It's so peaceful here, she thought. I don't blame Coda for wanting to stay.
A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She saw a black shadow creeping slowly toward something. It was Coda! His belly grazed the ground and his focus never wavered from whatever he was stalking, but Zoey couldn’t see any other movement. Coda was heading straight for the Large Boulder. What's he doing that for? Then she lost him in the shadows.
Was she just imagining that? She blinked her eyes a few times, thinking she was just too wired tonight. I must be seeing things. She walked back to her nest and burrowed in. She closed her eyes a third time. She tried to force herself asleep by taking in several deep breaths. Then she heard a whisper.
Coda needs your help.
Zoey's eyes popped open. She jumped up and peered out of the window again. She didn't see anything or anyone who might have whispered to her. She gazed at San. She was fast asleep. Was that the wind? Snow Tree? Was that you?
There was no response to her thoughts. It didn't matter.
She glanced over at San again, making sure she was really sleeping. She was. Good, thought Zoey. She felt that San was a wonderful friend, but tended to be a little loud. Zoey didn't want a loud spirit animal tagging along with her.
Knowing that the window was too small for her to sneak out of, she moved quietly to the door and opened it. She looked all around, seeing that the balconies were empty, or at least the ones she could see on the left side. The view to the right was blocked by the door, so she closed it a crack, peering around it. The coast was clear.
Over the railing, she saw Taregan fast asleep on his little perch. All she had to do was sneak past him and she was free to find Coda.
She stretched her wings, gliding down to the main door. She landed silently. She was confident no one had seen or heard her, not even Taregan. She held her breath as she tiptoed forward.
She then remembered something. The door had bells on it, and would definitely jingle if she opened it. How was she going to get out without making a sound?
“Just open the door, Zoey, and be on your way.”
Zoey jumped back. It was Taregan. He had hopped off of his perch and walked over to her. He leaned in, whispering, “Empty your mind and proceed from your heart.”
Did he mean to follow her heart and help Coda? Or was it something else? What did he mean? Zoey looked quizzically at him.
He flung his wings all about. “Oh, dizzle dazzle, just go! I don't have all night to explain the comings, goings, and proddings of your heart.”
He hurried her over to the door, swinging it open. The bells clanged and he gently pushed her outside. “Now, follow that heart of yours. Get, get!”
Zoey heard the door shutting behind her. A moment later, the door opened. She twisted around to see Taregan's head sticking out. “Be careful! And remember, danger isn't so dangerous if you're prepared for it. Keep your eyes peeled and your mind clear. Pay attention to everything and, by all means, pay attention to your heart! It'll steer you to safety.”
Taregan shut the door, leaving Zoey wide-eyed. Am I heading into danger? Why would he say all that? Shrugging it off, she realized that Taregan was just an old kook. He probably just wanted to be helpful in some way.
Zoey shivered, bringing her back to the present. It was chilly out and the sudden wind ruffled her feathers. The trees above rocked back and forth, doing their best to keep the cold breeze away from the ground below. How quickly it had changed from just moments ago.
Opening her wings, she jumped and flew toward the last place she had seen Coda. She stayed beneath the canopy of trees, just in case it was too windy up there. She didn't want to try her new flying skills in a challenging wind.
As she flapped, she again felt the freedom and joy of flying. She wanted to do some somersaults and twists, but knew she must get to her brother. Flying over the Marble Burrow, she saw him pressing his paws up against the Large Boulder to the north. What the heck is he up to?
She glided in his direction, landing on a tree's thick, outstretched branch. The bark and needles were cold, something she wasn't used to in Ohm Totem. She smiled as she watched her bother. He's always getting into adventures and mischief.
“Coda!” she called in a loud whisper.
Coda whipped around. His eyes and body froze, then relaxed when he saw her. “Oh, it's you.” Don't scare me like that!”
“Oh, sorry,” replied Zoey.
Coda quickly turned back to the boulder, pressing on it here and there with his paws. He looked over his shoulder at Zoey. “Well, don't just sit there. Come and help.”
