The Fourth Sage (The Circularity Saga)

by Stefan Bolz

  "They're okay," she says, relief flooding her. "They're fine."

  "Tell them they better come back now or they will get to know a whole different side of me," Tevis says.

  "I don't think they can," Aries replies. "Unless they find another way around the current."

  We're about halfway through to the other side, she hears Max think.

  And then what?

  I'm not sure, Max replies.

  "Let's give them a moment," Kiire says. "They might figure something out."

  For a while, they stand in silence, each in their own thoughts. Then the water begins to recede again.

  They're coming back. Aries hears Born-of-Night in her thoughts.

  Who?

  The rats. I can see about a dozen, half a mile out.

  "The rats are coming back," Aries says.

  "What?" Kiire answers.

  Max, are you there? she thinks.

  At that moment, Born-of-Night swoops down from one of the windows and lands on Aries’s shoulder.

  You have to leave, Aries hears the hawk think.

  How much time do we have?

  A couple of minutes.

  "We have to get out of here," Aries says.

  "Not without Max and Ty," Tevis replies.

  "We have nowhere to go," Seth says. "We can't go outside. We'll never make it."

  "What about climbing up?" Kiire asks.

  "If you can climb it, they can climb it too," Seth replies.

  "Maybe we can hide somewhere?" Mila asks.

  "I don't see where," Sam says. "And they can wait for us."

  "Any f-f-force fields you can activate, Amber?"

  "I'm afraid not," Amber replies.

  "We have to go down there," Kiire says.

  Tears run down Tevis's face as she shakes her head.

  Sam grabs her hand.

  "You just hold on to me. Like that. I've got you, Mrs. Abernethy. I won't let go."

  "The water’s coming back," C.J. says.

  Mila lets out a scream and points toward the opening in the tunnel wall. The head of a large rat appears. Tevis gasps and the others move away and to the opposite side. Behind it, another appears. Both rodents move slowly toward them. Their backs must come at least to Aries’s waist.

  "Jump into the water," she says.

  They stand there, undecided what to do, until Mila jumps in. Two more rats appear in the opening, one letting out a long, high-pitched scream. C.J. jumps. Sam helps Tevis into the pool.

  "What about you?" Aries asks Born-of-Night.

  I'll find you, Born-of-Night answers. I don't like water very much.

  She takes off, flies up and toward one of the windows.

  "Be careful," Aries says.

  And you. She hears the hawk in her thoughts.

  I'm scared, Aries thinks. She has not realized it until this moment that she is absolutely terrified.

  Take care of your friends. She hears the hawk in her mind. They will need you. You won't be scared if you help them.

  Born-of-Night disappears through the opening high up in the tower. Seth, Kiire, and Amber are already in the water. Jeremiah and Aries are last to enter the pool.

  "Swim to the center," Aries says.

  The fact that she can't swim doesn't enter her mind. Her legs and arms move, keeping her afloat. The rest is adrenaline. When they reach the center, the rats have reached the pool, surrounding it on all sides. There are now about a dozen, their yellow eyes peering at them, watching every move they make.

  "I just hope they aren't muskrats," Kiire says quietly.

  "They're not," Seth says.

  "Phew. That's good to know."

  "We have to stay together," Aries says, trying to swallow her fear. "Don't panic. We'll be okay."

  The rats let out bone-chilling screams but don't make any attempt to enter the water. Aries can see in the faces of the others that they are barely holding it together.

  "Take deep breaths," she says.

  The water begins to drop down, slowly at first and then faster and faster. The circular opening above becomes smaller fast as they descend inside the shaft. The water from the sides cascades down the walls, creating a cacophonous sound that increases in intensity the further they drop.

  When they reach the bottom, the current pulls them under and into the open water. It happens so suddenly that Aries loses any sense of where she is in relation to the water's surface. She turns over several times until someone grabs her arm and pulls her to the surface. It's Sam. His face is close to hers when she opens her eyes.

