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The Awakening of a Hero
The Village of Crysta
Ark moaned in his sleep.
Ark....free me....free the world...
Ark rolled over.
Ark.....free the spirit of the Earth...Ark....
Ark kicked the blankets off of himself.
Ark.....Ark....Ark....
" Ark." Elle stood over her sleeping friend. " Ark, wake up."
Ark groaned and rolled over onto his back.
" Ark..." Elle teased, as she leaned down and kissed his lips. " Wake up...."
Ark awoke with a gasp for air. Elle jumped back in surprise. He awoke to find himself shivering. He stared upward as his vision came into focus. The taste of sleep sat in the back of his throat, sulking and refusing to move as he swallowed. His eyes followed a shower of dust particles that shimmered in the orange light that shown through the window.
Taking a deep breath, he attempted to calm himself.
" Ark! Are you alright? " Elle gasped.
Ark lay in his bed breathing deeply. He rubbed his eyes, still tired. He was much more surprised that he was still in his bed, than of Elle waking him.
" Good morning." He said, as he reached to hug her.
He sat up in his creaking bed, as he pulled her close.
"Are you alright, Ark?" Elle repeated. " You look like you were having a nightmare."
" I was." Ark began. He looked over at Elle.
Oh Gaia. She is beautiful.
Her long violet, red hair matched her dress. It was almost as if she had woven her dress specifically to match. Her fair complexion was much like Ark’s. Both were an extreme pale white. Her blue eyes also matched Ark’s. She stood only a few inches shorter than he, and had a figure that was uncomparable to the other women of Crysta.
" Every night, and even during the days, I keep having these strange reoccurring dreams." Ark explained. " Always the same thing. A voice asking me to resurrect life on the Earth."
" What is the Earth?" Elle asked.
" I don’t know." Ark began. " All I know is that in this dream, Im supposed to save it."
" This is strange Ark." She began. " I never have had a dream more than once."
" Maybe it has some importance to it." Ark began. "Maybe...."
" Ark." Elle began. " I never expected you to say such things. Maybe you should go outside. There is Crystal Blue in the air and it is beautiful. Maybe it will help you relax and get whatever it is off of your mind. Or maybe you should see the Elder. He knows everything."
Her last line held a sarcastic note to it. Ark caught it and flashed a smile.
Elle headed to the door.
" I have to go, Ark," She sighed. "The other weavers are waiting. I knew that I would be busy today so I wanted to see you at least once." She turned to Ark. " I love you." She smiled. " I really do." She headed for the door. " Maybe later we can watch the Crystal Blue together."
Ark’s bedroom door closed.
Ark leapt out of bed as fast as his heart was leaping in his chest. He wanted to rush to tell her that he loved her too, but he knew that the other boys were waiting outside. Eighteen years of loving her had gone by. Eighteen years of knowing her had gone by.
At nineteen, Ark was physically in good shape. He had the body of a man, while still keeping the features of a child. He knew of his looks. He had been told many times of how good he looked. And he carried his attitude with this knowledge. He didn’t consider himself conceded, just extremely gifted.
Much like Elle, and all of the residents of Crysta, Ark had a pale complexion. He also had deep blue eyes, like Elle. But unlike Elle’s violet long hair, Ark had short golden blond hair that sprung up in every direction around a headband. He had worn this headband for as long as he could remember.
He crossed the room, heading to the large wooden doorway. He passed his desk and his bookshelf along the way. And with a firm grasp of the day ahead, and the doorknob, he stepped out into the rest of the house.
As he had thought before, the other boys were waiting for him.
Brandon and Alan stood at the foot of Alan’s bed in their room. Ark’s room was joined to theirs by Ark’s bedroom door. Usually it was their music that kept Ark awake, but now Ark would have found it soothing. It took hours to sleep. Throughout the past few months, the nightmares had been increasing.
" No Alan..." Brandon complained. " I should be the one singing this."
" You can’t sing." Alan argued." Besides, I play the piano and sing. Therefore, I should be the one that gets the song."
" Arguing again?" Ark said, walking in. " Good morning."
" Oh look." Brandon taunted " The lover boy. Did Elle wake you up?"
" No, she was just watching me sleep." Ark said sarcastically. He never could stand Brandon. No one could stand Brandon..
Childish, conceded, brat. Ark thought, with a smile. He reminds me of someone....but I don’t know who.
Ark turned to Alan.
" Nice day?" Ark asked.
" Yeah, the Crystal Blue is flying today again." Alan replied. " Do you know what the Elder told me?" Alan looked at Ark.
" What?" Ark asked
" He said that the Crystal Blue are the tears from the outside world." Alan’s face scrunched in concentration. " What does that mean?"
"I don’t know." Ark replied. " Is the Elder in a good mood this morning? I need to see him."
" Is the Elder ever in a good mood?" Brandon replied. As annoying as Brandon was, he was also right. The Elder was seldom in a tolerable mood.
" And he won’t be happy to see you Ark." Alan added. " Not after yesterday."
Ark winced. He had hoped that the news wouldn’t travel. But then, in a town this small, it always seemed to.
" I still got to talk to him." Ark said. " I’ll talk to you guys later."
As Ark opened the door leading to the dining room, he could hear Alan and Brandon’s argument beginning again.
The dining room was like the rest of the Elder’s house. Ordinary. In fact, it was just like every other house in Crysta. There was one exception. In the east corner of the dining room stood a doorway leading to the basement. No other house in Crysta had a basement. Curiosity always washed over Ark as he passed the basement door. But due to the Elder’s rules, he along with anyone else, had never entered.
Have I always lived under these conditions? Once in a great while, Ark would entertain himself with thoughts of his past. The little he remembered from his past.
