Earth Guardian (Deities Series Book 2) Read online

  “It worked—the rope is sealed in the stone.” I can’t believe I did it again, and faster this time!

  While I’m up here, I use the rope to pull myself into the room—it holds. I’m able to help everyone else up. Ash comes first and shines her light. The passage is like the one below, descending in a new direction with a slight slope.

  After we get everyone and our packs up, I put my hand back on the rope, concentrating, slowly extracting it.

  “Boy, am I glad we found you.” Tage helps me with my pack. I straighten with pride. This is so cool—thank you, God. I make the sign of the cross, giving thanks to my Lord above and inside my heart.

  This passage has a slow descent. It makes a couple of turns, then goes down ever lower. Finally, it opens into a medium-sized chamber. It’s empty except for a large, black sarcophagus along the far wall. Ash illuminates what used to be colorful red, orange, and yellow Egyptian paintings on all the walls, ceiling, and floor.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this, hieroglyphs on every surface.” Dr. Mara examines the symbols under our feet with her flashlight. Tage goes to stand next to the doctor.

  “Even after three or four thousands of years, you can still see some of the symbols.” Smoke shakes his head.

  I move to the sarcophagus, a bit bigger than human-sized. The black stone is smooth with hieroglyphs all over the outside in bright white. Many are chipped and peeling with age but where the paint remains is as if it were painted yesterday. I place my hands on the lid, waist-high. It’s big and heavy, but I close my eyes, pouring my energy down my arms and through my fingers. It doesn’t move. I try harder, visualizing it opening. At last, it slides. But instead of the whole lid sliding over, it pivots outward from the center of one end, like a giant screw is holding it in place. The others rush over.

  “Whoa,” Tage says.

  “Holy shit,” Ash says. “What did you just do?” We look inside as Ash shines her light. It’s empty.

  “An empty tomb,” Dr. Mara mutters. “But I can’t believe this chamber was ever discovered—there are no records of it. Maybe it was robbed in antiquity.”

  I go to the wall and touch my hands to the fading colored, etched surface.

  Nothing …

  I remove my hand, staring. I place it here and there, all around the room and floor.

  Still nothing …

  It’s just cool stone, and I can’t sense a thing.

  It’s like I’m suddenly blind. I go around, touching all the surfaces in a panic.

  My powers are gone!

  Chapter Sixteen

  “My powers aren’t working.” What’s going on? “I can’t sense anything, not one thing from these stones.” This can’t be right. I’ve gotten used to my new abilities—I can’t lose them now.

  “The hieroglyphs.” Dr. Mara studies the walls, floor and ceiling again. “Egyptian art and writing wasn’t just for decorating. These colorful symbols were filled with Egyptian magic—this is how they performed their spells for the dead. There must be real magic in them.”

  “Could be why all the faded painting is around the room and on objects except for the sarcophagus.” Smoke runs a finger along the edge. “It should be just as faded as the rest, but it’s not. Something is protecting it or keeping it in this pristine condition.”

  I touch a gold-gilded relief sculpture of a tall Egyptian goddess with wings. “You mean, these painted etchings are stopping my powers? But they’re covering every surface.” What do we do now? “I was able to move the stone lid—my power worked there.” There are no etchings on the lid …

  “You’re technically touching a relief carving in the wall. They are all that’s left from the ancient world. A painting on canvas or even a fresco painting on the wall wouldn’t survive that long without some sort of magic. Fresco paintings that were discovered from the Italian Renaisance are in poor condition and in need of restoration, and that was just 600 years ago.”

  No one responds to Smoke.

  “Let’s try something. Ash, can you flare up a bright flame? Don’t burn us.” Dr. Mara directs the rest of us against the walls.

  Ash stands in the center of the room. She focuses on her palm and brightens the flame upward. It flares to about a meter high. “Fuck. This should be a column of flame by now, scorching the ceiling.” Her face is shining in sweat, though her flame is already returning to a small light.

