by Troy Hooker
“We couldn’t just dial in Lior City?” Emma wondered.
“It’s protected with a failsafe mode. It is pretty complicated to dial in Lior City, so instead, if there is a problem, we will meet in Warm Springs.”
Emma’s face lit up.
“I love that place! So many quaint shops and they have the best parties.”
Miss Karpatch walked over to the large metal structure, holding her key up to a glass opening in the base, which immediately began to bring the Lightway to life.
The device began to hum softly, and the glass globe on top turned from a dark, smoky color to a milky but bright blue.
“I will provide each of you with a key to operate it. Don’t lose it. I am responsible for returning them.” She then turned a large dial on the side of the base seven clicks counterclockwise, then one clockwise. “Seventy-one are the coordinates for the tower on top of Mount Halpa, where your first stop will be. Warm Springs is seventy-three. Lior City is seventy-two.”
As the dial clicked in place, the globe on top of the Lightway changed from a cloudy blue to a solid blue.
“When you dial in the coordinates, the globe will change to the color of pure Lazuli. That is how you know you are locked into the base at the other side,” she told them.
“Seventy-one through seventy-three. Got it,” Gus said.
Lillia tapped lightly on the metal tube as it hummed happily.
“Not to be the downer here, but how do we plan to get back if we are separated?”
“Good question,” Miss Karpatch offered. “I have included the instructions you will need for the trip in this envelope.” She handed Gus a small envelope sealed with the official Office of Research stamp on the crease. “But for now, we need to get back downstairs before anyone wonders what we are up to. Does anyone have any questions?”
As they assured her they did not, Miss Karpatch looked out the window toward the stadium, briefly catching Sam looking at her, so she winked at him.
“You will want to leave tonight, during the games. Your parents may know you are going, but neither the Council nor the Elders may know you are gone.”
When she had powered down the base station with her key, they carefully left down the stairwell and out the main door to the street.
“You will want to get here as soon as the games start,” she told them. “Gus, Lillia, Emma, pack like we did for our overnight hikes. Now, I will see you all soon.”
She turned and walked back into the City Center main entrance, leaving the four to themselves. Although they weren’t showing it, Sam could tell the others were beginning to feel the slightest bit of nerves as the seriousness of the journey became a reality.
“I can’t believe mom and dad are letting me do this,” Emma said once they had set off for the cabin. “I mean, they would have never allowed this before. They barely let me stay out in the pavilion after dark without them there.”
“I have to admit, it is a little strange,” Gus confessed.
Emma scowled.
“I mean, I know Uncle Osan isn’t doing very well with his store, and daddy having to be at the PO office means there’s something important going on, but I just don’t understand why they would let us go.”
“Whatever. It happened,” Lillia said. “Let’s just make sure we help newb pack correctly so he doesn’t screw things up before we get there.”
***********************
It was an amazing feeling to know what they were about to do. An adventure to an ancient city surrounded by Darkness, perhaps encountering the Metim. They trusted Miss Karpatch to get them there, but still the whole idea was a bit nerve-racking. None of them were proficient enough with Light gifts to defend themselves, and Sam knew nothing. Regardless, they kept cheerful and positive as they followed the path to the circle of cabins, taking turns reminding each other what necessities they would need to pack.
Expecting the cabin to be empty as everyone had business to attend to, they were surprised when they walked through the door to find dinner on the table and Mrs. Sterling buzzing around in the kitchen.
“Sit down everyone, sit down. The rest of the group should be here in a few minutes,” she said cheerfully.
Emma was clearly troubled by her mother’s cheery attitude in light of her knowing she was to depart that night into the dark parts of the forest in Lior, but she decided not to press the issue after seeing a very obvious wink from her mother.
Miss Karpatch arrived soon after they did, and without any indication of what they had discussed. She sat down and began picking at the freshly made biscuits on the table.
As Emma helped her mother finish filling glasses with tea, Mr. Sterling walked through the door with Cooley, both looking uneasy. Taking the head of the table, he waited until everyone was seated and took the hands of those on either side of him, then motioned for all of them to do the same.
Sam took Lillia’s and Emma’s hands and bowed his head instinctively.
“Our Lord and Creator,” Mr. Sterling began rather solemnly. “We ask for a blessing on this food that has been given to us. We petition now for safety on the ceremony and games tonight, and that you would keep us all safe from harm—that you would guide us with your Light. We ask these things as Descendants of your Kingdom.”
No one spoke or lifted their heads when Mr. Sterling finished. Instead they continued in whispers with their eyes closed for several minutes.
It wasn’t until he heard the sound of plates and cups moving about that Sam realized he was the only one still praying. He looked up to find Emma smiling at him and still holding his hand.
Mrs. Sterling snatched his bowl and ladled in a generous portion of soup, although it looked more like a creamy white broth. Still smiling, Emma reached across the table with a huge biscuit and plopped one on his plate.
“I am sure you have had chicken and dumplings before dear?” Mrs. Sterling said to Sam as she ladled some broth into Emma’s bowl.
