The boat slid gently through the water. Silently, it swayed ever so slightly back and forth; it was almost enough to lull Shaya to sleep. She glanced over at Rowan, his head rested in his hands, his eyes dropping. Every so often his head would nod, and he’d wake up for a second, before slipping back into sleep. Jinx lay next to him, arms and legs spread out as if she had fallen asleep mid-stretch.
Lacuso Island loomed ahead. In the centre of the lake, it lay; a tiny lump of green in a sea of black. Shaya thought the whole Island was not much bigger than the clearing in which Benjin’s farm sat. Some sparse shrubbery and a few thin trees stood around a small cave, their destination. Shaya let the boat hit the island shore, the edge slid effortlessly out of the water and wedged its self in the wet sand.
“Are we here?” said Rowan, his eyes still closed.
“We are,” Shaya stood up and tied her sword around her waist. Leaving her bag in the boat, she jumped ashore. “Are you coming prince?” she asked looking back at the boy dozing quietly. He groaned and sat up straight, his eyelids barely lifting.
“You to missy,” Shaya stood with her hands on her hips.
“Alright, mother,” Jinx’s wings began to flutter. She was lifted into the air, her arms and legs dangling limply “So tired,” she yawned as she lifted her and looked around. “This is it?” Jinx sounded unimpressed.
“It’s a cave, what did you expect?”
“Shale lives in an ancient temple, in the middle of a secret glade, surrounded by endless waterfalls.”
“Good point,” Shaya smirked. She made her way to the mouth of the cave with Jinx floating close behind her. Rowan begrudgingly clambered out of the boat and followed, stretching and groaning in tired frustration. Shaya was tired as well, but the mission drove her forward, even though her feet felt like they were made of stone and her legs could barely lift them.
“Ready?” She asked Rowan as he finally joined them.
He looked at her with weary eyes and sighed “Let’s find out,” he said as he walked passed her and into the cave.
It was dark and dank. Water dripped from the ceiling; stalactites hung down from above like dark grey spears ready to be thrown down by savage warriors at any moment. The floor shifted slightly; the black sand moved beneath their feet. There was not much else to see.
“Rayne?” said Shaya hesitantly. As her voice echoed around them, she felt foolish calling out a God’s name in a cave, in the middle of a lake. Things had indeed taken a turn for the peculiar since this whole business had started. As she suspected, her call gathered nothing. Jinx fluttered around checking anything and everything. She was like a frantic little glowing firefly, darting around desperately.
Rowan sat down on a rock with a grunt “Now what?”
“Something has to be here. Shale said this is where we’d find her.”
“Unless Rakmar beat us here.”
Shaya looked at the Prince; his face was one of exhaustion and defeat.
“You’re not giving up. Are you?”
Rowan let out a weary sigh “No, not yet. I just don’t know what to do anymore. This has all become something unbelievable. We’ve spoken to a God, we’re searching for a second, and a third is trying to destroy us all. I just don’t know what we’re doing here.”
“Would a hidden passage make you feel any better your highness?” Asked Jinx.
“You found something?” Shaya asked excitedly.
“Yes, a hidden passage, I thought I made that clear,” grinned the sprite.
Rowan jumped to his feet as Shaya dashed over to the glowing ball of light. Jinx had found a gap between the rocks. It was big enough that they could squeeze through, maybe. Shaya peered through; it looked like there was something on the other side, something blue and glowing.
“That’s going to be tight,” said Rowan.
He wasn’t wrong. They slipped through the gap in the wall. The rocks were like knives, they jammed into their sides, scratched their arms and pricked their knees. Shaya thought a few times that the walls were closing in on them as the gap got narrower. She could feel the closeness of her warm breath. It was a slow pace, but they eventually managed to force their way through. Annoyingly as both Shaya and Rowan sat on the black sand, looking at the fresh cuts and scrapes they’d gotten from the jagged walls, Jinx shot straight through with ease and a smile on her face. She noticed them glaring at her angrily.
