Fire Whispers Among the Shadows: Book One of The Brimstone Archives Read online

  Aiesha was more perplexed. She wanted to know exactly what was going on.

  Another round of servants stopped by with additional platters of delicacies and mugs of slosh from the bartender.

  She took a big gulp of slosh and blurted, “Since the Great Abyss, what do you know of the Jags?” A brief silence swept across the table. Suddenly, the overhead lights dimmed, and vibrant color-changing spotlights drifted onto the stage. The curtains pulled to the side as drummers were revealed in the background. Acrobatic dancers tumbled as spouts of fire lit the surrounding air. Puunlo was laughing with excitement.

  As she returned her gaze to the table, she caught sight of Zuna and Houpor stepping away toward the stairs. She pounced upward, snagging Leirgab’s ear as he continued to grasp for food. By now, Puunlo was used to their incessant, unpredictable, and bickering behavior. He allowed them to continue on but hollered, “You must come back for dessert and the finale!” Within seconds, he was quickly joined by neighboring patrons.

  Leirgab winced. “Oww, oww … okay, you can let go now. I promise I won’t go back for grub yet.” Aiesha’s grip loosened as they reached the top of the steps. The shadowed tips of long ears and antennas were quickly fading away in the distance.

  “Come on.” Aiesha grabbed his arm, which was still rubbing his pulsating ear. She and Leirgab raced down the steps. Leirgab jumped on the curving banister and slid down while coasting on his rear end. He dismounted with his usual tumble and roll. Aiesha, quick on her paws, was right behind him.

  “There.” She spotted them turn toward the statue-filled hall.

  As they closed the gap, Leirgab called ahead. “Old friends, let us catch up some more.” He breathlessly whispered to himself, “No pun intended.”

  Their footsteps momentarily slowed. Then a door creaked closed. As Leirgab and Aiesha reached the corridor, the candle sconces cast shadows on the walls. She scanned the area, but there was no visible sign of Zuna or Houpor. She closed her eyes and calmed her mind, choking out Leirgab’s heavy breaths. A vision of more dimly lit stairs, ones that spiraled downward, flashed in her mind. A sense of deception brewed in her thoughts. She opened her eyes and scanned the long hall once more. In the distance, toward the right, she noticed something was misplaced.

  She bounded down the hall, leaving Leirgab gripping his side. She meandered past a painting and paced in a circle around a meladrone statue, stopping short as she noticed a small chip in the bottom corner. “Here. I see light from beneath.”

  Leirgab arrived. Leaning over, he placed one paw on the meladrone’s tail and a paw on his knee. Aiesha, quick to correct his behavior, stopped midway from removing his paw from the statue. She noticed subtle wear on the back two hooves of the statue. Against her preference for preserving the arts, she simultaneously gripped both hooves, allowing her weight to shift the statue backward.

  The statue rather quickly glided back and revealed a candlelit stairwell descending around a corner. A gust of cold, damp air swept past Aiesha, causing her feathered costume to ruffle as her body was overcome with chills. The draft momentarily disrupted the small flames, darkening the tunnel as Leirgab and she inhaled deep breaths and stepped downward. Their strides and breaths were in unison as they entered the depths to the unknown. Descending lower around the spiral, Aiesha heard soft whispers echoing. She placed her left paw on Leirgab’s chest, halting his forward motion as well as his breath. He then appeared to hear the distant chatter as his eyes widened.

  “I have the key.”

  “Yes. We know where to locate the sacred jewel.”

  Aiesha’s ears perked, as she strained to hear the indistinct voices. A subtle creak.

  “Ah, this will be of great use,” said a voice, followed by a clasping closure of what sounded like the hinges of an old box. With brief silence, she knew to draw closer if she were to discover who was involved in such secrecy. She pulled her paw away and swiftly glided it among the cold stone walls.

  The spiral stairway drew brighter as they narrowed in on the location of the whispers. She and Leirgab crouched downward once more, only a few steps away. Peering around the corner, Leirgab inhaled through his snout. “The scent is familiar.” They viewed a vast open room containing a halfway-opened wooden door. Golden steel rivets sealed three decorative crests. Looking past the door, a glowing red hue flickered across their faces. Houpor. Zuna. Gander.

