The Lost Power: VanOps, Book 1

by Avanti Centrae

“You have a point.”

  Although she hadn’t fought as well as she wished, she had disarmed her final opponent without killing him. She couldn’t force her beliefs on others. Also, she, Bear, and Will had been warned, and Will had been given the chance to leave after failing the distress test. Besides, how commanding was this power that Ramiro had set up a lethal test to protect it, or to protect the world from it?

  Maddy thought back through her family’s history. “So only Isabella and Ferdinand have found this power?”

  “That’s right.”

  “You said my grandfather, Max, was the last of our line to come here. Why didn’t he pass the tests?”

  “Is he dead, child?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “We don’t discuss results of the living. But since he’s passed on, I can tell you he failed because he killed his opponent in the duel.”

  “I see.” Maddy waved her hand. “Do you even know what this power is that we’re after? That others are trying to kill us to obtain?”

  “It is not for me to know the details of your quest, but I do suspect it will allow you to access the Field of Power, that which you know as ki from your aikido studies, that which surrounds us, is within us, the infinite pulse, the unnamable. Perhaps you can access this field in a unique and powerful way.”

  Several things about this statement gave Maddy pause. For one, the Field of Power concept resonated with her, it was how she thought of ki, but she’d never heard anyone else talk about it that way. Secondly, if it were true you could access the Field of Power in some new way, perhaps the testing was necessary to keep the Power from the wrong hands.

  It was essentially the power of the universe. Used as a weapon by those with evil intent, it could spell disaster.

  Maddy was embarrassed to admit that she wasn’t adept at feeling the Power yet, and her lack of skill was keeping her from moving up the dan ranks and someday becoming a teacher. If this old woman could help, Maddy would swallow her pride and ask. “This Power, do you have any hints about how to access it, practice with it?”

  Edith’s eyes got a faraway look before she gave Maddy a long, penetrating stare. “This is for the one who comes after us to teach, but you ask, you ask.” Edith paused as if making up her mind. “You know the basics of meditation?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you know your own country’s military teaches mindfulness?”

  “No.”

  “Useful for warriors. But never mind, I digress. I sense you struggle with quieting your mind?”

  Pressing her lips together, Maddy felt chagrined. How could this woman see through her? “Yes.”

  “This is the first step. When you meditate, listen. Listen with your whole being. Listen to the trees, the wind, the sounds in the room. Listen to something outside of yourself, as it is difficult to listen and think at the same time. Try it now.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, you don’t need to be sitting with crossed legs, this is just a mental state we’re talking about. And to be a warrior, you must have a quiet mind while you fight. You did this well today, but you must practice. Close your eyes for a moment.”

  Maddy closed her eyes.

  “Now listen. Listen to your breathing, or to the fire popping, or to the sound of my voice.”

  Maddy turned on her ears.

  The sounds in the room began to come alive. Edith’s voice became more melodious and the crackling of the fire became more intense.

  “That’s it,” Edith encouraged.

  How does she know how I’m doing?

  “No, whenever you have a thought, just let it pass, and listen.”

  Maddy stopped trying to figure it out and did as Edith instructed.

  “Good,” Edith said. Then, a minute later, she continued, “Now, now you may reach out toward the Power. It is there, it is always there, but your mind must be quiet to feel it. See if you can feel it slightly below and behind your navel. It will pulse, like a heartbeat. Feel the Power.”

  Maddy focused on the spot just below and behind her navel. She’d tried this before, but her mind had always been zooming along at freeway speeds.

  Edith’s voice was a song. A poem in light. “Listen and feel the Power.”

  The spot glowed in her mind’s eye. A moment later, she felt something. Was that it? A small pulse, thump, thump.

  “That’s right,” Edith crooned.

  Maddy no longer wondered how Edith knew what she was experiencing. She didn’t care anymore, she was feeling the Power! Her ki, her fire within. She was ecstatic.

  Maddy opened her eyes and flew into Edith’s arms. “Thank you! Thank you! I’ve wanted to feel that for so long.”

