Authors: Trevor Booth
“I’m not Drake and I never will be. I’m grateful for your help, but now it’s time you left,” said Te’oma, as he helped Xerxes.
“The power of Drake?” asked Ariana.
“I’ll explain it all tonight, I promise,” said Te’oma.
“She needs your help, you know,” said the Shadow.
“Who?” asked Te’oma reluctantly.
“Your sister. She waits by the shore, but I wouldn’t delay,” said the Shadow before disappearing.
“Sky,” said Te’oma longingly. He had almost forgotten about her.
“She lives,” said Xerxes urgently.
“How do you know her?” asked Ariana.
“Ah, I don’t. One of you must have mentioned her to me,” said Xerxes quickly.
It was slow going, trudging through thick snow, especially while helping an injured man. The day passed quickly. They were not far from the shore, but they could not hope to pass the dangers of the ice shelf in darkness. Once again, they were forced to make camp.
The journey was really starting to take its toll on Xerxes. The injury to his arm was the last thing he needed. He was tired, hungry, and now in a lot of pain. Understandably, it took him little time to fall asleep. Julius kindly huddled in close to Xerxes to keep him keep warm, with Alto on the other side. Snuggling with an elderly man was not something Julius had ever hoped he’d have to do. Fortunately, he too quickly fell asleep, leaving Te’oma and Ariana alone around the fireplace.
Not a word was spoken between the two for a long time. They simply held hands and stared at the fire. Te’oma looked at Ariana. The reflection of the flames glinted in her eyes. She was truly stunning to him. He was terrified that she was not going to understand what was happening to him.
“I’m sorry,” said Te’oma, breaking the silence. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you. I just didn’t know how.”
“I know,” said Ariana. His heart swelled with love. He hadn’t felt this connection with her for a while.
“I guess you’ve worked out by now what happened?” asked Te’oma.
“From what I can tell, some part of Drake is living on in you,” said Ariana.
Te’oma was taken aback. He had never thought of it that way before. The whole time he believed that it was his flaws that were causing the rage, not Drake’s. “There’s more to it,” said Te’oma. “It’s maddening. There is a voice in my mind, repeating the same thing over and over, beating like a drum.”
“What is it saying?” asked Ariana.
“I need to be the only one,” said Te’oma.
Silence fell over the two again. Ariana didn’t quite know how to reply to that. Te’oma was starting to think that he was right all along. She couldn’t understand what was happening to him. His greatest fear was losing her and, in his mind, it was happening.
The night was long. Te’oma and Ariana lay down together as close as they could get. After that night, things would never be the same. Te’oma’s insomnia was growing. The only thing that brought him comfort was Ariana’s warm arm wrapped around him.
The sun rose in the distance and the light scattered through the trees. Te’oma looked out at the shimmering sun. Once a sight that would bring joy to his heart, now all it did was remind him that yesterday was gone. Xerxes looked at his grandson longingly. Te’oma turned around with a fresh purpose. “Come on, it’s time to move on,” he said as he packed up their stuff.
It didn’t take long for them to start moving again. They’d become quite adept at packing their belongings. Te’oma walked at the front of the group, setting quite a swift pace. Xerxes struggled to keep up, but he was a determined old thing and wouldn’t let any injuries stop him.
Finally, after days of trudging through snow and bitter conditions, they stood upon the brink of the ice shelf. The ice stretched out for miles. The rising warmth had melted some of the ice and the ocean could be seen in the very distance.
“Where to now?” asked Ariana.
“Straight ahead,” said Julius.
They walked out onto the ice and began their journey towards the ocean. The wind blowing in from the ocean was bitterly cold. It picked up small flakes of ice and sprayed them in their faces. They walked in single file, protecting the people behind from the icy wind. Te’oma walked at the front, his eyes wide open. The cold no longer affected him.
