The Key (26 page)

Arkarian explains, ‘That's the temple you have to find. Locked inside an underground vault is a sphere much like this one, except small enough to fit in your hand.' Arkarian makes sure I'm looking at him before he goes on. ‘Protect it. The sphere must go down with the city, all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Do you understand, Matt?'

‘What's so important about this sphere?'

‘It works much like this one here in my chambers, except where this one searches and finds the past, the Atlantean sphere finds the future.'

His explanation leaves me speechless for a moment. ‘So what you're saying is …?'

‘This sphere was the last sophisticated piece of technology the Atlanteans invented before the cataclysm of earthquakes and tsunamis saw the island destroyed. They only used it once, in its testing stage, so we know it works. Now Lathenia wants it.'

‘Sorry for not quite getting this, but what good would it do Lathenia to be able to go into the future, if the future hasn't happened yet?'

‘The battle for final control of the realms is looming. It's closer than …' He pauses and his serious look kicks off a series of shivers down my spine. ‘Closer than we want to acknowledge. And with this tool, Lathenia will not only be able to see the future, but possibly have access to it.'

‘So she could view the battle, see how it's going to be played out, then structure her own defences to surprise us when the actual battle begins. She could change the outcome. Arkarian, she could change everything.'

‘There's more that you have to know, Matt. More reason that the sphere has to sink with the island. I'm not sure how much you already know, or how much you've been told, so I'm going to explain it anyway.'

‘Go on, Arkarian.'

‘The Atlanteans were an advanced society. Too advanced for the earth in its time, and even still today. The technology that they created hasn't all been invented yet.'

‘And that's why this machinery hidden in the ancient city has to stay that way?'

‘That's right. It's not time to reveal it. The world – the earth – isn't ready. It would upset the natural balance. No one nation can have access to this sort of power. Not yet. Not for a long time. And of course, the Atlantean sphere is the most powerful piece of technology they invented. It was lost when Atlantis sank.'

‘All right. But how will we be able to protect this sphere?'

Arkarian moves his hand over his own sphere and it spins, revealing the same beautiful city he showed me a moment ago, except this one is in turmoil. Thick ash and smoke almost obscure my view. Beneath this deadly
cloud, people are running frantically, some pulling carts with belongings falling from them. Animals, including elephants, trample over those who can't get out of the way fast enough. A loud reverberating sound shakes the land and people scream and clutch each other. Some pray openly, while others push past them in their haste to exit the city. Most people appear to be heading for a distant mountain range.

‘The last three days have been chaotic, but today, the day the portal has opened, is the day Atlantis will sink. Look over there.' Arkarian points to a rising part of the landscape that reveals an erupting volcano, lava spewing a torrent of fire from its mouth. ‘You will have to get to the temple and make sure the sphere goes down with the city, then get out before you too are sucked into the ocean. Remember, all you have to do is call my name. I will be monitoring your progress the whole time. I will hear you the second you call. From what I have ascertained, the Order is sending two soldiers on this mission. One is Lathenia herself.'

‘Great.'

‘The other is unknown. We think it's a girl who is highly skilled. This soldier, whoever she is, is proving untraceable. So I suggest you take two allies with you.'

I try to think who would be best, but I'm still new at making these decisions. ‘Which two would you take?'

‘Considering the seriousness of this mission, and the fact that you will be going to an advanced society in the midst of utter chaos, the ideal team would consist of yourself with one male and one female, both Truthseers, both with wings. Two of you to handle Lathenia and her soldier, one to secure the sphere.'

Silently I go over everyone that I know and their
powers. Ethan has his wings, but isn't a Truthseer. Mr Carter doesn't have either. Jimmy and Shaun have their wings, but aren't Truthseers. As for the girls, Neriah's still coming into her powers and I don't even know what they are. She wouldn't be ready. And neither Isabel nor Rochelle has wings. ‘If I can't take you along, Arkarian, then I have nobody that fits the criteria.'

‘While Ethan isn't a Truthseer, he does have his wings and his illusionary powers could be a great advantage in Atlantis.'

