by Elon Vidal
Dawn wasn’t sure what that would entail, but she was at least happy that her parents had given their approval. “Okay, mom. I’ll be good, I promise.”
Isabela kissed her daughter’s forehead, “I know you will; you’re my daughter after all. Now, go get some sleep already. You’re going to have quite the journey ahead of you.”
“Alright. Oh, and mom?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I love you.”
“Has the pie gone bad or something? Nathan just told me the same thing before going to bed.”
“No, it just felt good to say it.”
Isabela smiled, “It does, doesn’t it? I love you, too, Dawn.”
Dawn did say that she was going to sleep, but the news of her parent’s approval only got her more excited. She pulled the book out again and read all she could about the Ocean Diamond until she got stuck at the book’s riddle.
The map was there. It didn’t seem to pinpoint a specific part of the world. They could spend decades searching the oceans looking for islands that resembled the one on the map.
Dawn felt that the key to this mystery was hidden in the riddle. With heavy eyes and exhausted body, she put Leah’s book on her bedside table and slept, knowing full well that Batman and Superman were going to help her the next day.
SIX
Her mind was alive with thoughts of prophecies, mermaids, sirens, and demonic gods. It felt like an unstoppable beast that she couldn’t make heads or tails of and her body felt heavy in her bed as she tossed and turned. The near constant feel of adrenaline pulsing through her left Dawn tired; she was painfully awake and knew she needed rest if she was to stop Hades.
“Please,” she said to herself, “just let me sleep.”
The moonlight lit the book on her bedside table that represented all of Leah’s knowledge and made it almost appear as if it were glowing. As Dawn gave up the ghost that she would easily find sleep, she hefted the book onto her lap and suddenly felt the weight of it. An entire lifetime so condensed gave her pause, slightly hopeful she’d be able to soak it in. What a strange and marvelous way the djinn had to preserve their legacy. She did wonder how many secrets and nuance would need to be unearthed inside.
“Search the sea of Homer’s womb. The torrents hide the path of the hidden west gate.”
The words rang in her head and the knowledge might well be in it. It would’ve been fun if deciphering it wouldn’t have run counter to a race against time. Couldn’t Leah have left clues in more plain language? She felt doubt hearing Hades’ voice at the back of her mind. Her stomach spasmed and her head felt damp at the thought of evil impersonated having made so many attempts to get so close.
Next to her, the sai shook and vibrated as she brought her hands to her head. It too was a double-edged sword, both literally, and in its connection with the shadow of destruction that yearned to roam unchallenged. Was it really up to her to prevent it? It wasn’t going to be easy if the clue lay hidden in symbolism she barely understood.
She needed fresh air so she threw open the window and took in the night breeze. It was of little help. Confusion swept through her mind. Where or what was this seam of Homer’s womb? She thought to call out, but she felt the darkness of the night sky and knew she needed to feel the shadows and see the darkness for what it was.
Something Ezekiel said came to mind but the answer was still elusive. “Too many questions and not enough answers,” she muttered. She breathed out, trying to calm herself. Whatever spasm she had abated as quickly as it came and she felt her thoughts slow down.
“It is vital,” a voice whispered.
As Dawn spun toward the sound, she found herself in the white space between worlds. “Who is there?” she asked but she already knew who it was.
“You know me child,” the woman said with a soothing tone.
“Eos,” she said more as a statement than a question. Then felt a flush of frustration as she thought of Eos’ faint words. “I wish people would stop telling me how important this is.”
“I know it is a trial but if Hades manifests fully, this world will be in terrible danger.”
She felt hot tears starting to form, the enormity of her newest challenge all hit at once, and she dropped to her knees. “I don’t know if I can. I have so many doubts and this burden is so great. It’s like I can’t breathe, like I’m drowning.”
She could hear Eos’ steps but still could only see the hazy image of the goddess of the Dawn. A flicker or sparkle, barely recognizable in human form, yet soothing, calming. She didn’t feel threatened, as if being visited by your namesake goddess was becoming a trivial occurrence among ghosts, air deities, hound shadows, djinn, and sirens, with a touch of the god of the underworld sprinkled in the mix. A fresh scent of morning dew enveloped her.
Eos stopped in front of Dawn and placed an ethereal hand on her shoulder as she began to sob. “You are not alone to face this burden.” Her violet robe pierced through the space and shimmered around the titan’s hand, snapping her out of her own misery.
“Damon and Elijah,” she said and wiped a fat tear across her cheek. They had been by her side to experience a dimension that was wholly new to her.
“And more help before you are done.”
“Where will I go, how will I find the Ocean Diamond?”
“Homer’s womb, the riddle is specific. The place of Homer’s birth is also named for the womb.”
Eos’ form shimmered further and seemed gauzy in the absent space. Though she felt no wind, her form seemed to wave about.
“What is happening to you?” Dawn asked as she wiped her face, trying to regain her senses.
“The greed and darkness building in humanity due to Hades’ presence,” the goddess answered. “His powers are gaining, and he will soon be able to manifest. As he grows so, does the light in the world fade.”
