The Veil Rising

by Brandon Ellis

  “How did we miss that thing?” asked Daf.

  Crystal gave her a look that said, I don't know, then said, “This is what I was telling you about a couple of days ago. I saw another one of these doors in another tunnel like this one when I was exploring.”

  Crystal stepped forward, flashing the light on the glowing door, then lowered it to the ground. “Look here. The footsteps lead to the door and stop.” She moved the flashlight all around, searching for more footprints. “They don't go anywhere else.”

  “So,” replied Daf. “The door must open.”

  Crystal nodded, then took a few steps forward to touch it. “It feels like cold glass.”

  She dropped her hand when the door started changing colors from gold to purple to electric blue, then to a dark green. When it went black, both Daf and Crystal held their breath as if something was about to happen.

  And it did.

  A galaxy appeared. Stars and gases of different colors formed into a spiral, dazzling them. Daf, still on her rear end, gasped, “It's gorgeous.”

  Crystal didn't move. “It's what I was telling you about. There's more. Watch.”

  The galaxy zoomed in as an asteroid zipped by a green planet with a vertical ring surrounding it. The image moved on, showing a large planet with a mixture of white, red, orange, brown, and yellow. Then another planet, yellowish-brown with a horizontal ring surrounding it. As the image continued, it slowed a bit as the scene flew by a red planet, only to halt at a predominately blue world.

  There, the blue planet spun. It had a whitish moon a short distance away with a large, yellowish-white sun hanging in the distant background.

  A voice struck within their minds, Gaia!

  A moment later, everything disappeared and the door returned to its dark green luminescence. After a moment, Daf struggled to get up, hopping over to Crystal and touching the small of her back. They both stood motionless. Daf whispered, “I know now.”

  Crystal gave a nod. “I don't know how the doors in these tunnels do that, but I knew the first time I saw it. Are you as certain as I am?”

  Daf gazed at the door. “There's no doubt. That's where we came from. I just know. I don't know why or how I know, but I know.”

  “Did the door give you the name?”

  Daf blinked. “Gaia.”

  The door shuddered and Daf hopped backwards in step with Crystal. Slowly, the door swung open into another tunnel, hanging on large, golden hinges. The dim lighting was bluish-white and curvaceous rock walls lined both sides of a stone path.

  Crystal and Daf stood motionless, their senses on high alert. The pits of their stomachs twirled.

  Daf finally spoke, just an octave higher than a whisper, more of a squeak. “Should we get out of here?”

  Since that obviously wasn't an option, Crystal walked through the entrance, to what, she did not know. Daf felt she had no choice in the matter. It was either hop along or be left behind. So, biting her lip, she looked to the left and right, making sure there was no one around to jump out and snatch them.

  The footprints were gone, of course, but the stone path was cold and clean. Crystal's focus was straight ahead at light shining from around the still curving tunnel. She kept walking.

  “Crystal?”whispered Daf.

  Crystal didn't reply, keeping her eyes locked ahead.

  Daf advanced forward, hopping to match Crystal's conservative stride.

  “Crystal?”

  Crystal stopped to shoot Daf an angry look, touching an index finger to her lips for Daf to be quiet. Daf nodded. Crystal tilted her head to better hear something further down the tunnel in the blackness beyond the beam of the light, then she froze. “Do you hear that?”

  Daf shook her head no, then listened.

  There it was, a faint pounding sound of metal slamming against rock in the distance.

  “I hear it,” replied Daf, whispering just like Crystal.

  “Come on.” Crystal moved forward, sliding her hand along the wall as she walked, feeling an irregular surface worked with tools versus being a natural formation. “These walls were made, not formed, which would make sense if the tunnel was a hollowed out vein of ebb in the mountain.”

  “The ebb is everywhere out in the open, so who would do that?” questioned Daf.

  “How the Guild would I know?”

  They kept moving until Crystal raised her hand for Daf to stop. Crystal hugged the stone wall. The sound was a little louder now, but not by much. Crystal dropped her hands, then continued walking, telling Daf that the coast was clear.

