****
The setting sun served as backdrop for the seven o'clock presentation ceremony that Thursday evening. The chosen thirteen stood nervously before Cadrow. I guessed they felt as self-conscious as I did, thanks to the crowd of Sairons and Ionians seated nearby. I considered each teen in turn, pausing when I reached the person standing next to me, Lucianis, since he actually seemed more upset than anything else.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"My mother is beating amagamo again."
I burst into laughter which turned into a yelp when Matt poked my shoulder.
"Who's Amagamo?" he whispered.
"It's not a who, it's a what," I whispered back, stifling my outburst. "A nut-like vegetable that can be pulverized, fermented, and eventually consumed."
Matt's eyebrows shot up.
"It keeps older Sairons from glowing," I quickly added so he wouldn't think Lucianis' mother was a drunk or something.
"She doesn't want to glow? I mean, isn't that an honor?"
"Not when you're trying to hide your age." I tried to get him to quit asking questions. As it happened, I needn't have bothered. Cadrow began to speak.
"Whether you realize it or not, some of you have already received gifts to help you on your journey." He indicated Ashley's necklace and the chest Ginzy hadn't let out of her sight all day. "Taurelle has instructed me to pass along a few more. Kenny Zwanga? Will you join me?"
Obviously nervous, Kenny stepped forward. Cadrow showed him a small golden ring. Eyes wide, Kenny reached out, but the elder Sairon shook his head.
"May I?" He pointed to Kenny's ear lobe. With a gulp, Kenny nodded and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, clearly prepared for a painful ordeal. Smiling, Cadrow touched the ring lightly to Kenny's lobe. When the Sairon withdrew his hand, I saw that my pal now sported an earring that, with his dreadlocks, gave him a Jack Sparrow sort of look.
"Good luck to you." Cadrow's words prompted Kenny to open his eyes. Visibly surprised, he touched his hand to his ear and found the earring.
"Wicked." His pleased reaction made our audience laugh.
Cadrow motioned to another poP. "John McDaniel?"
John stepped forward.
The elder Sairon showed him what looked like a watch, then fastened it on his left wrist. "Good luck to you."
"Er, thanks." John stepped back to examine what wasn't really a watch at all. I saw that liquid gold lines swirled over the face of it, seemingly at random. I couldn't imagine what it was for and neither could John, judging by his expression.
"Matt Wright?"
Matt stepped eagerly forward. Cadrow showed him a ring that appeared to be made of obsidian. Solemnly, the elder Sairon took Matt's right hand in his and slipped it on his forefinger. Not surprisingly, it fit perfectly. "Good luck to you."
"Thank you, sir." Matt stepped back and showed the ring to me and then Ashley.
"The mysteries of these ancient artifacts will no doubt be revealed in good time," said Cadrow. "Our hopes lie in all of you. Be brave, be true." He turned to the audience. "Now I must ask you to say your good-byes. The time has come for our redeemers to depart."
My knees threatened to buckle. Panicked, I found my parents in the crowd and rushed to them. My father stood and gave me a hard hug before finally releasing me. I then bent down to hug my mother, who sat in a chair since she was still too weak to stand for very long.
"You're stronger than you know, " she said.
"I hope so." I straightened, only then noticing that Jor's dad Corele had returned from Nodyra and now stood with Dostinya, bidding their only son good-bye.
I hugged each and every one of the poPs who would remain in Nodyra, as did a tearful Ashley and a flustered John. Ginzy, who was such a mystery to me, hummed softly and endured the embraces of her friends even though she was clearly in her own little world. Kenny acted as though such departures happened every day, but I saw how his hands trembled and knew that he felt as scared as the rest of us.
As for Matt, he never let me out of his sight, and I guessed that for all his big words in the kiosk, he secretly harbored the same fear I did: separation. Well, we'd know soon enough.
Mere minutes later, Cadrow led the way up a path into the mountains. Behind him, in single file, walked Lucianis, Tirafalen, Rocc, Kenny, John, Ashley, Petria, Ilsada, Mandaus, Ginzy, Matt, Jor and me. A group of Sairon elders brought up the rear. By now the sun had set, and the Sairon glow revealed the rocky path.
As we climbed ever higher, each of us hugging the wall of rock to our right, I wondered where on earth we could be going. A quick glance behind revealed Jor's bemusement and ruled out the possibility of another sacred Sairon meeting place. Evidently he had no idea of our destination, either, and didn't like the sheer drop on our left any better than I did.
Almost twenty minutes later, Cadrow led us around a last curve and through a gap in the mountain. Most of the guys had to duck to enter what proved to be a large chamber infused with bright light. On the floor of the cavern, I saw an enormous circle that actually appeared to be a natural coloring of the rock floor.
Ashley broke the awed silence. "So we're leaving from here?" Her voice bounced from rock to rock.
Cadrow nodded. "Yes."
"But we don't have a map." John's gaze darted from poPs to Sairons, from ceiling to floor. "I knew this would happen."
"You have everything you need." Cadrow kept his answers short, but didn't sound in the least put out by the questions.
I was glad of that since I had one of my own. "Where are we, anyway?"
"I'd like to know that, myself." Jor scanned the cave in amazement.
"We're in a subterranean area of Saironalis."
"Subterranean!" exclaimed Kenny. "But we've been climbing for thirty minutes."
"A necessary illusion since only Sairon council members know of this location." He nodded to the council members present, who immediately exited the chamber. "Taurelle has requested that you step into the circle." We did as told even as Cadrow stepped out of it. "I want you to know that I am honored to participate in your pilgrimage, small though my role may be."
"Pilgrimage, huh?" Matt nodded thoughtfully. "Guess that makes us pilgrims."
"But without the big hats and turkeys." That came from John, and the two of them grinned at each other as if they'd finally remembered they were old friends. John extended his right hand, but vanished before Matt could grasp it.
Everyone freaked. Quick assessment revealed that Ashley, Ginzy and Mandaus were no longer in the cave, either.
So he is splitting us up.
Tirafalen grabbed Rocc's hand in a panic. The next instant, the two of them vanished. I quickly counted heads and missed Lucianis, as well. My wide-eyed gaze locked with Matt's. I heard Jor's startled, "Wait!"
Then Kenny, Petria, and Ilsada were gone, too. Joy filled my heart. It was going to be okay.
Even as Jor exhaled his relief, Matt flashed a jubilant grin. Looking upward he gave the ceiling a thumbs up. "Thanks, Taurelle. I owe you big time."
Before the echo of his words died, Balmythra vanished and our next adventure began.
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