“Which is it?” Iri asked.
“I don’t know. But I have to pick one.” Beru walked over to the one Sade found and picked it up. “Only one way to tell.”Beru opened the box.
A second later, he ground began to move and shake. Beru closed the box quickly, but the ground kept moving.
“What does that mean?” I asked, my eyes wide as I looked at the others with alarm..
“It’s the wrong box. Brace yourselves!” Beru spread his legs to steady his feet as the ground gave way.
The lights flickered, and dust filled the chamber. The floor opened up below us at the same time Astor screamed, and fell into the hole. Iri tried to grab him, but it all happened too fast. His body hit the bottom of the hole with a loud thud and the floor closed over him as silence descended.
We stood, shocked and unable to process at what had just happened. We’d lost our friend. Astor was gone because we’d gotten the puzzle wrong.
“Is he dead?” Sade held onto the wall for balance.
“Yes.” Iri began to cry.
My legs trembled as weakness over took me. My skin felt numb. I wasn’t sure what to do or say . I didn’t believe he was dead. Seconds earlier he was there, making fun of Sade. Now there was only floor.
“We have to save him.” Sade stared at the ground where the hole had just closed.
“He’s gone, Sade. I watched him fall. He’s gone.” Iri’s voice was low and soft.
I held my hand to my mouth to catch my sobs. I should have stopped it somehow. It shouldn’t have happened.
“I’m sorry to say this, but we have to keep going. If we don’t finish the puzzle in time, none of us will be leaving the temple.” Beru looked defeated and ready to give in, which almost broke me completely.
“What’s next?” Iri hardened his jaw and wiped his tears. “No one else dies. We are going to finish.”
“Purple.” Beru nodded. “It’s a round, purple basket.”
“Do you have to get every one right?” Sade choked back her sobs.
“No, we just have to keep going.” Beru looked at each one of us.
“Let’s do this, then. For Astor.” I declared through the ache in my throat that made the words burn like fire as they left me.
We all looked for a purple basket, but we couldn’t find one anywhere. We didn’t want to move anything, which made it more difficult.
“I’ve got it,” Sade yelled. “Over here.”
Beru walked over and picked up the basket. He flipped it around and pulled the handle off. Razor blades shot out from the wall and Sade and I both got sliced on our arms before we were able to move.
“Ow!” Sade covered her arm with her hand as blood ran down it.
My wound wasn’t as bad, and I lost little blood. It was more of a scrape. The razors retracted into the walls just as quickly as they had appeared.
“Are you okay?” I walked over to Sade to look at her wound. Bile threatened to emerge at the depth I saw before me..
“I’m not sure. There’s so much blood.” Sade collapsed to the floor, banging her head before I could catch her.
“She’s losing a lot of blood.”
Iri knelt next to her, shaking her gently tried to wake her up, but nothing worked. Iri turned to me, face white. “Can you heal her, Aria?”
“We have to take her outside. I have no powers in here.”
He picked her up, and we tried to head out.
“It’s locked,” Beru called, pain splintering his voice. “Once we start, we can’t stop.”
“Then let’s get this done.” Iri laid her down gently on the floor.
“What’s next?” I was ready to end it.
“Yellow paper.” Beru was already searching the room. “I’ve got it.”
“Are you sure you have it?” Iri remained by Sade’s side.
“No. There are decoys. If I’m right and it opens , another door should appear.”
“And if it’s not the right one?”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. There was nothing he could do to stop it from happening to us.
Beru lifted the envelope, and a door opened. We breathed a sigh of relief that no one else had gotten injured.
“How many are left?” I looked at Sade. She desperately needed help. I wouldn’t, couldn’t lose another friend. We had to get out of the temple, so I could close her wound before it was too late.
“Three more.” Beru stepped into the next room.
“Stay with Sade.” I motioned to Iri, following Beru into the other room. “What are we looking for?”
The door closed behind us.
“I forgot about that part. We need to find a blue pack.”
They weren’t hard to find. There were seven on the floor. The problem was they all looked the same.
“Ready? I’m going to pick one.” He pulled the top one off and a rock fell from the ceiling. He pushed me out of the way, and I fell on the other packs.
“That was too close.” I picked myself up and looked at the rock that had almost crushed me.
“I have to open another pack.” Beru wrapped his arms around me. “I don’t remember what happens if it’s not right, so stay alert.”
Beru took his time and finally chose another blue pack. He opened it, and there was a key inside. I exhaled as he unlocked the door and we exited the room.
“You all right?” Iri’s worried voice was a welcome sound as we emerged from the room.
“We’re fine,” I replied first. I didn’t want Beru to tell him what had nearly happened. He had enough on his plate.
“Can we get out of here?” Iri had his hand over Sade’s wound.
“One more puzzle and the door should open. Orange box this time.”