For as long as I can remember I have lived here, with the other boys of the village. We have lived with the Elder. But who are my parents? Who.....
The thoughts always led to the same conclusions. Ark really knew nothing of his heritage or that of anyone else.
In the dining room sat the four remaining boys living under the shelter of the Elder.
Lucas, second oldest only to Ark sat at the head of the table. Morris and George sat at Lucas’s right eating a cold cereal. And young Ronald sat alone at Lucas’s left watching the others eat. There was a certain pecking order in the boys at the home. Luckily though, Ark was at the top.
Ark’s high priority led to the other boys jealousy.
Lucas looked up at Ark with cold eyes as he entered.
He wants to be at the top. Ark thought as he met Lucas’s glare. He wants my room, my priority..He wants Elle..
" You never give up do you, Ark? " Lucas began.
" What now?" Ark asked crossing the room.
As he crossed by the entrance to the basement, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
Ark....Ark....free me.....help me....Ark...... Ark shook his head. The words sang from the wooden basement door. They poured out of the cracks in the wood. They hummed in the imperfections. The tune of the pleas swirled in the air surrounding Ark’s head.
Ark shook his head again. Its the dream. He thought. Its just the dream, still in my head.
" I heard that you ruined everything over at the Weaver’s" Lucas continued.
Ark cleared his head.
" Is it a sign of your maturity?" Lucas continued. " I don’t remember any of us ever doing anything like that."
" I was just playing around." Ark began. " Besides, it was more the chickens fault than mine."
" I heard the Elder say that if you do one more thing like that," Lucas taunted. " That you will be kicked out of the big, private, bedroom reserved for the oldest."
" Hmm. " Ark returned " I wonder who would benefit from that?"
" I’m just telling you because I care...." Lucas attempted.
" Of course you do." Ark replied. " That’s why you never hesitate to tell him when I do something wrong." Ark continued past the table. " I’m going to talk to the Elder now. " Ark glared at the others. " Try not to choke on your breakfast."
Ark opened the door to the Elder’s room and let it slam behind him.
I hate this house. Ark thought to himself. I’ve hated it as long as I can remember.He paused as he saw the Elder’s shape in the darkness.
Sitting in the dark, on a rug, the Elder appeared no more than four feet tall.
Well. Let’s see how much trouble Im in today....
Ark stepped forward.
The Elder, master of this household, and the surrounding village, was nearing four hundred years old.
At least that’s what he tells us.Ark thought. For as long as I can remember.....
His white beard covered most of his face. But in contrast, his bald head gleamed when it interrupted the path of light. A long dark, moss colored robe hung over his tired bones.
" Sit down" The elder ordered, without opening his eyes or moving his head.
Ark took his place on the carpet along with the Elder. He sat directly across from the Elder, which was his spot when the Elder gave is daily lesson.
" I..." Ark began.
" Ark!" The Elder jutted, demanding silence.
Ark hushed and looked at the carpet.
" I hear that yesterday you ruined all of the weavings at the weaver’s hall." The Elder began. "Ark, why must you always misbehave?"
" It was more the chickens fault than mine..." Ark whined, rationalizing. " I mean...yes it was me who chased the chickens into the hall but they didn’t have to fly around wrecking things..."
" Ark!" The Elder hushed.
" I’m sorry..." Ark began. " I should not have...."
" I’m not angered by your behavior Ark." The elder began.. " I am more saddened. There is so little time left..."
" Time?" Ark began.
The Elder’s eyes glazed over as he stared in the distance. He stared in Ark’s direction, but not at him. The Elder seemed to stair through him. His breath came in deep long drawls. A slight wheezing sound was all that escaped from the Elder.
" Elder?" Ark began again. " What do you mean by time?"
The Elder returned from his trance.
" Ark!" The elder hushed. " Enough of your feeble excuses. You must go an apologize to the Weavers at once.!"
Ark stood, and with a half bow turned around. He was glad that no light entered this room because he did not want to see the anger that was surging on the Elder’s face. He opened the door and left the room without looking back.
" The Elder sounded very happy to see you." Lucas greeted, sarcastically.
" You left an ear print on the door." Ark replied, without turning to acknowledge Lucas. Without another word, he headed to the entryway of the house.
" I hope everything goes well at the Weaver’s." Lucas called." I’d hate for Elle to be mad. She seemed a little annoyed when she found out."
Fire burned inside of him. Furious with rage, Ark spun around.
" You told her?" Ark steamed. He crossed back to the table. He slammed his fist into the table, half angry at Lucas’ snitching, and half angry that he had allowed Lucas to get to him.
" She is an apprentice of the weaver’s." Lucas began calmly. " She had every right to know."
Ark turned back towards the door.
" When I return, we will talk." Ark said calmly as he walked towards the door.
" That’s all you have to say?" Lucas cried. " You can’t even stick up for yourself?"
" Relax for a while Lucas.’ Ark said. " I already have enough to deal with from eh Elder. I don’t need any more trouble."
As calmly as he could, he closed the door and stepped out into the orange light.
Oh Gaia. I hate this place. He thought. I hate Lucas. I hate the Elder for keeping me here. Why am I still here?
The heat from above felt good, but did nothing to help his mood. The faint breeze, a slight cooling of the outside air blew against this face. It was a cool and clear day and the heavy scent of water and vegetation hung in the air. Yet, even looking up towards the Crystal Blue floating by didn’t help his attitude.
Like pink bubbles, the Crystal Blue glimmered in the light. Each different from the next, no two were alike.
I can see things reflected in the Crystal Blue. Ark thought as he watched it flow by. I can see people I have never met, and places that I have never been before. I can see places unlike anything in Crysta. But there is not anything other than Crysta...at least I don’t remember anything other than Crysta.
