Ethan Wright and the Alchemist's Order, (Book 2)

by Kimbro West

  Ethan shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, that’s all I did.” He then dipped his hand in the water and placed his palm on the door. He concentrated on creating a reaction, but nothing happened.

  “Maybe you have to be a member of Regal Seas to get in here,” grumbled Auren.

  Ethan noticed that, like the first basin, water was pooling on the ceiling above. A small drip released from the ceiling and splashed into the container.

  “Could be,” answered Ethan.

  Auren shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t wanna turn back — wonder if we can break the door down somehow.”

  Suddenly, Ethan had an idea. He held his hand over the bowl, palm up. The next drip that fell landed on his palm, right in the center of his alchemy symbol. It glowed a crystal blue color. “Or maybe … this could work.” He put his hand to the double door and the same crystal blue color seeped through the edges. He pushed forward and one of the doors slowly creaked open.

  “That’s wicked,” exclaimed Auren, eagerly stepping through the doorway.

  Neither of the boys was prepared for the spectacle they had walked into. They had entered the largest room Ethan had ever seen. It was more of an enormous cylindrical cavern than a room. Rising unimaginably high, the massive walls were rocky and adorned with large cracks and crevices. The floor was dirt and chunks of rock that had fallen from the walls over time, layered over footprints from past travelers or inhabitants of the cave. In the center of the floor there was an immense circular chasm. Ethan and Auren walked toward the massive pit, its circumference slightly less than that of the cavern itself. Ethan walked to the edge and looked down — Auren cautiously approached the brink as his heart leapt from his chest.

  “No, no, no … that is one deep hole,” exclaimed Auren. “I don’t really like heights, Ethan. I’m not going near that thing.” A small draft of air came, blowing Auren’s hair about. He quickly took several steps back.

  “You can’t see the bottom!” replied Ethan, leaning over the edge. He backed up, standing next to Auren, and looked upward. He was amazed at the incredible sight they were standing under.

  Auren, seeing Ethan staring upward, also glanced up. “Whoa — is that…?”

  “Yeah,” replied Ethan in awe, “that’s Black Lake … or the bottom of it anyhow. It’s just hovering up there — but … how?”

  The lake itself was a half-sphere, flat side up. The bottom was held a few hundred feet above them by what seemed to be a mystical force, directly over the hole that went endlessly downward. Glints of sunlight shone all around the cave as the water calmly flowed and swirled. The natural lighting allowed the two alchemists to see almost all the way across the room.

  Ethan had noticed something else that was strange about the chasm in the center of the cavern. Thousands of white bottles were floating in a rotating motion over the hole. They managed to stay relatively even with the cave floor that Ethan and Auren were standing on.

  “What are those?” whispered Ethan, just loud enough for Auren to hear.

  “Don’t know … but maybe we should have taken the other hallway,” complained Auren.

  Ethan got down on his stomach with his head hanging over the enormous pit. He, unlike Auren, was not afraid of heights and slid forward so his chest was hanging out. Auren quickly grabbed Ethan’s foot and anchored him.

  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” yelled Auren in a panic.

  Ethan stretched out his arm as one of the milky white bottles came bobbing around like it was floating in water, except it was hovering in air. The bottle was the approximate shape of a wine jug and had strange black writing on the face. A cork was stuck in the top and a white label covered the cork, holding it fast to the neck of the bottle. As he reached, he outstretched his fingers and the bottle glanced off his fingertips. He patiently waited for the next one.

  “Do we have to do this?” begged Auren.

  “Don’t you want to see what’s inside?”

  “NO … no, I really don’t!”

  “It’s like we found an invisible alchemy force holding up these bottles — and the lake above! Edison would think this is really fascinating, don’t you think?” insisted Ethan as he wiggled himself farther out.

  “No … he most likely thinks being released from the dungeon that he’s locked up in would be fascinating,” retorted Auren.

  “Are you that nervous up here?”“ inquired Ethan.

  Auren thought for only a moment. “Um … yes … I really am.” His voice trembled while he refused to break his stare from the seemingly bottomless pit in front of him.

