The PureLights of Ohm Totem (11 page)

Zoey shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her feet. “I don't know,” she mumbled, “I just got here.”

“I see,” he retorted.

Regardless of the heat surrounding her, Zoey abruptly felt ice grip her spine, making her head snap up to stare directly at the Komodo dragon, as if he had willed her to do so. Between his eyes was a lifeless, black crystal.

The creature glared at her, completely still amongst the mushrooms that surrounded him. His head slowly lowered, revealing his crystal more clearly, showing his small, unflinching black pupils as well.

“I've asked you this before, young lady. What's your name?”

Zoey was stunned. She remembered the part in her dream where he did ask for her name, but that was just a dream. Wasn't it?
No! It had to be real!
Her beak, however, would not move to form her name. She knew she shouldn't tell him, but didn't know why. Again, the breeze blew across her body, whispering, “Close your eyes.”

“Don't!” yelled the Komodo dragon with a ferocity she hadn’t felt before. She winced as the circle of heat around her body rose in temperature. Abruptly, his tone became soft as a pillow, simultaneously lowering the temperature around her. “If you know what's good for you, then don't close your eyes.”

His angry expression sharply changed to a soothing calmness that made Zoey feel somewhat at peace.

“I'm sorry I frightened you,” he continued, still speaking more gently. “I only want to help you along your way. Sometimes I get a little pushy. Old age, I guess.” A crooked smile showed his many sharp teeth.

“It's okay,” replied Zoey, shifting her eyes to the ground. She felt composed now, suddenly and strangely, but she also had a nagging feeling there was something wrong about her feeling okay.

“The lies are endless in the Sihu Tribe. Be cautious and aware of that. That's why I must point you in the right direction, away from Sihu's evil.”

He pointed due north with his front right leg, portraying green, scaly reptile skin wrapped tightly around strong muscles.

“Isn't that where the Fog thing is?” asked Zoey.

“Yes,” the dragon said, looking away in sorrow. “The Sihu Tribe punishes us for not following their rules. They banish us to live behind the fog forever, making us live in misery and turmoil.”

Zoey shook her head. “Everyone here seems nice, though. They wouldn't do that.”

The heat around her picked up. For a moment, she thought her feathers might catch on fire. She drew back. Her insides felt like they were being clawed, scraped, and eaten with sharp teeth. Then again, a moment later everything ceased and she felt better. How strange, thought Zoey. A second ago I hated this Komodo dragon for creating the pain in my stomach, and in the next moment I feel grateful to him for taking it away.

“You have a lot to learn,” said the Komodo dragon. “Trust me. I wouldn't have risked my life to come here if what I told you wasn't true.” He glanced to his left and right, to be sure no one else was around. Then he whispered, “The Great Spirit sent me to tell you a secret shared only amongst the most courageous and wise. It's something you, and only you, can fulfill. It's your only way back home. And,” he said with a loud hiss, “it'sss part of your missssion.”

Zoey’s eyes opened wide in astonishment. “How did you know I had a mission?” She was becoming suspicious. The only ones who knew about her mission were Nova and the Snow Tree. Was the Komodo dragon spying on her, or reading her mind?
I've got to get home. This is creepy.

The Komodo dragon's eyes narrowed and a pleased smile peeled back his skinny, reptile lips, “Isn't that what they told you?”

Zoey nodded.

“Then,” he asserted, “you can't go the way you came. The portal to your home can only be opened once you fulfill your mission. Once you fulfill the Windstorm Prophecy.”

Zoey was baffled by this new information. “The Windstorm Prophecy?”

“Yes, yes, yes. The Windstorm Prophecy.” He recited: “The prophecy says, 'Two children from a forgotten land, lost to the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other being of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring to us the old ways, and deliver us from the evil clutches of the Sihu Tribe, continuing the everlasting Shiver.'”

“Gibberish and untruths,” scolded a familiar voice behind Zoey. She turned, relieved to see Nova standing just a few yards away. Nova closed her eyes and the heat around Zoey's body vanished.
How did Nova take the heat away?

Nova opened her eyes. “You've changed the prophecy, Crepus Dim.”

“I speak...” Crepus Dim paused, looking at Zoey and bowing his head to her, “I speak only the truth, my friend.”