  “Vothuten!”

  Crystal and Daf nearly jumped out of their skins and Crystal felt a presence behind her that made her spine tingle.

  Crystal cautiously raised both hands into the air.

  “Re!” ordered the voice, stern and unwavering.

  Crystal slowly turned around with her hands raised, but didn't see anyone or anything, until she looked down. Then she saw him, thick in beard and brow, body short and stocky. His height came to about the top of her hip. He was short...very short. He had one hand on his hip while the other was holding a pickax over his shoulder.

  Daf hopped around Crystal to see what was happening. A small yelp escaped her. The short man shoved his pickax in front of Crystal's face, making her flinch and drop her arms in a defensive move.

  “Ka,” he grunted. When Crystal merely tilted her head to the side, he shoved his tool closer. “Ka!”

  Crystal raised her arms again and nodded. “Okay.” Then she suddenly spun around to retreat, but instead froze, just as Daf did. Standing before them was a handful of little men, short and wide. Some held thick swords that Crystal had assumed were mythical and the others had long handled pickaxes, probably used to break rock.

  “Uhnegrin pra Thergetyr Barhutol!” yelled the small guy behind them.

  “What the Guild is he saying?” asked Daf.

  “I don't know, but I think he wants us to follow his friends.”

  “Then we follow or I think we'll get the axe,” replied Daf.

  Crystal gave a nod at the men standing in front of her. Their faces were solemn, as if these two women had just made a grievous mistake by discovering them.

  Crystal took a step forward and Daf hopped on one leg.

  “Veryrant,” said another man, raising his hand for Crystal and Daf to stop.

  “Ka!” yelled the man behind Crystal and Daf, seeming to challenge whatever the other had just said.

  Crystal folded her arms, waiting for more strange words when she felt a hard shove on her back, pushing her down to the stone ground.

  “Hey!” shouted Daf. The little man swiped her standing leg out from under her. Daf found herself on the ground next to Crystal with a cold pickax pressed into the back of her neck.

  “Don't move,” said Crystal.

  Before Daf could reply, a loud clang echoed and the pickax pressed to her neck went flying out of the man's hand to clatter across the stone flooring.

  “Veryrant,” said another voice, calm and commanding.

  Daf heard movement coming toward her, then felt small, strong fingers pressing into her arm, gently helping her to stand on her one good leg.

  Looking down at the small man, he wasn't the one with the axe who had just swiped her leg. She could also see, even though these men were small, that they looked a little different than humans. Everything about their facial features was bigger and broader. They held grim faces with dust covering their long beards and wrinkles. But, the one who had helped her up reflected some pleasantness in his eyes, something missing from the guy with the axe.

  The gentle man pointed to his chest. “Thun.” He bent down, picking up a hammer that was on the ground, the object he must have thrown at the axe. He pointed it at the man who had swiped her leg. “Harak.”

  Crystal stood and dusted herself off. “I'm Crystal and that's Daf.”

  Thun grunted and gave a nod, not making any attempt to smile. He took his eyes off Crysta
l and Daf to stare at Harak.

  Harak lowered his head, then walked over to pick up his axe. He bent over, then jumped back as a hammer clanged against his axe again, sliding across the floor.

  “He's got some good aim there, Daf. Lucky for you or your head might have a dent in it.”

  Daf touched her temple and rubbed it, not liking the thought.

  A man's voice, soft and clear, was heard. “Welcome.” An abnormally tall man with reddish hair and blue eyes appeared from around the corner to bow politely. He was wearing a brown robe that stopped at his knees and his hands looked like they were folded together within very long sleeves.

  Crystal looked at Daf, mouthing a wow. The guy was nearly twice her height, maybe more.

  He smiled. “I'm Shan-Ru, counselor to the throne of Iburun. You may call me Shan.”

  “Where are we and who are...” Daf waved her arms around the assembly of little men, “...these guys?”

