The Artifacts Of Elios (Book 1) (8 page)

“But it is true, Shane,” said Ava.  “Allion the Third is systematically destroying the
magetech trade - becoming more and more a dictator and less a monarch every day.”

“Well,” said Shane, “In for a copper in for a crown as they say.”

“Now I have a secret for you,” Shane said mischievously.

“What…” she started to say.

Shane put his finger to her lips hushing her.  “My turn,” he laughed.  “Mine isn’t as adventurous as yours but it certainly has its merits.”  Shane paused dramatically and whispered into her ear.  “I may have figured out a way to create our own artifacts.”

“Shane!  That’s amazing,” she barely kept from shouting.  Then she started giggling.

“What’s so funny,” asked Shane with a puzzled look.

“
Your lips tickled my ear when you were whispering to me just now,” She giggled again.  “And here we are discussing such a serious topic and everything seems suddenly so romantic. Come on whisper some more.” She coyly looked at him with sparkling eyes and then grinned.

Suddenly aware of his surroundings Shane blushed and looked around.  “Ava, there are people here.

Taking pity she freed him from his embarrassment, “Come on let’s eat and then get to the lab and you can show me what you’ve found.”

That evening at the lab Ava and Shane had to hold off on discussing Shane’s discoveries as they were forced to plod their way through several newly arrived artifacts that had been delivered that day.  Shane was aching to get to work on the instructor but there seemed to be more of the group present this particular evening and the Professor was working late as well.

The rumor for the increase in artifacts was due to a recent grant from the crown to use the collegiums resources to analyze and catalog several dozen never before encountered artifacts.  The professor had told the class that the word on the grapevine was that an island had been discovered that had an entire city unscathed that may be dated back to the time of the vanishing of the Elios.

Finally after all of the artifact group had eventually trickled away only the professor, Shane and Ava remained in the lab.

“Shane, Ava,” the professor said, shattering the silence as both of his prize students were intently documenting a large cylindrical artifact.

They looked up. “Yes.” they asked.

“If you have a moment I have some good news for the both of you.”
  Seeing that he had both of their attention he continued.  “As you can tell the IDAD has happened on to some new and very mysterious artifacts,” he pointed at the table filled with the new artifacts along the back wall of the lab.  “They have provided the university with a small sample of artifacts for us to research; as you have seen by the many that were delivered today.  They have also requested that if I have any last year students that are interested and capable that I share an opportunity to attend a semester on expedition at a crown discovery for the next semester. 

The discovery is on an island.  The exact location is very secret and those
that go will not be told where; they will be put on a crown naval vessel and transported to an unspecified location for the duration of the expedition.  I would like to submit your names.

You are two of my top students and I can submit up to four candidates.”  He held up his hand as they both opened their mouths to respond.  “Don’t give me your answer yet, I would like you to consider it carefully.  There are both pros and cons to this opportunity.  If you are accepted to join the expedition you will be completely out of contact with your family, friends and the university for four to six months.  On the upside you will be provided with
room and board and receive a weekly stipend of one hundred and fifty crowns.  You will also be eligible for a position with the IDAD research division depending on your contribution to the expedition after graduation.  This also will count highly toward any post graduate work you may pursue in the future here at Wonstrowd.

I will have more information later, come and see me in my office day after tomorrow and let me know your decision.”

The professor gathered up several papers and placed them carefully in his valise, as he snapped the clasp shut he bid them good evening and departed the lab.

“Holy Elio!” exclaimed Ava.  “
We’re talking first hand looks at new artifacts maybe even ancient writings.  Do you realize what this means?”

“Yeah,” responded Shane glumly.  “You will be gone for six months and I’ll be stuck here.  I still have
this semester’s commitment on the warball team and if University of Jehhet can beat the Aggies we’re going to the finals,” he reminded her.

“Oh,” Ava said abruptly.  “I
forgot about that.”  Her eyes brightened mischievously, “Hey maybe you will get injured.”  She smiled.

“Thanks a lot,” Shane
smirked back.  “You should go.  It would be inline perfect for what you and your family wants for you to become expert in and it will give me time to work on my new theories and build my test artifact to see if I’m on to something.”

“Speaking of which,” Ava said, standing up and stretching.  “We have been dancing around this all night.  We are finally alone.  What theories and discoveries did you make?”

Shane pulled out his notes of the exact drawing of the light artifact that he had made the night before.  “I copied these down last night with the intent of making a duplicate.  I have decided that every device I catalog here I am going to make a book of my own, that way if I ever crack the secret of the artifact glyphs I’ll not have to rely upon the University for my Data Samples.

But that’s not the good part.  Did you ever touch the light that emits from the artifact we were cataloging
last night?”

“No” responded Ava.

“Well I did,” replied Shane enthusiastically.  “I touched the contact and it lit up like it was supposed to.  I was interested in the fact that it didn’t require a crystal as an emitter for the light.  Out of curiosity I put my hand into the light and it wasn’t hot or cold it was just as if I were waving it through the air.  What I did feel was something much unexpected.  I felt a tingling sensation in my hand.  I held it there for probably thirty seconds or so and there was nothing more, just the tingling.  Afterwards I was impressed; kind of like an idea popped into my head, to examine the glyphs more closely which led me to examining the scroll work.  It turns out that the scroll work is made of very small inscribed glyphs.  One thing led to another and I ended up copying the whole thing down on paper.”