  "You're alright," he says in his deep voice, while they swim toward the others a few feet further down.

  Try to stay below one of the air pockets in the ceiling. She hears Max in her thoughts.

  Where are you?

  All the way in back.

  "Max and Ty are at the other end," Aries says. "We have to be under one of the air pockets when the water rises again."

  "There’s one right above us," Kiire replies.

  "Try to preserve your strength," Seth says. "Make slow movements."

  For the first time, Aries takes in her surroundings: They are in a large lake that extends at least a mile on either side of them. Behind, where they came from, a wall of stone leads to the shaft. On the other side, further in the distance than she hoped for, water cascades down from a steep incline that ends under the ceiling. The color of the ceiling becomes lighter the further toward the other end it gets. Where it is almost black toward the shaft they came in through, it shimmers in light brown and earth colors toward the other end. From the water below them emanates a slight glow.

  "The pocket is right above us," Kiire says. "We should stay here."

  As everyone looks up, they adjust their movements to stay below the indentation in the cave's ceiling.

  "I think the water is rising again," Mila says.

  Aries doesn't see any fear in her. Her eyes full of wonder at her surroundings, she seems to enjoy the water rather than be afraid of it. A formidable skill, Aries thinks. At this point, she would be happy never to have to swim again in her life.

  When the water recedes again, swim toward us, she hears Max think. There's another shaft on this side we can use to get back up.

  The water rises steadily, and as the ceiling comes closer a slight undercurrent pulls them away from the air pocket. It isn't all that strong but enough to induce momentary panic in Aries. Then they are inside the pocket. The ceiling is only a few feet away from their heads. A slight glow illuminates their faces. Aries can see her own relief reflected back in each of them—relief that they have made it this far without drowning.

  "We need to get to the cascading rocks on the other side," she says. "There's a shaft Max and Ty discovered that we should be able to use to get back up."

  "So far so g-g-good."

  As they float in the water, Aries can feel the small fish she had seen before, around her feet and legs. Mila lets out a giggle.

  "It tickles," she says.

  "It does," Tevis replies.

  Kiire and Aries share a short glance, each seeing in the other the concern that if there are small fish in here, there might be larger ones as well. Aries can't help but feel completely exposed. The slight glow of the water lets her see further down than she wants to. The fact that she still can't see the bottom adds to her uneasiness. She is glad when the water begins to recede. The moment there is enough space between the surface and the ceiling, they begin to swim.

  I can see you, Aries hears from Max. And now she can see him too. Still several hundred feet away, Max and Ty stand on the upper section of the cascading rocks.

  "Did you see that?" Amber asks, while looking down into the water.

  "What is it?" Seth asks.

  "Below us. It's gone now but I thought I saw lightning, or something blinking."

  "Let's hurry," Seth replies.

  When the water is at its lowest point, Aries looks up and sees that they are right in between two
air pockets.

  "Keep swimming," she says.

  After her initial shock at the coldness of the water, Aries had been getting used to it. Until now. She can feel the chill creep in, can see it in the faces of the others. C.J. especially seems to be suffering from it. Her lips are blue, her teeth chattering.

  "It's not much further," Aries says. "Should only be a couple of minutes until we reach the other side."

  "Okay," C.J. replies.

  Aries can see Max and Ty standing on a small platform about a hundred feet away. The opening behind them looks barely large enough for one person to climb through.

  You're doing great, she hears Max think. Almost there.

  She can see him smile at her, even though he's shivering profusely. Ty doesn't look much better. Her old mentor is trying to get some warmth into his extremities by shaking his arms and legs.

  "You guys okay?" Ty yells.

  Kiire gives him the thumbs-up.

  "We're okay," Tevis answers.

  "Max and I'll climb through the opening now," Ty continues. "Otherwise there won’t be enough space on the platform. When the water recedes again, you have to get through the opening before the water comes back up. Otherwise you'll have to swim back to the air pocket. There's a narrow ledge on the other side. You should be able to stand on it until the water rises and brings you to the surface. We'll wait for you there."

