Legends of Amacia Srandi: Last Bastion of the Caverias
Chapter 33: The Guardian of Labyrinth

In two minutes, everyone gathered at the bas-relief carving of the draken/Roc fusion. Carver had even brought Leila’s wheelchair when the team passed it on the way to creepy alien carving. Standing back at a distance of twenty feet making a perimeter around the image, the team stared at it with worry, especially after what had happened with the discovery of Bolthor’s bones a few minutes before. As Josephine helped Leila settle in her wheelchair, Hannibal stepped forward and stopped at ten feet from the bizarre mishmash bas-relief of a draken of unknown genus fused with the Roc. Despite is bizarre alien look, the image was masterfully constructed, lined and overlaid with all manner of gold and silver alloys mixed with precious stones for eyes and claws.

“Hmmm, very curious,” Hannibal murmured as he took in the entire scene presented by the fourteen-foot tall carving. The draken/roc fusion showed what appeared to be a gold draken species unknown to Hannibal formed from the gold alloy and carved with such precision and detail individual draken scales could be seen. Large reddish-gold crystals formed the draken’s eyes with black diamonds embedded in the very center of the larger eye crystals forming the draken’s elongated pupils. A crown of twelve ivory-colored crystal horns, each twelve inches long, sprouted from the gold draken’s massive carved skull, which looked to the front as if surveying the throne room. Three gold bands lay equidistantly spaced on each horn. The draken’s nostrils were flared wide as if smelling the surroundings while its jaws lay partially open with its lips pulled back in a vicious snarl, revealing its nine-inch teeth formed of an unknown metal alloy. The alloy of the savage wicked teeth appeared to be a mix of gold, platinum, mercury, tungsten, and electronium that shimmered in the light of the throne room. It gave the teeth an almost organic look.

Taking in the rest of the draken image, Hannibal noted the draken seemed to be sitting upright on its haunches almost as if it were human with the head being attached to the torso by a thick eighteen-inch long neck connecting the draken’s head to its massive torso. The torso appeared to be covered not just with draken scale, but also a manufacture breastplate of completely alien make. It appeared to be a silver/tungsten/electronium alloy of such purity the solid metal almost seemed liquid. It glowed softly in contrast with the rest of the draken’s golden form. Hannibal’s left eyebrow rose when he saw a double-headed phoenix crest emblazoned on the breastplate with an alien sword of fantastic beauty sitting in each of the phoenix’s taloned feet. The phoenix’s wings lay spread wide in a provocative manner that reminded Hannibal of the Roc image on the bulkhead door of the fortress.

Turning his attention away from the intriguing breastplate on the draken, Hannibal saw its enormous legs and clawed feet precisely positioned to balance the torso of the draken while its long massive tail curved to the left. The tail ended in a sharp bladed tail that boasted three long massive metallic blades two feet long made of the same alloy as the draken’s teeth. The way the bladed tail came together reminded Hannibal of a massive sharp cudgel.

The massive clawed arms likewise drew Hannibal’s curiosity for they resembled oversized drakenite arms ending is massive seven-fingered hands ending in six-inch long claws. The left arm bore a strange alien staff nearly as tall as the carving with a octahedral crystal spearhead twelve inches long and four inches wide atop a metallic shaft of completely unknown make covered in runes and symbols baffling to Hannibal. The creature held the staff in a defensive posture as if the draken were using it to ward off an attack. Hannibal could not help the gasp of amazement when he saw the staff that resembled a much larger and more alien version of Shadizar Kahn’s scepter he held in his right hand. A large elaborate curved sword of exceptional quality and alien manufacture lay in the draken’s right hand, with the sword pointed horizontally to the left across its body in a protective position. Lastly, Hannibal noted the draken’s claws were formed from precisely carved black diamonds that were so perfectly worked they looked organic.

