Tiger’s Destiny (28 page)

He rose and walked toward me. “Your lips,” his eyes lingered on them for the briefest of moments, “are gold too. The only thing missing . . . is this.” He took the still glowing white fire flower from my fingers and placed it in my hair, twisting the stem into the tresses just over my ear. My pulse jumped at his touch. “She’s not merely pretty, Kishan. She’s perfect.”

Before I could react, Ren scooped up the bag and headed into the city. Kishan growled unhappily at Ren’s retreating back, mumbling something I didn’t catch, and then offered me his hand. Without a word, we joined the parade of people walking toward the pyramid-shaped temple in the City of Light.

“They seem to be very excited about something. Whatever’s going on hasn’t happened in a long time. This must be a special occasion,” Ren whispered after using his tiger hearing to eavesdrop on a pair of old men nearby.

A group of people had formed a circle and were clapping and singing along with musicians who played drums and instruments similar to flutes or pipes. As the music rose in tempo, some of the Bodha began dancing. The energy in the crowd was palpable. Flowers were thrown onto the lava pool where they floated without burning. The scent they gave off was heady and thick.

We wandered closer to the massive temple, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. It not only reflected the light of everyone surrounding it, but also it glowed with its own internal fire. The surface was multi-faceted like a brilliant cut jewel, and its light danced around us as if we were standing beneath a twirling disco ball. I couldn’t see the top from where I stood but I’d estimate the building was around twenty stories tall. It looked similar to pictures I’d seen of Mayan temples.

The temple was a giant crystal carved in a tetrahedron shape and had a steep, terraced staircase leading to the top. Guards armed with spears stood on each step from the base of the temple up. Though they were impressive in appearance, they smiled breezily along with the crowd and didn’t seem to expect any trouble.

Suddenly, two young, handsome men appeared through an entry-way halfway up the staircase. Together the pair descended several steps until they were just above the crowd. Their bodies were dusted in gold, and they wore sarongs similar to Ren’s and Kishan’s but much more detailed. Bands of gold circled their upper arms, forearms, and lower legs, and plumes of firebirds were woven through the white hair that hung down their backs.

“The Lords!” the crowd cheered. One of the men lifted his hand, and the shouts and hoots stilled.

“My people, it has been many, many years since we’ve added to our clan. Some have even wondered if the time for gathering new ones had passed forever. Now we know it has not. This liquid energy that runs beneath our city and sustains us has not lost its fire after all. It still speaks to the world above and brings us new life.”

“And new hope for our Lords!” the Bodha crowd hollered in response.

The man who spoke smiled and clapped his companion on the shoulder. “Yes. New hope, brother.”

“To hope!” he replied and raised a golden goblet.

With the toast still hanging in the festive air, drinks were passed out to the crowd.

The Lords once again raised golden goblets. “To hope. May this new addition be the lost lady we seek!”

“To hope!” the crowd shouted, and then everyone sipped the golden drink.

Kishan took a glass and tasted it. “It’s good,” he assured us quietly. “Kind of like a cross between firefruit and apples.”

“Do you feel it, brother? She is coming,” one of the Lords said as the pair descended into the crowd.

Guards flanked the men as they walked among the Bodha along the black sand beach. Approaching the fiery lava lake, they stepped to the edge and watched the surface intently.

I winced seeing how close their toes came to burning off and had a flashback of my own body burning and the agony I felt. I grasped Ren’s arm. He looked at me with concern but I took a deep breath and whispered, “Come on. Let’s move closer.”

We found an unobstructed view. It wasn’t long before I noticed some bubbles rising to the surface and then a ripple. The ripple grew larger, and the crowd pointed excitedly as a young girl emerged from the lava. I gasped. She was shivering and clearly afraid. As she strode toward the shore, she wiped the lava from her arms, and I saw that her skin was bright red.

The Lords strode into the lava river to greet her, totally unaffected by the heat and flame. One wrapped a beautiful robe around the girl and the other placed a circlet of fire flowers onto her hair. Gently, they guided her to the black sand.

One of the brothers spoke: “Welcome to the City of Light, little one. Here we will take care of you. Your every need will be attended to. Come with us.”

As the two men led her to the temple, the Bodha cheered and threw flowers at her feet. When she reached the edifice, she flashed a tiny smile before disappearing inside with the brothers. The guards moved back to their original positions on the staircase.

As soon as the ceremony was over, the celebration began in earnest. Music started up again, food was brought out, and the crowd reveled near the temple. We mingled as best we could and discovered the food to be delicious but spicy. I happily learned that the drink they passed around diminished the fire on my tongue.

Ren, Kishan, and I eavesdropped some more and learned that the party would continue for most of night. The Bodha hoped the Lords would reappear with the happy news that this girl was the one they’d been waiting for. I couldn’t help but empathize with her and found the entire situation a little familiar.

To our left, a group of people began to chant, “Tell us the tale!”

I wanted to listen and figure out what was going on, so I edged in closer. My silent protectors Kishan and Ren vigilantly took up spots next to me and watched the crowd.

After fending off the repeated shouts, an elderly man eventually held up his hands and spoke. “Above us are the smoking mountains— doorways from the world above to our world here below.”

The people murmured and nodded their heads.

“The Ancients knew our people suffered, that we could no longer care for the sacred flame on our own. This is when the Lords of the Flame, Shala and Wyea, came to govern us.”

A young girl added, “But they left someone behind.”

“That’s correct, Dormida. The beautiful girl, Lawala, did not come with them. Lawala was loved by both brothers, and she was to choose between them. Before each Lord departed through a different smoking mountain, she was asked to choose and follow the brother she wanted. They waited for her to come but she never came. Distraught, Shala and Wyea left their posts and sought her in the world above, but the lovely Lawala was not to be found.

