“Elegantly spoken, Captain,” Levenworth replied. “But your collateral trail of judgment lapses is undeniable. You are young and rash. A mission like this is no place for noble ideals; it is one for wise action.”
“As it happens,” said Kantan, speaking for the first time and silencing the room, “unreliable or not, Captain Dace is the greatest swordsman in Under-Earth. His skill equals that of ten seasoned soldiers.” Kantan nodded to Dace. “I will hold you to your oath. From this moment forth, you are the Book Keeper’s blood protector.”
“So be it,” Levenworth uttered, clearly displeased but lacking any notion of a grudge. “Select the five most capable, trustworthy soldiers in your legion to accompany you.”
Queen Cia circled around Cody, tracing her index finger across his back. “The Company is now seven strong. However, the wastelands of Under-Earth are expansive. You lack a guide.”
Tat Shunbickle cleared his throat. “I’ve completed fourteen successful covert missions in all four corners of Under-Earth and have spent two seasons studying under the legendary map-maker, Zilar Dask. I can escort The Company as far as Flore Gub. From there I will then report back to Captain Talgu—and my family….” A violent inferno smoldered in his eyes. Despite his disciplined demeanor, it was clear to everyone that an emotional dam was ready to burst.
Cia peered at him like a maddeningly indecipherable painting before finally relenting. “Offer accepted—The Company is eight.”
The excruciating noise of off-pitched humming sliced through the swelling tension in the room. All eyes turned to Stalkton, who was looking absently to the ceiling while swaying back and forth. Sensing the stares, the pale priest smiled. “Does anyone else love that song!? Such a heart-wrenching waltz of romance and tragedy! The three-legged horse truly loved that blind spider. True passion, heartbreakingly, never to be realized.”
“Touching,” uttered Kantan in disgust. The priest took a deep breath, preparing to dive into the second verse but, to the relief of all, Cia spoke first.
“High Priest, what wisdom do you impart to these questers?” Stalkton glanced around the room for a moment before his face lit up. “Golly, is it somebody’s birthday! How splendid! I do hope there’s cake.” With a flushed face, Xerx leaned forward and whispered into the priest’s ear. Stalkton’s face drooped; now reminded of the actual occasion for the gathering. Gone was any jubilant hope of cake. He sighed. “The Book Keeper’s ability remains agonizingly amateur. If we are to cling to our cloud of hope, he must continue his training. If not here, then on the journey.”
“Wise Master!” Cia cried. “You are in no condition to accompany Cody…”
Stalkton chuckled. “How ridiculous! I haven’t quested in ages! Not since the time I awoke in an uncharted cave, naked, holding a cooking spoon, and with the distinct smell of animal dung on my fingers….” The crowd waited impatiently as the rest of the nauseating story played in his head. “No, no, no. I’m not leaving my Monastery.” The crowd exhaled a collective sigh of relief. “I will remain here and send Xerx in my place.”
“What!” yelled Cody and Xerx in unison.
“With the Brotherhood purged, Xerx is the most versed in the High Language. The final stage in his training can only be achieved through the teaching of others.” Cody’s eyes locked with Xerx’s, who shared his dread.
“The Company is nine.”
A low cough rattled as Silkian slithered before the Queen. “Ten…I will be sending my own pupil, Llyi Chazic as AREA representative.” Silkian spoke with firm authority; and although Cia and Kantan’s faces exposed clear opposition, neither voiced a challenge.
“Ten it shall be,” Cia concluded.
Cody dropped his eyes to the floor. “I request that Randilin accompany me as well. He has been…” His voice trailed off, realizing his breath was being wasted.
Kantan sneered. “Request denied. The last time Randilin journeyed to El Dorado, it was as a heartless traitor; to sell out his people and rip away what was most precious to them. He will stay in his cell and rot.” Cody saw the Prince’s jaw clamp tight.
Cia stepped forward to douse the escalating flames. “Agreed; it is too risky. This war will prosper or crumble on the outcome of this quest. We can trust no one else. You shall depart tonight under veil of nightfall. Upon the ten men of this Company does hope rest.”
