Chapter 14 ~ The Green Pendant
Folken and Ghanima were slowly advancing through the lush jungle. Every where you looked ancient tropical trees, thick luscious green bushes, and lianas hanging down. It was a green network that sparkled with life, untouched by the mercilessness of the human hand. Everywhere you would look, you could see the piercing red, blues, yellows, oranges and purples of the flowerbeds, as well as the beautiful patches of Tropicals, glowing in the shade. With their oval pointed heads, half-red, half-yellow, they looked like candles in the shade of the forest. Folken looked around, amazed at the sheer beauty of the tropical forest of the Everglades. Untouched for centuries, it had been declared the most dangerous forest of Gaea. Superstitions said it was guarded by powerful magic that doomed anyone who tried to harm it.
"Come, this way." Ghanima told him from behind a thick curtain of hanging orchid flowers.
"I wonder what keeps this forest so beautiful." Folken said aloud.
"I don't know, but I can feel there's great magic here." Ghanima told him.
Folken looked at her thoughtfully. She was probably right, he too could feel some pull, a certain whisper going through the forest. Until then, he had attributed it to the wind, but now he could feel that it more. Much more.
"Do your rings help you sense magic?" Folken asked her.
"Well, they make me more sensitive to magic." She told him.
Folken just nodded and followed her. Indeed they were on a yellow-bricked path, that led them deep into the forest. So far, Folken had been grateful to be on it, since from the side of the path he had seen many dangers into which he would have stumbled. He looked at the exiled Ispano princess in front of him. She was carelessly guiding her horse deeper down the path, her red hair hanging demurely on her back. Her hair… it was indeed an odd thing for a human to posses. Most of the people of Gaea had black or blond hair. There was rarely any red –except in cat people- or sandy like his. But then again, his mother was from the Phantom Moon, and there, people had all sorts of weird hair colours. He had even seen a lady once with purple hair. But wait a minute, wasn't Queen Astrid, an Ispano princess? So then, if Ghanima wasn't Astrid's daughter, nor her brother's daughter, then how could she be an Ispano Princess? After all, Astrid was a telepath – he had heard his mother say that once – and that was magic. Did this mean that Ghanima was lying? Was she a person working for that Lucilla who had his mother?
"I think we should stop for a moment." Folken told her coldly.
"Why? I thought you wanted to get there as soon as possible." Ghanima stated.
"You've got some explaining to do." Folken said icily.
"What for?" Ghanima asked.
"Well, I don't think you are who you say you are." Folken told her.
"Oh, and what do you think." Ghanima asked raising an eyebrow.
"I think you're one of Lucilla's henchmen." Folken told her flatly.
Ghanima burst into a fit of laughter. "Sorry, that's the craziest idea I've ever heard. What makes you think that?" she asked, still laughing.
"You can't be of Ispano, since your father is not Dolph, Queen Astrid's brother, thus, you're not who you say you are." Folken said.
"Good conclusion, one mistake though." Ghanima told him. "You don't know much about the Ispanos." She told him.
"I know enough." Folken said.
"No you don't. Listen, to the rest of Gaea, we might seem like a kingdom, but to other Ispanos, we are separated. The mountain range is what divides us. The eastern side, accepts magic, while the western side does not. Our public relations are kept by a council formed from both eastern people and western people. We never divulged this before, since most of Gaea is non-magic, and we would get all sorts of travellers wanting potions and spells. Each side has its own king and queen, as well as its own set of rules. The Great Council only deals in the affairs of the whole kingdom, giving each side a chance for improving their economy." Ghanima informed him.
"Right, how convenient." Folken said mockingly.
"Gosh, how stubborn are you? If I would be one of that woman's henchmen, I would have killed you from our first encounter." Ghanima said.
"I still don't believe you, and until you find a way to prove it to me, you're not a free person. You're my prisoner." Folken said and unsheathed his sword.
"You do realise you can't harm me." Ghanima smiled sadly.
"Yes, but I think you're not positively sure of that, or those beads of sweat wouldn't be slipping down the side of your head like that. I think you can't be harmed by magic. Give me your hands." Folken ordered.
"You're so ridiculous. I swear, I thought you were different. Haven't you ever heard of a blind leap of faith?" Ghanima asked, her grey eyes thundering.
"Not when so much is involved." Folken said. He then took a piece of rope from his bag, and tied Ghanima's hands together.
"Listen, I know that you're worried about your mother and everything, but I'm telling the truth. Why would I be lying?" she asked.
"I don't know. Maybe your life is at stake. Maybe you're doing it all because you're promised something. Until we can verify what you're saying, you're my prisoner." Folken told her sternly. He then got down from his horse, and with another piece of rope, he tied her feet under the belly of her horse. He checked to see that she wouldn't fall, and then tied the reigns of her hose to his saddle, mounted back on his black stallion.
