"Did we make a wrong turn?" asked Elwin.
No one answered. Cerise stepped out towards the end of the cave. She raised her hands so that her palms faced outward. She seemed to be glowing with a blue light. Then the cave wall started to glow as well. The wall shimmered and slowly appeared to melt away as if it were made of mist. At last, the wall completely faded away, revealing a large wooden door.
Elwin resisted the urge to take a step back. Magic! It somehow felt strange that he could not hear the Guardians' type of magic. Yet, the Earth Song told him that the cave wall had been an illusion.
"We placed an illusion over the door," explained Cerise, telling Elwin what Earth Magic had already told him. "This is the holiest of places."
Grabbing hold of a brass ring, Gelon pulled the wooden door open. The first thing that Elwin saw were his friends, and they all looked deathly worried.
Kayno stepped forward. "What is going on!?" he demanded, eyeing the Guardians of Light. He nodded towards the princess, who was there as well, kneeling before a small wooden altar. She did not move, nor did she even seem to have notice that others had entered the chamber. Deeply frowning Kayno went on. “Princess Leina said that either she or Prince Elwin was going after the crown of Kambrya. Is that right?"
"One or both," corrected Ryence. "That has yet to be decided. But yes, Elwin will go forward into the Hall of Fire."
"After all these years can the crown really here?" asked Pallas.
"Yes," Odary assured him. "It is here."
"Are you all right?" Aidan asked Elwin with a genuine look of concern.
"Yes." Elwin nodded. He turned toward Odary. "Now what?"
"First," said Odary, "We wait for Leina to finish her prayers. You may also join her at the altar and pray to the Light. That is if you wish to find his guidance."
"I'll pray in my own way." Knowledge will help me more than a god that does not exist.
Swinging his head, Elwin quickly took in the room. Octagonal in shape, the room was brightly lit with torches and lamps. The room appeared to be man-made and cut out of the living stone, with smooth white limestone walls that had been painted with blue suns. The room looked like some type of shrine. Cut into all but one of the eight walls was a tall narrow niche that held cast bronze statues. Each sculpture stood upright upon a blue marbled pedestal, and all but one of the statues had been cast to appear like Guardians of Light. The one that was not a Guardian was a knight in full armor, holding a blue sword above his head. Upon the tip of the knight’s sword hung a silver crown. Upon the one wall with no niche was a single painting of a blue sun.
"Who's that?" asked Elwin, pointing and indicating the knight.
"Shhh," reprimanded Cerise. "Keep your voice down until Leina has finished." She looked at the statue. "You do not recognize him? He is your great ancestor the High King.”
Elwin stared at the figure a long time before he turned to take-in the rest of the strange room. "Is this some kind of a chapel or shrine," he whispered to Pallas.
"Leina said it is called the Chapel to the Sun. But it seems strange that a chapel to the sun would be so deep underground. We are about as far from the sun as one can get.”
In the center of the room was the wooden alter at which the knelling Princess was praying. It looks ancient, Elwin surmised. It probably has some great religious significance, and not likely to be of any help.
Kneeling, Leina was so still that Elwin started to worry, but then he saw her chest rise and fall. She was breathing. On both ends of the blackened wood alter were two large blue candles, their flames hardly flickering in the still air. Above hung an orb of shimmering blue glass suspended by a thin golden chain, making the orb appear to hover just above the alter. Inside the orb was some kind of lamp, which was giving off a flickering blue light. Elwin turned his attention beyond the alter, to the wall without a niche. On the stone wall was a fresco painting. Buon Fresco, thought Elwin, tying to keep his mind busy. The fresco depicted a blue sun with yellow flames. "That's it, isn't it?" he realized. "The Hall of Fire."
Jael answered with a nod of his head. "Beyond is a cave that leads to the throne of the Sun. Beyond that is the Hall of Fire. Or so the histories state. None alive has ever passed beyond this room. No one even knows how long it will take to find the great hall."
Elwin stared. They think I will die in there. By the Three Gods, am I scared. If there is a god or gods or whatever, give me strength. I can't let Leina go in there. Help me find a way to keep her out. To keep her safe.
