by Ryan Conway
Sean glanced at Spencer, expressionless. "We're in the Grand Hall of a Satyarakshatian facility," he told him.
Spencer looked around in amazement. "And these are replicas of Satyarakshatian soldiers' uniforms and gear?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Have any of you worn any of these before?" Spencer inquired.
"We've only worn versions of the most recent uniforms," Marcel responded. "You have to realize that some of the samples on display here go back tens of thousands of years. The individual we need to meet with is in an Agarthan temple, so we must exit this building first and take you on a short journey through Agartha."
“There's a whole other region of Agartha, known as Greater Agartha," Sean explained. "Most Agarthans have never even seen that region. We won’t see Greater Agartha today either, but maybe someday.”
"It's the abode of the wisest and most enlightened," Marcel chimed in. "In general, Agartha is inhabited by both Shanzenians and Tamisichians alike, along with other beings—not all of whom have the best intentions—so even those who dwell here aren't all worthy of the pure spaces."
Sean took up the narrative. "The Shanzenian civilization has members from among the Agarthans, and Agarthans in general know about the history of the Shanzenian civilization, but many non-Shanzenians in Agartha don't even realize we still exist."
"Agartha has multiple levels," Marcel summed up. "Since there are non-Shanzenian Agarthans and Tamisichians here too, we need to be extra cautious." He looked warningly at Spencer.
Spencer held up his hands in surrender. "I'll be careful, promise."
As they exited the Satya facility, they were greeted by an expansive, amber-colored sky. "Umm… I thought we were underground," Spencer said, peering up at the apparent heavens.
"We are," Marcel replied. "The cavern's ceiling is made of rock crystal. Structures strategically located around the surface harness the sun’s energy, illuminating the cave system. It only appears to be a sky, and needless to say, its brightness changes with the earth's rotation. Agartha experiences night and day just like the Nirmanian World on the surface, except that contrast between the two isn't as great. The ceiling down here looks more like various shades of dusk. Fortunately, the vegetation has adapted to the light levels and frequencies." He gestured around them.
Immense, luscious gardens with massive flora and trees dressed the subterranean metropolis; most bore foliage in various shades of dark green, though Spencer noticed a few with red and black leaves. The chambers were filled with incredible masonry that obviously used advanced engineering methods, with buildings towering into the highest points of the caverns. Large areas of the city ran vertically into a deep chasm lined with transparent cylindrical elevators and what turned out, upon further questioning, to be crystal-powered hoverpads. Crystal-powered metros snaked along the contours of the caverns. The walls of the chasm were littered with windows, balconies, and hedged plant life. “This entire world is powered by crystals,” Marcel admitted. Exotic creatures also dwelt at these depths. Magnificently feathered birds soared through the vast expanses, in the company of winged reptiles with and without feathers—dinosaur-relatives that must have survived the great extinction described in various science textbooks.
Spencer's head was on the swivel the whole time, and he kept it up until Sean laughed and said, "You're not going to see all of Agartha on this trip, Spencer." He slapped the boy on the back. "This is just a tiny region of the demesne. Nonetheless, you're going to see many wonders you've never dreamed existed."
He already had. The fact that an enormous metropolis flourished so far below the surface, with advanced technology like lines of hovering vehicles traveling in all directions and flying through the aerial spaces of the cavern… he was nearly overcome with amazement. Even young people rode around on hover-cycles, and Spencer's excitement was rekindled when he saw Agarthan teenagers riding jet-boards similar to the ones at the Golatatvamian Research Center.
Just like many cities Spencer had visited on the surface, the Agarthan city was multicultural, its citizens representing a plethora of different races and ethnicities. But what intrigued Spencer the most was the existence of faintly green-skinned humans. In fact, Spencer noticed that the majority of people in Agartha were greenish. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him, and he quietly asked Tom about them. "I don't want to sound insensitive, but are they human, or what?"
Tom laughed. "They're human, just like us. They were born and raised here, and lived here their entire lives. I think the color of their skin is actually an effect caused by the crystal ceiling, and maybe a lack of direct sunlight."
"Oh. Is it safe for them here?" Spencer questioned.
"Absolutely. People actually live longer down here than surface dwellers do. In fact, Agarthans who go to the surface and stay for a long period of time usually end up losing their green complexions."
Spencer just stared at the inhabitants of Agartha, in absolute amazement at the cultural diversity, advanced technology, and magnificent architecture existing and thriving miles below the known world. Suddenly, something familiar caught his attention: he noticed three of the beings he'd come to think of as "chameleon soldiers" slipping through a less-densely populated area of the metropolis, visible mostly by the way they displaced the light. Soldiers like these had protected him from Drake on that fateful night after graduation. As soon as he spotted them, Spencer brought it up to Sean. "Those chameleon soldiers," Spencer whispered excitedly. "They live down here too?"
"Of course they do. They're Satyarakshatians like us, and you'll find them wherever Satyarakshatians live and work. They’re called Karkalians—kind of the Special Forces of the Satyarakshatians."
"I thought you were all basically Special Forces," Spencer said, lifting an eyebrow.
"We are. They're just more special."
"So, they're on our side?"