Ghanima did nothing but growl. "Look at this fool. Why would I be a spy? Seriously, what on Gaea is going through his head. Could I have been wrong about him? Is he like the rest? Always looking for a fault, and a way to blame me for who I am? Why did I agree to come with him? Well, he did have my rings, but, I can't believe him! A spy! I don't care if he has a million reasons to think that, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind once we clarify this." Ghanima eyed the slender sandy haired boy with her steel gaze. He looked back at her, and for a moment, they were lost in each other's glance. His big emerald eyes were searching her features. With their mysterious sea of green, Ghanima found herself fascinated by them. They looked so sincere and pure, almost like he was not there, but a spirit sent from above to guide her. The velvet of his eyes was so soft, almost like he was begging forgiveness for what he had done. Ghanima looked straight into his eyes, her stormy silver eyes thundering with rage. "There's no forgiveness or understanding here." She said with her eyes.
Folken turned his head to look back at Ghanima. Once he looked back, he saw the storm in her misty silver eyes. It was as if grey of the skies was being stirred into a big whirlpool of anger. From time to time, a flash of thunder like light could be seen reflecting in them. "Have I really made a mistake? Is she who she says she is? Her story is most amazing, but believable. After all, we do know very little about the Ispanos. I must not thing that way. It is how she's playing her hand to fool me. Until we prove this, I must regard her as an enemy. But it's so hard, when she looks at me that way…" Folken didn't continue his thoughts. He broke his gaze of the spunky red headed girl. He had seen the thunder and rage in her eyes, and it went through his heart like a cold icicle.
"Am I allowed to talk, oh great master?" Ghanima asked mockingly.
"Sure, go right ahead." Folken said sadly. She was indeed mad. "I'll never hear the end of it if I'm wrong. " he thought.
"Well, we've been going this way for almost three hours, how come we're not getting to the temple?" she asked.
"I don't know. That woman did say follow the yellow bricked road. This road is yellow bricked, so let's follow it until the end." Folken said.
"Very well, this is your quest, I'm only the prisoner here." She stabbed.
"Listen, your little word games won't make me let go of you ok? So you can stop playing them." He told her.
"One million swimmers and you were the fastest." She mumbled.
Folken looked at her oddly. "What's she trying to say?" he wondered.
Ghanima looked at him innocently. "Let him figure that out. Who does he think I am? Some stupid princess with very little education? I know more than him in some areas, let him figure out who's the better of the two of us." She thought angrily.
Another half an hour passed before the road came to a stop. With a round of secular trees around it, in the middle stood the ancient temple, tall and proud. It was covered in vines, and orchids decorated the front main entrance. Folken dismounted his horse, and he moved the extending branches of a very beautiful flower bush onto the left side of the road. The emerald eyed boy briefly stopped to smell one of the beautiful red flowers.
"You shouldn't have done that." Ghanima told him from her stiff place atop her horse.
"And why not?" Folken asked.
"Because that's Rosmerryl. It is a very well known paralysing plant. The Ispano doctors use it when they have to perform painful surgeries." She said.
"As you see, I'm still moving, so it's not Rosmerryl." Folken said flexing his muscles.
"It takes effect after a while you arrogant jerk." Ghanima thought, but said nothing. "Let him find out on his own."'
Folken led both horses to a nearby tree branch, where he tied the reigns tightly. Making sure they had enough food for their stay, he then untied Ghanima's feet, and grabbing her by the waist, he helped her down.
"Thanks, I thought you were going to let me stay up there." She said through clenched teeth.
"No, you have the rings, we must get going." Folken said and grabbed her hand.
"You don't need to get a hold of me. I'm going anyhow. This forest is creepy, and I'd rather be with a jerk like you than all by myself."
"So that's what I am." Folken smiled mischievously. Ghanima was awfully pretty when she was mad. He looked at her delicate oval face, and her red lips. A strand of red hair had made its way to the front of her figure, hanging seductively to the side. Folken raised his hand, wanting to touch the strand, to see if indeed it was as soft as it looked, but then stopped in mid air. "Why does my heart tell me she's not an impostor? Can I trust it? Or is it mistaken, like so many other times?" Folken stopped, his hand dropping to the side. He turned around and entered the temple.
"What was he going to do?" Ghanima asked herself curiously.
The temple, to their surprise was lighted by greenish torches that hanged in the corners of the main room. Dusty, and mucky, it still retained some of its mystic beauty. With hieroglyphs on the walls, and a stone plaque in the middle, it looked like a waiting room. A big torch was lighting the plaque with its greenish flame. On the far ends of the room there were two staircases, which – Folken guessed- lead to other rooms. On their left and right sides, were two corridors that curved abruptly. The right one was letting him stare into a wall, with a big carving of a dragon on it. The left one had a carving, but it was way too old to be made out.