In the distance, Te’oma spotted Sky lying on the ice. “You may want to run,” whispered the Shadow on the wind. Te’oma ran as fast as he could towards her, leaving the rest in his wake. He ran so fast that he was by her side in no time. He dropped to his knees. She was shivering with cold. Huddled up in a ball, she barely retained consciousness.
“Te’oma, you found me,” stammered Sky.
The rest of the group caught up. Xerxes looked down at Sky. He hadn’t seen her since she was a little girl.
The Shadow appeared beside Te’oma and put his hand on her shoulder. “She is very close to the edge, Te’oma. Only you can help her,” he said.
“What do you mean?” asked Te’oma.
“She needs warmth. Out here on the ice shelf, there is only one thing that can give that to her,” said the Shadow.
Te’oma knelt down his sister’s side and smiled at her. Even though all the power and fear that lay inside him was tearing him up, he managed to find the strength to try to reassure Sky.
Frostbite had already started to eat its way into Sky’s hands and feet. Her shivering had become uncontrollable. Te’oma put one hand on her shoulder and, with the other hand, he pulled her hands close to him. He closed his eyes and tried to fight the fear inside himself, but the power would not flow.
“You have to embrace the pain,” said the Shadow.
“No, you must not,” said Xerxes rather abruptly. But Te’oma did not listen to Xerxes. It was very easy for him to embrace his negative thoughts. He let his mind go and, suddenly, heat started to radiate from his hands. The warmth ran down Sky’s body like a tidal wave. The frostbite healed almost instantly. She breathed deeply, as her lungs returned to full function. She smiled at Te’oma, but Te’oma could not stop. His grip on her only got stronger. His eyes had turned a dark shade of red. The heat emanating from him got so strong that it started to burn Sky.
“Te’oma,” she pleaded, “stop!” But he could not, and she could not break free of his grip.
Julius acted quickly and knocked Te’oma over, freeing Sky. She scurried out of the way. Te’oma lay on the ice, facing down. The ice around him had started to melt under the heat.
“Te’oma?” said Ariana tentatively, but he did not respond. She knelt down at his side.
Te’oma turned to face her. The fire in his eyes had subsided. Tears rolled down his face. “I couldn’t stop,” said Te’oma.
“It’s ok,” said Ariana, comforting Te’oma.
Shortly after, while Sky and Xerxes waited on the ice shelf, Julius led the way underwater towards Karnic, Te’oma and Ariana behind him, walking hand in hand.
***
The cave walls felt closer together than Te’oma remembered. The blissful sound of the water lapping up against the rocks used to bring him comfort; now it just felt cold and lonely.
For all the time he had been away, the cave hadn’t changed one bit; the rubble still lay where his vegetable garden had once been. But then, the table in the middle of the cave that had seemed so inanimate lit up as they approached it.
A holographic image of the landscape that surrounded the area appeared upon the table. It showed the gates to the Intari prison, glowing like a beacon in the side of the mountain.
Julius reached his hand out over the gate. He pulled his hand back and, as he did, the map zoomed in on the gate. The gate was glowing red.
“How do we open it?’ asked Ariana.
“Simple,” said Te’oma, as he reached in with both hands and turned the map to face him. He pulled open the gate, like it was real, and a hole in the table appeared. He released the gate and the hole disappeared. Lights all over the mountain started to show, revealing rooms they didn’t even know were there.
“What now?” said Julius.
“Now we go back there, and take you home,” said Te’oma.
The trip back to the prison didn’t seem so arduous. Sky and Xerxes managed fine and Dengrid had hot food and warm beds set up for them when they arrived. The prison was only a small part of the complex. Hundreds of corridors weaved throughout the mountain, with large halls and thousands of rooms. It would take months to explore.
Te’oma, Ariana, Sky, Julius and Xerxes were all treated like royalty. They were given the finest rooms, overlooking the ice below, and more food than they could possibly eat.
It was a wondrous place, but the Intari were keen to return to their home as soon as they could. There would be one last banquet before the gates were closed once more.