  “Well, try checking on Availia and Stanley to get your mind off it.”

  Auren, initially unsure what Ethan was talking about, remembered the life stone in the pouch tied to his waist. He held Ethan’s ankle with one hand, opened the pouch and pulled up on the chain with his other hand. A light-colored smoke was whirling around inside the stone.

  “Light smoke — maybe a mild amount of danger? I dunno — how do I read this thing?”

  “That sounds about right. I think they’re doing fine — well at least one of them. Who was the last one to touch that life stone?”

  “Stanley,” answered Auren, whose voice was now a bit more relaxed.

  Another bottle came bobbing around. Just like the last one, it behaved as if it were floating on water. Ethan spread his hands out flat and relaxed his arms. They felt as if they were floating. He became mesmerized as he hung over the deep black hole, fixating on the endless depths of the pit. As his eyes probed deeper, the absence of light hypnotized him.

  “Ethan!”

  Ethan quickly snapped out of it. “What?!”

  Auren, still holding Ethan’s foot, was starting to panic again. Being so close to the edge of the pit was eating away at his supply of courage. “Grab the bottle already!” he demanded.

  Ethan looked directly in front of himself. This bottle was also milky white but was sealed with a purple label. He grabbed it and Auren quickly pulled him back to safety. Ethan sat up with the bottle in hand while Auren slid his bottom away from the edge.

  “We did all that for the Alchemist Order’s personal wine store?!” snapped Auren harshly.

  Ethan jiggled the bottle and held it next to his ear. It did not sound like there was any liquid inside. “I don’t think this is wine, Auren.”

  “Maybe that one leaked? We’re not getting another one!” he griped, protesting the idea of going anywhere near the pit.

  Ethan studied the purple label covering the cork. He could not read the writing; it seemed completely foreign to him. The Orobori started to tear the label.

  “Wait!” squeaked Auren. “You think this is a good idea?”

  “Not really, no — but it could be a clue. Maybe there’s something inside that could help us find Loka.”

  Auren nodded hesitantly.

  Ethan put his fingers back on the purple seal and tore it from the neck of the bottle. The cork started to shudder. Ethan dropped the bottle on its side. The jug began to vibrate wildly, until it righted itself. Ethan and Auren both backed away. The cork made a small POP as it burst off the top. The mouth of the bottle started to distort. It spread outward and turned itself inside out, engulfing the base of the bottle. The insides were exposed, showing a wooden surface in a wide conical shape. Small wooden tassels hung around the edge of the object.

  “Is that … a hat?” asked Ethan, puzzled.

  Auren quickly stood himself up. “I say we throw it off the edge,” he exclaimed.

  Suddenly, the hat shot off the ground and a figure stood in front of them, with the hat firmly on its head. Its body seemed to be made of dim purple smoke that was starting to compact itself into physical form. The wooden tassels hanging off the large conical hat partially covered the creature’s face. Its eyes opened, a bright purple that could be seen glowing through the tassels. The cork that had originally held the bottle closed was hanging from one of the tassels, slightly lower than the rest — the purple label still
affixed to the side.

  “BffffHwwaaahhh! THROW ME OFF THE EDGE?” bellowed the creature. “I … didn’t sleep for a hundred-thousand years to be thrown back into the depths of Hel,” he grumbled. The creature looked at his hands as they started to form fingers.

  Ethan and Auren backed away slowly. “What … what are you?”

  The creature looked up at Ethan and studied him. “I am you. I am djinn.”

  Ethan was taken aback. He remembered the old woman with the markings around her eyes, and the young girl from his dreams, both calling him djinn before.

  “A genie?!” exclaimed Auren. “Do we get wishes then? Are you here to grant us wishes?”

  “Wishes?” mumbled the being. “I am djinn.”

  “Um, what do you mean you’re like me? I’m not djinn,” stated Ethan. “I’m human.”

  The djinn stepped back and reexamined the boys. “YOU,” he howled as he pointed with his newly formed finger, “are human? However did you survive?”

  Ethan was momentarily distracted by something he saw from the corner of his eye. A black swirl inside the floating lake twisted and swam through the light from the sun. “Survive what?” asked Ethan, refocusing on the djinn.

