Belvedor and the Four Corners (Belvedor Saga Book 1) (42 page)

“Dwarves,” said Jeom in a whisper. His hands clenched around the glass edges of the podium, and he closed his eyes to try and comprehend the new wave of information. “Dwarves… truly?”

“That’s what it reads, doesn’t it?” asked Arianna with her hands on her hips. “Look, I understand that all of this is a lot to take in, but how is it so hard to fathom when we’ve been spending a lifetime believing in nothing? I mean, granted we’re lost, but think of what we’ve seen so far and all we’ve done.”

Jeom shook his head. “I don’t—”

“But think of all of the miracles that led us to this very spot!” she said. “With everything we’ve been through, the fact that dwarves are added to the mess seems just as capricious as everything else… which, by circumstance, is beginning to seem pretty ordinary,” she said, nodding to reassure her own mind. 

“I just… this is so—!” he said with a voice so loud it made Arianna cringe. Unable to form his thoughts into words, he pounded his fist down on the podium, a large crack splitting through the center of the thick glass.

Demetrius rested a comforting hand on Jeom’s shoulder as his chest heaved up and down. “Don’t fret brother. Everything will work out in the end,” he said, so relaxed that it made everyone think that it must be true.

Jeom nodded and straightened his back, putting on a brave face. “Sorry. I just need out of these caves. I need some air.”

“Shall we?” said Lessa, anxious to move on and see what lay beyond the fire-kissed door.

Nobody said anything, but she moved passed the podium anyways. As soon as she stepped beyond the stone centerpiece, her whole body was flung backwards, knocked to the floor by some invisible force.

“Les, what happened!?” said Arianna as she ran to her side. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, shaking her head. She scooped up Sano, trying to relieve him from the shock. “It felt like I ran into a wall or something.”

Lessa moved forward slowly with her hands extended in front of her, and sure enough her palms flattened against something solid blocking her way forward.

Arianna mimicked her, walking forward with her arms outstretched. She flinched as she felt something cool and concrete encumber her way. Demetrius followed suit and knocked on the invisible barrier, the deep sound resonating through the room like drums before battle. As the three stayed with their hands up against the barrier, trying to understand the current form of entrapment, Jeom walked to meet his friends.

He went to place his hand on the invisible fortress. Instead of feeling the same solid wall, he stumbled, unhindered, past his brother and the girls. He clenched at his heart, gasping as he passed through some unseen energy almost as if he’d just stepped through a wall of electrified water.

When he looked back, he saw Demetrius, Arianna, and Lessa banging on the barrier, which now looked like a glass wall encasing a wispy indigo liquid. He strained his eyes, trying to make out his friends, but they looked blurred and their voices muffled. He pressed his ear against the watery wall and could make out his name, realizing they shouted for him.

“I’m here! I’m okay!” He tried yelling back, but they didn’t seem to hear or see him.

He screamed, backing away, lifting his hands to his ears as a loud voice filled the room. “Welcome to the City of Undor. You may proceed,” said the voice belonging to an unseen woman.

He looked around the room, seeing nothing but the enchanted wall, the sun-crafted door, and the small space in-between as panic began to set in. Walking back towards the barrier, he saw his friends still pounding away with their fists and feet, their muffled cries giving him courage.

Extending his hand towards the wall, his fingers pressed through the glass-like energy and glazed the watery threads which separated him and his friends. Summoning all of his bravery, he moved his foot forward, and his body was sucked back through the barrier.

In an instant, he fell into the embrace of all three who shrouded him with a string of questions.

“You just disappeared!” said Arianna.

“Are you okay?” said Lessa. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine, but did you hear that?” said Jeom.

“Hear what?” asked Demetrius, cocking his head to the side as he examined his brother.

Jeom flushed as the others stared at him, dumbfounded. “I passed through to the other side, but you couldn’t see me… and then a woman spoke, welcoming me into the city. I don’t understand. Why can’t you get through as well?” He rubbed at his temples as he sauntered back towards the podium.

“I think you have a little dwarf in you,” said Demetrius with a wry smile inching across his mouth. 

Jeom’s face fell. “That’s ridiculous. I’m over six feet tall! Aren’t dwarves supposed to be… dwarfish?” he said with sarcasm lacing his words as he held his hand low to the ground.

“I couldn’t possible know,” said Lessa, appraising Jeom’s stature. “He may have a point though.” She let the thought of him sharing some distant family connection roll around in her head. The more she connected the dots, the more it seemed possible in their newfound world of wonder.

“That’s true,” said Arianna. “You do know the language.” She looked up at Jeom as he started to fume. “Well, have you got any other explanations?”

Jeom gaped at them with wide-eyes, unable to contradict anything anyone had just said. Instead, he just crossed his arms and refused to comment.

“Here’s an idea,” said Arianna after a moment’s silence. “Why don’t you try to invite us in?”

Jeom looked ready to explode. “I’m not going to—”

“Just listen,” she said, raising her hands. “Whether you’re a dwarf… or not, something about you allows you through that barrier. When you read the message on the podium, it did mention that outsiders could be invited in by those of a dwarf bloodline.
Maybe,
we should take it as literal instructions.”

“Absurd,” he said. “I’m not a dwarf!” He pursed his lips, daring her to push it further.

“I didn’t say you were a dwarf,” said Arianna, her cheeks burning bright. “I said that
something
about you allows you through, and we want in!” She tapped her foot, folding her arms as he curled his lip at her.

“She has a point, Jeom,” said Lessa. “Please, what’s the harm in trying? It won’t hurt anything.” She battered her eyelashes at him, pouting her already pouty lips.

“Oh, all right,” he said, throwing his hands into the air. “I’ll try, but what should I even say?”