Zoey shrugged. “Okay.” She spread her wings, gliding effortlessly through the air, landing next to his hind legs. “What are you doing?”
“Skint,” murmured Coda, as he continued to press one different jutting outcrop after another. “He's in here and I want to see why.”
“What? Skint's inside the boulder?” Zoey thought her brother was bonkers. He'd finally lost it. Is he sleepwalking? She put her wings on her hips. “Please tell me you're joking.”
Coda shook his head as he frantically looked for something that would open up this big rock.
“Why is Skint in the Large Boulder?”
Coda stopped and said with exasperation, “That's what I want to find out.” He was panting and sounding desperate. “He's been sneaking out every night and I want to find out where he's going. I have this feeling that I must find him. It's weird.”
“He's probably just meeting with the weasel, Piv, and that zebra, Ke.”
Coda rolled his eyes. “Yeah, they hang out. I forgot.”
“They're probably planning their government stuff,” thought Zoey out loud. She remembered Skint and shuddered, “That Skint is mean. He put me into something that Numee called an energy clutch.”
Alarmed, Coda turned, frantically trying to find the latch that must open the door. “We have to see what they're up to. I'm not letting him do that to you again.”
“What's going on, you two?”
Zoey and Coda about jumped out of their fur and feathers. Behind them stood San. She was yawning and her wings were stretched out wide.
Coda looked at Zoey with a glare that said, Why did you bring her?
Zoey shrugged her innocence. “What are you doing here, San?”
“I saw you leave. So, I followed.” She ran toward the boulder, looking up at Coda. “Can I help?”
Coda frowned, “Help with what?”
“I don't know,” San replied, suddenly confused. “Well, what are you looking for?”
“I'm looking for the dang entrance to the boulder,” retorted Coda.
Coda was getting impatient, so Zoey stepped forward, “Do you know how to open the Large Boulder, San?”
San shook her head. “I can help you find the way in though!”
“Alright,” replied Coda.
San raised her wings in the air, screeching, “Yay!”
“Shhhh,” Zoey and Coda whispered in unison.
Together, they searched the rock wall, pushing and pulling on everything that protruded in or out, but they were getting nowhere. Nothing seemed to open the boulder. Then a click sounded, prompting Zoey to stop what she was doing.
The base of the boulder abruptly collapsed upon itself, revealing a small entrance wide enough for them to get through.
“I did it!” hollered San, as she hovered in the air.
“Shhh!” exclaimed Zoey.
“How did you do that?” asked Coda.
“Well, I saw the indentation right here to the right and it looked like it needed something in it, so I tried pushing a rock into it, and then the door opened. That was easy!” she added gleefully.
Without waiting for the others, San glided through the newly created hole, disappearing into the Large Boulder.
“Me first,” ordered Coda.
Zoey watched Coda slowly squeeze himself through the gap in the boulder. If it was a tad narrower, then he'd
be waiting outside. A moment later, Coda gave the OK.
Shaking her wings, she folded them into her sides. She wasn't confident enough to fly into the hole like San. She walked, instead. The entrance was thin, taking but a mere second to walk through.
“Welcome,” echoed Coda's voice as Zoey entered the Large Boulder. Her eyes glowed with amazement. It was gorgeous inside, with marble floors, white marble walls, and white marbled arched ceilings. Beautiful columns, just like the Greek architecture that Zoey had seen in schoolbooks were spread throughout and the area was lined with tablets.
“The columns,” said Coda, as he looked up and around at the ceiling, “are holding up the ceiling.” He grinned from ear to ear. “The Large Boulder isn't a boulder at all. It's something else.”
“Guys?” interrupted San, as she flew into a room to the north. “Do you want to come and check this out?”
Zoey and Coda followed her to the separate room. On the way, they passed lines and lines of tablets. Each had its own engraving with a rolled up scroll attached to it. How the scroll was attached, Zoey didn't know. She stopped to inspect one. “Whoa! Look at this Coda.”
