Final Quest (10 page)

- 24 -

HALL OF MIRRORS

We are walking along a dimly lit tunnel, bunched together in a group like bowling pins.

After a few minutes, the tunnel widens.

“Look,” Jamie says. “There are more drawings on the cave walls.”

These drawings are more detailed than the first drawings we saw. Due to some fading in colors, they also look older. For the most part, the drawings are a brownish-red color.

“Over here,” Michael says. “I think these drawings are telling a story.

We huddle around Michael.

“That looks like an emerald,” I say.

“I wonder,” Capurni says, “if these drawings tell the history of the emerald.”

“Let’s keep moving,” I say. “We need to keep in mind that we’re looking for Drew. We can always come back later to take a closer look at the drawings.”

Jasmin obviously agrees with my comments as she steps out in front of us. I notice that she’s limping from her earlier fall.

Although we start to follow Jasmin, Capurni keeps stopping to examine the drawings. Michael is taking pictures with his spy-pad while Jamie is using his spy-band to do the same thing.

The light is growing stronger in the tunnel with each step that we take.

Not too far away, the tunnel appears to open much wider.

“I think this is their history book,” Jamie says as he continues to take pictures of the drawings.

Capurni is looking intently at one particular drawing. Although I’m tempted to join him, Jasmin is tugging at my arm pulling me in another direction.

“You’ve got to see this,” Jasmin says as she continues to pull me along the tunnel.

I assume she must have walked ahead of us and made another discovery.

I increase my pace, ignoring the endless drawings on the walls of the tunnel.

When I’m only steps away from the opening, I can already see its spectacular beauty. There’s a large room that is more ornate than any great castle or church on my planet.

In the center of the room are seven magnificent golden thrones in a circle, each decorated with brilliant jewels glistening in the light.

My first impression of the room is that this is a royal chamber, or perhaps a very special meeting place. I recall seeing a video at school of Versailles in France. Versailles was once the incredibly lavish home of French kings. One of the famous rooms in Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors. What I’m now seeing reminds me of this room in Versailles. Everywhere I look there is gold.

Adding to the spectacular sight are huge mirrors that cover every inch of the walls and ceiling of the circular room. The mirrors create the illusion that the room is never-ending.

Capurni, Jamie and Michael finally enter the room. Their eyes grow wide as they look at the astounding beauty.

There’s movement along the wall opposite me.

Strange creatures are entering the room.

- 25 -

THE FORGOTTEN

Before I comprehend what is happening, there are unusual looking creatures sitting on six of the seven thrones in the room. Although my first reaction to the creatures is fear, their faces are welcoming.

Capurni approaches the circle of thrones and bows to the beings.

“I come from the planet Tamor. I am a descendent of the twelve leaders who fled from Drapesia with Kienda. I am a member of the Cantil tribe.”

The six creatures smile in unison at Capurni. They look thrilled to see him.

Capurni continues, “These are my friends from the planet Earth. Among them is a girl who is now the Keeper of the Emerald.”

The six creatures look at me with shock. They stare at the emerald, their eyes wide with awe, or is it fear?

“We come in peace,” Capurni says.

“We are pleased that you have arrived,” one of the creatures says as it stands. The creature is tall and thin. It has four eyes, all set in a row. It also has large floppy ears like an elephant. It is wearing a flowing white robe. “We are the leaders of the Forgotten People. My name is Zol.”

“The Forgotten People?” Capurni says.

“Yes,” Zol replies. “Anyone who speaks out against the cruel tyranny of the Zelareans is exiled to this island. We are sent here to die, to be forgotten. Over almost two-thousand years, the Forgotten People have created a network of tunnels and caves that have become our home. It is our desire that someday we will unite the people on the other islands of Drapesia, to defeat the Zelareans. Perhaps the return of the emerald signals that the time for our rebellion has arrived.”

Rebellion? I’m not interested in any rebellion. What dangers is my emerald going to get me into now?

“Drew,” Jasmin suddenly says. “We are looking for my friend. His name is Drew. He’s tall, He has dark hair. He was wearing blue pants and a black T-shirt.”

“Your friend,” Zol says, “has been captured by the Zelareans. They will force him to tell them everything he knows about your visit here. Once they learn that you have the emerald, they will stop at nothing to take it from you. They are already searching this island for you.”

“Drew has been captured?” Jasmin says. “We’ve got to save him.”