‘OK, then Ethan will come. And the girl?'

Footsteps behind me have me spinning around.

‘Well, I don't have my wings yet, but I am a Truthseer.'

It's Rochelle. Arkarian must have asked her here, knowing she should be part of the team.

Another set of footsteps and Ethan comes into the room. ‘Hey, so where are we going?'

‘Atlantis,' I tell him. ‘On the last day of its existence.'

We land in a room in the Citadel, one after each other. Matt is first, while Ethan arrives a moment after me. I take a look around and as always wonder at the meaning of the room the Citadel chooses for us. This one is dark, heavy with shadows, the air thick and moist.

‘Look at that,' Ethan says.

I spin around to see movement on the wall. It's a vine of some sort, and it's growing rapidly, spreading its tentacles up and across the ceiling. In seconds the growth is so thick vines start dropping around us.

‘This room is creepy,' Ethan says.

Matt agrees. ‘Let's get out of here and get our identities.'

We follow Matt up a disappearing staircase and find ourselves in a room with more limited clothing than we normally find in a wardrobe room. I end up clothed in yellow pants and matching long tunic over the top, both made from fine silk. Around my waist is a gold sash like the one I wore at my Initiation. My hair is still black, but way longer. A plait drops down my back almost to my calves. I glance in one of the many mirrors provided and see my face looks different too, more heart-shaped than
usual.

Matt and Ethan are in similar pants and tunic sets, though theirs are both white. Matt now has short hair with a red tinge, while Ethan's is dark and thick. And even though we're all disguised, our eyes, of course, remain the same. Ethan looks at me and can't seem to look away. Matt notices and shakes his head.

His bad attitude irritates me. ‘Just because our relationship ended in pain doesn't mean every relationship will,' I tell him. ‘How many times do you want me to apologise for what I did to you?'

Matt opens his mouth, but I don't let him say whatever he's about to. ‘Look, who knows what's going to happen? Or how long any of us have to live?'

He looks at me now with a puzzled expression. ‘What are you talking about?'

And, without meaning to, my doubts come flowing out. ‘Oh come on, we've all read the Prophecy.'

‘So …? I don't get it.'

‘Take heed, two last warriors shall cause grief as much as good …'
I start to recite.

Ethan takes it up.
‘From the midst of suspicion one shall come forth, the other seeded of evil.'

‘Yeah …?' Matt asks.

‘Yet one shall be victorious while the other victorious in death,'
I finish.

‘And you think this last part refers to you?'

‘At my Initiation I was given a tunic to wear.' I tug on the sash at my waist. ‘A purple one with a gold sash like this.'

‘You're not making any sense, Rochelle.'

Ethan explains, ‘Purple is the colour of self-sacrifice.'

For the first time in a long time Matt looks at me
without scorn or anger. ‘You're not going to die, Rochelle. Don't even think it.'

But his words are only words, and hardly comforting. ‘How do you know? Can you see the future?'

He hesitates and his jaw slides left then right. ‘Of course I can't, but then, neither can the Tribunal. Lorian wouldn't even have that power.'

A fleeting moment of calm sweeps through me. Not wanting Ethan to hear my next words to Matt, I speak to him through my thoughts only.
Ethan isn't interested in me, so you don't have to worry about my corrupting him or breaking his heart, but, if there were some chance that he … that we could at least be good friends, please don't wreck it for me
.

A door opens, letting us know we've stayed here long enough. Matt doesn't answer. I take this to mean he's at least thinking about my request.

We go out the doorway and straight up a disappearing staircase, followed by another and another. High into the upper levels we finally arrive. An opening in the opposite wall forms immediately. We go over and all three of us linger at the sight that reveals itself below. It's a long drop, right into the midst of utter chaos. Thunder is rumbling through the panicked streets, while buildings collapse with breathtaking force all over the place. Animals and people alike run screaming, attempting to make it to the distant hills. Hills that are hard to see from here as they are covered in a layer of thick cloud and ash. A building suddenly collapses right below us – mortar and bricks and slabs of marble scatter in every direction before sinking slowly into a gaping hole that has opened in the earth. And more alarmingly, this hole quickly fills with bubbling ocean water. Another
explosion and the other half of the street disappears into the sea. A zebra caught at the edge tries helplessly to clamber out.

