Canyon de Chelly and Spider Rock
Bisahalani, Clay and
Johona's Grandfather
Growing up in the shadow of Spider Rock on the edge of Canyon de Chelly National Park, Clay's grandfather would often chide his elder sister and him with "The top of Spider Rock is white from the sun-bleached bones of Dine children who did not behave themselves!" when they had not done some chore they had promised. Despite this "warning" Clay spent his days scouring for a way up to the top of the Rock or exploring the old cave dwellings built by his people on the canyon walls. Although an adventurous boy, Clay could never bring himself to go along Canyon del Muerto or into the Mummy Caves. Late one afternoon while exploring the base of Spider Rock once more, Clay made his way up to a stepped ledge, high above the canyon floor and for a moment looking in awe at the vista stretched out before and below him. He sat there in silence for some time taking in the view and relaxing with his own thoughts.
As he gazed around something glimmering behind him caught his eye. Moving towards it he was suprised to see a silken cord hanging down from the top of the rock tower, across to the ledge on which he had found himself. Pulling on the cord with all his strength convinced him it would bear his weight and so looping his belt around it, he began climbing across to the top of the tower. Reaching the top after a surprisingly short time he discovered not the sun bleached bones he expected but a secluded oasis. In the centre of the oasis stood a roughly hewn obelisk covered with strange symbols. He reached out to touch the stone as the sun finally dipped below the edge of the small plateau and a fiery glow erupted from within the obelisk. The last thing Clay saw was the outline of his outstretched hand against glowing rock as unconsciousness took him.
A voice like the wind whispered to him, "You are the first of my children to seek me in an age. I see in your heart you are bold and fair. Strangers seek to disturb the rest of the fallen. I shall teach you the skills of the Spider that you may lead and protect my children." His mind filled with strange visions of ancient Dine and silken threads seemed to spin around and through him.
Clay awoke with a shock to find himself on the same stepped ledge upon which he had stopped to rest earlier. He looked around but could see no sign of the shining cord. His mind raced. Had he simply fallen asleep and dreamed the rest of the climb? He looked down at himself and was disconcerted to find that his body did seem to be crisscrossed by fine silken threads. Brushing himself off, he sat staring out at the now darkened valley for some time.
If it was a dream it was the strangest he had ever had. He definitely felt different in himself, more centered; as if his life had just come into focus. Also the visions he had seen were as clear as any of his own memories. He knew things, skills that he was sure he had never been taught. Even looking around the sparse vegetation on this high ledge, Clay was now aware of the many uses they could be put to. It was an odd feeling to be sure, but it also felt right to him.
Just as he was beginning to relax, he realised that his Grandfather would probably be worried where he had got to, since he seldom stayed out this late. Rising stiffly from his seated position, Clay began working his way back down from the lofty perch. The dim light of the crescent moon cast crazy shadows on cliff wall making the route down much more hazardous than the climb up had been. Despite this Clay felt a confidence in his movements and even though he missed his footing more than once on slickrock of the darkened ledges and should have tumbled to the ground below, each time he somehow managed to reach out and grab a secure hand hold to break his fall.
Reaching the valley floor in a far shorter time than he expected, Clay began racing back towards his home. It was well past midnight by the time he arrived at his grandfather's and despite the extended run did not feel fatigued or even out of breath. Opening the front door as gently as he could, Clay stepped softly inside. His grandfather Bisahalani was snoring quietly in his chair. Despite wanting to ask about what he had experiences, Clay made his way to his room and after washing the rock dust from his hands and face fell onto his bed and was quickly asleep once more.
Awaking early the next morning he decided to keep his experience to himself for the moment; until he knew for sure what had happened to him. Completing his few chores, he left a note for his grandfather and set out into the valley to experiment with his new found skills. Over the next few weeks he explored his strange new knowledge of the land, the plants and their many uses. He also found that he had indeed increased in strength, agility and endurance, and would often find himself leaping from clifftop to ledge, to cliff as he climbed over his old stomping grounds.
It was while he was doing this that he began to see strange tracks around the entrance of Canyon del Muerto. The scrub was twisted and disturbed as though by a tornado but there had been little wind these past few days. That night as he lay trying to sleep he could hear distant thunder somewhere outside and the words from his vision came back to him -
"Strangers seek to disturb the rest of the fallen". He had a feeling deep in his gut that he should investigate these tracks closer, to ensure that noone had disturbed the old caves. The next day he headed back to where he had seen the tracks and climbing higher up the wall to get a better view of the surroundings, made his way along the canyon. He passed the Mummy Caves without incident, although again he could see the same disturbed scrub below, and headed on towards Tsaile Lake to the east.
Before he could reach the lake however, he finally spotted what was causing the tracks - a strange hovering vehicle with a snakes head logo on the side. As he watched it, it disappeared straight into the canyon wall below him. Such was his shock that Clay almost let go of the ledge from which he was hanging. Carefully climbing back down to the canyon floor, Clay made his way to the spot where the thing had been. He moved slowly towards the wall of the canyon and with his hand outstretched reached forward to feel the rock through which the vehicle had appeared to pass unimpeded. His had and forearm disappeared from his sight and he felt a sudden coolness of the air around his fingers. Drawing his arm back he looked closely at his hand but it seemed undamaged. Reaching forward again he felt for an edge behind this strange rockface and soon found it. Taking a deep breath he walked forward with his hand feeling the rock behind the veil and passed through into darkness.
He paused, allowing his eyes to adjust and slowly began to make out the shape of a long tunnel curving away into the mesa. Clay looked at his hand on the tunnel wall ahead of him and was a little startled to see it was becoming coated in those strange threads once more, this time to such a degree that it became almost invisible against the rock behind it. The threads moved up his arm and across his body and head; and despite the strange feeling of the threads on his face, Clay somehow knew that this was nothing he should worry about - another gift from his strange benefactress. After a few seconds Clay's outline was barely visible against the rock wall and he began moving along the tunnel. As he moved forward the darkness began to subside as light bled from somewhere ahead along the tunnel. Then he saw it, a bright oval ahead. Sliding up to the edge of the tunnel exit Clay peered around at the large cave which opened up beyond.
It was filled with more of those strange hovering vehicles which he could now see were almost like tanks, heavily armored and with a large cannon mounted on them. Also filling the room, working on the tanks and moving in and out of other tunnels on the far side of the cave, Clay could see men armored head to foot in green and yellow armor. Suddenly his mind put it together. VIPER. He had read about them online and read of their battles with various heroes across the country. But what could they be doing here in Arizona? He knew he should alert the authorities but how could he without revealing his own strange abilities.
