Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [81]
He follows the hallway and comes to a set of stairs leading up. Taking them two at a time, he reaches the top and enters the hallway at a run. The hallway is constructed better than the ones below. It has worked stone for sides as well as frescoes and tapestries.
Rushing down the corridor, he comes to a door in the right wall. Upon the door is a faded picture of a diamond. He pulls out the key and finds the diamond on the door is a direct match to the one on the key. Placing the key in the lock, he turns it and opens the door.
The room on the other side is octagonal, with upraised sarcophagi upon the other seven sides of the room. Upon each is emblazoned the Star of Morcyth.
“This must be the room of stars,” he announces. Turning to Jiron, he says, “Keep watch here and if anyone comes, let me know.”
“You got it,” he says drawing his knives.
“Come with me,” he says to Miko as he drags him through the door and into the room.
The medallion on his chest begins to glow once more, the Stars on the sarcophagi begin to glow as well. The glowing of the Stars reveals that another Star has been engraved upon the center of the chamber floor.
James grabs Miko and they move to the center of the room.
“Why do I have to be here?” Miko asks as they approach the center of the Star.
“Quiet,” James tells him. Upon reaching the center, he takes the medallion and holds it up high. A high pitched note begins to be heard coming from all around. It grows steadily louder and louder.
Jiron is now bathed in the light coming from the Stars as he stands out in the corridor, watching in awe at what’s transpiring within the room.
Suddenly the note stops and all is silent, then the sarcophagi doors begin to open. When the doors are fully open, a warrior steps out of each and comes toward James. Each is heavily armored, bearing a longsword and a shield. The shield is embossed with the Star of Morcyth.
All but one stops when they come to within three feet of where he stands. Miko quakes in fear as the largest of the seven comes even closer. This warrior stops a scant foot and a half from them.
“That the Star should shine here once more is dire indeed,” the warrior says.
“One has come who serves he that should not be named,” James replies, hoping to get it right.
“Yes,” the warrior says. “I can feel his presence as he approaches. The Fire is no longer safe here.”
“I must retrieve it,” James says.
Shaking his head, the warrior says, “Only a son of this world may touch it. All others must surely perish.”
“But…” James begins to say.
Then the warrior raises one of his hands and points at Miko. “He must be the one,” he says to Miko’s horror.
Miko backs away and says, “N…n…no way.”
“James!” he hears Jiron call from the corridor. “You better hurry!” Then the clash of battle can be heard as Jiron engages with the enemy.
“Miko, you have no choice!” James says. “We can’t let it fall to Abula-Mazki!”
Suddenly they hear a grinding sound as the back of one of the sarcophagi begins sliding into the floor. The circle of warriors part, creating a way for Miko to move toward the passage revealed behind it. “Go,” the warrior says, “therein lies the Fire.”
“We’ll go together,” James says as he takes Miko by the hand.
From the corridor, they continue to hear Jiron fighting. Miko looks to James, the fear evident in his eyes as he slowly nods his head. Together they walk to the revealed passage and pass through the sarcophagus.
The passage only goes ten feet before opening up to a small room. A three foot pedestal sits in the middle of the room and upon it is a red ruby, easily the biggest ruby James had ever heard of. It has to be at least three inches in diameter. Coming closer to it, they can see light moving within it, like the flickering of a flame.
Miko looks to James and says, “What do I do?”
“I’m not sure,” he admits.
Miko comes closer to the Fire and hesitantly reaches his hand out to it. When nothing happens, he picks it up.
James studies his friend, worried, but doesn’t see anything happening to him.
Miko closes