City of Gold

by Daniel Blackaby

  Jade

  He lay down, holding the note against his chest. The strenuous, week-long dash from Atlantis to El Dorado was beginning to take its toll; he welcomed the comfort of the warm bed. Sleep came immediately.

  After his quiet knock, Cody instantly heard loud, thumping footsteps rumbling from the other side of the closed door. Cody grinned. Apparently the Golden King hadn’t changed EVERYthing about her!

  When the door finally opened Jade greeted him with a warm smile. Her thick black hair was pulled into a neat up-do and her cheeks sparkled with glitter. She threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly before inviting him into the room.

  The weeks spent imagining the horrors of Jade trapped in a dark, isolated prison cell seemed exceedingly silly as Cody viewed the sprawling room.

  He continued to examine the extravagance of the space as he searched for something to say. It was an unusual feeling. Having Jade next to him made him feel uncomfortable. He had imagined that seeing her again would somehow turn back time and things would be just as they were before. But now that the moment had come, he felt as though he were meeting her for the first time.

  “This is a nice room,” he muttered, finally giving up on the elusive, witty remark. Jade skipped forward and threw herself onto the bed, propping herself up on her elbows. “Yeah, it’s incredible. I could fit my whole house back ho…back in Havenwood inside.” Cody looked to the floor, unable to handle her deep green eyes. The moment he had dreaded for weeks had arrived.

  “I’m sorry about leaving you in the courtyard. It was dumb.” Cody winced even before the last word left his tongue. After a month of preparation he had dropped an agonizing dud.

  Jade didn’t seem to notice. To Cody’s surprised she merely laughed. “Very dumb, indeed! But after all we’ve been through did you honestly think I’d be surprised?” The remark was playful and lacked venom.

  Cody caught her infectious smile. “Yeah, I guess not. Remember Area 51? That was bad….”

  “That was bad…even for you!” It felt good to be laughing with Jade again. “There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you,” he began slowly.

  Jade sat up attentively. “Of course, what is it?” Cody felt his forehead burn red. He took a deep breath. It’s now or never…

  “Well, the last time I saw you, in the courtyard, you called something to me. It seemed like it was something…important.” He squirmed; there was no turning back now. “But the thing is, with all the loud noise and fighting, I didn’t hear what you said; at least not all of what you said. You probably don’t even remember, but you called my name and said something like, “I lo…”

  Cody lifted his eyes in anticipation. He heard Tiana’s words on the boat in his ear: “Some things are best heard from Jade’s own mouth.”

  Jade smiled. “Of course, I remember!” Cody’s heart skipped. He leaned forward eagerly, but stopped at the sound of Jade’s laughing. “I said ‘I loathe that stupid book!’” She chuckled again. “What else would you expect I’d say after you ran off to search for that Book and left me standing there?”

  “Yeah…what else…” Cody muttered. Her words pierced his chest like a sharpened spear. He grabbed his side and as he did, he felt the shape of Tat’s arrowhead in his pocket.

  He wrapped his hand around it. “Jade…I need to tell you something,” he pulled the arrowhead out and held it toward her. “It might be surprising at first, but I need to get it off my chest. I’ve made my decision, and…”

  “Oh, blast!” Jade jumped up from the bed. “I completely forgot!” Cody looked to the arrowhead and then back to Jade.

  “Forgot what…? What I was trying to say was that I…”

  Jade dashed to the other side of the room and came back carrying a smooth, ivory bow. “I’m sorry. That just reminded me. I completely forgot that I have archery lessons with Hansi this afternoon. You can come with me!”

  Cody swallowed. “Who’s Hansi?” he asked, anxious to rein Jade’s attention back in. Jade slapped her forehead. “How silly of me! It’s been so good to see you again that I forget you haven’t been here with me the last few weeks. Hansi is the Prince.” Jade’s powdered face turned red. “And, he’s also my boyfriend.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. Anyways, I…” Cody’s words came to a jarring halt. “Boyfriend!? Wow, I didn’t realize. I mean I wasn’t…You’ve only been here one month! I didn’t expect, well…that.”