Then Hannibal turned his attention to the Roc that seemed fused directly to the gold draken’s back. Both eyebrows rose with great surprise when he saw the Roc in this image was an exact replica of the Roc that had repeatedly come to his rescue and matched the gold draken next to it in size. The detail was immaculate and done with as much precision as the detail given to the draken. The Roc’s main form appeared to be an alloy of silver merged with electronium, tungsten, and mercury that seemed almost liquid when someone looked at it. The alloys changed to the appropriate color to match the living Roc’s features with the details so fine Hannibal could see the structure of the individual feathers. Large ice-blue crystals tinted with silver with black diamonds embedded in the crystal eyes formed the Roc’s eyes as its head lay turned facing into the throne room just as the draken had its head faced the room. Hannibal stared in astonished curiosity as the Roc had its wings stretched to its front, pointed away from the draken with back wing high and the front wing low, spanning six feet from the Roc’s body, giving the image a strange Egyptian look.

Below these wings lay the outstretched feet of the Roc. From Hannibal’s vantage point, the Roc’s massive legs and taloned feet, which displayed six-inch black diamond talons, were aggressively reaching out from the body of the Roc. The closer taloned foot appeared to be facing the room clutching a shining dodecahedral scarlet crystal of exceptional purity seven inches across with an odd signet-sized indentation in the center of the crystal. The other taloned foot gripped a large alien sword that protruded slightly from the background wall. The sword held by the Roc resembled the sword held by the draken. The only difference between the two depicted blades is the alien runes etched prominently on the Roc’s sword.

Once Hannibal had taken in the entirety of the bizarre bas-relief image, he noticed the overall feel that the image was far more than an image as his first instinct suggested. This bizarrely fabulous but ominously disturbing image caused Hannibal’s internal danger meter to jump noticeably within him. A sense of terrible alien dread emanated from the bizarrely unique alien sculpture. His face grew sternly sober for he sensed the danger associated with what he now knew instinctively was a mechanical construct of unknown power. Yet, the sense of familiarity with the alien image troubled him deeply for he knew he’d seen the image before.

“Oh man,” Thomas declared fearfully, breaking the silence, “Seeing it this close, I know I don’t like this thing now. It’s definitely bad news like that guardian thing we saw at the entrance of Kaal Bek’s archive.”

“My god,” Ned breathed in stunned horror, “Just look at that thing. I thought the one in Kaal Bek was bizarre. This one is so alien it makes my blood run cold just looking at it. I don’t want to go anywhere near it.”

“That is what it’s supposed to do,” Leila announced grimly, “The guardian is supposed to generate an aura of intense fear, revulsion, and danger to hinder the approach of anyone apart from those of royal blood. Since it’s obviously still generating that aura, it means the fortress must still have some low level of power still feeding the mechanism. Because of that, we should be very careful with it for I have no idea if the extended time and levels of low power along with the exposure to the Darkness of that Legion thing for so long haven’t caused the programming to corrupt.”

“Well, you definitely don’t have to worry about me going anywhere near it,” Ned stated bluntly. “I know when I’m out of my league. I’m not risking my life by tempting that thing.”

“That would be a very wise thing to do,” Hannibal said distantly as he processed what he’d observed. “This guardian golem is far more dangerous than the one we met in Kaal Bek. It will kill any who dare to open this entrance without knowing the proper security protocols, as Leila said earlier. That much is certain. I’m going to have to deal with this thing very carefully, though I think I might be able to deactivate and open the way if I’m lucky.”

“How do you figure that, Hannibal,” Harry asked bluntly with just a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “You don’t happen to have the key and combination to this vault, do you?”

Hannibal looked over his shoulder with a sober, but wry smile and lifted the hand bearing the Caverias Signet. “What do you think, bud,” he crowed with the same level of sarcasm Harry used asking the question, “Did you happen to see the socket indentation on that crazy crystal the Roc is holding? I’ll bet you a hundred bucks this ring fits that socket, just like it fit the socket on the bulkhead door outside.”

“You’re on,” Harry answered with a sardonic smile, taking the bet. “But you need to completely open that door so we can safely enter without that...thing from coming after us. You do that, and I’ll pay you two hundred.”

