Aaliyah slowed their pace to a near crawl, then after about twenty yards stopped altogether. She knelt down and examined a cut vine on the side of the trail. The second she touch it she quickly withdrew her hand and shot to her feet.
“I think I understand,” she whispered. “And if I am correct, the mystery has deepened.”
“Correct about what?” asked Gewey.
“The Black Oasis is alive,” she replied darkly.
“How do you mean?” Gewey bent down and looked at the vine. It pulsed and throbbed like an open wound.
“I mean that the presence we sensed was not those who reside here,” she explained. “It was the Oasis itself.” Her face tensed. “And whatever has cut it away must be strong enough to resist its wrath. This place is powerful…and angry.” She turned to Pali. “You say that none have returned that has ventured here?”
“Not that I know of,” he affirmed. “But then I know of no elf that has dared the Black Oasis. At least none have in my lifetime.”
“If whoever is here is so strong, why did they flee?” asked Gewey.
“Perhaps they didn't,” said Pali.
Aaliyah nodded in agreement. “I think you are right. I think we are being allowed to go deeper inside.”
“Maybe we should go back to the clearing,” Gewey suggested.
“I do not think that would help,” said Aaliyah. “We can only go forward, or leave this place.”
“Assuming we would be allowed to leave,” muttered Pali.
They continued cautiously for another half mile. Ahead a dense haze obscured their vision. Gewey reached out with the flow and tried to move the fog aside, but with no effect. Aaliyah tried as well, but with the same result.
They entered the mist and Gewey immediately felt a presence wrap its spirit around him, pressing in on his mind. He was only just able to keep it out and stumbled, gasping from the effort. Aaliyah placed one hand on his shoulder and wiped the tiny beads of sweat from his forehead.
He held out his hand and steadied himself. “I'm fine.” He looked into Aaliyah's eyes. “Did it try to reach you?”
“No,” she replied softly. “What did it feel like?”
Gewey thought about the first time Lee had entered his mind. “It was as if someone wanted to force its way inside me. I was only barely able to keep it out.”
Aaliyah furled her brow. “It is good you had the strength. Though it could be useful to know what is out there.”
“Should I allow it in?” asked Gewey. The idea worried him.
“No,” she replied. “The risk is too great. But let me know if it happens again.”
The fog only allowed them to see a couple of feet ahead, and was several degrees colder. After a few hundred yards, it began to thin, to Gewey's great relief, though the chill remained even when the air was clear. The light that crept in from the widening of the trail, allowed Gewey to see the true color of the Oasis. In contrast to the dark green of the exterior, the leaves were a rich vibrant mixture of green, pale blue, and delicate lines of bright yellow. The trunks were smooth and without blemish, as if polished by skilled hands. Even the vines and brambles were less sinister in appearance, flowing in an elegant weave of life and symmetry.
One-hundred yards ahead, they saw a narrow black stone archway the height of two men. Symbols of the nine Gods had been carved across the face and inlaid with pure gold. Just beyond the archway, the ground had been paved with smooth red marble, veined in green and blue, and polished to a mirror shine. The moment they passed beneath the arch, the forest on either side melted away like wax in a fire. In its place was a series of white marble columns the same height as the archway, connected by small arches of blood-red volcanic glass. To the left and right of the columns, the ground became a meadow of soft turf scattered with tiny yellow and purple flowers. It extended for one-hundred feet then was reclaimed by the dense trees and vines. The sun beamed down illuminating the glass arches, causing tiny rays of red light to shoot out in every direction. At the end of the path stood a forty-foot pyramid of polished bronze. The sides were smooth, and the top was crowned with a blue crystal. At its base, a shallow arched corridor of black marble, led to a silver door with the nine Gods were etched in a circle at its center.
“What is this place?” gasped Pali.
“It is a temple built to house the tools of the Gods,” explained Aaliyah. “I have read of its existence, but had never thought I would see it for myself.”
Gewey shifted uneasily. “We still haven't seen whoever is in here, and it looks as if this is as far as we can go. So where are they?”
“Perhaps they await us beyond the door,” suggested Pali.
“I suppose there's only one thing to do then,” said Gewey. He strode down the path until he stood in front of the door, grabbed the small silver knob and turned. Aaliyah and Pali stood, weapons drawn, just behind him.
Gewey pushed the door open without a sound. Just inside a narrow passage led to a stone staircase leading down into the earth. The walls were covered with bronze plates that gave off a faint light similar to the glowing globes of the elves. As Gewey stepped inside, the glow became brighter, and extended down the walls of the staircase. They descended for about thirty feet to another long hall that ended with a dull gray stone wall.
“A dead end?” asked Pali.
Aaliyah examined it carefully. The stone was rough and uneven, in stark contrast to everything else, and tiny quartz crystals were embedded throughout. She reached out and gently ran her index finger over the stone, then pressed her palm flat against it. She stood there silent and still for a full minute.
“There must be another way,” said Gewey.
“Did you see one?” asked Aaliyah, irritably.
Gewey reached over her shoulder and touched the wall. There was a bright flash of white light. When it was gone, so was the wall. In its place was another silver door. They all stood in amazement.
Aaliyah reached for the door, but Gewey grabbed her wrist. “Don't.”
“What is it?” she asked.
Gewey put his back to the door. “I don't know how, but I know it is meant for me.” He placed his hand on the door, feeling the cold metal. He could feel the pulse of the flow everywhere, calling to him. “Don't you feel it?”
Aaliyah touch his shoulder and let her spirit flow toward his. She could feel the power calling to Gewey. But it was different. It was not the abstract raw power she molded to her will. This had form and…consciousness. She gasped and snatched back her hand. “It knows you.”
“Yes,” Gewey affirmed. “I don't know how, but it does. I can almost hear its thoughts.”
“Hear whose thoughts?” asked Pali.
“The temple,” Gewey replied. “It speaks to me. From here I must go alone. It won't allow you to enter.”
Aaliyah took Gewey's hand. “Are you certain?”
Gewey smiled and nodded. “Yes. Don't worry. I don't sense the anger of the Oasis. But I do know that I must go on alone.”
Aaliyah squeezed his hand and stepped back. “We will await you here.”
Gewey turned and placed his hand on the doorknob. The second his flesh touched it, darkness surrounded him and there was a great rumble as if the very earth was being shattered all around him. Aaliyah, Pali, and the hallway vanished. For a moment, he was struck by fear and panic, as the rumble became a roar, and a powerful wind rose up and swirled in a tempest lifting him skyward. He let out a scream as he struggled against the force. Then as quickly as it came, it disappeared. He felt himself begin to fall. Unable to see through the darkness below, he braced himself for impact, but it didn't come. Instead, he felt his feet land gently on soft ground. Gewey knelt down, expecting grass, but was shocked to find what felt like polished marble. He pressed down with his finger. It gave way, sinking in, then reforming once he withdrew.