"Now we must pray," said Odary. "Please do not try to leave this room. It is dangerous for you to travel here without a Guardian to guide you."
Kayno pulled Elwin off to one side, and Rodan, Colin, Aidan and Pallas followed. Just behind Leina, the Guardians joined hands, forming a circle. Closing their eyes, they bowed their heads and prayed silently, slipping into a trance-like state.
"You can't go in there!" Kayno protested in a whisper. "Leina says that you will die. And I believe her."
Elwin nodded. "I know. But If I don't, Leina will. It is the only way that I can keep her safe."
"They have their eyes closed," said Pallas, looking at the praying Guardians. "We could grab Leina and make a run for it. Maybe they were just bluffing about it being dangerous." Elwin shook his head. "We would never make it." He glanced over at the circle of Guardians. "And I don’t think they are bluffing. Besides Leina would put up a fight. I won’t take her by force.”
Rodan, who had remained silent, shifted uneasily as if what was happening conflicted with everything he believed in. "I... You must think of Ceredigion. They need a King. You should go and leave the Princess." His words flowed with unbelievable sadness.
"She is my sister! Forget it! I will go find this hall and find the crown. I don't care about being king. Yet, I will go."
"This is where she wishes to be,” stated Rodan “I know it is not an easy choice, but you must think of your kingdom and the other kingdoms faced with war.”
“I cannot leave her,” Elwin repeated.
:So, you will die?" Rodan asked rather bluntly.
"If I must," Elwin was trying his best not to sound scared. "And I may not die." Who are you kidding?!
"If you fail, the Princess will go in any way," pointed-out Rodan. "One of you must live to lead Ceredigion. I do not think Leina will leave this place. I do not mean to sound cruel, but..." He let his words trail off.
Elwin knew what he meant. That someone of the Ap Griffin line needed to survive this night. Elwin knew Rodan was probably right too, but he could not make himself see that reason. Rodan was talking about turning his back on his sister, he could not do that. “Has anyone thought, I just might pull this off?”
“And if you don’t?’ Rodan asked bluntly.
At least he doesn't seem to worship the Guardians anymore... at least not in the way he had. Too much knowledge can challenge all that we thought was true. "I don't care. I am going in. And if I can, I will find a way to keep Leina from following me. And if I do not come back, Leina can go home and become the queen." He doubted that she would, but he had to hope that she could get away from the Guardians. If only I can find a way to keep her from following me when I don't return. If I can make it clear that it is hopeless to follow, will Leina return home? It was Elwin’s one hope. But how am I to accomplish that? How do I make it impossible to follow me?
"You don't plan on coming back, do you?" Aidan asked Elwin, making it sound more like a statement than a question.
Elwin tried not to shake. "I will come back if I can, but I must first find a way to keep Leina out. If I return without the crown, she will go in after it. Please do not try to stop me."
"Do you really think the crown is beyond that wall?" Kayno shook his head as if doubted it. “It could be nothing more than a legend.”
"I know," Elwin admitted, "But Leina and the Guardians believe it is in there.” He nodded towards the Sun door. “That is what matters. And I know that whatever is
in there is far too dangerous for Leina to face alone."
"Let me go," offered Colin. "If there is really a crown behind that stone, I will find it and bring it to you."
Elwin smiled. "Thank you, but it has to be me."
"Brother," said Leina, finally ending her prayer and coming to her feet. She smiled as she joined her brother and their friends. "I did not hear you enter the Chamber of the Sun."
"Let us get this over with," snapped Gelon, coming out of his trance-like prayer.
The Guardians had stopped praying as soon as Leina stood up, making Elwin wonder if the Guardians were really praying, or only waiting for Leina to finish. Gelon did not seem like he wanted Leina and Elwin time alone to talk. Probably fears I am going to tell her about the dark truth of their little world here. But I doubt I could change her mind. Maybe if I had more time, but I don’t.
Kayno gave Gelon a dangerous look, but Gelon did not seem to notice, or just did not care.
