Legend of the Book Keeper

by Daniel Blackaby

  Tiana held her skinny finger to Cody’s lips. “Shhh. Just meet me back here after your training. . . . I’ve got something special planned. If that’s okay with Jade, of course?” she asked in her singsong voice. Jade grunted, pivoted, and walked away without responding. Tiana grinned and gave Cody a wink. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

  “I hope you are free of any distractions! Because today’s lesson is one of the most imperative of all!” lectured Stalkton, “Indeed, the life-altering significance this lesson had on me in my youth was immense—not equaled until that delightful night I accidentally misplaced my clothes and discovered the blissful comfort of sleeping in the nude . . .”

  Cody nodded attentively, although he hadn’t soaked in any of the words. Instead he was swimming in a hurricane. What did Tiana have planned? The feeling of her soft finger on his lips still tingled . . .

  “Up until now, you have been limited to one creation product per one creation word,” continued Stalkton. “This, however, is not a limitation of the words, but only of your mind. When you used the creation word, bauciv, for example, what happens?”

  Cody shrugged. “I create a stick. It’s pretty straight forward.”

  Stalkton folded his hands together. “Is it? And, why is it that you make a stick?”

  Cody shook his head. “I don’t know, because it’s the word for stick . . .”

  “Wrong!” exclaimed Stalkton. “The word bauciv is only the word for stick because in your mind it is the word for stick. Do you follow?” the priest questioned, flailing his arms around as he lectured. “Bauciv is actually the word for a specific particles of cosmos energy which, when highly concentrated, forms the material essence that our human understanding classifies as wood. When you use the word, your subconscious pre-understanding of wood equaling a stick results in the creation of a stick. Let me ask you, when the divine creator used the Orb to create the world how many sticks were around?”

  “I guess there were none,” Cody answered.

  Stalkton nodded. “Exactly! You see, by his infinite creative imagination the word was used to form trees and forests. He was not limited to a preconceived image. The words are not cookie cutters; they are paintbrushes. You must unlearn your mind to achieve the full heights of your creative potential. Try using the word, but allow your mind to float away from a rigid understanding. Unchain your mind . . .”

  Cody cleared his throat. “Bauciv! Gai di gasme.” In the blink of an eye there was a patter as a strange object appeared on the floor.

  Stalkton chuckled. “Perhaps I should have been more specific. Class dismissed. I think it’s safe to say your mind is elsewhere.” With another laugh, the teacher picked up the object and tossed it to Cody. Cody grabbed it and instantly blushed. The object in his hand was a smooth, polished, wooden carving the size of his palm. The wood was in the shape of two, puffy lips.

  Glistening red lips were the first thing Cody noticed as he rounded the corner. They rose into a grin. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming. That you were too nervous . . . ,” Tiana said playfully. Cody smiled back as coolly as he could. “What’s that in your hand? Some kind of carving?” Tiana probed curiously.

  Cody looked down to the wooden lips. “Oh, nothing,” he uttered in a panicked voice while shoving the carving into his backpack. “You said you had something planned for tonight?” he asked, changing the subject.

  Tiana ran her fingers down Cody’s cheek. “I do . . . but I can’t tell you about it. You’ll just have to follow me.” She took off running down the street. Cody smiled. Tiana was unpredictable—and he loved it. He rushed after her, her thick blonde hair swaying as she ran.

  She led him down alleys and through crowds of people. When she eventually stopped, Cody was out of breath. They were standing underneath a very familiar structure. “Here? The Sanctuary of the Orb? We’re back at the Monastery!” Cody exclaimed in surprise, “Surely we aren’t allowed in here. I thought access to The Orb was forbidden on penalty of death?”

  Tiana laughed. “You worry too much. It is against the law to go into the Sanctuary . . . but nobody said anything about getting close.” She winked, and disappeared around the side of the building. The moment Cody caught up, his heart sank. She was standing on the pulley elevator. Might as well be eating spaghetti tonight, he thought hopelessly.

  Luckily for him, Tiana was too captivated by the view to notice his terrified face and white knuckles on the way up. They jumped onto the balcony as they reached the top. “You had me join you just to bring me back to where I already was? What are we doing up here anyways?” Cody asked, confused.