Above my head I feel Matt and Ethan exchange glances. I look up at them and they share their concern with me through their staring, almost vacant eyes. Matt is the first to pull himself together. ‘Arkarian is going to deliver us as close to the temple as possible, so we won't have to walk those streets down there for very long.'

Ethan nods. ‘He'll keep a close eye on us.'

‘We've only to call his name –'

‘No point in prolonging this and making ourselves more nervous. We know how this works. Let's just jump. But stay close. We don't want to end up at different ends of the city.'

On three we jump … and land on a set of stone steps that is shaking and breaking apart beneath us.

‘Run!' Matt calls out. ‘This way.'

The steps lead to the temple that houses the sphere we're after. Helping each other not to fall, we start to climb.

‘Watch out!' Ethan suddenly yells out.

One of the huge marble pillars up ahead is breaking up. We charge to the top of the stairs as boulders smash left, right and all around us, finally dismantling into myriad smaller chunks.

‘We have to get inside,' Matt calls out.

But an explosion out front shakes the earth along with the entire remains of the temple, sending my heart into a galloping skitter. A cloud of gaseous fire starts billowing up the temple steps. Without even a second to think, we scramble on all fours into the interior as fast as we can. The fireball smashes into the remaining front pillars, its
flames cresting and surging towards us like liquid fingers of gold.

Matt gets up first. ‘Quick – this way.'

We run after him. At least he knows the way. Arkarian briefed us all in his chambers earlier, but right now, among this rubble, everything looks different. We do know we have to go down several levels. We follow Matt, but it soon becomes hard to breathe as the corridors fill with ash and smoke and pockets of gas. My eyes start to burn.

‘Follow me!' Matt runs off ahead and round a corner.

Another explosion and the walls on either side shake and start to break up. One crashes downwards. Ethan and I run hard, escaping just in time as the thick marble sheet shatters behind us, creating an even thicker cloud of dust.

‘Down here!' Matt's voice trails up a set of descending stairs.

At the bottom of these stairs we're confronted by a sealed door. Matt runs his hands over it, looking for an entry.

‘Great,' Ethan says, his eyes shifting to me. He's thinking of my hands, and if they will be able to locate this secret lock. They will. We might be housed in different bodies, but our souls transport with us. That means our eyes and, of course, our powers too.

I yank off my gloves. ‘Here, get out of the way.'

Both Matt and Ethan stand back, and I lay my hands on the door. It's made of a metal I can't identify. It's as if this metal doesn't exist on the earth. These people must have brought it with them. It has qualities similar to copper and brass, but it's stronger than both of these combined. The door itself is a good thirty centimetres thick.

I move my hands and almost instantly find a weakness. ‘Here.'

I move back and Matt stands before the lock and closes his eyes. I hear his thought – one word,
Open
. A soft click and the door slides away soundlessly.

The room is like a prison cell. There are no windows and the walls are made of the same strange metal that makes up the door. The floor is marble. In the centre of the room stands the only piece of furniture – a glass cabinet on a slab of white rock. A light shines directly into the glass, revealing a golden sphere not much bigger than the size of a man's hand.

Up close we see the sphere hovering in midair and gently spinning. ‘Wow,' I can't help saying, wondering at how it is possible to defy gravity like this.

Suddenly the vault door bangs shut. An eerie feeling consumes me, but is soon replaced by real fear, as Lathenia makes herself known. And just as Arkarian said, she's here with another woman, a girl about my own age. While Lathenia never bothers with a disguise, I can only assume the girl's identity is well concealed. She's wearing a tunic like ours, but black. A scarf is coiled around her head with only a slit to reveal her eyes. She could be anyone, even someone that I know at school. But I don't try to work out who she is. There is really no point, and Arkarian warned me not to risk exposing my identity.