The Hall of Heroes

28. - The Black Mark

Crefar and Duzz looked at each other.

"You made a mention about a black obelisk," the voice resounded. "How much do you know about it?"

"Boy! That thing really is rattling your livers ain't it?" Crefar sneered. "Well, you can rest peacefully there, my dead friends. We told no one and we know close to nothing. That's why we came here for information."

The aristocratic-looking skeleton suddenly shifted - there was no other way of calling it - faster than a blink of an eye right to where Crefar was, and held up a black short blade to his throat.

"How did you learn about the black obelisk and who else can learn the secret?! Answer, fire-starter, and know that your fire can do little to our bones!"

"I-I-I saw it! In a v-v-vision!" Duzz shouted, fearing for Crefar and herself. "I-I-I was in a t-t-temple, and there was this st-st-statue and it opened its eyes a-a-and I-I-I saw my p-p-people running, and then I a-a-asked the eyes of the st-st-statue for help. And it showed me that o-o-obelisk."

"Whoa! Hold your horses, guys," Crefar said, as he regained control over his faculties. Apparently, Alois's fear overcame him for a moment. "It's like she says. We know nothing and we want to be friends. Why would we tell anyone anything?"

The hollow eyes of all three skeletons turned to Duzz. The voice echoed in the air again. "What temple? What was the statue? Who else knows it can be reached?"

"The t-t-temple at the lake. On top of the hill. I-i-it was the temple of that o-o-old elemental god. I-i-it's beneath the temple." Duzz exclaimed, shaken with fear.

"It's the long-lost dome of Man Há-Tan. The wise women in the temple above don't even know whose temple they reside in. We didn't tell them the statue can be spoken to." Crefar added. Maybe he was consciously lying, or maybe he just forgot. Alois was not sure. "No one else saw the vision and no one can get it out of that statue."

"All right." the voice thundered. The skeleton with the knife slowly floated back to where he was, at the foot of the throne. "The obelisk is one of the most important artifacts of the old world. Its very existence is known only to the chosen few and must be watchfully guarded."

Crefar scratched the lower side of his chin, where a sharp black blade rested only a moment ago.

"Now, we must ask you for patience. The court of the dead must hold a session. We must decide what to do about you and your problem."

Crefar folded his arms on his chest. "How long?" he asked.

"Much must be discussed. But we will keep in mind that you do not have eternity to wait like we do."

Sitting outside the now closed throne room atop the giant tomb, Duzz and Crefar were idling about. Crefar seemed to be lost in thoughts, while Duzz kept examining everything she had collected along the way.

"If only there was a way we could find out where that obelisk is. We know now it is important, maybe it is our answer. But instead, we are wasting time here, waiting for the big brains to empty out."

Duzz jerked up, as if she was suddenly struck by an electric shock.

"What?" Crefar asked.

Not saying anything, she started rummaging in her backpack. She pulled out a bundle of half-dried mushrooms and held it up triumphantly in front of Crefar, who only tilted his head, not getting the point.

"I-I-I got those at the do-do-dome. I'm not completely sure, but I think th-th-they can cause h-h-hallucinations." she explained enthusiastically.

"Yes?" Crefar waited for some sort of a point.