“Eleven!” shouted Tiana from across the Great Hall. Before anyone from the surprised audience could respond, she vanished.
10
From Dust to Dust
IT WAS UNBEARABLE. Like the leisurely change of the seasons, the evening slogged along too slowly. Cody picked at his long-since pillaged fingernails and gazed out his bedroom window, impatient for the vibrant daylight to disappear. A thin, stone tablet on the nightstand caught his attention. Brushing aside the ruby pocket watch, he retrieved the object. His eyes ran over the smooth calligraphy:
The Power of Full Divinity,
Rests EnCoded Within Earthly Trinity.
Where Sacrifice of the Pure Angel Who Fell,
Is the Way to Retrieve the Pearl Within the Shell.
With Humble Heart and Golden Key,
The Universe’s Most Powerful Force Is Revealed to Thee.
He had long since abandoned pursuit of the tablet’s prize; in part due to his mistrust of its giver, Dunstan, but also because of his dismal lack of talent with riddles. He exchanged the slab for the worn leather Book, allowing the energy to swim through his veins and revive his fatigue. Confirming that his door was locked, Cody pressed his palm against the Book’s cover.
“Dastanda.”
Thousands of dust granules began sweeping across the floor from all corners of the room like an army of tiny insects ambushing an unsuspecting picnic. Colliding in the room’s center, the dust stacked like bricks, climbing higher and higher toward the roof. Then the room was still.
Standing before him, like a phantom, was Jade. The dust incarnation took a stride toward him, grime sprinkling down with its every movement. The apparition of Jade pointed her finger and narrowed her eyes. Cody began to tremble. Her finger pivoted until it was fixated on the Book. No words were needed; Cody understood perfectly. “I’m sorry. I should’ve chosen you,” he whispered.
“How long are you going to blame yourself for a decision you can’t undo?” asked a stranger’s voice from the corner of the room.
“Gai di gasme!” The silhouette of Jade crashed to the floor. Standing in the frame of the window were two men garmented in black robes, both of which were embroidered with a crest and a solitary word: CROSS.
Dangling from the speaker’s hips were two polished, circular blades. The second man towered above the first, standing at least seven feet tall. A bushy beard billowed from the shadows of the hood and two elongated, pure silver pistols were tucked into his belt.
“You!” spat Cody in an accusatory tone, “where’s Dunstan?”
“Your importance in the unfolding events is significant, but you are far from our only concern. As it happens, Dunstan is…otherwise occupied.” The speaker rested against the windowsill; however, the silent giant remained unmoved, his thick fingers resting uncomfortably close to his large pistols. Cody could feel the man’s intense stare digging a grave into his forehead.
“Dunstan sends his regards—and a message.”
Cody sat up attentively. “Go on….”
The man motioned toward the stone tablet on Cody’s nightstand. “He says that your appointed journey will lead to your desired location, but away from your destiny. The answer to questions not yet asked waits at the place where it was discovered. Find the northern caves where The Thirteenth dwells; there you will receive understanding.”
Cody ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. “What on earth does Dunstan expect me to do with all that mumbo-jumbo? What’s in the caves? What’s The Thirteenth? And why should I trust you? I don’t even know your name.”
At this the shorter man chuckled. “What is a name
? A name represents individuality—a vice I’ve long since forsaken for the greater cause. I am Agent Two, no less and no more. My associate,” he motioned to the seven-foot behemoth, “is Agent Four. That will be sufficient.” He turned to face the window. “The time has come.” With that, everything went black and the Orb’s light extinguished behind the metallic eye of the Sanctuary.
“Illumchanta!” A bright light filled the room, but the two hooded men had vanished. How they had managed to disappear was of no concern to Cody; he had more pressing matters on his mind. He scooped up the Book, the ruby pocket watch, and the stone tablet and stuffed them into his backpack. Without looking back, he vanished out his door. Darkfall had come at last—the wait was over, but there was one essential thing left to do.
11
The Journey Begins
HUSHED, REVERBERATING WHISPERS EXPOSED the only trace of life as two figures hastened down the darkened alley. A creaking noise brought a sharp “shhh” upon the guilty culprit. Exiting the alley, the first figure pushed aside a rock, revealing a narrow corridor. Without a sound, the two figures ducked inside.
