by S. A. Carter
‘Keep looking. We’re close.’ I hear the hoot of an owl inside my head and I quickly turn towards the hieroglyph of the owl on the opposite wall. ‘It’s here!’ I exclaim, walking towards it.
Uncle Jo and Magi stand beside me. ‘Are you sure?’ he asks. ‘There doesn’t look like there is anything here.’ He squints his eyes at the image of the owl, trying to see what it is he is missing.
‘Stand back,’ I say gently.
I focus my attention on the owl, taking in all its features—its wisdom; its secrets; its calling.
The kuthun starts to throb and heat up until I fear that it will burn a hole through my chest.
I will not move.
The kuthun awakens, releasing a beam of orange light that hits the owl right in its eye. It begins to move.
It shakes its head from side to side slowly, raising its beak in a gesture of freedom. Its feet start to move back and forth, waking themselves up from a long, dark sleep. Finally, it begins to flap its wings and the currents of air tickle my face.
Uncle Jo’s mouth is agape. I gently touch his shoulder and he nods, not able to speak for fear of disrupting the display before us.
The owl is in full form now, standing just outside the wall, like a 3D movie. The light around her is glowing brightly, adding to the brilliance of her white plumage. Her presence instils an otherworldly feeling within me.
She looks right through me, staring into my soul, making sure I am worthy of standing before her. I do not move. When it seems she is satisfied she takes off, using her strong limbs to lift her off the ground, and she soars into the air, flying back and forth through the sanctum before gliding back down and landing in front of me.
Her large brown eyes pierce mine and then I hear her sweet voice in my mind as she speaks to me. ‘We have been waiting for you, Great One. Our Mother has been calling for you for a very long time.’
I am stunned. Am I imagining this? I quickly peer at Uncle Jo who I know is hearing this also. He doesn’t take his eyes off her.
‘You know this is the truth I speak.’ Her voice sounds like water trickling over a stream bed. She turns to peer at Uncle Jo and Magi, who are both frozen in place. ‘You have brought Sosibius and your lunar sister I see. I welcome you both here.’ She gracefully nods her head in their direction.
‘Sosibius?’ he asks confused.
‘Yes. You are the reincarnated form of Sosibius, who was Captain of the Guard and protector of our Goddess Isis,’ she replies, ancient wisdom emanating from her.
Uncle Jo is struggling to comprehend her full meaning. I myself understand it completely and am in awe of the karmic intertwining of worlds here. Of course he would be a reincarnation of someone with military experience and noble bravery. He has brought the same attributes into this life as well.
‘Um, I’m sorry. Are you saying that I was her protector in another life?’ He is rubbing his forehead in confusion.
She nods. ‘Yes. That is exactly what I am saying.’
‘Oh,’ he says. He glances at me briefly before turning his attention back to her.
She lifts her head to me once more. ‘My name is Maya. I am the wisdom that links this world into the next. I will lead you to my Queen.’
I finally find my voice. ‘It is my honour to meet you, Maya.’
She tilts her head and her light glows brighter. ‘You have great power, Elena. I am honoured also.’ She bows her head towards me in respect and I return the gesture.
‘Shall we begin?’ she asks us.
We nod our heads and she hops over to the far-east corner of the room, stopping in front of a large block within the floor. It has a beige hue to it compared to the stone colouring of the rest of the floor around it.
‘Where did this come from? It wasn’t here before,’ I say.
‘The entry will only appear once the ancient symbol has been opened,’ she answers.
She stands very still, her magic vibrating all around her. Her feathers ruffle in response and slowly the block starts to tremble. The ground beneath us shakes and we brace ourselves, unsure of what is happening. The floor starts to open and with the creaking and trembling of stone and earth I am afraid we will be detected, but then I remember the wall I created.
The block sinks down into the ground and disappears from sight. I move forward to get a better look and can make out the outline of stone stairs, disappearing down into the dark unknown.
‘You want us to go down there?’ Uncle Jo asks, pointing towards the hole in the ground.