  Aiesha muffled her gasp with her paws. Leirgab stumbled forward and rolled down the last step around the corner. The whispers hushed. He quickly shifted to the side wall, attempting to suck in his gut. Houpor approached the doorway. Already low to the ground, Aiesha pulled herself backward as far as she could. The sound of approaching boots stopped short. The grand door slowly creaked to a reverberating clamor when Leirgab’s dagger dropped five feet onto the stone. He dove forward grabbing and resheathing his dagger as the door simultaneously reopened.

  Gander appeared in a red cloak that draped over his shoulders and fell to the floor. Its edges were damp from dragging along the condensation of the cold stone. “Welcome,” he said.

  Aiesha watched as Leirgab’s jaw stood agape with speechlessness. The dim candlelight continued to flicker. He climbed to his feet and readjusted his gear underneath the elaborate dress that Gander had so nicely laid out earlier. His vest now tattered with small holes and patterned with wet patches. Gander motioned toward the stairway. “Come closer, Aiesha. There is much to be discussed.”

  Aiesha’s heart seemed to skip a beat. She stepped down the final stairs and revealed her presence. A wave of calmness overcame her, and she felt at peace. She claircognizantly knew this indeed was a safe space. A place Leirgab and she needed to be.

  Chapter 3

  Inside the darkened room, the five of them loomed over a glowing red orb. Pulsating shadows cast across their faces revealing dilated eyes. Zuna’s were the most prominent, and reflections of the past, present, and future chased each other across her eyes. The ambiance of the group was laden with a heavy air as they observed what was yet to come.

  Gander said, “It is known what must be done for the order of the Higher Power. Each of you serves a purpose.”

  The orb’s hue turned a brilliant golden yellow like the rays of the four suns merging over Paradise. Sweat dripped down from their faces despite the damp, cool air rushing in bursts around them.

  “We will come with you when the time is right,” said Aiesha.

  Houpor nodded. “It won’t be long if what you saw in the Azaro Jungle is true.”

  “We shall ride together again,” said Leirgab.

  Zuna noted the time that had passed. “We must return to dinner to avoid wandering and curious minds.”

  Gander motioned, and the orb returned to a tall, blocked stone column that was at least twice the height of Houpor. Like the orb, one by one they ascended the stairway passage and were within the Great Hall once more. The statue was slid into place with a solid sound of heavy stone that echoed among their silence. Gander withdrew in one direction as the others continued toward the balcony.

  As soon as they passed through the curtained entryway, the sound of Puunlo projected above the Aboriginal drums. “You in time for dessert and the finale.”

  “Great, I could go for some sweet grub.” Leirgab grinned and plopped into his chair as if nothing had occurred in the hidden darkness below.

  Aiesha thought to herself, As bad as it can seem sometimes, he is unimaginably able to pull a cloak over someone’s eyes. One of his better qualities.

  Once all were seated, the servers approached with tiered platters filled with delicacies. Leirgab, followed by Puunlo, was the first to load plates and stuff his mouth.

  “We could not be more appreciative of you hosting us during our time here, Puunlo,” said Zuna.

  “Of course. Distant guests of the Higher Power are welcome anytime,” Puunlo said in a sloshed manner, indifferent to exposing intimate information. “The gifts that are exchanged among us are powerful. If it was not for the key to be hidden in secrecy here, the Cerebral Realm would perish.” The repetitive drumming in the near distance turned to something sinister with looming chimes as Puunlo spoke aloud of the secrets.

  The visions Aiesha witnessed through the orb from below were now clear as it was likely that Puunlo had unknowingly divulged information to someone with ill intentions.

  “What show will be here tomorrow night?” said Houpor, redirecting to casual conversation.

  “The Duo of Destiny,” Leirgab said almost as proudly as Puunlo would have. Food yet again nearly escaped his mouth as he spoke.

  Puunlo raised his mug. “To everlasting times.” They all raised a mug of slosh in unison. The clacking of the wooden mugs seemed to match the final drums of the show.

  It did not take long for the arena seating to empty. The tiered balcony was very dim, and only a few remained in their vicinity. Puunlo was saying farewell to some overnight guests. Houpor and Zuna slinked away once more as soon as Puunlo left the table.