  Tiana grabbed his hand. “Shhhh. There’s a lot about me you don’t know. But relax, I’m not doing the crazy, albino priest’s dirty work by retrieving you for a second lesson, just follow me.” She took off running again, jumping up on the thin stone ledge and prancing across the edge of the balcony.

  “Get down, it’s not safe!” called Cody instinctively.

  Tiana looked over her shoulder. “You are such a wimp. Loosen up! Here we are.” Tiana jumped gracefully from the ledge. They had reached the end of the balcony that had been concealed by shadows. Cody stepped into the shade and stopped.

  The stone wall was not a wall at all, but instead a rustic door. Tiana heaved it open to reveal another elevator, similar to the first. “I discovered this years ago. I’m not sure what it was used for. Perhaps it’s merely a maintenance access. Or maybe it was a secret route to The Orb for the priests of old! Either way, it’s ours now. Come on!” She jumped on and it swayed beneath her weight.

  Cody took a slow step forward. “Are you sure we’re allowed? I mean, what if we get caught?” Cody asked timidly.

  “What if you get caught, indeed?” came a voice from behind. Xerx stepped into the light, “Being the all-powerful Book Keeper does not give you exemption from the rules. Take one more step and I’ll report you to Master Stalkton,” he warned mockingly.

  “Oh, step off Xerxus, you cowardly muskrat. We both know you will do no such thing,” laughed Tiana.

  Xerx’s eyes bulged. “Ti? What are you doing here? I didn’t see you . . . what are you doing with Cody? I didn’t know, I mean, I hadn’t seen. I . . .”

  Tiana put her arm around Cody’s waist and pulled him onto the platform. “When you finish gathering your thoughts, Xerx, let us know,” she called back mockingly. She unhooked a rope and Cody found himself soaring above the balcony. Xerx’s bewildered face slowly shrunk into a spec on the ground far below.

  Cody was speechless as he looked out over the city thousands of feet below him. Lights flickered and people the size of dots moved about the streets. The elevator brought them to the very top of the building. They were now standing on the roof of the Sanctuary.

  Cody’s fear of heights was defused by the surprising sight before him. “Tiana. Do you . . . live up here?” A bed of feathers and blankets was laid out like a bird’s nest beside the remains of a small fire. Several woven baskets sat on the other side of the bed filled with clothes and various other trinkets. Hanging over the bed like a tent canopy were banners of soft, transparent silk sheets. Cody felt the warmth of Tiana’s body as it pressed beside him. “It’s not much, but it’s home . . .” she said with a quiet laugh.

  “It’s lovely. But I don’t understand. Why live all the way up here? Why not in the city like everyone else?” asked Cody in bewilderment. Tiana shrugged. “Where in town can you get this kind of quiet privacy? Or this view? Besides, I have everything I need up here.”

  “But don’t you get lonely? Don’t you have any family you could stay with . . .” Cody stopped; an unfamiliar look had transformed Tiana’s face.

  “I said I have everything I need up here, okay?” she responded coldly. Cody opened his mouth to apologize but Tiana’s face broke back into grin. “Don’t worry about it. Anyways, we don’t have much more time until it happens. I want to show you something . . .”

  “Before what happens?�
� questioned Cody, but she had already scampered away. When he caught up to her she was standing on a small balcony. Cody stepped out beside her and for the first time he got a full view of the massive size of the city as it stretched out all around him. Beyond the city gates Cody could see for miles across the flat landscape. Tiana’s arm pointed over his shoulder. “You see that, those are the Labyrinth Mountains; they separate our land from El Dorado’s. The Borderlands.” The mountains were almost invisible off in the distance, but even from such a distance, they looked immense. They were not so much mountains as imperial pillars that stretched up and connected with the earth above, as though holding up the cave’s roof. Cody rarely looked toward the sky, as it gave him the uncomfortable feeling of being trapped in a cave, although Dace had assured him that the ceiling of the cave was actually hundreds of miles high.

  There was a soft humming and clicking noise behind him. “What’s going on?” Cody asked.