‘If you wish to find the light, then yes,’ Maya says. She moves aside, allowing us to pass.
‘You’re not coming with us?’ I ask her.
She shakes her elegant head. ‘No, I cannot venture further than here. You must go on alone if you are to succeed.’
I frown. ‘But how will we know what to do?’
She cocks her head. ‘You will know, Elena. Trust your magic.’ She then folds out her wing towards the stairs.
Uncle Jo and I look at each other and before we can decide who will go first Magi takes the lead. She stands at the ready and takes one final look at Maya before descending into darkness. Uncle Jo takes out his trusty camping lighter from his pocket and tries to click it on, without success.
‘Your gadgets will not work in here, Sosibius. There are candles that will illuminate your path upon descent. They will guide your steps.’ Maya inclines her head towards us.
‘My name is Jo,’ he says under his breath.
Maya says, ‘Ah, you are a disbeliever I see. Whether or not you believe in reincarnation is not my concern, Sosibius. But I shall call you by the name that my Queen bestowed on you many long years ago.’
He begins to say something else but I put my hand on his arm, silencing him. He nods towards Maya and then follows Magi cautiously into the stairwell. I make my way in after him but not before asking Maya one more thing. ‘Is there anything else I should know, Maya?’
She stares at me, her large brown eyes glistening with wisdom. ‘Know this, Great One. When you find the answers you seek, you shall bring upon the earth a light so blinding, that the world will be forever changed.’
I sigh. I would have liked a more obvious answer like…find the light, cast a spell and you can live a long and fruitful life. Instead I get another riddle wrapped in an enigma.
She continues, ‘You will also face three challenges beneath the temple, two of which might end your journey. To find your way through them you must answer with truth and a pure heart. Use the earthly elements to your advantage. This is all I can tell you.’
I take in her advice, promising to remember it when the time comes. I make my way into the narrow stone stairwell. After a few careful steps I see that Maya was right—the candles that adorn the walls are slowing coming alight making the pathway more visible.
A loud grinding of heavy stone sounds out above me and I turn to see the block shifting back into place, locking us in. I take a deep breath and descend further, catching up to Uncle Jo and Magi.
‘Are you ready?’ he says.
I nod.
‘Then let’s do it.’ He gives my hand a quick squeeze before leading us deeper underground.
We are walking for what feels like an hour, with the tunnel unchanging. The stone walls start to become blurred and I feel disoriented and slightly dizzy.
‘Uncle Jo, wait,’ I say, sitting down on the step.
‘What is it?’ he asks concerned, kneeling down in front of me.
‘I just feel light-headed, that’s all.’
He grabs a water bottle out of his knapsack and hands it to me. ‘Hm, I would expect you would. The air down here has been trapped for years. The oxygen levels would be quite low. I can feel it myself. You need to take shorter breaths so your body can adjust to the difference.’
I take a few minutes to rest before standing up. ‘I’m alright, let’s keep going.’
We keep moving further and further into a never-ending pit of nothingne
ss. The air down here is stale and warm. Beneath my Kevlar vest sweat is beading its way across my skin.
‘Where are we going? It feels like we keep moving deeper underground,’ I groan.
‘I don’t know,’ he says. ‘But I suppose we have to trust that this path will lead us somewhere.’
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the path before us levels out and we find ourselves in an immense circular chamber built into the ground. From wall to floor there is nothing but stone. Light is streaming through the skylight that is fitted into the ceiling. The sun’s rays cast an amber glow onto the chamber, highlighting its vastness. Boulders and rocks are sporadically strewn across the chamber floor and the eerie silence of lifeless whispers makes me think that no-one has ever been down here.
‘What is this place?’ I ask in wonder.
Magi lowers her head and sniffs the area around us.
‘I have no idea, but it doesn’t look all that appealing,’ he replies. ‘I’ll tell you one thing for sure, passing through them doesn’t appear to be easy.’ He points to the far side of the chamber, where two large doorways stand perfectly positioned alongside one another.
