Chapter 42

Two of a Kind

- He saw his own reflection and she stared back at him -

A pure bolt of pink and green electrical energy fell from the heavens, bathing the atmosphere in hues of pink and green light. Streaking from the clouds it struck the scorched side of the mountainface, sending sparks of yellow and orange bouncing all around.

Both after bolt pummeled the mountainface sending shudders through the thick rock.

Thonavar huddled with Chaeron in the enclosed space behind the cleft of the rock. The hailstorm had subsided but the lightning storm was in full array.

"There is no way for anyone to ascend the mountain in this storm," said Chaeron. "Not even Gargan."

"Aye," agreed Thonavar. "But we too are delayed. And so will anyone who has made it thus far."

"It will be dawn on the third day soon," noted Chaeron. "We will have to make it to Sanctum’s gates today. Before last light."

"And we shall," assured Thonavar. "But first, we wait out the storm."

"Look! Already the clouds begin the part!" Chaeron exclaimed.

As Chaeron spoke, Thonavar saw rays of sunlight suddenly pierced through the clouds, dispelling the gloom, giving light to the earth.

Thonavar winced in pain as he tried to rise to his feet. He had been crouching in an awkward position to make space for Chaeron behind the cleft of the rock. His muscles had stiffened considerably.

"By the Almin! Is it just me or is every joint and muscle out of place in my body," said Chaeron as he rose to his feet.

Thonavar stretched his back and heard several satisfying pops and cracks as he straightened up. But he could not resist a grin as he saw a dusty rock-covered Chaeron emerge from the collapsed rock pile. Chaeron, who looked completely disheveled and dirty, hawked and spat rudely.

"My, and I thought they taught you manners in City Above," said Thonavar.

"Ha! In the mood for jokes now are we," countered Chaeron, still spitting saliva and sand. "That time is past. Gone is the boy from City Above. I have been reborn in the storm."

This is true. He looks visibly stronger and there is a rougher edge to him.

"What do you think?" said Chaeron suddenly, his face turning serious.

"What about?" Thonavar asked, but he knew what Chaeron was asking.

Thonavar sighed before responding.

"I can only hope she managed to find shelter."

"Look around Varu. What shelter do you think there is on a rock stairway?"

"I agree. But if there is anyone who can survive that storm, it is Lyla. Do not underestimate her. She will have found a way."

Chaeron shook his head.

"You think only of the positives. I think she could be in danger."

"You are right, we must make haste. Only the Almin knows who else survived that terrible storm. Fear not, if Lyla is in danger, we will find her."

"Good," said Chaeron, but not before his eyes darted to the steps below.

"If Gargan was indeed behind us, the storm would have also slowed him down," said Thonavar. "But to maintain our lead, it is best to keep moving."

"Yes, I am not keen on meeting him."

Chaeron grinned. Thonavar grinned back.

"We are near Charo. I can feel it," said Thonavar, leaping a stair. Chaeron followed suit.

The two of them resumed the climb, this time with Thonavar in the lead. They made haste and moved rapidly up the stairway that had been carved out of rock into the side of the mountain.

On the way up, the duo cleared over fallen rubble and maneuvered their way round some large rock that had become dislodged because of the fury of the hailstorm. On one particular occasion, there was so much rubble blocking the path that they had to step dangerously near the edge of the mountain.

As they moved with increased pace, their legs started to burn again with fatigue. But they pushed themselves on, eager to finish the journey.

"Look! I can see the top. The stairway ends above," said Thonavar.

Coming up the last few steps, the last step smoothened into a darkened hallway.

"How mysterious," whispered Chaeron under his breath.

The two entered the hallway, hands on their knees, panting with exhaustion. Thonavar eyes narrowed and he studied the hallway.

"You have the sharper pair of eyes," whispered Chaeron, coming up beside him. "What do you see?"

The hallway was dark save for small beams of light that penetrated through small holes and cracks. Strange symbols were carved on the walls.

"I do not know. It could be another trap," said Thonavar, cautiously.

"Like the yellow-bladed grass?"

"Aye. But I am unsure. I do not know what awaits us inside."

"There is a way to find out," said Chaeron recklessly, and he pushed past Thonavar, taking a step into the dark hallway. "Lyla is out there somewhere. She must have gone past this point."

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"Chaeron!" whispered Thonavar. "Be careful!"

He shook his head and walked into the hallway, coming up behind Chaeron. His eyes were alert, scanning for signs of danger.

Suddenly, with a low cry, Chaeron bent down and picked something up. He showed it to Thonavar.

It was a torn piece of clothing.

"It is drenched in blood," said Thonavar softly.

"Lyla took refuge here," said Chaeron, his eyes wide, looking wildly around. Thonavar stared at the torn piece of clothing.

"Or someone else," said Thonavar and he walked on.

Chaeron shook his head and held up the torn piece of clothing.

"Nay, I think this belongs to her."

"If so, I fear the worst."

Thonavar made as if to move forward but Chaeron remained standing where he was.

"What is it?"

"You have forgiven her then," noted Chaeron.

Chaeron smiled and came up beside Thonavar, throwing his arm around him.

"What is there to forgive?"

Chaeron nodded admiringly.

"You know Varu, my father once said to me: Charo forgiveness is a hard thing. It requires sacrifice and humility. But never forget that forgiveness will free you from the anger, the hurt, the pain and the suffering someone might bring upon your head. The man who forgives his brother is the man who goes about with a smile on his face and a jig in his step."

"You are wise Chaeron. Your parents should have named you after a sage - a voice of great wisdom indeed," said Thonavar.

"Nay, my friend. Tis’ my father words, not mine," said Chaeron with a grin, but as soon as he said this he fell silent, the grin disappearing from his face. Thonavar recalled Chaeron’s recount about his father and knew that Chaeron missed him.

