Chapter 34

Mystic Mountain

Merlin stood at the edge of Mystic Mountain, waiting for Tepu and Hermaditt to come down to him. As soon as he touched the edge of the mountain from the valley, he knew they would come awake, noticing his presence. He looked up, “ah here they come now,” he said as he watched them flying down toward him.

“Merlin,” said Tepu in greeting. “What brings you to our mountain?”

“The God of Light said to see you about a metal we need to make the Godslayer Sword.”

Tepu looked at Hermaditt with a shocked look on his face, then back to Merlin quickly. “Sorry, can’t help you.”

“What do you mean, can’t help me, or won’t?” asked Merlin.

“Either one, take your pick,” answered Tepu. “We are busy, we must leave.”

“Doing what?” asked Merlin. “From what I could tell you were doing nothing but standing there in stone. You didn’t look busy to me.”

“We think a lot,” answered Hermaditt.

“That’s the damn, dumbest answer, I have ever heard,” he said, exasperated. “Look, the God of Dark now has a son. We got rid of Athdar and Drakkor, but this Juppar Heiwynn, this son of the God of Dark, has taken over. Now the only way to fight this madman, God, or whatever you want to call this flame-eyed creature, is by using the Godslayer sword. The only way to make the sword is with the strongest metal ever created, Dhara metal. The only one who can wield it is the Peacekeeper. Without the metal there is no sword, the God of Light said see you, and I’m not leaving here without it. If you don’t want me to turn you both into toads I suggest you help. Gods I do not have time for this! Do I make myself clear?”

Tepu narrowed his eyes, put his arms around his chest, and said, “I’m not afraid of you Merlin. The Dhara ruins I’m scared shitless of. Turn me into a toad. I’d rather that than face those ruins.”

“Why are you scared of the ruins?”

“They are cursed. We guard them here on Mystic Mountain, but we never go near them. Some have ventured close never to return. There are spells about the place, howls from tortured souls sound from its depths. It’s downright scary. How do you think you can get any of their metal?

“Besides the ruins are far beneath the earth, and I only know of one way in. It’s one of the many secrets kept by the mountain. The civilization is the oldest known civilization to man. It’s supposed to be a secret, if people find out, this place will be overrun. Even with the threat of being turned to stone. We can barely keep the secret of the berries. Now you want to go digging around in the Dhara ruins? No.”

“Maybe you should understand something, Tepu. If Juppar Heiwynn takes control of both earths no one will have to worry what the ruins might do. He will do much worse and he will do it to everyone. Now, the God of Light said see you. He wouldn’t say that if he didn’t expect you to help us. Do you get my drift? Me turning you into toads is nothing compared to what he might do to you. Are you willing to take that chance?”

Tepu put his hand on his chin and rubbed, contemplating what he’d said. “Hummm,” he said. He looked at Hermaditt. “What do you think?”

“I think we should help him.”

“You what?”

“You heard me. He’s right. If the God of Darks son is on the loose it can’t be good. If the God of Light wants our help how can we refuse?”

Tepu looked at Hermaditt for a second, then slowly nodded his head. “Well,” he said. “I guess we take a hike to the Dhara ruins.” He shuddered. “Gods help us all.”

“Precisely,” said Merlin. “I’m ready, if you are.”

“Never,” said Tepu, “but let’s go.”

He followed the low flying gargoyles up the mountain. They trekked through the forest, down a river, through a cave, and to a spot where a large cavern surrounded the way down deep inside the mountain. He stood at the edge looking into the dark abyss below, then up at Tepu.

“I don’t know how you’re going to get down, but we’ll fly,” said Tepu. “Do we need to go with you?”

Merlin squinted at him and he quickly got the point.

“Looks like we’ll meet you at the bottom?” asked Tepu.

“Yes, I can disappear and reappear at the bottom. I’ll create a light when we get in. Just then a screeching howl came from the cavern mouth. “Is that what you thought was screaming?” he asked Tepu.

“Yes, did you hear that? They are screaming!”

“That’s wind,” he said, laughing.

Tepu’s face turned red. “You sure?”

