Phoenix Rising (Dragon Legacy)

by Previn Hudetz

  The voice answered him quickly. “I know of a secret chamber beneath this monastery. I'm certain it contains a valuable treasure of some kind, and no one here seems to know anything about it.” He continued, “I only know it’s there because I received confidential information from someone very powerful. They call it the chamber of the guardian.” Rok looked at Stella and Mtumba, torn about what to do.

  “How can we trust you?” Stella asked after a pause.

  “Can you really afford not to?” he asked from deep in the shadows. “Just think about what you might find in there. Whatever it is, it's been there for ages, and I'm sure it's valuable.”

  He was taunting them, but had the key to the mystery they were here to solve. Rok looked at Stella, and she nodded. Mtumba shook his head vigorously. “Don't do it. It's a dumb idea,” he said flatly, looking at both of them. He was begging them with his eyes not to say anything else, but Stella broke the silence.

  “Alright,” she said, and Mtumba threw his hands into the air, “but you have to tell us where it is before we unlock your chains.”

  “No deal,” said the prisoner. “Then you'd have no reason to keep your promise.”

  Stella was frustrated, but clearly saw his point. “I'm not a liar,” she said hotly.

  “Then prove it,” the voice retorted.

  “Fine,” she snapped, then blushed as she asked, “Do you know where the key is?”

  “Look behind you.”

  Indeed, there on a wall peg hung the iron key on a ring of brass. Stella walked over and picked it up, and then Rok saw her head back toward the room, taking a deep breath. “If you try anything, I'll scream,” she said, and entered the darkness. Rok and Mtumba took deep breaths and held them in. They were surprised that Stella had just walked right in, but there weren’t any sounds of a struggle, or anything else other than the ratcheted clicks of iron hasps being unlocked.

  Stella backed out of the room, and a haggard Captain Eli appeared in the dim light, blinking. He wore a smile on his face, but it didn't look right, somehow. Rok almost swore he saw a woman in the face too, but he blinked and it was gone. Strange. The man stretched with a satisfied grunt before turning his gaze to them.

  “Luckily for you kids, I keep my word. Heads-up for the future, though; people don't always do that.” Suddenly Rok was faced with how real the danger was. He saw Mtumba stiffen from out of the corner of his eye, but the strange man put his hands on his hips, and pointed toward the stone wall at the end of the hallway.

  “It's through there,” he said, and turned to leave.

  “What?” Stella squawked. “That's a wall!”

  The prisoner looked at them, then at the cellar's exit, then back at them. He sighed and shook his head. “I'll show you,” he said grudgingly, “but only on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” Mtumba asked warily.

  The man regarded them with calculating eyes. “You have to help me escape afterwards.”

  “If you hurt my friends,” Mtumba said as he walked up to the man and looked into his eyes, “I will end you.”

  “I like you, kid,” the man said after a pause, then chuckled and cracked a smile. “You've got spirit.” He nodded seriously. “Alright, no funny business while we're down there,” he said with an extended hand, and they shook on it.

  “I'm holding you to it,” Mtumba said, and then they all walked toward the wall.

  The prisoner looked at it, and ran his hands over the smooth surface, muttering, “If only they'd had something like this in that cell, I'd have been out of there a long time ago.” Then his hand passed over a discolored spot that clicked, and the wall shifted inwards slightly, stirring up a low cloud of dust. Mtumba coughed, and so did Stella.

  The prisoner put his hands against the stone, and pushed, grunting. He looked at them and said through gritted teeth, “This'll move faster if you help me.”

  They got the hint and all joined in, pushing the heavy stone wall on its hidden hinge, swinging it open, revealing a dark pathway. The walls were not man-made, and Rok felt fear and excitement battling within him.

  “I hate caves,” Mtumba muttered.

  Stella nodded. “Me too.”

  “They’re not so bad,” Rok added.

  The prisoner looked at them oddly, and shook his head before picking up an oil lantern and walking inside. The youths also each picked one up, and followed him across the threshold.

