Twilight tdts-3

by Кристи Голдэн

  And three minutes later, right as the small dark templar vessel sped through the gate, the pain hit. And this time, Jake blacked out.

  Jake came to to discover himself lying on his back on something cool and hard and looking up at a dark, polished ceiling. It was inlaid with a dazzling display of glowing, singing crystals. They were beautiful, but blurry and wavy. He blinked hard, and then suddenly panicked.

  Powerful, nonhuman hands grasped him to steady him, and he flailed, staring wildly at the purple-skinned protoss. Who was this person? Where the hell was he? The caverns beneath Aiur, with Savassan— or in the temple where that dead protoss was—

  Jacob. Listen to me. Remember.

  The voice in his head terrified him for half a second, and then he remembered. Zamara. He was probably in the ancient library Zeratul had spoken of on...Ehlna. The Alys'aril. The protoss sitting over him, keeping vigil while he slept, was Zeratul.

  "Are you all right now?" Zeratul asked. Jake nodded shakily. Zeratul released him and sank back on his haunches. Jake closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, and when he opened them again his vision had cleared.

  More symptoms, he thought to Zamara. First headaches, then seizures, and now blurred vision and memory loss.

  Yes. But we are here now. At the end of our long journey together. "Are you well enough to speak with the alysaar'vah?"

  Jake guessed that was the supervisor of the library and nodded again. "Yeah. I'm not going to get any better just sitting here. How long was I out for?"

  "We had barely laid you down when you awoke. I explained a little to the alysaar about our situation."

  "Yeah, I'm sure he was wondering what you were doing bringing me here." The ice pick in his brain had been removed, leaving behind only dull pain. He got to his feet, taking his time, realizing that his legs felt weak. Yet another symptom. Zeratul watched him closely, ready to aid him if it was needed, letting him keep his dignity if it wasn't.

  Damn, Jake liked the protoss.

  "Indeed, some information was necessary. But I also felt much needed to be explained by you and Zamara, and she was unreachable while you were unconscious. Krythkal has been here for several centuries," Zeratul continued. "He is now the alysaar'vah, the head of the alysaar. He oversees the work done here and sees to it that the traditions and the level of care are kept."

  Jake followed Zeratul out of what he assumed was the sleeping quarters and into a cavernous hall. He stopped dead in his tracks.

  He'd thought the crystals in the temple were impressive, but compared to the sight that greeted him in this room, they were a candle next to a sun. Obsidian walls arched far, far above his head, pocked every foot or so by a small alcove that held a crystal. Some were larger than others, some less radiant, some were more beautifully prismed, but to his eye, they were all glorious. They seemed to him to have a slightly different hue than the ones he'd seen on Aiur and in the temple where he'd encountered Zamara. He rubbed the palms of his hands on his eyes and looked again.

  "So is it the brain tumors or are these crystals different from others?" he asked Zeratul, his eyes rovingover the countless crystals nestled in their alcoves, each one a unique little star.

  "You are quite observant for a non-protoss," came a pleasant mental voice. Jake turned to behold a protoss so old that he made Zeratul look like a capering youngster. So they, too, showed physical signs of aging, though subtler than a human's white hair or wrinkled skin. A slightly brittle fragility to this dark templar's skin and build indicated that he had been around for a long, long time.

  His eyes, which also seemed paler to Jake than Zeratul's, crinkled and he hunched in laughter. Jake felt heat rise in his face.

  "Yes, Jacob Jefferson Ramsey, I remember the expulsion from our homeworld. I was even older than Raszagal, and I do not anticipate my life to extend overmuch longer. But glad I am to have lived this long, to see our people reunite, to meet a non-protoss who honors our knowledge as we do, and to give my aid to a preserver. You are right about the crystals. There is a rare combination of energies here that alters the crystals on a deep level. There are two such places where the energies converge. One is in the ocean depths, the other is beneath our feet. It is why we chose to stay and create the Alys'aril on this precise location."

  He shifted slightly, and Jake could no longer hear his thoughts. Jake assumed he was talking privately with Zamara. Something Zamara said affected the old protoss profoundly—Jake saw his eyes widen and his body stiffen, then settle sadly into the closest thing to a slump he'd ever seen a protoss display. At length, Krythkal nodded.

