The Hidden Secret
By Reja Syed Emran
Copyright 2010 Reja Syed Emran
CONTENTS
~Prologue~
The Beginning of Times
~Chapter 1~
A Creature of the Night
~Chapter 2~
Close bonds Shattered
~Chapter 3~
An Ancient Myth
~Chapter 4~
The Trusted Eagle
~Chapter 5~
An Unwelcome Party
~Chapter 6~
The Annoxonum Revealed
~Chapter 7~
Preparation
~Chapter 8~
Julian’s Secret
~Chapter 9~
A Dangerous Quest
~Chapter 10~
The Dragon’s Lair
Good and Evil are two distinct things,
But in this cursed darkness will they be mistaken,
Can we misunderstand each move and fall into evil links,
Time can only reveal the facts forsaken,
But all will strive to achieve and amend,
For this is the beginning of an end,
The sands of fate have yet to determine the world's destiny,
Or will the future be in obscurity?
PROLOGUE
~The Beginning of Times~
A mystical power glowed from the altar dazzling the countless warriors and blinding a few who were locked in a deadly embrace on opposite sides with swords clashing against spears and shields while cries surrounded the arena like a mist filled with agony and victory. The battle was purged in urgency as the intensity of power increased rapidly and warriors fled cowardly from the battle field while a few determined remained; locked together in a war which would not quell until all had been vanquished.
The power crept stealthily through the rotting grass in long slithering patterns branching through the leaf and dust. It encircled the field all centered to the swarm of the remaining army who ignored the strength emanated by this red serpentine light that slid amongst the earth as it belonged there. An explosion followed eradicating the battalion except for one man, who was untouched by the power but yet it was a curse for him for he was doomed to wait.
Decades passed and this man lived. Deformity clutched on to his features due to which he took refuge in a dark, dripping cave with a few companions. As time went by, he was deserted first by his beloved wife and then by his daughter who traveled too far for his reach. For years this old man waited for someone to come, the one person who would be known as the Annoxonum. This was the one who would be the chosen to stand in the last battle against the webs of destiny and the sands of time, the person who would hold the fate of the world in their hand. A new year brought new faces but the Annoxonum was not clearly shown in his visions which slightly dampened his hopes. However he waited in the gloomy, heavy darkness of the cave and kept his spirits high for the prophecy would soon be fulfilled and the chosen one shall rise again to contain the evil. All that was needed was time…
Chapter One
~A Creature of the Night~
A gleaming streak of light shone through the slit in the cream-coloured curtain, indicating the rise of the sun. It illuminated the room that had white washed walls and a floor carpeted in soft off-white shades. Near the other curtained window there was a small wooden desk with a shelf holding a messy pile of books and scattered pens near the small lamp. The remaining furniture was a wooden cabinet and a dresser over which hung an oval mirror and clothes were scattered on the polished wooden surface of the dresser. The bed too was simple in mahogany shades with a quilted cover feathered in shades of cream underneath which stirred a figure. A fatherless girl of fifteen, Xia Annox Jones woke up groggily rubbing her eyes with her soft blanket and peering around the dirty room with a grimace not aware that on the bedside table her alarm clock was screaming. With a slam she slapped her hand on the snooze button and gave a wide yawn with the aching desire to crawl back under the covers and sleep but that vanished in an instant as she saw the time on the dial reading 7:30 am. Oh no I’m late was the first thought that popped into her head and her eyes opened wide. Flinging out of bed she raced to the bathroom. It was locked. Mom! She thought frustrated.
“Mom I’m fifteen minutes late! Get out!” Xia yelled banging her fists on the door as she heard the water running. “This is the third time this week! The school is going to throw me out!”
“Honey, it’s not school today” said Asra Jones, through the wooden door clearly in a horrible mood. Her daughter grimaced. She knew Asra hated it when she was disturbed in her bath but she was also confused for she was positive today was Friday.
“Huh?!” said Xia, bewildered.
“No school remember, only the party” said Asra and the water had stopped running, “Don’t you dare go back to sleep now young lady.”
“What? Can’t hear you Mom…Anyway I’m going back to bed!” said Xia with a grin as she sped to her room. Closing the curtains to shut out the irritating light she flopped on her bed and shut her eyes tightly. “5…4…3…2…1… now!” she counted down the seconds till her mother would come rampaging through the door to wake her up for she hated late risers and this happened nearly every weekend.
“Xia, get up now! Get dressed!” said Asra marching into the room in a bathrobe, a pink towel wrapped round her hair. She stood over her daughters figure huddled in the covers. “I will not have you sleeping late.”
“Five minutes mom” whined Xia as she closed her eyes tightly hoping that her mother would let her sleep till the afternoon.
“No” Asra replied firmly clearly not in a mood for compromise.
“Please?” Xia pleaded still covering her face with the blanket and trying to sound as meek as possible hoping her obstinate mother would cave in.
“No Xia, stop whining and get up. It’s already past early morning!” exclaimed Asra whipping the covers off her daughter who sat up with a frown, grumbling to herself inaudibly.