  After a good hug, Edith pushed her away and held her at arm’s length. “Child, there is much more, yes, much more for you to feel than that tiny flame. We have only ignited the spark of your fire within. The Power of the universe awaits you.”

  “But you’ve given me a way to get there.”

  “Yes, but practice you must. Remember, listen and feel the Power.”

  Maddy grinned from ear to ear. “I will. Thank you.”

  Edith motioned to the set of branding irons. “Shall we finish this so that you and your friends can be on your way? There is another who will help you access your power.”

  Maddy smiled. “Well, at least it’s a small brand.”

  “It is, it is. And I must tell you that you cannot cry out, or you will not pass this final test. If you fail, I will have to cover Ramiro’s seal with another, larger brand.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “So that you will fool no one, on the off chance you find where you’re destined to go, even without the next clue.”

  Maddy nodded, realizing that this brand served as a ticket to her next stop, her next teacher. “Where does the brand go?”

  “On your left shoulder, on top of the blade. Please dear, please remove your shirt.”

  Maddy took off her shirt and sought the calm of listening that she had just discovered. With her mind quiet, she was aware of all the small details in the room, Edith’s breathing, the pop of the fire, the warmth of the room. Resolving to bear the pain in silence, she allowed her thoughts to pass and continued to focus on sounds.

  The small fire popped and hissed. After several minutes, soft footsteps padded toward her. “Move your arm, dear, out from your side.”

  Maddy’s flesh was seared with the brand. Aware of the sensation, the burning filled her awareness, she was consumed by it. Heat spread from her shoulder throughout her body. She clenched her teeth, her hands, and her stomach muscles, fighting the urge to flinch. She could not cry out.

  The moment stretched.

  But soon she was able to return awareness to other sounds.

  It took a long minute for the pain to move from an intense burning to a duller ache.

  Through it all, Maddy remained silent.

  At last, Edith touched her arm. “You’ve passed, dear, you’ve passed. It’s so exciting to have one of Ramiro’s own to congratulate.”

  Edith gave Maddy a brief hug that avoided her branded left shoulder. Afterward, she dressed Maddy’s wound with a sweet-smelling ointment.

  “Please meet Samuel and me tonight around seven thirty back in the office, so that we can send you on your way.”

  As she left the room, Maddy was determined to find her next teacher, discover the answers they sought, and if Will was right, keep the Power of the Aragon Châsse from the hands of the Russians.

  CHAPTER 42

  7:35 p.m.:

  Back in the room they had visited when they first arrived at the Jerusalem Testing Society, Will stood next to Bear and Maddy to receive a final farewell from the Guardians.

  Will drummed his fingers against his thigh. Sweat trickled down his brow into his left eye.

  Samuel looked at the three of them in turn. “Bear, you are truly brave. A fearless warrior and an excellent bodyguard. You have represented yourself well here.”
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  Bear nodded his thanks. His blue eyes held a thoughtful expression.

  “William. Although you have more to learn about dealing with your fears and your grief, be encouraged. Your skills with the knife have come along, and you handled yourself well in the surprise test of the five attackers. You are loyal and courageous.”

  Will relaxed and felt his chest warm with the praise.

  Samuel went on in his deep voice, “As Maddy’s twin, you may yet have a larger role to play in the quest. When dealing with your fears, remember the only way out is in.” Samuel then turned to look at Maddy. “Ah, Maddy. As you can see, not many make it to where you sit now. You have the royal sign of your ancestor gracing your shoulder and the pride of knowing your own strength, alongside the humbleness of your compassion. You’ve done well and deserve to see how the next step of your journey will unfold.”

  Maddy’s olive-colored eyes burned with pleasure at the compliment.

  With thin fingers, Samuel reached into a drawer and pulled out a gold-worked metal cylinder, about thirty centimeters long and just three wide, which he handed to Maddy. She examined it from top to bottom, tugged off an end cap, and removed a piece of paper.

  Will found the cylinder fascinating. He’d never seen anything like it.

