by Sam Ferguson
“No, Kamal, this is not right!”
Kamal’s mother approached then and placed her left hand on Kamal’s shoulder, and her right hand on his father’s shoulder. “You should both know that your entire conversation has not been unnoticed,” she said in a whisper.
Kamal glanced around, but no one else seemed to be paying them any attention. “Who?” he asked.
She tilted her head and offered a sly smile. “A mother always knows what her child is thinking,” she said. Then she turned to his father. “And I have always been able to hear your thoughts.” Kamal’s father blushed and the three shared a moment together. Then his mother reached up and tousled his hair a bit. “Go, Kamal, go and find the volunteers. You should be proud, you have found a new solution to a very complex problem.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kamal and the two hundred willing volunteers he had found among the Genverbond made their way to the temple grounds without delay while the rest of the Krilo skirted along the southern edge of the valley toward the west as Kamal had suggested.
It was hard to walk with the wound in his leg, but with the help of the crutches, and the support of Weys, his brother, he was almost able to keep a normal pace until they arrived at the temple.
Weys and a few of the others scouted the area first, and only after they gave the all clear did Kamal and the others enter the temple grounds. All of the others stayed in the largest chamber of the temple while Kamal and Weys went back to that final chamber at the point of the triangle where Kamal had found the texts carved into the walls.
When they arrived at the chamber, Weys waited outside while Kamal went in and looked around. Now that he was here, he wasn’t exactly sure what to do. There was no particular ceremony for contacting an Ancient. There were prayers, of course, but most of them were rote repetitions used for specific occasions. Now that he thought about it, none of them were designed to actually contact Interis Aruhat, they were meant as a means to perform a ritual, or to focus a Krilo’s mind on a particular task.
For a moment, he recalled the night he had watched Reu summon Khefir. Had he even a clue what to say, he would likely consider performing that ritual just so he could access some higher power than his own. He looked up at the southern wall and let his eyes absently stare at the Taish runes while he tried to think of how to contact the Ancient.
After fifteen minutes of staring at the wall, he sighed heavily and shook his head. What had he been thinking? How was he supposed to lead two hundred Krilo to battle against the Varvarr? Twenty Krilo had lasted all of two minutes. If they were lucky, perhaps all two hundred volunteers would last twenty.
The Ancient was not a god. She had no permanent stake in the Krilo people. She had simply intervened when she saw a need, but it didn’t mean that she would ever interact with the Krilo again.
Kamal found himself letting his doubts spiral out of control, so he moved across the room, limping along as his injured leg was extremely tender after all the traveling. He went to the table which had been pushed up against the west wall and leaned on it to relieve the pressure on his leg. He took in a breath and then looked out at the floor.
As he did so, he noticed a patch of moonlight on the stone floor. Kamal looked up and saw that the ceiling had a hole in it, allowing the moon to shine though upon a small area. He looked back at the patch of moonlight and studied it for a few moments. It was said that the moon was one of Interis Aruhat’s symbols, of course Kamal wasn’t sure he believed that anymore. Perhaps that was simply something his grandfather had made up when the Krilo had finally decided to change their lives.
In any case, he watched the moonlight, rather intrigued by the fact that the longer he stared at it, the more he was able to notice it shifting across the floor. He surmised that the moon above was passing overhead in its normal path, thus affecting where the moonlight shone upon the floor. As he watched, the light eventually hit upon something odd. One of the stones was slightly higher in the floor than all the rest. At first Kamal thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but as the moonlight shifted more directly onto the stone, he could definitely tell that the stone was about a quarter inch higher than the others.
Kamal went to the stone, intrigued by the abnormality. It was not unusual to see cracked stones in the floor, or some that were out of place even, but this stone was not otherwise damaged. Nor were there any obvious causes for its disturbance. Had the cedar trees sent roots this far into the room, then other stones in the floor would have shifted as well, but such was not the case. The roots that had trapped the other skeletons were near the corridors, not in the middle of the chamber. Kamal bent low to the stone, ignoring the pain in his right calf, and blew the dust from its top. Only then did he see the eroded, but still discernable, symbol of the sun carved into the floor. In the center of the image was the Taish rune for the word sun.
He traced the rune with his fingers and spoke the Taish word aloud.
The rune began to glow and a great crack sounded as a puff of dust shot up from the space between the stones in the floor. Then the stone began to sink and slide back, under the other stones in the floor. As it moved, Kamal realized that unlike all the other stones set in the floor of the chamber, which were roughly a foot and a half square, this one section was nearly three feet wide and two feet deep.
It wasn’t just a stone, it was a doorway. There were stairs leading down into an unlit chamber of some sort.
“Everything all right?” Weys called out from the corridor.
Kamal answered and said everything was fine, then he limped down the stairs without another word to his brother. No sooner had he set foot upon the floor of the underground chamber, than a bright, blue crystal began to glow on the wall to his left. It glowed so brightly that it illuminated the entire underground room, which was twice as large as the chamber above. The walls were covered in intricate carvings depicting each of the Old Gods and their symbols. Kamal briefly glanced over each image, speaking the name of the god or goddess whose image he was looking at and then moving through the chamber. At the far end of the hall was a single table and a high-backed chair.
