Digg was immersed in his work, scribbling hastily, and the entire room waited in tense silence for him to finish. “The reason the text couldn’t be easily translated is because it is not a language. It’s a code,” Digg said at last. “These symbols are something like ancient pictographs―not a fully formed language with syntax and such. This is written in verse, if I’m not mistaken, and some of the words here are a phonetic code that I’ve seen before on some artifacts from before the Age of Eruthion. These are pictures that represent a sound.” He adjusted his glasses as he continued to scribble.
Unable to wait any longer, Penny put her enchanted glasses on, leaned over his shoulder and read aloud:
“When Angels among Demons keep
And Adrielle in Eden sleeps
Thirteen shards in chosen ten
Will bring the fallen back again
When the Flute of Stars calls Gaia’s sun
Then will Eden come undone”
As Penny stopped reading, she could see everyone but Hector was confused. Then it hit her—the verse had been read in English. The sounds Digg pieced together had created English words. Hector was the first to pick up on this and quickly translated the verse into Andronian so the rest of the group could work out the puzzle together.
“Well, the first bit―that’s obviously about what’s happening right now. Demons, that could be wraiths?” Annette suggested, but Penny immediately shook her head.
“No, that can’t be it. The stone I copied it from was centuries old. It would be impossible for someone to have known what would be happening now,” she told Annette, and Argent scoffed.
“Really, Penny. Only you would still questions the possibility of a prophetic writings after meeting one of greatest Seers the universe has ever known. You got that poem from the Mana tree itself. The epicenter of magic in this world. Where that very Seer sent you. Those stones hold all secrets from this world and others―it very well could be some form of prediction,” Argent explained.
“Oh yeah?” Penny challenged, fishing out the gray slab of stone that had led her to the words they argued over in the first place. “How do you explain this gibberish then? What do these dots and lines have to do with that poem?”
“I believe you’re missing the point. Did you not hear the second line clearly? ‘And Adrielle in Eden sleeps?’” Hector quoted, then cast a meaningful look around. “This would explain a great deal. The last we heard of Adrielle she had been attacked by Nestor before charging Simon with the task of finding her. It was Simon who said she’d brought him to a garden of unimaginable beauty. And, if I recall, he reported that she seemed sick or ailing.”
“You’re saying that Nestor could have filled her with Anti-Magic on that night?” Mia clarified. “And that was the reason he set up a trap for her? That would make sense, wouldn’t it? If she’s too weighted down with Anti-Magic and is asleep in that garden, it would account for why she hasn’t been helping us put her brother back together.”
“Wait, are you guys seriously talking about the Garden of Eden?” Penny questioned skeptically.
“What is this ‘Eden,’ anyway?” Noct asked.
“Eden is legendary garden where everything was perfect, before knowledge and death came to mankind, but it’s just a story. A metaphor for innocence, you know? Scientists, adventurers, and religious zealots alike have spent lifetimes searching for it, but no one’s ever found it,” Penny explained.
Hector began to pace. “Legends don’t come from nothing. Legends grow around unexplained phenomena. Humans are desperate to tack a name and a set of rules on anything they don’t understand. My theory is that this place that Adrielle is lying within, call it Eden if you like, is Earth’s sanctuary for the Tree of Mana. That might also account for why it can’t be found.”
“It’s talking about the pieces of Seival,” interjected Argent, “dispersed among the ten individuals he chose to carry his life force. When these thirteen shards are brought together, it tells that it will resurrect the Angel.”
“That makes sense,” Penny admitted slowly.
“I’m lost when it comes to the next couplet, however. What in the world is a ‘Flute of Stars?’ I mean, Gaia obviously refers to Earth, but―”
“Wait, wait,” Penny said, remembering something. “I don’t know if this is the same thing, but I remember on the night when Rhea came to the castle to confront the Royal Court, she had a flute that completely knocked Damari off his feet. It was like that lute Noah has, or the violin thing that the faerie king used to fight him. One of those instruments that can call upon the names of the world or something.”
“Very clever connection, Little Miss,” Digg said. “What you speak of is a set of age-old weapons that the different races used to lead armies about five hundred years ago. Each Nation has passed one down through the line of royalty, all except one―the Cardinal’s flute.
“This particular item is a flute made from the metal in falling stars, and when the right notes are played, an Angel will hear it from no matter where they are. I wager what this little rhyme means is that when you play it, you may be able to wake this Adrielle up. But you’d be hard pressed to get your hands on it or any of the instruments. They were all made by Nestor himself as a gift to his people―just as his gift had been given to him.”
“What do you mean?” Penny asked.
“Nestor was given a gift by his siblings on the day of his birth, just as they were given gifts by their siblings.”
“Wait, you know about the other Angels? And worlds?” Argent asked in shock.
“Of course I do, now hush. I’m talking,” he said dismissively. “Since the start of existence, three items have remained the only constant piece of matter. Before our worlds, there were others that were born and died, each with their own Angelic lords, all of whom also were born and eventually perished. The thread that ties them all together are the gifts of Heaven―the sacred relics that have been kept through the ages, known as the Voice, Eye, and Law of Heaven. The only non-living objects that have their own souls.”
