I do not own Lorien Legacies or any of the characters.
Legacy
A half hour. It took us a half hour of climbing the steepest staircase I've ever seen to reach the top. I am so never complaining about working legs in the gym again. We're all drenched in sweat from the climb, Marina even more so since she's been carrying Eight's body with her Telekinesis for the entire time. But we're finally at the top.
In front of us, the top of the pyramid is flat and with nothing there but a disconnected doorway. It's not the same material as the temple. It's smooth and unblemished, where the pyramid is weathered badly. There's no obvious way to open the door, except for none round holes in the door.
"The pendants," Six says.
I pull the two Marina gave me over my head and push one in. There's a click from somewhere in the door but nothing happens.
"We need nine," I say. "We have three."
"You're right," Six nods. "But we have to try something."
I nod, placing my other pendant as Six places hers. Instantly, the pendants and the door begin to glow. Then, the door slides downward, into the temple, grinding against the temple as it does. However, instead of the other side of the pyramid, as we should see, all we see is a dusty room, lit by a dull blue glow, like the pendants had before the door sunk.
"Teleporting into another room huh?" I muse. "Figures."
Six nods and I pick up the chest she's put down, looking to Marina. She nods, walking over with Eight's body, then walking through the door with him. Six follows, then me, and Adam brings up the rear. We look around, our ears popping. Along with it, is the disorienting sensation that Eight teleporting me had caused, though, not as bad as being thrown partway through. And the feeling only lasts for the briefest of moments before it's done, and the room is completely silent, aside from our breathing. There sounds of the jungle are completely sealed out. It would seem we're either deep in he temple, or even further down. As soon as Adam is through, the doorway out vanishes, the nine indents remaining and the pendants clattering to the floor. Six grabs them quickly and I stare at the empty wall.
"Terrific," I sigh. "Now I feel claustrophobic."
I turn around, surveying the room, not listening to the others as they discuss the ancient Loric creating the room. It a large rectangular room with a high ceiling and absolutely no way out. There is Loralite all across the room in chaotic patterns, making absolutely no sense to me.
"It's the Universe," Adam breathes after a moment of silence. "It's...more than we know. The Mogadorian star maps don't cover this much."
I stare at him a moment before turning back to the glowing mess of stone supposedly a depiction of the universe. I suppose I can see where the glowing stones, probably stars or planets, spiral together in places. But there's so much. The entire massive room is covered in it. It would be impossible to tell what's what. Except, for a Loric, apparently. Six walks along the wall for a moment before touching a glowing stone and claiming to have found Lorien. Adam then points to the only section of the mural that has absolutely no Loralite.
"Our home," Six mutters.
"My home," Adam grumbles. "At least your ancestors got the forbidding darkness thing right."
"Those aren't our homes anymore," Marina says, trailing her hand along the wall before stopping at one spot that glowed brighter than the others. "This is."
I suppose that makes the spot Earth. As soon as Marina's fingers touch it, the Loralite glows a little brighter, and energy crackles. Then, something below us begins to move. The others stumble back to the wall, but I don't bother. It's a Loric Sanctuary right? If I survived the forcefield, what's the worst that could happen. The Loralite glows brighter as the shaking grows stronger. Then, a circular section of the limestone floor rises, a Loralite cylinder below it. It stops about waist high and I glance at the others, who look as confused as me. I walk over, resting my hand on the limestone on top of what appears to be a Loralite well. There are drawings around the base. Nine silhouettes floating over Earth with nine more standing on it. One nondescript silhouette dumping a chest into a well. Nine silhouettes fighting what looks kind of like a three headed dragon.
"I think they're instructions," I say. "Though, I really only understand two of the pictures."
"Is this where we...um...commit our Inheritances to the Earth?" Six asks.
Marina nods, setting Eight's body down and using her Telekinesis to push the Limestone off the well, the ancient stone crumbling as it hits the ground. A nearly blinding column of blue light flows out, almost like a spotlight, and we shield our eyes. I open the chest and Marina scoops out several gemstones, dumping them into the well. They glitter and flash as they fall, and the Loralite on the walls seems to glow a bit brighter.
"Help me Six," Marina says.
I set the chest down and Six grabs a pouch from the chest, dumping soil out of it, into the well. Suddenly, the room smells like a greenhouse. Marina follows it up with a bundle of dried leaves and sticks. As they fall, they almost look green and alive. Then, a gentle breeze is blowing in the room, cooling us down. The Loralite continues to grow brighter.
"It's working," Six says.