The sound of a small twig breaking behind Zoey startled her. There was Coda, walking toward her. His panther body was shiny black like the night. He stepped smoothly, easing over fallen branches, slinking through the bushes without disturbing a leaf. He did look like a night walker, just as Crepus mentioned in the prophecy—if it was real.

Nova took a step closer. Her eyes were glued to Crepus. “This is a prophecy that came to the Sihu tribe and evil isn't a term we use here. It doesn't serve us.”

Crepus hissed, “Evil serves you quite well, Nova.”

“It doesn't.” Nova sat on her hind legs, curling her tail around her front paws. “And I was the one who interpreted the Windstorm Prophecy shortly after you created the Fog.”

She looked up at the canopy of trees. “It says, 'Two children from a forgotten land, ancestors of the Island of Ohm Totem, one being of the night walkers and the other of the sacred heart, will purify the energies, bring back the old ways, and unite the PureLights once again, putting an end to the coming Shiver'.” She eyed Crepus. “The Shiver is almost amongst us, Crepus. The prophecy is accurate and the Shiver won't last.”

“I wouldn't be too sure of that,” Crepus snorted.

Nova lifted her head and raised herself to her full height. In a calm voice she appealed, “Find your heart, Crepus.”

Zoey felt anger consume Crepus again and fear stung her heart. She didn't move. She couldn't move. She looked at Nova slowly advancing on Crepus. Nova mouthed again, “Find the heart within.” Her eyes were like stone, unmoving from Crepus, and her violet crystals glowed brightly.

Crepus stomped and a smoky gas crept out of the soil and started to surround his body.

He cackled, glaring at Zoey, who backed away, bumping right into her brother.

With a curl of his mouth, Crepus whistled. It sounded like a high-pitched flute, but ten times as loud.

Zoey and Coda fell to the ground, paws and wings pressed over their ears trying to block the horrid, deafening noise. The soft grass and ground cover shook, and then as quickly as it came, the whistling stopped, leaving only a ringing in Zoey's ears.

Zoey stood up. Needles and soil sprinkled from her feathers. She stared at where Crepus was only moments before, but he was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared. Charred grass and singed mushrooms only remained. Nova sedately faced the now scorched earth next to her paws. “It's fine now. He won't be coming back.”

A screech filled the air, not as loud as Crepus's strange whistle sound, but nearly so. Nova's eyes widened and she looked skyward, past the thick tree cover. Nova yelled, “Get them to the portal!” and sprang off toward the meadow.

Zoey looked at Coda. He was alarmed. That was the same screech that woke him yesterday morning. He wanted to say something, but was cut off by Chev's large gray elephant trunk grasping his body and lifting him onto his back. “Hey, you two!” said Chev, “to the portal we go.”

Zoey jumped up and spread her wings, flapping them hard and fast to get onto Chev's back as quickly as she could. Something was going dreadfully wrong here and she wanted to get out, and get out now.

“What's going on?” she asked Chev, landing on his back.

Coda interjected before Chev could respond. “Look up!”

Zoey looked up and saw a shadow cast across the sky. At first it looked like a cloud, but then she realized that clouds didn’t move like that. Thousands of birds covered the sky like a heavy blanket. They flew chaotically from the north, perhaps from where Crepus lived. Chev broke into a run. The scenery of cedars and pines quickly became darker and darker, until everything became covered in pale dusk.

“Whoa!” yelled Coda, pointing with his tail. “Look at that!”

To the east, hundreds of different birds came into view, forming a wall against the darkened sky.
The wall of birds must be the PureLights
, thought Zoey. They faced the oncoming flying Dims. It was apparent that the PureLights intended to stop them.

Zoey wanted to close her eyes, but didn’t. Chev picked up speed, then stopped abruptly. Zoey tipped backwards, sliding sideways, and falling toward the ground. She spread her wings and glided softly to the green moss. She looked at the darkness above—at the battle about to ensue.

“We're here,” announced Chev.

Zoey’s heart pounded hard and fast, sinking into her stomach. She knew that the wall of birds were from the Sihu Tribe and she didn't want such nice animals to get hurt.
What if they lost? Would the PureLights be gone? Would we be stuck here in Ohm Totem forever?

