by S. E. Akers
All of a sudden, the ground began to shake. I jumped back from the side of the ridge to watch several rocks beginning to slowly crumble away from the earthy surface in front of me. When the rumbling stopped, a small opening to what appeared to be a cave had revealed itself.
Cautiously, I crept over to the entrance to spy a soft light radiating from somewhere deep inside it. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to make my descent. Curiously, I poked my head inside the entrance of the strange cave. The mysterious light seemed to be intensifying, and I could make out a jagged sloping trail that hugged the side of the cavern all the way down. It looked like some sort of naturally formed staircase, but still steep and extremely dangerous, nonetheless.
My instincts urged me onward, so I thought, What the heck, and entered the cave.
Slowly, I followed the stairway of jagged rocks downward as I clung to the cavern’s wall. The further I descended, the more the light seemed to intensify. Its source of illumination turned out to be lit torches hanging sporadically on the cavern walls. Those didn’t ring any bells, but then again, neither did the staircase I was following. I carried on until I’d reached the bottom of the cave. I looked up at the entrance. About a couple hundred yards, I guessed. While my eyes wound back down the intricately crafted rock stairway, I felt an inundating sense of déjà vu. I’d definitely been here before, but I got the distinct feeling I hadn’t arrived the way I’d just come.
The cavern’s interior was enormous. Its walls were earthy, dark, and rugged. I observed a field of stalactites above me that dangled from the ceiling like massive, jagged fangs. There were numerous column-like stalagmites rising from the ground as well. They were bizarre-looking, almost like they didn’t feel “natural” and certainly unlike any I’d ever seen. They were black and felt like coal. I didn’t know how it was possible that coal could form in such a way. The cave looked like it had been hollowed out ages ago, and the air was surprisingly warm.
A surging feeling of distress besieged my entire body. Instantly, I remembered falling into the cave. I saw my body plummeting from the entrance above, and then bouncing against the rocks, until it finally came to a stop when I’d crashed on a boulder. I patted myself all over to make sure I was okay. My mind revealed an image of a very scared and injured girl. I was a mangled mess of cut flesh and broken bones.
How could that be? There’s no way I could’ve survived a fall like that, let alone be walking around today without so much as a scratch on me…
I remembered the moonlight streaming in through the small opening at the top of the cave. My eyes led me over to the rock formation that I’d gazed upon last night. I saw something lodged in the structure. I hastened my gait as I headed straight for the object lying on the rocks. I knew what it was before I reached it. All of my memories had returned. As I climbed up the side of the formation, my eyes spotted it — a six-sided crystal of some sort, about four feet long, and several inches thick. I still desired to touch it like I had just hours earlier, even though it wasn’t shining like before. It lay fused to its rocky coal base, now dull. Its vibrant energy that I’d witnessed last night had somehow fallen inert. I remembered how its light had been beaming so intensely that I’d found myself helplessly hypnotized by its beauty.
Cautiously, I reached for the crystal. My hand hovered over it for a moment, and then carefully, I lowered my index finger to touch a spot on its shaft. All of a sudden, the crystal illuminated magnificently, just under my finger. Startled, I drew my hand back quickly, even though I knew it hadn’t hurt. I moved my hand back towards the wondrous crystal. This time, I allowed all of my fingers to stroke it, back and forth, on one of its smooth sides. I watched the light dance within the crystal, just underneath my fingertips. Again, I found it uncontrollably mesmerizing. It reminded me of those novelty static lights you would see in the movies, in some mad scientist’s laboratory. It tenaciously flowed and followed my every touch, while a surge of awesome energy pulsated through my body. I’d never felt more alive or so strong, and my mind had a sense of clarity that I could have never imagined.
“Nice to see you used the stairs this time…Shiloh,” a voice called out casually.
I removed my fingers from the crystal and spun around straightaway to see Professor Tanner Grey sitting on the base of the rock formation.
“What…What are YOU doing here?” I blurted.
