They took the hidden stairs down into a small underground tunnel that led into the large vaulted room. Someone had installed lights and hung them high on the walls, bathing the room in a warm white light. Thick extension cables ran back up the stairs into Hanks shop above. As they walked around the room, Joslyn began tracing swirls and patterns that were carved deep into the stone. Jon was thumping the hard stone walls and floor trying to gauge the stones thickness.
"This place is empty," he said sourly. "Not even a hidden wall or trapdoor. Just a bunch of old Latin scribbles."
There wasn't a speck of dust on any surface in the room and the room had long since been cleaned out of anything that could be removed.
"Look at this," Joslyn was standing at the center of the room looking down with her eyes closed. "Indy? Jon? Do you see the writing? It's all over the walls. It's beautiful... all wavy and filled with leaves, vines, and flowers."
Indy looked around at the walls ceiling and floor. "I don't see anything," he paused for a moment as another headache blossomed behind his eyes. They had been coming a lot more frequently as of late. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.
Jon's voice brought him out of his daze. "You can read Latin Joslyn? I'm impressed. I can only read a bit of it myself."
Joslyn walked to one side and started to trace the wall again. This time with her eyes closed.
"No, this isn't Latin," she whispered. "It's in English. There seems to be one centerline running around the whole room. Valhalla, Mount Olympus, Atlantis, Hades, Heaven... Look here's Eden again," she giggled. "It's even got a little gold apple above it."
"Really?" Indy was curious now and he walked over to where she said the apple was. He ran his fingers over the spot she was pointing at.
A frown appeared on Joslyn's face. "The apple is gone now."
She spun to look at the room. "It's over there now, can you see it? It's on the floor over there."
Jon stood in the center of the room looking down at the floor.
Indy turned to look, lifting his hand from the wall as he did.
"Great now that one's gone too," she huffed. "I wonder what they are."
Indy's hand descended on the wall again, trying to find the apple Joslyn described.
"It's back again, right under your feet Jon," Joslyn said quickly.
Jon bent down and brushed his fingers on the floor under his feet and this time a hissing started. The sound came from the far corner of the room.
Part of the floor across from them started to drop away. A deep blue glow surged around the stone edges. When they walked over to the hole, they could see steep stairs leading down.
Indy scanned the room and noticed one other thing had changed.
The stairs leading up to Hanks store were gone, covered over by a newly appeared section of wall. Indy ran over to where the doorway had been and pounded hard. "Hank! Hank!"
"It's no use that wall is too thick. I can't hear anything but my hands hitting the stone. At least the lights are still working, I am surprised that the cables weren't severed," Indy said.
Joslyn looked at her friends and motioned them to follow. "So down it is then. I guess opportunity just came knocking."
Indy laughed. "Ok but let me lead. If there's anything down there, chances are it can't hurt me."
"Oh, my hero," she teased and batted her eyelashes.
"Cut it out. Let's get going," Jon said as he shoved Indy into the lead.
The stairs curved down to follow the walls gentle curve. It dropped down over fifteen feet to the floor of the next level.
They made their way down and stopped on the last step. The room was dark and silent.
"See anything Joslyn?" Indy asked over his shoulder.
"Nothing," she said. "Wait...nope, just your big head," she laughed. "Would you hurry it up and get down there. The lights are starting to glow. I can see vines and patterns again."
"Any apples?" Jon asked.
"Nope," Joslyn said as she peered around. "Nothing else is lighting up but I can see dark shapes all over the room."
"Ok, let's look around real quick and if we can't find anything we can go back and wait for help by the sinkhole," Indy said, as he made ready to leave the stairs.
They didn't have to worry about the lights. As soon as Indy's foot touched the floor, electricity filled the air. The vines Joslyn had been talking about lit around them like a fuse. The light from the vines spread through the room lighting ever surface with brilliant light.
This time, they all could see the lights. Around them, the room was full of random things, armoured dummies, racks of swords and other martial weapons. Small statuettes and chests were scattered over several tables and shelves. The biggest thing in the room was a large box at the center of the room.