  Torrent moves around, touching the walls and floor like I did. “Nothing. I sensed water underground before, but now, nothing.” Just to be sure, he opens his leather flask and wills a single ball of water to float out. He plays with it over his hand a minute before directing it into his mouth. “At least I can still do that. But what good will that do?”

  “It’s okay, soldiers, don’t panic. I know this must be disorientating, but there has to be a reason your powers are muted in here. The labyrinth was built to help us, I believe. We’ll find the rituals we need for the youths of power to balance the earth, I know it.” She takes a deep breath. “Let’s trust the ancient sages. For now, let’s take a break and eat. I want to study these writings.”

  We lean against a wall, savoring our simple lunch of boiled eggs and apples. We save the granola bars and dried goods for later.

  Dr. Mara eats while she studies, taking notes at certain places, using her phone to take pictures at others, her headband light on. She shakes her head and mutters to herself.

  Smoke and Tage cuddle and take a little nap. Torrent and Ash start batting little balls of fire and water at each other, seeing which one will win over the other in mid-air. This time the water douses the fire before it sizzles out in steam.

  “At least you guys can amuse yourselves.” I smile at them.

  “Torrent, don’t waste our water.” The doctor is curt.

  “Yes sir, sorry sir.”

  So, it is a military thing. Now that I know the four of them are trained soldiers, it makes sense.

  “She’s right,” Smoke adds. “We don’t know how long we’ll be down here, and it would suck to have to go all the way back out just for supplies. Did you know Egyptian sculptures—like the sarcophagus—were carved from Diorite which is an incredibly hard stone with a dark green color. That’s why so many surviving Egyptian statues look green. The Egyptians used this stone for everything they wanted to last because it was so hard to break. Longevity was their goal for everything. They built things that would last, which is why we have so many wonderful relics.”

  “Know it all.” Torrent leans against the wall. “Do you think we’ll have air in the labyrinth?”

  “I think so.” I take a small sip of water. “All the tombs and tunnels and even caves we’ve been in have had air flow, at least some. The Egyptians spent a lot of time down here, they must have ensured there was air coming in, one way or another.”

  “Still, I wish we had the air person with us. I wonder what they’re like?” Torrent gets up and goes to the sarcophagus. “Ash, shine your light in here. Do you think I’ll fit?” Ash and I join our water boy as he clambers inside. “Ha, I just fit!” He lies down, closes his eyes, and crosses his arms over his chest.

  “Stop it, Tor, that’s creepy.” Ash moves away and I step back, too.

  I hope this isn’t a sign … he shouldn’t play like that.

  A grinding sound interrupts my thoughts as the heavy, black lid pivots back into place.

  “Tor!” Ash and I jump back close to the giant stone box, but I can’t get the lid to move. I double my energies into my hands. The seconds tick as I try with all my might; everyone comes over as the cover seals shut with a loud bang. After at least a minute, the lid rumbles open again. “Tor?” Ash shines her light inside, the flames bouncing around wildly.

  The sarcophagus is empty.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Dr. Mara,” Ash cries. We all gather around the tomb, staring in shock. “Dr. Mara, where the fuck is he? Torrent!” Ash’s panicked voice echoes around the room.

 
“Okay, breathe a moment. What happened exactly?”

  I tell the doctor while Ash is shining her light in every corner inside the box. Smoke and Tage stand next to her side, murmuring consoling words.

  “There, Ash, go back to the top where his head was.” We examine the bottom of the box. Dr. Mara shines her headlamp. “See the dust marks? It looks like he slid down to that end. He’s probably in another passageway.”

  “Another secret door?” I shake my head. “These guys were ingenious.”

  “What do we do now?” Tage asks, but we all know—someone has to volunteer.

  “I’ll go,” I say.

  “No, I’ll go. He may need me.” Ash jumps in and lies down before I can argue, her light still glowing from her palm. We jump back at the loud rumbling as the lid swings back in.

  “Ash, no!” Smoke tries to stop the lid, but it closes as if he’s nothing but an ant.

  Was that a yelp? Smoke pounds his fist on the lid. We wait and wait, I can’t stand this. Finally, the lid slides open. It’s empty inside. I jump in before anyone else can.