“So the scroll works are glyphs,” Ava responded rhetorically.
  “They just look like artwork or designs.  I’m going to have to start looking at all designs and glyphs under a magnifier from now on.… I wonder what else we have missed.”

“That isn’t the big part,” Shane continued.  Shane told her about the dream, the pyramid, the valley, the goblet and the voice, and how he had been told to build a similar device but make some changes in two glyphs.

“I think that my putting my hand in that light did something magical to me and the artifact we were cataloging is more than meets the eye,” Shane concluded.

“Let me go get it and lets have a look,” Ava said leaping up from her stool and dashing to the storage cabinet were it was kept.

The Artifact was gone.

Shane and Ava searched the entire lab but couldn’t find it.  Their only conclusion was that it had been sent back to
IDAD when the new artifacts had arrived.

“It’s a good thing you made a copy of those glyphs when you had the chance,” said Ava.

There were still two hours before Shane’s curfew so while Ava copied the evenings work to their own private catalog and notes, Shane took the brass sheet from his pack and began engraving the glyphs onto it.

The engraving was slow and tedious as Shane had never engraved before.  After the first couple of glyphs he was beginning to get the process down
and he continuously improved.  Two hours later Shane had finished the actuator line and contact, the circle and the three rows of glyphs that resided within the circle, and he was ready to tackle the scroll work.  It was then that he felt someone looking over his shoulder and he looked up from his work.

“It’s time to go, Big Guy,” said Ava, resting her chin on his shoulder as she examined his work.  “That looks pretty good.  Like the real thing,” She added.

“It’s getting there,” Shane nodded.  “This was the easy part.  I’m dreading the scrollwork glyphs.  Those are going to take forever.”

“Well tomorrow’s another day,
” Ava said lifting her chin and giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek from behind.

Shane enjoyed the closeness for a moment before turning and giving her a kiss in return.  “We better get you home
and I need to get to my bunk before I miss curfew two nights in a row.”

They quickly gathered up their notes and left the
lab locking it up behind them.

The rest of the week continued like a routine.  Ava catalogued while Shane engraved.  By the weekend
Shane was only done with a third of one of the four edges of the miniature scrollwork glyphs.

By Venri morning
Ava had been in touch with her family and they whole heartedly approved of her trip with the expedition.   Ava formally informed the magetech professor that she was definitely in.   While Shane informed him that due to his athletic scholarship that he needed to remain with the team and wouldn’t be able to join the expedition.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Shane, You are such a diligent student I sometimes forget that you are obligated to the warball team.  Not to worry, I’m sure there will be other expeditions and I can use you here to
assist with the research that will undoubtedly be sent directly to the collegium,” the Professor assured him.

“As for you miss Desmond, I suggest you meet with the rest of your professors and let them know that you will need to schedule your finals early.  The expedition leaves in thirty days.”

The thirty days leading up to the time of the expedition evaporated like dew on a hot summer morning.  Shane continued to engrave but his pace was slowed due to little time.  Finals were approaching and the warball team had made the playoffs.  Between Homework practice and Ava’s own rushed schedule they only had brief moments together.  They most often were only able to meet for dinner at the cafeteria near the magetech lab or at the lab itself.

The Venri morning before Ava was to leave; they both had finished their finals.  Ava had finished hers early because of the expedition and Shane because of the upcoming warball playoffs.  They met at the quad just outside Ava’s dorms.
  They had two days and then Ava would leave for the mysterious island.

“I can’t believe finals are finally finished,” Shane let out a whoop as he picked Ava up in a big hug spinning her around.  Putting her gently back on the ground he smiled and said, “
Better yet we’re going to the championship, “he said excitedly.  “The Luion Aggies were tied in the standings with University of Jehhet; they lost in the play off so it will be us and University of Jehhet for the championship.  We have the conference home field so we will be playing here.”

“I heard,” Ava responded a little glumly.  “The game is next week and I’ll be gone.”

“How’s the engraving going,” Ava changed the subject.  I haven’t seen you for nearly three days.”

“Pretty good actually,” Shane replied.  “I only have about a quarter left of the final side.
  I could finish this weekend or I could spend it with you.  Looks like I’ll finish next week.”  He sat down on the grass then lied down on his back.  “What would you like to do?”

“Well,” Ava said haltingly.  “There is this dance tonight and I was hoping that you would take me.” 

Shane sat up straight smacking the palm of his hand on his forehead.  “I completely forgot, Ava, please forgive me, I’m so dumb.  I meant to ask you several days ago, I just got caught up in everything.”

“I forgive you,” Ava said with her most mischievous smile.  “And since it appears that I am going to have to be the planner in this relationship, here is our schedule for the weekend.”

They both laughed as she mentioned that they would be going to a nice place for lunch and he could pick her up at seven for the dance.  “And tomorrow morning we will be meeting my parents at the coach station, followed by lunch and then we will be having a nice dinner with them at their hotel.  They are in town on business that just happens to coincide with their daughter’s departure on an expedition.  We have all of Dima afternoon to ourselves I will be doing my final packing Dima evening; I expect you to assist.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Shane said as he took in the barrage of details that she was rattling off.  His biggest concern was not doing something stupid when he met her parents.

“I’m hoping you can see me off at the harbor with my mom and dad on Lundi morning,” Ava said giving him a full dose of her green eyes.  “You don’t have practice do you?”

“I don’t have practice until the early evenings all week next week and we have play reviews in the afternoons.  The mornings are ours.” Shane informed her, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world seeing you off.
I’m missing you already.”