In the Twinkle of an Eye

Into the Depths

As the first foot landed on the ancient wooden stairs, a large creak shrieked and bounced around the cold stone walls like a hundred broken backs. There was no barrier, no safety perimeter and the steps were only three feet wide, descending lower and lower into a pit of black hope.

They finally reached the bottom to find a warm room to the skin, but cold to the bones. A distinct smell of old earth hung in the air as the rest of the group made It onto the crooked clay floor. The distant pin prick of light like a feeble matchstick above, soon vanished with a loud metallic crash leaving them in the dark belly of the blackness. The feeling of apprehension shook the air as the room descended into a deathly silence.

"Ormanta illume chron ama-sneerh" boomed the powerful voice of the old man, shaking the whole room, nay the whole earth. A long, illuminous strip of burning blue exploded from the darkness behind them and began to make its way in a circle around to the front of the room; and then another just below. A laser-like lime green immediately followed and then finally a bolt of razer violet appeared to emanate from one of the bricks on the wall; then another and another like dotted circle of thunderbolts around the room.

An emanant glow of the lava lamp lights appeared to ease some of the tension, as everybody marvelled in amazement. Belle's face turned ghost white as she was able to take a good look at the height of their fall if any of them was to make a wrong step on the tedious ancient stairs.

In the middle of the room lay a round wooden table, with four chairs at the northeast south and west. The northern chair was the largest of the four, with a cherry red velvet cushion placed neatly on the seat. Placed on the table, in front of each seat, was an open book with a candle placed beside it, a quill and an ink pot. The huge stones that constructed the walls all the way up to the top, though in pristine condition, were antiquities of exuberant peculiarity and if one was to unfocus their eyes, they would be certain they were breathing. Covering the walls, underneath the rings of light were various ornamental tapestries, draped with strange but somehow familiar symbols. Straight ahead, directly behind the northern throne of the table, stood a gargantuan wooden door of about twenty feet in height and eight feet in width.

Belle gasped, not at the immensity of the door, but of the ancient looking symbols inscribed there on it. She walked over as if she was summoned by a powerful force of intrigue and began to examine the symbols. She scratched her chin and then clicked her fingers.

'These are the exact same symbols that are on the door of the Mearden Street Library!' Announced Belle with great surprise. The old leader of the Guardians gave her a look and smiled.

'So, it would appear that you are of great importance, perhaps even a descendent of the Goddess herself.'

Like a hammer smashing into his mind, a brief sense of familiarity and understanding flashed for an instant. Turning and looking at Belle with a heavy heart, an imagine arose from the deepest depths of his memory and inscribed itself into his awareness, a memory from one of his flashbacks. He nodded and smiled, hiding his concern as Belle caught his glance, breaking her astonishment.

'Kaiser, is something wrong, I feel like there's something you aren't telling me?' Said Belle sensing he knew something more.

'I'm just a little perplexed about the whole thing. I do get the sense, though, that you are related to the Goddess. In fact, I know it!' In that moment another image flashed into his mind's eye. The image was of a broken-hearted looking woman from one of his dreams. His vision was disrupted by his involuntary turn to the leader of the guardians who was keenly observing him.

'Listen, you mentioned before that someone else was here and that the outcome of this whole situation lies on a swords edge. What exactly is it that you mean? You've told us nothing and I want answers!' Demanded Kaiser. 'Who, exactly, is this person? What is this battle that you are speaking of? He walked over to the leader sternly but was surrounded by the rest of the guardians suspecting danger. The old man moved them aside and stepped forward and cleared his throat.