“What?” she said innocently, and the others got up without saying a word and began to look around. It wasn’t much different from the cavern they had just come from, apart from one exception. On the floor at the far side of the cave next to another wall, was a large blue-green pool of water. It was glowing. They walked over and peered down. It was deep, very deep. It wasn’t contaminated like the black goo outside, it was perfect. As flawless as the water was, they couldn’t see the bottom. Rowan knelt and ran a finger across the surface of the water.
“Please don’t tell me we have to go for a swim,” he muttered looking up at Shaya.
She made sure her ponytail was tight “You don’t like to swim?”
“Not in a cave, in glowing water, holding my breath, for an unknown amount of time.”
“Me neither,” she said as she re-laced her thick brown boots as tight as she could.
“We’re still going in, aren’t we?”
“Of course.”
“I hate you.”
“I know,” Shaya smiled “Is it cold?”
“Yes, very.”
“Wonderful,” she said in a sarcastic huff.
Jinx flew over and hopped into Shaya’s jacket pocket. “I can’t swim,” she said quietly.
“Well, I hope you can hold your breath.”
“Me too.”
“I guess I’m going first,” she gazed at Rowan expectantly.
“It’s your idea,” Rowan said with a shrug.
“Alright,” Shaya sighed and sat down on the edge of the pool. She threw her legs over and into the turquoise water.
“Oh, by the Goddess,” she said as a shiver shot through her entire body.
“I told you it was cold,” Rowan stood above her, his arms crossed.
“Shut up.”
“You sometimes forget that I’m your prince, don’t you?”
“Shut up, your highness.”
Rowan snorted a laugh as Shaya slipped all the way into the water.
A shock ran through her, and for a second her whole body was frozen stiff, and her jaw clenched. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so cold.
“I’ll shout when I’m on the other side,” she said, trying to stop her teeth from chattering.
“What if there isn’t another side?”
“Then I’ll be back in a minute, and you get to stay dry.”
“Fair enough.”
Shaya told Jinx to hold her breath, and the little sprite gulped down a mouth full of air. Shaya did the same and dived down. It was like swimming through ice, her arms and legs felt almost numb as she flailed them as hard as she could. She was a strong swimmer, she and her uncle would often go to the stream near Evergreen Meadow. Shaya would swim up and down the creek for hours, diving under the water to look at the fish and whatever else swam around beneath the surface. Benjin would sit with his feet dipping in the fresh water, leaning back against an old oak tree that grew on the riverbank, reading one of his many books. I swim like a rock; he would often say.
As Shaya swam deeper down, she could see the source of the glowing. There were crystals embedded in the rock, blue and green and yellow, there were hundreds of them. Through stinging eyes she could see their fish scale shape, they were the size of her fist. The tunnel turned and began to go back up; the whole place was like a giant U shape. Shaya looked up as she struggled through the cold, she could see the surface above her. She was getting tired; she was slowing down. She quickly glanced down. Jinx had both of her hands over her mouth, her eyes clamped closed, she wouldn’t last much longer. With every ounce of str
ength, Shaya propelled herself through the turquoise depths, determined as always.
Coughing and gasping for air Shaya reached the surface. She clawed her way out of the icy water and dragged herself to the dry golden sand that covered the cave floor. Jinx hopped out of her hiding place spluttering and shook the water from her wings. Shaya shivered as she took in her surroundings. The glowing scale like crystals covered the low ceiling and rock walls.
“It’s beautiful,” Shaya said, awestruck.
The frozen girl clambered to her shivering feet while she rubbed her arms. The cave was surprisingly warm; the air was hot and humid. Right in front of her was a large shallow pool of water. She walked in squelching boots over to the ankle-deep pond. It stretched the length and width of the cavern, surrounded by a collection of crystals sticking out of the ground. They ran all around it as if it was a tiny barrier keeping in the water. Oddly, the gemstones didn’t glow like the others. They were dull, almost grey as if all the colour had been drained from them.
“Are you alright?” a muffled concerned voice shouted from the other side of the rock wall.
“Yes, come on over,” Shaya yelled back. She had nearly forgotten about Rowan sat impatiently waiting for them. Shaya rang the water from her golden ponytail like a dishcloth and flung it back over her shoulder.