I kneel down, scooping up handfuls of whatever's left and the others follow suit. Within a matter of seconds, the chest is finally empty. Six holds out a coffee can, opening it and pouring ashes into the well. The ashes spark as they fall into it.
"Should we..." Six trails off, inclining her head toward Eight.
"I'm not ready yet Six," Marina says, looking down at Eight and shaking her head.
"There's nothing else to do," Six points out, looking around from the bright-as-the-sun well that doesn't hurt to look at somehow, to the flashing Loralite on the walls. "It's time."
"The pendants Six," Marina says. "We have to give it the pendants."
"Hold on," Adam says, stepping forward, finally snapped out of his state of awe. "If you drop those pendants, we're trapped."
"I doubt it," I say. "This is supposed to help the Garde. I doubt they'd leave them trapped down here and unable to finish fighting the war."
Adam opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it again and nods. Apparently, he's willing to take it on faith, no matter what his Mogadorian instincts say. Six holds out the pendants, staring at them for a moment before dropping them. The reaction is immediate. The light flashing, painfully blinding and we all shield our eyes. There's a massive whoosh of air, like a tornado touching down beneath the Earth. Or a gasp for breath. Then, a massive baritone thump echoes somewhere below us, sending vibrations up my body. Then, it happens again. Like a cycle, slowly speeding up. Repeating in sets of two. A heartbeat. Earth, has a heartbeat. After a time, I'm not sure how long, the light finally fades and I lower my hand, only to shout in surprise and stagger backward, falling onto my rear beside Adam, who's on his knees, staring at something just over the well in awe, the same thing that made me stagger back. Eight is floating over the well, bathed in the blue light from the well. When my vision had returned, his face had been startlingly close to mine, an expression somewhere between anger and distrust on his face.
"Is this you?" Six asks Marina.
Marina shakes her head, staring at Eight. That's fair. He's not only staring at me, but he's also making faces. And glowing. His eyes are pure Loralite, though I can tell it's me he's staring at. He opens his mouth and the blue glow of Loralite floods out.
"You're not Garde," he accuses, one hand raising to point at me.
His voice is melodic. Beautiful. Though, it somehow fills me with fear at the moment. In his sleep, whatever it is inhabiting Eight's body created a forcefield that should have killed me, and almost did. Awake, he could probably snap his fingers and light me on fire.
"No, I'm not," I agree.
Marina steps forward, clearing her voice. "Eight? Is that you?"
Eight stares at her for a moment, Eight's wound glowing beneath his shirt.
"No, he's gone," the thing in Eight's body says gently. "I'm sorry Daughter. He is with me now. He does me a service by allowing me to speak through him. It has been a long time since I've had a voice."
"Are you Lorien?" Six asks. "Like...the planet?"
The thing seems thoughtful for a moment before saying, "I was once called that yes. I have been called other things, in other places. Now, here, I will be called something else."
"You're a god," Six says.
"No. I simply am."
It turns back to me, once again seeming less than pleased to see me.
"How is it you entered this sanctuary, through the barrier protecting it?" It asks. "It was meant to keep anyone without my spark inside them out."
"I honestly don't really know," I say.
"It was me," Marina says. "I brought him through the barrier, then healed what damage it did."
"Interesting," the thing, the entity, says. "Why would you do that?"
"He's been a friend for a very long time, and has helped us and saved our lives a million times over," Marina says. "It just didn't seem fair that he had to sit outside for this."
"I see," the Entity says. "Very well."
"Do you know what's happening?" Six asks. "The Mogadorians are invading."
"Not all of them, I see," the Entity says, looking now at Adam, who looks exceedingly uncomfortable. "Yes, they are coming. They're leader has chased me for a very long time. Your Elders sought to protect me. They placed me here, in hopes it would delay him."
"It didn't go so hot," Six says, and Marina elbows her.
"So many of my children, gone forever," the Entity says sadly. "I suppose you would be the Elders now, if such a thing still existed."
"We're Garde," Six corrects the ageless, borderline god floating before her. "We're here for your help."
Correcting it and making demands all in one breath. Gotta respect Six's guts. The Entity actually chuckles.
"It does not matter to me, Daughter. Elders, Garde, Cêpan...that is just how the Loric decided to understand my gifts. It does not have to be that way here. It does not have to be any way." It pauses. "As for help, I do not know what help I can give."
"That's not good enough!" Six yells, taking a step forward, energy crackling and some of her hair standing on end. "We've come far to awaken you! We've lost people! You have to be able to do something! Or are you cool if Setrákus Ra marches down here and destroys the Earth? You going to let that happen twice on your watch?"