I may have been taken aback by his presence, however he didn’t appear the least bit surprised to see me. The handsome professor simply donned a slick smile and raised his brow, but he said nothing. I could feel his hazel eyes piercing through me. That only heightened my confusion.
“Where is HERE? How do you know about this place?” I demanded in a shaky voice.
“I’ve known about this place for many, many years,” Professor Grey revealed as he rose to his feet. He twisted up the mound of rocks, headed towards me. “It’s about time you found it. I was starting to get…concerned.”
“Concerned? About me finding this deathtrap? Oh, I found it! Every inch of it last night, to be exact…But something tells me that you already know that,” I asserted while I rubbed my arm and reflected on the injuries I’d received after my harrowing freefall into the cave.
“You cleaned up all right,” Professor Tanner Grey quipped as he walked past me and gave my back a firm smack.
His bold gesture forced my eyes to roll into a stunned glare.
“About that…What happened to me last night? And, on an additional note — Ever since you and your employer have come to town, some really bizarre things have been happening to me, and I think…No, I’m certain that YOU know WHY…Don’t you?” My suspicions were escalating, and I had a gut feeling that this was “the guy” to give me all the answers I’d been seeking.
Professor Grey’s sly grin slowly disappeared from his handsome face. He reached for his necklace, the one that held the mysterious tiger’s-eye stone, and removed it from around his neck. He laid it down on a rock beside him. As he approached me, I observed his seductive hazel eyes sparkling intensely, like the facets on a gemstone, and they were now a vibrant purple hue.
“Ugh! ‘Menu’ — my ass,” I scoffed. As much as I loved to embrace an I-told-you-so moment, I was bewildered as to how he could make his eyes change colors like that, and why he had lied about it. Professor Grey took my hand and gently placed it back on the crystal.
“Do you know what this is?” Professor Tanner Grey asked while his bewitching eyes gazed deeply and profoundly into mine.
“It looks like some sort of crystal rod…I think,” I answered uncertainly. “But I’m not a Geology professor,” I added smugly, trying to shake off the effects of his obvious charms.
“Good thing,” Professor Grey jeered. “Wrong on both counts. It’s a wand, and it’s not a crystal. It’s a diamond. The most powerful diamond…well stone, for that matter…in the entire world.”
My eyes widened as I looked down at the strange, but fascinating wonder. I felt as if my brain had been split right down the middle. The logical side was thinking this was the most dramatic and hokey bunch of crap I’d heard in a good while. The most “powerful” diamond in the world — and it was buried deep within the recesses of West Virginia — of all places? But in spite of that, the speculative side of my brain was spinning with intrigue. After all, my humdrum life had been unexpectedly turned upside-down by numerous strange occurrences over the past three days. This was what I’d been in search of — answers — even if they sounded as crazy as the questions. I figured it couldn’t hurt to play along.
“Okay, What is it doing…here?” I asked as I pointed my hands to the ground.
“It was hidden here many years ago…to ensure its whereabouts remained a secret until its rightful owner could claim it,” Professor Tanner Grey replied in a very serious tone.
“Why HERE? This spot, in West Virginia…of all places? Underneath Shiloh Ridge?” I probed suspiciously. I watched him purposely pick up one of the rocks lyi
ng in the formation, which I recognized instantly.
“The wand needed a source of carbon to keep its charge…to preserve its powers. Its ‘life force’. That’s what you saw running under your fingers…Its raw energy. The carbon from the coal was strong enough for the diamond wand to maintain its strength, but still weak enough not to alert others to its presence, keeping its location a secret.” He tossed the hunk of coal back onto a pile and blew its dust from his fingers.
“Next question,” I continued, “Who hid it here? And why does a ‘diamond’ have a ‘life force’…and ‘glow’ like that? I mean…It’s not possible.” I gazed at the wand, still baffled by its presence here, as well as its existence.
“Have you ever heard of a Talisman?” Professor Tanner Grey inquired as he circled me.
My mind became inundated with all the fantasy stories that I’d ever read. “You mean like a necklace or a charm that’s supposed to bring you good luck? That kind of talisman?”