  Tiana giggled and pointed to the floor. “You don’t think I brought you all the way up here just to show you my meek dwelling did you? Have you not wondered about Atlantis’ sunsets?” Cody nodded, remembering the bizarre, instantaneous changes between night and day. Tiana answered her own question, “Well, obviously as Underlings we don’t have access to the sun light you Surface Dwellers do. Any light we have in Atlantis is provided by the Orb itself. Think of The Sanctuary like a giant eye. When the eye is open, the light from the Orb shines out to the very ends of Under-Earth; when closed, it is night. What you are witnessing now—is an Atlantis sunset.”

  The light from the structure burst forth over the city in a blinding flash—and then the landscape went pitch dark, as though somebody had flipped off a light switch. One by one the lamps in the city were lit like a lightshow of fireflies. “It’s beautiful!” exclaimed Cody as the lights danced across the city. “None of this feels real! To be up here and seeing all this . . . with you.” For a moment his words hung in the air as the lights of the city continued to flicker like a giant wave rolling across land. Cody began to feel uncomfortable. “Well I guess I should probably get back now that it’s dark, I’m sure Jade will be wondering . . .”

  Cody stopped. He felt the warmth of Tiana’s hands as they wrapped around his waist. The hands guided him slowly around. The air around him was pitch dark; all he could see were shadows and silhouettes. “Um, Ti, are you there?” he asked, peering into the blackness. He felt the warmth of breath upon his face, and then the tender wetness of lips pressing against his. “I think Jade can wait a few more minutes, don’t you?”

  Cody gulped; his insides were a tangled mess. He didn’t respond—he couldn’t, his parched throat wouldn’t let him. Instead, he stumbled dizzily away, his lips still tingling.

  The next thing Cody knew, he was riding the pulley elevator back to the surface. He rubbed his sweaty temples, the veins pulsating in rhythm with his pounding heart. What just happened? Everything was a blur. But there was one thing Cody did know. Either he was dreaming or he had just experienced the best moment of his life.

  The Prince’s Chambers

  Cody’s shoes squeaked against the stone floor as he tiptoed toward his bedroom. He paused before Jade’s door; light still flicked from underneath. She was awake. Cody reached for his door-knob and opened it with a creak; he went to step inside but paused. He stepped back out and closed the door again. Moments later the light from beneath Jade’s door went out. She was waiting for me to return. Quietly opening his door again he slipped back inside.

  Although, the way his heart was pounding, he did not expect to get much sleep.

  “How was last night; exhilarating I suppose?” asked Jade as she casually munched down on a soft piece of rock cake.

  Cody buttered his own piece. “It was enjoyable, yes. And yours?” he asked without looking up.

  Jade swallowed her bite. “Same. I said goodbye to Sally. She is returning above ground to her post at the café. Foz offered to let her stay until tomorrow, after the execution, but she refused. She said she wanted to be as far away from here as possible. Who could blame her? After that, I returned to my room and slept soundly. I didn’t even hear you return last night.”

  Cody risked a look at her, but didn’t push the issue. “What are you doing today? More training? Don’t suppose that blonde-haired Barbie will be able to keep herself away for a whole day. Not now that you’re the powerful Book Keeper,” she muttered with a trace of sarcasm.

  Cody stood. “Her name is Tiana, by the way. And she’s not like you think. She’s a free spirit. She’s wild, unpredictable even. We have a lot in common. But yes, I have another training session; although I have something I need to do first.”

  “And what is that?” asked Jade defensively.

  Cody shrugged. “Not sure exactly, might be nothing. But I have a hunch and I want to check it out.” Grabbing another loaf of the surprisingly tasty rock cake, he left the room. He was glad to be alone. After experiencing a night of Tiana’s take-life-as-it-comes attitude, he found Jade’s strictly-scheduled personality draining.

  He returned to his room. Shutting the door he quickly fastened the lock and went to his open window. He looked down upon the garden; there was no sign of Prince Foz or anyone else. Cody examined the outside wall. If he had done his calculations correctly, his target should be two stories up and four down from his room. Cody, I sure hope you know what you’re doing. He held out his arms like a cross, and taking a deep breath, he jumped off the balcony.