The Entity's brow furrows and a crack splits open on Eight's forehead, the body apparently unable to contain the power of a godlike force for a prolonged period. Marina covers her mouth in surprise and a little horror, but doesn't cry out.
"I'm sorry Daughter," the Entity says to Marina. "This form cannot contain me for long."
"I do not condone the senseless destruction of life," the Entity says, turning back to Six, sounding as patient as ever. "However, I do not choose fates. I do not judge. If it is the will of the Universe that I cease to be, then I will cease. I exist only to bestow my gifts to those who are open to them."
"So, you're a pacifist fatalist," I surmise. "We can beg and plead for help until we turn blue in the face, but you won't help us."
"Yes," the Entity confirms, seeming exceptionally neutral to my presence now. "But not because I wish you any ill will. Simply because it is not my purpose to."
"Then give me legacies," Six invites, spreading her arms. "I'm open to them. Load me up! Give me enough to kill Setrákus Ra and I'll leave your glowing ass alone!"
"It doesn't work that way," the Entity intones, smiling, even as more cracks split open on the backs of Eight's hands.
"Then how the hell does it work!?" Six demands. "Tell us what to do!"
"There is nothing left to do, Daughter," the Entity states. "I am of the Earth now, and so are my gifts."
He turns to Marina, ignoring Six as she demands to know what the hell he's talking about.
"He won't have long, Daughter," the Entity says.
"Who won't?" Marina asks as my eyes widen.
Not sure how, but I sense a shift in the Entity. Or rather, Eight suddenly seems more familiar than a moment ago. The Entity closes his eyes, Eight's body trembling as the light recedes from it, the cracks closing up, the only thing still glowing being the wound. Then, Eight floats forward, landing on his feet in front of Marina. Finally, his eyes open. Green and with a spark of his old mischief. Eight has returned.
"Wow, hi," Eight greets Marina.
Marina sobs in delight, grabbing Eight by the shoulders, then by the face, pulling him closer.
"You're warm," she breathes, awed. "You're so warm."
Eight laughs, placing a hand over Marina's and kissing the side of it.
"You're warm too."
"I'm sorry Eight," Marina says, beginning to cry again. "I couldn't heal you."
"Stop it Marina," Eight says firmly. "You brought me here. It's...I can't even explain it. It's amazing in there."
The energy at Eight's heart begins to spread outward, fissures opening in his arms and legs. Looks like the Entity wasn't kidding when he said Eight wouldn't have long.
"Can I kiss you?" Marina asks.
"I really wish you would."
And she does. She pulls him to her, kissing him and wrapping her arms around him. I look away. Partially because I still can't bear to see them kiss, and partially because it seems wrong of me to watch. Especially after the other night. Guilt spreads through me at the thought.
"Hey."
It's Eight. I look back at them, seeing him grinning knowingly at me. A slight blush actually manages to make it to my face before I fight it back.
"Take good care of her," Eight says, looking serious, yet still grinning.
"I will," I nod.
Eight grins again. "And stop with that curse bullshit. I died because I made a decision to protect Nine. Besides, I'm watching over you two now. Nothing's going to hurt her again."
Just what I need. As if her having feelings for Eight and my curse weren't motivating enough for me to be with her, now there's the thought that Eight is watching everything we do. Joy of Joys. I stare at him, before also beginning to grin. I can't help it. It's infectious. But then, the other night returns and my face falls. The energy is beginning to make Eight disintegrate now, though not like a Mogadorian, more like every cell is visible for a moment. Marina tries to cling to him but her hands pass through him.
"Don't worry about what happened," Eight's voice says as the light begins to fade, his voice growing fainter as it did. "It didn't change anything."
And then, he's gone. I stare at the spot he was for a long while, the others doing the same. Then, Marina collapses against Six, sobbing hard. I feel fresh air and turn to look, seeing a staircase in the wall that definitely wasn't there before.
"We should go," Adam says. "The others will need our help."
I nod, agreeing, since we got absolutely no help from the Entity. Though, there was a plus side, since I'm pretty sure I got Eight's blessing, not that it's changed my decision in any way. And Marina finally got closure over Eight's death.
"I saw it Six," Marina breathes. "When I kissed him, I saw inside that thing. It's spreading, all over the world."
"And what does that mean?" Six asks.
"It means, we're not alone anymore," Marina says, pushing herself up, smiling.
I smile, happy that she's alright. Then, we all climb the stairs.
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