  “Isn’t it crazy?” Jade exclaimed. “Who would have ever thought I’d have a boyfriend! And a prince! It all happened so fast. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He’s an amazing guy and I think you two will get along great!” Cody tried to force a smile but it came across as cheerful as passing kidney stones. He nodded, unable to speak. Jade tossed the bow over her shoulder and walked toward the door. As she reached it she turned. “Oh, how rude of me. You were in the middle of telling me something about making a decision. What were you saying?”

  Cody slid the arrowhead back into his pocket. “Don’t worry about it…it was stupid anyways.”

  50

  A Perfect City

  THE CITY WAS STUNNING, seemingly dressed up for an elegant ball. The buildings were smooth and rounded and all the homes were identical to one another. The architecture was like nothing Cody had ever seen. Each of the buildings was open-walled, providing a full glimpse into the richly-adorned homes. The citizens inside were smiling.

  Cody scampered a step behind Jade as they traversed the city. As they passed, the neighbors would smile and give friendly waves or bows. Like the Atlantians, their facial features had subtle mousy characteristics but that was where the commonality ended. Each of them wore identical, lavish outfits that would have made even Atlantis’ Inner-City residents look like street-rats.

  Jade strutted confidently, greeting many of the people by name. Cody had never seen Jade so self-assured. He recalled the Golden King’s words: “I’ve allowed the swan inside to break free.”

  They came to a stop in front of a street marketplace. Dozens of vendors lined both sides of the path with stalls brimming over with every imaginable treat or trinket.

  A woman, who stood at least six feet tall, waved them over. Cody had the sense that she was an elderly lady, but glitter and the smoothness of her skin gave her the appearance of one much younger “Welcome, my precious dearies.”

  A youthful purveyor from the neighboring stall jumped in front of the statuesque woman. “Unsatisfied hunger troubling the handsome gentleman? Ol’ Brodon has got just the thing to take your neglected taste buds on a wild adventure!” The seller was a stubby man with a bowl of exceedingly fine hair hanging evenly from the top of his head. The lanky lady shook her head. “Oh, Brodon, you’re shameless….”

  As always, Cody was pulled like a magnet toward the sound of flattery. “I’m starving! How much does it cost? I’m afraid I don’t have any money.”

  The stout merchant chuckled. “You’re obviously not from here, are ya? Look around; does it look like there’s a shortage of riches? Harmony is the only currency here. Everything in this market is absolutely free—no strings attached. Thanks to the merciful King of Radiance, we’re all equals in El Dorado.” He grabbed a tart-like pastry from his booth and tossed it to Cody. “I guarantee just one small bite of this will change your world.” To Cody’s surprise, his clear reflection could be seen in the smooth, metallic-looking surface of the unusual pastry. Topping it off, in place of a cherry, was a large, polished ruby.

  Brodon chuckled. “It is perfectly edible; trust me. Although, if you wish to keep your teeth, you’ll want to remove the ruby first!”

  The first saleswoman appeared, towering over the head of the smaller merchant. “Either way, you should probably save it for later; wouldn’t want to ruin your appetite for the big banquet tonight!”

  Thanking the two, Cody stored the silver tart in his backpack and scampered after Jade. “About this banquet tonight…” he said between heavy breaths, “I was thinking maybe you coul
d meet me at my chamber and we could go to it…together?” he offered.

  Jade’s green eyes softened. “Oh, of course I can go down with you. I’m sure Hansi won’t mind if I just meet him there.”

  Cody flushed. “Oh, right. Hansi. I forgot.”

  Jade shrugged. “We can go as a trio. You are my best friend, after all. It’s not like he has to worry about anything. He’s been dying to meet you!”

  Cody forced a smile but couldn’t bring himself to answer, so instead he gave a weak head nod. Would Hansi mind if I hit him over the head with Jade’s bow? he thought bitterly.

  Cody tensed up as two diamond-skinned men approached. “Dark-Wielders! We need to get out of here!”

  He tugged at Jade’s sleeve, but she burst into laughter. “Is that what they call them in Atlantis?” The two Wielders reached them and passed right by. As they did, they both gave a bow to Jade before disappearing around the corner.

  “What do you mean? What are they called here?” Cody asked, still uneasy.