“But there’s nothing here,” Jinx complained.
“We’re not the only ones getting cold and wet,” Smiled Shaya. Jinx giggled into her tiny palms, and Shaya folded her arms “There must be something.”
Jinx once again began to flutter around in search of something, anything. A few moments later a breathless Rowan erupted from the water in an explosion of gasps and grunts. Shaya helped him out, and he stood dripping wet and trembling. Of course, he complained bitterly about being soaked, again, he moaned about how cold he was. Then, when he saw the empty, all be it stunning cavern, he complained about how he’d got soaked and cold for no reason. Shaya and Jinx ignored him as they explored.
Shaya wandered over to the crystal-covered pool again. There was something about it, something unnatural. Rowan walked up behind her and looked down at the line of gloomy gems.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure,” she said quietly staring at it. She felt something in her stomach, a flutter, of what she couldn’t tell. Was it anxiety, excited or something else? Shaya had the sudden urge to touch one. With a still shivering hand, she reached out. Rowan took another step towards the pool and leaned forward. Shaya’s fingertips grew closer.
“Could it be?” a voice echoed all around them, it bounced off the walls and the low jagged ceiling. Shaya jumped back before she could touch the crystal. She went for her sword, slipped in the sand and toppled into Rowan. The two of them fell and landed in a heap on their backs. They watched in astonished silence as the water began to shine in a soft golden glow.
Chapter Fourteen
Crystal Fangs
“Is it really? How?” the voice spoke again. It was a soft voice, a woman’s voice. Before any of them could say a word, the crystals around the pool sprang to life and let out a brilliant yellow glow. One by one they lit up like stars in the night sky. Shaya and Rowan slowly got to their feet. Jinx fluttered over to them. A pillar of light exploded from the centre of the pool, bright and blue. It warped and twisted, bolts of light shot from it like a lightning storm. The glowing pillar began to change. Before their mesmerised eyes, something sprang out of the bright blue. It was an arm. A second one stretched out and curled its long thin fingers. The light shone so brightly it was blinding. Shaya and the others shielded their eyes with their hands, still trying to see what was happening through their fingers. Suddenly, the cave went dark. The crystals on the floor went back to their dull grey state. The once brilliantly radiant scales on the walls dimmed to a slight glow. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did, Shaya felt her breath get pulled out of her lungs.
In front of them, standing seven-foot-tall, was a woman. A slender woman, with pale blue skin that glowed softly and continuously moved like a river. Her whole being was made of water, even her flowing hair was like a stream of its own. She took a step forward, her watery flesh shifted and swirled gently. Her feet glided effortlessly on the surface of the water.
“I heard the light calling to me,” Rayne said in a beautiful, almost lyrical voice “It summoned me, I thought it was-,” she trailed off as her sapphire-like eyes looked at Shaya and others one by one. “Who are you”? She asked suspiciously.
“My name is Prince Rowan, Prince of Arrolyn,” Rowan spoke up “Perhaps it was I who summoned you?”
“Perhaps,” said the deity as she looked quizzically at him, then eyes shifted to Shaya.
Rowan noticed her curious gaze and spoke again “This is Shaya Greyborn, a friend. She and Jinx have travelled a long way with me to find you, Rayne.”
“How did you find me?” Her swirling eyes narrowed, her right leg bent slightly, and her body stiffened as if at any moment she would lunge forward to attack.
“We met your brother Shale,” said Shaya, “He told us where we would find you.”
In a flash Rayne was standing in front of Shaya, she grabbed the young girl by the throat and lifted her into the air effortlessly.
“What did you do to my brother?” Rayne yelled. Shaya’s legs flailed uselessly as Jinx screamed for Rayne to drop her. Rowan quickly whipped out an arrow and readied it on his bow’s drawstring. “I felt his fear, his pain, his anger, then nothing. Tell me what you did.”
“We did nothing,” choked Shaya as she clawed at her attacker’s cold, wet hands. The water that was the God’s body swirled faster until there was a surging torrent ready explode out of her.
“Liar.”
“It’s true,” shouted Rowan aiming the arrow at the deity’s head “Shale helped us, he’s a friend.”