Dawn realized how this helped explain the recent onslaught of the lurking shadow desperate to break free. Hades was tormenting sirens in her dreams, possessing people and breaching sacred djinn libraries. These were too frequent as far as she knew.
“What can I do about it?”
“Find the Ocean Diamond, open the west gate and let in the light, Dawn. You are my champion and I know you will succeed if you are brave and thoughtful.”
“He’s so strong and he is trying to change me, to make me give in to my dark impulses.” She dreaded remembering how close she had come to harming Damon, someone who had proved himself to stick by her side through thick and thin.
“Light without dark is meaningless. One cannot exist without the other, you must make peace with the darkness in your soul.”
“Is that what Ezekiel was trying to teach me?”
“I see his intention as a teacher and his desire for you to be the best you can be. You will need all your skills to trap Hades, and Ezekiel knows this.”
“Can he be destroyed?”
“Only trapped,” she stated. “We are related, he and I are made of the same essence. So, while I am diminished, I cannot fully be destroyed so long as the sun shines and light still exists. That is where you dwell as a child of the light and why you are best suited among all to defeat him.”
“Homer’s womb is where the Ocean Diamond is located?” Dawn asked as she tried to look at the goddess who seemed to be fading further with each moment.
“Not quite, seek the pearl and the mermaid, they will lead you to the next leg.”
“Of course it couldn't just lead me to the diamond.”
“Patience, Dawn. The Ocean Diamond is a powerful artifact and needed to be hidden well to prevent those who would misuse its power,” she answered, further drifting away, almost completely.
“Why is the pearl important?”
“Machines have gears, this pearl is an element in opening the west gate.”
“What about the mermaid?”
“Their lives are long and will be able to direct you to the diamond’s location. This mermaid has swam the water
s of this world since the gods themselves were young and new. She is shrewd and her instinct is to entice and drown unwary travelers. You will need her help, but you must also treat her with caution.”
“How many of these items are there?” Dawn’s voice was tinged with frustration. When Eos didn’t respond panic rose in Dawn and she asked, “Eos, are you still there?”
“I am, child,” she answered from the ether, “you must be brave and you must be thoughtful. I believe in you, child of light.”
Dawn’s head swooned as the world shifted again. A moment later she found herself in her own room on her knees in front Leah’s book. She stood and touched the tome as her previous exhaustion reclaimed her. She fell into her bed and dragged the covers over her limp form.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw the sun dappled through her drapes and the wind blowing the flimsy curtain fabric as it caressed her skin. The pleasant variance between the warm covers and cold breeze made her luxuriate for another minute until she smelled the familiar odor of coffee and pancakes wafting from downstairs.
She pulled herself from the bed and made her way to the kitchen. As she cast her gaze around the room, she saw her father putting plates and silverware on the table.
“Dad?”
“Hey,” he said and quickly moved to give her a short hug before returning to setting the table.
“What is this?” she asked.
Her mother moved quickly. “Your father and I have just been talking is all. Discussing how best to help you.”
It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear but she stuffed her disappointment down and replaced it with a smile as she sat at her place. She would’ve preferred to hear very different words from her, something that reconciled them, that brought back their reality to when things were normal. Something that didn’t make her once again doubt whether to use the wiccan love potion on them.
Nathan bounded into the room and found his seat with an expectant look on his face.
“You’re awfully eager this morning,” she said teasingly.
Then she looked around the room and saw the reason he was so quick to join for breakfast. Their parents were both there, and speaking to each other. It felt almost normal and for a moment, she couldn’t recall when they were last together like this.
“What? I love pancakes,” he declared.
“I know what you mean.”
They exchanged a glance and she smiled at him while he made a weird face. He then shrugged and waited for the sumptuous breakfast his mother was preparing.
“Have you come to any conclusions?”
Max pursed his lips while Isabela laid out a plate of stacked pancakes.
“More of a truce, but we are in agreement in our support of you,” Isabela answered.
“You agree with the council?” Dawn directed the question to Max.
Isabela answered, “The council is being cautious. They all have patronage to the gods and may be compromised if they were to pursue the west gate. Your nature as a child of light and your mixed lineage makes you ideally suited to this task.”
“I’m expendable?” she questioned.
Isabela shook her head, “No,never. You are gifted and your purity makes you less susceptible to Hades.”
Dawn thought of the sai and the darkness she felt in her heart the night before. She wanted to tell her mother about it all. If she was a vessel of light and somehow more immune to Hades’ manipulation, then what chance did anyone else have?
Dawn studied her father’s expression for signs of resentment but found only calm acceptance. He nodded in her direction and raised his eyebrows before saying, “Let’s eat.”
Breakfast was a feast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, coffee, and orange juice. Max was entertaining the table with movie impressions that kept them all giggling throughout the meal.