  “Human? Why did you leave us?” asked the djinn.

  “Look … um … djinn, I’m not entirely sure what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen you before—”

  “HUMANS ARE DESERTERS,” bellowed the djinn, “…traitors,” he added in a loud whisper that echoed throughout the cavern.The djinn took a small step forward, testing a leg that was forming. As his foot jolted against the ground, purple smoke rolled down and away from his body. The creature looked pleased with his progress and refocused on Ethan and Auren. He took another step toward them.

  “Wait a second,” stammered Ethan. “We mean you no harm — we’re just here looking for a friend. Do you know Loka Tattur? Do you know if we can find him down here?”

  “I care not of this human, or any other,” mumbled the djinn.

  “Oh … no, he’s not a human. He’s from Losalfa—”

  Auren cut himself short as he noticed a rather large shadow swimming through Black Lake and blotting out the light from the sun. He pointed up to where he had seen the ominous shadow. Ethan looked up and saw it getting larger — moving toward them. The shadow suddenly broke out of the water with a great SPLASH and glided through the air.

  The djinn turned, seeing something it recognized, and grew even more agitated. “No … is this a trap? HUMAN TRAIT—” yelled the djinn.

  BOOM! The djinn was instantly extinguished under the webbed paw of the large black water drake that had landed right in front of Ethan and Auren. The dragon lifted his chin, opened his giant beak and ROARED, sending a horrible echo throughout the cavern. The figure, once a forming djinn, was now purple smoke whirling in all directions with a poof. The glowing smoke glided up and around the armored dragon, whispering as he sailed upward and dissipated. “Traitors….”

  With his mouth hanging open, the creature’s long tongue slithered out and rested on the dirt floor. A dark mass inside the appendage started pushing its way against the membrane of the tongue. It was the fisherboy.

  Chapter 18

  The Gold Medallion

  A commotion grew louder and louder as Stanley and Availia approached the doorway at the end of the passage. The smell of melting paraffin drifted by Stanley’s nose and he could see two shadows flickering against the wall.

  “What do you want to do?” whispered Availia.

  Stanley held his hand behind him to tell Availia to stay put. He turned and held his fingers up to his lips. She nodded, agreeing to stay silent, listen in on the conversation and gather any information on Loka Tattur’s whereabouts.

  “Shut up, Brenen! You Regal Seas alchemists have always had a weak disposition — you’re too soft,” hissed a voice.

  “Is this really what the Order wants? Is it in our best interests to be dealing with the likes of Xivon?!” asked a panicked voice, who Stanley and Availia both assumed to be Brenen. “It wasn’t agreed upon!” he added disconcertedly, with his voice quivering.

  “Are you saying you want out?” spat the first voice. “If you thought it was dangerous becoming a member of the Order … you should see how dangerous it can be getting out.”

  An answer did not come right away as the two shadows that flickered against the passage wall stood motionless.

  Brenen finally heaved a deep sigh. “I didn’t say anything of the sort — at the same time, though … there are thirteen members in the Order for a reason. We vote … and there was no vote on this matter! Does this come from the leader of the Alchemist Order? I mean … I don’t even know who the leader of the Order is, or why he feels his identity must be concealed — not even sure he knows who sanctioned … this,” stated Brenen intently, now fully realizing he was arguing a moot point.

  Suddenly a low moan came echoing from the distance, from beyond the two shadows. Stanley and Availia quickly shot each other a look, as the whimper of pain sounded like their missing Mitan.

  “I DID — I sanctioned this … and it’s all you need to know,” said the first voice coldly. The talking suddenly stopped and one of the shadows took a step back. “What’s with your cloak, Brenen … you preparing to fight me?” he asked deviously. “I’m fine with running you through — and you know an alchemy cloak won’t stop me.”

  Brenen’s shadow backed up frantically. “What do you mean, Williams? I didn’t….”

  Availia, in shock, saw that Stanley had stopped watching the shadows conversing and was nonchalantly walking through the doorway. “Wait a minute … Stanley!” she whispered frantically.