Unable to watch, she shielded her eyes with her wings. Shaking her head, she cried out, “Let's go home, Coda. Let's go home. Please, let's go home! I'm scared. I want to go home!”

All that returned to her was silence. Still clasping her wings over her eyes, she took a deep breath, waiting for Chev or Coda to respond, but heard nothing. Something was different. Something had happened. Where was she?

She took another deep breath and the soft, rich air filled her lungs, giving her trembling body a calmness she very much needed, bringing more vitality to her muscles. She suddenly felt strong, peaceful, and loved—loved in a way that felt like a long overdue hug was offered and received.

The silence suddenly filled with the soothing sounds of ocean waves. It was as if everything drifted away from her and she was back in her bed, waking to an early morning sunlit glow.
But, at the beach?

“Coda?” she said, still covering her eyes.

“Coda doesn't play in this realm, child. You do”

“Snow Tree?”

“Open your eyes, Zoey.”

Zoey lowered her wings, slowly lifting her eyelids at the same time.

She was standing on a beautiful beach that stretched ahead of her for miles. The sand was the color of ivory, soft and warm under her feet. Sparkling, luminescent blue waves broke, splashed, and foamed against the sand.

A few feet in front of her sat something shiny and golden, surrounded with an aura of moving colors. It reminded her of the Aurora Borealis, which she'd seen on TV. She took a step closer, realizing it was a thick book. It had a cover of pure gold.

In its center were words etched in white. The Golden Opus. Embroidered around its edges were spirals. They looked a lot like the DNA strands she'd seen in her science book at school.

She tentatively glanced around, wondering if she was alone.

“Hello?” she said aloud, hoping that someone kind and helpful was there. She felt a little bit stranded for the moment, but not really afraid. In fact, she felt pretty good here. Somehow this place felt familiar to her, like home.
Where's the Snow Tree?

A short, soft breeze picked up, slightly ruffling Zoey's feathers. “I'm here,” said a whisper in the wind.

Zoey looked all around, but didn't see the Snow Tree. Taking in a deep breath, she imagined herself inside of her heart, surrounding herself with beautiful pink and white colors. She took in another breath and cleared her mind.

“Where am I?”

The wind picked up, blowing against her feathers. “You're in the heart of Ohm Totem.”

Zoey furrowed her feathered brow, somewhat baffled. “In the heart of Ohm Totem?”

“Yes, it's the most sacred of places.”

This looks more like the beach than the heart of anything
, thought Zoey.

“Snow Tree?” she asked.

Just then snow started to fall all around Zoey, and then quickly stopped. “This is the Snow Tree. Lady Wind carries my words on her back.”

Zoey smiled. She was excited that her friend was with her.

“Why am I here?” she asked.

“Follow your heart, Zoey. It will answer your question. It will tell you.”

“What will it tell me?”

After a long pause, Zoey looked to the left and right, expecting the Snow Tree to be standing in all of its beauty somewhere. “Tell me what? Snow Tree?”

All was silent. Zoey sat down, examining the white sand.

What am I supposed to do here?

A tingling sensation tickled up and down her spine.
The book!

She excitedly half-walked, half-flew over to the book, flipping open the cover with her beak.

Empty.

Not only empty, it was hollow. It had a perfect rectangular hole cut out of it, and sand at the bottom of the hole.

She was disappointed.
Now what?

As if in response to her question, the sand at the bottom of the book slowly moved up and down and left and right, like swells in the ocean.

Placing her wings on each side of the book, she drew her beak in closer to observe the moving sand. There had to be a reason it was doing that, but how? And why?

As she observed the movement more closely, she noticed the swells were getting bigger and bigger, becoming more active in the process. The swells smashed against the sides of the book, splattering sand every which way. The swells grew even higher, until the sand transformed into a volcano.

The volcano grew so quickly that Zoey had to step back to get out of its way. She heard a loud 'pop' and the volcano erupted a geyser of sand twenty yards into the air.

Zoey’s beak gaped open. She'd never seen such a phenomenon. Suddenly, three books flew out of the geyser, landing side by side with a thump, thump, thump right in front of her. Within seconds the geyser began to die down, until it completely stopped.

Except for the beach, air circling around her, and the crashing of the waves, quiet filled the beach once again.
What just happened?