  Ty waves one last time and climbs into the opening. Max follows. A few minutes later, the water reaches the platform and flows into the opening.

  As the water reaches the ceiling and they float inside the air pocket, Aries can see the exhaustion that has taken hold of the others. She doesn't mention the fact that twice in the last three minutes she has seen the blinking light C.J. described, far below. It has since come closer to the surface. Something is rising from the deep. She can only hope it won't reach them before they are through the opening and on the other side. The moment there is enough space between the surface and the ceiling, they begin to swim toward the cascading rocks. Water spills from the opening and onto the narrow, flat rock.

  Sam and Mila reach the platform first. Jeremiah is next and Kiire is right behind him. Tevis, C.J., and Amber follow. By now, the water is already three feet below the platform. Seth holds on to the edge with one hand and helps Aries up. She realizes that with the water still gushing out of the opening, there is no more space on the platform… unless someone steps into the rushing water and risks being swept down into the cascading rocks.

  "I'll be alright," Seth says, as he holds on to the slippery surface of the platform. "I'll wait until Sam and Mila climb into the hole."

  He smiles at Aries but she can't return it. Instead, she gasps, looking past him into the water. And then the others see it too. A shadow approaches from the depth below. Its shape is massive, fluid, and for a split second it glows, illuminated by an eerie light within. That instant is enough to reveal its wide-open mouth, fangs jutting from powerful jaws, a dozen opaque eyes, and thin tentacles floating on its side. It must be at least sixty feet long. When Seth turns, he lets out a scream as the shadow breaks through the surface and half lands on the rocks. It lies there, water cascading from its massive body. Amber begins to scream. The creature answers it with an otherworldly sound that overwhelms their senses.

  "It can't reach us until the water comes up again," Aries yells. "We'll have a few minutes!"

  Then its tentacles creep onto the rock, pulling it upward, and it starts to climb. Seth cries out, desperately trying to find a way to the platform. Tevis holds the screaming Amber in her arms, trying to calm her down. Aries has never seen anyone so terrified in her life. The creature seems to feed on it, letting out loud, deep howls that make Aries's skin crawl. Out of sheer instinct, she puts a hand over Amber's mouth, reducing her scream to a muffled squeal. The creature stops climbing. It seems disoriented, as if searching for something.

  "Whatever that is down there, it can hear you," Aries says to Amber, as calmly as possible. "Try not to scream."

  Amber shakes her head, complete and utter terror in her eyes. The creature lets out several clicking sounds. They echo eerily through the cave. A low cry escapes Amber and she begins to weep. The creature, as if picking up a new scent, lets out a loud scream and begins to climb again. And then, from one moment to the next, the water flowing through the opening stops.

  "Get Amber inside," Tevis says. "Now!"

  Sam nods and grabs Amber, pulls her toward the opening.

  "I'll be right behind you," he says to her.

  Amber disappears into the opening, her screams echoing in the narrow space. Sam follows, and after him Tevis, Mila, and Jeremiah. Seth begins to climb onto the platform.

  "I'm okay, I'm okay," he says.

  The moment Aries turns toward him, he seems to slip, loses his footing on the oily rock and slides downward, landing hard on the rock below.

  "Seth!" C.J. cries out.

  Before anyone can react, she climbs down to him. Aries watches in terror as C.J. reaches Seth. One of the tentacles is wrapped around his ankle. The thin, string-like feeler is deep red and it looks as if blood is dripping from it. Seth screams in utter pain. C.J. pulls him up and steps between him and the creature, which is now less than ten feet away. A second tentacle moves toward them. Aries realizes in a split second that the creature must be completely blind.

  C.J. turns and faces the beast. Its screams fill Aries’s mind with terror. As if in a trance, C.J. lifts her hands until her palms face the creature. Nothing happens at first. Then it is as if the air in front of C.J. begins to vibrate. The beast slows down. Its screams intensify as it tries to move upward but can't. Then the tentacle around Seth's leg lets go. The creature moves, bends backward as if trying to get away from C.J. Its screams subside. Then it loses its footing and slides back into the water below. C.J. collapses. Seth lifts her, and Max and Aries pull her onto the platform.