  Stanley walked right up to the two arguing alchemists and quickly caught the attention of Williams, a cloaked man wearing a gold medallion. Williams drew a sword from his waist and his alchemy cloak hardened, taking on a scaly texture.

  “Where’s Loka Tattur?” asked Stanley calmly.

  Williams quickly pointed his sword at Brenen. “Who’s he? Did you bring him here?” he snarled, ignoring Stanley’s question.

  Availia rushed through the doorway, sword drawn. An elongated table, with six chairs on each side and a thirteenth chair at one end, stood to her left. The other end of the table came to a point, much like the tip of a sword.

  Williams eyeballed the second intruder and pointed his sword from one target to the next.

  “I’ve never seen them before!” exclaimed Brenen, taking several steps back in an attempt to remove himself from the confrontation.

  Stanley cleared his throat and politely continued his line of questioning. “You two are working with Xivon, then?”

  Brenen quickly spoke up. “I wasn’t … I’d never work with—”

  “Shut it, Brenen! Only a couple of brats here — but just to be on the safe side….” Williams sneered. He pulled the gold medallion from his neck and placed it on the flat side of his sword. The medallion melted into a fluid that was easily absorbed into the blade, turning it gold. “Not sure how you brats got in here, but in a moment … you’ll wish you hadn’t,” he growled.

  He lunged toward Stanley and thrust his sword into the boy’s chest. It easily penetrated the hardened alchemy jacket worn by Edison’s student and came out the other side. Brenen winced and Availia’s attempt to block the strike was too late. Her mouth hung agape at the merciless assault.

  “Stanley?” she whispered in shock as she covered her gasp with her free hand.

  Stanley, who had not yet drawn his sword, reached forward and grabbed the scale-armored alchemist’s sword hand, holding it into place. “Where… is Loka Tattur?” asked Stanley again, politely.

  Williams’ face contorted in disbelief. “What the—” He regripped his sword as the event replayed through his mind. “What sort of alchemy…?”

  Suddenly a loud THUNK came from behind Williams. His eyes crossed and rolled back into his head as he fell backward on the floor, revealing the source of t
he thunk. Lawrence Brenen was holding a silver vase he had grabbed from an end table. The sword which was still piercing Stanley shed its gold plating — it melted, pooling near the handle. It re-formed into a medallion and hit the floor with a CLANK.

  Stanley grabbed the handle of the sword and plucked it from his chest. The metal scraped as it pulled past his jacket’s armored exterior. He carefully placed it on the elongated table and, out of habit, stuck his finger through the hole in his jacket. “I rather liked this jacket,” he said as his garment relaxed, becoming less rigid. He concentrated for a moment and the two holes on the front and back efficiently repaired themselves. He looked at Brenen who was standing in shock, still holding the vase in his hand. “That was kind of harsh, wasn’t it?” asked Stanley plainly.

  “Thought he was gonna kill you — he’s quite dangerous. I mean … you’re just children,” he stammered. “What kind of alchemist are you, anyway?”

  “Stone Sanctuary,” answered Availia, putting her sword away.

  “Sss … stone … um … yeah. My name is Lawrence … Lawrence Brenen — glad you showed up.” He adjusted his fancy hat as small, rigid spikes dissipated into the fabric of his alchemy cloak. “When I heard the Order might have something to do with the kidnapping, I thought to confront him … Williams, that is,” he added nervously. “Please know that I had nothing to do with this. Regal Seas alchemists are quite respectful of others. I’d never—”

  “I know the reputation of Regal Seas,” said Stanley with a smile. He leaned down and picked up the gold medallion, studied it for a moment, and shoved it in his pocket. He then put his hands behind his back and got the conversation back on topic. “Would you be so kind as to point us in the direction of Loka Tattur?”

  Brenan nodded and pointed through the doorway.

  Stanley and Availia stepped over the unconscious alchemist that lay on the floor and started for the doorway on the opposite side of the room. Stanley suddenly turned. “If you would like to make up for being in the wrong place at the wrong time — you can take this man to Tirguard and hand him over to the proper authorities.”