Legend of the Book Keeper

by Daniel Blackaby

  As Cody prepared to retaliate another voice spoke instead, “Must be the bloody dim-witted, village idiot of the whole blasted book-world to have even thought of choosing either of you mindless-goats. Now stop your incessant yakking before I rip my own stinking ears off to silence you.”

  Cody smiled and looked to the direction of the voice. “Well, glad to see imprisonment hasn’t dulled your charming personality.” On the other end of the room, behind two sets of bars, and latched to the wall with chains by both hands and feet was Randilin.

  The Perpetual No-Show

  Randilin’s face looked thin and colorless with thick black bags hanging under his heavy eyes. His forehead was swollen, puffing down over his left eye. He had changed a lot since Cody had last seen him. He was almost unrecognizable. There was a squeak in the corner of the cell where two small rodent-looking creatures fought over a bone. Randilin’s head hung limply on his neck, “So, you kiddies miss me or something?”

  Jade’s hand was over her mouth, a salty tear rolled over her upper lip. “This is awful. Barbaric even! What are these people doing to you?”

  Randilin let out a deep, coarse cough, “Nothing more than I deserve. Could have been worse. The ever-cheerful Prince Kantan argued to have me executed immediately. It was Prince Foz who arranged a fair trial and this five-star luxury suite.” He tried to laugh but entered another deep coughing fit.

  “Well, surely the jury will spare you. I mean, if it wasn’t for you we’d both be dead. If it wasn’t for you the Book would have been stolen. Surely that is enough to erase . . . whatever it is you’ve done,” said Cody exasperatedly. Silence hung in the air. It was a question that had been burning in his mind since Dunstan first broached the topic.

  A spark of pain flashed over Randilin’s face. “Well, I sure ruddy hope so, right?”

  Cody decided not to push the issue any farther. “So, when is the trial? How can we help?” he asked.

  Randilin shrugged, “Two days from now. Foz seems hopeful that my recent actions can sway the jury. Sally has already volunteered to testify in my defense. I know I can be a bit rough toward you two lads, but I was hoping, you know, despite my lack of tact that you might, well, might . . .”

  “We would be absolutely honored to testify for you. You have saved our life; now it’s our turn to repay the favor,” answered Jade firmly.

  Randilin grinned. “Perhaps you two aren’t as dense as I thought . . . perhaps.”

  Cody suddenly realized how glad he was to see Randilin again. During their time above ground Cody had felt no emotional loyalty to Randilin whatsoever. He merely had been a last resort; somebody with more answers than he had. Yet now, thousands of miles in the center of the earth, surrounded by strangers in a strange city, Cody saw that Randilin was perhaps their only true ally.

  Cody and Jade filled him in on all the events that had taken place since his capture. They told of Dace’s sacrifice, the brewing war between Atlantis and El Dorado, Kantan’s suspicious meeting with the activists, the King’s continual absence and even of Cody becoming the Book Keeper. Randilin listened attentively, only interrupting a few times to clarify points.

  When they finished, Randilin spoke slowly, “These are interesting times. There has not been a full-fledged war between Atlantis and El Dorado in centuries. I have no doubt that the royal family will attempt to exploit your power as Book Keeper to tip the scales in Atlantis’ favor. I warn you, Cody, think for yourself. Everybody is a friend to somebody with power. People will try to use you. Don’t let them.” He paused for a moment, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as though reminiscing about some invisible time. After a brief moment, he continued, “Princess Cia is as cunning as she is beautiful, and Princess Eva appears harmless and innocent, but she’s never been the same since the accident. Be especially wary of Kantan; he is sly and powerful. I don’t know what he was doing with those malcontents, but I suspect it isn’t good.”

  “What do you mean Eva’s never been the same? What accident?” asked Jade. Randilin began to respond but was stopped by the sound of loud knocking. “Time’s up,” bellowed a voice from the other side of the door.

  Jade gave one last look to Randilin. “We won’t forget about you. The trial’s going to be okay. I promise.” Her last words never reached Randilin as the door was slammed and all three latches were tightly locked.

  “Wake up, you sleepy head.”

  Cody rubbed his eyes. There appeared to be three of Jade’s faces fluttering above his head.