  "Dark times indeed are upon us, that it comes to this," he said. "Zamara, here in the Alys'aril we have ever sought to preserve memories in our own way. That does not mean we do not respect the way our brothers kept their wisdom—through protoss such as you."

  "I know this," Zamara said. "I am grateful beyond expression that the dark templar used their skills to such ends. Now information vital to the survival of not just the protoss as a united race, but perhaps many other species as well, can be passed on."

  He nodded, but something else concerned him. "You speak of Ulrezaj. Do you know if he was defeated on Aiur or if he survived?"

  "I couldn't stay long enough to determine whether or not we'd brought him down," Jake said. "I had to get through the warp gate before it was too late—I'd lingered long enough to miss the boat to Shakuras as it was. But he was definitely being weakened, that much is for sure."

  He expected Krythkal to express at least some pleasure in the news, if not exactly delight. Ulrezaj, after all, was originally a dark templar, albeit a misguided one. But even the dark templar feared the power of the dark archons, and the horrors Ulrezaj had perpetrated on the protoss would move all but the hardest heart. So he was surprised when Krythkal seemed genuinely saddened.

  "I am glad that his evil was stopped, but I will mourn him," he said.

  Jake blinked. "Come again? I know he was one of your people once, but I don't think anyone should weep over the death of something so awful."

  "Something? No. A dark archon of such tremendous power and malice—no. That I do not mourn. But I will mourn Ulrezaj."

  He regarded Jake steadily. "I will mourn my student."

  Jake stared. His student? "Ulrezaj—used to be a Keeper of Wisdom?"

  Krythkal nodded. "Many centuries past, he studied these crystals. He was passionate about the cause of our people, as we all were then, with the wound still so very fresh. His was a sharp mind, an eager mind, not content with merely cataloguing memories and transferring them from one crystal to another. He hungered for knowledge, and we foolishly granted it to him."

  The dark templar looked, if such a thing were possible, even older as he spoke. "We let him rise in our ranks, for he proved an able student. We took great care to allow him only limited access, for much of whatis recorded in the Wall of Knowledge is forbidden lore. We understand that, and while we preserve it because all knowledge is precious, we do not access it. No one living in the Alys'aril, not even I, knows most of the secrets contained in the Wall."

  "Ulrezaj did not confine himself to the areas that he was permitted to explore, did he?" It was a rhetorical question from Zeratul; he, Jake, and Zamara already knew the answer.

  Krythkal nodded again. "No, he did not. Secretly, he was rising in the night, and studying the darkest, most forbidden knowledge the dark templar possessed."

  "That's how he did it," Jake breathed. " That's how he figured out how to become a dark archon that's greater than just two dark templar joining!"

  "We caught him one night," Krythkal continued, his mental voice laced with pain. "I confronted him, begged him to tell us why he had so betrayed our trust. I thought I could reason with him, but by then, he was too far gone in his zealotry. Anything that advanced the dark templar cause, he claimed, was worth doing. No matter whom it harmed, no matter the cost, even to our own people. We would have our vengeance on the protoss who had banished
us, and he would be the weapon of their downfall."

  He lifted his eyes to Zeratul and Jake. "I barely recognized him then, as he stood here raging. I could see no trace of the scholar, the bright youth I had been so proud of. All that was left was burning anger and hatred, and a firm conviction that however abominable the means, the end—revenge on the protoss of Aiur —was worth it. We begged him to tell us what he had discovered, but he refused. We implored him to let us erase what he had learned, so that he could again return to us as an alysaar, one who tends the knowledge but does not abuse it. Again, he refused. He left us that night, seething with rage and a hatred that was at once so dark and so pure as to astound the mind. I did not think to see or hear from him again. To discoverthat he used the Alys'aril—to become this.. .this monstrous entity..."

  Krythkal was overcome and quickly shuttered his thoughts. Zeratul reached out a hand and laid it on the old protoss's shoulder. "Your remorse is understandable, but no one could have foreseen this. Do not overburden yourself with guilt. What is done is done. That Ulrezaj chose to steal knowledge for such reasons was his own decision."