  "The water is rising again," Kiire says. "We need to hurry."

  "I'll go first and pull her through," Seth says, as he climbs into the opening. He doesn't seem to notice the red markings on his ankles.

  "C.J., can you hear me?" Aries says to her. "C.J.!"

  Her eyes flutter; then she comes to.

  "What happened?" she asks.

  "We have to get out of here," Aries replies.

  C.J. nods and begins to climb into the narrow tunnel.

  "You go first," Kiire says to Aries.

  "Are you sure?" she answers.

  "Yes. Go!" he says.

  Before she climbs into the opening, she sees the water as it slowly rises toward them. The creature has disappeared. Aries crawls as fast as she can through the narrow tunnel and toward the other side. Once in a while she looks back.

  "I'm right behind you," Kiire says, as he labors to move through the narrow space. When she reaches the opening on the other side, the others stand on a thin ledge inside a circular shaft. About three hundred feet below, she can see the surface of the water. The tube extends far above her to a small dot of light in the distance. Dizziness envelops her. Then Kiire comes out of the hole and with him a swell of water. She can see the terror in the faces of the others. C.J. holds on to Seth. Tevis is quietly telling the visibly shaken Amber that the creature can no longer hurt her.

  "We're up here." They hear Ty's faint voice, echoing through the space.

  "It's coming," Seth says.

  They watch as the water approaches from below.

  "Take a deep breath," Aries says.

  Then the water engulfs them. Aries hadn't expected it to rise this quickly and for a moment she is disoriented. But then her head is above the surface and she sees the others swimming beside her.

  "You only have a few seconds to get out," she hears Ty say above them, as they approach the surface. Then they reach the top of the shaft where Ty and Max help them out of the water. It recedes only a few moments later, disappearing again into the depths below.

  C.J. has collapsed
on the ground. Seth kneels next to her, holding her hand. She's looking up at him, the shock still visible in her eyes. Ty lies on his back, looking up, his arms stretched out to the side, repeating words Aries can't understand. Jeremiah and Mila stand with Tevis who holds Amber, rocking her gently back and forth. Sam sits on the ground, water dripping from his head. Max sits next to him, lost in the terror they’ve experienced. Aries kneels and embraces him wordlessly. After a few moments he lifts his arms and returns her embrace.

  That was close, she hears him think.

  "Very."

  You're shivering.

  "So are you."

  And for a moment she wants to stay like this, feel the safety of his arms around her, hold him close and never let go of him. But when she opens her eyes and looks at the others, a dark foreboding grabs hold of her, creeps into her chest, as if the fragile bond she feels between them isn’t quite strong enough yet to conquer all that is to come.

  Chapter 20 — Riddles

  44.)) 7.0x0 partial memo log 3.2 to: Board of Direct. SELKOM CORP. —begn upld //#1.00001

  ...Obviously, they are much more dangerous than we had anticipated. And the reason I think they are much more dangerous than we had anticipated lies in the simple fact that we cannot find them. Those kids aren't stupid. Some of them are brilliant and you let them rot down there without us controlling them. And now they have begun to realize not only their own potential but also how to use this potential. Against us. FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, ONE OF THEM HAS CRACKED THE LANGUAGE CODE! Something NONE of us, not even the combined operational power of all the A.I. servers, were able to do in eight decades. Giving up control over them, letting them develop on their own, they had to discover their strengths eventually. And now they have a leader. A leader who, I guarantee you, will bring it out in all of them. We never, EVER, in the history of this Corporation, had anyone come back from a MXXT//3 treatment. Ever. We need to find them and we need to eliminate them, once and for all. Otherwise, they will become the single pebble that will start the landslide under which this Corporation will be buried.

  Dr. Marjory Veneira, Dir. of Corp. Education.