“How do you know he has been captured?” I ask.

Zol points to the wall behind us. “Look,” he says.

A picture of Drew appears on the wall. He is running through the jungle as though someone is chasing him. Suddenly, three or four spider-like creatures surround him. He is knocked to the ground. The next picture shows Drew being pushed into a flying object, similar to the ones we’ve seen in the sky, only this one is a little larger.

“We can help you,” Zol says, “but it will be very dangerous. The island of Zelares is a fortress. It’s almost impossible for anyone to arrive on Zelares without being detected.”

“If Zelares is a fortress, how can we possibly save our friend?” I ask.

Zol says, “Among the Forgotten People are scientists and engineers who once worked for the Zelareans. These people understand the security systems on Zelares. They would be willing to help you rescue your friend.”

“If these people,” I say, “once worked for the Zelareans, why are they now hiding here on Elpis?”

“Anyone, anywhere on Drapesia, who speaks out against the Zelareans is sent to this island. This has been happening for a very long time. The Zelareans hunt the Forgotten People for sport. They also take great delight in seeing any of the Forgotten People being torn apart by the wild animals on this island.”

Sounds like this island has become the equivalent of the ancient Roman Colosseum, I think to myself.

“Do the Zelareans know that you live underground on this island?” Jamie asks.

“No,” Zol says. “Although our caves might appear to be primitive, we have employed the best technology available to protect us from the Zelareans. They have no idea that there is a hidden underground world on this island.”

“How many people live here?” Michael asks.

“More than a thousand,” Zol replies.

“Were the mirrored walls built to protect your ancestors from the emerald?” Jamie asks.

“Yes,” Zol says. “We always believed that someday Kienda would return to Zelares with the emerald. Initially the walls were covered with a substance that acted like a mirror to block the emerald from finding my ancestors. In more recent times, materials have been added to the mirrored walls that also block any radar or other forms of surveillance equipment that the Zelareans possess. We are invisible to the rest of Drapesia. We don’t exist.”

“Are there people living on the other islands?” Capurni asks.

Zol looks both sad and angry in response to Capurni’s question. “For a very long time, the people who live on the other islands have become nothing more than slaves for the Zelareans.

“In addition to rescuing Drew, we must help all the Drapesians who have become slaves,” Capurni says.

“How can so many people be kept as slaves? Why don’t they rebel?” Michael asks.

Zol pauses. “Trichoma,” he says painfully. “The people of Drapesia are prisoners of trichoma.”

- 26 -

THE LIVING DEAD

“Trichoma? What’s that?” Jamie asks.

Zol glances at the other beings who are seated on the thrones around him.

“I would like to introduce Suu. She is from the Thoth tribe. She can help you to better understand trichoma.

Suu stands. She reminds me of a cat. The color of her face is like a tabby cat with white and black patches with traces of orange. Her movements are graceful like a cat. She is wearing a long turquoise robe.

She speaks in a soft soothing voice, “Trichoma is an energy frequencer that was developed by the Zelareans. It acts like a powerful drug. Each night the people who live on the islands place a band around their head after they have eaten supper.”

“A band?” Capurni says. “What do you mean?”

Suu continues, “The band is a thin strip of material that fastens around the head. The band is programmed by the Stapols who are the police force on Drapesia.”

“Programmed for what?” Capurni says.

“Programmed to control their minds,” Michael interrupts. “I bet that trichoma is a system of delivering impulses to the brain to stimulate various forms of pleasure. Trichoma is like a narcotic except that it works by electrical vibrations instead of chemicals.”

“Well said, my friend,” Suu replies. “How is it that you know so much about trichoma?”

“Do you have comic books on Drapesia?” Michael grins.

“I must read some of your comic books,” Suu says.

Michael smirks as though this is the first time that anyone has shown any interest in his comic books.

Suu continues, “Through the use of trichoma, the inhabitants of the other islands are so content that they never consider rebelling against the Zelareans.”

“Are the Zelareans also given trichoma?” Capurni asks.

“No,” Suu replies, “it is strictly forbidden for any Zelareans to take trichoma.”

“And if any of the other inhabitants of Drapesia refuse to take the trichoma?” I ask.

“Then they are sent here to either be killed by the wild animals or the hunters from Zelares.”

“Except,” Jamie says, “you sometimes rescue them before they are killed.”

