by Brad Stucki
"Lion's?"
Javin grinned at the floating images in his memory again. "Large predator. Ate people like me for dinner." He wanted to say that it reminded him of Sauros but didn't think that'd go over well from the way he'd just described it.
"Oh," Sauros replied. "I see. It’s just hard to think of the princess being held by Tranthra’ Joh and me not being able to help."
"I think she's safe for now. Tranthra' Joh doesn't have you for leverage any more."
"That's true, but that won't last long. He's resourceful enough to find another way. What I'm worried about is that his next idea won't involve the need for keeping Mouhra’ Lah alive and healthy."
"You've got a point," Javin said. "Look. I can get us outside of this place, I think. If I get us back out into the jungle, do you think you can get your bearings enough to find your city? With a little help from your army, perhaps we'd have some leverage of our own."
"Now that's a good idea. And if nothing else, we can come back here and use the portal to get back inside the city?"
"I'll buy that," Javin said. "But I really want to be sure I can use these things before I risk sending a whole lot of your people through."
"Yes," Sauros said. "One thing at a time. But what does it have to do with buying anything?"
Javin tilted his head. "Buying? Oh yea. Just a figure of speech. Sorry. I was just agreeing with you."
"If I had my doubts about you being from a different country, they are gone now." Sauros started to walk around the chamber.
"Nice place huh?" Javin said. "It's a little different than I remember. Look at the pedestals placed around. I could swear they were in a different arrangement when I was here last."
"Javin, come look." Sauros had wandered over to another side of the chamber.
Javin quickly strode over. Sauros was standing over a small pedestal rising about as high as his hip. On it sat a spherical crystal, the same type as the one sitting right above Javin's heart. The subtle glow it gave off made the grey veins seem alive, wriggling, but when scrutinized, they weren't really moving at all.
"Now this is interesting." Javin reached for it.
"Don't!" Sauros said.
Javin looked at Sauros. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes intent on the crystal.
"Let me guess," Javin said. "You've never seen it before, but somehow you know it's yours?"
Sauros looked at Javin. "How did you know?"
"The same thing happened to me . . . twice in fact."
"What?" Sauros had a hard time not keeping his eyes off the crystal.
"It's a long story. Look, I think I know what you need to do with it, but I'm not sure I recommend it. I have one myself. I'm not sure where it came from, or whether it's safe or not." Javin recalled the flashback he'd had in the throne room where a stranger had come to him as a child and given the crystal to him in the first place. My lucky marble! That’s what I called it. Javin tried to focus his memory along that tenuous thread. Nothing else came.
He shook his head and looked at Sauros continuing to stare at the crystal, his hands hovering near as if afraid to touch it, though not wanting anyone else to touch it either.
"This is all really a confused mess. I don't know anything about it. Maybe we should just leave it alone and leave. The sooner we get out into the jungle the sooner we can start to find your city and get help for the princess."
Sauros nodded absently but made no move to leave. Javin took a few steps away, looking at Sauros the whole time. He never moved, never even noticed what Javin had said.
"Okay. You sure about this?"
Sauros looked up. "What?"
"You sure that's your crystal?"
"I . . . I'm sure, but I've never seen it before."
Then a sudden thought struck Javin. He remembered the picture in the book shown to him by Siri' Bhu just after the princess's party had found him. The picture showed a human that looked very much like him. Another picture showed a chameleon man just like the one who'd saved him in the jungle. And another picture had shown a lion-man . . . like Sauros' Bho!
"If you take that, you'll be admitting you're a Mulda’ fi."
"I'll be doing what?"
Javin smiled. That got his attention.
"Let me tell you a little story. You've heard most of it, but not all." Javin sat on a nearby block and told Sauros again of his first meeting with the princess and Siri' Bhu. This time he told him everything, including them finding the crystal, where it was now, and how they'd dubbed him a Mulda’ fi because of it.
