The Balancer: The Unknown Within

Chapter 13

          I was having a difficult time sleeping for the remainder of the night. The branches tapped on the window as the wind twirled them across a midnight blue dance floor. I could hear chatter from outside the door,but couldn't make out what words were said. I knew it had to be something with me.
           Atlas and Sierra came back into the room. Atlas seemed to refuse eye contact with me and went to the window. Through it he stared off into the midnight horizon. All the while Sierra sat beside me and asked a question.
I snapped out of my daze and asked her to repeat.
           She repeated," Are you alright with taking a trip?"
           "Yes," I replied," Where are we going?"
          "We are going to an archive which might have the information we need," Atlas interrupted," but not only that. We need you to tell us more about you and your past on the way."
         "I thought you would know, Atlas?" I questioned curiously.
         He gave a slight smile and went back to a deliberate tone," Yes, but don't forget. I was a little kid too. And now my memories of those days are very much a blur."
        I nodded and agreed to tell them what I remembered. As I spilled out my entire life story-literally- to them as we walked to wherever we needed to.
  ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
"That's all I remember,honestly," I said with relief. They both had they're heads down.
       "Wow," Serra said in a quiet tone,"you have been through a lot. But, I do have one question?"
      "Name it."
      She continued she,"Do you have any siblings?"
      I was a little taken a back by her. I felt that there was someone but when I thought about it a blur came to mind. An unfocused blur of which no one was visible."No," I replied as I tried to hide my uncertainty,"Why do you ask?"
"The way you described your father sounded a lot like how Kianne described hers," she replied curiously.
"Regardless, it's probably coincidence," Atlas interrupted,"By the way, we're here."
I looked up to the ginormous wooden doors and saw Atlas and Serra walking over to a boulder place not to far. I walked over and they managed to move it. Behind it, a small tunnel which I assumed led inside. They said this place had answers. I need to find more about what I am. I ran ahead through the dark, damp tunnel and on the other side an enormous hall lined with old books and artifacts.
Gwendolyn. I heard a gentle voice calling to me. The voice was inviting and filled my soul with warmth.
           I followed the noise oblivious to Serra and Atlas calls for me to wait. The voice repeated get louder with each step I took in its direction I was entranced by its harmonious speech and diction. Until the voice stopped and I noticed that I was in another room one with a small font in the center of a large mural. The font was without water and it brittle masonry was crumbling.
What is this place? I walked toward the mural and felt a small shift in the floor. Rumbling filled the hall and I stumbled to the floor covering my head in case of rock fall.
         The rumbling ceased and a pedestal with an old wooden case stood prominently in the center of the withered font. I stepped closer and a gold lock became apparent. I recognized the symbol. I grabbed my locket and looked at the weaving symbol of vines with a lotus centered in the bronze. I placed the emblem onto the lock and the wooden box opened.
        "Gwen! What are you doing?"called Atlas running toward me. His face smacked against an invisible barrier.
Gwendolyn. The voice cried once more and seemed to be coming from the box. I turned back around ignoring Atlas and Serra's calls to stop. Even if I wanted to my body wasn't planning to. All the while I walked to the box and grasped the sides. I flipped the lid to the box and found a small orange  crystal orb. I picked it up and looked back at my locket. There were small indents about the same size as the crystal. I brought it closer and the orb flew into the center socket and fashioned itself to my locket.
           I looked at the pendant now decorated with the gorgeous, flaming stone. A sudden headache consumed me and I fell to knees. I closed my eyes but when I opened them I saw my home in shambles and my mother appeared to be looking for something. Then I heard her say,"I never should have kept her alive. I knew should have just killed her and taken her power to begin with. I'll bring Gwendolyn's power to him or die trying. So long as she is still oblivious. I'm safe."
Mom? What is she talking about? What power? I have to get home. I need to know what is going on. I closed my eyes and opened them again. I found myself on the cold stone floor. Atlas and Serra were on either side of me preparing to lift me up.
          "Wait," said Atlas,"She is awake."
          " Gwen, are you alright? You were knocked out cold when we got past the barrier. What happened?" Serra began questioning.
          "I think I saw my mother...in my old house. It was devastated. Books were everywhere, covers and pillows scattered across the floor. And my mom was looking for some power that I apparently have or had and she says she needed to take it from me,"  I replied slightly dizzy and confused.
           Atlas kneeled down,"How did you see your mother? She is no where near here."
          "I don't know, but I saw her."
          "That charm wasn't on your locket before. What is it?" asked Serra.
         "You're asking me? I don't know I thought you would."
         "I think I have an old friend that might know. It'll be hard to get to her but I'm sure she would want to hear about you," Atlas interrupted.
         "I thought you said we wouldn't tell anyone else about my being here? Yet we are going to tell someone else." I questioned. Make up your mind.
          "I think Rina would love to hear about you," Atlas rebuked.
          "Rina?! She doesn't need to know about us letting a human stay in Vertica !" Serra interrupted shocked by Atlas' suggestion.
           "Rina? Who is Rina?" I asked puzzled.
          "She is our queen.Rina is an old friend and I help her with connections and maintenance, I suppose," Atlas said calmly.
          "So you are planning on telling the highest being in power that you have an illegal human within your city and expect them to help us?" I asked.
          "Yes," Atlas replied in a serious tone.
          "Fine. When are we going?" Serra asked conceding to his dangerous plan.
           "Hopefully in a few days. I think we all need some rest after what just happened."
           We both nodded and began to walk back to Serra's home. All the while I felt a strange sense of insecurity. Something horrible,I felt, was going to happen with that Rina person. I simply couldn't fully trust her. However, I trusted Atlas with my life and I am willing to do anything to get some answers as to what has been going on. Especially if it means finding out what power I have that my mother could possibly want. All would come in due time,I supposed.