Suu nods.

I shudder as I remember Stim who died  after being hunted by the Zelareans.

Suu continues, “We are unable to save everyone who is sent here, but we have helped many. As each newcomer arrives, we learn a little more about what the Zelareans are doing and what is happening on the other islands of our planet.”

“How are people forced to use trichoma?” I ask.

Suu laughs wryly. “Very few people refuse  trichoma. Trichoma takes them out of their boring routine lives and gives them incredible pleasure, even if it’s not real. Through various mind tests, the Stapols understand the unique fantasies and dreams of every individual. Trichoma is individualized so that every person’s greatest desires are fulfilled.”

“How does trichoma work?” I ask.

“Electrical currents of different frequencies stimulate different parts of a person’s brain causing dreams that are more realistic than life itself. Children are exposed to trichoma in small amounts. Long before they become adults, they are already addicted to trichoma.”

“Actually this isn’t much different than people on our planet who are addicted to drugs,” Jamie says.

“Or TV,” Michael adds.

I look at Michael as though I don’t understand his comment.

“Most humans are numbed by TV, computer screens, smart phones, and video games,” Michael says. “Our world is much the same as here, except that our government isn’t controlling us in the same manner. Many of our people by their own free choice live their lives avoiding reality.”

There’s a pause in our conversation as though we are all trying to grasp what has been said.

Jasmin interrupts the silence. “What about Drew?”

Suu steps towards Jasmin. She looks elegant as she walks, her turquoise robe flowing around her.

“Unfortunately at this moment there is nothing we can do to help your friend. With some careful planning though I believe you will be able to rescue him.”

Jasmin turns to me. “We can’t leave him here. Can’t we use the emerald to save him?”

“The Zelareans,” Suu says, “have likely already forced Drew to tell them about the emerald. I’m sure they have placed him in a mirrored room to prevent you from using the emerald to find him.”

Several of the beings on the golden thrones look at each other in a manner that suggests they know something that we don’t know.

- 27 -

SUPERIOR RACES

Another boring history class. Here we are in a new term in a new history class with the same dull teacher. How is it that when I travel to other places, learning about history is so exciting, but at school it’s like taking a sleeping pill?

Jamie is probably the only student in the class who is paying attention to the lesson on the civil rights movement in the 20
th
century.

I think about Drew. Is he being tortured right now? Although we returned home without him, our plan is to return back to Drapesia in a few days. Zol said that they would prepare a plan for us to rescue Drew. Capurni decided to stay on the island of Elpis. He said he would ensure that the plans to rescue Drew were established as quickly as possible.

I hear something about a Second Reconstruction era. Mr. Kraviak has returned back to his dreadful style of teaching. It’s as though he has administered trichoma to us. Most of my classmates have drifted off to some other place. Michael is reading a comic book behind his notebook.

“The Second Reconstruction is a term that was first used by the historian C. Vann Woodward. The phrase refers to the American Civil Rights Movement, particularly during the late 1950s and into the 1960s.”

I wonder why people of different color have to fight for the right to be accepted.

“The civil rights movement was often characterized by non-violent protests and forms of civil disobedience. In 1951, African-American students in Virginia protested the unfairness of a school system that sent students based on their skin color to different high schools. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children.”

Colored children? Aren’t we all colored children? Who ever decided that one color should be superior to another?

I begin to wonder about the Zelareans on Drapesia. On what basis did they decide that they were the superior race on their planet?

“In 1957,” Mr. Kraviak continues, “nine African-American students, all who had excellent grades, were chosen to attend  Little Rock Central High school, an all-white school. These students faced jeering and harassment from fellow students throughout the year. The situation was so bad for these students that they were escorted from class to class by Federal troops.”

I think of the diverse look among the beings I have met on both Tamor and Drapesia. What are the people of my planet going to do when they learn that there are intelligent beings on other planets, and none of them look remotely like us? Forget about skin color; I’m talking about beings with more than one head, more than two arms and two legs, and beings who look more like some of our animals than they look like us.

“Martin Luther King Jr. became one of the great leaders of the civil rights movement. During his most famous speech, he said that he had a dream that one day this nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, and that all men are created equal.”

What does created equal really mean?

My thoughts turn to Drew. I can’t imagine the horror he must be facing as a captive by some strange menacing creatures on another planet.

Is peace possible anywhere?