Scurrying toward the end of the tunnel they were greeted by the vast horizon. Red soiled dunes stretched across the immense landscape and faded into the distance. Lingering on the threshold view were the titanic pillars of the Labyrinth Mountains: the gateway to El Dorado.
“Cody, you’re late. We have no time to spare. Hurry!” Dace hissed toward the men in the tunnel. A congress of people waited, tucked against the city’s forty-foot wall; The Company was ready for departure.
Dace looked fierce in full battle armor; a bright Orb crested on the breast of his rock-mail chestplate. His helmet narrowed to an arrow point between his eyes, and a feather draped from the top like a horse’s tail.
Five equally adorned warriors flanked Dace. Cody recognized them as Wolfrick, Sheets, Lacen, Kingsty, and Tryin. Their horse-hybrid creatures flared their black noses, clawing at the dirt with their front hooves, anxious for the journey.
Unlike the others, Tat wore only a loose-fitting blue tunic and a tattered brown hat. A polished bow draped over his shoulder and a quiver of arrows rested on his back.
The next man was unfamiliar, although the scarlet sash wrapped across his chest confirmed him to be Chazic—Silkian’s representative for the AREA. The Enforcer had a hardened square face, with only the vanguard of morning stubble detracting from his otherwise methodically-groomed appearance. Two C-shaped, hooked scimitars hung from his saddle. Across from the Enforcer was Xerx, exhibiting his usual melancholy demeanor.
At the end was Tiana who stood beside her snow-white stallion. A white headband managed her flowing, lush hair. A leathery-brown corset outlined her narrow figure and the small, elegantly decorated hilt of a knife was visible from the scabbard on her hip.
The three royal siblings, Levenworth and Silkian approached the group. Kantan’s face registered confusion at the sight of the man standing tentatively behind Cody. “My servant, Poe Dapperhio, has been an invaluable service to me. I have requested he accompany me to help bear the burden.”
General Levenworth huffed. “The Under-Earth wasteland is no place for a bumbling servant. I forbid it.” To validate the accusation further, the stumpy servant collided against a horse, blinded by the tower of baggage tottering in front of him. His oversized robe was two sizes too large, making a humorous mockery of his attempted stealth.
Cody stepped toward the massive tactician, his forehead failing to reach the General’s chin. “Poe’s under oath to me. That places him under my authority—not yours. He is coming.” Cody surprised himself with the courage in his voice.
Levenworth shrugged indifferently. “So be it. The time you spend burying him will doom your girlfriend. Just don’t allow him to speak or show his face; maybe an amateur scout will mistake him as a warrior.”
Dace reared his horse. “With all due respect, we have but seven days to save Jade’s life. We must depart before the light exposes our mission.”
Levenworth whistled. As he did, a majestic black and white horse cantered into the circle. Without slowing, the horse rolled to the ground, scooped Cody onto his back, and shot back to his feet. Cody grasped the horse’s thick neck to keep from sliding off.
A tug on Cody’s pants brought his attention to Eva’s guiltless eyes. He immediately felt her soothing aura. She handed him a dish-sized pewter bowl and a small vial of sand.
“The Speaking Sands?”
Eva nodded. “I’m here for you.” She gave no other explanation.
Tat’s voice sounded over the gathering, “It’s two-days’ ride to Redtown. Time is our deadliest foe. We journey steady from darkfall to darkfall. Ride!” Rearing his horse, Tat slammed his heels and burst away at a gallop. Dust clouded the air as the others set off after him. Cody looked at the majestic city of Atlantis, the Sanctuary towering over the walls. Without a second glance back, his horse rose to its hind legs and bellowed an echoing neigh. The thunderous drumming of hooves sent Cody’s world blurring. He clutched the horse’s neck and settled into a smooth rhythm.
Somewhere, sitting alone in a dark cell, was Jade and she was counting on him. The clock was now spinning at rapid pace: in seven days she would either be rescued…or dead.
PART TWO
RESCUE
12
Darkness Closes In
THUMP…THUMP…THUMP.