“Soon it became apparent that the brothers were neglecting their duties so the Ancients promised that if the Lords would return to our world to tend the eternal flames at the center of creation, they would seek Lawala themselves and send her to the two brothers through the smoking mountains.”

Fascinated, I asked a question. “Why don’t the brothers recognize her when they see her?”

The man smiled at me. “The Ancients only know to look for a young and virtuous girl. She may have been reborn into another form, but the brothers insist they will know her regardless of what form she takes.”

“What happens to the girl if she is not the one they seek?” I asked.

“She becomes one of us and adds to our numbers.” The old man looked up at the dark night. “Tonight the smoking mountains will be still, for the brothers are content, but if this girl is not their lady, their anger will shake the sky and the lake of fire will explode into the world above.”

I grabbed Ren’s hand and motioned to Kishan that we should go. We made our way to the fire forest and set up camp.

After a brief discussion about what we’d seen, I proposed, “I think he was talking about volcanoes. When the brothers are upset, a volcano erupts aboveground . . . and I also think the girls get here by being sacrificed to a volcano god.”

“Why do you think that?” Ren asked.

“Because the man said they sought young, virtuous women and in myths, books, and movies, virgins are sacrificed to volcanoes. Also each Lord traveled here through a smoking mountain. It makes sense. Somehow, instead of burning up, the girls emerge safely in the lava pool near the temple.”

Kishan replied, “It’s a plausible explanation. Tell me what Durga’s prophecy says about the Lords of the Flame.”

I leafed through a notebook until I found what I was looking for. “Mr. Kadam’s translation says, ‘The Lords of the Fire intend to conspire to keep you from what you need.’ And don’t forget the Phoenix said we’d need to defeat them to get the Rope of Fire.”

“So it doesn’t sound like they’re going to be very cooperative,” Ren murmured.

“The good news is the guards don’t appear to be very well trained,” Kishan commented.

“How can you tell?” I asked. “They’re all muscle.”

Kishan rubbed his jaw. “Having muscle doesn’t mean they have the fighting skills of a warrior. The guards had spears, but they didn’t carry them at the ready. Their manner spoke of comfort.”

Ren nodded silently as Kishan went on with his assessment.

“Besides, there doesn’t seem to be any warfare here. The Rakshasa are far enough away not to cause too much trouble, and I don’t see any divisive factions among the citizens.”

“He’s right,” Ren stated. “They seem to be a peaceful people. Still, it’s best not to take chances or underestimate them. You are staying here tomorrow, Kells.”

“What? Why? Haven’t I proved myself in battle enough for you? Let’s not forget who saved the two of you when the Rakshasa took you prisoner.”

“She has a point, Ren.”

Ren seemed to wage an inner battle before acquiescing. “Alright, but stay close to us.”

I saluted him. “Yes, sir, general, sir. Cadet Kelsey Hayes, reporting for duty as assigned,” I teased.

Ren grinned and threw a newly made pillow at my head. “Get some shut-eye,
Private
Hayes.”

I punched the pillow a few times and lay down. “Where on Earth did you learn the word
shut-eye
?”

Ren laughed. “Good night, Kells.”

Giggling, I rolled over to find a quiet Kishan watching me. He was brooding. He had his could-tempt-any-girl-to-run-away-with-him lost expression on his handsome face. I smiled, but he just looked away and folded the Divine Scarf. I watched him as he moved silently in the tent, preparing to keep first watch. He positioned himself at the tent door.

Bunching my fist under my cheek, I studied his strong back and wide shoulders and could almost sense Kishan’s disappointment with me. I’d been aloof with him since my experience with the Phoenix, and I knew he could sense it. We’d have to talk, and soon, but for the moment, I didn’t want anything to distract us from our goal.

lords of the flame

D
isguised once again as citizens of Bodha, we made our way to the temple. The townspeople had long since dispersed to their homes, and the city streets were quiet. We’d slept only a few hours, wanting to be up with the sun so as not to miss the goings on in the city.

I did not think it was possible, but the temple was even more dazzling in the predawn hour. We walked in without any fanfare, and the guards completely ignored us until Ren leapt onto the temple staircase. Kishan lifted me up to Ren, and by the time the three of us were standing on the first terrace of the temple, we were surrounded.

“Why have you come here?” a guard interrogated. “Why do you disturb our leaders at this most sacrosanct time?”

Ren lifted an eyebrow, but I jumped in before he could say anything.

“Brave warriors, we did not mean to cause alarm. We have been traveling and have news of the Rakshasa queen. We believe that the information is important enough to justify this intrusion.

“The Rakshasa queen has worked a terrible magic upon us. She tried to prevent us from warning your people.”

Ren added a personal story of the Rakshasa queen torturing him. I assumed that it had really happened, and it wasn’t a stretch for me to murmur sympathetically and take his hand. I dropped my head sadly and managed to squeeze out a tear.

This seemed to convince the guards that we were sincere.

“Come with us,” a warrior ordered.

We followed two of the guards up the temple staircase while the others resumed their positions. At a terrace halfway up, we turned into a marble hallway and descended a crystal staircase that led to the center of the structure. The sides of the pyramid stretched upward until they met at a peak high above us. From this vantage point, the facets of the crystal looked like sparkling windows set at multiple angles.

Like the hallway, the floor of the temple’s inner chamber was ivory marble streaked with gold. Fire trees stretched their leafy fingers to the top of the pyramid and framed a pair of statues depicting the Lords of the Flame seated on golden thrones. Life-sized Qilin, a likeness of the Phoenix, and other beasts were carved out of gleaming stone and served as the centerpieces for assorted fountains that flowed with bright reddish-orange lava. Warm steam rose from the fountains.