It wasn’t floating in the air, but was suspended by a unique rack that supported a breastplate, helmet, spaulders, greaves, and boots as if an invisible man was wearing them. It was something to be admired, not worn. Something people walked hundreds of miles to admire. It was the work of gods: craftsmanship that exceeded human ability. He only intended to look, but then found himself reaching forward, caressing. He ran his fingers across spiked shoulders. Then, without consciously acting, he set down the sword and lifted the breastplate from the stand. He almost dropped it because he’d expected it to be heavy. Maybe it was art, not something meant for real protection. He knocked his knuckles against the metal, expecting the light ting of thin metal. But it resonated deep. He hit it with his fist; it was rock solid. He examined it further and found the inside covered in plush red wool. He put it on. It pressed gently against his chest, easy and comfortable.
He took the spaulders and locked them onto his shoulders. They didn’t dig into his neck like his armor during the wars had. He put the greaves on his legs and then laced up the gold plated boots. Finally, he pulled the helmet over his head and dropped the visor. Metal bands made it seem as if he was looking at the world through prison bars, but they also made him feel safe. It would be nearly impossible for anything to hurt him like this.
He bent to pick up his sword, amazed at the agility of the suit of armor. Although he did feel its weight and it slightly hampered his movement, it was like nothing he’d ever known. He mounted the sheath to his hip; it clipped in place. Then he saw the shield and wasn’t surprised. The open mouth of a lion, complete with fangs that protruded like daggers, matched the armor and sword. This was a set, meant to be together and perhaps even meant for him. Parts of his body were exposed, his shins and biceps. But he liked it that way, it kept him light and agile. And it couldn’t be coincidence that it all fit perfectly. He took the shield in his left hand, drew his sword, and stood tall.
Where was a mirror when you wanted one? And this was the only time he’d ever wanted one. He searched for a reflective surface but found nothing. He stepped forward, expecting to hear the clang of metal he’d grown accustomed to during the wars, but all was silent. He stepped again, walking with an almost normal pace and stance rather than that of a burdened warrior. He squeezed the handle of the shield and held it against his chest as he waved the sword in mock combat. He swung hard, lifted his shield to block, and lunged, decapitating an imaginary wolf. Then he spun to stop an attack from behind but stumbled and knocked over a weapon rack, which clanged and clattered as it fell.
He quickly sheathed his sword and lifted his visor. Three sets of eyes were locked on him. He took off his helmet. Rudolfo, Thamus, and China were motionless at the top of the stairs staring in what appeared to be silent shock. He squinted and rubbed his chin, trying to hide his embarrassment.
“Did you kill it?” Thamus asked, and burst out laughing.
Len chuckled, courteously. It wasn’t that funny. But when China and Rudolfo joined Thamus in an uncontrolled frenzy of howling laughter, he couldn’t hold back. Their guffaws echoed off the walls and tears streamed down his cheeks. Each time he wiped them and began to settle down, nearly gaining control of himself, it started all over again. When he finally calmed down, his side ached.
The three above him were now sitting on the steps. Thamis rolled back, laid down, and sighed. “That was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Another round of snickers passed through them as Len walked up the steps. “It wasn’t that funny,” He said. And then saw them. “By the gods!”
A dark maroon robe covered China’s body and she wore a slender black leather pack on her back. A long staff topped with a fist-sized sapphire rested against her shoulder. Rudolfo looked legendary. He was covered head to toe in brilliant chain mail, and a large sword hilt stuck up over his shoulder from the sheath on his back. Thamus wore black studded armor, and a quiver of arrows hung on one shoulder and a longbow over the other. A shiny dagger hung from his belt and he held the book on his lap.