  Quinn's eyes fluttered open, revealing a downward-facing view of a small dark room stuffed with cables and humming machinery. He was strapped into a cushioned support brace, leaning forward in a prone position that made him feel exposed and vulnerable. He strained at his bonds, but they held him tight. He grunted with frustration, but then heard footsteps. He was angry, but closed his eyes to feign sleep, and heard someone enter the room.

  There was pressure against his right shoulder, an injection, and then someone inserted an earbud into his left ear. It buzzed on, and started transmitting a series of flashed images to his optical stimulator. He tried, but his mind just couldn't keep up. It was so fast it was giving him a headache, and he felt like parts of him were slipping away. He struggled again to free himself, giving a mighty heave with his mech arm and legs, but the restraints were solid, and he couldn't make them budge even a micron.

  He yelled as the images kept flooding his mind, others fleeing. He thought he heard someone laughing while walking out of the room, but couldn't really tell. By that time, he was lost in what he was seeing. Flashes of people he thought he knew, disappearing into darkness. Images of people he didn't know, suddenly introduced. Somehow trustworthy...and powerful. People to be respected...and obeyed. He felt his mental struggle losing ground under the onslaught of the neural attack, and he yelled out a curse.

  It went on for what seemed like forever, and he could feel himself getting confused about why he was here, and why he was concerned. He was just about to let go and let it happen when...

  “Dad, snap out of it!” a familiar face said, yanking out the earbud. The young man was unfastening his restraints, and Quinn looked at him, trying to place his face. That's right, he remembered. He looks like me for some reason, doesn't he? I wonder why.

  Next to him was a concerned-looking older woman. Older but beautiful, he thought. Quinn smiled at her, and she nodded to him, a look of uncertainty passing over her. “How much did they take, do you think?” she asked the younger man.

  He shook his head, grimacing as he looked at Quinn, who was now free and stretching his limbs to get the feeling back into them. “Too much, it looks like.”

  “My name's Quinn,” he introduced himself, extending his hand.

  The young man and older woman's eyes went wide, and the lady spoke. “Definitely too much.” She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “Quinn, I need you to listen to me. Do you know who we are?”

  Quinn looked at them. Was this a trick question? “Should I?” he asked, cocking his head.

  “Kark,” she muttered, and then looked back up at him. “Okay, we don't have much time, so pay attention. They brought us here while we were out, and put us in these...things,” she gestured with a look of disgust, but continued. “They change people. Make you forget who you are. Make you remember being someone you aren't. It's sick, but it's real, and we have to get the kark out of here.” She looked at him with a piercing gaze. “Are you up to it?”

  Quinn nodded, looking around, then back at them. “What should I call you?” he asked, wishing he could remember. His head hurt, and he put his hand up to rub his aching forehead.

  “I swear I got here as fast as I could,” the young man said emphatically.

  “No, you did well, Quincy,” the woman said. “No one could have asked you to do any more than you did. I'm very proud of you.” She smiled, and Quinn felt like the room had just gotten a bit brighter. He really wished he knew this woman better. She looked at him. “I'm Kai,” she said, then looked outside of the small room and nodded,
gesturing to them. “Follow me, and stay quiet.”

  “I think I can do that,” Quinn whispered, smiling, but noticed that Quincy looked nervous for some reason. “I can do it,” he said to the younger man.

  Kai shook her head and muttered. “I hope so.” She led them down a series of passages lined with alcoves similar to the one in which he'd been held. Some were occupied by people groaning at the edge of consciousness, and others were empty. Quinn looked at those he saw struggling, and wanted to help them, but wasn't sure if he should. It was important that they stay quiet.

  There were footsteps ahead, what sounded like two people having a hushed conversation, and Kai looked at Quincy. He pointed to a doorway, and they ducked into one of the strange rooms to avoid being seen.