"To search for the pendant have you come, but in order to get the pendant, you must first find the dragon's heart, which lies in a box, at the centre of the world. Follow the staircase down to the dragon's lair, from which you need get the two samurai swords, and put them in the hands of the protectors of Gaea. Only the protector of the rings, and her companion shall be able to unlock the box. Follow the corridor further after the lair of the dragon, to come back to the room from where your adventure had begun." Ghanima read out loud.
"What was that?" Folken asked.
"The inscription on the monument." Ghanima answered from beside the plaque.
Folken moved in closer, and examined the words. Indeed, they were as Ghanima had said.
"So which way to the dragon's lair?" Folken asked.
"I don't know. Why are you asking me? I'm the spy here." Ghanima said.
"Well, I'm thinking that even if you were the spy, Lucilla would want you to help me get the pendant. Luckily, I caught you in time, and you shall tell me all about her when we get to Fanelia." Folken said.
"What makes you think I won't escape?" Ghanima asked him.
"I have a feeling you won't." Folken said.
"Ever since when do you trust your feelings so much?" she asked him.
"Do you, or do you not know?" Folken asked, avoiding her question.
"I think it's the right staircase. After all, the right corridor has the dragon on it. Thus, if we have to follow a corridor from the lair to end up back here, it should be that one."
"How do you know we have to end up here?" Folken asked her.
"Well, we do have to end up where the adventure had begun." She pointed out.
"Yeah, but that could be Fanelia." He said.
"I doubt it. They would have worded it differently had they had a transporter to send us back to Fanelia."
"I thought so, now let's go." Folken headed to the right staircase, leaving Ghanima to look after him surprised. "Coming?" he asked her once he got there.
"Yeah, were you testing my wits before?" Ghanima asked.
"I had a similar idea, but I wanted to see if you reached the same conclusion." He told her.
"I don't like being tested." She hissed.
"Too bad!" he said and tickled her side, taking advantage of the fact that she couldn't use her hands.
"Oh, please stop! I can't take it anymore!" Ghanima shrieked after a while, of Folken's tickling.
"Nope, you've got to stand the torture, prisoner." Folken told her smiling.
"Just wait until I get my hands free. Then you're gonna get it!" She threatened playfully. Ghanima tried to tug at the ropes, but her hands were dry, and she couldn't get herself free.
"Don't try that, you're gonna cut deep into your wrists." Folken said taking her hands in his, and loosening the ropes a little.
"Why would you care? I deserve all torture, since I'm one of Lucilla's henchmen." She asked.
"Just in case you're not, I wouldn't want the Princess of the Western Ispano Clan to have bruises on her wrists." Folken said honestly.
Ghanima looked at him surprised. "Does he care at all? Or is it just a political thing." She wondered.
"Come on." Folken led her deeper down the corridor. The green torches lighted the way. It was getting colder, and a slight rumble echoed in the walls.
"What's that noise?" Ghanima asked.
"I don't know, it might be an river. The noise sounds like water."
"Well, there is a river close to here, the priests must have re-routed the water to pass by or through the temple." Ghanima observed.
"I guess." Folken said. He then proceeded further down the corridor. Ghanima followed close behind.
After a few more meters, the corridor abruptly ended, leaving them atop a set of giant stairs that gave way to a giant room. Made out of green stone, the room had a huge altar with a huge green fire burning in the middle, and providing the only source of light. On the walls, from time to time, were huge emeralds. What was odd about the emeralds was that they had a liquid centre, that from time to time bubbled.
"Wow! I would have never guessed." Ghanima whispered from beside Folken.
Ghanima herself examined the room. In the back of the altar, there was another set of stairs, that led up to another level of the room There, on the top, was another platform. On it, you could see two figures, and a spinning ball. Behind the spinning ball, you could also see some sort of darkened alcove. Ghanima took a step down the stairs.
"Come on," she told Folken.
"Right." He agreed.
As soon as they were at the bottom of the stairs, a rumble shook the whole room, and a wall came down out of nowhere and sealed their entrance.
"Oh no!" Folken muttered. "What do we do now?"
"To the Dragon's Lair you made it soon, and now thee must embark on a quest for the sacred swords of the protectors of Gaea. Only the with their swords in hand can they fully protect this world." Ghanima read.
Folken turned around. "Where do you read these from? Or has Lucilla made you memorise them?" he asked.
"For the final time, I'm not one of her spies. For your information, the plaque appeared when the entrance was closed." She told him. Indeed, atop the first altar, a plaque was spinning, bathed in the green light.
"What's controlling all of these?" Folken wondered.
"The magic of the pendant. The priests here knew we would come, and they used the magic leaking from the pendant to make this challenge for us." She told him.
"No one knows destiny. We make it ourselves." Folken retorted.
"Apparently, they had other ideas." Ghanima said.
