Next door to Thanos’s cell, Galene shuffled restlessly around.
Thanos called out to her, “How you’re doing?”
A wracking cough spluttered from Galene’s lips before she could answer. Finally she managed to wheeze out the words, “Not so good. My chest’s on fire… the burning… I can hardly breathe.”
Without hesitation, Thanos unravelled himself from his foetal position, risking the bitter cold and jumped up. Grabbing the iron-grated cell door with skeletal hands he rattled it, bellowing for help, “Guard, guard!”
Prisoners further down the tunnels let out pitiful wails, adding to the chaotic noise.
“Look what you’ve started,” Galene croaked. “They’ll flog us.”
Thanos replied in a firm tone, “You need help – otherwise you’re going to die. It’s worth the risk.”
Thanos banged louder on the iron, stirring the other prisoners up even further, as he attempted to attract the guard’s attention. They heard the racket and, in no time, two guards hurtled down the tunnels, swords drawn and mouths curled back in angry scowls.
“What the hell! Guardian… stop this immediately!” commanded the guard in a gruff voice. He sheathed his sword and extracted a lethal whip from his belt instead.
Meanwhile the other guard – a scrawny man – fiddled with a ring of iron keys, fumbling in his haste to unlock Thanos’s cell door.
“Hurry up stupid… they’re getting out of—”
The ruckus increased as the prisoners used this opportune moment to voice their discontent.
“Got it,” Scrawny yelled, holding up the right key.
“Ten lashes,” barked Gruff. He twirled the whip menacingly in his hand.
All of a sudden, the prisoners quietened down. The word lashes had an immediate effect on their unruly behaviour.
“Wait!” Thanos shouted. “I didn’t want to start a riot. It’s Galene. She’s really ill and needs treatment right away.”
“You could have called us on our rounds instead of starting this.” Scrawny waved his hand frantically around and then shoved the key into the lock, opening Thanos’s cell door.
Thanos straightened up, refusing to back down. The top of his head skimmed the stone ceiling – he was majestically tall, like all the Guardians. “There isn’t any time. She has an infection and it doesn’t sound good. And the cold in here—”
As if on cue, Galene coughed violently, her entire body wracked with spasms. She double over and clutched her chest.
Simultaneously, both guards peered into her cell and watched as specks of blood spattered the floor.
“He’s right. If this one dies we’re in deep trouble with Lord Drakon. He said under no circumstances must they die – not yet, anyhow,” Gruff said nervously as he pocketed his whip.
After locking Thanos’s cell, Scrawny hastily jiggled the keyring again and selected another key. With shaking hands he pushed the chosen key into Galene’s cell door lock and clicked it open. The heavy gate swung inwards and Galene emerged like an ancient tortoise popping out of its protective shell. She’d aged during her incarceration and her once glorious crown of blue-tinged hair hung in a limp, lacklustre heap down her back. Her rosy cheeks were sallow and gaunt from lack of nourishment and sunlight.
Thanos knew she wouldn’t have survived another night and the risk that he’d taken in summoning help was worth it. Reaching through the grates, he touched Galene’s stooped shoulder as she passed, before the guards whisked her away.
“Stay strong—” he reassured her, “—all hope is not lost.”
He wondered what he’d look like if he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the waters of Hydor? The regal Guardian he’d once been was long gone – he was now merely a shadow of his former self.
As their footsteps faded, Thanos trundled over to his bed. He shifted it out of the corner, uncovering a stash of rocks beneath. Retrieving a small piece of iron – which he’d broken off from the bottom of his cell door a few days earlier – he painstakingly chiselled into the stone floor. Pieces of rock loosened and he manoeuvred them into the corner by hand. Drakon had believed that the earth element was far away from Thanos by imprisoning him in the dungeons, but this was a foolish belief. Stone surrounded him. All Thanos had to do was conserve his strength during the day, so that at night, when the guards alternated shifts, he could chisel the rock and stockpile it.