“That’s the thing that Nestor’s been searching for, the Law of Heaven!” Penny exclaimed, eating up all the new information like a beggar scarfing down a gourmet meal.
“You’ve mentioned, and if my suspicions are correct I believe he’ll be after the Voice, as well,” Digg added.
Hector frowned. “Pardon me, sir, but why exactly do you think he wants them so badly?”
“Besides those two being the most powerful relics in all of creation? The Voice of Heaven is a Lyre which can create illusions so powerful they seem real to the listener. It can be used to trap any being inside a vision or fantasy forever, or manipulate others to do anything while it is being played. You already seem to know what the Law of Heaven is capable of, and Nestor’s already got his hands on the Eye of Heaven, which is a―”
“Does it look like a mirror? Only the glass in the center is clear?” Penny questioned, thinking of the beautiful piece of craftsmanship she had seen in the Goblin castle last year, lying hidden in a room draped in purple silk.
“Precisely. When looked through, it reflects any place in any of the three realms in an instant,” Digg said.
Horror filled Penny. “Does that mean Nestor could be watching us right now?” she whispered.
Digg nodded. “If he is, he will not be able to hear what we are saying. Needless to say, however, you had better be glad he’s so preoccupied with the Anti-Magic weighing on him or else you wouldn’t stand a chance!” He laughed a little too loud at this.
“Forgive me, but that can’t be the only reason he wants them. There must be something more to make him willing to upset the balance of all creation over. The Law and Voice of Heaven would make him powerful, granted, but there’s no point in having power if you can’t use it for anything. There must be something he wants,” Hector said.
“Of course there’s something he wants―something he longs for so dearly that he’s willing to let chaos eat h
im, his world, and his siblings away until he gets it. Something he often alluded to when I worked with him,” Digg muttered, and the back of Penny’s neck tingled.
“What is it that he wants so much?” she demanded, but Digg gave her a sad look and shook his head.
“I wish I knew. He was secretive about his personal matters on the occasions I was able to meet with him, so I never discovered what it is he wants, but I am able to guess how he intends to get it,” Digg said, seeming to enjoy that everyone now stared at him, transfixed.
“The reason I was allowed an audience with him to begin with was that he brought me in to help investigate something on his island. He collected several of the greatest minds from around the world in hopes that we could help him uncover some mysteries about a discovery. He’d uncovered a hidden chamber. His castle was built on top of it, and it had been buried under millennia upon millennia’s worth of sediment and rubble, but it was clear there was something very special about it. Nestor tried every way conceivable to open the door that was found under the ground, but he was not able to succeed,” Digg reminisced.
“He himself realized quite naturally what the keys were to this door. It was obvious what the three slots in the shape of a lance, lyre, and disc were meant for, but what he could not predict was what this door would lead to when it opened. As the others he had invited to study it and I delved deeper into our research, he became fixated with a particular idea mentioned by one of the scholars. He convinced himself that if he was able to open this door he would be granted anything his heart desired―even the thing he wanted most of all. He became obsessed with that doorway, remaining down there for weeks at a time and staring at it with such desperation.” Digg shook his head and chuckled. “Needless to say, it disturbed us all.”
“When it became apparent that none of us were doing him any good, he sent us all away after giving us the various bits of knowledge we had sought in return for our assistance…but I never forgot my time there. I’m not surprised by what Nestor is doing after seeing how consumed he became with that door,” Digg finished, his eyes growing dark with memories.
“Is that really what lies behind that door? Something that could grant a wish?” Hector was breathless at the thought of such a miracle, but when Digg turned to face him with a chilling expression Hector’s face also fell.
“Some of my colleagues were convinced of that, but a number of us felt very differently. This door was deeply buried in the ground, never spoken of and hidden from the light of day. It had been that way since a time before our world came to be. Something went out of its way to make sure that place would never be found. I believe no good can come of it being opened―that’s just my opinion, however.”
“This is all so overwhelming,” Argent said, running a hand over his face. “Even more so coming from you. I can’t believe you knew all about this for decades but never told anyone!”
“I have told people, they just didn’t want to listen―they think I’m mad.”
“Can’t imagine why,” Annette muttered under her breath.
Penny stood, her mind whirling with thoughts. “This is perfect. We’ve come so much closer to winning this. If we can get that flute from Rhea, and somehow find where Adrielle is sleeping—”
“Fantastic plan―and judging from your confidence, I’m assuming you’ve got a map to the Garden of Eden?” Hector dryly reminded her. “This is going to be harder than we ever imagined. If Nestor finds his way to one of those gifts of Heaven or to the rest of Seival’s remains, there’s no telling what could happen to our worlds. This is assuming he doesn’t set an army of bloodthirsty demons on us first, of course.”
“At any rate, we know more than we did when we came here and I think it’s time I called Gavin and let him know that we’re ready to come home. Not that I don’t love sleeping on hard wood next to bunch of filthy spiders, that is,” Annette remarked and then looked to Digg. “You’ve got a Sophotri Stone in here, haven’t you?”