The childlike thrill of new toys vanished and the humor of his escapades were suddenly washed away by reverence. This was not blind luck. This room, this equipment, they didn’t just stumble upon it. Someone, or something, had first prepared it for them and then led them here. He looked down at his chest, golden metal exquisite enough to be placed forever in a shrine for the people. He ran his fingers across the top edge of the lions wing. The metal was beveled up, contoured to the design. It was the work of a master, or more likely, a team of skilled blacksmiths. There was enough gold and wealth in this room for an entire nation. Who did it belong to and why had it been offered to them?
He raised his head and caught the eye of Thamus, who nodded with a solemn expression and stood with the others. Without words, they all conveyed the same message of humility. A greater power was at play, and had chosen them. But for what?
Len turned and gazed into the secret chamber. All was quiet. He drew his sword, held it above his head, and spoke loud and bold. “I am King Len of Gardone. We thank you for your gifts but serve no master. If you stand for honesty and equality, then we stand together. We are ready to consider your message if you wish to instruct us.”
His voiced echoed into silence, and he waited. Nothing. But then just as he opened his mouth to speak again, something beckoned to his soul. His head turned, like a natural reaction, and settled on the book Thamus was holding. The black leather cover was carved with designs and symbols, at the center of which was a large winged lion. He nodded, and then noticed Rudolfo nodding. All of them were looking at the book.
“Whoever you are, I thank you,” Rudolfo said quietly.
Len sheathed his sword. “I think it is time to leave this mountain, for now. But I have a feeling we’ll be back.”
He picked up a torch that had been dropped near the opening of the dark tunnel and left the room. In silence, they replaced the rocks to hide the entrance and wiped away tracks as they walked back to the cliff. They looped the rope over a rock so it could be retrieved from below and descended. They continued to erase all evidence of their presence, not out of fear, but to protect the strange room. Eventually they reached the large cavern.
“I’m sure we’ve missed Trask,” China said, the first to speak.
“It’s that way,” Thamus said, pointing to the larger cave they had seen earlier. “Endell showed me.” Thamus held out his torch and walked inside.
Len peered inside. The tunnel was high, wide, and sloped upwards; it looked well used. “We must be heading out of the mountain now,” he said.
Len motioned for China and Rudolfo to follow Thamus, which they did. As he moved to follow, a sound behind him made him pause. He turned and peered into the large cavern they had come through earlier. His torch managed to reach only a short distance into the darkness.
The familiar plunks of water droplets echoed off the walls. Perhaps he’d imagined something. He suddenly wanted to be out of this mountain, something didn’t feel right. Then a long, soft hiss sounded in the darkness and confirmed his unease. A chill shot up his back and electrified his body, pricking the hairs on his arms and neck. He didn’t move, as if not moving might keep him hidden, but then realized he was hiding in a dark cave with a lit torch. Whatever was out there was watching him.
He swallowed and forced himself to take a step backwards as his eyes darted around searching for the source of the hiss. When he stepped a second time, two red eyes appeared high in the distance. He stepped back again, quicker this time. The eyes vanished briefly, reappeared, then dropped in a gliding decent towards him.
“Run!” he screamed as he spun around and sprinted. “Run!”
Thamus’ torch was further up the passage; they had a good lead on him. He pushed hard and as he neared them, saw they were waiting for him.
“Run! Go!” he yelled, motioning wildly. They did.
He was glad to be closer to them, but they were still ahead of him and knowing he w
as the closest to the glowing eyes kept him running hard. Even when his thighs began to burn he refused to slow. For a moment he regretted the new armor weighing on his shoulders, chest, and legs; no matter how light they were they slowed him. But after two more steps he changed his mind. Images of a vile beast made him thankful for it. He didn’t waste time looking back, he just ran. Clanging armor, heavy breathing, and rhythmic footsteps echoed in the passage.
They stopped, but he didn’t. The three others were bent over, huffing, and trying to look past him into the darkness. Len bolted past them and just before he could tell them to keep running, China screamed.