Pallas stepped forward, flanked by Aidan, Kayno, Rodan and Colin who placed their bodies between Elwin and the rest of the Guardians that now joined Gelon. It gave Elwin a moment to smile and reflect upon such loyal friends. Even Kayno? Again, the Guardians did not seem to notice. With their power, they could sweep them aside at any moment.
Leina stepped past her friends to face Elwin. Her smile almost seemed to be glowing. She also appeared to be the only one in the room who was not tense. "Did you decide?" Despite her happiness, she could not hide the look of worry on her face. "Please tell me you will not go forward."
Elwin did not answer, a part of him was mad at her, they had spent the whole morning together, and she had said nothing of this. At the very least, she could have warned him. Maybe then he could have found a way out. Maybe he could have saved her without sacrificing himself. Now there was no other choice.
"You can still step down," Gelon stated in his hard voice. Looking at Elwin and past the wall that his friends had created with their bodies, Gelon's eyes looked as hard as his voice sounded. Elwin could see the hate in his eyes. "It is not too late, let Leina go forward.”
"No. My mind is made up. I will go."
Elwin frowned down at his sister. He had not noticed it before, but Leina was wearing a blue sash around her waist. "So, does that mean what I think it does?" Elwin asked pointing at the sash.
Smiling, she nodded. "I am a Guardian of Light, big brother. I took part in the Rising five hours ago."
"So, you are one of them now?" he asked accusingly, not able to hide the anger and disappointment from his voice.
"Yes." Her smile faded away. "Gelon is right. You do not need to do this. I know you are trying to protect me. I do not need protecting. I am better prepared for this than you."
"So I have been told. But there are things even you Guardians do not know." The word ‘you’ nearly stuck in his throat.
"You are still stubborn."
"I guess." Elwin shrugged, trying to look brave.
Turning away from his sister to face Odary, Elwin frowned as his heart pounded with tension and fear. "Very well, what do I do?"
Coming closer to Elwin, Leina stepped forward. She placed a slender hand upon his shoulder. "I am willing to take this burden from you, brother. Please let me." Elwin felt all his anger towards his sister slip away. It was hard to stay mad at Leina. It always had been hard, and she was doing what she thought was right. "No," he replied, laying his hand upon hers. Then trying to smile and sound gentle he added. "I will do this. I think it is what father would have wanted."
Leina nodded sullenly. Her eyes glistened as if she was about to cry. "You are so much like father. He too, was a stubborn fool." She took both his hands into her own and looked up into his brown eyes. "Do not leave me, too, Elwin ap Gruffydd. My heart cannot take losing you and father."
"I will return…" If I can. Turning his head, he gave Gelon a quick glance. "And with the crown."
"Odary?" Elwin turned once more back to face the Master Elder. Still holding onto Leina’s hand, he repeated, "What must I do?"
"We are not quite sure how it is done. What we do know is that you must pass through the Sun Doors," he nodded at the slab of stone, "and into the thorn room of the Sun, then you must find the Hall of Fire. There you will be tested. If you are tested pure, the Light will show the way."
"But how do I get past those?" Elwin asked, pointing at the Sun Doors. "Can you use your magic on them?"
"No. They are sealed by a greater power than ours." Odary turned to Jael. "You have been studying this. What have you discovered?"
Elwin felt his heart skip. Hope fluttered through him. Maybe they won't be able to open the door. Maybe they don’t know how.
Jael nodded, "I believe I know the way in." Elwin felt his brief hope fading, as the Guardian went on. "King Atari ap Gruffydd," Jael looked over at Elwin and Leina, "Your father was the last one to enter the Hall of Fire.”
“What! My father was here?”
“Yes,” replied Master Odary. “That was now sixteen years ago. He was a new father. Elwin you could not have been much older than one. Your father was also the new young king of Ceredigion. He came here and requested to enter the hall. We told him that the time was not right. However, he was the rightful king and had the sword. So, despite that the timing did not fit the prophecies, he opened the Sun Doors and searched for the Hall of Fire. I believe he made the attempt so that his new son would not have to. He knew the time would be coming, and he wanted to spare you the burden, but that was not to be."