We looked frantically for the box. I saw every color but orange.
“It’s over here,” Iri shouted. The box was behind him and Sade. Beru rushed over to grab it and pulled the box down. He paused before he opened it.
“What should be in the box?” I leaned over his shoulder and waited for him to open it.
“A key. Is everyone ready?” Beru looked at Iri and then at me for confirmation before he opened the box.
We both nodded, ready for it to all be over. Beru opened the box. We all held our breath until we saw the key. “This should open something to get us the stone. Then the door will open, and we can get out of here.”
Beru, Iri, and I frantically searched the room for locks we could try the key in. We were careful not to move anything to set off another trap.
“This could be something.” Iri waved us over to a large chest.
Beru knelt and tried the lock. “It won’t turn. This isn’t it.” We went back to checking every box for a keyhole. We searched the room three times and were unable to find anything.
“We can’t give up. Sade is counting on us.” I paced the room. “Let’s each take a wall.”
Beru and Iri nodded, and we got back to work. I searched every side of every box until I found a keyhole. “I’ve got one!”
Beru rushed over and placed the key in the hole, and it turned. He pushed the top open, and there was the stone. He picked it up and held it for us to see. “Onen Suun thought this could save the world. It didn’t last time. Let’s hope it will this time.”
Chapter 25
“You must leave her with me.” I knelt next to Sade and started to heal her outside of the tomb, looking at Iri with desperation. “The stone needs to go now.” I didn’t want to care about the stone, but I had to. We hadn’t lost Astor and almost killed Sade just to let the stone get stolen. It was too powerful for us to handle ourselves; we didn’t have an army to protect it. We weren’t sure when we would be attacked, only that we would be sooner rather than later.
Iri grumbled. He had lost Astor, and now Sade wasn’t responding to my healing, and we were asking him to leave and take the stone to The Western March for Runa to protect it.
“Aria will look after her. They are like sisters.” Beru tried to r
eassure him.
“I’m not sure I could handle anything happening to her.” Iri wiped his eyes.
“I know how you feel.” I stood up and hugged him. I feared for her life as well. Nothing I tried was working, and she’d lost so much blood before we’d gotten out of the temple. “It’s important Runa gets this stone. I only trust you. If it got into the wrong hands, it could be deadly.” I stressed as much as I could without being insensitive.
“I’ll do it. She wanted me to.” Iri leaned over and kissed Sade’s cheek.
Beru and I walked away to give him a moment with Sade.
“He lost Astor, and I’m not sure if Sade will make it.” I tried my best not to cry. I didn’t want Iri to see me break down. Beru wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.
I couldn’t believe Astor was gone. My sweet, funny, irritating friend had died because of me. I had dragged him along on this journey. And now Sade was close to death. I could lose two friends in one day. I let Beru hold me, but was too numb to feel the warmth in his arms. My best friend was on the edge of death. My eyes were gritty from holding back the tears as I looked at Iri.
“I’m ready now.” Iri stood up. “Send word about her. Either way.”
I ran to Iri and hugged him with a fierceness he returned before pulling back and patting my head. “I’ll see you soon.” With one last nod, he turned and began his trek back to the Western March, leaving us alone in the desert.
“Is there anything I can get to help?” Beru knelt beside us. I laid my hands on her body and sent every ounce of energy I had to her wounds. Nothing worked. My thoughts went to Mother Ofburg. She had died in order to give us her healing energy and yet I had no idea how to use it or even find it within myself. She gave her life to the cause and now I may lose another life because I was unable to use her gift.
“I don’t understand.” I wiped the tears from my eyes as I leaned over Sade. “It’s not doing anything.”
“She’s your best friend. Is it because you’re too close?” Beru sat back to give me a room.
“Maybe, but I’ve healed people I know before.” I looked at her limp body. She was barely breathing.
“Can you use my energy?” Beru extended his hand.
I’d try anything. I took his hand and placed my other hand on her. I couldn’t pull any energy from Beru. I let go of his hand. I stood up and screamed as loudly as I could. My voice echoed around the barren desert. This wasn’t happening. This must all be a bad dream.
“Aria. You have this. You just need to focus.” Beru grabbed my arms hard and tried to pull me back together.
“I can’t do it. Something is wrong with me. Why can’t I save her?” I was frantic.
Beru shook me and then pulled me close to him. He held me as I cried. “I have to save her.”
Beru gently let me go and knelt to check on Sade. “She’s still with us but barely.” Beru reached for my hand. “We have to keep trying.”
“Yes.” I wiped my nose on my sleeve and lay down beside her. I placed my hand on her stomach and laid my head next to her. “Sade? Can you hear me?”
Sade didn’t move. Her skin had a bluish tint to it. I caressed her cheek as I watched her eyelids flutter. That gave me hope she was still there. Then I heard a gurgling sound coming from her chest.