“Great!” said Demetrius. “Just… invite us in.” He slapped him on the back, smiling as he tried not to laugh at his dwarfish brother.

“Okay, I invite you in,” he said in a resigned voice. Nothing happened as the others tested the barrier once more.

“Try something more formal,” said Arianna, her tone anxious as she pressed at the wall.

Jeom huffed but didn’t argue. “I, Jeom Humelius Kane, invite you, Arianna Belvedor, Demetrius Kane, and Lessa Thur into the great City of Undor.” He raised his hands above his head in a dramatic fashion, bowing to the three.

They tried once more, but again nothing happened. Pressing their bodies against the invisible wall, they pushed harder in frustration.

“Aha!” said Demetrius, clapping his hands together. “Brother, do you think you can actually
speak
the language that’s written here?” He danced on his tip-toes, smiling up at Jeom.

Walking over to the podium, Jeom examined the script once more. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, a smooth string of unrecognizable words poured out in a slur. Arianna listened in awe, his voice sounding deep and intimate as it mixed well with the strange words.

The language seemed to incorporate a very masculine tone, and yet it still held a great deal of appeal to her ears. It reminded her, somewhat, of the few magical charms she had tasted. Those too had been in a foreign tongue, but still, these words tumbling out of Jeom’s mouth seemed much different.

When he finished, everyone appeared to awaken from a daze. Simultaneously, the four reached out to test the barrier, only to find it absent. Instead, they all became submerged into the rolling waves of indigo energy before landing, unharmed, on the other side. As soon as their feet hit the floor, the same mysterious voice rang throughout their ears. “Welcome to the City of Undor. You may proceed.”

“Ooooh,” said Demetrius, flashing a grin. “I sure heard it that time.”

“You were wonderful,” said Arianna as she gave Jeom a big hug. At first he flinched, but then he relaxed and welcomed the embrace, letting go of his earlier anger. Lessa and Demetrius joined in with Sano bouncing around them all.

“Here we go again,” said Jeom, throwing his hands up in defeat as Arianna and Lessa raced towards the next door. “You two are insatiable… honestly.” His grimace broke into an unbidden smile, and then he followed the girls into the next chamber.

Arianna pushed open the door and looked around, beginning to realize that each door displayed little excerpts of what they could expect inside. This coal-crafted entrance, laced with sizzling reds and oranges, proved to be a very good depiction of the surprise in store for them… only this door didn’t seem quite as dangerous to the touch as the room she laid eyes upon now.

CHAPTER THIRTY

As they entered into the next room, an unpleasant blast of heat struck them, and Arianna felt as if she had just stepped into a furnace. Unlike the other two, this room resembled the caves Arianna and Lessa had been lurking through for so long, much like the sunstone tunnel which led them to the Creator’s District.

Despite the harsh environment, Arianna found it impossible not to be awed by the vermillion scene. The blackened floor and walls sparkled with deep yellows, oranges, and reds, and it looked as if the entire room was embroidered in a dazzling fire. Even the columns of earth which connected the ceiling and the floor were painted in bright scorching flames.

They stood at the doorway observing the room until someone looked up towards the high-arched ceiling of the cavernous chamber. Lessa gasped as she registered the fiery sky above her, and she tapped Arianna on the shoulder, unable to take her eyes off the view. As Arianna lifted her head to follow Lessa’s gaze, an unbidden shriek escaped her lips. There, flowing over the entirety of the ceiling, she saw a river of roaring magma. It seemed like their world had flipped upside down as they looked upon a topsy-turvy version of a volcanic pool.

As the boys joined their own shrieks to the panicking pair, no one could look away. The lava flowed bright red, swirling in all directions as it painted every inch of the ceiling in the sunstone cave.

Arianna found her voice as she grasped onto Lessa who tried to calm a very frightened Sano. “It must be another charm…” she whispered, still gazing at the ceiling. “Will it be safe to move forward?” She looked at her with worry in her eyes.

Lessa gave a shaky nod, running her fingers through her hair. “It doesn’t seem to be dripping to the floor.” Lessa inched forward, her eyes still averted upwards.

“Wait!” said Demetrius, grabbing hold of Lessa’s wrist. “Don’t be so hasty. I wonder what they would have to say?” He pointed over to a corner on the far side of the room.

Arianna clasped a hand to her mouth. The clean bones of several men lay scattered in a pile, their skulls sprinkling the stunning ground. Her mind flashed to the slaves at the bottom of the Pit and the Tombs of Blancoren. She remembered the bones of those ill-fated children arranged the very same way, discarded and forgotten. 

“What is this place?” asked Jeom as a shutter ran down his spine.

“I don’t think we should wait to find out,” said Demetrius. “Let’s get out of here.” He tightened both hands around his scythe, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the remainder of the room. Nothing as unsettling as the river of magma bubbling above their heads drew his attention, so he remained calm.

In a horizontal line, all four inched forward never taking their eyes off the ceiling for fear it would fall and melt them to puddles. Arianna winced as the radiant red of the magma bubbled and swirled in a whirl of dangerous color. Her eyes strained to keep pace with each changing movement of direction, but soon she realized the river created too many paths to follow. For a moment, she thought she even saw a boulder or something similar roll along one of the trails the lava twisted about, but she knew her eyes well. They liked to play tricks on her, and this dungeon of fire created the perfect playground for her imagination.

“Did you see that?” said Jeom who pulled his violet hood around his head for extra precaution. 

Arianna chewed on her lip. “I thought I saw something too, but I’m sure it’s just our minds playing tricks,” she said. “Keep going.”

Not believing her own words, she continued to scrutinize the river above, trying to see through the dense magma. By now, they made it half-way across the chamber, so Arianna stole her eyes away from the captivating ceiling to have a quick glance around the room. She grimaced as more skeletons came into her line of sight, adding them to the count.