As Odary went silent, as Jael continued the story. “The king had the Saran na Grain with him. He could not be denied his right to pass beyond the Sun Doors. However, before making his attempt, your father studied the door at great length. For hours, he would sit here alone considering doors, looking for the secret that would unlock them. Thankfully he shared what he had discovered, before returning to Ceredigion and to you. King Artair had written down what he had discovered, and I have read his writings."
“You mean, that my father passed into the Hall of Fire and returned?” Elwin was still finding it hard to believe his father had been here and said nothing. Nothing!
"Not entirely," Jael went on. "He passed through the Sun Doors. He claimed to have found a great hall, but could not find a way past the great hall. There did not seem to be any way past. I have thought about that, and I believe Master Odary is correct. The correct time had not arrived. I believe that no one can pass through the hall until the time of the Light’s choosing, and that is now. Your father was too early; however, he did discover the secret to the Sun Doors. In the writings, he wrote down a clue, if not the whole answer. The King wrote that there was a keyhole that he used to unlocked the doors, and to hold them open until he returned. At which point he resealed and relocked the doors. However, he said nothing more about how to unlock the doors or how he was able to keep them open.” Jael then pointed to a slit in the floor just in front of the Sun Doors, "I believe that is the key hole. It is also written in the ancient prophecies that the Saran na Grain is the key to the Light, so I believe that if you slide the sword into the keyhole the doors should open. Once the sword is removed, the doors close. If I am correct, there is no way to open the doors from the inside. So, as your father must have done, you too will have to leave the sword here in the keyhole. Otherwise you would be trapped inside."
"And the sword as well," added Gelon. "When you do not return, the door must be opened so that Leina can enter."
Kayno glared at Gelon, but Gelon ignored Kayno as if he posed no real threat or even deserved consideration.
"How long will it take to find this Hall of Fire?" asked Elwin. Stop stalling... What does it matter? Father, why did you not tell me?
"Again, we are not sure,” said Jael “The King never found the Hall of Fire.”
“We will give you four hours," stated Odary. "Then Leina will have to follow. We cannot afford to wait much longer than that if the prophecies are to be met.”
Elwin nodded. Then he sighed. "I don't suppose you can tell me anything about this test?"
No one answered.
"I thought not." Drawing his sword, Elwin stepped past the alter. No one followed; the room fell quiet as the prince stepped forward, pulling his blade free of its scabbard.
Taking a deep breath and praying it would not work, Elwin brought the sword up before him. Holding the Saran na Grand’s hilt in two clenched hands he looked down upon the keyhole. On the floor a hole was cut into the marbled surface, just large enough for a sword blade to enter. Slowly he slid the sword into the stone floor, his sweaty hands shook, there was a click, then nothing. Broken! The door is broken! He wanted to shout out loud in relief. The door can’t be opened. Then shattering his short lived hope, there was a soft groan that echoed through the room. The Sun Doors slowly began to swing open. Splitting the sun painting in half, the doors crept open until a small opening appeared to what lay beyond. Stale air blew against Elwin's face, sending a shiver up his spine. Before him was a black void. Taking a torch down from the wall, he peered into the darkness. He could see nothing but a long narrow cave.
"Well," snapped Gelon. "Are you going in or are you just going to stand there?"
Elwin turned his back on the opened door. "If you don't mind, I would like to say goodbye to my friends."
Gelon opened his mouth, but Odary quickly cut him off. "Of course, but do not take too long. Time is running short."
"Thank you."
"Are you sure about this?" asked Colin. "It doesn’t look too safe in there."
"Colin is right," added Kayno. "One of us should go with you."
Elwin glanced at the boys and men before him; they were true friends. I will miss them. "No. I must do this myself. They would not let you anyway." He said with a node of his head, referring to the elders who stood watching from across the room. Elwin met each of his friends’ eyes. When he looked upon Kayno's face, a memory of long-ago flashed in his head, and then it was gone. "If I do not return, take care of Leina."
"I don't need to be taken care of!" Leina snapped.
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