Excerpts from Unbroken Circles
I stood between Wolf and Meginfrid in the low light of the tomb and watched as the dust settled slowly back into the shadows. We had just arrived and our eyes were everywhere. Cole, Ebb and Wig stood just beyond a colossal archway, stock still, heads tilted upward and listened to the silence that could only be experienced four hundred feet below the surface of the earth. A sudden rush of movement played out behind us and we all quickly turned to see Wilhelmena, Ralph and Wido complete their transformation into the vast space. No acknowledgments were made.
All the walls that towered around us were heavily carved and painted. I had seen documentaries about ancient Egypt before and knew a little about their culture. I knew the walls spoke of stories and legends of the pharaohs that were buried there. Heroic battle scenes, mystical beasts and elaborate processions played out upon the stone and immortalize the kings that ruled back then. I had to force myself from gawking at the wonders around me and focus on our task at hand…the capture of the Dreier or the killing of the Dreier, whichever came first.
“This way,” Cole whispered and began to walk into the adjoining hall. I instantly found myself beside him with the others. I had not consciously moved but was swept along within a collective current of all the sorcerers who had arrived, almost at the speed of light.
“They, as of yet, know nothing of our presence.” Wilhelmena’s voice echoed softly in my mind. She had whispered to us telepathically. It made my brain itch. “So we must hurry.”
“Shall we?” Ralph stepped forward and took command without words spoken. “Zak, stay close to Meginfrid and Wolf, no matter what happens, never leave their side.” And at that moment, a shiny golden ring appeared loosely around my neck, like a halo that had slipped down from an angle’s head. “Added safety,” he said and then vanished with several others. Cole told me it made me look older and winked. I fingered the magical ring but it had no real substance to speak of. It emitted a mild electrical current that tingled in my hand.
“Zak, the Dreier are several chambers to the east,” and pointed in the direction to our left. The rest of the sorcerers disappeared at that moment and left the three of us alone under that massive arch. “As we discussed before, our hopes are to ambush them before they dematerialize and escape.” I shook my head in confirmation but said nothing. “Once we all converge, it’s going to get a bit crazy. We know they won’t come peacefully. They will fight to the death. If you choose to stay here…” Wolf rested his hand upon my shoulder.
“No,” I interrupted, “no, I can do this, I want to do this.” I said it with so much resolve I sort of surprised myself. But it was true. I was committed to rounding them up and if necessary, killing them.
I stood between Wolf and Meginfrid in the low light of the tomb and watched as the dust settled slowly back into the shadows. We had just arrived and our eyes were everywhere. Cole, Ebb and Wig stood just beyond a colossal archway, stock still, heads tilted upward and listened to the silence that could only be experienced four hundred feet below the surface of the earth. A sudden rush of movement played out behind us and we all quickly turned to see Wilhelmena, Ralph and Wido complete their transformation into the vast space. No acknowledgments were made.
All the walls that towered around us were heavily carved and painted. I had seen documentaries about ancient Egypt before and knew a little about their culture. I knew the walls spoke of stories and legends of the pharaohs that were buried there. Heroic battle scenes, mystical beasts and elaborate processions played out upon the stone and immortalize the kings that ruled back then. I had to force myself from gawking at the wonders around me and focus on our task at hand…the capture of the Dreier or the killing of the Dreier, whichever came first.
“This way,” Cole whispered and began to walk into the adjoining hall. I instantly found myself beside him with the others. I had not consciously moved but was swept along within a collective current of all the sorcerers who had arrived, almost at the speed of light.
“They, as of yet, know nothing of our presence.” Wilhelmena’s voice echoed softly in my mind. She had whispered to us telepathically. It made my brain itch. “So we must hurry.”
“Shall we?” Ralph stepped forward and took command without words spoken. “Zak, stay close to Meginfrid and Wolf, no matter what happens, never leave their side.” And at that moment, a shiny golden ring appeared loosely around my neck, like a halo that had slipped down from an angle’s head. “Added safety,” he said and then vanished with several others. Cole told me it made me look older and winked. I fingered the magical ring but it had no real substance to speak of. It emitted a mild electrical current that tingled in my hand.
“Zak, the Dreier are several chambers to the east,” and pointed in the direction to our left. The rest of the sorcerers disappeared at that moment and left the three of us alone under that massive arch. “As we discussed before, our hopes are to ambush them before they dematerialize and escape.” I shook my head in confirmation but said nothing. “Once we all converge, it’s going to get a bit crazy. We know they won’t come peacefully. They will fight to the death. If you choose to stay here…” Wolf rested his hand upon my shoulder.
“No,” I interrupted, “no, I can do this, I want to do this.” I said it with so much resolve I sort of surprised myself. But it was true. I was committed to rounding them up and if necessary, killing them.