Sauros was quiet for a time. It looked to Javin like he was having a hard time believing any of it, but then Sauros's eyes went back to the crystal. After another moment he looked at Javin again.
"I just can't leave it. Tell me what I need to do."
Javin pushed off the block and moved closer to the pedestal. "Take the crystal in your palm like this." Javin cupped his hand in front of his breast. "Then slowly move it closer to your skin until it touches. Be prepared for something you're not going to believe. It will merge with you. After that, what it'll do, and how it'll affect you -- or help you -- which I hope it's supposed to do, is anybody’s guess. Heaven knows, I haven't been able to figure anything out about mine. Though I can't say as I'd particularly part with it now that I think about it." Javin was surprised at the sudden possessive feeling then shrugged it off.
"Like I said, I don’t know how it might affect you, or whether it's good. You might want to think about this first."
"I have," Sauros said. He reached down his hand and cupped the crystal like Javin had shown. With the other hand he smoothed the pelt of his chest, while inspecting the crystal. He looked at Javin then brought the crystal towards his breast. It began a subtle glowing that grew more intense the closer it got to his skin. Javin squinted against the glare then suddenly there was brilliant flash! When Javin could see again, Sauros was standing still, his eyes closed, scrunched as if he were in pain. The cavity of his chest was illuminated by the crystal within. There was no mark where it had entered.
It wasn't long. Seconds really, Sauros blinked his eyes and shook his head. He looked down at the fading glow of his chest then looked at Javin. The strange look in Sauros's eyes made Javin wonder, as if he were studying Javin like he'd never seen him before.
"What?"
Sauros continued to stare then realized what he was doing.
"Sorry." His voice was different.
"You saw something."
"Yes." Sauros' voice was quiet.
"Feel like talking about it?"
"Sometime." He looked at Javin again. "Not now."
"Okay." Javin didn't know what else to say. He could only imagine what had happened, especially when he remembered what had happened to him. Only this time, Javin had a sense that whatever Sauros saw must have involved him. Maybe he was just overreacting. The visions, or whatever they were, had a powerful effect on him too.
"Can you move okay?"
Sauros paused, taking deep breaths.
"I feel . . . great, actually. Better than I've felt in a long time." He hesitated a moment then turned right to Javin. "Do you know how to control this?"
"Nope. Remember what I told you earlier? I don't have a clue. It just helps sometimes. I haven't figured out any rhyme or reason."
"I understand," Sauros said. He was silent a moment, his eyes distant. "I . . . I can feel her. I know she's okay." Relief loosened the tight lines of his face. "Do you think she feels me too?"
"Sorry." Javin shrugged. He allowed a slight smile to creep to his lips. "If you figure it out, be sure and tell me." His smile grew. "Us Mulda’ fi have to stick together."
Sauros started at the title.
"Remember what I told you. Having the crystal seemed to dub me one. Now you're in it too. Besides, I saw you in the book."
Sauros fell silent again, finally nodding his head, though not necessarily in acceptance. Humoring me, I guess, Javin thought. Then Sauros spoke again.
"Javin, why are you here?”"
"Excuse me?" Javin asked.
"I can understand why I would want to help. I have Mouhra' Lah. Why are you here?"
"What do you mean?" Javin laughed. "Don't you remember? I pushed us through the portal. That's why we're both here."
"No. Now that you're free, there's no reason why you need to continue. You can pursue your own search. That must be important to you."
Javin looked at Sauros closely. He could see something else in his eyes. Something beyond the question he'd asked. Maybe it had something to do with what Sauros had seen in his vision. Come to think about it, Javin hadn't really given it any thought. Why should I continue? He was silent for a long time before he spoke again.
"Because I made a promise." The crystal warmed in his breast. "And no matter what I was before I came here, I know the type of person I want to be now."