  Shan nodded his head. “You're in Dirn Garum, which has quite the history...I'm learning. It's other name is quite simple, the City in the Mountain.” He touched his chin. “I'm new here, too, but not as newly arrived as you.” He pointed at Harak and Thun. “As you can tell, those two don't see things eye to eye. I think they're brothers, son of King Gilrak.” He casually grinned. “Keeping these names straight is certainly a challenge.”

  Crystal glanced at the short men holding their weapons ready as they stared at her. “Where's the city?”

  “It’s deeper in the mountain. It’s beautiful and flows with water, food, and gold. I'm finding that the Dwarfs are incredible architects and artisans, and able to finish their creations with perfection.”

  “Oh.” Crystal shrugged. “Can we get some food and rest? We've had tall people like you trying to kill us all day. Well, all week, actually.”

  Daf narrowed her eyes. “Are you one of the race that's trying to kill us?”

  Shan's sleeves fell away as he showed them his open palms in a gesture of peace. “My people are Nankuani from the planet Iburun. And not all of us want your race dead, only a select few. There are reasons for this that I'll explain when we reach the city.”

  Daf looked at Crystal who gave her a nod, then she hopped around Thun, grimacing as she did so. Thun gave a bow. “Vothuten.”

  Daf wanted to bow back at him, but thought better of it. She was even tempted to pat the top of his head but didn't, knowing how stupid that would be.

  Crystal did bow, doing her best to be polite, but all she got in return was a grunt.

  Looking up at Shan, she crossed her arms as she asked, “What does Vothuten mean? I've heard it a couple of times now.”

  “Yes, let's walk while I explain.”

  As they strolled along, the tunnel spiraled as it descended at a very slow grade. Minutes had passed when suddenly, Crystal heard a “whoa!” from Daf and looked over her shoulder to see Daf being carried by four Dwarfs. Each one held her on a shoulder, carrying her straight and steady.

  “Let me down!” screamed Daf.

  Shan turned and said, “I can assure you that they mean you no harm. They're helping you.”

  “Daf, listen to Shan. If they wanted us dead, we'd already be that.”

  Daf kept her mouth shut as she stopped resisting the Dwarfs. Crystal and Shan continued their conversation as they walked.

  “Vothuten means three things, each depending upon its pronunciation. The first time you heard it was from Harak, who doesn't seem to like anybody, especially me, and now you two. He used it with a long tone of disgust. In that sense, it meant 'Sun Lover' which doesn't sound so bad, but in the Dwarf language its one of the worst things to say to another. When used the way Thun pronounced it, with a sweet tone, its more of an expression of compassion. In that sense, it means, 'Surface Dweller'. The third meaning of Vothuten is 'Outside', which is something Dwarfs tend to avoid altogether.”

  Crystal abruptly clutched her stomach and bent forward, letting out an, “Ooh.” Shan's hand, calm and gentle, touched her back.

  “Are you alright?” he asked with concern.

  Crystal nodded and stood up, then looked behind to check on Daf who seemed fine, but was still looking a bit concerned about her predicament.

  Not understanding why she'd suddenly feel such discomfort or why it would disappear as quickly as it had, Crystal shook it off and proceeded as Shan commented, “We're almost to the great cavern. I think you'll be amazed. I know I was the first time I saw it.”

  Crystal just nodded her head, still feeling a bit queasy. But, eventually, she could see what had to be the mouth of cavern as they approached. When they got to it, she didn't really want to leave the comfort of the tunnel. But, she stepped through the threshhold, into an overwhelmingly large cavern, suddenly realizing that the mountain must be hollow and that she was gawking at the inner belly of it.

  Then, once again, she doubled over in pain, clutching her abdomen. But this time she had to steady herself by grabbing Shan's strong leg for support.

  A few moments later the pain subsided and she removed her hand from his leg, righting herself. “Much better,” she said in a breathy voice. “I've always been hyper-sensitive, but I don't know what these pains are about.” She made a bewildered face. “So you think the cavern may be affecting me somehow?”

  Shan looked around, seeking a possible source for her discomfort, replying, “Perhaps.

  I feel it's something foreign to you.”

  “Uh,” replied Crystal. “Okay.”