"Not only are they on our side, but some of them are actually assigned to our mission, and ready to help us out in dire circumstances if need be. Those are the ones you won't see, though. The Karkalians you've spotted are off duty or you wouldn't be able to spot them at all, chameleon suits or not."
Metros not only ran along the contours of the vertical city at ten different heights, but additional monorails protruded from city tunnels and crisscrossed the great ravine at each level. More than twelve monorails operated at each plateau, jutting out from the chasm walls of the city in different directions. A network of solid, colossal buttresses formed a web of magnificent stonework throughout the deep abyss, supporting the monorails. Decorative patterns, symbolic bas-relief carvings, statues, and gargoyles occupied any possible wall surface and wrapped around every pillar. Manuvimal inscriptions littered almost every vertical surface, pillar, and wall.
At each level was a train made from some iron-like, metallic substance with a reddish sheen, apparently unknown to the surface world. These trains ran the length of the ravine, bringing passengers to various points within the vertical metropolis. There were ten levels from the cliff's edge downward to the bottom of the ravine, Sean explained, through which a sparkling canal or river flowed, winding along the curves of the canyon. The group followed Sean and Marcel down to the bottom of the great ravine, and then along a paved path leading to the canal's edge, where many boats were docked. After a brief trek, Sean lead them down a short pier to a ship that resembled a submarine with an outside deck like a clipper ship's.
The captain of the ship stood beside the vessel, braid glittering on his shoulders, obviously waiting for his passengers to arrive. Sean approached him, greeted him, and began conversing in a foreign language different from before. Spencer soon discovered that Sean was speaking Agarthamol, the main Agarthan language. As it turned out, Sean knew the ship captain personally; he was a close, trusted friend. Eventually, he introduced the captain to the whole team, and the captain, whose name was Pharris, welcomed them aboard his ship. When they were settled, he stepped up to the controls; the vessel
, the Starmican, automatically unlocked and detached from the dock, then moved outward to the middle of the channel.
Spencer stood on the outer deck and peered up from the boat, through the intricate lace of buttresses, walkways, and bridges that stretched across the abyss. His sense of wonder was being severely strained, he realized; the Agarthans might take this all for granted, but he'd never seen anything like it. Both sides of the mighty crevasse were studded with the lights, windows, balconies, and signs of various residences, businesses, and markets. Shaking his head, Spencer dragged his gaze away and looked ahead, toward the vessel's destination. He noticed that the canal or river, whichever it was, became more and more narrow as the ship continued in the direction of a massive mountain.
The boat eventually entered a tunnel in the mountain, through which the river funneled. The passage was dimly lit with mounted lanterns that pushed back the stygian darkness, but only just. The tunnel was relatively narrow, but still wide enough for multiple lanes of ships traveling in opposite directions. The ride wasn't very long; it seemed as though the instant their entrance was no longer visible, the end of the tunnel came into sight. The exit let out into a broad bay surrounded by another lively metropolis, if not an extension of the same one. Here. the "sky" overhead had a greenish tint, which Spencer learned was the hallmark of an impending dusk in Agartha. The captain slowed the Starmican, bringing it alongside a long stone pier that jutted out into the bay; the ship's self-mooring mechanism locked onto the dock. The team thanked the captain, and followed Sean out onto the quay and into the city. Their next destination was the Golatatvamian Temple of Agartha Minor; it wasn't located far from the pier where their vessel was docked. When they arrived after a short walk, they found themselves facing a massive stone wall surrounding the tall, extravagant building. A heavy gate stood open to the public.
Marcel explained that the temple was an establishment frequented by Agarthan citizens who followed Golatatvam as a religion, a practice, and a philosophical study. They revered its moral teachings, its spiritual truths, its ancient, historical significance—and its health benefits. The building consisted of lofty towers with spherical domes situated symmetrically on either side of the structure. The central hall of the temple reached even greater heights than the towers, but was domed at the top.
After entering the temple doors, they approached a reception area, where a greeter provided his services from behind a counter. He wore a long violet robe with green embroidered designs. The man greeted the group in Manuvimal, and Sean reciprocated the greeting before announcing the reason for their visit, reaching into his jacket and pulling out their orders. They continued conversing in the tongue, and soon the greeter summoned a replacement for his position at the counter. Then he turned and addressed the rest of the group in English: "Please, follow me."
They accompanied him into a circular room with multi-tiered balconies full of meditating Agarthans, who sat facing the center of the room on individual cushions. Their greeter led them to the outskirts of the open floor, below balconies of multi-leveled seating supported by pillars. They reached an outlet on the opposite side from the threshold they had entered, whereupon Wakana informed the others she would stay behind and keep guard. Although she didn't express any concerns outright, Spencer could tell that she felt uneasy about something; Sean and Marcel must have picked up on Wakana's uneasiness too, because they agreed, eyeing the meditation room with heightened vigilance. Spencer, Tom and Lynn were worried about their guardians' behavior, but for some reason, Lynn seemed even more worried than Tom and Spencer. "I'll stay behind too," she asserted.
"Why?" Marcel asked.
"I need to use the washroom," Lynn said.