After resting for a few minutes, Thanos wiped the sweat from his brow. “It’s only a matter of time… a matter of time,” he muttered to himself, “…then I can use this.”
Shifting his weight forward, he collected a few rocks and rolled them into the corner.
“He won’t kill us… not yet… but the August Moon will kill us first.” Thanos shook his head as he worked. “Hecate… he wants it opened. But… but Oblivion… if we go there, there’s no coming back. You have to save us – yes – I can help you. I’m your servant… yes, your servant – let me take care of him.”
Thanos lifted himself up off the floor and dragged his bed back into position. Climbing onto the wobbly structure, he rocked his body back and forth. Drawing his blanket over his head, he sat shivering. Finally he fell back exhausted and drifted off into a disturbed, dream-filled sleep.
***
Rachel was among fifty Seraphians who worked in the chamber next to the old mine. More than five centuries ago, the excavated ore was taken to the chamber where the sacred metal was meticulously separated from the waste material. This metal was transported over the wooden bridge and down the eastern exit tunnel to Pyr Region, where it was crafted into weapons.
Drakon’s regime now utilised this chamber for repairing weapons. Afterwards the weapons were stored in the armoury for safekeeping. Carriers moved the weapons between the two areas. At the junction, the carriers would take the tunnel toward the armoury, as opposed to the tunnel that led to the dungeons. Further, past the dungeons, lay the hidden western tunnel, a secret exit into Hydor Region.
Rachel had already staked out who she wanted to befriend. She purposefully sat next to the boy with the copper hair, shifting closer to him so others nearby wouldn’t overhear her.
Striking up a conversation to get his attention was difficult for her but she stuck to what she’d planned to say. “We’ll be slaves today and tomorrow… unless we make a change.”
The boy gave her a quizzical look.
“I’m Rachel… a friend of Ash’s. But you can call me Rach.”
“I’m Dom...”
“Dom… is that a nickname?” Rachel inclined her head.
“It is – but I prefer it to Dominque.”
“I need to get to the dungeons to see someone, and, well, I was wondering if—”
“If you get caught, the guards—”
“They’ll be gambling in five minutes and, when they do, we won’t see them for at least an hour. I’ve been timing them over the last week.”
“So what exactly do you need me to do?”
“We should go together as carriers. When we reach the junction, I’ll give you my load. That way I can get to the dungeons quicker.”
“That’s a lot to carry.” The boy grinned.
Rachel shot out her hand to shake his. “Deal?” She glanced around, making sure the guards weren’t looking their way.
“Deal,” Dom agreed. “How long have you been here?”
“I arrived at the last Awakening—”
“Here they come.”
A group of guards sauntered into the chamber and gathered at the far end. They exchanged muffled words while keeping their hands hidden as they passed an object around. Their card game always involved betting.
Dom squinted. “Let’s make our move now.” He scooped up his repaired bows and nodded at her.
Rachel bent down and collected the stack of spears at her feet. One of the guards lifted his head fleetingly and watched them leave, but he soon turned his attention back to the shining object that he held in his hand.
As
they exited the chamber, Rachel murmured through gritted teeth. “I can’t believe it… they let us go without anyone guarding outside.”
“That’s a first… whatever they’re betting on must be of great value.”
Rachel walked double-time to keep up with Dom’s long strides.
“Don’t ask me why I’m helping you. I hardly know you, so this had better be for a good cause.”
The spears in Rachel’s arms were awkward and she shifted them sideways over her shoulder. “Gosh – this is a lot for you to carry.”
Dom eyed her suspiciously, his copper hair falling across his smooth, pale forehead. Rachel avoided his look, but his green eyes sought hers out.
“Okay, okay… all I can say for now is that it’s for our freedom – a good cause, if it works.”
“We might get killed in the process. Where’s the freedom in that?”