Kamal noticed that seven dragons were carved into the northern wall, each with their name carved in Taish runes. He read the names of the dragons aloud, and then fixated on the image of Interis Aruhat.
“So, what do I do now?” Kamal asked the carving. “I thought I had a great idea, but I realize now that I don’t know how to contact you.” He walked toward the table and around the chair to sit and rest while he pondered his question, but he stopped abruptly when he saw a strange form slumped over the table.
It was a skeleton. Someone who had died long ago. The long, silver hair was still kept neatly in place by a thin, gold crown. The bones below the neck were covered by a thick robe of silvery velvet. A golden moon was embroidered into the back of the robe. Kamal knew at once that this must have been one of the elves Gauer had spoken of, for no Tarthun or Varvarr would have ever found this place, nor would they have ever dressed the way this skeleton was dressed.
As he looked at the bony hands he looked past the pair of silver rings and saw a book with a white leather cover clutched in the skeleton’s hands. Kamal would have to move the skeleton to get to it, but the book seemed to be reaching for him, begging him to take it. He moved a bit closer and tentatitvely started to push the skeleton aside. At the slightest touch, the bones broke at every joint and the skeleton collapsed to the floor along with the silvery robe.
The book, and a few of the finger bones, remained on the table.
Kamal gently opened the cover of the book, afraid that it might crumble as the bones had, but it did not. Instead, the cover was supple and responded well to the touch. The pages inside were yellow around the edges with age, but were not brittle or fragile. A warmth passed from the page to his finger as he traced over the first few runes written upon the paper.
This was no ordinary tome, it was a magical book, something created with a power t
hat the Krilo did not have at their disposal.
Kamal grinned and read the runes aloud to himself.
“The Book of the Moon, and Key to the Secrets,” he said. The title intrigued him, so he opened the first page. His smile faded. The first page was empty. He turned the second page, and then the third, and the fourth. Finally, he opened to the middle of the book and found that the entire tome was empty. The only page with any writing was the title page.
Kamal frowned and closed the book in frustration. What good was an empty book? He was about to walk back to his brother and see if perhaps they might be able to think of a new plan to deal with the Varvarr, when it suddenly struck Kamal that this elf had likely died down here while his kin were being slaughtered above. The young Krilo couldn’t imagine anyone doing that unless there was some important reason, something worth protecting. He looked at the book and opened it again to the first empty page. He placed the index finger of his left hand onto the paper and gently rubbed over the surface. He wasn’t sure what he was searching for, indentations perhaps, but he kept moving his finger along the page.
A sudden pain struck his leg and Kamal winced. He set his right hand down on the table to brace himself until the pain left. He had already experienced shooting pains that came and went suddenly where his wound was. They were terribly unpleasant, but they passed quickly. As this episode ended, he looked down and saw that a word had appeared on the page where his index finger was. A single rune. When he took his left index finger away, the rune disappeared. He put his finger back on the page and the symbol reappeared.
He noticed something else as he repeated the experiment of removing and replacing his finger once more. There was a heat that waxed and waned in his right palm in accordance with whether his left finger was on the page.
Kamal looked down and realized that when he put his right hand down to steady himself, he had inadvertently placed it over the top of a few finger bones. He lifted his hand and saw the two silver rings. However, instead of appearing dull and tarnished, as they had when he first saw them, they both glowed gently.
He took the rings and placed them onto two fingers on his right hand, and then he put his left index finger back to the book. Now, instead of just one rune, he saw an entire page filled with writing. He smiled from ear to ear. He had managed to unlock the magic protecting the text of the tome.
Another idea came to him then. If the rings helped him see the book’s writing, then what might the golden crown do?
Kamal bent down and searched the mess of bones until he found the crown. It seemed to hum and vibrate as he took it in his left hand. He took a couple of breaths, hoping that whatever was about to happen would help him find a way to save his people. He slowly stretched his hand up and placed the crown upon his head.
“Hello, Kamal,” a voice said. The voice was both thunderous and soft at the same time, as though it was produced by some magnificently large person who was filled with a kindness. He felt at once afraid and extremely safe.
“Who is there?” Kamal asked.
“Turn around and see for yourself,” the voice instructed.
Kamal turned and immediately stumbled backward onto the table.
There, in the center of the large underground chamber, stood a dragon more beautiful than anything he could have imagined. She was not as large as he would have expected, but she was by far the largest creature he had ever seen. From her head to her tail she was nearly twenty feet long. Standing tall, her head only barely came short of brushing the stone ceiling some twelve feet up. She had a magnificent crest of horns at the back of her long, narrow head. Intelligent blue eyes stared down at Kamal with a kindness and warmth that helped ease any fears he had felt before. Her legs were lean and muscular as was the rest of her body. She was covered with brilliant scales that reflected the light of the moon throughout the chamber.