They all looked at Wakana, attempting to divine her thoughts on the issue. "Sister Wakana, can she stay with you?" Sean inquired.
"I'll watch over her," Wakana said.
And so they parted ways. The men accompanied their guide up a staircase, away from the meditation room; at the top of the staircase they entered a conference room similar to Master Xin's, with walls lined with cases full of books, manuscripts, and scrolls. Teardrop-shaped crystalline bulbs illuminated the chamber with varying levels of brightness; close examination of the bulbs revealed a surface with a crosshatched design that made them resemble pine cones. On the other side of the room was an elderly man with a long, white beard, wearing a violet robe similar to their greeter's. The greeter announced the group's arrival to him in yet another language, and they continued to converse for a few moments as the old man, whose eyes were bright and intelligent, snapped questions at their greeter. Then the greeter handed the orders to the old man.
The gentleman rose from his chair and addressed the new visitors in English. "Greetings, Brothers. I hope your journey here has been pleasant and safe."
"Thank you, Master Jing," Sean replied. "Our trip has been good so far."
"Please, call me Brother Jing," the elderly sage insisted. "And please, come sit with me," he requested further. He held out his hand, gesturing to a small round table surrounded by fluffy cushions. They all filed in casually around the table and took their respective places. As Bother Jing moved around the room and approached the table, the brightness of the lanterns automatically intensified and dimmed as he neared and moved away from them, as if his presence fed the lights with increased energy.
"It's extremely rare to have a visit from a Nirmanian in Agartha," Brother Jing stated. "I only know of historical accounts, actually. The orders also state that you have the key in your possession. Is this also true?"
"Yes, we have the key," replied Marcel.
Sean glanced at Spencer. "Spencer, show Brother Jing the medallion." Hesitantly, Spencer reached into his pants pocket and slowly pulled out a closed fist. He extended his arm with his closed palm facing toward the floor, and carefully opened his fingers. The medallion dropped out of his hand, dangling from its thong. The old sage's eyes widened with astonishment and followed the piece of jewelry as Spencer placed it on the desk before him. He lowered himself into his chair while he donned a pair of glasses to get a better look at the medallion.
"Oh my goodness," the sage exclaimed, excitedly grabbing the thong with both hands. He held the medallion up to the light as it twisted back and forth on its string. "You've been holding this?" he asked, looking up at Spencer.
"Yes," Spencer replied. "It was bequeathed to me by a family member."
"And you're Nirmanian?" The sage questioned with a hint of skepticism.
"Yes, but I've been told my mother was born Shanzenian and my father had eventually become one,” Spencer responded.
"Brother Sean, you've been provided with the documentation to bring you and your team this far," Jing stated, "but the true goal of your quest is known only by the Great Brotherhood of Enlightenment. That would be your main reason for coming here." The team sat silently, waiting to hear why they had been required to bring Spencer to a Golatatvamian temple in Agartha. "Understand this: this medallion is the key to entering the Sacred Library of the Thirteenth School of Enlightenment. The library of the Thirteenth School is enormous, with endless numbers of ancient books and scrolls and maps, even special artifacts," the sage explained. "But the Brotherhood holds another predominant reason for allowing you to enter the library. The Brotherhood needs young Brother Spencer here to gain access to the sacred library because they need him to discover where the legendary Dragon's Pearl of Wisdom is kept, and to retrieve it." He looked directly at Spencer, his eyes bright.
"I see," Spencer said cautiously. Remembering that Mr. Wong's restaurant was called "The Dragon's Pearl," he asked. "But what is the Dragon's Pearl of Wisdom, and why do they need me to find it? What is this decision based on?"
"The knowledge of why you have been chosen for this particular quest may not be revealed at the moment," Brother Jing stated. "The Brotherhood has its reasons for secrecy; oftentimes it is for one's own benefit that certain knowledge not be revealed too early, and sometimes it i
s to protect the questor from danger. But trust that the purpose is known to the highest echelons of the Great Brotherhood."
Brother Jing took a moment to fussily rearrange the folds of his robe before continuing, "Not even I know the reason you have been chosen, which I must confess vexes me, as I am high in the ranks of the Brotherhood. But I do know that the reason and the decision originates from beyond this world, as you understand the term."
The sage had every bit of Spencer's attention now; but despite all his questions, he never made a peep. He just waited with absolute curiosity for the sage to continue his story. "Now, this library can be reached by traversing certain subterranean passages," Jing proclaimed, "but only members of the Thirteenth School are allowed to know these passages. Not even other Shanzenians or Satyarakshatians can use them. You and your friends will have to take the surface paths," the sage said, grimacing as he looked Spencer directly in the eyes. "Personally, I'm surprised you've been permitted to come this far. As I mentioned before, so few Nirmanians have ever learned anything about Agartha at all. But then, you are not strictly Nirmanian… and the fact that you've come this far and even hold a key to our most sacred archives is a sign of even bigger changes soon to come."
"Is it a bad sign? Are these changes going to be disastrous?" Spencer asked with genuine concern.
"Not necessarily," Brother Jing answered. "It depends on the decisions you make and how you chose to perceive the opportunity that lies before you. Do you know the Tao Te Ching, Brother Spencer?"