  “What time is it? Why are you in my room? I’m going back to bed.” Cody rolled over and pulled the covers up to this chin. His body went cold as the blankets were yanked off his bed.

  “Get up! Don’t you remember anything? We’re meeting with the King this morning, and I’m not about to keep him waiting.” Cody had indeed forgotten about the meeting. What is one supposed to wear to have breakfast with a king? He thought as he rolled out of bed, collapsing on the floor,

  “Can’t we just reschedule?”

  A pillow came flying over the bed and smacked against his cheek. “Five minutes. That’s how long you have to meet me in the common room. Poe is meeting us there to escort us. And don’t you dare go back to sleep,” she ordered over her shoulder as she exited the room.

  Cody reached for the pillow that Jade had thrown at him. He tucked it snuggly under his head. He had four more minutes to sleep.

  Jade was frowning when Cody came dashing around the corner into the common room. His tunic was on backwards and his hair was sticking straight up as though he had chewed on an active power line. Jade shook her head in disgust. Wetting her fingers with her mouth, she attempted, with a dismal lack of success, to tame Cody’s wild hair. They waited fifteen minutes for Poe, but the servant didn’t show.

  “Do you think we should just go on without him?” asked Cody, his stomach growling with visions of a kingly breakfast. Reluctantly, Jade agreed. Luckily, after their trouble with the guards at Randilin’s cell, Prince Foz had given both Cody and Jade a royal seal which granted them access to any part of the palace, no questions asked. They hastily made their way down several long corridors and up two tall staircases. When they reached the royal chambers they found Princess Eva wandering down the hall, humming to herself.

  “Lady Eva, we are supposed to meet your father this morning for breakfast but our servant Poe never showed up to bring us. Could you escort us in?” Jade asked, eyeing up the red double doors. Eva looked concerned, her eyes fixated to the floor. Her delicate lips parted, yet no sound came through them.

  Suddenly the red doors opened, and Kantan stepped out. He looked flustered and in his hand he was cupping a small glass object. A flash of surprised showed on his face to see Cody and Jade and he quickly slipped the glass object into his pocket.

  “I am sorry, but unforeseen events have arisen. The King has asked for complete privacy until further notice while he meditates and deals with these urgent issues. El Dorado is on the move. If you would please leave the royal chambers.” The tone of Kantan’s voice suggested that it was not a negotiable request.

  As Cody turned to leave, he caught something in his peripheral vision. Kantan exchanged a knowing look with Eva, whose face registered deep concern. Her nimble body slipped past them and into the King’s chambers. The door was only open for a second, but from the crack came forth a potent smell that disappeared as quickly as it came.

  Murder in the Air

  Word of Randilin’s capture was no longer secret. Rumors of the trial suffocated the afternoon air as Cody and Jade strolled through the Inner-City. A gangly man with dirty clothes and an odd rock-clothing hat stood on the ledge of a fountain calling over the streets, “Get it here! Your Under-Earth Rumblings! Home to your up-todate city gossip! Get it here, breaking-news about El Dorado’s possible next move! Rumored to have been leaked from the Golden King’s own mouth! Also, Under-Earth’s most wanted fugitive returns! Randilin, back in Atlantis! Get all the latest informatio
n about his trial!”

  Jade approached the man. “Excuse me, sir, could I purchase a copy?”

  The gawky man jumped off the fountain ledge and landed next to her, “You could have two if you got the money. How could I refuse business with such a charming young lady? The name’s Tople, Fincher Tople. But you can just call me Finch,” he said, giving an exaggerated bow. Grabbing Jade’s hand, he planted a wet kiss on it. Cody pulled Jade away and stepped between her and the man.

  “Just give us the paper.” He shoved several of the coins that Foz had given them into the man’s hand. The man reluctantly handed over a paper, never looking away from Jade.

  “What a hack-job,” exclaimed Cody once they were out of earshot from the paper salesman. Sure enough, the front-page headline read: “TOMORROW’S TRIAL! UNDER-EARTH’S MOST WANTED TO FACE JUSTICE.” A sketch of Randilin with a foul face accompanied the headline.