Coda padded next to her. She pointed to the scroll, “It’s floating just above the tablet. It's not being held by anything. How does it do that?”
“I don't know,” said Coda. “A VioletLight's magic?”
“Yeah, probably.” They moved on and Zoey noticed that all of the engravings stated that they were prophecies. One read, “The Prophecy of the Elders.” Another read, “The ThunderBird Prophecy.” She knew that she could press a green emerald on a tablet and it would shoot off a green light, showing them the meaning held within. She was tempted to press one, then thought better of it. We should find Skint.
They entered the room San had beckoned them to. It was massive. It was the center room of the Large Boulder, and had four other rooms jutting out from this one. One to the north, one to the west, one to the east, and the one they just came in from—the one to the south.
This room was circular and had high, arched marble ceilings, much higher than the first room they were just in, but there weren't any columns in this one. On the wall opposite and diagonal to Zoey hung a large plaque with an empty frame underneath it. She felt compelled to look more closely. She lifted off and flew to it.
As she landed, Coda arrived at the same time. Coda read out loud, “The Purelight Order.” Then glanced curiously up and down the frame. “It's not here.”
“It was stolen by Crepus many, many moons ago,” said San. Zoey looked toward San, who stood in the middle of the room. Just below San was an incredible design set in the marbled floor. San realized what Zoey was looking at it and jumped up and down. “See! Look, look!” She pointed beneath her feet.
The entire floor displayed an intricate design or symbol of some sort. Zoey had never seen anything like it. It kind of looked like a snowflake, or a flower. It was composed of multiple, evenly spaced, overlapping circles that started in the middle and radiated outward. The pattern covered the entire floor. Zoey didn't know what this pattern meant or why it was there.
“It's the Flower of Life,” said San in wonder.
Zoey and Coda weren't as impressed. What's so neat about that? mused Zoey.
Reading their body language, San added, “It's the symbol of the creation of life. It's how The Great Spirit created us all, from the smallest atom to the biggest tree. It's a sacred symbol.”
Zoey still didn’t understand why that was impressive. She'd never heard of a sacred symbol.
“You don't understand,” continued San. “Crepus said that he destroyed all of these. But, this one is here, fully intact. Maybe there's more of them in Ohm Totem.” She scratched her head. “It's considered a pathway to a better life. It holds the instructions on how to be a VioletLight. These symbols used to be everywhere, until Crepus started crushing them. But this one is still untouched.” She put her wings over her heart, singing out, “There's still hope!”
“Shhh,” growled Coda. “Now, what's that have to do with hope?”
San started moving back and forth, whispering under her breath. “But he told us he destroyed it. Why would he lie? No, no, this flower of life in front of me must be a fake.”
Back and forth she went, until Coda barked, “Stop!”
She stiffened. “Sorry.” Her head drooped. “I was told that Crepus destroyed these and that we had no hope and...” she suddenly stopped herself, as if she was going to say something she shouldn't.
“And...what?” Zoey prodded.
San ignored Zoey. She walked over to the middle of the symbol and blew onto it. Nothing happened. She paused, then blew again. The sound of rock scraping against rock started to envelop the room. Zoey lost her balance, staggering backward. The floor was moving.
Getting back on her feet, she watched in amazement as the middle of the floor opened up.
“Skint probably went this way,” San murmured.
The floor stopped moving and Zoey pondered for a moment, then eyed San with suspicion. “How did you know we were looking for Skint? We never told you we were.”
San looked up at Coda and Zoey with dismay. She sighed, closed her eyes and fell forward, disappearing into the darkness below.
Zoey sprinted forward with outstretched wings. “San!” She peered over the lip of the hole, into the opening. Her heart started to beat faster as she scanned below. Where is San? Zoey blinked several times, hoping to see through the darkness. It didn't work. She only saw blackness. “San? Are you there?”