“Yes ma’am, I have. My foster dad’s family was from Texas.”
“Good. You need to eat plenty for the games tonight. Big night,” she winked at him.
He nodded and took a bite of the dumplings, which were truly amazing. Soft, plump, and flavorful, they were definitely a rival dish to his grandmother’s.
“How are things at the PO dear?” Mrs. Sterling tried to sound chipper, although it was obvious she knew he wasn’t feeling that way.
Mr. Sterling looked at his wife, then rose slowly, waving off a biscuit from his daughter.
“Friends,” he said quietly, his head still slightly bowed. “I received word from the Protector’s Office that Fenton Chivler was found today. He’s in pretty bad shape.”
Silverware ceased clinking, and suddenly there was a hushed murmur of surprised whispers around the table while Mr. Sterling sat back down, staring at his bowl of dumplings.
“Is he okay?” Emma asked.
“We don’t know yet. He has been transported to the healers in Themane. We’ll know more later.”
More hushed whispers emitted from around the table. Some speculated that it could have been an accident, but others discussed the break-in and his disappearance, taking the position that the events were related.
Sam remembered Mr. Chivler and his bookstore, and the old leather book he had given him. He hadn’t had much of a chance to look it over, but it still took up space in his backpack. Again he wondered why Chivler would want him to have it.
“What happened? Who did it?” Miss Karpatch was the first to break the silence and speak aloud.
“We don’t know yet. I can’t go into details, but it looks like the place was ransacked.”
“What about my mom and dad? And Mr. and Mrs. Abelsworth? Is everyone else okay?” Lilla asked, her face flush.
“They are fine, I assure you, and they are still looking into the
matter. Whoever did it must have known their schedule—and Chivler’s.”
“Was there evidence from Lior?” Emma sounded as though she was afraid to hear the answer. “I know the … Metim … aren’t supposed to be able to enter Creation.”
“We have only scratched the surface, but it may be just a local looking for an easy place to pick off some extra money.” He continued, “I will be heading back with Cooley to finish the investigation.”
“I agree. It wasn’t Metim,” Miss Karpatch said calmly. “The arches are too protected after the fall of the old city.”
Mr. Sterling looked as though he would ignore the comment, then sighed heavily as if looking for appropriate words not to divulge too much information.
“We are pretty sure it was a local resident. Evidence points that direction.”
The rest of dinner was eaten with only a few words spoken, mainly concerned with Chivler or what the PO was going to do about the situation. Sam noticed Mrs. Sterling glancing at her daughter a few times with a look of concern on her face, but she said nothing about their upcoming travel.
When dinner was over, the four youths helped Mrs. Sterling clear the table and then headed upstairs to pack their things quietly. Before Sam and Gus made it to the stairs, however, Mr. Sterling pulled them aside after sending Cooley back to the PO office without him.
“This is going to be no easy task, boys,” he said solemnly. “But I think you need to know why we agreed to let you all go alone.”
He glanced around him and then lowered his voice to just above a whisper.
“We are pretty sure whoever hurt Chivler is not just looking for money. The PO office has a suspect, but I can’t divulge any names. The problem is that—among the other things we discussed—the suspect’s name has to be kept a secret while we investigate. That means no changes in our schedule that would help them to recognize we are on to them.” He took a breath and continued, “If you are not able to find the information on the Stone or the Stone itself, then you’ll need to get back here as soon as you can.”
“Have they found out anything about my background, Mr. Sterling?” Sam asked candidly.
Mr. Sterling put a hand on his shoulder.
“Not yet. But the Council isn’t going to be worried about your presence here just yet.”
“If they don’t find anything?”
“The next option would be to try and prove your affinity to the Light by showing them you can—”
“Manipulate Light like the rest of you.”
Mr. Sterling nodded.
“It’s not a guarantee, but it will help. The area around old Lior City has one of the largest and oldest Lazuli pools—which, I am told, gave many different levels of Light abilities. I am confident that you will find one.”
Gus nodded.
“Yes, we have a few maps of the area.”
Mr. Sterling again lowered his voice, drawing the two boys even closer to him to ensure no others were overhearing.
“But there is another thing you need to know.” He stopped and looked around him before proceeding. “The day we investigated Chivler’s after the break-in, we discovered something we think he left as a clue for us to find him. In his log book of checked out items, he had you, Sam, listed.”
Sam’s face suddenly grew warm.
“Yeah, I got a book from him about White Pine for a paper I had to do.”
Mr. Sterling sighed.
“I see. Well, a few of us are concerned that Chivler’s disappearance was not linked to a local resident, like we led on earlier this evening.”
“You think it could be Metim?” Gus’s eyes widened.
“It may seem impossible, but I think there are Dark Lords still actively finding ways through the gates. I’m not sure how, but—”
“Unreal,” Gus whistled silently.
Mr. Sterling nodded.
“We aren’t sure what they were looking for in Chivler’s, but you interacted with Chivler right before he was kidnapped. You must be on guard wherever you go.”