"Apparently. Where to now, witch?" he asked her smiling. It was odd how he could smile at a time like this. They were trapped in a room, with no way out, on a dangerous quest, yet he was still smiling at the red haired girl bathed in the green light. It was odd how she could make him smile so much. It wasn't like him to say what he's feeling so boldly. A long time ago, he learned to hold his tongue in check. However, she always managed to freeze his thoughts, thus making him speak his mind.
"Witch am I now?" she asked, a smile creeping to her rosy lips.
"Yes, what do you think? How should we proceed?" Folken asked.
"Is this another one of your trick questions?" Ghanima retorted.
"Ghani, come on, don't be like that. What I think we should do is go up the stairs and check out that spinning ball up there." He said.
"Well, then that's what we'll do. And don't call me Ghani. You lost that privilege when you made me your prisoner." She bit back.
Folken frowned. It was so hard for him to think of her as a prisoner. She was making it awful hard to. However, she was still very sour about it. There was no way that Folken knew of through which he could prove her innocence, without consulting Queen Astrid. And she was a few hundred miles too far away.
"Very well, Ghanima." He said emphasising her name.
Together, in a tense silence, they went up the steps. As soon as they reached the top, blinding lights flashed, and a few more greenish torches came to life. They were standing on a square platform, with two statues on either side of a spinning ball, which resembled Gaea. The statues were of two men, each pretending to hold a sword in their hands. Behind the spinning ball, there was now a lighted alcove, with a glassy surface. Underneath it, there were greyish waters, that seemed in turmoil.
"All right! A transporter!" Ghanima exclaimed.
"A transporter? Where will it take us?" Folken asked.
"Probably to the swords. Come on!" she said excitedly.
"I didn't know this quest interested you so much." Folken said coldly.
"It does. First of all, I'm the only one that can open the box with the green energist. Second of all, this is an ancient temple, never before explored. I have nothing better to do than collect data. This is certainly valuable. Maybe I'll find a job in a city, deciphering old scripts." She explained.
"You do forget you're a prisoner." He told her.
"Queen Astrid will explain everything, not to worry. Then I can be on my way. I just love learning about people, and places." She said.
"You've got your work cut out for you." Folken muttered, and then headed for the transporter. "Coming?" he asked her as he was about to step in.
"Sure." She answered.
Folken grabbed her arm, and together they stepped onto the platform.
~~~~
The chute was narrow and bumpy, as Folken's body slid down it. The walls were too far apart for him to try to stop his rapid descent. It looked like a toboggan, but it was much too slippery. As fast as the ride started, it ended. Folken fell on his back, with a loud thump, on the rocky surface of the new room. A piercing scream echoed from the cute, as Ghanima fell head first on Folken. He grunted on the impact of her body on top of his. Ghanima has knocked his breath out, because of the speed at which she fell.
"Ouch." He said.
"God I hate these kinds of surprises." She said after she regained her breath.
"You hate them? I feel like a squished sandwich." He said.
Ghanima broke into a fit of carefree laughter. "Well you deserve it. Any how, let me get up." She said, and rolled off Folken.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to be bruised all over. Especially my hands, they hurt so much." She complained, her tied together hands looking indeed very dusty.
Folken picked himself off the floor, and looked at her squarely. She was laying on her back, on the floor. Folken helped her up, but she fell back on the floor, hitting the ground with a muffled thump.
"What happened?" Folken asked. "Are you hurt?" he added.
"My leg, there's a sharp pain going through it." she said.
Folken took a look at her leg, and indeed there was a long sharp cut, horizontally, about half way from her knee to her ankle. It was bleeding, thus impeding her from walking.
"Oh god, ok, well, let's stop the bleeding." Folken said, and kneeled down. He took off his gloves, and ripped a long strip out of his black top. Cleaning the dust off it, he carefully wrapped it around Ghanima's cut.
As soon as he touched her skin with his bare hand, something odd happened.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Well milady, it is the day." A young servant girl said to what was obviously a younger Ghanima.
"Oh Ly, I don't want to do this! There's a slim chance that I'll have magic any how. Almost less than five percent of the Western Ispanos ever have magic. Why do I have to go through with this. It will hurt if I touch the rings!" Ghanima whined.
"Now, Princess Ghanima. Get a hold of yourself! Let me tell you a secret." The servant girl said.
"What?" Ghanima jumped.
"Well, in the olden days, it's was an honour to have magic. There usually was a person of great magic, that wandered around Gaea, and collected other magical items, while helping others. She or he was known as the Hermit, because they were usually secluded people. Even in the olden days, when magic was more widely spread, some didn't accept that much magic, and displays of magic talents, thus only those that wanted ever found the Hermits. They were quite a few of them." She paused for a second.
"How does this have to do with me?" Ghanima asked.
