Chapter 32
Javin and Sauros stood almost in the center of the strangely lit room. The level they were on was down two landings from where they’d entered the ancient chamber. In front of them stood a tall arching portal like the one they’d fallen through in the throne room of Putra’ Fi Sorro. It was a shimmering glossy black that Javin felt was an opening to somewhere. And all around them sat the large rectangular slabs of stone arranged in an order that was different than Javin remembered. When they’d both been here last there’d been a pedestal, where sat the crystal now imbedded in Sauros’ breast. It wasn’t there any longer.
Though the arrangement of the slabs was different, Javin knew, somehow, they felt right. Like some sort of symmetry had been reached. The slabs, the temple, the view of the night sky, the portals, and even the crystals in their breasts. All of them linked. Javin had felt they were, and Sauros had agreed when they’d spoken of it.
There wasn’t any evidence the slabs had been scraped along the floor, but Sauros had noted it too. Along with his agreeing that they now, somehow, seemed in proper order, like some sort of matrix had reach equilibrium.
Looking up at the dark ceiling, dotted with tiny twinkling lights, Javin broke the silence.
“Now there’s a sight you don’t see on this world – if it is a world.” Javin still hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that this place was somehow not real; artificial. He had a number of clues that made him think of it that way. For one, the world was just too small; only seven cities, eight if you counted the Pontu’ Gi, in the whole place. Then there was the fact that there were two distinct species of humanoids. For them to have evolved naturally this close together without much knowledge between the two should have been virtually impossible. Then there was the fact that their history only went back a thousand years. It seemed that the cities sprang up as if they’d been put here fully built and populated. The histories just start.
Then there were all the legends and such. It wasn’t like normal religions, mysterious and incomprehensible. Instead they hinted at some sort of plan that was being followed . . . A plan that would end sometime in the not too distant future. The weirdest part was that they seemed to include Javin! How could they have known unless there were other entities in the background, pulling the strings?
Javin knew that’s exactly what was happening. From the memories he’d gotten from Chahzuu, and from the teachings of Siri and Mahntra’ Bhu, he knew more about the Guardians, and their legends, but more importantly, he knew the immense Dark the Guardians had shown Chahzuu was coming this way. Javin wasn’t sure he entirely believed. One way or another, these Guardians had wrapped him up in it too. Even little snippets were coming back to him of his first? meeting with the Guardians. Little flashes of being in a place all white, hearing voices in his mind, not seeing a soul. Being sent on a test! Nothing else. He still couldn’t bring back memories of any former life, though from thoughts that kept poking into his mind, he was sure there was another life he’d lived, somewhere . . . out there. He had to fight to keep his hand from lifting to try and touch the stars.
Javin knew he came from out there. Knew they were stars. Knew they had worlds circling them. It was knowledge this world never had. The shrouding mist never let up. They’d never seen the bare sky. Never seen the naked sun in its bright glory.
He’d tried to explain it to the others, but they’d only nodded without real comprehension. It was only now that he’d really had time to think on all these things. Think and look at a star filled night sky and wonder where the answers could be found.
Find them he would!
That’s why he’d come back here to the ancient city, the ancient temple. Sauros had come too. He’d said there was nothing now to hold him, and if it was all the same to Javin, he’d like to help him learn the answers. Javin suspected there was something more to it. Sauros hadn’t said anything, and Javin didn’t feel it was time yet to start prying. It was something Sauros said he’d tell him sometime. He’d wait.
They’d left several weeks ago, taking that long to reach the ancient city again. Yet they’d come almost straight to it, like they were both homing in on some signal it was sending. They’d both realized it was the crystals. They didn’t even need to speak about which direction to travel. Instinctively they’d both known.
Javin had stopped being amazed. Now he just got angry. He didn’t like being some pawn in a game he didn’t know anything about. Especially since the game had such high stakes.
Sohorkon and Dierni’ Lah had been married. Siri’ Bhu continued to serve as the Chief Keeper for Putra’ Fi Sorro, and Mahntra’ Bhu had been asked to assume the same position in Sunzah’ Nu Geeza, since the old Keeper had proven himself an ambitious traitor. The Pontu’ Gi had graciously accepted Javin’s suggestion that they work now with Sohorkon and Dierni, and help them keep peace between all the cities. They’d realized now, that was their true role, the role they were destined to play. And they would fulfill it. They, along with Javin, knew the fight wasn’t over. The Articles of Power had vanished. Only one person could have taken them.
Nemesis.
Javin knew they’d meet again. They had to.
That’s why he’d decided to come back here to the temple.
Javin lowered his gaze from the star filled ceiling and set it on the tall rounded portal. The entrance was still that shimmering glossy black. It was now a doorway. He’d used it before. This time he didn’t know where it’d take him. He hadn’t any destination in mind. Yet he didn’t think that mattered. Somehow, with the questions he had in his mind, he just knew he’d get to where he needed to be.
He was sure that impression came from the crystal warming in his breast. Then he thought again on the arrangement of the slabs. Maybe they were oriented to provide some sort of coordinates for the portal. Strange. They didn’t look like any circuitry he was familiar with. Javin shrugged. He couldn’t really remember any circuitry anyway, except for the stupid flashes of his hidden memory.
It was time to start finding answers!
“Well, no sense delaying. I’m ready to go through.” He turned to Sauros to say his farewells.
“I’m ready as well,” Sauros said as he met Javin’s eyes. “I’m going.”
Javin wasn’t ready for this; wasn’t expecting it. This was Sauros’ world, his people. He shouldn’t leave them at a time like this.
It must have shown on Javin’s face, and he knew Sauros felt it, because Sauros held up a hand to forestall any argument.
“I told you, there’s nothing here for me now. I’m going with you. Wherever you end up, I know you’ll face the Evil again -- the Evil that took Mouhra’ Lah. It must be stopped. That is my purpose now. I can’t fight it any more than you can.”
Again, Javin could tell there was something more Sauros wasn’t saying. When he said the word Evil it encompassed more than just Nemesis, but larger; expanded, yet something specific. Does Sauros know of the approaching Dark? He’d never said anything to anyone about it. How could he explain something like that? The Pontu’ Gi knew from Chahzuu’s memories. That’s how Javin knew. How would Sauros have known? Unless . . .
Javin thought a moment, then instead of arguing, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking at his large friend.
“Shall we go, then?” Javin gestured to the shimmering portal.
“We shall.”
Together they turned and stepped into the inky blackness. It enveloped them and they were gone.
A crack of thunder pounded through the chamber and the portal cleared as if anyone could now walk through it and simply end up on the other side.
It sat for a time. Suddenly the chamber fell into darkness . . . Then came the sound of shifting slabs of stone.
And so the adventure continues . . .
The End (of this Chapter)
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Axl Briar was born and raised in Southwestern Utah, keeping horses, cows and other assorted pets. He is the third of 6 children and survived childhood only by utilizing an active imagination. His hobbies include reading and travel. During one international trip he and his wife were detained as suspected terrorists. They live in a high mountain valley, population 145.
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