Giving her a tired look, Digg got up and tossed a few items off a pile of equipment in the corner until he dug out a Sophotri Stone for Annette. The old stone took a few minutes to sputter to life, but once Annette placed her hands on it and closed her eyes, it began searching for the stone at Annette’s manor. It wasn’t long before Gavin and Armonie’s faces were seen in the surface of it.
“Well, look who finally decided to check in,” Gavin greeted with pursed lips.
Penny listened idly to the cousins catching up, noticing Armonie and Gavin looked quite tired and anxious. Annette announced they were coming home soon, and Gavin and Armonie exchanged concerned looks.
“Is something the matter?” inquired Annette.
“Are you sure you want to come right now?” he asked nervously. “It seems you’re having such a lovely time! There’s still just so much you can gain from where you are right now!”
Armonie nodded her agreement with too much enthusiasm.
“What happened?” Penny implored.
“Nothing happened, per se. It’s probably just not such a good idea to be in Iverton right now. Especially for―erm, certain people,” Gavin tried to sound breezy, but a sense of dread was sinking in for everyone fast.
“By certain people, do you mean―”
“Penny. I mean Penny,” Gavin said, giving up his flighty pretense. “Whatever you do, don’t let her come back here. You hear me, Penny, my dear? Just stay where you are. Please.”
She nudged Annette out of the way. “Why?”
Gavin began tearing up as she came into view on the Stone. “If I tell you, it’ll only make you want to come even more. Please just take my word for it, you won’t be safe in Iverton, Pen―”
“Noct, go get the anteloos ready! We’re leaving now!” Penny shouted.
Penny wanted to pinch herself to make sure she was not in the middle of a bizarre nightmare, but found she could not move. The entire ride through Iverton, people had been pointing in her direction, whispering behind their hands or staring, and now she understood the reason.
She and her five friends stood in a line in the central square of Iverton, staring dumbfounded at the large Sophotri Stone that was used to broadcast news to the citizens. It and every other public Stone in the city had been tampered with somehow, and they were all repeating the same message in an unstoppable loop. From the middle of each face of the obelisk-like prism flickered the image of Cardinal Rhea’s face, frowning pale underneath the metal blinder that shielded her eyes.
“People of Iverton, I have done this so that I may deliver a warning to you. A criminal walks among you―a criminal so dangerous that she must be stopped at all costs. This individual does not belong among our kind. She is not of this world and must be dealt with accordingly by the leaders of the Grand Cathedral. Below I have provided an image and the name of this individual, and I charge you and yours to bring her to justice. Your reward is your life and the right to stay on the property that has been so kindly allotted to you by the Lord of Elydria. If she is brought alive to the Cathedral, you will be spared from all danger, but if you fail to produce her by the end of this week, then we have no choice but to do a full sweep of the city. Do not attempt to use authoritative force against us, or you will perish. Each and every one of you would do well to remember that there is only one authority we answer to―an authority to which kings and armies will always crumble.”
The image faded, then began to repeat itself once more. Penny’s eyes fell to the static image of her own face with her name beneath it. Penny felt her limbs go numb as a pair of hands grasped her shoulders and Noct’s mask was hastily clapped over her face. Reality seemed miles away as she was pulled onto the back of Humphrey and they galloped down the streets toward Annette’s house. As they were reaching for the doorknob, the front door swung open and Millie tumbled out, throwing herself at Annette.
“Oh, Miss Annette, you’re back!” Millie shouted, tears running down her face. Annette grasped her by the shoulders. “I wanted t
o wait until you got back to say goodbye. I’m so sorry, but I can’t be here any longer, not with…not with what’s happening. I’ve got to get out of Iverton.”
“I understand,” Annette murmured.
“Thank you, Miss. It’s been such an honor. I’ll never forget all the kindness you’ve shown me.” Millie squeezed Annette’s hands, then raced back inside to get her things. Annette seemed stunned for a moment, then her eyes brightened.
“Millie, wait! How many more yuebells do you need until you have enough for your marriage?” Annette bounded after her.
“Y-you remembered that? Oh no, I couldn’t ask for anything more, Miss Annette, I…” Millie trailed off as Annette dug into her bag until she found a purse fat with yuebells, and forced it into Millie’s hands.
“I hope this is enough.” Annette gave Millie a hug, hushed her objections, and said a quick goodbye. The group waved to Millie with a bit of shock, then entered to find Gavin, his mother and Armonie in an uproar.
“I told you not to come back!” Gavin wailed when Penny entered the room and removed the mask. “Why couldn’t you have just listened to me? And all of you should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing her to come back, as well!”
“I’m sorry, but what the hell is going on out there?” Penny cried, gesturing violently at the window. “Why are they doing this?”
“Rhea’s hijacked all the public Sophotri Stones in the city, and set up a barricade around the Cathedral. The Rangers tried to get in and stop her, but the ones who went in were all killed. The King’s been trying to figure out a way to stop her, but nothing’s been decided just yet. Armonie thinks they’re doing this because they’ve finally got enough wraiths in their army to successfully take control of the city―but before that happens, Rhea wants you found,” Gavin told her darkly.
Eden Undone (The Dawn Mirror Chronicles Book 2) Page 24