"Well, back in the olden golden days, when magic was accepted in the Western Side, before the Great Burn, the king of Western Ispano, married one of these Hermits. She was a very pretty beautiful woman, with long red hair like yours. As a fact, you look a lot like her. Anyhow, she was a great woman, and did many good things for our kingdom. However, then the Great Burn occurred, and they blamed it all on her, when it was actually the evil sorceress Vadne, that was upset because she didn't get married to the king. Thus, they abolished all magic, and killed her, plus all know sorcerers and magical creatures. That's how the test of the rings was invented. Her descendants proved not to have magic, but it is said that every ten generations, the whole of the magic accumulates, and a magical human is born. You see, magic knows how to stay hidden in a person, however, every 10 generations, it surfaces and makes itself known." The servant girl told her.
Ghanima's features sunk. "No, it's not fair!" she cried before awaiting the servant girl to say more. She now knew why odd things kept happening her, how she always escaped unhurt in odd situations. She had always wished she could know how to mend things, and she found out how. It had been the magic.
"You're the tenth generation, so be forewarned, you should not even take the test of the rings. You should escape now, while you can." The girl told her.
"But it might have skipped me! You don't know for sure! Maybe, just maybe!" Ghanima cried desperately.
"It is very unlikely." The girl told her.
"I want to take it." Ghanima said stubbornly.
"Very well. It is your own risk." The girl told her.
~~~~
Ghanima entered a room, with a pool making up most of it. In the middle of the pool, there stood a stone altar, on it the see through bracelets. Up to the pool, there were stepping stones. The rings only allowed magical humans to reach them, and even the magical ones couldn't pick them up. The non magical people were blasted off the stepping stones.
"Please blast me, please blast me." Ghanima thought. In her heart though, she knew that it wouldn't be like that. She advanced on the stepping stones. Murmurs of whispers went through the council crowd. Her father looked at her with dark features. Ghanima took another step on another stone. Not all was lost. If the rings would hurt her when she got to the altar, then she would be non-magical. However, that did not happen. When she got to the altar, the rings only shined. More murmurs went through the crowd. Ghanima looked at them frightened. Should she pick up the rings? She stood there, looking at the crowd. They all looked like preying vultures, and she was the prey.
"Pick up the rings girl!" her father boomed.
Ghanima looked at him with pleading eyes. Her father had never called her "girl" before. To him, she was always Ghani. But now, she proved she had the least bit of magic. If she couldn't touch the rings, she had a chance of staying in the palace, her secret concealed. But if she touched them… she would be dead within the rising of the new sun. Her father looked at her darkly. Ghanima complied. She touched the rings, and not only did she touch them, but they glowed so brightly, that she had to shield her eyes. The rings flew in the air, her right hand extended into the air like commanded. They locked about her hand, like bracelets. The light faded, and gasps of shock came from the advisory council of her father. Ghanima stood there in tears.
"Papa, I'm sorry." She muttered.
"Guards, take this wench away, and lock her in the dungeon. Prepare the guillotine, she shall be executed… an hour before the rising of the new sun." he said, his voice wavering.
Ghanima was silent, and although tears of sadness rolled down her cheeks, she scanned the crowd with stormy eyes.
"Monster!" A woman from the council screamed.
"Monster! Take her away!" Another man screamed.
The guards approached her, but Ghanima denied their hands. "I know the way," she told them.
"I'm sorry I was such a big disappointment papa." She said, spun on her heels and left, her robes wavering in the new breeze sweeping the room.
Later that night, Ghanima was pacing in her cell, when she heard a small whisper.
"Lady Ghanima! The guard is knocked out! Take these bags of money, and blast the lock. Escape." The voice told her, and from the small window, a hand came down and dropped two bags full of golden pieces.
"Ly? How did you find me? How did you knock out the guard!" Ghanima asked recognising her servant's voice.
"It's not important. Use your magic to blast the lock, take the money and this cloak, and leave the country, they will find you here. You are a Hermit, they shall put a price on your head if you're ever to come back. They are afraid, and do not know anything. Run. There's a horse waiting for you by the Eastern Gate. You can make it through the passes of the mountains, and then out of the country. Hurry." Ly said.
"Thank you Ly, you've been a good friend, I wish I could do more. I hope you won't be discovered." Ghanima said.
"You're not the only magical human here. However, you are a Hermit. Go in peace my Lady." Ly said and left.
Ghanima blasted the lock, with a curse. It worked. Apparently, she did have magic. Putting on her cloak, she disappeared in the darkened streets, towards the eastern gate, where her golden brown horse was waiting for her.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Folken, hello, Folken!" Ghanima waved her hand in front of his face. He had been caught in a trance like that for a while now.
"What? Sorry, Ghanima, I'm so sorry, I was a jerk." Folken said.
"Huh?" she asked confused.
"You are who you said you are. Here, let me free you of these ropes." He said, and untied her hands. He then slowly massaged her congested wrists, to bring back the blood into them.