“Let’s not think negatively right now… before we’ve even begun…”
Dom slowed his pace as they reached the junction where the tunnels split. “Good luck,” he said, as he slung the bows over his shoulder and lifted the spears out of Rachel’s arms.
“I’ll meet you back here in thirty. We’d better return together so as not to raise any suspicions.”
“Don’t be late.” Dom veered off into the tunnel that meandered its way to the armoury, weighed down by his load.
Rachel sucked in a deep breath and entered the dim tunnel. The smell hit her squarely in the face – the reek of unbathed bodies and human excrement. She tried not to inhale too deeply, placing her hand over her nostrils she breathed through her fingers. Bile rose in her throat but she forced it back down. Tiptoeing along the snaking tunnel, she saw the first cell door looming up ahead through the gloom. She prayed that Thanos would be in the first cell – her stomach churning at the vile stench.
Peering into the murkiness of the cell she could barely make out the figure lying on a rickety bed, as still as a corpse. She laughed aloud when she recognised Thanos’s long grey beard poking out of the shabby blanket.
“Master Thanos… Master Thanos,” Rachel called and the skeletal figure lifted his head slowly.
Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Thanos sat up. Scratching his fingers through his beard, he looked around his cell bewildered. “Who’s calling?”
“It’s me, Rachel – over here.”
“Rachel! For a moment, I heard Aether’s voice.” His eyes switched to lucidity as he focused on Rachel.
“Master Thanos, it’s me. I need to speak to you. There’s not much time before the guards come back on duty.”
Thanos lifted himself off the bed and hobbled over to the iron-grated cell door. Around his knuckles he’d bound a strip of cloth covered in dried-up blood.
Rachel reached through the door. “What happened to your hand?”
“Nothing, nothing that can’t be fixed – it’ll heal in time.”
“I’ll get my mother to mix up a healing elixir.”
“Elethea… how is she doing?”
“She’s holding out, considering the circumstances.”
“I’m sorry about your father – the ones who resisted will never be forgotten,” Thanos said quietly.
Rachel’s eyes brimmed with tears and she wiped roughly at the unexpected wetness on her cheeks. “The secret tunnel… do you know of it?”
Thanos bobbed his head. “It’s that way, but it’s difficult to find.”
“I’ll return tomorrow so you can explain it to me.”
“Can you get us out of this hellhole?”
“I can. If we smuggle enough weapons… we can.”
“A rebellion?” Thanos rubbed his skinny arm briskly.
“Master Thanos… can you spread the word to the other prisoners that they mustn’t make it known what we’re doing?”
Thanos’s dull brown eyes immediately sparkled. “The Guardians will return soon… I can feel it here.” Thanos tapped his chest over his heart. “It’s an intuition that the Guardians have.”
Rachel smiled. “Perfect – we’ll be ready for them.”
“We’ll help where we can… and Galene will too once she’s back – she’s been taken ill.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Rachel—”
“Yes, Master Thanos?”
“Stay in one piece otherwise Chance will be a lost cause without you.”
Rachel’s laugher echoed down the tunnel bringing a fleeting moment of joy to the depressing dungeons. “I promise I will.” Smiling, she placed her hand over Thanos’s injured one. “Tomorrow I’ll bring the elixir…”
She bowed to the Guardian before twirling around and bolting out of the dungeons. Dom would be waiting and she couldn’t risk either of them being caught on their first mission together.
Chapter 12
Clueless Riddles
The Middle Realm
Elektra strode out into the bright sunlight which streaked over the jagged mountain-tops. The sunlight played on her strawberry-blonde hair, creating an orange halo around her head. No wonder the Ifrit wants her for his wife, Ash thought. He hadn’t been fully aware of how striking Elektra’s hair was in the light and now that she was about to cut it, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her crowning glory.
Elektra, unaware of Ash’s avid attention, gathered her thick braid in her hand and swept it over her right shoulder. Rania stepped forward, a small dagger in her hand, but she hesitated for a second.
