The Last Prince of Rennaya - Draft

Keystone

Belo led them through a tunnel, past a large door, covered by rubble. They cleared it, then continued through. Because of curiosity, Sarah heard them, disturbing her expedition site, and decided to tag along.

"Where are we going?"

She asked Belo.

He looked back at her, as he led the way, with a brightly lit fireball in his palms.

"A place only permitted on special visits and a site for pilgrimage for some tribes. There used to be a second entrance, but it was destroyed during the invasion. It is called the -----."

Cobwebs lined the walls, as geckos, mice, and other small insects scurried around the descending tunnel.

There was a sharp turn, then a left. After a dozen more meters, they stopped, at a large room. Only visible, by a faint ray of light. However, Tobi helped Belo light the room. They were shocked by the ancient drawing and glyphs, fading around the room. In the middle, a glowing cube taking up half of the wall, protruded slightly out of it, as if placed there intentionally.

The cube glowed magma red, pulsing lava, through its cracks, like rivers. On the cube's surface were writings, written in different handwriting and ink. The entire cube seemed to shimmer every so often. At the bottom right of it, a fist-sized hole, outlined in a black metal-like casing, rested unnaturally, throwing off the whole aesthetic.

"Woah! No way something like this is down here. Sarah, we gotta take a picture of this."

Tobi tried reading what was on the cube, but it was written in an ancient language. He looked at his brother, squinting his eyes at the texts on the massive cube.

"Can you read this?"

Osei shook his head.

"I can, but it's written in very old writing, making it hard for me to interpret."

Tobi looked once more at the cube. The words started to translate slowly to English, with the help of his contacts.

Belo walked in front of both of them and called Sarah's attention, who was busy, taking professional pictures of the entire room.

"If I may... These texts are from, ancient times. Last updated about 2 million years ago."

Tobi, Osei, and Sarah were shocked.

Sarah spoke up, in disbelief.

"How's that possible? The earliest writing system, for our species, wasn't developed until 3500 B.C., with the Sumerian Cuneiform, also, what material can survive for that long? Are you saying, there were civilizations, capable of passing down knowledge as far as 2 million years ago?"

Belo smiled.

"All I know is what's been deciphered, through these texts."

He touched the stone. His handprint showed up, then disappeared.

"These stones were not only meant to pass down knowledge but also to warn of the Dark One. A being, that wiped out the ancient kingdom and scattered all of the races."

Tobi shook his head.

"The Dark One. Why am I hearing so much about them? Shouldn't it be dead right now?"

Belo shook his head and chuckled.

"Some believe it to be a fairy tale, a myth, or a fable, but the Dark One is not a creature of the Earth like us, or the children of Atlas. It is said to be roaming the universe, hoping to make itself whole once more."

He sensed more questions incoming but raised his finger to continue.

"There's more. Before its destruction, the leaders of the ancient kingdom constructed these cubes, called keystones, made out of versillium, blood, and other contents lost through time, all to preserve these texts and lead the chosen ones, to the Alcore. A supposed piece and important part of the dark ones soul, that can grant the owner immense power and any of their wishes."

He paused to take a breath and walked over to the hole on the bottom right of the cube.

Before he could speak, Tobi blurted out.

"There's no way, we got all of this, just from one cube?"

Belo laughed, lightly.

"No. I've been interested in ancient history since I was a child. Rennayan historians and archeologists got together with the scientists from other planets and because of the help of other nations, sharing their keystones, we we were able to piece together and maintain the true history."

He pointed at the hole.

"Those chosen by the people must gather all 200 keystones. Of which, 10, like this one, will lead you to the Alcore."

Saphyra was baffled by all of this information. She was surprised that there was no mention of the keystones in any hard drives they've seized and in the remains of children of Atlas. As well as her future self.

"That must be Atlas's goal. Picking out 200 guardians, like his children for the keystones."

Belo nodded at her words.

"It's possible since your followers will have to trust you and thrust their arms inside these holes, to unlock the seal for the Alcore."

Osei stepped back in disbelief. How had he gone on for so long, without such knowledge?

Jelani was ecstatic to hear all of this, once again, but she had never been down below to personally see the keystone. She was entranced by its design and constant glow.

Tobi walked closer to it. Almost able to read about sixty percent of texts written across the stone.

"Wow, if this was all part of some book, it would be an epic for the ages."

A voice paralyzed them, from above.

"A true epic, it would be, indeed."

Descending slowly out of the hole, letting out a faint ray of light. A being they dreaded facing this early on.

Atlas had arrived.