Professor Grey let out a subtle laugh, appearing to be amused. My eyes narrowed as I turned to scrutinize the diamond once more and then redirected my stare back to him.
“Are you telling me that this is some sort of talisman?” I speculated doubtfully.
Professor Tanner Grey stopped directly in front of me, merely inches away, and raised his brow. “No,” he announced boldly. “This is the Wand of Adamas — the most powerful force on the face of the earth.” He then gently brushed a few strands of hair away from my ear and leaned in close to whisper, “You, Shiloh…You’re the Talisman.”
Chapter 13 — Such Sweet Sorrow
I stood there dumbstruck while the words echoed in my mind. “I’m a…Talisman?” I replied cynically. It sounded even more ridiculous rolling off my own tongue. I couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably, not knowing if I was more amused or frustrated by Professor Tanner Grey’s flippin’ crazy announcement.
In the midst of my laughter, I noticed his sly grin had flattened out. His arms were now crossed, dug in like a tick at his waist, and his brow jumped when he let out a cross laugh of his own.
“Shiloh, a Talisman isn’t some random trinket someone wills themselves into believing possesses magical powers that brings them fortune or even luck. Only an exceptionally unique person can release a stone’s power. Time has twisted the interpretation of what a Talisman is, and what we can do. A half-truth that I’ll admit, has been a blessing to our kind’s need for secrecy. Simply put…you, Shiloh Wallace, are one of these special individuals. Fate chose you the moment you were born.”
Though my amusement had come to a halt, I was still unwilling to submit to his lunacy.
“Well, I guess someone needs to call Merriam-Webster and inform them of their typo,” I quipped.
Professor Grey shot me a stony look and let out a pandering laugh. “I know you’ve had eighteen years to form all sorts of opinions about what’s real and what’s make-believe, but trust me, little girl…this isn’t some notion of fantasy,” he lectured sternly. “This is who you are, so the sooner you wrap your head around that fact, the easier it’ll be to open yourself up to this new world. After all, it wasn’t Merriam-Webster that healed you from your near-fatal injuries last night.”
The harsh reality of his last statement forced me to deliberately question the impossibility of last night’s miraculous healing. Something repaired my mangled broken body, I confessed silently as my mind continued to process his claims.
“A Talisman, huh?” I asked uncertainly. Professor Grey’s violet eyes lit up as he stepped closer.
“You’re not just any Talisman, Shiloh…You’re the Talisman. The one who now possesses the most powerful and sought after stone in the world…the Wand of Adamas.”
My eyes flared. Suddenly, I remembered why the name he’d just mentioned sounded familiar.
“Who is ADAMAS?” I demanded gruffly as I jumped away from him. “My father called out that name when he was dying. Did Adamas do that to my father? Because I know it wasn’t a heart attack that killed him!” Hysterical with suspicion, I shoved Professor Tanner Grey away as he tried to take my hand. His eyes softened with a sigh.
“Adamas is…long gone.” There was an undeniable sadness in his voice. “He’s the one who was originally beholden to this stone.” Professor Grey sat down on the rock formation and began to unveil the mystery surrounding the diamond wand and its previous owner.
“Adamas was the most powerful Talisman who roamed the earth. He was revered by all others like him and feared by those who dared to challenge him. Some wanted Adamas out of the way, so they could reign over the wand. They knew the only way to claim its power was to kill him. Throughout the years, Adamas saw his demise three times through premonitions. Twice, he was able to identify his betrayers and thwarted their plans. The third vision however…” Tanner Grey’s voice trailed off in a foreboding tone. “The premonition wasn’t clear… Adamas could never see who the traitor was. He would rather surrender the stone willingly than have it taken upon his death. Adamas scoured the earth in search of various places to hide the wand, along with his other treasures, so that in the event of his death, they would remain protected and not pass on to his murderer. He thought this spot was the perfect place to hide the wand. Its power would be undetectable while it lay here retaining its charge. This area was relatively untouched by man, so he hollowed out this cavern many years ago. Adamas relinquished his right to possess the diamond wand and marked that one day, it would be revealed to its next rightful owner. That person is you, Shiloh.” Tanner Grey rose to his feet and walked towards me. “It’s always been here…waiting for you.”