"What made you reach that conclusion?" she asked coldly.
"I saw how it happened, when I bandaged your wound. It must have been horrible, but they're such fools. Now I see your point in life. You're a Hermit." He whispered.
Ghanima looked at him surprised. He had indeed seen that awful experience of her past. What a stubborn child! She growled, and with new found strength, she raised her palm.
Folken looked up at Ghanima, to see what she was doing, when his gaze was met by a flash of lightning like speed, and then SLAP! Her warm hand came upon his cheek, and left a blistering red mark on there. Folken then rubbed his throbbing cheek.
"I deserved that." He said quietly.
"Yes, you did, that's for not believing me. Although I see your reasons, I you still deserve that. I don't like being a prisoner, and I warned you you'd pay. Now, that that's over, thank you for bandaging my wound." She said and got up.
Folken got up also, and together they went down the corridor ahead of them. At the end of it, they could see a faint green light.
"Everything's green around here." He observed.
"It's the magic. Anyhow, I think we're close." Ghanima observed.
"How do you know?" Folken asked.
"Look at the hieroglyphs on this wall." She said as she pointed to some carvings on the wall. They indeed looked like two crossed swords.
Once the corridor finished, they found themselves in a small square room. There, on a stone table were the two samurai swords.
"We found them!" Folken exclaimed.
"Yeah, but we better watch out! It was too easy! There might be traps along the way." Ghanima warned.
"You're right. Do you see anything?" Folken looked up at the tall room, and since he didn't see anything, he picked up one of the swords. Immediately, a slashing sound came down, and a bed of sharp spikes came down on the stone table. Luckily, Folken had enough spirit to jump out of the way. A spike caught his pants, and ripped a big large gap in them. He wasn't hurt though.
"Look out!" Ghanima yelled, but Folken had seen the threat already. "Are you all right?" she asked concerned.
"Yeah, I think that Rosmerryl is taking effect. I can feel my movements slowing down." He observed. Indeed, his reaction time had been slower.
"You shouldn't have smelt that." She said disapprovingly.
"I know, well, here, I better go to get the second sword." Folken said.
"No, I'll go get the second sword. Your reflexes are slowed as they are. You could die, because I fear there's a greater trap for the second sword." She said.
"It's my quest." Folken said stubbornly.
"Hello! Wake up! You're not doing anyone a favour if you're dead! Now let me get it!" Ghanima said, and took the first samurai sword from his hand.
"Be careful!" Folken said.
"Don't worry!" She turned around and smiled at him. Carefully, she slashed the outer spikes of the spike bed, and bent down, slid her hand through the rest (which formed a cage on top of the stone table) and grabbed the other sword.
"Ghanima! Run!" Folken screamed in terror as he saw the boulder fall from the ceiling.
Ghanima looked up in terror, and she saw the boulder slash the air and head for the table. She quickly rolled out of the way. The boulder landed on the table crushing it to bits. In the dust and confusion that followed, Ghanima heard Folken call out her name.
"Ghanima, Ghanima!" he called out, and made his way through the rubble. "Are you ok?" he asked kneeling down beside him. There was sheer concern in his voice. "God, I should have never let her do that." She heard him mumble.
"I'm fine!" she called out.
"Don't do that again!" Folken told her, and helped her up.
Brushing the dust from her clothes, she looked up at him, with her grey misty eyes. "I told you I'd get it!" she smiled.
"I shouldn't have let you." Folken said shaking his head.
"It was no problem." She handed him a sword, while holding the other one.
"Let's go, now that the dust has cleared up, I see the transporter exit in that alcove over there." Folken pointed to his right.
Ghanima coughed and nodded. Together, they stepped onto the glasslike platform, and immediately showed up at the top of the stairs, in front of the two statues and the spinning ball.
"Ok, now, let's put the swords in their hands at the same time. Who knows what can happen if it's not synchronised." Folken said.
"Deal."
They each approached a statue, and on the count of three, they placed the sword in the hands of the protector. Magically, the ball in the middle began to tremble and shake, and in no time, it popped open. In the middle, you could see a small square box.
"All right!" Ghanima exclaimed. She ran over to the open ball, and grabbed the box. Surprisingly, nothing happened.
"So that's what it meant by the centre of the world. Anyhow, how do we open it?" Folken asked.
"Let me look." Ghanima flipped the box on all sides, and discovered two dials on the side of the box.
"Hmm.. it looks like your rings could fit there, and then you could twist the dials." Folken said out of nowhere.
"That's it! You're a genius!" Ghanima exclaimed.
She took her rings off her hand and placed each one on the two dials, then turned them simultaneously. The box clicked open, and inside, the most beautiful dragon's heart ever existed. It glowed brightly when Folken picked it up, with it's darker green rim, and green heart, it was a work of art.