***
Te’oma and Ariana stood at the edge of their own private balcony, staring out at the ice fields below. The moonlight rippled over them, lighting the night. The cold air felt nice against their skin, a strangely welcome relief from the warm room they were staying in.
A quiet buzzing noise came from the door. Te’oma opened it. Julius, Sky and Xerxes sat inside a dome waiting for Te’oma and Ariana to get in so they could go to the banquet together.
The dome glided through the tunnels with effortless precision, as if it had been built yesterday. It rose up through the countless levels of the complex until it reached the top floor. The door of the dome opened.
They stepped out into the dimly lit hall. Soft, haunting music echoed quietly throughout. Hundreds of tables lay before them. Each table had a small floating orb above it, lighting the room. All of the tables were surrounded with Intari people. At the head of the hall sat an extra-large table. To the right was a wide deck that protruded from the mountain.
Dengrid sat alone at the head table. He got to his feet and the hall fell quiet. The Intari all turned to face in Te’oma’s direction and started clapping. Dengrid motioned for the five of them to join him at the table.
Te’oma hadn’t often been in a large crowd before, and never one that was cheering him. Ariana and Julius seemed to be equally uncomfortable but, strangely, Xerxes and Sky appeared right at home amid the jubilation.
They took their places at the table and the room fell quiet once more. Te’oma made sure he sat at the end of the table, as far away from attention as possible. Dengrid raised his glass into the air.
“Friends, it is my great pleasure to introduce the five people who have given the people of the Intari a second chance. The first step in the rebirth of our civilization is complete. It’s now up to all of you to make it a reality,” said Dengrid.
While Dengrid waffled on, Te’oma’s attention was broken by the moonlight glimmering in from the balcony. He looked out and daydreamed about roaming around the world freely. He was snapped out of his trance when the Shadow appeared on the balcony. The Shadow simply stared at him. The crowd started clapping. “Cheers!” they all said as they tapped their glasses together. Te’oma looked up and smiled at Dengrid.
Everybody’s attention was quickly taken by the food that had arrived at their tables and, while they all dug into their meals, Te’oma made his way to the balcony.
The balcony had a glass base. The trees below looked like a small specks. Te’oma put his hands on the handrail and breathed in the cool evening air. The wispy clouds hung in front of the moon, diffusing the light.
Dengrid walked up to Te’oma and stared out into the distance. “He’s coming, isn’t he?” asked Dengrid.
“Who?” asked Te’oma.
“You know who I speak of. We are not blind, young man. We’ve seen the Shadow trailing you, protecting you. Where the Shadow goes, dragons surely follow,” said Dengrid.
“You don’t need to worry. It’s a fight I plan to take on myself. You just need to get your people into the tunnels and away from his reach,” said Te’oma.
“We will not leave you to fight this beast alone. I have one hundred of my best men ready to follow you in the morning. I among them,” said Dengrid.
“I can’t allow that,” said Te’oma.
“I don’t recall asking for your permission,” snapped Dengrid. He turned to face Te’oma and looked deeply into his eyes. “Do you really believe that you and the Shadow can take on Antastus and his armies alone?”
Te’oma leaned over the balcony. “Can I ask you one favour?” enquired Te’oma.
“I will personally make sure she leaves with the others,” said Dengrid, knowing already what Te’oma was going to ask for.
“Thank you,” said Te’oma.
Dengrid turned around to face the hall. “She will not understand,” said Dengrid.
“And she can never know why it must be this way. If she knew what I was walking into she would surely not leave,” said Te’oma, as Dengrid walked back into the hall.
Julius walked out onto the balcony. “Were you planning on telling me?” asked Julius.
“I had hoped you would look after Ariana,” said Te’oma.
“She has Xerxes and Sky for that and, besides, these are my people. I will stand by your side,” said Julius.
“What about the lost city, and Jade?” asked Te’oma.
“If I ever found her again what would I tell her? That I turned my back on our people?” said Julius. Te’oma turned around and walked back into the room with Julius. Ariana stood on the dance floor with her hand stretched out towards Te’oma.