  They waited for the people to pass, and then breathed a collective sigh of relief. As they took stock of their condition, Quinn took a closer look at the man in this chamber. He was twitching, but unlike the other people Quinn had seen hooked into the machines, this man was unrestrained...and sitting in a chair. He looked like he'd been here for a long time. He had a beard, and smelled horrible.

  “Oh my God,” Kai whispered, taking a step back and shooting a look of surprise at Quinn. She was shaking her head in disbelief, and said in a quiet hiss, “What the kark is going on in here? Do you know who that is?”

  “He looks familiar,” Quinn replied quietly, meeting Kai's gaze. “But no. Who is he?”

  “I only recognize him from the news,” she whispered. “But I'd swear that's the Minister of Science...Minister Qortus!”

  21

  Ancient Guardian

  “I really don't like caves,” Mtumba whispered for what Stella figured must have been the hundredth time since they'd begun their descent, following the bizarre prisoner that looked like Captain Eli. Not helping was the fact that every now and again, they'd heard little skittering sounds echo through the increasingly cavernous area...and the light from their oil lanterns only reached so far, leaving much of the depths unseen. It all set Stella's teeth on edge, and she had to admit that when it came down to it, she didn't like caves either.

  They were here for an important reason though. “The guardian,” she reminded herself as the cavern opened up into a huge cathedral of stone, faintly illuminated by a crack in the firmament somewhere high above.

  Mtumba looked at her and scowled. “And whatever else is down there...the ones that dwell beneath, right? Remember about them?”

  “Hopefully we won't cross paths,” Stella whispered. “It's a big place. We just need to stay quiet.”

  The echoes from a falling stone shattered her calm, and everyone paused to listen, but once they were sure it was over, they quickly recovered and kept moving. Mtumba looked at Stella and shook his head. “Dumb idea,” he repeated.

  Rok looked at Mtumba and quietly said, “I'm glad you're here with us, though.”

  Mtumba grumbled, but acknowledged Rok's appreciation with a nod.

  So they made their way down deeper and deeper into the cave, breathing in rhythm to their muffled crunching footsteps. The air was chill and dank, and they caught the occasional gust from small openings high above them, but Stella noticed it was getting warmer the further they descended. She wondered why, and hoped it wasn't anything bad.

  The winding path opened into a vast underground expanse, ending with a cliff that thrust into the heart of the abyss. As they walked down its length, Stella noticed a small fissure in the cavern’s ceiling that illuminated the end of the walkway with a narrow stream of light. From beside them came a rising current of warm damp air, as if a great beast was breathing in the depths below.

  “What's the deal with this place?” the man exclaimed as he peered over the edge of the pathway. “There should be something valuable down here! All I see is an endless pit!”

  Stella and her friends, unsure what to do next. “Any ideas?” she asked Rok. He shrugged and looked at Mtumba, who shook his head.

  “Now will you admit that I was right about this?” he asked, spreading his hands.

  Deep in the darkness, the sound of strange music began, and something began to glow, to shine, bit by bit. From the middle of the abyss, there came a spinning light that grew with each rotation. As it grew, it came into focus.

  “What is that?” the man grunted.

  “I hope it's the guardian,” Rok said, and the prisoner spared him a curious glance.

  They were looking at the strange spinning light as it moved toward them, and a visage of angelic beauty was revealed. She flowed through the air, coming to a suspended rest meters from where they stood at the end of the path. Stella noticed the woman was looking directly at Rok, and he was staring at her in wonderment.

  They had no words, but the prisoner fidgeted nervously as the lady looked at him. The mysterious ethereal woman returned her gaze to Rok, and spoke in a voice made of music.

  “Greetings, Kundalar,” she nodded.

  “Kundalar?” Stella asked, and the woman looked at her. Her eyes were deep with wisdom and compassion.

  “Yes,” the lady answered. “And the last to join the great dreaming.”

  “What are you talking about?” Rok almost cried.

  She continued. “You will only truly understand once you pass through the chrysalis, and that time has not yet come. But I have been waiting, so speak your heart.”