Chapter 23
The thick rock stairs were cold. In fact, the entire castle, including the forest that grew beside it, was starting to freeze from the sudden change of temperature. Crepus wondered if this coming Shiver was such a good thing after all. Then, taking another step down the stairs, he erased the thought. The negative thought patterns in the Dim Lands was one of his goals. He had to change the attitudes of the spirit animals in order for the weather to change, bringing in the Shiver. The Shiver would reduce the population, making it easier to control everyone.
The stairs circled around a main pillar. Crepus took slow, deliberate steps. He didn't want to hurry himself, or his three ape companions who walked behind him. He needn't exude too much energy to meet his spy. A spy he disdained. In fact, he disdained all spies. They weren't the easiest creatures to trust.
“Is that fur-ball runt here yet?” asked Crepus.
“Yes, my Lord. He's waiting at the bottom of the staircase.”
It was Maldwyn who replied. His tone was solemn and his posture stiff as he followed Crepus.
Crepus hissed, “You should be grateful I kept you alive, Maldwyn. I'm your savior, you know.”
Maldwyn stiffened even more, but remained silent as they continued the long trek down the stairs. The two apes behind him snickered. They didn't like Crepus paying so much attention to this new recruit, and anything negative tossed Maldwyn's way was a plus for them.
As they descended, the stairway grew darker. Crepus stopped and looked at the unlit torches lining the walls. He closed his eyes, and instantly a reddish yellow flame topped each and every torch, giving much needed light.
“Take that as a lesson, Maldwyn. I could put a flame on top of your head if I wanted to.” The two apes behind Maldwyn laughed outright.
Crepus took another step forward then halted, checking over his shoulder to see that the three apes were tailing closely behind. They carried long, wooden spears and no-nonsense expressions. Maldwyn, though, eyed Crepus guardedly.
“Keep your eyes straight ahead,” growled the dragon.
Crepus turned, not caring if Maldwyn obeyed or not, and slowly continued toward the bottom of the staircase. Over twenty steps later, he touched the cold, frozen dirt and eyed his spy. The spy stood across from Crepus, snickering as he leaned against the stone wall of the tunnel.
“What news do you have?” asked Crepus.
Maldwyn reached the bottom stair and stood
beside the dark reptile. The other apes took watch a few lengths away.
The spy stepped forward, holding his head high. “The Skylark has shown her true colors. She is who you say she is.”
Crepus rolled his eyes, “Yes, yes. I saw the display in the sky.” He rolled his head from one side to the other. “How amusing it was,” he droned, closing his eyes, doing his best to control his anger. “Now, do you have anything important to tell me?”
“Yes,” replied the spy. “Nova is being more protective over them.”
“I'd do the same if I were her. I wouldn't let them out of my sight. Anything else?”
The spy searched his memory. “They changed the meeting of the Circle of Elders to tomorrow. It's not at full moon like usual and…”
“And,” interrupted Crepus, “it's customary to have new students join them.” Cruelty dribbled from his smile. “That means the skylark and panther will be there. Good. That's the best information you've given me thus far, Skint.”
Skint bowed. “Thank you, my Lord.”
“And Skint, we can't converse through thought patterns anymore,” added Crepus. “I felt the black panther listening before you left the other night.” Crepus paused, closing his eyes as if sensing something. Opening his eyes, he snapped his head toward the squirrel, hissing, “Were you followed?”
Wide-eyed in protest, Skint shook his head. “I made sure I wasn't.”
Crepus narrowed his eyes and slinked away, walking with short strides down the underground tunnel, making sure each step was silent. “I feel several beating PureLight hearts.” He sniffed the air. “They're not here yet, but they'll soon arrive.”
Chapter 24
Zoey and Coda stared into the black hole. Zoey's eyes adjusted to the darkness, allowing her to faintly see steep stairs leading down into a tunnel. She knew Coda had keen eyesight in the dark, but he didn't see San either. Then a small glow of light suddenly appeared, revealing that the steps were marble leading to a dirt floor.
The PureLights of Ohm Totem Page 24