The earth rumbled with each boom. The sky dimmed and all visible color drained away like wet paint dripping to the edge of a canvas. Under the gloomy canopy, frantic footsteps and alarmed voices stained the air with the smear of fear.
Hustling from the barracks, Nocsic emerged into a fortress consumed by chaos. Soldiers rushed madly in all directions, many still in the process of dressing. The elevated shouts of commanding officers were suffocated by the mass commotion.
Thump…Thump…Thump.
The ground continued to quiver, sending Nocsic stumbling into a passing soldier. “Private Nocsic, what’s happening?” Regaining his balance, Nocsic pushed the soldier aside without responding; there was no time for unnecessary discussion. Weaving through the mob, he scaled a flight of stairs to the top of the wall.
Thump…Thump…Thump.
“Captain Talgu, Sir. My orders?” He called to a tall, gray-haired man who was standing with one leg perched upon a crenellation, gazing onto the horizon like the skipper of a ship. His casual face resisted any trace of apprehension.
“It has begun.” At his words, the sky completed its solemn retreat. Nocsic joined the Captain’s side, staring silently into the dark. His cheek tingled as a soft flake fluttered against it…then another. Soon the two men were surrounded by a blizzard of white bits. Nocsic rubbed the substance off his nose and pressed it against his tongue. “Ash.”
Talgu nodded. “Lilley has fallen.”
“Any survivors?” Nocsic asked without conviction.
“The Golden King is merciless, as is his High General—The Impaler. If the General leads the offensive…I dare not ponder the unholy fate of the Lillians. The unstoppable flood of El Dorado now crashes toward Flore Gub….” Talgu’s voice faded into introspection.
Thump…Thump…Thump.
Nocsic took a deep breath. “Is there any hope...Father?”
Talgu placed his hand upon the younger soldier’s broad shoulder. “Son, we have long since forfeited our hope. I swear a blood oath upon my father’s blade that Flore Gub will not fall while I have the power to defend it. We are but a leaf in a hurricane. The Golden King’s sight is set, and our time is up. They are coming.”
Thump…Thump…Thump.
13
An Ill-Fated Departure
SOMETHING WAS WRONG. Cody felt it immediately. The ominous sense of peril was tangible. He glanced over his shoulder at the blurry silhouette of Atlantis fading into the distance. Only the small, floating orb of created energy that hovered over his head offered any light to his night-darkened path.
The m
onotonous drumming of hooves against the rough terrain spoiled the otherwise nocturnal vacuum. Cody squinted through the haze. Tat rode directly in front, his head pivoting on a swivel. He feels it, too.
Cody’s skin grew cold. A light gust of wind rolled over the upright hair on his arms. What was that? Cody could feel his breath hammering against his chest. Something’s not right; there’s no wind in Under-Earth.
He felt another quick chill against his cheeks. Then he sensed it; an unexplainable, yet undeniable feeling—I’m being watched.
He began to tremble. Noticing movement above, Cody peered toward the cave’s ceiling. A colossal shape hovered over him like an enormous bat and two scorching scarlet eyes punctured the darkness and were glaring directly at him.
“The Hunter!”
A piercing shriek ripped through the sky. Cody grasped the reins just in time to keep from tumbling off as his horse bolted forward, casting dirt into a thick cloud.
Another shrilling screech resounded from the Hunter as it circled above; its immense wings propelled it across the cave’s celling. Blinded by the haze, Cody lost his bearings on the winged demon. His heart beat in sync with the horse’s powerful strides. Where is it!?
Whoosh! An agonizing scream rang from somewhere in the dust. The cry was followed by a wet, crunching noise—then silence.
Cody dug his heels in. Faster! Faster! He didn’t know which direction he was heading; he was completely caged in the nightmare. “Tiana!” he screamed into the blur, but it was the voice of Dace that responded, “The light! Cody, kill the light!”
It took several seconds before the order registered—the glowing sphere over his head was like a beacon pointing the Hunter directly toward him. “Gai di gasme!” he yelled. The orb exploded like a firecracker and vanished, leaving him engulfed in the blackout.
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