  Rok coughed, and cleared his throat, but spoke up. “I...I have a lot of questions right now, but the one that feels the most important...” Rok spread his hands and looked up at her. “Where's Stella's father?”

  The lady nodded. “He is trapped in a place untouched by time as you understand it, and you will find it very difficult to reach him.”

  Stella felt her heart sink. “What do you mean?” she asked, stepping forward, but Mtumba caught her before she slipped off the ledge. She gasped when she looked down, and dropped her lantern.

  “Aah!” Her eyes followed the light as it fell. And fell. And kept falling, seemingly without end, until at last its glow simply vanished, swallowed by the abyss. Stella's blood ran cold, and she trembled as she realized how close she'd just come to falling along with it.

  The lady looked at her with sympathy, and spoke. “You are not ready to travel with me,” she said. “There is much you must learn, and much you must do.” She looked sad. “Your father tried to use the old ways before he was ready, and it was not what he expected.”

  Stella felt hot angry tears on her cheeks. “What do you mean, not what he expected?”

  The being sighed, and looked at her. “Your father was not ready for the merkaba. He did not fully understand it, and now he is lost within it.”

  “But how can I find him?” Stella pleaded. “Tell me how to find him!” She was crying and her friends held her back from the ledge, their own lanterns swinging as she struggled against them. Their lantern lights mixed with that from the mysterious lady, and Stella felt like her world was spinning out of control.

  Everything else so far had been hard enough, but she'd always held onto the hope that she could find her father. Maybe not at the Garden Citadel, though it had been hard not seeing him there. Maybe not here, but somewhere...and here this woman was telling her that her father was lost in some...thing that she had no idea what it was!

  “What's a merkaba?” Stella demanded.

  “One sleeps around your neck,” the lady pointed at Stella's chest.

  “My amulet?” Stella reacted hotly. “No way, my dad just gave it to me for my birthday!”

  The lady sighed. “A merkaba possesses many elements and facets...among them, a guide for understanding the Creator's will.” She glided forward, and spoke more softly. “But your father sought to use it for a different purpose. One far more dangerous and difficult.”

  “And what's that?” Stella asked. The woman looked deep into her eyes, and Stella wiped tears from her face as she glared at the lady, who sighed before answering.

  “The Throne-Chariot of Go
d.”

  “What is this?” the prisoner exclaimed. “I'm sorry, but what the kark are you talking about? This is crazy!” He turned to Stella. “Look kid, I'm sure your dad's fine. He's probably just tied up in transit somewhere. Happens all the time. There's a million other explanations about where he could be that make a lot more sense than...that.” He gestured at the woman.

  “But none of those reasons would be true, Alex,” she said. “And the truth will set you free, especially here.”

  “What did you say?” the man looked at her, his face turning white. “What did you just call me?”

  The woman smiled, gently shook her head, and looked back at Stella. “You have a long and difficult journey ahead of you. But there is more at stake than you think, and less time to do it than any of us would like.”

  “Time to do what?” Mtumba asked.

  “You must hurry to your king, and then you will understand. He has long possessed something of ours, and is the only one of your kind who can stand against the ancient enemy.”

  “But we just got here!” Mtumba yelled.

  “And so you have,” she replied. “But such is the path of a seeker.”

  Rok stepped forward and asked, “But we still have so many questions!”

  The woman nodded, but paused as a tremor pulsed through the air. Stella felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck, and then the lady spoke with urgency. “It will have to be another time then, son of the crystal. I have been called, and must answer.”

  “But we need something more than that!” Stella urged, her voice hoarse with desperation. “Please!” she begged. “I need something more than that to find my father!”

  “Very well,” the lady nodded, and cupped her hands together. There was a flash of light, and the lady leaned down toward Stella, the light of her being washing over their faces like living water. She held out her hands, and Stella could finally see what she held.

  “This is a dragon's crystal,” the lady whispered, “and it will guide you on your journey, even through the coming darkness. Use it wisely, for it contains much power, and will only work for the pure of heart.”