Gus and Sam both nodded, but the last part seemed like it was directed at Sam. Why would he have to be so careful? Just because his name was in the book, did that mean he was a target?
Then Mr. Sterling dug into his tweed jacket pocket and produced a small white stone.
“Here. If you get into trouble, you only need to rub this and help will come,” he said, dropping it into Gus’s hand. “Do not lose this, and promise me that you will only use it in an extreme emergency.”
Gus nodded.
“Yes sir.”
After Mr. Sterling left, Gus helped Sam pack for their trip to old Lior City. He wasn’t quite sure why he needed to pack two pounds of coffee, but he complied with every item Gus tossed at him, stuffing it into his pack.
“How long will we be there?” Sam asked while he stowed away two changes of clothes, soap, and a bedroll.
“Two, three days, maybe,” he shrugged. “I have never been there, so I don’t have much of a guess at this point.”
“And you didn’t have much time to research it,” Sam joked.
As they walked down the steps to see the girls already waiting for them, a flustered Mrs. Sterling hurried into the room with a rather large knitted bag in her hands. “For later tonight when you get hungry,” she told them. Then with a slight scowl on her face, she gathered them all together and hugged them tightly.
“You must know I would never let you all go without us if there was another choice,” she said, her voice cracking. “But I will leave you in the Creator’s capable hands.”
Then she shooed them out the door, likely because she was near sobbing. Emma was instantly a wreck when they were out of sight of the cabin, and it took both Lillia and Sam to help her put one foot in front of the other until they reached the center of town.
Chapter Twelve
The Lightway
Miss Karpatch was waiting for them at the main entrance to the City Center when they arrived, a look of concern but determination on her face.
“We are in luck. The place is deserted,” she told them, then motioned for the four youths to follow her through the smaller but equally solid door next to the main entrance door.
They huffed up the long circular steps of the tower, Sam silently cursing Gus for the unnecessary items he made him pack. But then looking at the size of the girls’ packs, he decided to be happy with his own.
When they reached the top, much to their relief, Miss Karpatch called for a five-minute breather. Emma dragged Sam out onto the tower balcony overlooking the City and the vast Tarum Forest. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, and behind them they could smell the breeze of the ocean and hear the loud roar of the beginning of the Kolar games.
“I’m scared,” Emma said quietly, grasping his hand.
He squeezed back.
“Me too.”
As the rest of the group came out to join them on the balcony, Miss Karpatch looked thoughtfully at the mountains to the left of them.
“The first wave will put you straight into the tower on Mount Halpa. The second will be the tricky one,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Gus asked, dropping his backpack on the floor to cool down in the evening breeze.
Miss Karpatch chuckled slightly.
“Well, the Old Lior tower was disabled on the other end to ensure no Dark creatures would ever use it. You were going to have to walk from Mount Halpa, but I think I have figured out a way to use the Lightway and get you close.”
Gus’s eyes widened.
“We are going to skim?”
“Yes, but don’t be worried. I have done it quite a few times—too many to keep count. I found a large pool enhanced with Lazuli not far from the entrance to Old Lior you can skim into safely.”
Emma’s face suddenly lost all
color.
“Are you sure about this? I heard jumping off a wave halfway through can be seriously dangerous!”
“There are risks, yes. But I am certain I have calculated correctly,” she assured them. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
“I’m up for it,” Lillia said nonchalantly.
“Me too,” Sam chuckled nervously.
Miss Karpatch smiled and picked up Emma’s pack for her, seeing that her emotions were about to get the best of her.
“Let’s get moving then. Time’s wastin’.”
She led them inside the tower, and after using her Light key to power up the Lightway, she turned the dial for the correct coordinates—first, seven turns counter-clockwise, then two turns back clockwise. The light above the large metal tube began to turn a cloudy blue, then green.
Suddenly, the Lightbase began moving slowly on its axis with a low rumble, clicking seven clicks toward the left, then two toward the right. When it was in place, a brilliant green glow replaced the dull green in the globe, and the hum of the machine gained in strength until it was vibrating the floor of the tower.
“It’s time!” Miss Karpatch motioned toward Gus, who reluctantly climbed into the sliding door on the side, clutching his backpack tightly to his chest. “You will want to lay back slightly! And don’t shift a lot while in the wave!” she said loudly, to which Gus nodded nervously, his face white as a sheet.
Then Miss Karpatch closed the door, and when Gus was in position, she waved to him and pushed a large silver button on the side of the tube.
The Lightway instantly shot bright blue out of its mouth like a great flash of a camera, piercing the evening air with a beam stretching far past the forest and up into the mountains.
Gus was there and then he wasn’t, and was nowhere to be seen in the stream of light between Lior City and the Light tower beyond. Sam knew his heart wasn’t the only one racing as he looked over to Emma who, panting heavily with her hands on her knees, was nearly as white as Gus was just before he left.
Then as sudden as the beam had dispersed from the Lightway, it blinked out, leaving a whining hum to resonate off the tower’s interior.