"Wow, it's beautiful. Can I hold it?" Ghanima asked when she saw the energist. She put her rings back on her hand, and touched the energist. As soon as she touched it, the room began to rumble, and a door opened to a passage.
"I guess that's our exit." Folken reasoned. He placed the energist, and with slower movements, they headed down the passage.
"What's wrong? Are you stiffer?" Ghanima asked.
"A little stiff, that's right." He said.
"We should hurry, before the Rosmerryl takes full effect. You won't be able to move for a few hours when it does." She told him.
"Great." Folken muttered.
The rest of their trip continued in silence. The passage led them back to the initial room of the temple. They then took the other stairway, and ended up in a room similar to the first one, only in the middle was a Draconian surrounded by four torches.
"Wow, a Draconian!" Ghanima exclaimed.
"You know about them?" Folken asked surprised.
"Yeah, when I was smaller, I think I saw one. He was beautiful, flying through the skies, and leaving a trail of white feathers behind. It was night, and I was about five, but I still remember it clearly. I was on a voyage, and we had stopped for the night. I ditched my guards, and went through the forest, and stopped by a lake. I think it was a voyage to Solaria, and we were somewhere in the vicinity of Fanelia, but I'm not sure. Anyhow, he was carrying someone, but it was beautiful. His wings, they were… I have no words to describe them. I've never told anyone about that, but I asked who that was, and I said I had a weird dream. They believed me, but that's when I started to believe in them. They really exist, or existed. I'm little, and I hope my mind isn't playing tricks on me." She said.
Folken blushed in the dark. "Maybe, they live in secret. That's what I heard." He said.
"Probably. People blame them unjustly. I don't think a creature that majestic could ever do bad." She said.
Folken was as red as a tomato. He was thankful for the darkness that covered his features. He took a step closer to the stone Draconian.
"Well, the pendant should be here." He said. "Let's hurry, I can feel myself getting stiffer by the second." He said.
"Ok, well, check the box at its feet.' Ghanima pointed out.
Folken examined the box, and saw that it had a lock, similar to the energist they recovered. He took it out of his pack, placed it in the lock, twisting it. The top of the box popped up, and revealed the pendant. Folken took it out, and carefully looked at it. Then, he put the golden thread around his neck. The pendant began to glow, a green and warm glow. They had to shield their eyes from the shock. When the blinding light stopped, the building began to shake, like it was about to fall apart.
"Let's get out of here!" Ghanima screamed in all the noise and torment.
They scrambled for the exit, but the effect of the Rosmerryl on Folken was significantly increased, and he was moving very slowly.
"Come on! Let's hurry!" Ghanima screamed and came closer to him, slipping her hand through his, and supporting him from the back.
"No, go, I can take shelter here, go, it's going to crumble!" Folken mumbled.
"No! I'm not leaving without you! Come on!" Ghanima said.
"We won't make it! I can barely move!" Folken yelled.
Just then, the walls began to break, and water began to seep through. Horrible noises echoed from outside, but the wailing of the water as the holes were getting bigger was deafening. Suddenly, the walls gave in, letting a torrent of cold crystal water flow through. The current swept Folken and Ghanima off their feet, and took them with it. It carried them through another hole in the opposite wall. The waters burst through, and the two teens found themselves in some sort of passage specifically designed to carry water. It was a tubular passing, which the water swept violently.
"Folken! Folken!" Ghanima screamed, not seeing her companion.
"Over here!" his voice answered.
The passage was dark, and Ghanima couldn't see anything. "Where are you?" she asked.
"Behind you!" he answered.
"Can you still move?"
"My arms, I can still move my arm!" he told her.
Ghanima wanted to say something more, when the passage finished, and the jet of water threw her feet into the air. She let out a piercing scream, as she fell feet through the air, landing with a huge splash in a collection pool. While under water, she heard another splash nearby. She guessed that Folken had landed with her.
~~~~
Folken could feel his paralysis slowly take place. His arms were barely moving, yet he somehow managed to keep his head above water level. The green pendant felt hot against his cold skin, almost like trying to keep him warm. He felt himself propel into the air, but he couldn't do anything. His body was as stiff as a board. Any movement was painful. He felt the hot summer air against his skin, and then how his body entered the water. He felt himself sink down into the clearest, bluest nothingness. It was all so beautiful. A few feet from him, he saw a mass of unruly red hair, and the body belonging to Ghanima. She truly looked wonderful, bathed in the blueness of the pool he landed in. "Well, at least I'll die looking at the most beautiful thing alive," he thought and felt his eyes slowly close. The last thing he saw, was her coming closer to him, her red hair slowly rising in the water, and her amazing stormy grey eyes looking at him concerned. Then, he slipped into the dark abyss.
~~~~
Ghanima surfaced through the clear water. She filled her lungs with fresh oxygen and looked around for Folken.
