Memory Soup
By Emily M. Hanson
Part 12
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After many hours of searching the lower floors, which were mostly empty except for a few more giant spiders, the adventurers finally made it to the tower's highest level. It was dimly lit since not all of the lights were functioning. A steady stream of water gushed from a broken pipe, spilling through cracks in the wall and floor, which had widened into small holes as time went by. It was probably what caused the water damage on the levels below.
"I don't think this area is entirely stable," Horatio remarked.
"You're probably right," Infinity responded. "Let's be careful."
They found their way through the twisting, turning maze of hallways. The silence was eerie. Not even a spider could be heard scuttling about. At one corridor's end, there was a room with markings carved in marble above the door.
Kaladox studied the carvings for a few moments. "Translocation device storage area," he translated.
"That must be what we're looking for," Hamlet observed.
Kaladox tried the door and found it locked. "Blast."
"Allow me." Kilroy stepped up and withdrew a short, narrow metal object from his backpack. He hadn't needed it until now. The lock pick had gotten him out of some serious jams in his day. Unfortunately, he received a small electrical jolt as soon as he inserted the pick into the lock. Kilroy cursed.
Then Kaladox took the purple amplifying crystal. Clutching it, he focused on the lock with all his mental strength. Mysteriously, the tumblers turned and clicked. Amazement spread across his face. "I didn't know I could do that."
"Well, you did it," Infinity assured him with a smile. "Come on."
All of them were astonished to find a room filled with artifacts and treasures, most made of Venusium and gems, which had survived through all the centuries. But the greatest of all the artifacts was a glowing archway with an electronic console. Ancient symbols shimmered in emerald, sapphire, and crimson light.
Infinity took her image recording device out of her backpack, inserted new film, and took several exposures of the room. "This has to be the one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time! Can you believe it?" she gushed. "We're going to be famous!"
Kilroy was immediately drawn to an innocuous-looking round item that was made of a dull gray metal, but also had a black gemstone inserted into the top. It had a three inch radius and was about four inches thick. He reached out to touch it.
"Be cautious!" Kaladox insisted. "We don't know what these things were designed for. They might be relics from the war, intended to cause pain -- or not. Who knows?"
Silverclaw found a red gem about the same size as her amulet. She picked up the stone and it softly glowed, then dimmed. But she felt strange afterward. Her entire body tingled.
"What is happening to me?"
"You must have found another amplifying amulet," Kaladox replied. "Your species probably has inherent psionic powers."
"We have the power of real magic, not fake magic," she snarled.
"As you wish."
"What is this? I'm changing!" Silverclaw's transformation from half-humanoid/half-wolf to a full wolf took less than thirty seconds.
Everyone stared at her in surprise. Since the werebeasts on Mitzelgran weren't shape shifters, only half-breeds, the transformation had come as a shock to Silverclaw. She whined. Still holding his amplifying crystal, Kaladox could hear her thoughts. She was shocked and frightened, and wondering if she would ever be able to turn back into her normal form.
As Silverclaw sniffed the red crystal which she'd dropped, her nose bumped it. This time, the transformation happened in reverse. Now in her half-humanoid form, she growled at the crystal and stepped away from it.
"That was truly remarkable," Hamlet said. "Just think how useful such a skill could be."
"I hope to never experience that again," Silverclaw snarled.
"You say that now, but someday, you may wish to." He bent down and picked up the red crystal. "If you don't want to keep this, I will."
"Fine."
Kilroy touched the round, dull gray metal object. He felt nothing. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but knowing that he had been expecting something, Kilroy felt disappointed. The object that had been meant for him was just a worthless piece of old junk. Still, he couldn't leave it there. He picked it up and put it into his backpack.
Horatio was drawn to a sapphire globe that when touched, projected a holographic star chart onto the ceiling. It was attuned to the user's mind, and it would picture any location in the sky the user wanted to see. Unfortunately, the knowledge in the globe did not surpass the local galaxy. Despite the limitation, the globe was still an amazing tool.
Hamlet found a golden rod, encrusted with jewels and crystals, collecting dust on a shelf. He took it. There was no apparent use for the rod, and no switches that he could easily see. Nevertheless, Hamlet put the rod into his bag.
Infinity felt left out since she hadn't found anything. There were many incredible artifacts, but she didn't feel drawn to any of them. Perhaps later when she returned to catalog everything, she would find something. "Let's go."
Kaladox pressed the only symbol on the translocator's console that he recognized, the symbol for the region which now contained the human colony of Atlantis. One by one, they stepped through the portal.
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