  “The Brotherhood of Light,” Jade said with a grin. “Just because Atlantis claims to be Light doesn’t mean El Dorado is obligated to be Dark. And here, unlike Atlantis where the brotherhood spends all its time in a secluded monastery, the Brotherhood patrols the city making sure everybody is taken care of and happy. Sounds more worthy of Light than the other, I’d say. ”

  The thought perplexed Cody. Maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see?

  “This city is not what I expected,” he admitted. Jade stopped at a ledge overlooking the city. From their elevated position Cody could see the entire breadth of the metropolis for the first time—and it was beautiful.

  The city was laid out in a perfectly symmetrical circle. Every building and street had been arranged in seamlessly straight lines. Enclosing the buildings were colossal walls that seemed to reach almost to the ceiling of Under-Earth, obscuring any view of outside the city.

  Near the outskirts of the city, a pillar of smoke rose into the air. The steam was rising from what appeared to be a deep pit. Cody watched as four golden golems marched to the edge of the hole carrying a smooth, silver crate. Placing the crate onto a large platform, they slowly lowered it by a pulley system into the haze.

  “What are they doing?” Cody asked as the soldiers lowered the platform deeper and deeper.

  “Garbage,” Jade answered. “The King insists on keeping his city clean. The world’s most advanced city shouldn’t look like a slum,” she uttered distastefully. “Everything detracting from the beauty of the city is loaded up into those silver crates, lowered into the pit, and burned in the scorching furnace. Much more civilized.”

  In the center of the circular city layout was a large globe-like structure. The immense building was like a gigantic crystal ball. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jade observed. “The Monument to the Orb. Symbolically built directly in the heart of the city; a testament that it belongs to the people rather than hidden in a forbidden sanctuary for the elect and privileged.”

  “It seems wonderful. Almost too wonderful.” Cody mumbled. He shook his head. “But, it doesn’t change the fact that these people kidnapped you and dragged you here forcefully. Have you already forgotten that?”

  “When I was first brought here I was more terrified than I‘ve ever been in my life. I thought of you every day. It was the only thing that gave me the strength to carry on. But the Golden King was right, they weren’t kidnapping me from Atlantis—they were saving me from it. What they did was in my best interest, even if I didn’t realize it at the time. They saved me from being brainwashed. Just think about it. If this orb, whatever it is, is so sacred and all-powerful, then why are those who revere it most so impoverished, unequal, and hardened? The rulers of Atlantis could allow all of their citizens to enjoy the same luxuries as those offered here in El Dorado. So why don’t they?”

  Cody remained silent. He didn’t have an answer.

  51

  A Pull-and-Shoot Kind of Guy

  THE MAN WAS SICKENINGLY HANDSOME. Like the city around him, he was so entirely flawless that it brought bile to Cody’s throat. Cody despised everything about him: his wavy gold hair, his ice-blue eyes, and every one of the defined muscles that pressed tightly against his constricting vest. Cody instinctively rubbed his fingers across the sparse fuzz covering his own chin after noticing the man’s full, methodically-groomed facial hair.

  The angelic looking man flashed a friendly smile, revealing straight, white teeth. “Most noble Book Keeper. What a tremendous honor. Legend of your bravery is already well known in El Dorado.”

  Cody chomped down on his lip: Resist! Don’t be fooled by the viper’s cheap flattery…Did he just say ‘legend of my bravery’?…NO, it doesn’t matter. He’s a monster!

  “And, of course, Jade has told me so much about you,” he continued. “I am Prince Hansi, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  Cody sneered. Hansi? What sort of sissy name is that?! What does he think he is—a European model?

  Hansi offered his hand. Cody seized it firmly, squeezing until his knuckles grew white, all the while hoping to shatter every bone in the man’s manicured hand. It was like grasping an iron pipe.

  Cody glared at the man coldly. “Well, Jade and I do have a lot of history together.”

  Hansi pulled an ivory bow from his shoulder and examined the string. “And, as such, I’m sure you have much catching up to do. I’d hate to get in the way of that. Let’s reschedule our lessons until…”

  “No, no, no,” Jade insisted. “Let’s have the lessons. I’m excited to show Cody my new skills!” She pulled her own bow from her shoulder.

