Soul Seeker

20: Stone Circle

"This can't be right. We're missing something," Fell insisted.

Ciara wandered around the monoliths, scanning for anything unusual. Aside from the fact that it had been built back when such a feat was seemingly impossible, there was nothing strange about it. The others spread out to search, too, while Fell remained in the main circle.

Tonraq was running his hands over a standing stone. Sebastian checked behind each one with a knife drawn, as if expecting to see a guardian hiding in every shadow.

Ciara tried to imagine what would happen if they saw one. What she would do. What would she do? Let it kill Fell, if it was hostile? The thought made her stomach churn.

"I don't think the rocks will change shape, not even if you glare at them as hard as you can," Ciara called, and sat down in the very centre of the monument.

Fell turned on her. "You –"

A rumble cut him off. It sounded like a muffled avalanche, and the earth shook beneath them.

Fell's eyes widened. "Don't. Move."

Ciara slowly got to her feet. Then something deep within her, something that lived in the marrow of her bones, stirred.

It purred, ancient and cold and foreign.

She gasped as a strange sensation flooded through her. Like she was drowning in icy water, like someone had poured buckets over her head, into her stomach, draining away all her heat and life. She cried out as it sharpened into agony.

"Ciara!" Tonraq.

"No! Stay back!" Fell barked.

Her hands burned. She looked down at them and her heart dropped to her feet. They were covered in thin tendrils of blue light. Markings that shimmered, shining so brightly she could see them through her gloves. They snaked their way up her arms.

Fell, Isa, Sebastian and Tonraq stared at her in horror.

"What's happening?" Ciara whimpered. Cords of blue light, starting at her feet, travelled towards the rocks. Fell leaped out of the way of one of them.

The stone circle came to life around them.

Blue swirled into patterns that shone on the monoliths, unearthly, like starlight or ice, setting the whole thing ablaze. Shapes and runes glowed, spelling out stories and mysterious scenes. Images of animals in pairs, all strange, deadly and beautiful.

"The Soul Syndicate," Fell breathed, his eyes huge with wonder.

The burning spread to her face. Her gorge rose. "What is this?"

"Ciara, you –"

A streak of red lit up the sky and darkness bloomed around them.

Someone cried out, and a purring male voice rolled from the shadows.

"So here you are at last."

"Who are you? What's happening to me?" Ciara cried.

Fell backed towards her. She couldn't see the others through the darkness.

"You know who I am. I am the darkness to your light. I am the other half of the eternal hourglass. I really shouldn't have to introduce myself."

"Show yourself, you coward!" Ciara was shaking.

An exasperated sigh. "Fine. If I must. You just have to take the fun out of everything, don't you?" As if a wind had blown through the rocks, the smoke disappeared.

Her heart almost stopped. The circle was not just glowing blue now. Red light, brighter than blood, was interspersed with the blue. Red and blue – The colours of the guardians.