SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Forty-Eight
The warm glow illuminating the cavern gave the impression of a splendid tourist attraction rather than a portal to a place that touched upon the fringes of the underworld. The group gathered near the basin at the center of the gazebo.
Reese unclasped the claw-like epaulets that held the breastplate to it its leather bindings. She placed the heels of her hands along the edges of the armor and prepared to push.
“I am not fond of this part,” she said to Joey, who nodded knowingly.
“It only stings for a little while,” He replied.
Reese took a deep breath and pushed outward. The breastplate released from her torso with the same sucking sound as pulling a boot out of ankle-deep mud. Small metallic tentacles wriggled and strained to keep contact with her flesh as she pushed it gingerly away from her torso. Tiny purple hickies formed where they had clung to her stomach and ribcage below the tattered edge of her cut-off t-shirt.
“Ow!” Dorian commented as he watched with a vested interest.
“It feels like pulling off a bunch of band-aids at the same time,” she said.
“Your turn. Take off your shirt. It needs to contact your flesh.”
Dorian fumbled with the strapping that held the sword to his back, still not used to his multi-hand.
“I got this!” Leslie offered. He grabbed the bottom of Dorian’s t-shirt with both hands and pulled quickly, tearing a split up to his sternum. He pulled the loose ends around Dorian’s back and knotted them beneath the sword’s sheath. “It was easier than redoing everything. On the plus side, it’s still somewhat fashionable amongst the cabana boy set.”
Reese flipped the armor around and approached Dorian. The ends of the metal tentacles lining the breastplate opened and closed like the mouths of hungry baby birds. Dorian recoiled slightly.
“I know they look menacing, but they don’t hurt. They kind of tickle when you put it on, although the armor does tend to pinch under the arms a bit.”
The tentacles clung onto Dorian as soon as they were close enough to make contact. The armor sprang from Reese’s hands and hugged Dorian tightly. He giggled as the breastplate acquainted itself with his torso.
“There’s far less to learn about the breastplate since you will only be using it as a tracking device and not as a means for time travel. This emblem here . . . “Reese pointed to a circular design that resembles a one-handed clock,” . . . will point toward the nearest bracelet. Here, watch.”
Reese removed a bracelet from a pouch within the leather skirting of the armor. She passed it back and forth in front of Dorian and as she did the emblem rotated, pointing towards the bracelet. She then slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.
“By wearing this I will stay connected to the same life stream that you are experiencing. If for some reason you jump life streams and I’m not wearing one, we risk losing everything that we have experienced together. Joey has one, too.”
Joey raised his arm and pointed to his wrist.
“The breastplate provides a reset button that will bring you back to a specific moment in time. It won’t bring you to a physical location, just that point in time. Do you understand?”
“It will set the clock back, not change where I’m located, right?” Dorian answered.
“Right. It will place you into a different life stream that would have you at that location at that moment.”
“Will Cadence still be there?”
“There’s no way of knowing. Try not to use the reset unless there is no other solution.”
“I would also like to stay connected,” Lenny stated.
“Okay, anyone else?” Reese asked.
“Gary and I,” Leslie raised his hand. “It will work through fur, won’t it?”
“Yes. It will work for Gary.”
Gary barked approvingly.
“How about you boys? Do you want to stick with whatever happens or possibly be left unaware of how this story ends?”
Lanky looked at Shorty. Shorty shrugged.
“If we bail on this adventure is there any way of knowing that things will be better or worse than if we stay?” Shorty asked.
“There is no telling what may be.”
“So, it’s a crapshoot?”
“As is life!” Joey added. “If you take a bracelet you will remember all that has happened, regardless of where we end up. If Dorian jumps to a different lifestream this experience will cease to be, and you will be none the wiser.”
“Bracelet me. I want to know how this story ends.”
Lanky stepped up and extended an arm.
“I’m comin’, too,” Shorty begrudgingly agreed. He aligned his arm with Lanky’s.
Reese doled out bracelets to everyone. Leslie snapped one around the meatier part of Gary’s back leg to make sure it stayed put.
“I’m setting the reset button . . . now.”
Reese slid aside a small embossed detail on the armor just below the armhole and pushed a button hidden within the opening. She then pivoted the protective cover back.
“That keeps you from accidentally triggering it.” Reese patted the button region on the breastplate. “My part is done. Now, it’s up to Lenny.”
Lenny removed the wineskin from around his neck and set it into one of the troughs leading to the disk at the center of the gazebo. He pulled the stopper and let the water run free. It began as a trickle, built into a stream, and then began to gush as if the bota was connected to a hose. Gallons of water rushed forward, encircling the rim, flowing in a continuous loop, never falling into the well.
“A little Hope goes a long way,” Lenny said to the group.
“That’s pretty corny if you ask me!” Shorty snidely replied.
“Yet, it doesn’t diminish its truth,” Lenny pointed out.
He brought forth Janus’ Trammel. He touched it to his forehead and then held it before his lips.
“FENESTRAM APERIRE,” Lenny whispered, then tossed the amulet into the opening of the well. It hung motionless, in mid-air, centered within the ring of swirling waters. The stream slowed to a standstill and the cavern became silent. It looked as if a photograph of splashing, swirling water had been wallpapered to the rim of the well.
“It is done,” Lenny proclaimed. “The portal shall remain open as long as the trammel remains in place. You may begin your journey, Dorian.”
“So, is the elevator going to reappear? Where do I take it?” Dorian asked.
“No elevator. You will need to take the stairs.”
Lenny motioned to Dorian to come closer to the well. He pointed into the opening at a polished marble landing surrounded on three sides by wooden banisters that hovered just below the ring of paralyzed water.
“Where those lead, I do not know. This is where you will start and end your journey.”
Dorian looked around the cavern at his cohorts. He could see the concern on their faces.
“Well, I’ll be back as soon as I can. Leave a light on for me.”
Reese broke ranks and threw her arms around Dorian.
“Please be careful. Find Cadence and bring her back. Remember to use the reset button if you feel you have no other option.”
Leslie joined her and then Joey. Before long all were engaged in a group hug.
“Okay, guys, I’ve got to get going. I’ll be back before you know it,” Dorian said in the bravest voice he could muster. The group slowly peeled away from Dorian leaving Shorty standing by his side. He took hold of his arm, leaned in, and whispered, “Be careful, kid.”