  “It’s unfair for them to use a picture of him looking so nasty. It will sway the jury!” cried Jade as she flipped through the paper to the article. Cody laughed. “Good luck trying to find one where he doesn’t look downright spiteful.” Jade’s stern face broke and she joined in laughing. “True, true.”

  She pointed to the opened paper, “This article doesn’t say anything about what Randilin’s standing trial for, only that he is an awful, vicious man who devours babies for his late-night snack. I’m worried for him.” They came to an open city square where a mob of people were scurrying around. Lined around the perimeter of the square were a dozen booths, each sheltered by a tarp. A variety of goods were being sold, from foods to beautiful looking rocks.

  “It’s an outdoor market! Let’s go have a look!” Before Cody could even answer Jade had pranced off and disappeared into the crowd. Just great, thought Cody, even at the center of the earth Jade managed to find shopping to do. He strolled over to the closest booth where an old lady was slow-roasting something on a stick. He skidded into an abrupt stop. Directly across from him, moving gracefully in his direction, was the blonde girl from his dream.

  Cody immediately dropped to the ground, concealing himself behind the vendor stall. He cautiously lifted his head above the booth and peered back into the clearing. The girl had stopped, and was now engaged in a friendly conversation with one of the vendors. Cody carefully examined her for the first time. She was every bit as beautiful as she had been in his dream—maybe even more so. Her light olive-toned skin was alluringly fair and her thick blonde hair hung straight down to her mid-back. Unlike the pale-toned robes of the other residents, her attire was a wild blaze of color, complemented by various tribal-looking rock and bead necklaces that hung around her slender neck. Cody watched as the girl’s ruby lips moved elegantly, causing the light to shimmer off the coating of gloss. He leaned his head forward and strained for a better look. At that precise moment, the girl pivoted her head and her deep blue eyes stopped directly on him. His heart jumped . . .

  A hand grasped Cody’s shoulder. “Ah!” he yelped in surprise.

  The arm belonged to the dowdy vendor lady. “Here, son, instead of all this hide-and-seek, why don’t you fill your stomach with some grub!” she said cheerfully, pushing a blackened skewer of meat toward his face. Cody looked franticly back to the clearing—but the blonde mystery girl was nowhere to be seen.

  Cody sighed and turned back to the vendor. The meat skewer smelled crispy and his stomach gave an involuntary growl reminding him of his missed breakfast. And, thankfully, it didn’t look like de-fossilized grub. He dropped two gold pieces into the lady’s leathered hands and grabbed the long slender piece of meat. It was tender in his hands. Putting it to his mouth he took a large bite. An unpleasant liquid squirted onto his tongue. The meat was chewy in his teeth and the taste was bitter.

  “Lady, what meat is this exactly?” he asked, cringing from the flavor.

  The old lady laughed, “Where are you from, son? It’s only the most popular snack in Under-Earth—blackened earthworm!” Cody felt his face go green—and then he threw up.

  Something brushed against his side, knocking him off balance. Looking up and wiping his mouth, he caught a glimpse of a hooded figure dashing into the crowd and disappearing into the mob. There was something familiar about the man. Then he saw it, the glimmer of a circular blade dangling from the man’s side. Cody turned his head away from the crowd and was startled to find that in his own hands he was holding a crumbled slip of paper. How he had gotten the paper he could not remember. When he looked back to the crowd, the hooded man was gone. Glancing cautiously over his shoulders, he unfolded the paper and read:

  Trust no one.

  Things are not as they appear.

  Murder is in the air.

  Cody stared intensely at the paper, rereading it several more times. He flipped the paper over and choked. The note had been signed by a single word: CROSS.

  Cody’s arms were towering full of woven rock-clothing, undistinguishable snack foods, and a flute-like instrument sculpted entirely out of dark violet gemstone. Jade had succeeded in living up to her reputation. “The people were all so nice, I could have spent all day there! Maybe Atlantis isn’t so bad after all!” Jade chatted excitedly as they walked back toward the palace. Her excitement had melted Cody’s resolve to show her the note. He didn’t want to worry her. I’ll show her at a better time.

