chosen One?" Sabina taunted.

"If you are the Chosen One, you'll swim down there, active the portal and fulfil your destiny. If not, the True Maker will not protect you anymore." I exclaimed.

Sabina stared at her Zeto Crystal and mumbled something inaudible. Eventually, she spoke. "After this, I hope to never see you again."

Before I had the time to reply, she got to the side of the helicopter and dove into the water, disappearing below the surface.

"You didn't see that. I have powerful and dangerous friends." I warned the helicopter pilot.

"Why do I always get the worst customers?" The pilot asked.

I didn't reply to the pilot's self-reflection, and instead, I ordered. "Take me back to the airport!"

The pilot sighed and changed the direction towards the airport when a blue pulse flashed in front of my eyes. I looked up, and I saw that the Sunken Pyramid had ascended from the depths and had sent a massive tsunami in the direction of the village Ambo. I had an epiphany. Ambo was close to my Kiribati mansion and the home of my former housekeeper Alani and her daughter Elenoa, who I both cared for.

"New orders. Fly to Ambo!" I shouted to the pilot while I desperately tried to call Elenoa to tell her to seek shelter.

***

We arrived at Ambo ten minutes later. We were too late. The tsunami had struck and destroyed the village. There were dead and wounded people lying everywhere. "Land over there!" I commanded and pointed at Alani's house. As soon as I got out of the helicopter, the pilot flew off with the helicopter. 'So damn hard to find loyal employees these days,' I mumbled, even though the pilot had good reasons to stay clear from the gun-toting lunatic that I was.

I dug through Alani's house and found her lifeless. 'Another one bites the dust', I thought and started crying. I pulled myself together. Alani was gone, but I could still save Elenoa. I rummaged through the wreckage, and I shouted in relief as I found Elenoa alive. I gave her CPR, and she opened her eyes.

"Martin!" Elenoa exclaimed in surprise.

"Don't worry, Elenoa. Everything will be alright." I said and held her tight.