The dolphin quickly introduced himself to Argan and any residual fear melted away. This creature was friendly. He circled Argan numerous times before nudging him with his nose. Argan picked up speed and was surprised at how much his own abilities had ramped up. He thought of swimming with Skylar under Vivienne’s lake and how he’d love another chance at it. He needed air much less now.
At first he tried to lose the dolphin, but when he realized that was impossible, he decided to catch a ride. He reached out and grabbed on to his dorsal fin.
When they reached the area near the tree, Argan let go, but the dolphin circled back and nudged him to keep going.
“This is my stop,” he said.
The dolphin shook his head and circled him again. He rose underneath him and started swimming, this time carrying Argan on his back.
After they’d traveled above the water for about a mile, Argan started to worry. “You are going to dump me in the middle of nowhere,” he said. He had just enough time to take a large gulp of air before the dolphin dove deeper, returning to the depth of the tree.
When the dolphin pushed Argan back up into the air, he saw that they had reached a cavern similar to the one he’d arrived in. With what little energy he had left, he waded to shore and landed at the broken steps of an old relic that looked like it had once been a temple of worship. He turned back to say thank you to the dolphin, but it was already gone.
Quickly, Argan was swarmed by a crowd of unfamiliar creatures.
“You can set us free,” one said.
“You are the one,” said another.
“You have the answers we need,” said a third.
“You, you, you …” They loomed closer.
“Hold up!” he said to the group, putting up his hand. “You’ve got the wrong guru.”
He walked up the broken steps to the stone door. A bright light shone around the doorjamb, framing the stone with beams of light. He pushed the stone and it moved effortlessly.
The group gasped in unison. “He is the one. The girl couldn’t do that. She’s definitely not the one.”
“Girl?” Argan asked.
“Yes, that silly girl,” one said. “She wasn’t very nice to us and she couldn’t get the door to budge. She went around back and we haven’t seen her since.”
“Maybe a whale ate her,” another said.
“Serves her right,” another said. “She wasn’t the one, you are the one.”
Argan could see this circular conversation was a waste of time. If the girl was Skylar, he’d know soon enough.
He tried to step through the door but an invisible force kept him out. He tried twice, with both feet, jumping once. No luck.
The group shook their heads. “Tsk, tsk,” one said. “He was so close.”
“When will our savior come?” they pleaded, fists raised to the sky.
Argan took a step back and retreated down the steps. Before heading around the side of the temple, he turned back to the group. “You’ll all have to be your own saviors. No one else is coming.”
They looked at him, all expressionless.
A trail of gold specks led him around the wall to an opening in the stone. The wide crack was large enough for him to hop right in.
His hands were dusty from trailing his fingers along the old stones. How ironic: under the ocean, he couldn’t find water to rinse his hands. He clapped them together to shake off the dust. The sound echoed in the hall, carrying upward to the top of the soaring ceiling.
He walked in a circle in the great hall. It reminded him of Diana’s throne room. There was a chair made of old, broken stone and a large rock that could pass as a primitive podium. A sound came from the interior doorway and he glanced up. Skylar stood there, her arms crossed over her chest.
“You’re late,” she said calmly.
“I … had issues with the death door,” he stuttered in a moment of uneasiness.
“I had to fix this without you,” she said.
“Things don’t look fixed,” he said. “In fact, they look worse than ever. I was electrified by some maniac, for starters. I wouldn’t be surprised if I glow with the sea life around here.”
She stepped quickly out of the doorway and rushed him, stopping short of touching him. Her prickly demeanor faded quickly and she gave him a fierce hug. After a moment, she pulled away slightly, yet kept her arms around his waist.
“You’re different.” She squinted slightly.
“I’m sure I am,” he said. “I wasn’t kidding, he electrified me.”
Skylar looked concerned. “I’m wondering what else he did.”
“Hey, do you know Kyle is here?” he asked. “I mean, here as in there, as in Atlantis. Did you know that was Atlantis?”
“Yes,” she said.
“He acts like it’s completely normal to be working for that Archer,” he said.
Skylar released her hug and kept hold of Argan’s hands. “Archer is Magus. He’s a black magician, on the planet since the time of the Great Mothers. He’s been one of many manipulating events and timelines to control the population. He set the stage during Atlantian times, cursing the women, replacing their consciousness with jealousy and low self-worth. But the timelines are overlapping, all of the cycles we’ve talked about for two years have ended. It’s all happening now and there is a window to lift his curse and release humanity from the control it’s been under since the First Age.”
“Oh, is that all?” Argan asked.
“No. Heather is his daughter, and Ocean’s.”
“Wow, that’s huge,” he said.
“I know.” She sighed. “And he wants the heart light.”
“I got that. I brought Ocean’s half with me but hid it in the Sanctuary.”
“Oh, good thinking. It’ll be safe there.” She pulled him by the hand. “Come, let me show you around. But you have to close your eyes.”
He obliged and laughed softly—then gasped. “This is Sophia’s library.”
Skylar beamed. “It is.” She couldn’t hide her excitement. “Do you see the room?” she asked. “Come to life?”
“Yes.” He opened his eyes and looked at her chest. “And I see the light shining within you, clear as day. Any idea how we …”
“Get it out?” she finished. “I have no idea. Part of me thinks I have to die to get this thing out, but I’m hoping for another answer.”
“There is always another answer,” Sophia said from behind them.
They both turned.
“You have to close your eyes to see her,” Skylar said.
“No,” he said. “I see her.” He smiled wide and pure joy overtook his face, as if he were seeing an actual angel.
“You do?” she asked, disgruntled. “What the hell?”
Sophia chuckled and revealed herself to Skylar with open eyes as well. “This isn’t just your imramma, Skylar.”
“But apparently you can make it as hard or as easy as you’d like,” Skylar said. “If that’s the case, can you please heal the stone? I’d like to go home.”
“Is that so?” Sophia asked. “It seems to me that you like challenges. You always find yourself in one. Follow me, I want to show you something.” She moved quickly, and was almost through the archway on the opposite side of the library before she’d finished speaking.