The Seventh Mountain (40 page)

“He told me that a god named Quetzalcoatl
put him in there with the sunstone and that he had to guard it. He
said that no one could look at it and gain its secrets. Oh yeah, he
said that it is forbidden to destroy it, too.”

“Did he tell you his name?”

“No, ma’am, he didn’t.”

“You think you’re ready to talk to him
now?”

“Yes, ma’am. Where’s the sunstone, now?”

“It’s in the science section. They’re
examining it. All of the markings have been eroded off it.”

Mrs. Shadowitz got up. The group followed
her to the warrior’s bed. She pulled back the curtain. He was a
very big man. He had very long, straight black hair. He jerked to
look at who had pulled the curtain back. His eyes fixed on
Mark.

“You’re dead. I killed you myself.”

This guy reminded Mark of the ancient
warrior that he had seen in his dream. There was an uncanny
resemblance, but this wasn’t the guy in his dream.

“Not quite… Tell me something. If all of the
markings on the sunstone are gone, why guard it.”

“You lie! Those markings are fixed in the
sunstone. I have seen them myself.”

Mrs. Shadowitz said, “Oh, he’s telling the
truth.” She waved her hand in front of her. The image of the
sunstone appeared, in thin air, in front of them.

“What kind of magic is this? It’s a
lie!”

“You seem to think that everything is a lie.
I assure you, it is not a lie. What you are seeing is real. It
comes from the power of The One God.”

“The Young Warrior spoke of this One God.
Tell me the name of this One God.”

Mrs. Shadowitz lowered herself to her knees.
“His name in the modern tongue is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. In the ancient
tongue it is pronounced Hawyah Asher Hawyah.”

“I know this name. He is the enemy of the
gods!”

Mrs. Shadowitz stood back up. “Yes… I
suppose that is true, from their perspective. Anyway, what you see
before you is how the stone appears this very moment.”

“What you see, is that you do not see. It is
still my task to guard the sunstone. Let me go so that I may yet
fulfill what the gods command of me.”

“What is your name?”

“I am called, Otomi.”

Mark spoke. “Otomi, did you ever consider
that your task may be complete. I mean, a lot of people consider
that we live in the time of the end of days. Was your task to guard
the sunstone for all time or just until the end of days? Think
about it. Your instructions must have been given to you in an
ancient tongue. You have learned to speak English over the many
years that you were in the labyrinth. You have probably also
learned a few other languages as well. Is it possible that you were
to only guard the sunstone until the end of days?”

“Quetzalcoatl said that I was to guard the
sunstone for all time. This I must do.”

“Then you have failed.” Slone Voif spoke
from behind the group. He had walked up unnoticed. “Out here, you
will grow old and die. You will never be able to complete your
mission.”

“This is true. I must return the sunstone to
the Cave of Quetzalcoatl.”

“Great Warrior, how can you do this? It is
not possible.”

“No one has seen the writing. It is still
possible.”

“These warriors will not allow it. How can
you defeat so many.”

“With Quetzalcoatl, much can happen.”

Slone turned to Mrs. Shadowitz. “Why not
just let him go back into the labyrinth with the stone. The
scientists have already examined it. It’s not like you’ll lose it
forever. You can always go back in and get it, if you think you
need it.”

Mrs. Shadowitz said, “The disposition of
this man and the sunstone are a matter for the Council of Elders to
decide. I will tell them of your suggestion.”

“I just wanted to bring that up as a
possibility.”

“Your suggestion is noted. Now, if I may
continue.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Otomi, if I understand you correctly, the
sunstone can still be read.”

There was no answer.

“I’ll take that as a yes… Now, what’s so all
fired important about this stone that you have devoted all these
years to guarding it in the labyrinth?”

No answer.

“Now, if Quetzalcoatl himself set you to
guard this stone in such a place, there must be something on it
that he doesn’t want our side to see. This sunstone has been
recovered in what we believe to be a crucial spot in history. It
must be time for us to learn what is on this sunstone.”

Still, no answer from Otomi.

 
* *
* 

Later that afternoon, the Council of Elders
met in special session to decide the fate of Otomi and the
sunstone. Harmonious Thorpe stepped down from the Council of Elders
to allow Joseph Young to have his seat back. It had been the
presumed death of Joseph Young that had let Harmonious Thorpe gain
his seat on the council in the first place. Thorpe seemed
uncharacteristically gracious in stepping down.