“I couldn’t eat another bite,” Max said in an exaggerated English accent imitating a Monty Python movie he insisted Dawn and Nathan watch as children. “Oh well, just one more piece of bacon couldn’t hurt,” he ate the piece then pantomimed his gut exploding all over the table causing a cascade of laughter. Nathan spit out a mouthful of orange juice which caused another wave of hilarity.
Soon the magic ended as they all seemed to realize the food had been eaten and Dawn was soon to leave. The silence left her to ponder her task and her mood seemed to shift the table, everyone becoming solemn compared to their previous cheer. Isabella took the dishes from the table.
Nathan seemed to feel the shift in the mood too and left the table for some distraction. Max shook his head and looked at Dawn with serious eyes. She remembered those eyes when she had done something wrong and felt the familiar dread his look prompted.
“You don’t have to say anything, Dad.”
“I do though,” he paused and looked her over. “You know how I feel about this so I’m not going to beat it to death, but I do want you to really think.”
“I am thinking, Dad,” she said and choked back the emotions that threatened to boil over. “This is about more than me,” she turned to him and grabbed his hands as she looked him in the eyes. “I’m terrified, but I know I’m the only one who can do this. Elijah and Damon will be there with me every step of the way and I know I will stop Hades. I have to.”
She hoped her voice conveyed the confidence she intended, even when she didn’t feel that way. After all, a titan goddess had visited her overnight and said so herself. While she hadn’t yet shared this with her parents, Dawn had to use that to reassure herself instead of bailing out before she had even begun.
“You don’t have to do this,” he reiterated. While well-intentioned, his words did little to comfort her. She would instead have to rely on what she had witnessed first-hand in the last few weeks to stay the course. Had he not agreed to support her? Had he not been speaking with mom about how to be by her side? Second-guessing her did little to help her at a time that was vital to sway her to face the looming danger.
She grimaced. “I’ve thought of every way out of this, and this is my chance to do something and, you know, save the world.”
“I just want you safe.”
“I know but this is how it is, and I promise I will come back to you,” she didn’t want to feel like she was lying but she still had fear in her heart and not enough questions answered.
Isabela interrupted their conversation as she stepped into the room. “I have something for you, Dawn,” she said, as she eased it across the table. “This will help you on your way.”
She looked at the container, afraid to pick it up. It was an ornate jewelry case bigger than a ring. She could see gold filigree laced into the wood so intricate she could scarcely tell where the wood ended and the gold began.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Socks,” she answered with a wink and a smile. “Just open it.”
She flicked the box open and found an ornate necklace made from a series of sapphires. A central blue gem was linked together by a silver chain, all intricately laid out in a braided triangle that settled at the top of the piece. It was stunning and felt unexpected. She picked it up gently and her motion cut across the morning light peeking through window, which for an instant bathed the kitchen walls with purple flickers that danced to a natural tune.
“Why?”
Isabela shrugged as she stepped back and admired the necklace on her daughter. “I felt like you should have it. With any luck it will curse you to call me every two hours on your adventure,” she laughed. She shook her head, but just as quickly nodded, leaving Dawn to wonder what the truth was. “Here, let me,” she gestured with an open palm. Dawn looked at her mom and then glanced at the necklace, realizing her mom was offering to place it around her neck. She handed it to her and readily caressed any of her short hair that would get in the way along her nape.
“We’re here to support you,” her father added.
As Dawn looked over to her mother, she added, “and respect your choices.”
&n
bsp; “Thank you both. This isn’t the end, I’m coming back.”
Her mother adjusted the necklace again and said to her daughter, “It reminds me of that movie we used to watch.”
“Titanic?” Dawn questioned and her mother nodded, “You know they could both fit on that debris?”
She waved her hand at her daughter, “Doesn’t matter, it just reminds me of simpler times.” Her tone was distinctly melancholic.
Dawn looked over to her father, then back to her mother.
“Me too,” Dawn smiled at Isabela. “Thank you,” she said as she gave her mother a big hug.
Dawn looked over the map in the book as she held the necklace in her hand. Even if her mother hadn’t said, her gift helped restore a sense of comfort as she looked for clues. Also, she was still getting used to having this piece of jewelry and touching it helped her get used to wearing it. She had been doing some research on Homer’s birthplace and had landed on one of various options that claimed this right. She was trying to see if one of them fit the map in Leah’s memory book.
“What do you have there?” Maggie appeared looking over her shoulder.
“This is the breadth of a djinn’s knowledge,” she hefted the book.
“Not that,” she tutted and pointed at the necklace, “that.”
“Oh, my mother gave it to me,” she explained.
“It reminds me of that movie you showed me,” Maggie said thoughtfully.
“Titanic?” Maggie nodded enthusiastically. Dawn continued looking at the large sapphire in the center of the piece “It’s funny because my mother made the same reference.”
“Great minds think alike.”
Dawn laughed and saw Maggie looking wistful, “What’s got into you?”
“Oh, I was just thinking of Leo,” she answered before looking back at Dawn. A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Dawn turned to the sound and Maggie had disappeared.
Dawn stuffed the necklace under the collar of her shirt and made her way downstairs. Damon and Elijah stood outside her house together.