  Aiesha was overwhelmed with newly acquired information, as Leirgab and she lingered at the balcony near the table where they had the extravagant meal. Leirgab, slightly sloshed, said, “We will have two more short stays before we should bail out of here.”

  Aiesha looked at him and said, “We won’t be leaving without Houpor and Zuna. The Jags are on their tails, and Puunlo, who has remained outlandish, doesn’t have a clue what he has done.”

  Although deep down she knew Puunlo had changed since they had left Paradise. Perhaps the events that led to the Great Abyss had changed them all.

  “Let’s head back to the guest hut. I am exhausted,” said Aiesha as she turned toward the stairs. Leirgab meandered behind her.

  As he approached the bottom of the stair
s, he lackadaisically said, “I’ll meet you there after I stop for a wee.” Aiesha raised her hand to acknowledge without looking back.

  Leirgab jumped on the remaining stairwell banister and slid belly down, headfirst. He rolled into a tumble as he dismounted. He still had more energy with surmounting curiosity eating at his paws.

  He quickly turned the corner and passively galloped toward the Great Hall, once again past the exquisite statues. He stopped dead center of the statue that led to the passageway. Without hesitation, he walked around to the rear, heaved the statue backward, and proceeded into the darkness.

  The candlelight was barely visible with the fire nearing the end of the wick. The cold, damp air rushed past him, sending a spine-tingling sensation through each of his quills. He shrugged the discomfort as he landed with a heap from the final step.

  The large wooden door was barely visible, but its gold glinted in the flickering candlelight. The soles of his boots splashed through small pools of water he had not noticed before. He reached the looming doorway. There was no handle. He pressed his weight against the door. The metal crests were cool to the touch. A moment of heightened adrenaline surged through his body as the door creaked open.

  The room was veiled with darkness, except for a faint glimmer along the far wall. The orb that had once been vibrant remained perched on the column in the dimmest golden hue. He moved forward. The glimmer appeared to glide further along the wall. Its hue yielded a faint fluorescent green. His every step closer drew the glimmer seemingly further away until it was no longer in view as he reached the wall. A freestanding rock, the size of a standard chair, stood in his midst. He stepped backward a few steps and noticed the glimmer of fluorescent green return where the rock stood. The glimmer faded once more when he crept forward.

  He had not noticed the glimmer previously, but there was all too much that transpired earlier for him to be aware of minute details. He raised his hand to touch the rock as he noticed a worn inscription. As his finger glided over the lines, a voice from behind him spoke. “Bolgart, member of the Corona Radiata from the Cerebral Realm.” He jolted and turned in surprise. Gander’s thin paw made its presence known on his shoulder.

  “I suspected you would return, Leirgab.” Gander continued. “Your inquisitive spirit becomes you. I have observed your inner development since you were a hedge-lad. As was mentioned earlier, your journey has been laid before you. There is one additional piece of information that only you must know. The key is not what you will chase, but what you hold dearly. Your destiny will reveal when the time is right.”

  Leirgab was surprised at his ability to remain silent for as long as he had. “You say you been watching me? Not sure you would have enjoyed some of that,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Always a sense of humor indeed,” said Gander.

  Leirgab said, “I don’t know what the info means, but I’ll assume it will make sense like you say. So exactly why is this decorative dungeon here, and what’s with the dead guy’s tomb?”

  “Puunlo requested the Great Hall be built following the events that led to the Great Abyss. Under its construction, I added the dungeon below. Puunlo is aware of its presence but does not know all of the secrets that are housed here,” said Gander.

  “Figured he might be busier with running the show up above. He’s always been one for hosting, as the life of the party,” said Leirgab. “Well, how do you have so many secret items? And who are you really?”

  “I will only provide you with one more answer, the one that you need to know. The dead guy, as you claimed, is an ancestor of mine, long before both of our times.” Gander, no longer interested in Leirgab’s questioning, led him toward the stairwell by a dimly lit candle.

  Leirgab noticed the paw was scarred as wax dripped from the candle. He once again climbed the spiral stairs, which seemed to have more steps than before as he reached the top out of breath. “Man, I’ve really got to get back in shape,” he said, scolding himself as he sucked inward for a breath of fresh air.