  Once composed and standing upright, Crystal was able to view the massive cavern they had just entered via the tunnel. Spellbound, there seemed to be no ceiling in the massive panorama that she was viewing. It simply continued upward, disappearing into blackness.

  She inched her way to see over the path's edge. She gazed down and was flabbergasted, then a wave of nausea swept through her. She was looking down into a great abyss lined by the path spiraling around its perimeter until it disappeared into the black bowels of the mountain. And at about the third spiral down, there was a glowing light that seemed to be the sole source of lighting for the cavern, enabling Crystal to see only four or five more spirals down past it as it continued its descent into the pitch blackness.

  Crystal stood straight, feeling dizzy and more nauseous. Shan stepped forward, placing his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him for support. It was comforting and helped her to regain her clarity once more. Some of the Dwarfs looked like they were becoming impatient with her “affliction” and Daf definitely looked concerned, so Crystal shot her a reassuring smile, then bravely looked straight across to the other side of the cavern to see the path continuing. Seeing it from the distance, it looked as though it had been carved out of the wall as it slowly wound its descent along the cavern wall like a massive corkscrew growing smaller the deeper it went.

  Shan commented, “It’s a Fibonacci spiral.”

  Crystal asked, “What's that?”

  Shan replied, “It’s an obsolete term in your language describing the spiral of life. All of Creation begins with this.”

  “Oh,” replied Crystal, not wanting to fathom the enormity of what Shan was saying and not wanting to think about the spiraling abyss anymore.

  She stepped away from Shan and the edge to look around some more, then said, “Whoa! What's that?” This time, her stomach lightened up and she felt good, almost euphoric. She couldn't help but smile as she pointed to the right of them.

  There, built into the wall where the path started its downward spiral, was a statue of a man that looked about the same size as Crystal, but a few inches taller. His helmet looked like the ones the mythological Knights Templar warriors wore in the fantasy books she so obsessively read when she young. He was garbed in a robe to his knees, exposing his calves and bare feet. Overall, the statue seemed to shine the same bluish light just like another glowing door further down the cavern wall. She could see that the statue was made out of ebb rock, not plain old stone.


  “That’s the statue of Gordwyn, the Keeper of the Mountain, Guardian of all Beings of Light. He is said to have been a live human, having turned himself into stone to wait.”

  “Wait for what?” asked Crystal.

  “I've asked that very question, but the Dwarfs refuse to say.”

  Crystal zeroed in on a sword that the statue was holding. She could tell that it was real, not etched out of the ebb like the rest of the figure. She stepped forward, oddly feeling as though she was being pulled toward it.

  Staring at the sword and gaping, it appeared to be glistening with sparkling white light in addition to the door's bluish light, making her almost drool with delight. She desired it and bolted toward it.

  “Slow down,” spoke Shan.

  “I can't,” Crystal mumbled, her voice almost monotone. “I can't control myself.”

  “Surrender, then. Your body knows.”

  “I don't understand.” Her steps suddenly became faster, not seeming to care if it got too close to the edge or not. “Help!”

  “What are you doing?” screeched Daf, who was still being carried by the Dwarfs.

  “I can't stop myself...someone stop me!”

  Then, when Crystal reached the base of the statue she stopped and the statue moved, at least in Crystal's eyes it did. The stone man lifted his sword into the air, tilting his head upward and gazing into the blackness of the cavern. A mossy green light shot down from above, into the sword, then enveloped the statue. The statue's arms spread wide and its chest expanded, as if coming to life by inhaling the strange phenomenon of light.

  Dumbfounded, Crystal couldn't speak. Her body tingled goose bumps all over as her smile joyfully broadened. Without commanding her body to do so, she knelt before the statue, bowing her head. She felt a soft touch of cold, sharp steel against her shoulder. It lifted, then she felt it on her other shoulder.

  “Young warrior priestess.”

  Looking up, she gazed into the soft brown eyes of the warrior. She could see that it was a real man now, one no longer made of ebb, but of human flesh, and the material of his robe looked like it was made from soft brown wool.