Diadem's Birthright

Chapter 12: The Stone

"........This ruin is estimated to date as far back as the 10th century AD." A dark haired middle age man from the Archeological Association was saying, as we neared the entrance of the site where the other students were gathered.

He gestured at the ruins of a building. "This structure was considered to be too big to be a living apartment and is believed to be some sort of a religious institution like a temple of some sort. The discovery of artifacts from Egypt, China and India shows that this archeologically neglected part of Ethiopia was also a major trade center."

I listened attentively while looking around at what was left of the a once bubbling and vibrant city. The place still held the echo of a once lively community, which was unimaginable considering the place has been abandoned and barren for quite a long time... As I kept on looking around, I felt a strong surge of that same feeling I have been having recently. Last night I'd felt drawn to the place, but now that I was actually here I still couldn't understand what it was that was calling out to me.

The ancient ruins weren't exactly as beautiful as the ruins of Egypt, but it had a certain appeal to it, and there was that feeling it gave off like it was ..... magical...... for lack of a better word. I don't know anything about magic exactly, but I was sure that if I were to encounter something of the sort, it would be something along the lines of what I am feeling now.

Though I was starting to doubt if I wasn't just imagining everything. Looking around to find Ashley whispering something into Riley's ears, Ramzan and Evan discussing something, and the rest of the students either listening attentively or each immersed in their own world, it seemed to me like I was the only one getting this strange vibe about this place since everyone was behaving quite normally.

"Now there is a myth about this place." The local guide who had been escorting us said making my ears perk up in curiosity.

What he said next was in his local language, and though I had not a clue of what he was saying I couldn't help but be mesmerised. It all sounded so very enchanting and familiar.

After he finished speaking, the professor, the archeologist and all the people from the Archeological Association laughed when they saw our clueless faces.

"I spoke in Amharic because the legend sounds more fascinating when said in the local language," The Ethiopian said in his heavily accented English with a little chuckle.

We all laughed when we realized the trick played on us.

"Basically, the people believe gods and mythical creatures to have inhabited this place in the past". There was a collective gasp of surprise from the students. Our attention was successfully captured and we hung on to his every word, which only made the professor and the rest more amused.

"This is because the buildings and walls were constructed with stones of very high quality and also the architecture and decorations of some of the buildings depicts drawings and statues of some strange creatures . The people believe this could've only been done by the gods or people with supernatural abilities. Of course no evidence has been found to prove this theory. But some of the locals still believe in the myth." We were ushered along the ruins and shown some other things until we reached a particular passageway.

Upon reaching there, we were presented with the view of a very long passageway located in a valley between the larger mountains.There were drawings etched into the walls on each side of the mountains which could indicate that it had once been a very large and beautiful room. At the very end of the room, there was something like a wall but it didn't look like one with the several swirls and symbols on it.

"Now this," the head archaeologist said while pointing at the beautiful structure, " is the reason why you were invited on this expenditure". Everyone moves closer to get a better look at it. I myself was indeed most curious about it so I moved closer to the front so I could see it properly. There was no bumping and jostling from behind me so I looked back to check and what I found made my heart warm. Ramzan was protecting me by using his body as a shield. He looked down at me and smiled slightly making me giddy so I turned my attention back to the wall partly to hide my rapidly burning face and also to check the wall out.

" This wall has a series of symbols on it which we believe to be a language of some sort but we couldn't find in our archives". The archaeologist continues "So upon learning that your department have been studying something related to symbolic languages, we decided to invite you to decode it for us if you can. Feel free to browse along the wall to check out the if you can recognize anything"

The professor, trip coordinator and the other members of the archaeological association moved to the sides of room to discuss amongst themselves leaving us to do as they said. Most of the students also moved to a part of the room to sit and rest their legs but I wasn't ready to rest yet. Something was interesting me about the wall, the symbols felt familiar for some reason but I couldn't remember so I kept on looking at the wall, moving from one end to another with Ramzan following closely behind.