“I’m sure. Meet you at the bottom. Tepu and Hermaditt flew down inside the mouth of the cavern, Tepu screeching the whole way.

He disappeared and appeared again at the bottom. When his feet touched down, a dim light appeared all around him. He looked around and his mouth fell open. Crazy machinery and gadgets everywhere.

They stood in a round tub full of holes drainage for rain from the opening he figured. He had no idea what anything was or what it was for. There were nobs, buttons, levers and funny shaped glass caps on metal bodies. Funny designs that looked like some kind of Sanskrit writings.

He walked over and touched one, causing buttons to light up and whirring sounds to come from it. From the ceiling protruded some sort of metal tubes. The metal had a golden glow to it.

At the opening of the tubes were crystals that fit in perfectly. He was fascinated. This had to be the type of metal they were looking for. He leaned against a lever, while still looking overhead, and when it moved light came from the tubes. It glowed like sunshine. He instantly squinted and had to look away. Only a few lit up, and he wondered why the others hadn’t. He soon found out, when he moved another lever.

That lever caused another whirring sound, and doors surrounding the room, opened and the other lights came on shining in through the doorways. He was fascinated by the technology, he had never seen anything like it. Sure, the future had unexplainable stuff, but this was now, and this from a species that was extinct? He had some rethinking to do.

Tepu and Hermaditt stood shaking with their mouths open. Whooshing sounds surrounded them as the several doors opened around them. “Don’t touch anything,” he said.

“No need to worry there,” said Tepu.

He walked toward one of the doors motioning for the gargoyles to follow. They entered a large room with wood all around it and with more tubes and light. “Sure saves on candles,” he mumbled.

He looked around in awe, “Amazing. But I need to stay focused. We must find the metal. Spread out, look in every room you see. Tepu and Hermaditt took off and he gave one last glance at the room with a very nice wooden long table, a fire pit with a hole above to let the smoke out. Cabinets, chairs, and another funny machine. Gathering himself he quickly left. When he got out the door, he heard a screech from Hermaditt. The gargoyle quickly called out, “I’m okay. I just scared myself.”

Merlin chuckled and went to the next room. “Found something!” shouted Tepu. He immediately started in the direction of the shout. He followed the sound to the mouth of a large tunnel heading deeper inside the earth.

They proceeded down the tunnel turning right, then left, then straight, only to turn again. They finally came to a large cavern that held glowing white metal. He went to touch it, and felt the energy come from it. “This has to be it.”

He said an incantation and his hands began to glow. He reached down and picked up a large bar of the glowing metal. The strong energy level that came from the bar made him almost lose his grasp. It felt alive, but surely it wasn’t.

He turned to Tepu. “See Tepu, this place isn’t…just then a glowing net dropped from the ceiling and landed on the three of them. He immediately repeated the same incantation he’d used to protect his hands and spread it out until all three of them were surrounded by it.

“I can’t hold this spell for long, we have to get out of here. Quickly, take my hands.” He placed the large bar inside his coat. It was heavy, but he thought he could do it. He began his incantation and as he spoke the last words they were transported outside the first cavern. He collapsed from exertion.

“Help me,” said Tepu. “We’ll take him to the cave near the river.” Together they carried Merlin down the side of the mountain toward the cave. They placed him inside. Looking around he found a broken bowl that would still hold some water. He ran quickly to the river and returned to splash Merlin in the face. He awoke sputtering.

“What the hell did you do that for?”

“You’re welcome.”

He patted his coat and felt for the metal bar that was between his coat and his shirt. Although it wasn’t touching skin or burning him, it was very warm. “I must get back. I told you the place wasn’t cursed. It just had things protecting it. Nothing more. Thank you for taking me. I’d like to come back and study it further when all is over.”

“I’ll let you, Merlin. But only you. Thanks for showing us that there is nothing to fear from the place. We can help you down the mountain if you like.”

“No, I can disappear,” he said standing, dripping water from his face and hair. He laughed. “You two have such a way.”

“As if you don’t,” said Tepu, laughing.

He shook their hands, and then disappeared.