He looked around the chamber. "And honestly, I think that whatever is going on with your world, being in the thick of it is probably the only way for me to find out why I'm here. There seems to be a purpose in it, and running away won't find it for me." Javin turned his gaze back at Sauros. "You're part of it too. Take it from personal experience. It doesn't seem to matter whether you want it or not. It chooses you."
Sauros gave a brief nod, but there was a gleam in his eye. Something akin to approval . . .
"Then we must be about it," Sauros said. "Shall we?" He gestured to the entryway of the chamber. "I believe you are the person who needs to navigate the maze. I've never seen it before."
"All I need to do is remember backwards." Javin clapped Sauros on the shoulder as they moved to the hall. "It's something I've had a great deal of practice at lately. But I've got to warn you, I haven't had a bit of success."
"Is that supposed to reassure me?"
"Of course."
They stepped into the dim corridor and the chamber's glow slowly started to fade behind them. The portal in the middle of the room flashed bright once in the center, sending shadows dancing across the chamber walls, reflecting off the large blocks strewn about the floor, then it too, went dark.
***
Chahzuu opened his mouth in desperation, but he could force nothing out but a rush of air as the thoughts behind the words he wanted to speak formed in his mind. I seek the Power of Creation!
The giant's fisted hands began their downward fall.
He closed his eyes, not wanting the see the blow that would crush his skull. Regret flashed through his mind. Even now, I have failed.
He waited, but the killing blow from the guardian never came. Chahzuu opened his eyes and found the slab he was kneeling on was glowing! He looked up and the giant slowly lowered his arms from where he'd checked his swing barely above Chahzuu’s skull.
That shouldn’t have been possible. Chahzuu knew enough not to question. Kneeling at the 'alter' was the key! It was that which had enabled his last desperate thought to make it through. That must have been it!
The guardian's eyes flashed and though his stone jaws didn't move, a sound emitted.
"You are right, Mulda’ fi."
Why does he call me that? Chahzuu was well aware of the title, but never imagined it would apply to him. The Mulda’ fi were too important, too noble. Besides, he'd never given it any thought.
"You are, indeed, one of those foretold. You already know one of the others, I see."
How does he know my thoughts? Then Chahzuu glanced down. The stone he was kneeling on still glowed.
"That is how," the giant confirmed. "You are in the place of honor. Only a Mulda’ fi may kneel and survive."
The crystal, Chahzuu thought. It must have something to do with the crystal. But he spoke of another. The only others I know of are the Pale Ones. And the only one I've met in any connection to the crystal was Nemesis! Chahzuu's breath caught.
The stone guardian remained silent standing above him. It seemed his head tilted to one side, as if confused by whom he was thinking about.
Could it be the other? I hope it's the other. It must be!
The giant continued to stand. Then a rumbling started. Chahzuu looked around. It didn't come from the walls or ceiling of the chamber. It came from the guardian in front of him. The light in its jeweled eyes was slowly starting to fade.
Wait! Chahzuu shrieked in his mind. I've come to find the Article of Power. The Power of Creation. Where is it?
"Use it well, Mulda’ fi. There will come a day when you will be called to account for its use. Those who made it see all. They are waiting for the day."
First, I have to have it! Where is it? Wait!
The giant's form appeared to be riddled with cracks and the rumbling grew louder. The cracks spread and split. A brilliant light shone through the rents, blinding Chahzuu. He put his hands up to shield his eyes, but daresn't move from where he was kneeling. It was his only means of communicating with the crumbling giant.
Wait! I have to know!
The giant didn't answer, just continued to crumble, pieces now falling to the ground allowing the light inside to grow more brilliant, blinding. Chahzuu had to cover his eyes and could only listen as the rumbling and shaking grew heavier.
Please! Don't go. I need the Article!
No voice came through the rumbling and cracking, which finally shuddered to stillness. The light seemed to be dimming. Chahzuu chanced to open his eyes, and still had to squint for the brightness.