He stood watching it, trying to understand it, like he did every day. Always, he would sit and watch the beautiful red sky, flowing like liquid, giving off heat. He would watch it bubble and burst far away from him. Unreachable, so familiar, yet so different. The Crystal Blue soared in and out of his vision, like living creatures. They seemed to make their own choices and directions.
What is Crystal Blue? Another question that always popped into his mind.
The crackling sound of the liquid sky, far above, startled him. Suddenly, he remembered his task and stepped away from the door. He passed the familiar faces of the villagers along the way. Each villager doing his or her own task at hand. The farmer picked pumpkins and placed them aside to take to the village shop to the south.
The buildings in the town of Crysta left an impression of ancient design. Each house seemed almost identical to the next. Each house was connected by the stone floor of a large pathway that traveled throughout the small village.
The path to the Weaver’s Hall led past his own house and many of the other houses of Crysta. All designed relatively the same. All villagers did relatively the same task. As a source of food and life, chickens and vegetables were abundant.
Yet to Ark, things didn’t always seem right.
Nothing ever seems right. Ark thought. Aside from Elle....
As Ark passed a garden, he glanced uncertainly at the crops. Even the shapes of the crops eluded him. The way that the potatoes grew, with their brown bulbs sticking out of the ground, and their long stems and leaves firmly buried in the dirt. It was the same with radishes. Everything seemed so...
Opposite...Ark thought. Everything seems so opposite. Even me...even....Elle.... Like in my dreams...everything I know seems to be wrong...
The door to the Weaver’s hall was closed.
They don’t want to repeat yesterday....
Much like the other cottages, the weaver’s hall had two floors, white walls, a large entryway and dining room and two separate sleeping rooms. Large weavings draped over the inner walls.
Well, weavings used to drape the walls...Ark smiled. Before I let the chickens loose on them.
Ark knocked on the door. A tingle raced up his spine as the doorknob began to turn.
They won’t want to see me.
The weaver’s were bound to be angry. Ark, as much as he liked trouble, didn’t like the consequences.
With a half turn of the knob, the door opened and Elle peeked out.
" Ark..." Elle began.
" Elle." Ark explained. " I know that Lucas told you that...."
" I know what you did." Elle admitted, shaking her head. " Ark, how could you do that?"
" I’m ..I’m sorry." Ark apologized. He turned away from her gaze.
" Ark," She began. " This is my home. This is where I practice my weaving. How did you know that the chickens wouldn’t have wrecked my projects too?"
" I didn’t." Ark admitted. " I didn’t think about that."
" You need to apologize to the other weavers." Elle said. " I can’t stay mad at you forever, anyway."
"You forgive me?" Ark smiled.
" It’ll take time." Elle said. " You need to learn some maturity." She smiled as if the thought was funny. " Come in."
The door swung silently on its hinges as she opened it. Inside was the large hallway of the weavers. Ark watched Elle for a moment longer, then entered the hall. It was now unfamiliar to Ark. Large tapestries no longer hung along the walls. Sitting along the floor, five weavers sat in a circle attempting to fix the damage of the day before. Elle returned to her spot as the sixth weaver.
As Elle returned to her seat, the head weaver looked up to see Ark. Her eyes narrowed with disgust.
" What is it Ark?" The elderly woman asked. " You did not return to our dwellings to cause more trouble did you? I’ll not have it!" Her voice was sharp and precise as a sharpened blade. " If you did, You must leave now!"
" I..um.." Ark never really knew how to begin it. " I came here to apologize"
The head weavers eyes widened.
" Apologize?" She exclaimed. " You came here to apologize?"
" Yes." Ark said, sensing that she would explode in anger any minute.
" This is a surprise." The weaver smiled. " You honestly apologized. Well." A look of confusion flashed across her face. She caught a glimpse of Elle flashing her a smile." well Ark, if you understand than I can accept. But you must understand. " She began. " We pour our souls into our weavings. Elle especially." She continued. " Elle’s weavings are endowed with a special feeling that seems to evoke happiness."
Elle smiled with pride.
" I trust that you will not repeat this kind of foolishness again?" The head weaver badgered.
" I will not." Ark finished, his head bowed.
" Then you may return to you own dwellings now, Ark." The head weaver began. "Perhaps if we finish our repairs from your doings, I will release Elle for the day."
Elle smiled and turned to Ark.
" I’ll work as hard as I can." She promised, more to Ark than the head weaver.
Ark turned and headed for the door.
" Thank you." Ark began." And I am sorry."
" Thank you for the apology." The head weaver said.
Ark turned the handle to the door and once again stepped into the awaiting orange light.
Lucas banged his glass on the table.
Morris and George looked up from the silence of their breakfast with surprise.
" Why does he get the best girlfriend, the best room, the best of everything and not get in trouble when he does something wrong?" Lucas cried.
" He’s not that bad." George spoke up.
" That’s what confuses me the most." Lucas argued. " All the children of the village love him. Yet all us adults get angry with him."
" Don’t worry so much." Ronald said. " He does only have one more chance." Ronald circled around the table and stood on the opposite side of Lucas. " The Elder said so."
" That’s right." Lucas said. " But soon the Elder will not remember that this is Ark’s final chance because he is on his best behavior." Lucas growled in frustration. " If Ark did something now, while it was fresh on the Elder’s mind, then maybe he would get his long deserved punishment."
" But Ark knows this." Ronald explained. " He..."
Suddenly Ronald turned towards the basement door. He stared into it, not moving, in a trance.
" No..." Ronald said, unaware that he was being watched by the others.
" Ronald?" Lucas called.
The trance seemed to lift from him. Teary eyed, Ronald turned to the group. His breath came in short gasps as his chest rose and fell quickly.