  “They may need earth.” I lie down, crossing my arms over my chest like Torrent did. I’m blinded by the doctor’s light on my face, so I shut my eyes. The lid shivers and closes with a final tremor above me, trapping me in darkness. I open my eyes, but all is black.

  There’s a shift beneath me, then my head is angled up and next thing I know I’m sliding down, down, down on smooth, cold stone—like a long, square slide in pitch dark.

  A tiny light appears far below, getting brighter and larger as I rush to the bottom of the tunnel. I land with a ‘wumph’ on a crunchy pile of brown linens, dust puffing around me, making me cough. Hands grab my arms and pull me to my feet.

  “Quick, before the next person lands on you.” Torrent and Ash are covered in dust, but they seem fine. I wipe off my clothes. Ash is shining her firelight. We’re in some kind of wide passage that continues forward a little ways. Bright colors glint off the walls, ceiling, and floor from all the paintings and writings. The thick pile of what used to be linens is dotted with skulls and human bones.

  Screaming echoes all the way down the stone slide, followed closely by Tage and Smoke landing together after all of our backpacks. We help them up, putting our packs on. I stand there as we wait a minute or two, then I grab Dr. Mara as she zooms in, clutching her pack, stabilizing her so she doesn’t fall too hard. I help her up, giving a hand with her pack as she settles it onto her shoulders.

  “Thank you, Ridge. Well, what have we here?” She shines her headlamp all around.

  Every surface is covered with the paintings and hieroglyphs, bright red, blue, white and gold glinting among the black outlines. There are large pictures of gods and goddesses, with writing and smaller humans, symbols, everyday objects and hybrid animal-people all over the place. Every little space is filled in with smaller pictures or writings. Somehow, it doesn’t look cluttered—it’s a balanced and harmonious composition. I smile at its beauty, I can’t help it.

  The passage goes a short distance that leads to a large doorway, angled slightly smaller at the top.

  Dr. Mara walks slowly along the wall, studying the writing, before stopping in front of the giant, closed, stone door. She halts and studies one particular sign to the right of the door.

  “Isn’t that the fire hieroglyphs?” Tage asks.

  “Looks like it to me,” I say. “I know the very basics of hieroglyphs.”

  “Yes, you’re correct, Tage. Ash, this symbol means fire. Can you place your hand on it?”

  Ash walks up, putting out her fire and placing her palm flat on the curvy symbol. Flames roar into two large braziers sticking out on either side of the door, halfway up. It lights the whole area.

  “Whoa,” Tage whispers.

  “Okay, that was effing cool.” Ash smiles.

  “This is it,” Dr. Mara murmurs. “That writing up there above the door—it translates to something like ‘Rites of the Halls of Amenti.’ We did it—this is the labyrinth.”

  I stare at the tall door and all the intricate Egyptian art over the walls, floor and ceiling. It truly is breath taking.

  “Ridge, place your hand on this symbol, I think it may signify earth.”

  “It is.” I walk up to the left side of the door, placing my palm against the drawing. A rumbling sounds, then the large stone door slides back inside the wall.

  Chapter Eighteen

  We walk through the door. We’re in a long hallway stretching into darkness to the left and right. It’s about three meters wide, and the shining paintings and hieroglyphs cover every surface as far as we can see. Stone brazier shelves stick out two-thirds of the way up, every few meters, down both sides. The ceiling is about five meters above us—this passage is lofty and grand.

  Ash finds what she’s looking for on the wall, a graphic that looks like flames, and places her hand on the symbol. Flames roar up and down both hallways in the braziers, lighting the labyrinth in a flickering, golden glow.

  “Fucking savage. I won’t have to use my fire energy all the time.” Ash smiles. “Okay, Ridge, which way?”

  My heart jumps as they all look to me. How am I supposed to know? I look around and find the earth symbol on this side of the door. I put my hand on it, and the giant stone door slides closed with an echoing grind. Right before it closes, I see the brazier fires on the other side die down to nothing.

