ECHOES OF OBSIDIAN

The Reluctant Path Elena's POV The quiet that permeated my apartment that evening seemed strange. After the turmoil at the gala, I felt I would find some sort of relief stepping back into my space, away from the noise, the people, and especially from Adrian Blackwood. But the weight of what had happened came down the moment the door closed behind me. On my kitchen counter stood the amulet, a little, black form too benign for the power it carried. Since leaving the museum, I had tried to put it down several times, but every time my fingers itched to grab it once more. It seemed like an invisible thread dragging me toward it, a link not cut off. Though my life had never been easy, this was something beyond anything I had ever come across. A gateway to a vanished civilization? A secret to unfathomable might is Not the reality I had spent my career creating, it sounded like something from a lousy adventure book. Grounded on evidence, facts, not in legends and prophecies, I was a scientist. And yet here I was, standing in my kitchen at midnight, fixated by a relic that had lately defied all reason. "Get it together," I said to Elena. "It is merely a rock. a quite unusual and highly strong rock. Though the terrible truth was that nothing about this felt natural, I wanted to believe it. It was not coincidental the way the amulet had flown into my hand, the flickering lights, the abrupt air chill. Then there was Adrian, with his mysterious cautions and conviction that I was somehow meant for this. The idea crawled across my skin. Really, who was he? And why seemed he knew more about the amulet than I did? Trying to concentrate, I got a glass of water and walked the length of my little kitchen. All of this has to have a reasonable justification. I merely needed to work things out. But no matter how hard I tried, the same persistent question kept coming back: *Why me?*. My phone buzzed on the counter, jerking me out of reverie. I grabbed it half-expecting to find a message from one of my museum colleagues. Rather, it was an unidentified number. "Meet me beside the docks. Tonight. Be not late. Heart thumping in my chest, I blinked at the screen. Just a solitary, enigmatic message—no name or justification. My immediate reaction was to discount it, write it off as a hoax or a mistaken number. Deeply down, though, I knew better. There was no accident about this. Most likely Adrian wanted me to follow. I hesitated, looking at the time. Eleven forty-seven p.m. Less than fifteen minutes allowed me to make decisions about whether to enter what might very well be a trap. Still, part of me yearned for answers even as much as I detested to acknowledge it. Not after my whole life had just been turned upside down, could I keep acting as though everything was normal. And I could not afford to overlook Adrian—or whoever this was—should he have any insight into what was happening. I reached for my coat and shoved the phone into my pocket, then started toward the door. Once more catching my attention as I passed, the amulet drew me in without thinking and I grabbed it and tucked it inside the inside pocket of my coat. Though I couldn't know why, leaving it behind felt improper. As I headed down the darkened streets, the evening air was chilly and clear. At this hour the city was motionless, the typical activity replaced by a strange silence. I lowered my head and let my mind run through all that had transpired earlier. Though none of it added up, the one thing I knew for sure was Adrian Blackwood was not with me. not quite by chance. The docks emerged from under cover of darkness and mist. A few straggling boats bobbed softly on the lake, their forms just discernible in the low street lamps' light. I came to a tall, slender man with hands in his pockets standing close to one of the piers. My heart thumping in my ears, I moved warily. The figure turned as I got closer and indeed it was Adrian. You came, he remarked, his voice cool and unassuming. "I was not sure you would." Keeping a few feet between us, I said, "I don't know why I did." But I am looking for responses. Adrian, what exactly is this about? Actually, what do you wish for? He briefly scrutinized me, his dark eyes incomprehensible. "I told you earlier; this amulet is the portal, a doorway to an ancient civilization. But Elena, it goes beyond the past as well. It relates to the future. Try to ignore the shudder running down my spine by crossing my arms. "That still does not help to explain my involvement. Why am I? Adrian turned to look at the amulet peeping out from my coat pocket. Because you are the one it chooses. The amulet is tied to you now and has a will all by itself. You are involved whether or not you enjoy it. I swallowed, my throat dry right away. "And what happens if I want not to be part of it?" Adrian moved forward, his voice down to a whisper. "You are not free to decide. The portal will open and you will have to be ready. You cannot start to comprehend the forces at work here. I backed off, shook my head. Not a number. This is craziness. I am not some chosen one, and I most definitely will not embark on a crazy goose hunt because of a rock. Adrian's tone grew firm. "Elena, this isn't a game." Should you ignore me, the results could be disastrous. I started to argue, but before I could say anything the ground shook underfoot. A low, menacing tremor that rocked the pier and rippled the ocean. Under his breath, Adrian cursed; his eyes flew toward the horizon. "We're starting." "What started?" I insisted, terror squeezing my chest. But before he could respond, a sharp, blinding light burst from the distance—a beam of energy soaring up into the sky, lighting the clouds in a terrible, unnatural glow. The ground rocked more fiercely, and I staggered, just catching myself before I dropped. Adrian snatched my arm and dragged me back to my feet. We really have to leave. Right now. My head whirling from the shock of what I was seeing, I lacked time to object as he pulled me toward a neighboring boat. This was true, the light and the trembles. Whatever was happening was much more than I could have ever dreamed. As Adrian started the boat's engine and guided it across the black sea, he said just one more word: Clutching the amulet in my palm, I sat in shocked stillness as the city dropped off into the distance. Rising stronger and more intense with every passing second, the light in the heavens pulsed like a heartbeat. On the other side of that light, I had no idea what lay waiting for us. Clearly, though, there was no turning back now.