“Friend?” Rayne’s glaring eyes hesitated, her grip loosened, and Shaya fell to the floor. Gasping desperately Shaya rubbed her neck. Jinx flew over to check if she was alright. The girl nodded breathlessly with the faintest of smiles. Rayne put her head in her hands and backed away slowly as the tidal wave inside her calmed.
“I’m so sorry child,” Rayne hung her head in shame. “The agony was unbearable, I heard his cries, he must be-,”
“We saw him less than a day ago,” Rowan lowered his bow but kept the arrow readied. “Apart from still being trapped he was well.”
“Trapped?”
“He’s been imprisoned in Fylin Forest, has been for years,” Rowan said solemnly “Entombed in the southern mountains, by your other brother.”
Rayne looked up stunned, her shimmering eyes darkened for a moment and her hands curled into fists.
“I have no other brother.”
“Well whatever he is to you, he’s calling himself Rakmar Balrok,” said Shaya as she stood up and cleared her aching throat
“Of course, he does,” Rayne scoffed.
“He has returned. He is powerful and dangerous.”
“He attacked and possibly destroyed my castle,” said Rowan.
“And he’s the one who’s poisoned the waters,” Shaya continued.
“I know,” said Rayne “I’ve felt it, the shadow stretching from his tomb.”
“His tomb?” Shaya looked confused.
“I assume Shale told you that our mother stripped him of his powers.”
“Yes, and she banished him here.”
“Did he not tell you what happened when she did?”
Rowan, Shaya and Jinx all shook their heads.
Rayne sighed “I thought not, it’s not something we speak of,” she hesitated before she spoke again “You must have heard of the ancient city of Minerva to the west.”
“My father told me it was the largest city in the land. It was a tragedy what happened to it.”
“What happened?” Shaya didn’t know the story and suddenly felt quite stupid as everyone turned and gawped at her. Uncle Benjin wasn’
t one for spouting ancient tales, at least not ones without sword fights.
“Minerva was a city on the western coast. Five centuries ago, a meteor hit offshore. It wiped out the entire city overnight,” Jinx said sombrely.
“That’s terrible. Were there any survivors?” Shaya’s voice reflected the horror that had suddenly shot across her face.
“None,” Rayne said plainly “But that was no meteor.”
“What do you mean?”
“That was Rakmar’s tomb.”
The cavern went silent for a moment as they all came to grips with what that truly meant. All those people, tens of thousands were killed by the Goddess?
“It wasn’t her fault,” Rayne almost shouted “Rakmar fought and raged so violently, she was forced to break the moon and encase him inside. His prison was supposed to land in the North Sea, miles from anywhere. It did, but his fury made him stronger than we thought possible. The prison broke apart as it flew over Minerva. We didn’t see it until it was too late,” Rayne looked down at the ground.
“All of those people,” Rowan put his hand to his mouth and stared off into nothingness.
“They were that monster’s first victims,” Rayne shook her head, her voice went quiet. “The battle left mother weak, she was hurt badly, her body and her heart. After what happened to Minerva, she just gave up. She disappeared,” Her voice cracked ever so slightly, “I still remember it. Her tears, they were like silver. She wept quietly and melted away into stardust, just as she had foretold. We never saw her again.”
“She died?” Jinx asked.
“We don’t know. It wasn’t long after that Shale, and I came to this world in search of her. We scoured these lands, the lands beyond the Great Sea and the whole of Celease. We searched for centuries but found no sign of her. Tales of the Gods grew. We observed how people saw us, as flawless deities, above everything. Infallible. They’re wrong. We shattered the moon in the sky, we did it fighting one of our own, and thousands died. We are not all-knowing, we are flawed, we make mistakes. When we couldn’t find the Goddess, we went into hiding, I couldn’t stand the praise anymore. Shale tried to offer guidance to the leaders of this land as some kind of recompense for what we had done. I stayed away from the world, just hoping to one day see mother again.” Rayne wiped a crystal-like tear from her cheek.
The Shattered Moon (A Divine Legacy Book 1) Page 21