"Ronald." Lucas said. " What is wrong?"
" Did you hear it?" Ronald cried. "That voice? Coming from the door?"
" I didn’t hear anything."Lucas said.
" I heard it." Ronald replied. " I’m not the only one. Ark and I were talking about it. He has heard it too."
" He has?" Lucas smirked.
George and Morris stared at the door shocked.
" Maybe we can use this." Lucas turned towards Ronald.
" What?" Ronald asked.
" I.." Lucas began. " Yes. I have an idea."
" What is it?" George and Morris said simultaneously.
" We all know of Ark’s curiosity." Lucas explained. " And if he believes that there is something in that basement also, then we can use this."
" We’re not allowed in the basement." Ronald said.
" We’re not going into the basement." Lucas replied. " Ark is. All we need to do is to convince him that he should go."
There was a moment of silence as each of the boys pondered the idea. They glanced towards each other as smiles began to grow on each of their faces. Light flicked in Lucas’s eyes as he imagined how his things would look in Ark’s big room.
The silence was broken by the door opening and Ark stepping into the house.
Lucas motioned for the others to be quiet.
" Follow my lead." Lucas whispered. Lucas walked over to the basement door and pulled on the knob. The door remained shut.
" Hello boys." Ark greeted entering the room.
" It won’t budge." Lucas admitted.
" What are you doing?" Ark questioned, his eyes darting from the basement door, to the closed door of the Elder’s room.
" Well guys?" Lucas said to the others. " Should we tell him?"
Ronald, Morris and George smiled and nodded an approval.
" What should you tell me?" Ark asked.
Lucas pulled on the door again.
" The Elder left shortly after you did. " Lucas explained. " We heard a noise down in the basement. We want to see what it is." Lucas smiled. " It really scared Ronald, he said you’ve heard it before too."
Lucas turned to Ark.
" In fact, maybe you can help us." Lucas said." Your the oldest and strongest. Maybe you can open it."
" I don’t know." Ark began. " The Elder will be furious."
" He won’t know. He’s not here. And besides, he cant get mad at all of us." Lucas explained. "It was my idea anyway. We just need your help to get it started."
Ark stood and stared at the doorway. A small breeze of adventure surged through him as he stared. He planted his booted feet firmly in the floor as he weighed his options.
I know that there is something down there. Something that I am not supposed to see.
He continued to think.
What could be the worst that could happen? The Elder could kick me out.
Ark saw the others watching him.
A small curve began to grow on Lucas’s lips.
I hate this place anyway. I could leave and it would be fine.
The curiosity pushed at his chest, making his heart beat faster and faster.
" Back up." He told Lucas, as he picked up a large vase from the corner of the room.
" Are you going to do it?" Lucas asked.
" Something is down there." Ark began. He held the vase in the air. " I want to see what it is."
The vase sailed through the air. It exploded in shards of clay and powder on impact with the door. As the dust cleared, the group could see a large crack had made it’s way along the center of the wooden door.
"Good job." Lucas called. "You made a crack in the door!"
Adrenaline flowed both though Ark and Lucas. Yet it flowed through each for opposite reasons.
Ark stepped back and picked up a chair from the table.
" This will do it." Lucas said, cheering him on. " You can do it."
Excitement lit up in Ark’s face as he hurled the chair. A loud, splintering sound echoed in the dining room as it collided full force with the door.
The crack expanded and in seconds collapsed in onto itself. The sound of the doors remains bouncing along the stairs was heard until it faded from existence.
All the boys stared at the blackness beyond the doorway.
Wide eyed, Ark walked towards the darkness.
"You did it." Lucas cried.
" Um..good job" Ronald called behind him as he sprinted from the room.
"What’s wrong with him?" Ark asked.
" Maybe he remembers something he had to do." Lucas suggested.
Suddenly with a loud rumbling crash, a flood of light escaped from the basement doorway and filled the room. An arctic blast of wind swirled around the four boys as the turned in circles in fright.
" What is this?" Ark yelled.
George and Morris grabbed hands and tried to make their way to the doorway. The wind tugged and squeezed each of them. The light burned into their eyes.
George grabbed the doorway and pulled Morris and himself through.
"You did this Ark." Lucas cried.
The wind lifted Ark and Lucas off of their feet. Ark closed his eyes as he was flung into one wall, and then another. His knees knocked into the table and seemed explode in pain.
Lucas yelled as his head hit the ceiling of the house. He reached up to feel the bump and felt the liquid sensation of blood flowing on his hands. He turned away from the crimson color and felt disgusted at the warmth.
A voice echoed throughout the room .
" Help me....." The squeaky voice called. " Free me..."
With a sudden rush, the light and wind of the energy flow snaked, like a living creature, out of the dining room door and outside.
" Ark." Lucas called as he hit the floor. He struggled to stand.
A few feet away, Ark stood, bracing himself against the table that had injured him moments before.
" Ark." Lucas cried. " You opened it so you take care of it."
He stumbled out of the dining room and slammed the door. Ark once again turned to the basement.
I knew that there was something down there.
His steps wobbled as his knee’s pain began to fade. The basement was once again black as night. Ark took one step under the doorway. The wooden steps creaked as Ark put this full weight on each of them. He stared down yet could only see a distance of five or six steps.
" Hello?" He called. There was no answer.
The basement tunnel seemed to be carved out of the stone in the ground. Small, cracks extended along the surface, yet it still felt smooth as Ark leaned for support. He stared into the darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust, yet things only seemed to get darker. Only a small amount of light shone through from the open doorway above. But from the looks of it, the stairway seemed to extend in a straight line.
With his courage and fear flowing back and forth attempting to come to an equilibrium, Ark stepped onto the second step.