Mrs. Shadowitz looked down from the council
seats high above. The prisoner Otomi, stood in the center of the
chamber, illuminated from above and in shackles. “You stand accused
of the attempted murder of Mark Young. Do you have anything that
you wish to say?”

“I did what I had to do. I was commanded by
the gods to protect the sunstone. Killing the young warrior was my
only choice.”

There was a pause before she spoke again.
“It is the unanimous decision of the Council of Elders of the
Seventh Mountain that you are guilty as charged. From here, you
will be remanded to the custody of the prison, Mattaraw, until such
time as you are deemed worthy to be released. The sunstone will
remain with us for study. This Court of the Council of Elders of
the Seventh Mountain is concluded.”

TOP TEN

RANK  
TRIBE       
STUDENT        
ACADEMIC  EXTRA   TOTAL

1 Emerald ______ LeOmi Jones
 ______9800 ___ 1363 __11163

2 Ruby  ________ Slone Voif
________9800 ___ 1315 __11115

3 Onyx  ________ Cynthia Dover 
 ____9800 ___ 1309 __11109

6 tie Emerald ____ Chenoa Day_______9800 ___
1301 __11101

6 tie Emerald ____ Nikola Poparov ____9800
___ 1301 __11101

6 tie Emerald ____ Jamal Terfa
 _______9800 ___ 1301 __11101

7 Ruby_________ Judd Jenkins
 ______9793 ___ 1298 __11091

8 Jasper ________ Keshena Moore ____9800 ___
1290 __11090

9 Diamond _____ Darnel Washington
 _9800 ___ 1282 __11082

10 Topaz _______Vladimir Kirsch  ___
9800 ___ 1250 __11050

It isn’t over until it’s over.

 
Nick found their
names on the bulletin board. “Check it out! We’re tied for sixth
place. Sorry Mark, you’re number ninety-nine.”

“I know. Mr. Thorpe wouldn’t let me take a
makeup test for the one I missed while I was in the labyrinth and I
didn’t do that well in combat class.”

The bulletin board outside of the council
chambers showed the standings of all students, tribes and teams.
For individuals, the numbers were divided into academic and
extracurricular, and then totaled. Tribe standings were in a
different section. Emerald Tribe was head and shoulders above the
others.

“Yeah, look at this. There are one, two,
three… four, five freshmen in the top ten for the whole
school.”

Mark continued, “You guys got perfect
fourteen-hundreds in all of your classes. That’s great!” One
thousand points out of a possible fourteen hundred points were
needed to pass each class.

Chenoa said, “Why wouldn’t Mr. Thorpe let
you take the test that you missed while you were in the
labyrinth?”

“He said it wouldn’t be fair to the other
students. He doesn’t give makeup tests.” Mark had perfect scores in
everything except combat and algebra.

The final procession of students, the first
one-hundred carrying a flag indicating their class rank, would be
riding past the reviewing stands tomorrow, and would be led by the
top student.

“LeOmi Jones is going to lead tomorrow.
She’s forty-eight points ahead of Slone Voif. I wish I could see
his face when he finds out that she beat him.”

“Turn around and have a look, then.” It was
Slone’s voice that they heard.

They turned to face Slone and his
cohorts.

“Looks like LeOmi beat you, again. How’s
your nose?” Chenoa’s out-and-out loathing for Slone was
obvious.

“She’s got guts and style. That’s something
that you’ll never have.”

Chenoa started for Slone. Nick and Jamal
held her back.

Mark said, “He’s baiting you. That’s what he
does best.”

“I know. I just want to beat the snot out of
him, just once.”

“There’s nothing stopping you. I’m right
here.”

Mark said, “Another day, Slone.” He leaned
to Chenoa. “I know how you feel. Let’s get out of here.”

Tim walked up behind the group. “That is
quite an accomplishment for a freshman, LeOmi that is.”

Chenoa said, “Yeah, she wasn’t about to let
Slone get it.”

Slone eyeballed her, not saying a word. He
just walked off, henchmen in tow.

“You guys did pretty good, too. Not many
freshmen have ever made it into the top one hundred, much less the
top ten.”

