Chapter 22

The Awakening

Chapter Three: The Awakening The chamber beneath Poenari Castle trembled as the crimson light surrounding the ancient altar grew brighter. Marishka stood beside Mihail, her green eyes fixed upon the mysterious darkness beyond the altar. Lord Barabus remained motionless. For the first time since they had entered the chamber, the confidence had vanished from his face. The ancient voice spoke again. "Who has broken my seal?" Barabus lifted his chin. "I have." The darkness seemed to move. "And what do you seek?" "Power." Marishka immediately stepped forward. "Barabus, stop." He turned toward her. "Why should I?" "Because you don't understand what you have awakened." "I understand perfectly." "No," Marishka replied. "You understand power. You do not understand its price." The chamber suddenly became silent. Then the ancient voice whispered: "Every kingdom has a price." Mihail tightened his grip upon his sword. "Who are you?" The darkness answered. "I am the memory of those who ruled before your fathers' fathers. I am the guardian beneath the mountain." Marishka stared at the altar. "The guardian..." She suddenly remembered an ancient legend her grandmother had once told her—a story of a spirit bound beneath the Carpathians to protect the mountain kingdom from those who sought to conquer it. Mihail looked at her. "You know what this is." "I know the legend." Barabus laughed. "Legends are merely stories." Marishka shook her head. "Not this one." Far above them, King Mathias stood in the great hall surrounded by soldiers. The castle shook again. Stone dust drifted from the ceiling. One of the guards approached. "Your Majesty, the lower passages have sealed themselves." Mathias looked toward the staircase. "My son is down there." He started toward the passage. The captain stepped in front of him. "Your Majesty, it may be too dangerous." Mathias drew his sword. "My son is down there." The captain lowered his head. "Then I will go with you." Together they descended. Deep beneath the castle, Barabus reached toward the altar. A strange glow surrounded his hand. He smiled. "Give me the power to rule." The ancient voice answered: "You would rule others?" "Yes." "Then prove you are worthy." The chamber went dark. Barabus looked around. "Where are you?" Marishka suddenly understood. "The guardian isn't giving you power." Barabus turned toward her. "What?" "It is testing you." A massive shadow appeared behind the altar. Barabus stepped backward. For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes. Mihail moved closer to Marishka. "What do we do?" She looked at him. "We must prevent Barabus from making the wrong choice." "And if he already has?" Marishka looked toward the darkness. "Then we may have to save the kingdom from him." Suddenly, King Mathias and his guards appeared at the entrance. "Mihail!" The prince turned. "Father!" Mathias hurried toward his son. "Are you unharmed?" "We are." The king looked toward Barabus. "What have you done?" Barabus slowly turned. "Something your kingdom will remember forever." Mathias raised his sword. "You have betrayed me." Barabus's expression hardened. "I served you faithfully for years." "You served yourself." Barabus looked toward the altar. "Perhaps." The guardian spoke once more. "Enough." Every torch in the chamber extinguished. A great wind swept through the underground hall. Marishka's crimson hair flew around her as she raised both hands. Green light surrounded her fingers. Mihail stared in amazement. "Marishka..." "Stay behind me." She stepped toward the altar. "I am Marishka, daughter of the old forests and keeper of the northern magic." The guardian became silent. Then: "Why have you come?" "To protect the living from the dead." A long silence followed. Finally, the guardian answered. "Then you must choose." Marishka looked toward Mihail. "What choice?" "The kingdom may be protected by sacrifice... or destroyed by ambition." Mihail stepped forward. "If there is a way to protect everyone, we will find it." The guardian seemed to consider his words. Then the chamber began to glow. Three ancient symbols appeared upon the stone floor. One before Marishka. One before Mihail. And one before Lord Barabus. Barabus stared at his symbol. "What is this?" Marishka whispered: "The Trial." The guardian spoke. "Each of you shall face what lies within your heart." The chamber doors slammed shut. The walls disappeared. And suddenly Marishka found herself standing alone in a moonlit forest. Mihail was nowhere to be seen. She called his name. No answer. Then a voice whispered behind her. "Marishka." She turned. Standing among the trees was a figure she had not seen for many years. Her heart stopped. Meanwhile, Mihail stood in an enormous throne room. Before him was a golden crown. And upon the throne sat a shadow wearing his own face. "Take the crown," it whispered. "You were born to rule." Mihail stepped backward. "I don't want power at the cost of others." The shadow smiled. "Then you will lose everything." And in another chamber, Lord Barabus stood before an enormous mirror. Inside the glass he saw himself as king of a vast empire. Thousands bowed before him. A magnificent crown rested upon his head. Barabus smiled. At last, he believed the ancient power was offering him exactly what he had always wanted. But behind the reflection stood something else. Something watching him. Something waiting. Barabus slowly turned. And the mirror smiled back. The Trial had begun. �⁠I can continue with Chapter Four, revealing what Marishka sees in the forest, what Mihail must choose in the throne room, and what Lord Barabus discovers inside the mirror.