  I look up and down the wide hallway. It stretches as far as we can see in both directions, lit by the orange flames. I place my hand against the painted wall, here, there, and on the colorful floor. Nothing … “I don’t know which way we should go. I can’t tell.” I hate disappointing everyone.

  “That’s okay, your powers are muted in here, too. I suspect these magical paintings will be throughout the entire labyrinth.” The doctor is sketching, drawing the maze in her notebook. “Smoke, start mapping the maze from here. I got the other tunnels. Tage, you can help by taking as many pictures as you can of groupings of hieroglyphs, like this one here, see?” Tage and Smoke get to work. “I’m guessing it doesn’t matter which direction we start with.” Dr. Mara looks down both ways. “Let’s try to the left.”

  We walk. I stare at the intricate artwork everywhere. It’s amazing. “Dr. Mara, can you read all of these hieroglyphs?”

  “I’m trying to get the gist of them, but I’m not an expert by any means.” The doctor sighs. “It’s why I wanted Tage to start learning them before she defected. I wish we could take the time to study and read them all, but that would take years. We have a different job to do. You need to rebalance the world.” Still, she stops and with Tage, takes photos of certain spots. Something must be catching her eye. “I’m looking specifically for the rites of the youths of power. I don’t know exactly what they will look like.”

  “Why did you all defect?” I glance at each one, hoping someone will tell me the story.

  “Not a whole lot to tell,” Ash says. “Tor and I are really good at controlling our abilities. We were part of a special task force and actually helping people.”

  “Ya, like we saved people in Hawaii from a massive volcano that erupted,” Torrent adds. “And we put out forest fires all over the world.”

  “But then the army started using us as a killing team,” Ash continues. “While we had our orders, there came a time when I couldn’t kill innocents any longer.”

  “That’s how we came to Egypt,” Tage says. “It was our rendezvous point with Dr. Mara. She helped us all get out and defect.”

  So a team of killers. I suppose once I get a good understanding of my powers I could also use the earth to do bad things. Rocks could collapse on people, I could create landslides, or even dig deep enough rifts to bury folks alive. I shudder as those images rolling through my mind. I need to change the subject. “Maybe it would help if you or Tage teaches us certain symbols to look for.” I stare at the mysterious hieroglyphs, wishing I could decipher them.

  “That’s a
good idea, Ridge.”

  We walk silently for a while, taking it all in.

  “I have to pee.” Tage’s quiet voice is loud in the silence.

  “I’m sure we all have to,” the doctor says. “Let’s hold it a little longer, see where this leads.” After a short while, we can see the hall turns to the right just ahead.

  We arrive at the ninety-degree turn, the new hallway stretching into darkness. Along the far wall, a stone trench juts out of the wall about bench-height. I come close to look as Ash touches the wall and the braziers light up all down the new hallway, the fire dying out from the hall we just left behind.

  “It’s like a small trench.” A lip several centimeters wide rims a depression several centimeters deep. “It’s like a little canal bed, running all along the outer wall. There’s a small square hole where the trench meets the wall, see?”

  “Wait a minute.” Torrent searches the wall. “Doctor, is there a symbol here for water?”

  The doctor looks. “Yes, right here near the corner.”

  Torrent places his hand against the symbol that looks like waves, and holds it there a minute. I sense a slight, deep rumbling somewhere. A whooshing sounds, then liquid rushes into the trench from the hole, running swiftly, filling the trench as far as I can see.

  “Wow, we have water. Now I really have to pee.” Tage shifts to her other foot.

  “Do you think we can drink this?” Ash asks.

  Torrent touches the water, bringing his fingers to his lips. “No, it’s saltwater.”

  “Damn.”

  “Even if it were fresh water,” Smoke says, “it’d probably have toxins or bacteria in it since it hasn’t been running for a long time. Who knows when the last humans were down here. To me it’s been a really long time since linens are almost dust. The air has a bit of a stagnant smell to it.”

  “Wait a second.” Dr. Mara is studying the glyphs near the water symbol. “This says these are ‘relieving waters.’ I think this may be a lavatory.”