Two. With each step, the darkness became more complete.
Three. Ark could feel energy in it. The darkness itself seemed to be throbbing with life.
Four.
Please, someone answer.
The darkness was overpowering. Ark took five more steps.
Nine. Nine more steps into darkness.
It pulled at him, pushed into him. The darkness came in waves, crashing against his face. Then just as quickly pulling it as the darkness seemed to recede.
Ten. Eleven Twelve. Thirteen. What am I doing? Fourteen. Fifteen. I can’t just keep going. How far does this staircase go? What will the Elder say? Twenty two. Twenty three. If only I had some light down here. Then I would know how far it went. Thirty six. Thirty seven. Who built this basement? Was it the elder? Forty one. Forty two.
The cellar door was far above, a speck of light high above. He took another step, the loud creak of wood echoed and cracked beneath his feet.
Don’t crack, don’t fall. Forty one. Forty two. Wait.
The musty smell of water penetrated his nostrils.
Didn’t I just pass forty one? Didn’t I already pass fifty? Oh no.
At first he had been counting his steps, counting has high as he could, trying to judge his distance below the ground. Yet in his confusion and fear, numbers seemed to elude him.
How much more can there be?
The soft dirt of the floor surprised him. He stumbled expecting another step. A soft coolness in the air touched him, causing him to forget the stuffy ness of the stairway behind him. He stepped forward into the room, no longer feeling the walls of the narrow passageway behind him.
As far underground as this passageway was, a soft blue light seemed to barely illuminate its features. And for the first time, Ark realized that he could see his surroundings.
What is this place?
The room was large, much bigger than all the room’s of the Elder’s house combined. The smooth walls of polished stone glistened in the light. The walls, the floor and the ceiling were all reflecting an uncanny discharge. The blue flickering brightened as Ark began to advance towards the opposite end of the chamber.
Each step he took seemed to be a step towards the unknown. Still flowing with adrenaline, his body was working in overdrive. The hairs on the back of his neck stood like living beings. He held his hands at his side and cracked his knuckles unconsciously.
" Help." The voice once again called out. Ark was certain that it was directly ahead of him. " Get me down."
Ark reached the end of the long chamber. Three inches above his head, the blue light pulsated and swirled. It radiated a force of heat as it circled around some kind of object.
What? What is that?
The light orbited around a small jewelry box, that spun around its own center of gravity. It glistened in its own light and tempted and called to Ark.
" Get me down." It called. The squeaky register of the voice rang a pang of irritation in the back of Ark’s head.
He thrust forward to grab the box and received a shock of heat. He gasped in pain as he snatched his hands away. He jumped and stumbled on his knees and fell to the dirt floor breathing heavily.
" No." The voice called. " You must touch the box with a calm soul. The seal cannot be broken otherwise. Calm down. Sooth your soul and gently.."
Ark stood and took a deep breath. His hands rested at his side as he closed his eyes and took another breath.
The Elder can do this all day. He calls it meditation.
Ark slowly reached for and touched the box. The heat was no longer painful. He felt it flow through him like a warm liquid. He breathed it in, through his nose and mouth. It flowed against his lungs, filled his veins and heart. When he opened his eyes he could feel it behind them
Then with a sudden start, everything had returned to normal. Ark stood in the passageway, in a soft blue light, staring at the oddest creature he had ever seen.
Ark stared. The creature stared. It floated in front of Ark, staring with the same curiosity that Ark showed. It’s large pink eyes studied Ark, its lavender scales and wings glistened int eh blue light of the cavern. A large maw of a mouth was a prominent feature on its face. If it could be called a face. The creature had no body. It consisted of a scaled lavender head attached to wings.
The head was roughly the same size as a human head, but the features were nothing like it. Its eyes were huge and flat with a comic like quality. The nostrils were tight up in the center of the face, much like a nose, yet without the protruding flesh. The mouth sat low where a human chin would be. Inside the mouth sat four sharp teeth, two top and two bottom. As far as Ark could tell, the little slits in the wings were also where the creature heard from.
It seems to fly with its ears. Ark thought.
The two continued to stare in a seemingly agreed silence.
What are you? Ark thought.
The creature did not answer. Yet, it stared at Ark with an understanding as if it had heard the question.
It continued to stare at Ark. Yet, Ark felt no fear.
" What are you?" Ark asked aloud.
" What are you?" The creature replied. The voice of the creature was the same high pitched squeal that Ark had heard calling for help.
" What is this?" Ark jumped. " It spoke?"
"Of course I can speak." The creature whined. " You think I would be able to call for help if I couldn’t speak? You humans are so naive."
" I’m sorry." Ark apologized. " I didn’t stop to think..."
" And what did you mean by it?" The creature continued. " I do have a proper name, you know."
" What is your name?" Ark asked.
" What is your name?" The creature asked.
" My name is Ark." Ark replied.
" You may call me Yomi." The creature said.
" What are you doing here?" Ark asked.
" What are you doing here?" Yomi asked.
" Do you always have to repeat my questions?" Ark replied.
Yomi answered with silence.
" Jeez!" Ark exclaimed. "Something weird came out. Now I know why the Elder kept the box locked away. You must have irritated him."
" Wrong!" Yomi’s voice rang out. " You humans really do have a lot to learn."
Ark had jumped back from he volume of the voice.
"It was a really good guess, though." Yomi teased. " The real reason that your beloved Elder kept me locked away is because he feared that people would enter the world inside this box. It is a world of personal satisfaction where anything can happen and be held. He fears for the abuse of the power of this box. For the innocent people, like yourself, this power and significance of this box will not be clear."
The box? Ark asked himself.
" Where is the box?" Ark asked. " What happened to it after I freed you?"
