Sentari: ICE (9 page)

The Queen let out an ear-splitting shriek that even the hybrids found intolerable. Te’oma, Ariana and Julius dropped to the ground and covered their ears.

The hybrids turned their attention to the Queen and walked towards her. The Queen looked at Te’oma. Her gaze pierced through the veil and put Te’oma in a trance. In his mind, he heard her voice. “You must leave now. Run. I will hold these beasts for as long as I can.”

“Thank you,” thought Te’oma.

“Complete your journey, so that I may one day rise again,” said the Queen.

Te’oma ran over to Ariana and Julius and grabbed their hands. “Quick. Let’s get out of here,” he said.

Te’oma got no argument from them. Terrified, they quickly ran into the snow, as fast they could, not once looking back to see if they were being followed.

They reached the tree line at the end of the snowfields and dropped to the ground in exhaustion. In the distance, they could see flashes of light coming from the desert.

“Must be one mighty fight going on over there,” said Julius.

“I’m just glad we’re not there to see it,” said Te’oma.

“Me too,” said Ariana.

Te’oma suddenly dropped to the ground and put his head in his hands and winced in pain. His ears rung loudly. In his mind, Te’oma could see a vision of a very old oak tree. The tree sat alone on a small island in the middle of a lake. He could hear the Queen’s voice, “Find the tree. You will need the treasure it hides,” she said. Then, the vision stopped, as did Te’oma’s pain.

In the distance, a giant beam of red light rocketed up into the sky. The hybrids screamed in agony and the light disappeared.

Ariana leaned down and put her hand on Te’oma’s shoulder. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Te’oma getting to his feet.

“What was that thing?” said Julius.

“Whoever she was, she was helping us,” replied Te’oma.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to stay around here for too long,” said Julius, as he set off into the forest. Ariana and Te’oma followed closely behind him.

Te’oma did not speak of his vision. He didn’t want the others to think he was crazy or, to be more accurate, he didn’t want Ariana to think he was crazy.

***

For days they bashed their way through the dense, ancient forest. The forest floor was wet and muddy. Camping each night was made extremely difficult with no clear, dry ground.

The three spoke very little. They were becoming weary and the purpose of their journey was beginning to be lost on them. Te’oma’s mind was fixated on the vision of the old oak tree. It drove him to keep going.

Ariana and Julius lay on the damp forest floor and fell fast asleep. Te’oma sat alert, running the vision over and over in his head, looking for clues. He looked up at the sky through a small gap in the trees and, just at that moment, the clouds parted and the night sky became visible. Sparkling above, in all its glory, was the Star of Alentia. It shone like no other, glinting like a beacon. Te’oma stared at it. There was something about that star that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Then a memory came flooding back. Te’oma had been here before.

Te’oma and his mother and father had sat not far from that very spot, many years before. They had gazed upon that very same star. More importantly, the spot where they had sat was on a small island, with a large oak tree in the middle. Excited, Te’oma leapt to his feet and reached for Ariana to wake her up. But, before he did, he realised what time it was and decided it would be best to wait until morning.

Te’oma sat back down on the ground. His heart was pounding as he smiled. Happy memories of his family were few and far between, and he was grateful to remember this one.

The morning sun started to peek its way through the trees. Te’oma was already packed and ready to go. Ariana and Julius slowly woke from their awfully uncomfortable night’s sleep. Ariana looked at Te’oma, who was beaming with a smile from ear to ear. “What are you so happy about?” she asked, yawning.

Te’oma smiled back at her. “Nothing. We’ve got a long day ahead of us. We’d better get going. I’ve got a good feeling about today,” he said, tripping over his words in excitement.

“How is it any different to every other day in this awful place?” a less enthused Julius wanted to know.

“Come on. You never know what we might find,” replied Te’oma chirpily.

“I don’t know how you woke up on the right side of that bed but, please, it’s too early to be that happy,” said Ariana as she struggled to get to her feet.

The three walked through the forest, just like they had for the last few days, except today Te’oma walked at the front, setting a cracking pace. All day they walked, with few stops. Ariana and Julius were not overly happy with Te’oma’s newfound enthusiasm.

At the end of the day they felt no closer to their destination. Ariana dropped her bag to the ground. “Here is as good a spot as any to stop for the night,” she said.

Te’oma turned around and picked up her bag and handed it to her. “Just a little bit further,” he said with a smile.

“Ok, but I’m getting sick of that smile,” said Ariana.

The three walked a little further until they reached a clearing and there, sitting in the middle of an old swamp, was the big oak tree from Te’oma’s vision.

Surrounding the oak tree was soft, lush, green grass. Te’oma smiled at Ariana and Julius.

“Now, that’s what I call a bed,” said Julius happily.

“Yeah, but how do we get out there?” replied Ariana.

Te’oma hadn’t thought of that. He could remember spending the night there with his parents, but he couldn’t remember how they got through the swamp.

“Easy,” said Julius, as he threw his backpack across the water and onto the grass. Julius hopped across the water, landing delicately on tree roots all the way, until he reached the grass on the other side.

Te’oma and Ariana look at each other, impressed. “Well, if he can do it,” said Ariana, as she threw her backpack to Julius.

Ariana glided across the water like a gazelle, and easily reached the other side. Te’oma looked at the water with fear. He never really had the chance to be a kid when he was growing up. This was the kind of thing he always wanted to do, but was never allowed.

“Come on, it’s really easy,” said Ariana.

Te’oma walked up to the water’s edge and looked down at the tree roots sticking out. The wood was old and rotten with slime covering it. He nervously put his foot out onto the root. His foot quickly slipped off and splashed into the water. Te’oma jumped back.