He spun around to see a sudden flash of metal near Rudolfo. Thamus had dropped his torch and had an arrow notched and pointed down the tunnel. The only sound was of the four frightened friends sucking in air and throwing it back out while they waited and stared into the darkness. Rudolfo stood motionless with his knees bent and his body leaning forward, sword raised. How had Rudolfo responded so quickly? Then Len realized that he also had drawn his sword and somehow mounted his shield to his left arm. His own warrior instinct had taken control.
China, however, was on the ground sliding toward him.
Len walked past her and stood next to Rudolfo, putting himself between her and the monster in the darkness. He saw blood dripping down the bright metal of Rudolfo’s sword and a small trail of blood leading down the cave.
“What was it?” Len asked in a hushed voice.
“I don’t know,” Rudolfo said without breaking his focus.
“China? Are you alright?” Len asked without turning around.
“Yes,” she answered. “It got my leg, I’ll need a few minutes to wrap it.”
China rustled with her pack and Len heard vials clank gently together. That bite was meant for his leg; his armor protected leg. He should never have run past her. And her gentle groans from behind fueled his guilt.
“What did it look like?” Thamus asked.
“I didn’t see it,” Rudolfo said. “I saw something jump for China and before I realized what I was doing, I was swinging my sword.”
“Enough to kill it?” Len said, still ready for another attack.
“No. It was stocky, whatever it was, very solid. I think I just grazed it. We should get out of here before it comes back. Can you walk, China?”
Len heard her try to stand. Then he heard Thamus release the tension on his bow and move to her side. She grunted as Thamus helped her up.
“Are you sure you can keep going?” Thamus said.
“Let’s just get out of here; I’ll take a closer look once we are out,” she said.
“Help her, Thamus. We’ll watch your backs,” Len said.
The shadows on the cave walls danced around as Thamus picked the burning torches up from the ground.
“How many torches do we have left?” Len said.
Thamus shuffled for a moment. “Five.”
“Take three and leave them burning here so we’ll be able to see if anything comes past them,” Len said.
While he and Rudolfo continued to watch, Thamus rustled behind them. The cave became brighter as he set flame to the three torches.
“Okay, done,” Thamus said.
Thamus struggled to carry his large book and help China, who was in obvious pain. Len and Rudolfo walked backwards, poised and ready for battle. Len felt different now; the terror was gone. He was alert, in attack mode. Because of him something had hurt China and he was ready for revenge. Standing next to Rudolfo helped too. Rudolfo acted afraid, but when it came to battle he was a fierce and skilled warrior…just like during the wars.
Rudolfo sounded a gentle chink of armor with each step. Like a tambourine, it marked their slow, steady pace as the three burning torches became small dots of light in the distance. Maybe it wouldn’t bother them again.
“The door!” China said with excitement.
Len cocked his head. The ground leveled out behind him and opened into a cavern. A large metal door at the far end sealed the passage. Len turned back and focused again on the distant torches while Thamus and China hobbled to the door.
Thamus grunted. “It’s shut tight,” he said. “It won’t budge and there isn’t a handle. It must be sealed by some sort of magic.”
“It has a strange keyhole. I’ve never seen anything like it,” China said.
A loud clang surprised Len and his body jerked. Another bang echoed through the cave from behind him and he turned to see Thamus pounding at the door with a large rock. He turned back to the torches below and tried, unsuccessfully, to not jump with each additional boom. The banging seemed to last forever and Len hoped they weren’t announcing a free meal to every monster and beast roaming the caves. Finally, Thamus gave up.
“Great, we made it this far only to be eaten at the very end of our journey,” Thamus said.
“Maybe we took the wrong path,” Len said, trying to hide his own discouragement.
“No,” Thamus said. “This is it. This is what Endell showed me.”
Len jumped again as Thamus began another round of banging. It only took a few jumps and Len spun around.
“Is that even working?” he said.
Thamus stopped and frowned back. “I’m open to suggestions. You want to try? I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just jumpy,” Len said. “China, do you know any magical ways to get through?”