Thonavar patted him on the back. He too missed his parents. But they had a task at hand and were close to completing it.

As Thonavar followed Chaeron down the hallway, he began to make out more clearly the strange symbols upon the inner walls of the hallway. His eyes had adjusted to the dark and he saw that the signs and symbols were carved or painted into the wall but he could not decipher their meaning.

Suddenly, a voice spoke.

"Pray sister. What do we have here?"

Thonavar stiffened and spun around immediately, eyes searching for the source of the voice. But there was no one in sight.

Then another voice joined in. This time, it was a female voice.

"It seems like some of them have caught up with us. We have slept too long in the shade. The storm is now over and the journey resumes."

The voice seemed to come from behind.

Thonavar and Chaeron spun round but there was no one.

"Show yourself," shouted Thonavar into the darkness and he braced for an attack.

"Peace stranger," said the voice of a boy. "We mean you no harm."

This time, the voice seemed to come from all around but the entire hallway was completely empty.

It is not Gargan, mouthed Chaeron.

I know, Thonavar mouthed back.

"We will not believe you or entertain you further until you show yourself to us," demanded Chaeron, his eyes darting frantically around.

"Look behind you," said the female voice. "We are here."

Thonavar and Chaeron spun around again.

This time at the far end of the hallway, where the stairway had smoothened into rocky pavement, two figures stood side by side. They looked strangely similar in appearance.

So, it appears we are not the first to arrive then.

"How did we not see them as we came into the darkened passage?" whispered Chaeron to Thonavar as they edged toward slowly toward the two still-standing figures.

"I do not know. Something is amiss here," said Thonavar in a low voice, as he and Chaeron neared the two figures. "Be careful."

The two figures stood half in the glaring sunlight and half in the dark. Hencem they were difficult to look at.

Drawing nearer to them, Thonavar’s eyes narrowed. The two figures were startling. One was a boy and the other a girl. Save for the fact that one had longer hair, both of them were almost identical. They both had dark hair and had blood-red lips. Thonavar and Chaeron stared at the boy and the girl who also stared back at them. They had a look of sadness about them. Finally, after a long silence, the dark-haired boy spoke.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Marubelline. But you can call me Maru", and pointing to the dark-haired girl, he spoke again, "and this is my twin sister."

"I am Marallene and you can call me Mari," said the girl gently. "We have been taking refuge from the storm in that darkened passage yonder."

She nodded toward the hallway behind them. Thonavar did not reply but stared back at them, still seized with a sense of the surreal. He had not expected to find any other pupils who had made it this far. The three of them had arrived at the mountain faster than most of the others because of the ingenious idea of using the bark-boat upon the fast-moving stream. Then storm itself would have prevented anyone from climbing up the mountain.

These are not ordinary people. They were here before everyone else.

Snapping back to the present situation, Thonavar saw Chaeron happily introducing himself to the dark-haired twins.

"And I am Chaeron, and this is Thonavar," said Chaeron good-naturedly, pointing to Thonavar. "We have come a long way and it is very good to see some other candidates like yourselves at last. You must have just arrived. Anyway, I notice you have short form names for each other. Very good. I am Chaeron but you can call me Char. This is Thonavar but you can call him Th-…".

Before Chaeron could say another word, Thonavar grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him back. The twins seemed unaffected by this action and stood by watching them, a sad expression on their faces.

"They did not just arrive Charo," said Thonavar, then turning, he addresed the twins. "You must have seen Lyla."

"Who is Lyla?" Marubellin spoke.

"A blond girl," said Thonavar, softly. "You must have seen her come this way."

"If you have done anything to her," muttered Chaeron darkly under his breath.

Thonavar tensed.

"You do not trust us," said Marubelline.

"That is an astute observation," said Chaeron, "but do not detract from the question at hand!"

"You speak as one from City Above," said Marallene, her red-lips parting to speak to Chaeron.

"Well… I…," mumbled Chaeron, his face turning red.

"Wher is Lyla?” repeated Thonavar.

"Calm yourself Thonavar," said Marubelline. "The girl you are looking for has been found. She is resting."

"Resting?" Thonavar and Chaeron said in unison.

"What do you mean?" asked Thonavar, a look of puzzlement on his face. A similar look of puzzlement was also plastered all over Chaeron’s face.

Marallene looked to her brother who nodded.

"We found her last night. She badly hurt."

At this, an audible gasp escaped from Chaeron. Thonavar frowned.

"Bring us to her," demanded Chaeron furiously.

Again, Marallene looked to her brother. He nodded and she nodded to them. "Come," she said simply.

The twins indicated for Thonavar and Chaeron to follow. The dark-haired Marubelline took the lead with his sister Marallene following closely behind him. Thonavar and Chaeron exchanged glances. The twins seemed strange and almost otherworldly.

The twins did not go into the darkened hallway but veered to the left where a pile of large stone boulders stood. To Thonavar’s astonishment Marubelline leapt lightly onto a low rock and then onto another higher rock, his sister following his movements. In a matter of seconds, the twins ascended the top of the boulder and disappeared over its edge.

The two moved unlike anyone he had ever seen. Thonavar turned to Chaeron and saw that he too was equally astonished.

"Extraordinary," Chaeron muttered in astonishment.

Thonavar and Chaeron took a few minutes to climb, helping each other to the top, struggling to climb over the large rock boulders. Coming at last to the top, they saw a small clearing which was sheltered by an overhanging rock formation.

The twins stood waiting for them by the side of the clearing.

Following their gazes, Thonavar made out the figure of a girl lying in the shade.

She lay still, eyes closed, with hands clasped before her.

Marubelline and Marallene each looked sadly at Thonavar.