  “Find the center of the Pagan Empire,” Maddy read aloud.

  Will figured that, since this clue was in the hands of the Guardians, they would write the words in the appropriate language. But he’d never heard of a Pagan Empire. He, Maddy, and Bear exchanged a puzzled glance.

  “It is...yes, it is most appropriate for you to discuss what the clue means after you depart the school. Tradition indicates that you may each take a weapon with you if you like,” Edith said.

  Will’s hands itched to touch the cylinder, so he reached his hand out to Maddy, who handed it to him.

  Part of him was aware of Maddy and Bear discussing swords, knives, and staffs, but most of his attention was fixed on the outside of the cylinder. There appeared to be intricate bas-relief images of tiny lines floating in the air above some small trees.

  Lines, or are they tiny obelisks, like what we saw in that codex back at the castle? Are they floating? Floating...what types of things might float?

  Ever the engineer, he started to consider the lifting Meissner effect of superconductors, when he was interrupted by Maddy. “Will, give it back. It’s time to go.”

  Will let go of the cylinder with reluctance. She pulled it from his hands and replaced it with one of the throwing knives he liked. He made one last mental snapshot of the cylinder as he let it go. Maddy gave the cylinder back to Samuel.

  The loss of the cylinder brought Will back to the present. While he contemplated their next steps, he had two ideas. “May I have a piece of paper and do you mind if we take a photograph of this cylinder?”

  Samuel and Edith exchanged a glance. “Yes, you may,” Samuel replied, while he handed Will a piece of paper and a pen.

  “Will, what are you doing?” Maddy asked.

  “I’ll tell you later. Bear, can you get a pic of that cylinder with your GoPro?” Will wrote on the paper, folded it, put it in his pocket, and passed the pen back to Samuel.

  Bear pulled the GoPro off of his shoulder and made quick work of a few snapshots.

  When Bear was finished, Will said, “Thank you.”

  Hugs and handshakes were spread around. Maddy and Bear both picked up quarterstaffs, and Will put his “souvenir” throwing knife in the arm scabbard underneath his sleeve.

  They walked out of the office, back into the chamber of doors.

  Samuel put his arm on Will’s back. “You all have more to learn on this path and will find a wise teacher to complete your education. Go safely--remember to listen.”

  Will wondered what listening was. Probably just meditating. The door closed behind them. He sent a guilty farewell to Hana, glad he hadn’t slept with her again.

  “I’m just glad it’s over,” Maddy said.

  Will looked at Maddy. “Me, too. But now that we’re headed back to the real world, think we’ll run into the Russians or Prince Carlos on our way to the Pagan Empire?”

  CHAPTER 43

  8:15 p.m.:

  After saying goodbye to the Guardians in the office at the Testing Society, it didn’t take Maddy, Will, and Bear long to go back through the chamber of doors and out through the dark wooden portal with the old king’s sign.

  The passageway back to the Dome seemed much as she had remembered it, a narrow, winding tunnel lit by the dancing beam of Will’s flashlight. The difference was that it felt shorter. That was usually the way of things--to Maddy, it always seemed to take less time when she was leaving because she’d traveled that way once before.

  When they arrived at the small side passageway that they had discovered a long week ago, Maddy had Will hold up. “Wait here a sec, Will. Can I borrow your flashlight?” When he handed it to her, she took it and lit up the side tunnel. “What’s going to happen if we try going out through the mosque at this hour?”

  Will checked his watch.

  Is that a Rolex? Good grief, is he doing that well with his career? He always did like the finer things in life.

  “That’s a good point, Maddy. The temple closed for Western visitors hours ago. We’d get arrested, or shot.”

  Bear motioned with his staff and the muscles in his chest moved under his shirt in the shadow of the flashlight. “Are you thinking of trying this tunnel?”

  She was starting to appreciate how Bear seemed to understand her, sometimes even more than her own twin brother. “I think it’d be safer, yes.”