Xia trudged out of bed with a moan, still grumbling as she walked towards the bathroom and there she took a long steaming bath, soaking in the foamy waters as she daydreamed. It was 8a.m when Xia stepped out of the bath and wondered how she was going to spend around eight more hours of boredom till the party. Xia went to her now neatened room and slipped on a pale green sundress and strolled into the kitchen leisurely to see her mother pouring fresh orange juice in a long glass already dressed neatly in a black skirt and blouse with her long hair held up. Xia sat down on the table as Asra sidled fried eggs and a buttered toast on her plate while she herself took a seat opposite spreading creamy butter on the toast as she took a sip of her steaming coffee. Xia spread a thick layer of strawberry jam on the bread slice and then placed her egg above it taking a bite and relishing it.
“So Mom, what are you going to do today at the museum?” she asked Asra who worked in the local museum doing various projects of ancient art especially the Chinese history since she was attached to her homeland and Xia knew she had not visited there ever since her father, who was an American, had died around fourteen years back.
“Well I have to begin on this new project which will probably take my afternoons away for a while on the weekdays.” Asra drank her coffee with a small frown; her daughter didn’t know that she worked overtime in the afternoons to bring up some money. Ever since her husband, Norman Jones, had passed away when her daughter was barely a few months old she had to work extremely hard to earn enough money to bring up a lively child. That was one of the reasons her house was not filled
with glamorous objects and the other reason was she loved it here; she loved to revel in its simplicity. She had chosen simple furniture that gave the house a homely look and the little décor within reflected an excellent taste including some indoor jasmine plants.
“Really? That’s cool. So what’s the project about? Anything I can help with?” said Xia rushing quickly with forced enthusiasm because her mother’s job was so boring that she fell asleep every time they went to the museum. Still she didn’t want to hurt Asra’s feelings so she grinned happily hoping that even if her mother landed her with a job she would ask her friends to pitch in and they would. She watched her mother’s face brighten up as she started talking with an animation. Xia ate the remaining of her toast and gulped down all the juice, moving to the cabinets to remove the smoothie maker and attached the plug into the hidden socket.
“I’m setting up a new wing for the children and their families to enjoy. It will allow them to interact closely with history. The exhibit is entirely based on the history of Egypt. You can come along with your friends. It will be very interesting as they will display the weapons used in those days including the clothes and ornaments of the women. It’s all set in the 1930s and I’ve seen the reproductions of the exhibit. It is quite cool.” said Asra her eyes shining with anticipation and Xia hid her face as she rolled her eyes not sharing the excitement but nevertheless her mother continued. “Besides that there is a display of the pottery of those times and also reproductions of the walls at the time of the Pharaohs. Those carvings on the walls are beautiful and so meaningful, I mean each of them tell a story that keeps you on the edge. I’m so excited to begin my work, maybe I’ll even get a promotion!”
“That’s great Mom!” Xia exclaimed with genuine happiness for her mother deserved a promotion. Xia chopped some bananas and strawberries before tossing them in the container followed by three scoops of vanilla ice-cream. Then placing the lid she watched the contents whirling as her mother washed the dishes still smiling and then took out a glass for Xia’s milkshake before disappearing down the hall. Xia poured the milkshake into the glass and then took out the remaining Dream Whip which she had made yesterday for the dessert and used it to adorn the surface of the pale red shake and finally she squirted chocolate syrup over the white tufts. Asra then emerged into the kitchen with a handbag slung over her shoulders and the mobile in the other hand.
“Mmm…that looks yummy. You should make the meals as well; at least they’ll look nice.” Asra smiled fondly at her daughter, who grinned and took a sip of the milkshake, her eyes twinkling as always. “Now I’m leaving for work and I’ll be back at evening to help you dress up for the party. OK honey now you take care and lock all the doors and-”
“-Call me if you need any thing. Don’t open the door for anyone and in case of emergency go to our neighbor’s house. You do remember her number right? Fine I’ll ask Mrs. Jenkins to check up on you after every hour” said Xia finishing the pep talk with a naughty grin and mimicking her mother’s voice almost perfectly.
Asra frowned and gave her daughter a mocking glare before laughing and planting a kiss on her cheek. “Alright now I’m going to leave. Do something useful will you?” she called as she moved into the hall and left through the white door, as usual banging it and rattling the glass which had not broken for all these years. Xia just drank up her delicious milkshake not noticing the pale eyes that watched her through the window.
***
“Stop fiddling Xia” snapped Asra as she fixed Xia’s hair.
“You’re hurting me, Ouch!”
“Sorry” Asra beamed “there, you look beautiful!”
Xia indeed did. She was wearing a sleeveless black dress with a feathery maroon pattern on it. Through the hem of the dress her shiny black sandals peeped out showing her polished toe-nails. Her arms were bare except for a delicate silver charm bracelet. The bracelet had her name engraved on it and it had been a gift from her father who passed away when she was a child.