Positioned at each entrance are two seven-foot high stone guards. They look foreboding in their military stance, unmoving, as if they are made of ice—cold and lifeless in their intent to keep others out. Their war-like helmets shield the dark pits of their stone eyes, and from this distance I could swear they are looking right at us. A shiver runs up my spine.
‘Creepy 1 and Creepy 2 don’t look like they’d be fun to play with,’ I say.
Uncle Jo nods. ‘You got that right.’
From our current vantage point I can make out faint symbols and carvings that detail the outside of the doorways, making them appear intimidating to those wishing to enter. In this case…us.
I then look down at the most imposing feature here—the large pool of water that stretches across from one end of the chamber to the other.
‘Well first things first. How are we going to cross this?’ I say.
‘I have no idea. But we better find a way or we could be stuck down here for a long time.’ He leads us further into the chamber, which slopes downwards slightly, stopping only a few metres before the water’s edge. I notice that small tendrils of steam are floating on its surface.
‘Is it hot water?’ I ask.
‘It appears to be.’ Uncle Jo screws his eyes up, trying to discern the exact cause of the steam.
Magi gets up enough courage to venture forward and reels back at the scent she’s caught. She sends me an image and I know immediately what she is telling me.
‘Uh…this water isn’t hot. It’s acid!’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Magi just showed me. She can smell it clearly.’ Upon closer inspection the water isn’t what it seems. There is an eerie green glow wisping up through the tendrils of acid cloud. ‘There is no way we can cross this,’ I say.
‘There is always a way, Ellie. We just have to figure it out.’ He pulls me back gently and we take a seat on the nearby boulder, contemplating what our next move will be.
Chapter 19
‘The most obvious answer would be to teleport across wouldn’t it?’ he asks.
‘What if the teleporting doesn’t work down here? Or it cuts out mid-air? I don’t feel like burning to death thanks very much,’ I reply indignantly.
‘Point taken.’ He smirks. ‘Well, any suggestions?’
‘Not just yet,’ I say.
‘The Ancient Egyptians who built these tombs had an uncanny ability to be able to devise traps and deterrents against forbidden intruders,’ he says. ‘How they were able to do this thousands of years ago I have no idea, but you have to give them credit for their imagination.’ He stands up and takes a closer look at the pool walls, trying to find a loophole in their design.
‘What if I just try and teleport on this side of the chamber?’ I ask him, standing up in readiness.
‘You could, but again you wouldn’t want to miss your target.’ He keeps searching for a way across.
‘Well I have to try,’ I whisper. I look to my left, to the far wall on this side of the chamber, where a pile of rubble sits in a heap on the ground. I focus my attention on it and when I feel ready, I grab the kuthun.
I can feel my body making its way towards it, but mid-air I hit a forceful barrier. I open my eyes and see that I am being thrown back by the blocking of an invisible wall—its surface ripples with the impact. I watch it bow and warp as if in slow motion and then I hit the ground hard, crying out in pain.
‘Ellie!’ Uncle Jo yells, his boots echo through the vast chamber as he runs towards me. I try and sit up, and find that my left leg won’t move.
‘What were you thinking?’ he asks me gruffly, as he feels my leg gently for any sign of damage. He presses on my ankle and I cry out once more. ‘You’ve broken it,’ he says. He takes the knapsack off his back and sifts through it, pulling out a bandage.
I shake my head. ‘That’s not going to help. I need to heal it myself,’ I say through gritted teeth. I sit up as far as I can, inhaling sharply with the pain. I go within, blocking out the rest of the world and place my hand over my ankle. ‘Imbanese da noma ra. Samara nekfatety.’
I wait for the spell to take hold. It takes a few minutes but gradually the magic enters my foot and the area that was once swollen and distorted now starts to shift itself back into place. Bones crack as they reconnect with other bone fragments and the pain subsides.
I sigh with relief and gently start to wiggle my toes, making sure everything is working like it should. I bend my legs and slowly stand up, leaning on Uncle Jo for support.