  The elderly alysaar'vah nodded, but it was clear that he did not quite believe Zeratul. "You speak wisdom, yet the doing is not so easy. But I will do what I can to make amends. You are aware, Jacob and Zamara, that I cannot guarantee a positive outcome."

  "We know," Zamara said.

  "But we have to try," Jake added.

  "I think you must, and all the skills we have are offered to you. I understand you have a crystal from the chambers beneath Aiur, where the Wanderers from Afar kept knowledge of their own, safe and secret."

  Jake nodded and fished in his pocket for the fragment of the crystal. Krythkal suddenly froze, his head cocked, listening. "Excuse me," he said. "I will be right back. There is some kind of commotion—"

  He strode down the long stone hallway. Zeratul and Jake exchanged glances. They did not even need to touch thoughts to realize they were both thinking the same thing, and as one, turned and followed their host. Despite his age, Krythkal, like every protoss Jake had yet seen, could move very quickly when he so chose, and Jake had to break into a lope to keep up with him and Zeratul.

  Several alysaar were hastening to them, their robes fluttering, every line in their bodies speaking of their agitation. A silent conversation that was clearly of great importance went on, and Jake chafed at being left out of it.

  I, too, am not being included, Zamara said.

  "Zeratul?" Jake asked, because clearly the dark templar prelate was part of the conversation. Zeratul's gaze was fastened on Krythkal and he did not respond away. All at once he hunched his shoulders and hallclosed his eyes. Jake frowned slightly—why was Zeratul laughing? And then Zamara was laughing too, and in the silent chambers of this ancient temple a strong, assertive, and quite definitely female voice rang out:

  "I don't care if he's in a meeting, I don't care if I don't have clearance, and I really don't care if I step on your strange-shaped protoss toes. You're going to take me to him right now or else I'll—"

  "Rosemary!" Jake cried, delight filling him and chasing away for the moment even the lingering throbbing ache in his temples. He pushed through the little throng, straining to see past the tall bodies of the protoss acolytes blocking his view. Down there, a group of alysaar clustered around several newcomers, including a tall, strangely-clad dark templar and a female templar in glittering gold and blue armor. And in the center, as they milled about, he caught just a glimpse of a sleek black head.

  She, too, pushed her way through and they hurried toward each other. He slowed and stopped, and so did she. They stared at each other for a moment. Jake wanted to hug her, and he thought maybe she wanted that too, but just as he stepped forward she shoved her hands in her back pockets and grinned up at him.

  "About time you got here," Jake said softly. He drank her in—the short, glossy black hair, the large blue eyes, the Cupid's bow mouth, the petite but, God help him, gorgeous figure that was snugly wrapped in formfitting leather.

  "Yeah," she said. "When this is all over, remind me to never, ever get caught up in protoss red tape again."

  Jake's smile broadened. He realized with a hitch in his chest that he hadn't honestly thought he'd ever see her again. He couldn't help it. He closed the short but enormous gap between them, and swept Rosemary Dahl, assassin, traitor, drug addict, trusted ally, and holder of his heart, into his arms and embraced her tightly.

  And to his astonishment and delight, she didn't resist.

  CHAPTER 18

  AFTER NOT NEARLY LONG ENOUGH, ROSEMARY drew back. Jake released her at once, feeling his face grow hot, and distracted himself by regarding the newcomers.

  "Jacob Jefferson Ramsey," the dark templar said in a voice that was as dry as the strips of fabrics with which he had chosen to wrap himself. "Your journey has brought you here to the Alys'aril, the holiest of holies among my people. I am sure you and Zamara are properly grateful. I am Mohandar, and I, Selendis, Razturul, and Vartanil have accompanied Rosemary Dahl on her journey to locate you and the preserver who has chosen you for her host. I thought to arrive before you, but clearly, Zeratul is a step ahead of me."

  Zeratul smiled slightly and inclined his head. "It is not I, but Zamara who is a step ahead of all of us, my old friend. She sought me out. She and Jacob have roused me from my lethargy. We only arrived ourselves a short time ago."

