The Star of Morcyth: The Morcyth Saga Book Five (53 page)

Jiron moves to where the breeze is coming
through and takes hold of the fissure and tries to pull and then
push it open. “Maybe it wasn’t so much that you had to do it but
rather to indicate where the door is.” Try as he might he can’t
budge it.

“We’re missing something,” he says as he
comes over and joins Jiron in attempting to open the door, if door
it be.

From where Qyrll is standing, he hears him
mumble, “Seven to nine, six to four.” Suddenly, the Parvati lets
out with a laugh.

“What’s so funny?” asks Fifer.

“We’re thinking about this wrong,” he says.
“It’s not seven to nine, it’s seven,
two
, nine.
The four remaining blocks are supposed to go into the middle
areas.”

“Worth a try,” says James. He moves over to
where the four remaining cubes lay and picks them up. He puts two
in the top center recess first, then the last two into the bottom.
As soon as the last cube is placed within, each recess sinks down a
quarter of an inch and a click can be heard coming from the wall
with the fissure.

Turning back around to face the fissure,
Jiron takes hold and pulls hard. On hinges groaning from centuries
of accumulated rust, the fissure swings opens and reveals another
narrow passage.

“Yes!” exclaims James in jubilation and he
moves to enter. As he passes Qyrll he says, “Smart thinking.”

The Parvati simply nods in acknowledgement
as James passes.

“So the Star is down here?” Dave asks,
looking into the dark opening.

“I would think so,” replies James. “All the
sections of the prophecy have been utilized, but you never know.”
Taking the lead, James moves into the passage, the orb lighting the
way.

The passage leads further into the mountain
for another hundred feet or so before opening onto another
underground cavern. This one here is reminiscent of the ones they
found when working their way beneath the Merchant’s Pass.
Stalactites and stalagmites, as well as the continuous dripping of
water creates an eerie atmosphere. The shadows cast by the orb as
James moves through gives an otherworldly feel to the place.

“Just like the Shasta Caverns,” whispers
Dave.

James grins at the memory of when Dave’s
family had taken him on their trip north that one year and they
stopped at the Caverns. “It is a little,” he agrees.

A flow of water runs along the bottom of the
cavern. It enters from a hole in the wall on one side and continues
to follow the length of the cavern. Though not very deep, James can
see how this little stream could have carved out this cavern over
the course of a millennium.

The antagonism between Dave and Jiron seems
to have been subdued with the discovery of this secret area. They
are more interested in what it may hold than the enmity they hold
for each other.

They follow the stream through the cavern.
The cavern not being very wide, the orb is able to illuminate both
sides as they make their way through. So far there has been no
other way to go but forward.

After another couple hundred feet of
following the stream, the floor of the cavern becomes less smooth
and more broken. The sound of the water increases as it flows over
the uneven surface.

As they continue through the cavern, the
streambed begins sinking further into the floor of the cavern from
where the water has eroded the stone away. Finally, they reach the
other side of the cavern. A large jagged opening, encompassing part
of the cavern wall and floor allows the water to flow from the
room. The sound of the water falling over a precipice can be heard
coming from somewhere on the other side.

Back a ways from the opening where the water
is escaping, a section of the wall has been smoothed. An arched
door sits within it. No handle or any other discernable means with
which to open the door can be seen.

Next to it is what looks to be a stone
scabbard and sticking out of the top is a shiny handle. James comes
over to it with the others right behind. He reaches out for the
handle and hesitates. Glancing back to the others, he sees Jiron
nod his head. Turning back to the handle, he grips it and pulls it
out.

It’s a foot long knife, the edge is
incredibly sharp. Just as he turns back to show Jiron, he feels the
tingle of magic and above the door, glowing letters begin to
appear.

‘
With the Knife of Maricel you
must take the life,

Of the one that fire aged through
strife.’

“What does that mean?” Dave asks in
puzzlement. He glances to James and sees a look of horror on his
face. “What?”