I stared at the earthy floor of the cave and scanned every rock on its surface while my mind processed his assertions (for the fifth time).
This is IMPOSSIBLE! It can’t be real…Could it? Noting my cynicism was starting to dwindle, logic begged a question of its own.
“But why me? Of all the people in the world…ME?”
“Because Shiloh…it’s your destiny,” Tanner Grey revealed with an air of certainty.
He called my name several times. I’d heard his voice, but I couldn’t acknowledge him. My mind was preoccupied, confounded by the idea that “the cosmos” had decreed what “my destiny” would be, as if I had no say in the matter. No say whatsoever.
Tanner Grey sensed my struggle. “Shiloh, no matter how far-fetched this sounds, and no matter what you’ve been taught to believe all your life, this is a reality, and it is your destiny.”
“My ‘destiny’?” I questioned pessimistically. “Up until last night, my ‘destiny’ consisted of graduating and going off to college…Getting a good job…Maybe even getting married one day and possibly having kids…That was MY ‘destiny’! At least, that’s what I’d thought it would be!”
Confused and disgusted, I paced back and forth, arms flailing and ranting. “At no time, did I think I would be running for my life from a cloud of black fog that was trying to choke the life out of me…or hearing someone’s horrible thoughts…or even seeing crazy things that weren’t there — only for them to eventually come true! Oh, and my personal favorite, mind you…having gigantic snakes pop out of freaking nowhere, trying to kill me! All this, is because I was ‘destined’ to fall down a hole and grab a glowing stick?”
“I’d say that’s about right,” Tanner Grey chuckled.
I threw him a dirty look as I plopped down on the ground. I found myself curling up into a ball to hide from my so-called “destiny”. Tanner Grey halted his laughter and was by my side in an instant, attempting to console me with a tender embrace.
Without fail, that peculiar euphoric feeling of ecstasy and tranquility resurfaced, except this time it was even stronger. I felt like nothing could harm me while I was in his arms. Even the grief I felt for my father had vanished. I knew I was still sad, but my emotions were no longer bleak. When I broke free from his embrace, every grim feeling reemerged. I looked into the two violet pools sparkling before me.
“What gives? Why do I feel so blissful when I’m around you…touching you?” I demanded. Tanner Grey acknowledged my curiosity with yet another sly grin.
“Well…that’s an ability I draw from my stone, the amethyst.” He held up his right hand to reveal the same striking ring I’d seen in my vision on the dance floor last night. Spontaneously, I started to blush as I thought about how I’d yearned to kiss his lips (or Ty’s). I tried to quickly usher those thoughts out of my mind. I couldn’t be sure, but I got the impression he may have sensed what I was feeling because that less-than-subtle grin of his began to stretch across his face like a daggone rubber band.
“Let’s just say, I can make a person’s troubles disappear,” he added confidently.
“So, you’re a Talisman?” Deep down I already knew the answer to my question and strangely found myself more accepting of their existence.
“Yes,” he stated proudly. “In fact, I’m one of the original Talismans in The Guild.”
“The what?” I inquired.
Professor Tanner Grey straightened up, composing himself like he was about to lecture a class.
“The Guild is a group of several Talismans whom Adamas trusted with his own life. We banded together and vowed to keep a vigilant watch over the earth and all its creatures. Not to allow any of their powers to corrupt them and maintain peace between them. Well, as much peace as you can expect from some of them, that is.”
Something about his admission struck me as odd that warranted further inquiry.
“Creatures? Are you talking about people…or animals?” I asked, trying to get some clarity. Tanner Grey gave me a light, but firm smack on the head straightaway and rolled his eyes.
“No. Not just humans and animals, Shiloh…other Talismans. There are hundreds of us, but The Guild was more concerned about the other…supernaturals.” One of his eyebrows rose as he studied my reaction to his admission.