  Just then, the sound of lightly running feet from the passageway behind them became obvious. Before Maddy had a chance to think that it might be someone dangerous, Hana’s pale face burst into their circle of light from beyond the shadows. “Hey, wait for me!”

  Will pushed around Maddy and Bear. “Hana!” He gave her a hug.

  Maddy groaned to herself. Hana’s company on their quest was the last thing they needed. She’d be nothing but a distraction.

  “I was hoping I could come with you, just for dinner, before we part ways,” Hana said.

  “Sure, why not?” Will looked at Bear and Maddy for confirmation, his wide, lopsided smile illustrating his pleasure at seeing Hana.

  If it was just for dinner...

  Maddy shrugged and Bear nodded in acquiescence.

  “We were just talking about heading up this side tunnel,” Will told Hana. “I’m guessing it will come out in the square in front of the Temple Mount.”

  “Good idea,” Hana said.

  Will pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “One more thing. Hana, you probably remember that I told you that we had some people--Russians, we suspect--trying to kill us.” Hana nodded and Will continued, looking at each member of the group. “In case we run into them, I wrote a false clue about our next destination.”

  Maddy’s eyebrow rose at Will’s resourcefulness, amused that he was showing off for Hana. The false clue idea was clever.

  In the beam of his flashlight, Will revealed what he had written: Find the center of the Spanish Empire. “I figure that will throw them off if they find us again.”

  Bear slapped him on the back. “Good work, Will. Great to have a quick-thinking engineer around. I like that being-prepared streak of yours.”

  Hana took the news of Russian killers in stride and asked no questions. Maybe she was too brave for her own good. But, after all, she had passed her own family’s version of the tests. Maddy was curious about how Hana’s gauntlet may have been different and wished there was more freedom to discuss it.

  “I agree. Excellent idea. Now, shall we get out of this warren? I’d like to see some sky,” Maddy said.

  Hearing murmurs of agreement, Maddy headed up the tunnel, flashlight beam leading the way.

  Where the other passage had been wide enough for two or three to walk abreast, this tunnel was a single-file affair and t
he top of it not much taller than she was. Maddy wished she hadn’t gone first, as there were lots of spider webs. After getting two pesky, sticky webs in her face, she started to use her quarterstaff as a sweep.

  She missed her swords but figured twin swords on her shoulders, or any sword for that matter, would mark her as trouble. The quarterstaffs would hopefully pass as hikers’ walking sticks and would have to do. This one was coming in handy for the time being.

  The narrow path led upward in a gentle slope. She had never learned how all the food made it down to the Testing Society and suspected side tunnels like this were used to deliver supplies.

  After walking for just another minute, she came face-to-face with an old-fashioned, heavy but plain, standard-size door. It had a weighted, auto-close mechanism that looked as if it locked securely from the inside. Good, she didn’t need to worry about exposing the Society to unnecessary intruders.

  Maddy opened the door an inch and peered out. They were outside the main plaza, in a side court. The Dome of the Rock was in front of her, beyond a green-fenced fountain and a set of arches. It was a gold-tipped island surrounded by a sea of space. The sky looked dusky and the plaza seemed to hold only religious ghosts.

  She turned to the others. “Right again, Will. The plaza is out there. I’m guessing we’re near a side door of that other mosque, I think it was called ‘al-Aqsa.’”

  “Yeah, I remember that,” Will whispered. “Where’s the gate that we entered from in the Western Wall?”

  “The Mughrabi Gate must be around to the left. So, what’s our plan?” Maddy asked.

  “I say we waltz out of here like we own the place.” Bear leaned on his staff, grinning like a rascal. “Then head into the Old City for some dinner.”

  “I’m getting hungry, too.” Will nodded and Hana’s head bounced along in unison. “But be careful.”

  Maddy saw nothing wrong with the plan. “All righty. Here we go.”

  She turned off the flashlight and opened the door wide. As she walked through it, she imagined that she was the president stepping out of Air Force One. That image made her feel more like she had a right to be here and less like she was skulking around.