No. They were underground. Kamal realized that she wasn’t reflecting the light, she was the source of the light.
She didn’t have to speak again for Kamal to understand who she was.
“You are Interis Aruhat,” he said as he struggled to kneel before her.
The Ancient noticed his pain and craned her neck around to look at his bandage. “Hold still,” she said. Interis Aruhat reached out with her left foreleg and touched a single talon to Kamal’s bandage. A warm, tingly energy flowed through his leg and body, and then there was no more pain.
He stared at her with his mouth agape, and then he quickly untied his bandage to look at his right calf. The wound was gone, healed entirely as if it had never happened in the first place.
“Thank you,” Kamal offered with a bow of his head.
“I have waited a long time for you, Kamal,” Interis said.
“You have waited… for me?” Kamal said confused.
The dragon nodded. “I am the patron of knowledge and wisdom. In addition, I can sometimes peek into the future of certain events. I have waited for you for several hundred years.”
“Waited for what?” Kamal asked.
“There is much to explain,” Interis Aruhat replied. “For now, I will say that I saw into your future. By intervening with your ancestors, I knew I could create a champion out of you.”
Kamal was extremely confused. What could a dragon possibly need a champion for, and did she in fact mean that she had intervened with his ancestors just to get to him? He knew the Ancients had many powers at their disposal, but this was beyond what he had imagined.
“The elves who built this temple came to this land to hide a very sacred artifact,” she said. She turned her head and nodded toward the blue crystal on the opposite side of the room, then she turned back to Kamal. “This is one of a particular set of crystals that alone have tremendous power, but if combined, can create forces the likes of which this world is not yet ready for.”
Kamal looked past her and stared at the crystal. It was large, and it did give off quite a bit of light, but he could see no obvious power other than the light. “What does it do?” Kamal asked.
Interis Aruhat shook her head. “In time, I will explain how it works. For now, it is enough for you to know that it is very special, and needs protection. That is why the elves came to this valley those many years ago and built this temple. On the surface, the temple is a place of worship and a reminder of the creators of this world, but this chamber was built for the sole purpose of hiding the crystal.
“When the barbarian tribes came to this valley and made war with the elves, I was unable to come and help them. They were forced to fight alone. The bones at your feet are those of Gandreal Sedlorief, the last of the Lunar Centurions. He sealed himself in this chamber with the crystal, and with the book you found on the table. He succeeded in his mission to protect the crystal until a new champion could be found.
“I knew your people would struggle with the gift of telepathy. However, I also saw your grandfather, and the revolution he would begin to change the Krilo into what they are today. The Way of Wisdom is the noblest of pursuits a mortal can undertake. Knowledge and wisdom are the two powers by which mortals of every race can lift eachother up into better standards of living, effect peace, and begin to live in harmony with the world. These pursuits are more important than you can understand just yet, but in time I will help you grow in knowledge as the elves who first built this temple.” Interis Aruhat drew her leathery lips back into a smile and then flicked her long tail. “Your solution was right, you know,” she said. “Asking for volunteers among the Genverbond was the only correct solution. All others would have compromised either the oaths of the other Krilo, or needlessly risked their lives as the dwarves no longer will defend your people, and ultimately would have left me without a champion.”
“So you will help us fight then?” Kamal asked.
Interis Aruhat offered a slight nod of her head. “I am still unable to come physically and fight in the valley for you, but I can offer you some assistance.”
Kamal balked. “But, you are
here now. If we went outside you could—”
Interis Aruhat shook her head. “I am here by astral projection only.”
“Astral projection?” Kamal asked.
“It means that my consciousness is with you, but my body is elsewhere. I am with Hiasyntar Ku’lai, the Father of the Ancients. He has tasks that he needs help with, and I cannot leave him just yet. However, I can grant you a special blessing.”
Kamal nodded.
“First, you must swear an oath to me,” the Ancient said. “After you take this oath, you will no longer be on the path to become a Hetdieverbond. Instead, you will begin a new order among the Krilo, an order of protectors. You will be known as Lunar Centurions, just as the former order of old. Your duties will involve not only protecting the crystal, but also the Book of the Moon, and Key to the Secrets. Will you swear to this?”
“Would I also be allowed to protect my people from any who might attack us?” Kamal asked.
Interis Aruhat nodded. “All who become Lunar Centurions shall be expected to do that as well, so that others who continue to pursue the way of peace may be spared the violence that others might seek to thrust upon them from time to time.”
Kamal smiled. “I would make that oath happily.”
The Ancient smiled and nodded her head. “Close your eyes,” she instructed.
Kamal did as he was told. As he remained kneeling before the Ancient, she began to sing, filling the room with a melody the likes of which he had never heard before. His whole being filled with warmth and vibrated with added strength as the music grew in volume. Kamal then felt her touch him on the right shoulder, and then upon the left shoulder. A strange, hot sensation grew in his back. It wasn’t painful, but something was changing in his body. The warmth spread all over him and then after a while the music stopped and Interis Aruhat commanded him to open his eyes and rise.