‘Does it feel better?’ he asks.
‘Yes. Much better. It will be tender for a while but it will come good.’
He shakes his head at me. ‘When will you learn to be more careful, Ellie?’
I don’t respond. I stand up and hobble slightly, searching the air in front of me for any sign of the force-field that just deflected my power with its own. I see nothing. Magi is sniffing around the area of impact and she passes underneath without any trouble.
‘What did you hit up there?’
‘I’m not too sure. I think it may have been a force-field of some sort.’ I continue looking up into the air.
‘A force-field? What would it be defending?’ he says.
These words trigger off a thought. He’s right, what would it be defending? ‘Nice work, I think you may have just given us our first clue,’ I say.
I look over at the rubble still standing untouched against the far wall. My intention was to reach it and it was then that the force-field appeared. What is in those rocks? I make my way towards the pile, curious as to what I might find.
Uncle Jo follows me closely. ‘What are you searching for?’
‘I don’t know yet, but if I’m right, then I think we’ll find our answer to crossing that acid stream in amongst that pile of rocks.’
Shards of different coloured rocks, all shapes and sizes, make up the large pile in front of us. They don’t look like anything special, which is probably why most people would miss it. I bend down to take a shard off the top but it doesn’t move. I try another one, but with no luck. It’s like they’re all stuck together. How bizarre?
Uncle Jo gives it a try, his biceps bulge under his efforts, but the pile doesn’t budge. ‘What is this? Why won’t it move?’ He wipes the sweat from his brow.
I remember Maya’s words. ‘Use the earthly elements to your advantage.’
A weird thought occurs to me. ‘I think I need to ask the rock for permission,’ I say hesitantly.
He raises an eyebrow. ‘Uh…ask the rock for permission?’
‘I know it sounds nuts, but it feels right,’ I say, not taking my eyes off the pile. As if in agreement the kuthun begins to glow. I take a step back and my movement tells the others to do the same.
‘How are you going to ask it may I enquire
?’ he says, with a hint of cynicism in his voice.
I think about all the movies where access is needed to a sacred area. Lord of The Rings, my all-time favourite, where Gandolph speaks the elvish word “Melloch” to gain entry into the Mines of Moria. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, where to save his father and retrieve the Holy Grail he had to utter the word of God in Latin. And The Davinci Code, where Professor Langdon must decipher the five letter code word “Apple” to open the cryptex, revealing the papyrus scroll inside.
None of this is helping you, Ellie!
‘I have no idea,’ I reply. I continue to search the rubble for any clue as to what I might say and then Magi sends me an image of the kuthun.
Could it work? Only one way to find out. I place my hand on top of the pile. ‘Tyet,’ I say loudly.
A groaning and shifting of rock sounds out from the pile. We all take another few steps back and watch in wonder as the rubble moves aside to reveal another stairwell beneath it.
‘Holy hell! You did it!’ Uncle Jo says excitedly.
I give Magi a big hug. ‘Thanks, Mags. You’re the best.’ She wags her tail.
‘How did you do that? That was fantastic! I can’t believe this is happening, really I can’t.’ He rambles on in awe at the events that are unfolding.
‘Alright, Sosibius, take it easy,’ I say cheekily.
He laughs and ruffles my hair. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him like this. It makes me smile.
‘By the way, I’ve noticed that you’ve been able to cast spells a lot easier recently,’ he says, following me down the stairs.
‘Yeah, I think the kuthun has really expanded my abilities. It’s like I already know the spell without having to learn it, you know?’
‘No. I don’t know. I’m just a mere Cole male remember?’
I chuckle.
We continue to descend the stairs for another ten metres where again our path is illuminated by the candles. We take a sharp right and walk straight ahead.
‘I don’t think it’s just the kuthun by the way,’ he says.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I think it’s a combination of things, Ellie. The kuthun, your Merging, and the fact that Isis is triggering some sort of internal power struggle within you, are all playing a part I believe.’