  "Indeed?" Something flickered in the depths of Mohandar's eyes. He turned to Jake. "I have been informed that you possess knowledge vital to the safety of our people, preserver. It is because of that information that I have revealed this site to Selendis and the other Aiur protoss. I hope I did not give that secret away too lightly."

  Jake's legs trembled. They started to buckle as the headache hit. He hissed at the sharp pain, reaching out and grasping Zeratul's arm for support. Selendis's eyes narrowed; she hadn't missed the gesture.

  "You spoke truly," Selendis said. Her mental voice was strong and yet soothing, definitely female but one used to command. It reminded him of Rosemary's. She read the thought and he sensed she didn't like the comparison, but she continued on. "The host is unwell. Have you determined whether or not you can successfully transfer Zamara's essence before it is too late?"

  "The host has a name," Rosemary growled.

  "Indeed he does," said Zamara, and her possessiveness and care for Jake couldn't be mistaken. "He is Jacob Jefferson Ramsey, and regardless of the outcome today, his name should be remembered by all protoss—not just preservers. He has sacrificed much in the bearing of me. We must hurry. I have no wish to see him suffer a moment more than is necessary."

  "I agree. And I will take my leave of you now, so that you may attend to this."

  Jake stared up at Zeratul. "You're leaving?"

  Zeratul nodded. His eyes were kind. "I must. My lingering here will help nothing—I cannot be part of this transference. If it fails, I cannot help; if it succeeds, I cannot better that outcome."

  Mohandar was nodding. "You will best serve on Shakuras, Zeratul. We need your wisdom in the Hierarchy—you are respected by all."

  Zeratul shook his head. "I will not be returning to Shakuras, either. Soon, I give you my word—but not yet. There are some things, too long pushed aside, that I must investigate in order to help strengthen Zamara's statements. I can add verification of some of her assumptions, I believe. And the more we know, the better armed we are."

  Mohandar was disappointed but nodded. "You know what I do not.. .yet. If this is what you must do, then go. Adun toridas."

  Zamara agreed with Zeratul's statement, but Jake was sad to see Zeratul go. The dark templar hesitated, then spoke for Jake's mind only.

  "I owe you a debt, human," he said quietly. "Who knows how long I would have sat alone, staring at the waterfall and pink skies, wrapped in my misery as in a blanket. That is not who I am, and you helped remind me of that. Your kind is a young race yet, but already, a handful of individuals ha
ve proven to me and to others that you are a force to be reckoned with—and one that has inherent wisdom and potential. I was proud to call James Raynor a friend. I would be proud to call you that also."

  His legs all but useless, his head pounding, Jake gazed up at the prelate. "I., .would be proud as well," he said.

  "Zeratul," said Zamara, "in case the transference is not successful, let me share with you one last thing. I think it may be of great importance. Jake—I am sorry, this will hurt."

  "Go for it," Jake said, bracing himself.

  The image filled his mind and Zeratul's. It was a distant, dusty world, like a hundred other worlds but for the strange rock formations that seemed too lovely to be coincidental. But nature did that; it was why humans could see rabbits in clouds and the faces ofholy figures in frost patterns. Jake, the scientist, knew that. He knew it as he beheld the landscape, his gaze traveling across the swirls and whorls and formations, one of which dominated the landscape and looked to his scholarly eyes like a beast out of legend—a white, winged horse—

  "Hey!" he exclaimed in his mind to Zamara and Zeratul. "I know this place—this is Pegasus! I led a dig there...."

  He watched as the guided vision bore his gaze away from the natural Pegasus statue and gasped slightly. There, gleaming and bright and green and vibrant, and God help him, alive, was a xel'naga temple.

  It had most definitely not been there when Jake was leading the expedition. It had to have recently been unearthed—by an earthquake, perhaps, or storms, or perhaps it just simply decided it was tired of lying undiscovered and unappreciated and shoved its way through the earth under its own energies. With all that Jake had learned in the last several weeks, nothing would surprise him.

  He pressed a hand to his temple, breathing through his nose to try to will away the pain of sharing the vision. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rosemary watching him worriedly. He wished she didn't have to see this.

  "I am sorry you were not able to investigate the site, Jacob, but at least you can tell us exactly where to find it. That this has come to light so recently seems to be of great importance," Zamara said.