  “Bauciv! Gai di gasme!” Suddenly, he felt the texture of tree bark in his hands. The wood was in the shape of wings. “Byrae!” A blast of wind came billowing from below. As it collided with his wooden wings he felt himself soaring through the air. His stomach was suspended in his chest. He held out his arms to steady himself, and then began flapping the wooden wings around his arms. Slowly he began to rise. Grinning, he gave one powerful flap and his body soared through the air toward his target.

  Tucking in his arms, he went flying through an open window. With a loud crash he face-planted into the floor and skidded to a clumsy stop against a cushioned chair. “Gai di gasme,” he muttered with a groan. My landings are going to need a bit of work!

  Cody stood up to examine the room for the first time. It was spacious, with a bulky bed in the middle, satin curtains draping the sides. Against one wall was a polished oak desk. A grand stone fire-place claimed the other wall. Above the fire-place was a vast painting: a portrait of Prince Kantan. How fitting.

  He didn’t know how much time he had; he needed to work fast. There has to be proof of Kantan’s guilt somewhere in here! He went to the desk cluttered with papers and various trinkets. Prince Kantan did not strike Cody as the sloppy type, which meant there was only one reason why his desk would be messy: He’s still working.

  Cody frantically began pushing aside papers until one caught his eye. Stopping, he picked it up and began to read. It was a letter. The ink was still setting—it had just been written. As Cody read, his hands began to sweat. It was exactly what he had hoped to find. It was perfect. Folding it carefully, he stuck it into his pocket.

  Suddenly a noise sounded from the hallway. Cody’s body became rigid and unmoving. He held his breath, but heard nothing more from the corridor. At last, assured that the coast was clear, he exhaled. If I get caught I’m dead! I better hurry.

  He quickly opened the top drawer of the desk. Reaching in, he pulled out a serrated dagger. The razor sharpness of the blade pricked his finger, instantly drawing a bead of blood. Ouch! As he returned the knife a glimmer caught his eye. His fingers wrapped around a small, smooth object. He pulled out a glass vial containing a colorful object of blue and orange. I think I’ve seen this before, but what is it? He didn’t have time to ponder. He slipped the vial into his pocket alongside the letter. Turning to leave, he stopped. His eyes fell to the bottom drawer of the desk. It was the only drawer to have a thick deadbolt fastened to it. As Cody looked closer he realized that the bolt had not bee
n locked and the drawer had been left slightly open. He must have just been in there. Why only lock THAT drawer? Cody wondered.

  Drawn by his curiosity, he swiftly returned to the desk and drew open the drawer; the lone object inside was a framed picture. Lifting it out Cody realized that it was a painting of two people. On the right was Kantan, although he looked much younger and there was surprisingly no trace of his stern demeanor. Instead he was flashing a boyish grin. Cody hardly recognized him with such a foreign, jubilant appearance. On the Prince’s left was a woman. She was beautiful. Her face was plump and merry with long, frizzy blonde hair. Her expression was warm and inviting. She too had a playful smile on her face. Her hand was intertwined with Kantan’s. The bottom of the painting had a simple caption: Kantan and Arianna. Who is she?

  He froze. His ears perked up: the soft pattering sound of footsteps approached. Somebody was coming. The sound was getting nearer. Cody flung the picture back and pushed the drawer closed. The door-knob began to jiggle. Oh, no! In horror, Cody saw that the blood from his finger had left blaring smears all over the desk. Nothing I can do about it now! Grabbing his wooden wings he dashed across the room. There was a soft creak as the door opened. Without hesitation, Cody dove headfirst out the window.

  The air pounded against his face as he freefell like a boulder. He opened his mouth but no words came out. Oh, no. He opened it again—nothing. What’s the creation word for wind! His mind had gone blank. The earth rushed rapidly toward him. Cody flapped his arms desperately as he plummeted to the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut. Thud.

  Yanci’s Pub

  Pain. Excruciating Pain. Cody felt every square inch of his battered body throbbing in unbearable pain. “OOOUUUCCCHHH!” He screamed again—and again; each time attempting to somehow one-up the previous scream in level of anger and anguish.