James knows full well what it means. Miko is
the one the Fire aged through strife. When Miko had the Fire, every
time he went into battle the Fire aged him until at last his youth
was gone. He looks to Miko and can see he’s come to the same
conclusion. If they are to continue, Miko must die!

James sits against the wall with the Knife
of Maricel resting on the ground beside him. He’s been sitting here
almost a half hour now as he tries to come up with another meaning
to the words glowing above the door than Miko’s death.
This
can’t be right!
Morcyth is a god of good, it’s inconceivable
that a human sacrifice would be asked by a god such as he.

Miko and Jiron, as well as everyone else but
Dave, congregate over by the outflow of the stream. They talk in
hushed tones, occasionally casting quick glances over to where
James sits in contemplation. Dave sits near him but remains
quiet.

A memory comes to James, one from long ago
when he first met Serenna back in Willimet, before becoming the
leader of a cult.
“I see a long road but you are not alone,
another walks with you,”
she said to him
. “He will be the
key, a lock must be opened.”

Is this the lock which must be opened? It
has to be. But taking Miko’s life? Even if it means not fulfilling
why he’s been brought to this world, it’s something he’s unwilling
to do. Coming to his decision, he takes the knife in his hand and
stands up.

The others come near when they take notice
of him coming to his feet. Miko comes forward and with a haunted
look in his eyes says, “James if you must do this…” His voice
cracks and he’s unable to finish.

Giving him a smile, James lays his hand upon
his shoulder. “I will not kill you Miko,” he assures his friend.
“Even if it means my quest ends here and forever remains
unfulfilled.”

“But…” Miko says, tears coming to his
eyes.

“If Morcyth is such a god as requires the
death of a good man, then I want no part of him,” James says then
turns toward the door. Walking forward, he takes the Knife of
Maricel and places it back into the scabbard.

Suddenly, the tingling sensation he’s felt
since the words first appeared above the door spikes. Backing
quickly away from the door, he watches as lines form around the
perimeter of the door. Then in a flash, the door vanishes and the
way is open.

Qyrll suddenly breaks into a laugh which
draws the attention of the others. When all eyes are upon him, he
says, “Don’t you see? It was a test of morals. Only one who would
not take an innocent life would be allowed to pass. Any agent of
Dmon-Li who read those words would have killed and killed in an
attempt to open that door. Very clever.”

“Thank you,” James hears Miko say next to
him. Turning toward him, he sees him wiping a tear from his eye. “I
could never kill you,” he assures his friend. Raising the orb he
moves to the opened doorway. “Now,” he says glancing back over his
shoulder, “let’s see what’s in here.”

He steps through the doorway and into a
large circular chamber, the cavernous ceiling disappears into the
darkness above. A two foot wide ledge runs around the length of the
chamber. Sitting in the center of the chamber is an island of rock
surrounded by a fifteen foot wide chasm. The only access to it is a
narrow stone bridge which arches its way across.

Sitting in the middle of the island is a
small, plain wooden chest. Other than that, the island is bare.
James makes to step onto the stone bridge leading across the chasm.
Jiron puts his hand on his shoulder and says, “Not this time.
Better let me take it from here.”

Hesitating a moment, he nods when he sees
the wisdom in the suggestion. Stepping back, he allows Jiron to
cross.

Uther comes to the edge and looks down.
“Let’s see just how deep this is,” he says. Picking up a rock, he
drops it into the darkness below. Jiron pauses before crossing and
listens with the others. No sound comes back to them.

Jorry looks to Uther and says, “That’s
pretty deep.” Uther nods in agreement.

Jiron then resumes crossing the bridge and
reaches where it ends on the island. Stepping hesitantly upon the
stone surface he gradually places his entire weight upon the
island. When nothing happens he cautiously walks across to where
the chest sits.

Before touching it he does a cursory check
and finds a round area on the front with the Star of Morcyth
engraved upon it. Realizing he’ll need James’ medallion as a key,
he turns back to the others and hollers for him to come across.