Xia’s facial features were attractive, a face that one would glance at twice. Her exquisite black eyes were framed by her long dark lashes that appeared lengthened by the mascara. She had a beautiful smile now enhanced by the gloss she had smeared over her lips. Her luxurious black hair was piled up in a bun with loose strands falling on her smooth, blemish-free face. Despite her appearance the dress felt weird as she was used to trotting around in pants and shirts or sometimes skirts but never before had she worn this formal type of dress. Still running her hand through the soft silken material she couldn’t help but smile with confidence and pride.
“Xia you’ll be an amazing sight!” exclaimed Asra apparently proud of her teenage daughter and not noticing the radiance her face took that made Xia blush slightly. “You look just like me, only prettier.”
“Come on Mom stop bragging about me” said Xia pulling her mother to the car and putting on a mock embarrassed act. Sighing gently, Asra followed her daughter into the car and drove off to the party as the two talked about the museum exhibit and its progress and also wondering the outfits of her friends as well as discussing who would come to the party. She hoped it was all her teachers except the math one. She hated him like anything and the feeling was mutual.
***
“Xia!” exclaimed Julian Adams, her best friend, from above the stone steps beckoning for her. “You look beautiful!”
“Thanks, so do you Julian” said Xia admiringly as her friend looked amazing even with the little make-up she wore.
Julian was a rangy teenager two months younger than Xia with calm features on a smooth complexion. Her aqua eyes were outlined in silver and her shoulder-length, silky, auburn hair which was tied in an elegant French twist shone in the lighted hall. She wore a soft peacock blue coloured dress which fell to the floor in layers and the colour intensified the colour of her eyes. Taking hold of each other’s hand, the two friends moved passed the main door leaving their parent’s on the steps and hurried into the corridor that led to yet another room.
Julian’s eyes twinkled with amusement as she led Xia into the banquet section of the hall. Ankara, Xia’s English teacher, approached the two girls with a cheerful smile on her gentle face.
“Hello Xia” said Ankara “You look marvelous.”
“Thank you Miss Ankara” replied Xia politely.
“Julian, please tell Xia about the meeting which she missed because I have to go and make the arrangements. You both are already well practiced so it won’t be a problem” she said with a wink as she pushed her way through the crowd tripping over her emerald-green glittering dress and her stylish hairdo was falling apart with strands of coffee brown hair falling on her beautiful face.
“Ms. Ankara looks nice” Xia commented to Julian who nodded with a smile still watching their teacher moving through the crowd with a disgruntled expression as people blocked her path unknowingly.
“Yeah she sure does” said a known friendly voice. Xia whirled around and was face to face with Carmine Sullivan and Jeffery Lok Sullivan, her good friends who had been with her since kindergarten and were the first Americans she befriended here before Julian who was born in America yet her features and spirit seemed to belong to some other nation.
“Couldn’t help over hearing” said Lok, grinning mischievously and working up some nasty comments in his impish mind which he reserved for his sister as usual.
“You look good Xia” said Carmine, “nice dress.”
“Thanks Carmine you look pretty too” said Xia as she examined the girl who stood before her.
Carmine whirled around as her pastel yellow dress flapped in the air. Her dark brown hair loosely flowed over her shoulders highlighting her golden brown eyes and her unique appearance. She had put on a delicate gold chain which glittered in the bright lights and similar golden hoops, which dangled on her cheeks.
Lok on the other hand, looked handsome in his formal black suit. His usually messy brown hair was brushed properly for once and his handsome f
eatures were enhanced by his dazzling smile. The twins had a charm about them which was attractive and both were affable by nature except with each other.
“Stop grinning you idiot!” said Carmine angrily as she glanced at Lok whose grin was just to mock her on the statement that she was pretty. Xia rolled her eyes and met Julian’s glance who gave a small smile yet still managed to appear serious for Carmine hated it if someone laughed, she thought it was done to mock her.
“Can’t help it if two amazing girls are in front of me” said Lok winking at Julian and Xia who exchanged knowing smiles and Xia watched with amusement at the unfolding argument.
“Yeah whatever” answered Xia giving him a mock glare like one her mother used, “so what about the meeting?”
“Well, it was mostly about pulling a surprise for Mrs. Janet, the chief guest” said Julian quickly “and they also mentioned that we would all dance as a receiving ceremony with you in the lead. The one we practiced for.”
“D-Dance, u-us? But that wasn’t final.” stuttered Xia getting embarrassed, although she was a good dancer but incredibly shy of exposing her talent and the very thought of guests unnerved her. For beings so outspoken, this trait seemed unusual to those who met her.
“Yeah” added Carmine glumly who was also a good dancer but unlike Xia she usually was very clumsy at times. “I’ll look like a disaster.”
“No” corrected Lok, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, “a catastrophe!”
Carmine ignored his remark with an annoyed huff.
“So what’s the surprise?” asked Xia changing the subject for she felt that Lok and Carmine were going to start their bickering and would spoil their moods.
“Probably the dance and a gift” said Julian, “they didn’t specify the details.”