" What's up girl!" Ashley says as she comes to join me alongside Evan. " Why are you so interested in the wall even Moreso that the archaeologists"

" I don't know, but something is bugging me about the symbols in particular" i say while scrunching up my nose in frustration

" The symbols? How come?" This came from Ramzan

" I really don't know. They seem familiar for some reason" I said as I leaned forward to look closely at the wall.

I caught a glimpse of something flashing red on the floor at a tiny vent near the corner of the wall. I stopped, my heart thudding fast. The hairs on my skin stood, apprehension and anticipation pulsing through my every vein as I moved closer to pick it up. It was a red stone with uneven edges as if it was roughly hewn from a rock and never got to be polished. The stone didn't flash again but it was pulsing in the center almost like a heartbeat.

" What is that?" Ashley asks while peeping over my shoulder " oh! That looks like a normal stone. What could it be doing around here? It doesn't look like it fits in this beautiful place".

" It looks like a normal stone?" I ask in confusion. Can't they see what I am seeing? " But It looks so beautiful! Can't you guys see that?" I exclaim exasperatedly.

" It doesn't seem so" replies both Evan and Ashley. I turn to look at Ramzan and found him staring intently at the stone In my hand

" You guys can't see the light pulsing inside it? It seems like an unpolished gemstone" Ramzan said while looking at the two of them with confusion in his eyes.

The two of them stood there looking at us as if something was wrong with our eyes and heads. I was so happy that I wasn't the only one seeing it and that I wasn't going insane.

" So you guys are seeing something else while we are seeing something else?" Asks Evan

" Yes. Can't you see it? It's right there pulsing" Ramzan replies

Ashley grabs the stone from my hand and brings it closer to her eye to check it out.

" I can't see anything" she says

"Me neither" Evan chirps in too while returning it back to me.

The very air thrummed around me as I reached out to collect the stone. As my hand enclosed the stone once again, Images began to flash across my eyes showing me things I had only seen in my dream. A strong hand on my arm brought me back to the present. Ramzan's concerned face was what I saw as I came to.

"What's up Mirabel. You've been distracted a lot today." His voice had a hint of concern, which gave me a warm feeling that spread all the way to my toes.

"I... Uhhh actually..."

I was interrupted by Ashley before I could finish my statement which was a good thing because I was practically tongue-tied, lost in Ramzan's intense gaze.

"Yes Mira, you've been totally out of it today. You sure everything's alright?"

"I'm fine," I assured them. "It's this place. I have this strange feeling from just being here."

"What sort of feeling?" Evan who had joined us asked.

"I don't know how to explain it, but it's been like this since last night. I was feeling drawn to this place. Or maybe I'm still jetlagged and it's all part of my imagination," I added the last part when I noticed them giving me strange looks.

"Could it be because of the dream."

"What dream?" Evan and Ramzan asked at the same time.

"Mira has been having these strange dreams about her parents. I say strange because they practically have no meaning. She just sees her parents and sometimes herself too as a child." Ashley explained.

"We don't know if they're my parents Ashley," I said with an exasperated sigh.

"Oh please," she refuted. But my mind was already back on my dream and the weird stone.

Their conversation tuned out, and my blood started singing with anticipation again as looked closely at the stone. The pulsing in the stone became incessant and the light in it slightly became brighter, my skin began prickling with excitement.

"Mirabel!" Ramzan's voice rang out.

"What!?" I say as I turn to look at them. Ramzan was already striding over to my side while the others all looked at me in shock. Some of the other students were frozen in shock, mouths agape. I Ignored them, when the stone started vibrating strongly in my hand.

"Mira drop that stone. It's glowing and shaking you viciously. It's dangerous." Ashley said as she and Evan immediately joined Ramzan as by my side where he was trying to pry it from my hand.

I don't know what happened next as Ashley, Ramzan and Evan grabbed onto me and the stone's vibration became stronger. Then everything went black.