  Leirgab reached the guest hut. He stepped inside and closed the door with a slight click. The lights still lit the room. Aiesha was passed out, her body barely under the covers. He removed his belt and kicked off his sturdy boots, which landed with a thud. Aiesha slightly stirred and rolled over. He climbed into his bed and lay there for a moment as images of his encounter flashed through his mind. His heavy eyes drifted to sleep.

  It was not long before Aiesha awakened, her head swimming with information. She glanced across the room at Leirgab as she rolled out of bed as slow as a drop of water slides down a mug. He was snoring as usual. She wondered when he had returned, though she was too exhausted to even care at this time.

  She changed her clothes to Paradise casualwear—a short, vibrant, feathered burgundy skirt and a flouncy white top patterned with thin canary-yellow and navy swirls. As she buckled the clasps on her shoes, a series of images clearly crossed her mind, though she chose to ignore them.

  Aiesha threw her pillow at Leirgab’s head. He snorted, jumped up, and swatted the air. She laughed. “Come on, let’s go eat. We can go to your favorite place.”

  He groaned but the thought of food, his weakness since the loss of his love, kept him from falling back into the bed. He tossed the pillow back and said, “I’m ready. Can’t wait ’til our dance moves tonight. I’m going to flip you through the clouds.”

  “I’d like to see that,” Aiesha said.

  Leirgab did not bother changing. Aiesha and he stepped out the door, and the aromas of food filled his nostrils. The wooden boards clacked as they walked by guests lounging in the rays of the second sunrise.

  At the far edge of the village, they came to a lonesome hut, a little shabby with worn-down beams. The shuttered windows were halfway open, and the saloon-style entryway eased open with a creak and the simple push of a finger. Inside, the ambiance was dimly lit, which was the kind of dive that Leirgab loved.

  A small crowd filled the den. Billiards games were packed in the back. Leirgab chose one of the high-top tables not too far from the standing-room-only bar. He tossed a few empty bottles behind his back. Miraculously, all landed in the corner trash bucket. He winked at Aiesha. “Sometimes you just know.”

  A familiar face pushed through the crowd. He dropped two growlers full of Canterbury slosh in front of them. “Leirs!” He jumped high enough to clank Leirgab’s forearm, followed by a tough-love jut to the belly.

  Leirgab cheered, tossing his arm around the neck of the small, squirrelly-haired ferret. “Cruqs! Been some time. See the dive’s still alive. Your hair’s more frizzled, my friend.”

  “Yeah, that’s what happens when you sit in the steamer for too long. Nah, my partner’s been all right in taking care of the dive when I’m out.”

  Aiesha nudged Cruqs. “Best not forget that either,” she said as she smiled when they embraced each other.

  “Where have ya been? Glad to see ya hanging out together,” Cruqs said with a smirk.

  Leirgab said with a smoothness in his voice, “Riding the highs and lows, catching the drifter’s waves, and searching for adventure.”

  “That’s what I like to hear,” Cruqs said, clanking Leirgab’s forearm again. “Barench za Capitec, friends, ya drink up. I got to grab something from the back.” He slinked back and disappeared through the swaying, sloshed crowd.

  “I miss him,” Aiesha said. “So many good times after our shows.”

  Leirgab attempted not to show that he was getting choked up and cleared his throat. “Looks like we got a couple more nights we can hang out with him.” He scrubbed his nose with his shoulder and then gulped from his growler.

  Aiesha noticed a metal coin in the crevice between a wooden beam flanked against the wall. She drew nearer and unwedged the coin with one of her claws. The coin was cool to the touch, with one side worn down and the other displaying the symbol for unified rulers, reminding her of a simpler time.

  She was the one sister among seven brothers. Her mother was busy keeping up with them. Her father arranged for the eldest sons to work with him at their business. She was made right and tough surviving the brotherly love of wrestling but somehow remained elegant. Her desire was not in the family business, but rather to be a dancer. Being the only daughter, she was fortunate that her parents allowed her to travel to Puunlo’s Paradise alone to audition for the well-known dance school.