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| Doka the Mage |
“Of course I’m sure. They’re on their way now.” Zem spoke with such confidence that Paul’s brevity was curted. An awkward silence entered the room as the four guests strained for any sounds that could confirm Zem’s charge. Nothing was heard. Doka let out an abrupt scoff and resumed his pacing. His patience was gone. Ten seconds later, the echoed steps of three approaching Queens was heard.
“Dear Doka.” Came from atop the stairs outside the hall. It was Queen Jacquelyn who spoke. The Palace of the Mages was known for having walls with ears. Anything spoken with merit was heard by the Queen. In her wake followed Queen Joanie and Queen Beth-Roonie. “Where is your faith in your partner this morning?”
“Exactly where it’s always been... YOU’RE LATE!” Albeit chastised, Doka’s mood changed as he shouted up toward the Queens. “You should be more concerned about your own fate with the...”
“Stop.” Queen Jacqueline interrupted the Mage as the three Queens continued to descend the circular stairway. “We need not talk about a future that has many directions. I know you’re concerned… all of you are. But we need not wallow with the fate of the day.”
“Wait, Jackie.” Queen Roonie had words to say and the soapbox she carried was heavy. “The risks are many and I for one would like to discuss what lay ahead. We’ve all had dreams and…”
Before she could complete her thoughts, a distant rumble entered the room. Everyone paused as it grew louder and LOUDER. When its volume tripled, it transformed into a menacing growl--morphed into a jarring roar. A quiver struck the Palace which turned into a quake. The three Queens stopped mid step and grabbed onto the curved railing while the company below did the same… an instinctual lunge for steadfast support. All stood speechless as the Palace began to violently shake. Within seconds, the marble floor cracked and mayhem ensued. A small bench toppled then appeared to spasm on its own; the wooden credenza across the room shuffled to the center of the reception hall, and the elegant wall-table which held a vase of roses flipped on its side. The madness ended with a boom which shattered the large mirror at the foot of the rounded staircase. The three queens seemed glued to the railing while Doka and Zem unattached themselves from the doorway frame. Young Paul was lifting himself from the floor as Commander Arteral untethered himself from the wall he had so eagerly leaned upon. The room was in shambles.
Beth-Roonie was the first to speak, “Is everyone alright? What was that?”
Doka was quick to respond. “It’s started. There’s no escaping it now.”
“What are you talking about? Look at this!” Queen Beth was pointing to the cracked floor, the broken mirror, and the disarray of the room's furnishings. Her voice became frantic as many questions flew from her mouth. “What WAS that?” She pointed at Doka. “Escaping WHAT? What do you know?” Before Doka could answer, she turned her panic toward Jacquelyn and asked, “Is this a part of your dream?” Queen Jackie appeared to be ignoring her friend as she continued down the stairs. “JACQUELYN!”
The Earth Stone bearer had finished her last few steps and was standing atop some of the shards of broken glass. All that remained on the lightly damaged wall was the decorative applique that had lined the mirror. Queen Jacqueline frowned as she gazed into the empty shell where her reflection should have been. There were words carved upon the wall behind the now empty casing--a warning--a cryptic prophecy perfectly framed by the once majestic mirror.“Oh, my...” came from her mouth. “We may already be too late.” She motioned to the two other Queens to join her as she read the message aloud.
“sad wings cast sight upon the rock
the heart and soul be broken
on time man pleas to open lock
nil mutat tempora spoken
erase one day beseech the old
save five into death’s base
left earthen soul with sight go bold
in right heart time will race
nine roots to burl inside it lears
knights non habere guard well
evict the end with hearted tears
defend the enlightened realm”
The room fell silent again--it was a heavier silence stained by the racing thoughts of all. Joanie’s calm voice broke the dead air with an urgency so unlike her casual demeanor. “The three of us need to get to Widow’s Peak. Everything depends on arriving before time...” Doka stopped her from continuing.
“But that WAS...” Doka’s interruption was immediately countered.
“Shhh. No. No, say not another word Doka.” Joanie’s voice swayed from an urgent command to a begging plea.
Suddenly, multiple voices broke into a somewhat syncopated cacophony of questions, conjectures, and commands within the damaged hall. Panic had elevated the concerns of the group into a fevered crescendo. All the voices were eerily silenced by the sound of the mirror's frame as it struck the floor. Queen Jacquelyn took advantage of the jarring boom to realign the focus of her frantic guests.
“Look... on the wall… there’s more!” She was pointing at the uncovered lines that the frame had so modestly hidden. On the top of the prophecy was a sequence of numbers ergo a mathematical equation...
{(4+1)-2}+{(3-2)+1X}=ɑʄɷ
And at the bottom of the message was an additional line which also puzzled the room.
Time saves yet leads to the End ♀↝♂?🕱
Joanie knew in an instant what the message portrayed. Yet she didn’t know the outcome, and it appeared neither did the author. “I understand most all of this.” She said as she rushed to the wall and placed her finger on the question mark. “Our fate is undecided and this is the key. It’s all about the Stones. 'Time' has spoken and 'End' is near. We need to hurry.”
Zem spoke up, “But it’s already too…”
“No… no, it's not. See these two signs?” Joanie pointed to the symbols placed before the question mark. Zem frowned yet was primed to listen. “We are being warned and we must heed this warning… or this will occur.” Her finger had moved to the skull and bones. “I know you want to help… all of you do. But if you’ve notice my Stone, (her hand circle as she pointed at herself), you’ll understand. Trust the Stone of Souls. Can you do this please?”
“Of course we can.” Blurted Doka. “But what are you talking about when you say… End? And those other symbols… they’re...” Doka had only started but Joanie again raised her hand to stop him and continued. “This prophecy speaks of the dreams I’ve been having. They were the warning... and I believe my sister Queens have also been warned. But there was nothing about this question mark in any of my dreams.”
Queen Roonie quickly added, “Yes, I understand… well, a part of it… but not the question mark.” She looked at Jacquelyn who shook her head “no” but immediately decided not to listen and stated, “I’m sorry, but last night I dreamed that… that...” She raised both her palms toward Joanie and sobbed a, “you’re going to die.”
“I know.” Joanie replied. “It's gonna be okay Beth.” Joanie then pointed back to Jacquelyn and then at Beth-Roonie and continued, “in fact, this will be hard to hear, we’re all to face death before the sun reaches noon.” Her gaze returned to the wall. "Stones linked... this is the key."
“What?” Was all Roonie could say.
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