***
She remembered the plane trip, the silence. She remembered the car journey, more silence. She remembered the blindfold. She remembered a time, many millennia ago.
Every morning she would wake to a handsome face that would fill her heart with joy and a passion only true love can share. Her handmaidens would prepare her morning bath of goat’s milk and the heavenly scent of bergamot. Her days of happiness and love were numbered. There was no warning of the impending danger.
The black period began when they were visited by a very charming, charismatic and extremely tall gentleman whom, at the time, they let willingly into their world. Their reward for that action was the queen seeing her beloved Sidonio die at the hands of this murderous monster. Queen Leah’s world had come to an end.
The next day, the sun rose only to be blackened out by the plague of predators that invaded them from the skies. Her loyal warriors fought hard, but could not stand up to the awesome might and weaponry these adversaries thrust upon them. With sickened heart, she bore witness to the attackers, stealing everything the people valued, and many lives. They took over the surrounding township, her palace and made themselves at home.
Her people subjugated. Resistance was futile against a vicious, well executed attack from huge, human like beings emerging from vessels that could fly.
Had they been cursed by the gods!
Their evil leader had used the sacred door inside the Temple of Junghis, which only Cemel her wizard was known to use. All the royal family throughout the ages were buried inside, under the sacred ground so future invaders would not find them. All royal births, marriages, and requiems were carried out there. Was this the end of a mighty era?
The Junghis temple was heavily guarded to prevent any means of escape.
Nowhere to run or hide.
It was announced that the current reigning power had fallen to the mighty reign of the glorious Trimadians, and their king, known as the Supreme Ruler. All they wanted were a few hosts and the rest of the population would be mining for a precious crystal located beneath their feet. They had a choice–obey or die.
She continually witnessed brutal slayings and torture. No mercy was given to the begging innocent or the inevitable rebels. Whether he was in a bad mood or simply wanted entertainment, most times, it was to interrogate and locate any who were resisting his Way.
Until he had stepped through the cosmic door, the Supreme Ruler had lived a disciplined, machismo existence. But at first sight, he had fallen in love with the queen, though for his chosen race, this was forbidden. He kept this a secret from all others, as this would be viewed as weak, so he made her his slave. Technically, he was not a true Trimadian, he was an immortal who had turned rebel to the gods and worshipped dark sorcery. He secretly admired Leah’s strong will, sense of justice and bravery even in the face of adversity. She was so uniquely opposite to him and his beliefs. She was light, merciful, and kind. He ruled by evil, terror and oppression. Eventually she did obey him to a point, for the sake of avoiding any more slaughter. But he was jealous of the fact her people were persistently loyal to her and she still grieved for her late husband. Though he wanted, he could not force her Will to make her love him. He wanted her to come willingly to him, to help feed his power hungry ego.
But the voice of fate had made sure he stepped through the Door of Endless Light and saw the queen. For if he had not…
“Always look for the sign,” the voice had told him since boyhood and now his heart soared.
But for the queen, every moment, she thought of nothing more but revenge for her people. Once asleep, those bloodshot red eyes haunted her.
As time passed, the ruler suspected betrayal between a close high ranking warrior and the queen. In an insane rage, he executed the warrior and locked her away.
After seven days, with agonizing pain wrenching at his heart, he conquered her body, but that was the start of his undoing. She vowed he could never claim her mind or spirit.
Her wizard helped her escape from her palace prison into the Temple of Junghis. Even though the temple was guarded, the old alchemist had a secret entrance away from the guards. He had been implanted with a Cathexistome, and, technically now worked for Kalvich, but because of his wizardry powers he managed to control the “little beast” most of the time and fool his captors. Trouble was the strength of resisting the power of the Cathexistome was wearing him down. He had to act soon.
He had covertly retrieved the Door’s crystals from the Trimadians and had replaced them with dummy ones. “You must escape, and survive no matter what, you are my queen, and I don’t want you to suffer.”
Within a short span of time, he had arranged his crystals on a golden pedestal and told her to wait. He climbed up on a rock and pressed a slab of stone on the wall. It moved letting the sunlight stream in. She held her breath as the light shone through the major Zyone crystal that concentrated the sun’s power, almost instantly the intense light struck the six destination crystals and shone on the Door of Endless Light. It seemed to swell in size as the portal exploded open.
He produced from his shroud three small stones with dark markings, which he placed around Leah to form a triangle and chanted a few obscure unrecognizable words. He touched her forehead, “You are now blessed to carry on your fight for freedom.” He picked up the stones and placed them in her hands. “Where you are going it will be safe, I assure you.”
Leah spoke a few clear, concise words, that crushed the old alchemist’s spirit, but he nodded; besides the queen would be safe in a matter of seconds. He told her he had so much to teach her and time had run out. He said, “Keep the stones, and remember…”
They were his last words, as he was blasted up against the lit door, engulfing him through it.
Kate jumped and covered her mouth from screaming. She took some deep breaths to divert attention from herself. Back to reality, she tried to focus her bearings but with a blindfold on that was impossible. She was in the back of a car that was all she knew.
Her mind had been so manipulated with these visions, her perception of truth and lies were getting blurred. According to what she had just experienced, something happened a damn long time ago and this woman Leah, was an ancient queen, who went through a great deal of suffering at the hands of this brute. Though the story was very clear, frustratingly, once again, the characters in the visions were in shadow. They were just shapes with dark faces.
It was so odd recalling someone else’s life, and little by little more scenes would be added, and now this! Obviously, something was trying to tell Kate all about it. But it all happened so long ago. Was this queen’s spirit still around and asking Kate for help? Why her?
Little bits of personal memories were seeping through, teasing Kate’s brain. But they don’t belong to me! I gotta do something or this will haunt me forever, and I will get locked away. And they will throw away the key!
Chapter 6—Two Ridge Mountain