"Damn it Folken! Where are you?" she asked. "Shit, the paralysis probably took precedence." She thought and dived after him.
Ghanima saw his body sink deeper into the water. She dived deeper, and grabbed his hands, pulling him to the surface. She then guided his unconscious body to the sandy shore.
"Folken! Folken!" Ghanima called out.
He just lay there, motionless. She kneeled beside him, and noticed he wasn't breathing.
"Oh no!" she cried out, and then began to press on his chest, trying to get the water out of his lings. "Damn it Folken. Don't do this to me! Not now darn it!" Ghanima screamed and hit his chest hard. She then pinched his nose, and gave him mouth to mouth. After that, she stood back, breathing hard. Nothing. Folken was not breathing.
"No! NOOOO!" Ghanima screamed in denial. "I won't let you die!" she whispered. Ghanima began CPR again, yet nothing. Folken was as good as dead. "It can't be. He can't die. It's not fair! How come with all my magic I can't help him?" she screamed. "Help him! Help him live! For me!" she yelled at the rings on her hand. The just glowed softly. A glow inviting her to try again. Ghanima put her hand of Folken's chest, not pressing on it. Her small hot hand, on his drenched clothes. "Please, just cough out the water. Please Folken, you can't leave me. Not yet." She begged silently. A small movement of his chest began, the second after she wished that. He then violently coughed the water out of his lungs, and took a deep breath, slipping back into unconsciousness.
"Thank the gods." Ghanima breathed a sigh of relief. She then got up, and looked for a way back up the cliff, so they could retrieve the horses. This would be their campsite for the night.
~~~~
Slowly, Folken came about, and a dizzy picture was forming in front of his eyes. There was a fire, and a figure with long stringy hair by it. He wondered where he was, and who that person was, when he remembered the incident at the temple, and the Rosmerryl. His had went instantaneously to his neck, where the green tear shaped pendant hanged. It was there. His quest was done. They could now return to Asturia and wait for his sister to get back.
"Hey there." He said to get Ghanima's attention.
"Folken! You're awake!" she exclaimed.
"Ghani, what happened?" he asked.
"Well, I dragged you out of the water, and went back for our horses, while you beat out the Rosmerryl paralysis." She said leaving out the part where she begged him to come back to life.
"Thank you so much. You saved my life." he said.
"It's ok, now we're even, you gave me back the rigs, I saved your life." she said.
"Yeah, I guess we are. Thank you very much. I could have never got the pendant without you." Folken told her.
Ghanima looked up at him surprise written in her eyes. "That's a first." She thought.
Folken got up, and walked towards the shore of the lake. He sat on the soft sand, slowly starring at the stars. They were beautiful.
"Watcha thinking?" Ghanima asked coming up behind him.
"I hope my mother and father, and sister are all right, and I'm thinking how beautiful this night is…" Folken's voice melancholically trailed off. "And I'm thinking about you, and how you changed my life." he thought.
"You must miss your family very much." Ghanima said sadly.
Folken looked at her, with his understanding green eyes. He shifted closer, to where she was sitting on the sand, and put his arm around her, hugging her closely.
"You're welcome in Fanelia whenever you want." He said, knowing she could never go home.
Ghanima leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, but, I'm not sure I want a family anymore. It'll just be like old times, when even my father, who loved me very much denounced me and treated me like a dangerous stranger." She said.
"You're wrong. My family, and the people of Fanelia are different. All my life in the palace, no one has ever treated like you've been treated." He said.
"I wish I could believe you. And I believe you about your family, but my instinct of protection tells me, that rejection is everywhere. How can you vouch for the people of Fanelia, or for the people in general, when you haven't lived amongst them? I don't want them to accept me, but I'm telling you that you can't truly appreciate and care about your people unless you've lived amongst them. This is coming from a person that was supposed to rule. I leave you with one question. How can you say you deeply care about anything, unless you've seen that thing through all its faces? In this case, your future subjects." She said and got up. "Good night Folken, and thank you for trying to make me feel better." She said and left.
For a long time, Folken sat on the beach, pondering her words. She had been right, and he knew it. He got up, and made his way to the campsite, where Ghanima was sleeping soundly. He watched her chest go up in regular movements.
"Thank you for saving my life Ghani, and for not giving up on me, when I was about to back out." Folken whispered and got into his bed.
*Author's Note*
Hey, sorry this took so long to post, it was partly because of ff.net being down, but here it is! What did you think? I know it stinks, sorry, I tried to make it differently. Ne how, review, and stay tooned for chapter 15! Hehehe, it's gonna be another special treat! Sorry this is sooo long! I'll make them shorter next time! I do hope I've held you in suspense, and now you even got a lil background info on Ghanima!!!!! Hehe, I hope you liked what I did with the two of them!!!! Please review! Your comments are greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a lot for all the support up 'till now!!!
