it was an area with trees and grass. Not very large, simply a place where people could come to escape the bustle of the city for a time. Now, mounds of dirt and piles of rocks litter the area. Its former beauty almost completely lost.
“Looks like they dug out the collapsed tunnel,” comments Jiron.
On the far side of the park where the entrance to Jiron’s lair had been now gapes a large hole leading down into the ground. After escaping back down into the hideout they had to fight off enemy soldiers that followed after them. James had to collapse the passage leading to the surface to keep them from being inundated by soldiers.
Crossing the scarred ground to the entrance, Shorty says, “They must have wanted in here bad.”
“This would definitely have taken some time to accomplish,” states Scar. “From what you told me, they knew you were out of here shortly after you left the City.”
Nodding, Jiron says, “That’s right.”
“So they wanted in here for another reason,” reasons Brother Willim.
Dismounting, they pause momentarily at the gaping hole in the ground. “Could they have known about this being the place where the High Temple once stood?” asks Stig.
“Possibly,” answers James. “Would make sense considering the amount of manpower they used to clear the way down.”
Miko stands at the edge of the hole and gazes down into it. Jiron begins to move past when he reaches out and grabs his arm. “Wait,” he says.
“What’s wrong?” asks James, concerned.
“Remember the dream?” he asks. Turning his gaze to James he adds, “There could be something down there.”
“Maybe,” replies Brother Willim. “Maybe not.” When Miko turns to look at him he continues. “The fearful presence in your dream could have been there simply to prevent you from understanding what the dream was trying to tell you. You still don’t know if you learned everything you were suppose to.”
“Do you feel something?” asks James.
“No,” he says. “Nothing like that.” Pulling out the Star, he sees that it’s quiet. No glow of any kind is being emitted by it.
“That’s a good sign,” states James. “If there was trouble, it wouldn’t be still like that.”
Miko nods in agreement. “I think I should lead here,” he says. He glances to Jiron and receives a nod in reply.
“We’re right behind you,” Jiron says. Stepping aside, he waits for Miko to move into the opening.
Hesitantly at first, Miko steps into the opening. The stairs that once had extended down are now worn and broken from the excavation that took place. Step by step he descends into the ground until coming to the bottom. Here, the passage extending away from the stairs is rough and uneven. Sections of the walls and floor they pass by reveal the stonework from the original corridor that once moved through here.
Then they come to the section where the ceiling must have collapsed and the stone was removed. Timbers line the sides of the passage as well as across the ceiling. Feels more like they are walking through a mine than a passage leading to what may very well be the inner sanctum of the old High Temple of Morcyth.
Debris lines the passage, evidence that others have been here since the tunnel was excavated. Old blankets and other forms of refuse litter the floor from one end to the other. From the looks of it, no one has been here for some time.
Jiron picks up a blanket and looks questioningly to James.
Shrugging, he creates his orb for more light and says, “Maybe people holed up in here after the Empire was through.”
“Could be,” he replies and drops the blanket to the ground.
James follows closely behind Miko with his orb in hand. Then comes Brother Willim, a soft glow can be seen emanating from him as well. Next comes Jiron and Aleya, then Stig, Potbelly and Scar bring up the rear. Shorty had been left topside to keep an eye on the horses.
“It won’t be too much further,” Jiron says.
And indeed the light from the orb soon reveals where the secret door had stood during their last visit. Now, the door is gone. Signs of chisels and hammers mar the wall where the Empire had taken it out.
Miko comes to a stop as the light enters the room. Memory of his dreams haunt him, fear rises at what may lay within the room.
“It’s okay Miko,” says James reassuringly. He glances to Brother Willim questioningly who shakes his head no. “There’s nothing in there. We’re right behind you.”
He glances to where the Star rests in the palm of his hand. Not even the tiniest flicker of a glow can be seen in its depths. Gathering his courage, Miko steps forward and into the room…and nothing happens. Not even the soft glow that had appeared the last time James and the others were here. Releasing the breath he had been unconsciously holding, he looks around.
The pedestal from his dream stands in the center of the room. The crystal platform that had been sitting on top of it when James and the others fled down here is gone, no surprise there. The pedestal itself has been marred and defiled by hammers and chisels. Its surface shows many marks made by those who had come after James and the others had left. A sizeable chunk has even been broken off of one side, the missing piece resting on the floor by its base.
When the light from the orb reaches the far side, James isn’t surprised to see the secret door that had concealed the way they left the room torn from the wall and lying on the ground.
Moving to the pedestal itself, he finds the indentation that had been the Star of Morcyth ruined beyond recognition. It looks as if the entire top several inches of the pedestal had been chiseled off. If he hadn’t of known what it looked like before, he would never have been able to figure it out now.
Removing his medallion, James attempts to place it where the impression of the Star used to be to see what happens. After placing it there, he stands back and watches.
“What are you doing?” Scar asks.
Nodding over to the ruined secret door, he says, “The last time we were here, placing my medallion on the pedestal raised the secret door and allowed us to escape. Just seeing if anything would happen again.”
They wait for a full minute before Potbelly says, “Maybe we weren’t meant to come here. Could the dream have meant something else?”
When all eyes turn to Miko he shakes his head. “I know I am supposed to be here,” he states with conviction. ”I just don’t know why.”
Brother Willim comes to James and asks, “What did this place look like when you first entered?”
“Not much really different than it is now,” replies James. “The two doors were still attached and the pedestal was perfectly formed. On top of it was a crystal platform that had an inverted pyramid indentation in the top where I believe the Star could have rested. Looks like the Empire took that when they were here.” He glances around the room and adds, “Beneath the crystal platform was engraved the Star of Morcyth, and that’s where I placed the medallion to open the secret door. The walls and floor are still pretty much the same.”
Brother Willim takes in the room. The pedestal standing in the exact center and the octagonal shape to the room. How each wall is facing directly to the center, and the pedestal.
“Miko,” he says. “Place the Star upon the pedestal.”
“But it’s broken,” explains Miko.
“Be that as it may,” replies Brother Willim, “put the Star upon the pedestal.”
Miko looks to James who gives him an encouraging nod. Moving forward, he places the Star upon the pedestal’s center. Letting go, he takes several steps back.
They stare in anticipation at the Star, unsure what may or may not happen. “I don’t think…” begins Potbelly when the Star suddenly erupts into light, bathing the entire room with a strong, yet soothing radiance.
“Wow,” Stig mumbles in awe.
So entranced by what the Star is doing, James fails to see what is happening with Miko until Brother Willim takes him by the shoulder and brings it to his attention. Enveloped by a white glow, more intense than any that ever appeared when he was using the Star’s power to heal, Miko stands with his eyes closed and arms lax at his side.