Elektra frowned. “Go on… what you waiting for?” she prompted.
Rania towered over Elektra. “I’ve only noticed now how short you are.”
“You’re stalling,” Elektra scoffed. “Give the knife to Ash if you can’t do it.”
Ash made a grumbling sound in his throat.
“It’s only hair for heaven’s sake.” Elektra threw up her hands in protest.
“I can’t believe you’re going through with this,” stated Ash.
“It’s a great plan,” acknowledged Rania as she twirled the dagger in her hand. “I’d never have thought of it myself.”
“When the Ifrit finds out, it’s going to be furious. And believe me, furious means sending out a hoard of Ghouls after us,” Ash said worriedly.
“What’s got into you?” Elektra sniped.
“Nothing… why?” Ash scuffed his boot in the sand and atoms of red dust plumed up around him.
“You’re acting weird… and since when have you been scared of a battle?” Elektra swatted at the dust floating in front of her face.
“It’s not like that. It’s just that I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Well – I’m not going into its lair like you did.” Elektra rubbed her nose vigorously.
“The worst part is poor Boulos has to dress up like you.” Rania laughed light-heartedly.
“Like me?” Elektra snorted. “I hope you mean that as a compliment.”
“He’s as short as you are – a good match.”
Elektra flapped the end of her braid impatiently. Rania placed the dagger’s tip at the base of her neck. Suddenly Elektra’s head jerked forward as she sneezed violently and the entire braid fell away into Rania’s hand.
Rania and Ash burst out laughing.
Shaking her head dramatically, Elektra remarked, “My head, it’s floating. It feels so light.”
“Esther is going to have fun making Boulos’s wig,” Rania commented, before she called out, “Qamar...”
The young girl bounced out from behind the nearby stables. Taking the braid that Rania offered her, she wrapped it in a linen cloth before running off toward the rock houses.
“See… it wasn’t as hard as you thought it’d be,” Elektra said jokingly as Rania turned to follow Qamar.
“Rania,” Ash said. “I’ve been meaning to ask you…”
Rania stopped and swung around to face them. “What about?”
“Do you go to the temple often?”
“Only on the last day, when we offer
our devotions.” Rania inclined her head. “Why?”
“On the back wall, there are – well – some engravings,” Ash said. “One of them is a triangle. It’s odd, since it’s the same as the one engraved on my sword.”
“Could Maksimos have drawn it perhaps? He’d have known about the sword’s symbol – it once belonged to him,” Elektra explained.
Taken aback for a moment, Rania’s mouth twitched slightly. “I’ve never noticed engravings there...”
“It’s probably nothing important. I was only wondering if they were there before Maksimos’s arrival.” Ash shrugged.
“Maybe it has something to do with our Sphere.” But no sooner had Rania uttered these words, she gasped aloud and clamped her hand over her mouth.
Ash stared at her suspiciously. “A Sphere?” he probed. “The Middle Realm has a Sphere too?”
“We’re not meant to talk about it,” she said quickly. “It’s sacred.” Rania spun on her heel and hurried away. But before she disappeared around the corner she called over her shoulder, “Forget I ever mentioned it.”
Ash and Elektra exchanged quizzical looks.
“I never knew there was a Sphere here,” said Ash incredulously.
Elektra grabbed Ash’s arm. “Why didn’t Maksimos tell us?”
“Maybe he doesn’t know.”
“Of course he knows!” Elektra said matter-of-factly. “Think about it logically Ash… why wouldn’t this Realm have one too? The Under Realm had one which Drakon and his followers destroyed.”
“Not completely.”
“But it’s barely living,” said Elektra.
“It still spewed out the recruits to help them,” added Ash.
“That was how Raven arrived.”
“Exactly,” Ash said with a shudder.
“And that’s how the Hajaran people came to be here. They live behind these huge mountain cliffs not only for protection, but also so that they can remain undiscovered.”
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