“Don’t think about it. You just have to do it quickly,” said Julius.

Te’oma gathered himself, then leapt out onto the tree root. Before he knew it, he was halfway across the swamp. He leapt from root to root, his confidence growing with each jump. On the final root, he lost his balance and landed face first in the grass. Ariana and Julius looked down at him laughing. Te’oma looked up. “I made it,” he said, with a smile on his face.

With the night settling in, the three happily lay down and stared up at the cloudy night sky, each of them revelling in the comfort of the soft grass.

Te’oma whistled a soft, happy tune. Ariana and Julius lay next to him with their eyes closed, letting the song echo through their relaxed minds.

“How did you know this place would be here?” asked Ariana.

“What do you mean?” said Te’oma.

“You pushed us all day to keep walking, almost as if you knew this little island paradise would be here,” said Ariana.

“When I was a boy, my parents brought me past here once. I only remembered it last night,” said Te’oma.

“Well, I’m glad you did,” said Julius.

The three lay in silence, soaking up the moment. The clouds above slowly dispersed and the Star of Alentia came into view. “It’s so bright,” said Ariana.

“The Star of Alentia. My father told me that was the one star you could always rely on to guide your way,” said Te’oma.

With an almighty crash, a large tree branch from the old oak tree fell to the ground behind them. They spun around to see that it had not fallen far from their heads. “Boy, that was lucky,” said Julius.

A dull light from the tree caught Te’oma’s attention. Buried behind the moss and dirt, something was glowing.

“What is it?” said Ariana. Te’oma wiped away the moss and the dirt, revealing a round, crystal disc, glowing with green light. The disc had gorgeous inscriptions carefully carved into it. It was the language of the Intari.

“I think you should push it,” said Julius.

Te’oma carefully pushed the crystal into the tree. As he did, the crystal turned and the light went out. Te’oma looked at Ariana and Julius, wondering what had happened. Then, suddenly, the ground next to the tree started to rumble and shake. They stepped away from the tree and the ground below opened up. From the ground rose a large crystal chest, covered with more Intari inscriptions and drawings, woven with blue, green and red patterns.

Te’oma opened the lid and the three peered inside. Dozens of gold and silver coins covered the bottom of the chest. On top of the coins was a stunning dagger, slender in size but sculpted to perfection. It had a silver handle with green stone wrapping around it. The blade was solid crystal, which glistened in the light and was deadly sharp to the touch.

Next to the dagger lay a small tablet. Julius took the tablet out of the chest. It was covered in Intari script, which read:

To my fellow Intari, there are places like these spread all over the lands of Sentari. They will only activate in the presence of a descendant of the Intari, and it is our hope that these places can help any surviving members of our people.

Please only take what you need. Leave some, in the hope that there are other survivors.

Good luck my friends, and may we all meet again one day.

Julius stared at the tablet for some time. Te’oma and Ariana grabbed at the coins and started stuffing as many of them into their pockets as they could. Julius grabbed Ariana by the hand. “Only take a handful. We don’t need any more,” he said. Ariana looked at Julius. He had a strange, sad expression on his face.

Te’oma looked down at the chest. “He’s right. This chest is a blessing. We should leave some here so that it might help someone else in need someday,” he said.

Te’oma and Ariana put all but a handful of coins back into the chest. Te’oma walked over to the crystal in the tree and pushed it again. The chest started to lower itself back into the ground. Julius reached in, took the dagger out and quickly put it under his clothes.

The chest sunk back into the ground and the light from the crystal faded. The ground covered back over as if nothing had ever happened.

***

The three had the best night’s sleep that they had had in a long time, so good in fact that they slept until quite late the next day. It was only the sound of animals fighting in the distance that woke them.

Julius stood up and stretched his arms and legs out as far as he could. He looked up and noticed where the sun sat in the sky. “Hey. Hey. Wake up. We’ve slept for too long,” said Julius.

After struggling to say goodbye to their comfy beds, they continued their march through the thick forest. For three more days they walked. Each night they could barely sleep. No bed seemed quite as comfortable as the one they had slept on back on the island. Finally, they reached the end of the tree line and, nestled in the valley below, was the city of Yen-Dori.

Somehow immune to the cold that surrounded it, the city of Yen-Dori was warm and inviting. Its buildings glistened in the sunlight. A golden tower at the centre of the city towered above a stone wall that circled the city, keeping watch over its lands. On top of the tower was a giant orb that emitted a dull light.

There was but one gate to the city and it sat directly below Te’oma, Ariana and Julius.

“It’s going to take us days to walk around this place,” said Ariana.

“We could always go straight through it,” replied Te’oma.

“Do you see any way through?” said Ariana.

Te’oma took some gold coins out of his pocket. “Money can open many doors,” he said, with a smile on his face.

“What do you think Julius?” asked Ariana.

“I think Te’oma is right. It’s too far out of our way,” said Julius.

They approached the giant wooden gates that protected the city. Two men dressed in very raggedy clothes, carrying old, scratched and dented swords stood in front of the gates, blocking the way.

Te’oma approached one of the guards and showed him a gold coin; the guard looked at the coin and then grunted, “Two.” Te’oma handed a second coin to the guard.

The guard put the coin in his pocket then banged twice on the gate with his sword.

The doors to the city creaked and rattled, then suddenly opened. A gust of warm air came racing out of the city, blowing their hair back as the city of Yen-Dori came into view.

Cobblestone streets weaved their way into the distance, lined by large, stone houses. The stone had been crafted by the finest builders. The joins between each stone were almost indistinguishable.

Far off on the horizon, the mighty cliffs that separated these lands from the Yen-Gyle Forest imposed themselves over the city.