" Naive humans." Yomi commented. " Naive and dense. You are holding the box."
Ark looked down. In his hands sat the large jewelry box. Its ruby border reflected a purple mix of light as it mixed with the rooms blue hue.
" Whoever has the power to break the seal on the box has the right to own it." Yomi continued . "It reminds me much, of a story I heard long ago. The situation was the same, but it involved a boy and a sword that had been placed in a stone."
A look of boredom crossed Ark’s face. Yomi caught the look.
" Enough of stories. " Yomi began. " Let me show you what you came for. From now on, you can use this box as storage as it can hold anything. Even..you....."
" What?" Ark asked.
" Enter the world inside of the box." Yomi called.
Suddenly with a swirl of darkness, Ark felt himself sink further and further until there was nothing but blackness.
Elle stepped into the orange light of the village. She closed the door to the weaver’s hall as silently as she could. She pushed back a sigh of regret as she stepped onto the cobblestone road. The heat felt good against her flowing dress. There was a certain pride to wearing clothing that was she made herself.
Her footsteps clanked on the stone below. She felt a slight breeze of heat blow by her face. She took a moment to brush the hair out of her eyes. She turned once again to face the weavers hall.
I really should finish my project. She thought, regretfully. The elder expects it....But I also would like to spend some time with Ark.
She continued down the street.
I can always finish the swan weaving tonight.
The yellow cape appeared in her mind. She had promised it to the Elder a week before and had yet not finished it. Her designs were complete but they had yet to be woven into the fabric. She had incorporated a new technique to her weavings in the past few days.
Chaos was the best way she could describe it. She found herself, more and more, leaving her designs and using her imagination to weave the cape. She felt as though her heart was somewhat woven into the project. It took time and effort and retry and mistakes, yet she continued.
The swan was her only solid design on the cape. She had never seen an actual swan. She had never met anyone who had seen an actual swan. Only the Elder even knew of swans. He had drawn her a picture of what he believed a swan to look like. Yet from the series of dots on the picture, it was hard to see a picture at all.
It seemed much more like a cross than a bird. A large flying cross. The elder had traced the dots together forming the picture. Yet there were many dots that had no point in the picture. They were not traced to the swan. In the center of the picture, near the left foot, sat a dot that had nothing to do with the swan.
Elle turned onto the front porch of the Elder’s house.
But the Elder had insisted that this was the most important part of the cape.
Elle did not understand the Elder’s reasons.
Cygnus. He called it Cygnus. He called the swan, Cygnus. What does Cygnus mean?
"Ark" She called out as she opened the door.
There was no reason for her to knock. She never did. She had been to this house over and over in her years growing up in Crysta. She could not remember the first time at this house. She couldn’t remember if she had knocked then either.
" Ark?" She called.
The dining room was a mess. The table was overturned. Chairs stood at strange angles against the walls. Splinters of wood littered along the floor and a grey fog of dust hung in the air. Elle coughed the dust from her lungs and attempted to call out again.
" Ark?" She called. " Ark, Lucas, anyone? What happened here?"
She turned to the door behind her. Something caught her eye. Something red. A hand print.
Blood?
Elle turned back to the dining room.
" Ark?" She called, suddenly scared. " Ark! Answer me!"
Her attention turned onto something she had never seen before. In all of the years she had been coming to the Elder’s house she had noticed one thing. The cellar door had never, ever been open.
She sprinted to the stairway.
" Ark?" She called. " Ark. Are you down there?"
Oh Gaia. Please let him be alright. Please don’t let him be down that deep, dark staircase.
She stepped inside.
" Ark?" She called.
There is only one way to find out.
She stepped onto the first stair, and with her shivering hand trailing along the wall for support, began her long trek down the staircase.
Pandora’s Box
The room surrounding him seemed to have no sense at all. Its vast dimensions astounded Ark, yet he knew he was in a box that he could hold in only one hand. The black and white, checkered, floor stood out to Ark. For he had never seen a floor of more than one color. The desk ahead of him stood up to his stomach and held a large jeweled box, much like the box he had been holding.
Bookshelves stood along the walls surrounding him.
" What are these books?" Ark asked, taking one off of the shelf. He flipped through the pages. There was not a single work on any of the pages. The book was a total blank.
He replaced the book and took another to find the same result.
" Why are there no words in these books?" Ark asked.
" These are the records of journeys." Yomi began. " Because the journeys have not yet been traveled, they cannot yet be read."
" None of the books have titles." Ark added.
" The stories have not been titled as well as written." Yomi replied.
Scanning the room, Ark’s eyes fell upon a titled book.
" Wait." Ark called out. " I found one with a title."
Yomi turned to look at Ark’s finding. Ark reached for a large brown, leather bound book.
" Cataclysmic Events." Ark read aloud.
" No!" Yomi called.
The book disappeared from Ark’s hands in a puff of smoke and an explosion of pain.
" Ouch!" Ark called out. He shook his hands to shatter the sting. " Why did you do that?"
" That book is not to be read." Yomi exclaimed. " It contains knowledge that should not be learned."
" Knowledge of what?" Ark asked.
" Knowledge of a future.." Yomi answered indirectly.
Ark stared at the creature, clearly puzzled.
" Don’t concern yourself with such things." Yomi continued. " I have something for you."
Ark looked up in surprise.
" What have you for me?" Ark asked.
Yomi smirked. The creature closed its eyes and concentrated.
" The owner of this box gets the privilege of owning this item also." Yomi continued to concentrate. " And in the events to come, you will find that you will need it greatly."
Ark’s vision shook. The air surrounding him turned to a liquid, slowly fading and clearing. Spark’s of light surrounded the space in front or Ark, then slowly dug themselves into the checkered floor.
Ark stared at the object in front of him.