In front of him, sitting in the center of the remains of the giant, right about where his heart would have been, the rest of his body having crumbled away save for legs, and a small mount of its body sat a glaring object. Its glow was diminishing even as he looked at it. Now it was dim enough for Chahzuu to make out its shape. It was strange. He'd never seen anything like it. Sitting there with no visible means of holding it up, were two thin, glowing parallel spiral rods.
Chahzuu got up from kneeling and approached. The dimming continued until the spirals were now only a steady opaque milky-white color. He came to within a pace and just stared. The spirals were no more than the length of his longest finger, about as wide, combined, and seemed to be joined together by tiny little strands spaced evenly apart the complete length of the spirals. They seemed perfectly balanced, not sticking or attached to the remains of the guardian in any way.
Could this be what provided its life? Chahzuu reached out and with a careful hand picked it up. There was no resistance. The object seemed solid, as if it would take a great force to destroy it, or even separate one spiral from the other.
For some reason this shape looks familiar, though I know I've never seen it before.
He held it up to examine more closely, only then noticing that the chamber was slowly growing darker. Chahzuu glanced to the doorway and saw that the barrier was now down, and the light continued to dim.
Guess that means I need to leave. He put the Article in his scrip case and moved to the doorway. Chahzuu took one last look back to the crumpled form of the guardian. Farewell my friend. You must have waited a long time. Then he moved back into the maze, retracing his steps to the outside.
Chahzuu stepped out onto the terrace of the tall mound and squinted as the Great Light burned his eyes.
All night! It didn't seem that long at all. He reached into his scrip and his hand brushed against the first Article of Power. A tingling massed through his body as he let it go and took hold of a root to gnaw on. Small pools of water were gathered in catch basins around the top of the mound. After Chahzuu had slaked his thirst, he looked down at the covered city spread below. What was here? Why did the ancients abandon this place? He wondered whether it had been built solely to hold the Article of Power, or if there was another purpose.
There had to be another purpose to build an entire city here. What was it? Did they use the Article of Power in whatever it was they did? They must have, hadn't they? What would they have used it for?
All these thoughts spun through his head until he caught himself. T
his does nothing to help my people. First, I need to rest. But even as he thought this, he breathed in and tilted his head to one side. I feel great already. He held himself stalk still, feeling through his body. Any signs of the fatigue he'd felt earlier were gone. Only a slight presence of the tingling he’d felt was there. And it, too, was fading.
Was it the Article? Could contact with the article do things like that? Or was it the crystal in his breast?
Too many questions and still I'm just standing here.
Chahzuu started down the rough side of the mound, carefully placing his feet. Where should he go from here? He let his thoughts wander back to the other records, trying to piece together where to start looking for either of the other Articles of Power. Were there only three? That's what the records seemed to indicate, but who knew? They were so cryptic about everything. The first one he'd found from a simple child's poem – and that as if by mere chance. How would he find the others?
Finally, he stepped off the incline of the mound and onto the broad street of the ancient city. Looking up at the sky, then at the distant cliffs surrounding the valley, Chahzuu tried to decide how best to continue. Would it be best to try and cut across the valley and come out and intersect the path he had to follow to get back to his home country? Or would it be better to retrace his path to the original trail, and go from there?
Time is the most precious commodity right now. Chahzuu started to cut across the valley, but something in his breast made him come up short. A burning rose from within so swift it made him catch his breath. It wasn't the normal, calming burning either, but one that caused him anxiety, a feeling of severe disquiet, like something he was doing, or about to do was terribly wrong.
What can this mean? Is there danger this way? Maybe I should retrace to where I came down, and then go from there. Chahzuu had grown used to following the feelings the crystal had given him through the maze. It only seemed natural to follow it again, though he wondered why. More than that, how? Then a thought occurred to him. He’d been led to the first Article of Power. Maybe this had something to do with it also. Had the crystal in his breast been somehow sensitized to helping him find the Articles? Or maybe tied in with their power now he was sure of their existence?