  Hansi looked to Cody. “If you desire, I can lend you my spare bow and give you a lesson as well?”

  Cody puffed his shoulders. “I’m actually already an accomplished archer in Upper-Earth. You know, with awards and stuff,” he blurted. Jade’s face lit up in surprise. Cody felt as though a spotlight had been focused on him. “It was before we met,” he added defensively. Strike one.

  Jade’s expression deepened. “But Cody…we met in fourth grade.” Cody’s face reddened. Stop talking, you idiot; don’t dig yourself any deeper than you already have!

  “Yeah, well, I’m just full of surprises,” he declared. Ouch. It had definitely sounded better in his head. Strike two.

  Hansi slapped him on the back. “Fantastic! If you have time later, I would love to discuss the techniques and tools of current Upper-Earth archery. As a student of the craft, I’m always trying to learn and improve. Is silk thread still practiced for attaching the fletching? Do they use a nock in Upper-Earth? I have found that the groove retracts from the pure flight of the arrow, would you agree?”

  Cody stared at the Prince as though he had spoken ancient Gaulish rather than English; and for all Cody knew, he had.

  Cody pinched his lips. “I’m more of a pull-and-shoot kind of guy….”

  Strike three.

  The three targets in the distance seemed the size of dimes across the lengthy grass field. As Cody strained his eyes, each of the targets morphed into Hansi’s perfect, mocking face.

  Along the side courtyard a small crowd had assembled to witness the event. Cody felt each of the watching eyes as he gazed haplessly at the bow in his hands. He held the foreign object the way an in-lander holds a live catfish.

  There was a rattling whoosh as an arrow exploded from Hansi’s bow and soared across the yard. With a reverberating thud it lodged into the center of the target. Cody bit his lip: I’m in trouble.

  Jade stepped forward next and lifted her bow. Whipping an arrow out of her quiver, she fitted it against the string. Hansi stepped behind her, reaching his arms around and adjusting her stance. Cody dropped his eyes uncomfortably.

  Zing! Cody glanced back up to see the arrow flying through the air. Thud. It pierced the second target just an inch from the bulls-eye. Yes. BIG trouble.

  Cody stepped into the center next. He squinted, trying to focus on
the blurry target in the distance. He pressed the arrow against the string and aimed it toward the target. It’s now or never.

  Inhaling a deep sigh and channeling everything he had ever read about Robin Hood, he closed his eyes—and let it go.

  He listened to the soft hum of the arrow cutting through the air. A loud gasp rose from the crowd. Thud.

  Silence.

  The piercing scream of a woman forced his eyes open. The target in front of him was blank, his arrow completely lost from view. Uh-oh. A wild commotion ensued along the sidelines. People were hollering and running around. A bewildered lady emerged from the mob. “Help! Quick!...someone’s been hit!”

  52

  Of Air Density and Fancy Clothes

  CODY’S FACE FLUSHED LIKE AN INFERNO. He felt Hansi’s arm wrap around his shoulder and lead him away. “Perhaps we should call it a day.”

  Cody glanced over his shoulder as several Wielders rushed into the crowd, kneeling to examine the victim. He risked a glance to Jade. Her face was bordering between mortification and amusement. Her eyebrow rose. “With awards and stuff, eh?”

  Hansi patted him on the shoulder. He then did the worse thing Cody could imagine—he came to his rescue.

  “You know, the air density in Under-Earth is no doubt much different than Upper-Earth. As all archers know, it takes practice to get the right feel back. I’m sure you would have had it with another shot or two. But we should probably return to the palace to get ready for this evening’s banquet.”

  “Air density!?” Cody spat as he flung his chamber door open. “You’d better hope the air density is enough to keep my next arrow from soaring right between your sickeningly flawless eyebrows….” Cody jerked to a stop as the edge of a knife appeared at his throat.

  “Don’t move a muscle.”

  The blade tickled the hair on his neck as it pressed uncomfortably against his Adam’s apple. A strong hand reached out and grasped his collar, yanking him into the room. The door slammed shut behind him.