Mars Underneath The Sceptre of Eternity

Secrets of Blades

When the solar eclipse commenced, and the gate's shadow became larger than the gate; all contestants started digging the ground around the periphery of the Sun Dial. Alavaira was performing his special prayers and rituals at the seashore; Amerik was digging the ground with others, but, their effort yielded no fruit. There was no sign of the legendary swords inside the ground.

"We are misled." Arold told coldly; "nothing is here." He said.

Emereon said, "Start digging the entire ground."

"No, you are not permitted to do that." The caretaker of the lighthouse said.

Arold brought out his sword and put it on his neck, "You are an ordinary soldier; keep your mouth shut." He was looking ferocious.

"It's the King's order."

"Ergonn is my brother-in-law," Emereon said; "I'll manage him."

"No, you're not permitted." He tried to free himself from the clutch of Arold's sword. But Arold pressed it more tightly.

"Ahhh!" Blood appeared on the man's neck. Now Amerik could not remain silent. He pushed away Arold from the soldier. Arold fall on the ground.

"How dare you're alien?" Emereon shouted.

All contestants brought out their blades and jumped on Amerik. Though Amerik was not skilled in sword fighting, but he tried to learn. King Ergonn had provided him a sword which he was not allowed to carry inside Dei Manaret; but he could practice in the outer courtyard.

With his sword, Amerik stopped joint attack of Arold, Emereon and Cazol. He applied his strength and freed himself from their attack. He heard footsteps behind him; he bent down his head and heard the noise of slicing sword in the air. It was Trevor; but he was not alone, Jaylon joined him.

Amerik noticed that his enemies had a tendency of attacking from the back and they hardly care about the rules of sword fighting. So, Amerik decided to move swiftly to avoid their treacherous attack. He was gaining a victory; he unarmed Cazol and Jaylon; D'eimeonn got an injury on his head. One by one, all other contestants fell on the ground and they lost their swords to him. However, Arold was stronger than any of them.

Amerik realised that the solar eclipse ended but they did not get anything.

"Stop fighting!" a cold voice said.

Arold and Amerik turned back; it was King Ergonn; he was followed by a group of warlords and soldiers. All of the contestants stood on their feet and bent their heads forward to bow to the King.

"I am shocked to see that none of you deciphered the riddle." Ergonn said and raised his sceptre high in the air, "no one."

"This riddle was too hard to break, King Ergonn;" The Grand Seer said; "I asked Grand Healer Pailus Acquillum to make it like that. We still have some time;" he looked at the contestants who were looking disappointed.

"We still have time; you are right, this sundial and the gate's shadow will lead you to your destiny; but 'how'? You have to find the answer. Today's solar eclipse is a consequence; it has no relation to your task. Your time begins now and you'll get only the half of the Hour of Matines." He declared.

Amerik felt helpless; Alavaira was not with him now. He looked down to the Martian soil; suddenly, his glance fell on the sundial; it was a flat plate like a grey stone piece on which a triangular gnomon was placed; the gnomon casts its shadow on the plate and hourlines indicate the hours. There was nothing new in it, but he could not understand the importance of the gate and its shadow. The gate casts its shadow in a peculiar way; it was an arch shaped gate, but one of its pillar's shadows fell outside the sundial; that was why contestants started digging up soil around the stone plate. However, the entire gate was not casting its shadow, but only the left column of it casts shadows; but in a peculiar way. The gate's column's shadow was falling on the Hour of Twilight and indicating the sunset hour. He also noticed finer lines around the sundial engraved on the soil.

"Reverse Sundial." Amerik shouted; he saw it in archaeological ruins only; reverse sundial was once used in ancient world as 'geocache' or global positioning system. He recalled Alavaira's words that the gate pillar's shadow helped in understanding the cardinal direction; it always indicated west, not north, unlike the Earth's geocache. He sat down on the sundial and touched the place where the gate's shadow was falling. The sundial was not a fixed plate, but movable. As the plate moved, a big hollow placed appeared, in which Amerik saw a gold chest.

"Excellent." The King shouted. Amerik noticed other contestants were looking at him coldly. He opened the chest and saw nine swords placed in golden scabbards. His jaw dropped.

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