Mark said, “Thanks. You did pretty good,
yourself. How’d you like teaching?”

“I loved it! It was great! I wish it was not
temporary, though.”

Jamal said, “It puts you in pretty good
standing, having experience and all.”

“I guess it does… Where are you guys off
to?”

Mark said, “We need to go get our
flags.”

“I have some stuff to do, too. I have to
clean my stuff out of Mr. Diefenderfer’s office. Guess I will see
you tomorrow, when I bring your families in.”

“I thought Shana was going to do that.”

“No… afraid not. Her position was temporary,
too.”

The final day at school arrived and 7 a.m.
found the friends in their favorite booth in The Oasis. They were
waiting for the arrival of their families.

Jamal said, “It all seems like a blur. How
can a year at school go by so fast?”

Nick said, “We did a lot of stuff.”

Mark said, “I didn’t have a clue when I got
here. Now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Chenoa said, “Maybe we can get together this
summer and do something.”

Nick said, “It’s not likely. We live too far
apart and we can’t remanifest, yet.”

A voice interrupted them. It was Mark’s mom,
Shirley. “Congratulations, hon! You made it. Tim tells me that you
are in the top one hundred for the whole school. That’s
wonderful.”

“Thanks, Mom. Hi, Dad. Hi, James. Hi, Tim.
Y’all had breakfast, yet?”

Steve said, “Not yet, son.”

“We can sit over there.” Mark stood and
pointed to an Emerald table. He turned back to his friends. “See
you later.”

“Hon, I got you a yellow rose to wear. Here,
let me pin it on you.”

“Why a yellow rose?”

“Yellow roses mean joy and happiness.”

“I have to wear my blazon in the ceremony. I
can’t wear it with the blazon on.”

“You can wear it now. We’re so proud of
you.”

Tim said, “I have to leave now. I need to
pick up some more families.”

“Thanks, Tim. See you at the ceremony.”

Families kept arriving. The Oasis filled up
quickly. Breakfast was short, but sweet. By eight-thirty, families
were heading to the bleachers and students were heading to the
reviewing stands.

Nine a.m. brought the opening announcements.
Mrs. Shadowitz stood, center stage, in the reviewing stands. Tribes
were seated around the stands. She faced the crowd in the
bleachers.

“Guests, teachers and staff, students, I
offer this simple prayer.” She paused. “God, grant us peace as we
humbly serve you.”

She paused again. “I have some news. Mr.
Diefenderfer has decided to step down from teaching in order to
lead the team in the fulltime study of the recently recovered
artifacts. He has named, as his permanent replacement… Timothy
Augustus Fairbanks.”

There was a moment of stunned silence.

Mark leaned toward Nick. “I don’t believe
it. That’s his lifelong dream.”

“If anyone deserves it, it’s him.”

Emerald tribe jumped to their feet and
started a standing ovation.

“Shana O’Riley will take his place as
counselor.”

Emerald Tribe, still standing,
applauded.

“And, I must say, it’s about time. Gerod
Hudson and Shana O’Riley have asked me to announce their
engagement. They haven’t set the date yet, but they plan to have a
traditional Magi wedding. For those of you who don’t know, that
will be one humdinger of a party. They plan to invite all of you
back here for that event. Now… for the awards.”

Nick whispered to Mark. “You ready for
this.”

Mark whispered back, “Not really. There’re a
lot of people here.”

Mrs. Shadowitz’s amplified voice said,
“First and foremost, Emerald Tribe’s LeOmi Jones.”

LeOmi stood and started making her way to
the stand.

“Perfect scores in all classes, top points
in flags matches, top overall points, David’s Crown for Courage,
twice… overall school champion and a freshman to boot. It has been
many, many years since a freshman has achieved this honor. That
makes her the winner of an all-expenses-paid, two week vacation,
anywhere in the world, for her and her family.”

LeOmi stood at attention while she received
the trophies and awards.

“Next is Ruby Tribe’s Slone Voif, beaten out
of first place by a mere forty-eight points. Top points in all
classes, third in points for flags matches, first in points for
extracurricular activities and, our second freshman in the top ten.
That makes him the winner of a one week, all-expenses-paid
vacation, anywhere in the world, for him and his family.”