“What’s that noise?” Beru came closer.
“Her chest. It’s not long now, my beautiful friend.” I held back tears, and Sade looked toward me for the last time. She tried to talk but only made noises. “Shh. It’s okay.”
I held her in my arms and rocked her back and forth as her breathing became shallower. Beru stayed off to the side and gave me time alone with her. I could see the pain in his eyes as she took her last breath. I hung my head and sobbed as I continued to rock her back and forth in my arms. I didn’t want to let her go. This shouldn’t be her last day. I had lost too much and losing her was too much to bear. Sade, the great warrior, should not die like this.
I slipped into a trance, forgetting everything around me. I cried all my tears as I rocked her back and forth. I had forgotten Beru was still there.
“Aria. It’s time, my love.” Beru tried to take her from my arms, but I couldn’t let him. I held on to her body and fought him off. He knelt and ran his hand over my head and down my back. “She isn’t here anymore. It’s okay to let her body go.”
I shook my head. “She comes with us.”
“We can’t carry her, Aria. We have to leave her here.” He tried to reason with me, but I wasn’t listening.
“There is a city. They bring people back from the dead. We can take her there, and they will fix this.” I pleaded with him.
He looked at me and then back at her. “We can’t take her body.”
He tried to touch me, but I pulled away from him. “I go where she goes. You can leave if you want.”
“I’m not leaving you in your grief. I have heard of the city you speak of.”
“You have?” I sat up straight, surprised he had heard of it. I wasn’t sure if it was real or just a story my father had read to me when I was a child.
“They don’t need her physical body. They need a treasured item.”
I searched her pockets and found the feather she always carried on her. “This was her father’s. He wore it in his headpiece.”
Beru took the feather from me. “This is all that we need, then.”
“You will take me there?” I questioned him. Begged him.
“If you want me to. I will. But you must be willing to give something to get her back. You won’t know what until they bring her back.”
“I’ll do it,” I said without hesitation. “I just want her back.”
Beru stood and left me alone with her to say my final goodbyes.
“I love you,” I whispered in her ear. I slowly stood, but almost fell over from the weakness in my knees as grief weighed me down.
“Are you ready?” He extended his hand to me.
“Yes.” I took his hand.
“Stay here. I’ll put her in the temple.” He waited for me to nod before he left.
I couldn't watch him move her. It made it feel too real. If I closed my eyes and stayed outside with my back to the door, I could imagine this wasn’t real. I tried to imagine when I would see her next. It wasn’t the end for her. She was a warrior and would come back. I’d make sure of that.
“What about Astor?”
“He’s in the temple somewhere. I don’t know where.”
I nodded. Such a strange way to die. It too, felt like a horrible nightmare now. I looked back at the temple where my two dearest friends lay and forced myself to leave with Beru. We needed to find someone to bring them back to us.
“We’ll find the city and bring her back. I only wish we could have helped Astor too.” We walked hand in hand over the sand dunes, ready to face whatever we had to for the sake of our friends.
The prison would have to wait until then.
Continue reading this series, Legends of the Fallen with book 4, Being the Suun
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About the Author
J.A. Culican is a USA Today Bestselling author of the middle grade fantasy series Keeper of Dragons. Her first novel in the fictional series catapulted a trajectory of titles and awards, including top selling author on the USA Today bestsellers list and Amazon, and a rightfully earned spot as an international best seller. Additional accolades include Best Fantasy Book of 2016, Runner-up in Reality Bites Book Awards, and 1st place for Best Coming of Age Book from the Indie Book Awards.
J.A. Culican holds a master’s degree in Special Education from Niagara University, in which she has been teaching special education for over 13 years. She is also the president of the autism awareness non-pro
fit Puzzle Peace United. J.A. Culican resides in Southern New Jersey with her husband and four young children.
For more information about J.A. Culican, visit her website at: www.jaculican.com.
About the Author
H. M. Gooden has been scribbling on everything since she first learned how to hold a pencil. While often told that her handwriting was atrocious, she persisted, and upon discovering computers and learning how to type, she realized that she was no longer limited by her (admittedly) messy writing.
Unfortunately, life and work and family have conspired to make it only possible to write in the wee hours or at coffee shops, so most of her love of reading and writing are indulged at times when only vampires and insomniacs abound.
Beginning in October of 2017, her love of writing and the characters in the world she has created burst into public view in her first book, Dream of Darkness, which follows the adventures of a group of girls fighting evil with abilities that H. M. Gooden would love to have.
As a result, 4 am has become even busier trying to find out what will happen to her paranormal buddies in the future, and book six, seven and eight are in the works.
Acknowledgments
Editor: Frankie Blooding
Cover Artist: Christian Bentulan
Formatting: Dragon Realm Press
Soul Healer Page 17
