Meridian Chronicles: Keepers & The Soul Key (#4)

Chapter 12 Pt 2

Of course, the mouth of the group who had been jabbering away at his nymph interest only stopped his squawking upon notice of the stop in movement. "Uh, so what is this?" Relic put his hands up leaving Lotus to herself. Relic made his way aside Orion, who was taking the careful study at the cave dweller. "So what gives? This guy, he hasn't said a word and we follow him down her in this weird-ass cave and now what?" Relic snorted and turned to look back at the rest of the group who all shared the same look. A look of shut the hell up would be putting it lightly. Even Meridian who was already a little moody with her conversation with Aiden crossed her arms and tapped her foot in agitation.

Relic rolled his eyes and hissed and turned to face the individual seated in the corner. "You don't talk much do ya?" Relic leaned forward with an obnoxious grin and took his hand grasping the seam of the hood as if to pull it back. Their new acquaintance sat still, without so much as a flinch. Just before Relic was set to pull the hood back exposing the stranger, large, thick- and a dark-skinned hand grabbed Relic's hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Orion's humble demeanor took a moment's vacation leaving peek at what he could become, just as he did in the dark realm when protecting his friends.

Relic froze, with his eyes just as equally froze on Orion's hand. He cut his eyes upward at Orion and said, "Okay, I won't do that. Can you release my hand before you break it off? I can't grow a new one."

Orion released Relic's hand but his face was incredulous as his amber eyes set on Relic. He slowly backed away from the strange cave keeper. "So can I name him? He or it doesn't talk. How about caveman? Does that work?"

Kieren marched up to Relic who stood staring up at the large fairy with his idiotic question. "Relic, you are really an ass sometimes. Maybe he or she can't talk? Don't say 'it'...geez. How is it you have any friends? This individual lead us here and you are insulting."

Meridian meanwhile had taken a few steps back with the exchange that took place, searching the cave floor for a rock or something to write and draw with. Not too far off, her eyes landed a small rock silhouette in the darkness. She pushed through and handed the rock to Orion, who slowly reached his hand out to take the rock with an accompanied look of confusion.

"So our friend can communicate?" Meridian said with a cocked eyebrow while she shifted her weight to one hip.

Orion's face lit up, exposing his beaming white smile and with a snicker, he said, "Of course, Meridian. I am sorry. I will try."

Orion reached forward slowly and stopped a bit as if to try to make eye contact with eyes that no one could see. His humble hand lay open and flat exposing the small rock in his palm. The caveman, as Relic called the new friend, did not move or offer to even take the rock from Orion's hand. Instead, he leaned over and shuffled his hand back under the wood chair for a couple of seconds. He then proceeded to pull out an old scroll that looked to be several hundred years old. The quiet cave dweller pulled the scroll, exposing the thick paper that appeared to be a light tan color, but with many years of wear tarnished gave it a dusky hue.

Kieren and now Aiden, who had pushed his way to the front of the group to witness the exchange, crowded the strange new friend. Their eyes widened in an attempt to get a better look in the darkened cave as they crowded him in his old chair. Karma and the Nymphs took sight at what the creature brought out and within a moment, Karma took the lead pushing the eager guides out of her way.

As Karma stood next to the scroll, the necklace with the red stone she wore began to glow, as it did the many times she would proceed in a spell or act of magic when fighting the dark ones. Her chin and high cheekbones lit up ruby red with every pulsing emission of the stone. Everyone's eyes gazed upon the bright stone, whilst Karma's eyes were locked and widened as she stared at the cloaked figure.

Talon said, "Karma, does your necklace always do that?"

The other nymphs stood in silence, keeping their eyes to the ground in hopes to escape any further inquiries when Talon turned toward them looking for an answer. After scanning them closely, Talon turned his attention to Orion.

"Orion, what is going on?" Talon remained suspicious. "I have seen that stone light in the face of demons, or for magical purposes. What do we all not know?"

Orion cut his eyes toward the corner, looking down at Karma when he took his elbow and nudged Karma. Breaking her eye contact she drew a sharp breath and held it for just a moment before she spoke out. "This stone was given to me by Selena, a long time ago. This stone represents magic of course, but it also represents something very valuable to Selena that we do not speak of. I will not speak of it, that is for her. If she wants too. This is not anything that you need to be worried about, I assure you. It is of no consequence to our mission."

Meridian stared at the stone and then her eyes met Karma's. They seemed saddened, but protective. "Karma, does this have anything to do with this scroll? Or whatever this paper is? Is it Selena's?"

Orion studied Meridian's face, "Meridian, now is not the time. I see it that you sense more than you understand. In time, and if so, Selena may decide to share a little more of herself. But as you know, she has never been one to muster any details beyond necessity."