“I think it’s okay but it looks like your
medallion will be the key to open it,” he says when James joins him
beside the chest. The others have followed as well and stopped
several feet away.

Taking the medallion out of his shirt, he
sets it into the Star on the chest and then turns it clockwise. The
Star on the chest rotates a full turn and then the lid pops open
slightly. Replacing the medallion back around his neck, he lifts
the lid.

As the lid opens, he finds a large gem
resting upon a velvet cushion. It’s comparable in size to the Fire
and can only be the Star of Morcyth. He turns back to the others
and says, “Miko, come here.”

As Miko begins crossing the bridge spanning
the chasm, a light suddenly flashes from within the chest and James
goes rigid. “Jiron!” Miko cries when he sees James start toppling
backward.

Moving quickly, Jiron grabs James before he
hits the ground. Lowering him the rest of the way, he looks up at
the approach of the others and says, “He’s stiff.”

“Is he alive?” Dave asks.

“I’m not sure,” he replies. Placing his ear
against James’ chest he can hear the slight lubdub of his heart.
“His heart’s still beating,” he says in relief.

“What happened?” Jorry asks.

“I don’t know,” replies Jiron.

The city is in ruins but the citizens appear
jovial. In the background he can hear a band playing a lively tune
and from a side street children emerge as they play a game of tag,
laughing and giggling.

As he walks down the street, he notices
signs of rebuilding all over. Up ahead is a grand building which
looks like it’s recently been completed. A temple.

He walks toward the structure and before he
reaches the entrance, a figure emerges through the two large ornate
doors. Bearing a hat and blue vest, the man looks oddly
familiar.

“
Welcome,” the man says.

“
Am I late?” he asks.

“
No, you’re right on time,” the man
replies as he opens the door wider to allow him to enter.

Suddenly, he’s in an octagonal shaped room
with a marble pedestal standing in the center. Atop the pedestal is
a small raised platform made entirely of crystal. A bright light
shines from a large gem resting upon the raised platform,
illuminating the room.

“
Where are we?” he asks.

“
The High Temple of Morcyth,” is the
reply.

He glances to the man in the vest and asks,
“Why are we here?”

“
To show you what must be done,” the man
replies. “The Temple must be rebuilt.”

“
Where?” he asks.

“
Where it stood in ages past,” the man
explains. “The only place it may be built.”

“
Is this why I was brought to this
world?” he asks. “To build the Temple?”

“
Among other things, yes,” is the reply.
“A war is going on which you humans know nothing about, one which
could lead to the end of all you know.”

“
What kind of war?” he asks.

“
One between the gods,” the man says.
“You’ve seen the results already, of what can happen to a world
when the forces of evil prevail.”

“
That place with the shadows?” he
asks.

“
Yes, that world was consumed by those
who follow evil,” the man explains. “Dmon-Li is simply one of many
who strive for dominance, world by world. When Morcyth’s priests
were decimated and on the verge of extinction, a plan was set in
motion to bring about his return. The balance must be
maintained.”

“
Am I the instrument to bring about his
return?” he asks.

“
It’s already begun,” the man replies.
“His name is once more being spoken, that alone will not be enough
however. He needs a focal point for people to direct their energy
toward, in that way his priests can work to counter the
evil.”

“
So the Temple must be built,” he
concludes. “It will be the focal point.”

“
Yes,” the man says.

He turns to look the man in the eyes and
asks, “Am I to be the High Priest?”

Shaking his head, the man says, “No, that
task lies with another.”

Sudden realization strikes him, “The Temple
was in the City of Light!”

“
That is correct,” the man
affirms.

“
But, the Empire is in control of the
City,” he says. “They won’t allow us to build it!”

“
That is true,” the man says. Turning to
face him, the man adds, “As long as they control the City.”

“
But that means…”

“
You must drive them out,” concludes the
man.