The box was wrapped in the same pulsing stone vines as the rest of the room. One golden apple was carved into the top of the box.
Indy walked over to it and looked around it. He put his hands on it and shoved. It didn't even budge. "It looks like it is part of the floor. The vines in the floor continue up the sides of the box and then back down again."
They all walked over to stand beside the vine-covered box, Joslyn with eyes closed and Indy with his eyes open. They were all transfixed by the large carved box.
Jon ran his hand around the edge of the box. "I don't see any hinges or holes... wait a sec."
Jon had just traced the outside edge of the apple when the box shuddered then the room flashed as if someone had just taken a picture.
The apple lit with a golden light and the box lid lifted on its own. They peered into the box.
It was empty.
They spent the next few hours poking at the artifacts on the tables and admiring the fine armour on the stands. One armour set was small enough for Joslyn but the rest of it was meant for people much bigger than Indy.
Jon went right to the long swords. He picked up the largest and swung it around. It hummed in the air with an audible energy.
"This thing is so light," he marvelled.
Joslyn tried on the small armour set. The pieces slid into each other and sealed without any visible straps. Each piece fit like it had been made for her. There were wings on the helm and angels on her shoulders. A slinky soft under garment covered the gaps between each piece.
She caught the boys gawking at her.
"What are you looking at punks?" She admonished but smiled as she turned away from them.
Indy just smiled and turned away himself. He walked over to the sword rack and picked up the first sword he saw.
He noticed his dragon tattoo just then. The little black dragon was wrapped around his wrist and across the back of his hand. It was shaking its head at the weapon in his grasp. The black dragon seemed to shift slightly on his hand and Indy felt a tugging at his wrist. On a hunch, Indy put down the sword and moved his hand down the row of weapons. At each weapon, the dragon shook its head. The last weapons in the rack were a pair of three-foot long rods. Each one was carved with tiny dragons. The dragon nodded once and disappeared back up his arm.
The sticks were like feathers in his hands when he lifted them. They seemed to vibrate in his hands.
As he spun around, he saw Joslyn had come over and was pulling free a small sword that matched the angels on her shoulders. Wings formed the cross guard and a pair of angels flew the length of the blade.
"Engarde!" Joslyn had a wide smile on her face as she waved the slim bladed sword at him.
"Ok you asked for it lady," he growled.
"Bring it punk," she grunted.
They made slow clumsy swings at each other. Several of the swings missing the other person's weapon completely. They laughed and danced around the room like drunken pirates. After a few minutes, they gained a rhythm.
Jon stood back and cheered for Joslyn.
Clack, clack, swing.
Clack, clack, swing.
Indy started to get fancy. He added spins and twirls after each pattern. In turn, Joslyn began to get in on the game. The short sword had the greater reach and she used long sweeping strokes to keep him out of reach.
Somewhere during their game, it began to get serious. They had started to outdo each other. Then the swings started to get a little faster, then a little harder. The smiles and laughter turned to grunts and grimaces.
The game ended when one of Indy's sticks flashed down on an arm guard. There was a flash and the arm guard cracked. At the same time, Joslyn's blade came down on Indy's leg. Instead of a flash, a scream tore from his lips. He dropped to the ground clutching at his leg. There was no blood but the pain of the blow had shocked him. It was the strongest feeling he had since passing through the aurora.
"Are you all right?" Joslyn asked as she rushed over.
"Yea, no damage. I'm good," Indy said.
"Thank goodness," she smiled.
Indy's heart leapt in his chest at that smile and he notice the red blush on Joslyn's face grow as he returned the smile with his lopsided grin.
Jon was poking through some chests on the other side of the room. He had lost interest in their mock battle after several minutes of the clumsy fight. He had brought his head up only long enough to make sure they were all right after Indy's scream.
"Indy? Joslyn? Jon? Where are you guys?" A voice called to them from above.
"We're down here!" They all yelled at the same time.
Indy's parents swept down the stairs and into the room. James and Hank were not far behind.