Thorik and Ambrosius reached a side entrance into a huge underground tubular waterway. Empty of water now; this new room looked like it could easily carry the flow of several King’s Rivers.
Peering out from behind the entrance wall to the room, Ambrosius and Thorik surveyed the situation before attacking. They did not wish to fall into another trap of Darkmere’s making.
Two massive metal doors rested at one end of the waterway. They were taller than the Dovenar Wall and as wide as they were high. Metal layers of artistic designs extended several inches into the room. A long continuous hinge ran along the doorway’s stone sides as the closed double doors touched each other tightly. Torch light reflected back off the shiny metal doors into the room doubling the light output. No rust or degradation was evident on the wet metal hinges or decorative door faces.
Wide stone locking pins extended several feet out of the floor and ceiling to cover the seam where the doors met. One locking pin crept into the ceiling and the other into the floor. The thick strong pins continued to unlock the doors, which struggled to hold back the massive amount of water from the reservoir on the other side.
Gaps between the doors began to release the water’s pressure in powerful jets that shot in every direction causing several inches to wash over the door level landing, down into the main part of the room and then out through a long tunnel that ran to the lake.
Following the flow of water into the center of the room on the lower level, Thorik caught sight of several people rotating two of the four enormous valves, as they walked around in circles pushing the valve handles. Each valve apparently controlled one of the locking pins.
Looking at the group, Thorik gasped as he noticed Emilen and Wess working one of the valves along with several others. They all wore red cloaks similar to those of the Red Guards in Pyrth.
“It’s Emilen and Wess! We need to save them.” Thorik weighed his options to reach them undetected. “I think we can reach them if we go back and use that last branch in the tunnel.” Thorik raced off to see if his assumption was correct. Upon turning down the side hall, he placed his backpack down as a signal to notify Grewen where to turn.
Ambrosius was not interested in the workers that rotated the large levers. He was glaring at Darkmere, who stood on the far side of the giant tube-shaped room designed as a spillway for millions of gallons of rushing water. He stood at the top of a far staircase; much like the one Ambrosius was standing on, and watched the door’s locking pins continue to open. Ambrosius finally had his opportunity to confront his brother and, with a bit of luck, end his plans of destruction and domination.
With a flick of Ambrosius’ finger the stone steps fell out from under Darkmere’s feet causing him, and some rubble, to fall onto the ledge in front of the giant metal doors. He rolled and tumbled until he landed face down covered with small pebbles.
Darkmere raised his eyes to see Ambrosius resolutely advance down the steps, along the wall, and then toward him. Returning to his feet, Darkmere stared contemptuously at his approaching brother.
Startled, the workers had stopped turning the cranks that were unlocking the doors to observe the conflict.
With a disrespectful glance to his side, Darkmere scowled at his crew. “Back to work!” Slowly and methodically, he returned his attention to Ambrosius. “Welcome, my brother. I was beginning to think you had missed the clues needed to get here in time. Bringing Gluic back to life paid off… Surely you didn’t think her return was pure luck?”
With only a slight hesitation the workers returned to their tasks, pushing the rods attached to the valve in the center.
The water continued to pour out of the door seams, shooting in every direction. Stray waterspouts hit the workers, knocking some off their feet. A few struggled to get back up.
The room started to flood as water ran its course down past them. Ambrosius and Darkmere stood at odds as they were occasionally slapped with jets of high-pressured water.
Ambrosius spoke first. “Before I destroy you, I want to know why. Why have you spent your entire life torturing me? Killing my wife, hunting my son, destroying everything I’ve created. Why?”
Arrogant, Darkmere looked shocked at the question. “How can you ask that after destroying everything that was rightfully ours? By our birthright, the entire Dovenar Kingdom was ours to rule. It was you who betrayed the kingdom by siding with the Ov’Unday, causing the Civil War. It was you who turned Ru’Mere away, and it was with his anger at you that he released these waters and flooded our great cities.” Darkmere pointed his thin finger at Ambrosius. “You destroyed my Kingdom, now I have destroyed yours, so a fresh start can be made.”
Ambrosius looked down at Darkmere’s outstretched arm. “Your perception of the truth has been poisoned beyond your comprehension, and outside my ability to rectify.” Reaching out with his mind he crushed every bone in Darkmere’s hand. “I banish you from this land, once and for all!”
Darkmere’s hand imploded as fluids splattered in all directions. It was quickly followed by snapping of bones in various locations of his arm, working from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder. Darkmere screamed out in pain.
Meanwhile, Thorik exited the lower tunnel. To his side he saw Ambrosius and Darkmere standing on the upper tier in front of the huge doors that groaned from the pressure on the far side. In front of him, Emilen and Wess and the others continued to rotate the valve that lifted the top locking pin. There were also eight more servants which rotated the other valve for the bottom pin.
Both groups were wet and tired as they walked in circles, wading in nearly two feet of water. Even with the water running down the spillway, there was enough new water showering in from around the double doors to keep the levels high.
Thorik ran to Emilen. “Emilen, stop what you’re doing. You’ll flood the whole valley. We need to turn the valves the other way before it’s too late.”
“Thorik!” She rejoiced. “You’ve come. I’m so glad you decided to join us.”
“No, not join. I’m here to save you and Australis.” Thorik walked backwards, in front of her, as she continued to push forward.
“What are you talking about?” She continued pushing. “We need to cleanse the one to regain our Kingdom.”
“I don’t understand.” He grabbed the lever arm of the valve and started to push back. However, the eight others pushing against him continued its clockwise rotation.
“You remember, from the Portent Scrolls. You’ve known it ever since you were a child. We all have,” she said prior to reciting the lyrics of the children’s game.
“When all the jewels are in his crown,
The mighty king will drop it down.
All but one of the gems will break
As it plummets into a nearby lake
The treasure will again appear
Striking disbelievers with great fear.
But if the one is cleansed, you see
Rebirth to the kingdom is foreseen”
Fate of Thorik Page 49