A weapon. A..spear..
The spear seemed to stand, straight up, on its own. It was perfectly balanced and nearly as tall as Ark stood. A large blade, made of crystal, shone in the light of the room.
" Is this.." Ark began " Is this...for me?"
" This spear." Yomi began." This spear is an object of power that has been waiting for a person who can wield it at will. That person is you, Ark."
Ark reached for the spear and held it in his hand.
" When humans gain the intelligence that they were meant to have, then they will learn of this spears existence." Yomi continued. " And using its power, the world will be expanded and time will revolve as it never has."
Ark held the spear close to his body and stared at his reflection in the blade. He smiled at the gleam in his own eye. His muscles tensed as he tested its weight.
Static filled the air, as the room around Ark began to fade.
" Ark." Yomi called. " Ark. You have a visitor in the outside world."
The room continued to fade.
" Ark." Yomi called. " We must return to the outside world."
Everything tugged and pulled. The hair on his head stood up. An electric shock crawled up and down his skin. He felt an emptiness inside him, pulling out of his mouth, ears, nose, eyes and seemingly every pore in his body. Everything he knew was being pulled out. His breath came in short gasps. With his last look, Ark glanced around as the room surrounding him faded into a cold blue light.
" Ark." The voice called. " Ark."
Ark’s heart lifted as he recognized the voice behind him.
" Elle?" He turned and called.
Elle was running across the large cellar floor. Illuminated in the blue light, her hair and dress shone in different shades of blue and green. A look of worry was splashed across her face as she advanced closer to Ark.
" Ark." She called again.
She arrived to collapse in his arms.
" Ark." She began. " Are you alright? I know that you aren’t supposed to be down here." She stood up, clearly scared. " I shouldn’t be here either, but I couldn’t find you and I got scared. I saw blood." She looked Ark in the eye. " Who’s blood was it? Was it yours?"
" No." Ark explained. " It was Lucas’s ."
" What happened?" Elle gasped.
" It would take too long to explain. "Ark began, " But, I promise that I will soon."
They stared in silence at each other. Ark gave Elle a look of reassurance.
" Don’t worry." Ark said.
He kissed her. It was a quick, yet romantic kiss on her lips. He held her close, liking the feel of her body against his, as he leaned in to kiss again.
Suddenly, Yomi materialized in the darkness. Elle turned and drew in her breath preparing a scream. Ark, sensing the change, turned to see what had frightened her. Elle’s grip on Ark tightened, as his gaze turned towards Yomi.
Elle began her scream.
Ark hushed her before the scream could start. Using one had to cover her mouth and the other to hold her close.
"It’s okay." Ark explained. " Its Yomi."
He looked into Elle’s eyes and gave a look of reassurance.
" This is what the Elder has been keeping locked up in the basement for all of this time." Ark explained. Ark let go of Elle’s mouth.
Elle looked at Yomi as he hovered in silence.
" What is it." Elle whispered to Ark.
" I can still hear you." Yomi called out.
" It can talk?" Elle exclaimed.
" Yes I can talk." Yomi called out, even louder.
Elle pulled into Ark.
" Don’t worry." Ark began." It appears harmless."
" I don’t know Ark." Elle began. "I’m suddenly frightened. I’m cold. I feel cold and scared.
Ark could feel her shivering. He felt a sudden pang of fear also.
" I just get this terrible feeling that something is about to happen." She continued. " Something terrible..."
Ark felt her shiver and pull into him again. There was a jerky motion to her movements. She was no longer smooth or subtle. She grabbed onto Ark’s wrists squeezing them until he cried out in pain.
" Elle?" Ark turned.
" Ark, I feel different...cold.. I feel...." Elle’s eyes glazed over, no longer seeing him.
" Elle?" Ark called as he shook her.
She was stiff. She did not blink, yet her eyes didn’t water. She didn’t appear to be breathing. Yet she continued to stand on her own two feet, without Ark’s support. She stood frozen in place.
Ark turned to Yomi.
" What did you do to Elle?" Ark charged forward, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. " Did you kill her? What did you do?" He clenched his fists as he neared the creature.
Yomi backed away from Ark, then hovered out of reach.
" Why are you accusing me?" Yomi began. " You act as if I did this to Elle." Yomi slowly descended to Ark’s level. " But you should know that everyone in this village should be like this now."
Ark advanced once again, ready to fight.
" Change Elle back." Ark ordered.
" Why are you looking at me like that? And why are you still accusing me?" Yomi protested. " I didn’t do anything. And there was nothing that I could do. It’s not my fault."
Ark returned to Elle and stared into her cold eyes.
" I was trapped inside of that box . " Yomi continued. " I owe you for freeing me. I’ll tel you what I know. And what you can do to free this village and your loved ones."
" I only love one other person in this village." Ark replied quickly, as he continued to stare into Elle’s eyes, hoping for a response.
" You will need to leave this village." Yomi began.
Ark turned. As he watched Yomi, the tunnel seemed to grow darker. The shadows grew larger and his fear grew stronger.
" I don’t understand." Ark answered. " Outside of the village.....what is outside of the village."
" You will need to explore the world that you live." Yomi began. " You believe that everything is not right. Your life seems normal, yet you know that something is odd. You can tell that things are not the way they are supposed to be. You don’t understand the Crystal Blue, or the liquid sky far above. You have lived a life the you do not fully understand. You have known all this for a long time.
" For as long as I can remember." Ark replied.
" You will need to seek out these answers." Yomi began. " Only when you understand the truth of your life, and its special significance, will you be able to return to a normal life in Crysta. Only when you discover the truth and the future that has been invested in the box."
" How can I do this?" Ark began.