Rudolfo walked to the door for a closer look and China shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
“We can wait for Trask. If this is magically sealed, that’s probably all we can do. If he’s already out there, he’ll be back. He knows we are coming. Otherwise, we keep banging on it and try to force it open.”
Len sighed and turned back to the torches and opened his mouth to answer her, but words didn’t form. A strange noise escaped his mouth as he cut himself short and stared at the torches in horror. They flickered. It could be Trask, he told himself, trying to stay calm. Then they vanished completely.
“Trask?” he yelled.
Silence.
“I think it’s coming back,” he said, trying to hide his fear as he resumed his attack stance.
Rudolfo’s armor rustled and Len was comforted to see his warrior friend appear at his side but it didn’t last when a familiar hiss sounded from the distance.
“He’s back,” Len said.
Thamus stepped next to Len, reached over his shoulder, and pulled an arrow. Once notched, he raised the bow over his head and pulled back on the string; the bow moaned in apparent pleasure. Thamus lowered his aim and pointed the arrow down the tunnel.
Another hiss sounded, closer this time, and with a sharp twang Thamus’ arrow whizzed into the blackness. As Thamus reached to pull another, the tunnel erupted in a fierce roar that thundered and shook the walls. Then all fell silent.
Len felt sick.
“Give it everything we’ve got,” he said. “Thamus, if you hear it move again fill that tunnel with arrows.”
“China,” Rudolfo said, “toss a torch down there so we can see it coming. It would also help to set others up this room so we can see it while we are fighting…if it comes to that.”
“I might be able to do better than that; let’s see if this staff is channeled.” She spoke strange words, a quick combination of song and chant until the room brightened. Light radiated from her staff.
Len could see farther down the tunnel; no creature. He felt a sliver of hope until another hiss sounded, closer this time.
Twang! Twang! Twang! Three arrows whizzed into the distance and provoked another scream. It was coming. Len squatted lower and peered over the top of his shield. More arrows zipped past. China yelled out more strange words and the room glowed red as a fiery ball flew past his head and exploded far down the tunnel. More twangs, another scream, more chanting, another fiery ball, but the beast kept moving closer. The thick leather of his heavy boots pulsed as the ground vibrated underneath him. Rocks rattled from the c
eiling and small pebbles fell like rain to the ground. It was close.
“Len!”
The yell from behind him was barely audible.
“Get Back!”
Len glanced left. Rudolfo was not standing next to him but was huddled against the cave wall, crouched behind a boulder and motioning with his arms for Len to move. Len turned back to see a mouth full of fangs charging up the passage. He lunged right. A roar rattled his chest and rang through his head. Unable to think and with rocks falling around him, Len stumbled as the fiery eyed beast pounced on him. He twisted and pulled his shield over his face.
Hissing and snapping, the horned reptile struck his shield, knocking Len to the ground. It bit his shoulder and dragged him across the floor as it tried to slow. But it was moving too fast and with Len in its grip, it slid, rolled, and slammed into the large metal door. The entire cavern shook.
It fell on his legs, pinning him to the ground. Rocks fell, dust filled the air, and he raised his shield. Boulders shattered against the ground, blasting his face with pulverized rock. Flat on his back and half buried by monster, his shield clanged and danced as rocks fell from above. He rolled closer to the monster and rocks piled up around him. Then all went dark.
Chapter 19
Traumatic Reunion
Jasper ran across the sand towards Shad, who was preparing to open the door. Thunder shook the earth and dust and rocks shot across the clearing. Jasper dove to the ground as boulders sailed over and crashed into the trees behind him.
When all was quiet, he looked up. Thick dust made him cough and he squinted to see through the haze. Something screamed, a high pitched cry that scratched at his brain like talons. It burned like fire and he covered his ears and screamed back. Just when he thought his head would explode, it stopped and left his ears ringing. Something big and mean was coming out, he knew that much, and began crawling away from the mountain.
Mandala's Catalyst (Gardone Trilogy) Page 23