  The streets emptied as dusk set in. Or at least Cody thought it was dusk, as the weather never changed in Under-Earth. As usual, the air was damp and cool. As they neared the palace, Cody stared at the large egg structure: The Sanctuary of the Orb. The excitement of being the chosen Book Keeper was evaporating as the time for his official training neared. What if the Book chose incorrectly? What if I’m not good enough and let the city down? These thoughts weighed heavily on his mind as they reached the palace.

  “Well, Cody, I guess this is where we part ways. I’m meeting Sally in her room tonight to talk strategy about the trial tomorrow. Good luck with your training. Try not to get yourself blown up or something.” Thanks for the confidence booster, Jade, Cody thought grimly.

  Poe had explained the shortest way to the Sanctuary was through the palace. Cody quickly navigated his way through the ancient castle’s long, winding corridors. Coming to the end of a narrow hallway, he found a door—it was ajar. Reaching to open it, Cody halted. There were hurried whispers from the other side.

  “You have my guarantee for the murder. I don’t make mistakes,” came the first voice smoothly. It was a familiar voice, but Cody couldn’t connect it with a face.

  “You’re an ice cold man,” replied a second, gruffer voice. “That look in your eyes—I’ve seen it in men before; and every time the night ends with blood-stained hands. Are you sure this is the path you want to take?” Cody held his breath.

  “I’m positive,” replied the first man emotionlessly. Cody took a step slowly back. The sound of his shoes on the stone floor echoed down the hallway. The whispers stopped. Cody was trapped. He looked behind, but the hall was too long to escape. The door before him swung open, and through the archway stepped Prince Kantan. Cody’s eyes were immediately drawn to the serrated dagger resting in the prince’s steady hand.

  Kantan’s cool, calculating eyes were burning a hole into Cody’s forehead. A second man stepped out from behind him; he was a large man with a grayish beard, thick sideburns and a stone face. He was wearing full body chainmail and a heavy broadsword hung by his side. He too was staring intently at Cody.

  “I was just trying to find the High Priest Lamgorious Stalkton at the Monastery. Sorry. . . . Could you tell me which way to go?” Cody blurted out nervously.

  Kantan’s expression remained frozen. “Just through this door. I’m sure he is anticipating your arrival.” He motioned to the man behind him. “Allow me to introduce General Gongore Levenworth, captain of the Inner-City guard and head of city defense.” Cody gave a slight nod to the man, but the man merely stared blankly back.

  “Um, well a pleasure to mee
t you. I will just be going now. Bye.” Cody put his head down and walked to the door only to find it blocked by the large general who seemed in no hurry to move. Cody awkwardly pushed his body against the wall and squeezed past the man. Face beet-red, Cody hurried down the hall.

  “Oh, and Cody,” Cody stopped, turning back to face Kantan, who was still peering suspiciously at him. “I can trust that you will keep your ears to yourself, can I not?” Cody felt a knot twisting in his stomach. “Yes, Sir, of course.”

  As he scurried away, he felt the eyes of the two men pierce his back like a knife. Finally, turning the corner of the lengthy corridor, he flung his body to the wall and slid down into a squat; his breath was hoarse and erratic. His hand unconsciously slipped into his pocket, fingering the warning note from the marketplace. His head was spinning, but he was certain of one thing. The brief encounter had made one fact unmistakably clear. Before the sun sets tonight . . . somebody is going to die.

  The Low Priest

  The lights of the city shrunk to the size of a thousand fireflies as Cody ascended the base of the Sanctuary. A wooden pulley system constructed of worn timber and frayed rope worked as a primitive elevator guiding the small square platform along the outside wall of the building. Cody held his breath as the lift swayed gently left and right; Cody did not have an intimate relationship with heights and now he remembered why.

  With a jerk the lift stopped, sending Cody stumbling against the railing; he had reached the top. The metallic sphere of the Sanctuary overhead cast a dark shadow over him. He quickly jumped off onto a large balcony, anxious to get indoors and put some distance between him and the antique elevator. At the other end of the balcony were two rustic wooden doors. Between his position and the doors, standing tall in the middle of the balcony, was a large steel sculpture of a man. The steel man was dressed in a robe and kneeling, head downcast and arms raised high. In his hands was a sphere resembling a globe. Cody had arrived at the Monastery of the Brotherhood: Refuge to the Brotherhood of Light—holy protectors of the Orb.