" Seek the truth." Yomi slowly began to retreat into the box. " Seek the Elder...He had me hidden away. He knows something. The Elder will know your next step...Seek the Elder."
Yomi disappeared into the Pandora’s Box.
Ark stood alone in the basement, next to the frozen form of Elle.
" Elle say something..." Ark pleaded. He stepped away from her form and towards the door.
" I will fix things." He stopped, with his back turned to Elle. " I will fix all that has happened. I ... I love you Elle."
Ark stepped up onto the first step of the stairway leading up to the dining room.
Ark entered through the archway of the basement and gasped at the destruction he had caused in the dining room. His ears strained at the silence, as no sound escaped the village. Slowly avoiding disfigured furniture, he advanced towards the doorway leading to the entryway of the house. He turned away from the blood on the floor, only to see it drip from the ceiling also.
Lucas. Ark remembered who’s idea it was to open the basement door. He should be the one dealing with all of this. Ark glanced at the blood throughout the room. Maybe he already was punished enough. Odd, that I was hurt, but now I don’t even have a scratch...and I know that none of this blood is mine...
" You are an enormous fool." The Elder’s voice rang out, obliterating the silence.
Ark jumped into the air in shock. Uneasily, He turned to face his master.
The Elder stood in the entryway. His robes tied tight, a walking stick in his hand. His body moved methodically with each deep breath, using each ounce of air wisely. His face, as it surveyed the room, slowly began to darken to a shade of deep red.
" I didn’t know." Ark responded. " I still don’t understand..."
" It is you who have brought about this curse." The elder began. He waved his walking stick at Ark " I should have never let this come about. I should have never let you come about."
Ark looked up, confused.
" I decreed that the door was never to be opened because I feared of this." The Elder began. " I should have decreed the same thing of your bedroom door." The Elder hobbled away from Ark, towards his meditation room.
" But we cannot leave things the way that they are." The Elder continued. " You do wish to return things to normal."
" Yes." Ark called out, following the Elder. " Elle was frozen also."
The Elder stopped abruptly. He did not turn to face Ark.
" Yes." The Elder sneered. " Elle was frozen also. We must fix this."
" Damn right!" Ark exclaimed. " If you know how, tell me how."
The Elder turned to face Ark. He reached over and griped Ark’s shoulder and looked deeply into his eyes.
He is looking into my soul. Ark thought.
" So be it." The Elder declared. " You must leave the village. Outside of our world of Crysta, three towers await you. You will journey to the very summit of each of these towers to converse with the spirits of light and darkness. Each tower controls a different aspect of life, after the resurrection, then and only then will you be able to return to a normal life."
" Outside of the village?" Ark asked. " There is no such thing. What is outside of the village? And what do you mean by towers? And spirits?"
" The gate to the outside world is open." The Elder began. " You have the ability to succeed..if you believe in Gaia and the balance of life."
The Elder began to turn from Ark.
" Tell me about the towers." Ark questioned.
" You..no...no one has set foot in the towers before." The Elder began. " No one has ever set foot outside before. There is nothing I can tell you of these towers that you could not learn for yourself. You must seek the answers."
" Then tell me about the Pandora’s Box." Ark replied.
The Elder seemed to cringe at the thought of the Pandora’s Box.
" The Pandora’s box is from the world that is opposite ours." The Elder began. " By freeing it, you have upset the natural balance of this world. This is why our world is now frozen in place. Upon the resurrection of the world opposite ours, we will return to our old state of happiness.. You must leave now. There is little time. You must begin immediately."
Ark turned from his master and watched the old form retreat into the meditation chamber. The old man never looked back. With his right hand, the Old Man gestured at the door to his room. By it’s own will, the door shut.
Ark clenched his fist, and realized that he was holding something, still.
The box. How long have I been holding this.
He held it tight as he crossed the room towards the entryway.
This is too weird. Gaia, why must I always suffer so? Things like this have always happened. Always me..it always happens to me...for as long as I can remember....
He reached the doorway. Hanging from a hook next to it was a large pouch. Ark took it and slug it over his shoulder. As he did, he felt it catch on something . Reaching behind him, he felt the tip of the crystal-tipped spear that was slung diagonally across his back, by a strap that ran across his chest.
When did I put this on? When did I take the box?
The sudden questions exhausted him. Not caring, he placed the Pandora’s Box into the pouch that he wore. Firmly and quickly he grasped the golden handle to the door and twisted it. He pulled the door back and stepped out into the glow.
The heat felt good. Though there was nothing in the air, no life, no sound, and no movement. There was nothing.
Where is the Crystal Blue? Even the Crystal Blue is gone.
Ark looked around, yet no bubbles of pink hovered in the sky? As he turned, he saw the gate.
Where did that come from? That never was there.
Sitting in his front yard was a large crystal archway. It stood eight feet high and extended the length of the yard. Everything in Crysta that used to stand on the other end of the archway was invisible. As Ark stared into the archway, all that could be seen was a slight unfocused field of gray.
So this is the gate that the Elder was talking about? Ark thought. Taking a step towards it. The field of gray did not come any more into focus.
So now I leave the village....
Ark stepped forward, touching the archway. An explosion of heat singed his hand.
What was that? I can’t touch the gate........
Ark turned back and looked at the Elder’s house.
I can leave and never come back.
Ark took a step towards the gate.
Elle...
Ark turned to the house.
Elle. I will get you out of there. And then we will leave and never come back.
Ark stepped into the gate. He felt a rush of heat and wind, as he pulled away from the yard. He closed his eyes as he fully inserted himself into the archway.
Elle. I will get you out of here. We will leave this place and then we will be together. Forever.
Ark opened his eyes, and turned to look behind him. Deep inside he felt a smile as he watched the village shrink to a speck of black then disappear.