Hannibal chuckled, saying, “Okay bud, double or nothing; get ready to cough up two hundred bucks.”

“Is it wise for you two to be gambling on getting through that thing in one piece,” Ana asked bluntly. “This is a very serious business.”

“Don’t worry about it, Ana,” Hannibal chimed with warm smile. “Harry and I are always teasing and joking around like this. It’s all in fun, but don’t worry. I’m very aware of how dangerous this guardian is and won’t let our light-hearted bantering distract me from the real hazard here. I’m not in the business of taking stupid chances with something as alien and dangerous as what’s sitting in front of us. Trust me.”

“Oh okay,” Ana replied, puzzled at Hannibal’s behavior, “I still don’t get how you and Harry joke around with each other in such perilous circumstances.”

Harry patted Ana on the shoulder with a smile, saying, “It’s okay, Ana. As Hannibal said, it’s done all in fun. Believe it or not, our bantering often gets Hannibal to loosen up and focus. He seemed a bit tense while he looked at that monstrosity. The bet got him to relax and focus, didn’t it Hannibal.”

“It did, bud,” Hannibal admitted as he turned his attention back to the image. “You can still read me pretty well, Harry. Your bet was just the diversion I needed to get my focus back. I mean, just look at this thing. Isn’t it the most bizarre yet beautiful sculpture you’ve ever seen? Whoever created this thing must have been a master artist of the highest order, though he did have a truly morbid sense of beauty.”

“It is beautiful in its own way,” Enoch admitted, “The skill of the sculptor who did this is exceptional. Whoever created this thing managed to perfectly mesh the beautiful and hideous in the same image. I’m both amazed and violently repulsed by it, which is why I marvel so at it.”

“Yes, I agree,” Hannibal concurred, “It’s both gorgeous and hideous at the same time, but what’s even crazier is that this is not a true sculpture, but a golem...an actual mechanism like the guardian we found in Kaal Bek guarding the entrance to the Archives there. It’s truly a wonder, a marvel of the 1st Age that mixes sculpture, ancient machinery, and thaumaturgical prowess of the highest order.”

“I would agree,” Josephine said softly, wondering at the image. “It’s a truly is a marvel of engineering and art, but it is active and is aware of our presence. My passive scans of the carving show it started blocking my scans the moment I came within thirty cubits of it. That indicates to me this is not just a mechanism. It’s a sentient mechanism capable of choosing whom it will allow to approach. You should approach it with extreme caution, Hannibal. We don’t know how it will react to you, or any of us.”

“Jo is right,” Nemesis declared, “The same thing happened to me at the same time it happened to her. The moment we came within thirty cubits of the image, my passive scans were completely blocked. Furthermore, because Jo and I are victims and constructs of the Emperor’s dark tech, I suspect whatever force is operating that mechanism may not look too kindly on either of us intruding on it. I can sense it down in my gut. I believe it may be wise for neither of us to approach it any closer for it may see us as enemies.”

“Hmmm, you may be right about that, Nemesis,” Hannibal murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully while leaning on the scepter. “I’m sensing something along that line too coming from this thing. I’m also sensing that sentience Jo just spoke of now, though it does feel completely artificial. This is getting most interesting now. At first, I thought to approach it as merely a machine, but now I think I should alter my thinking and approach the guardian as if it is a living entity with a will of its own. Maybe I can negotiate with it, prove to it that everyone here is okay. If this thing truly has a spirit of its own, I have to gain its trust just as I had to gain the trust of the Kings at Olympus and Poseidia.”

“Are you sure you should do that,” Harry asked bluntly without any sarcasm, but with true concern. “You’re betting your life that it’s alive and can be rationally dealt with. Did you forget that this place has been drowning in the Darkness of that Legion thing since the old Emperor overran this place?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Hannibal returned soberly, understanding Harry’s point. “I can still feel the slimy residue left behind by Legion, though I don’t sense it contaminating this construct. Somehow, it feels pure. Besides, I’m going to have to deal with it one way or another. Our goal lies beyond that guardian and I have to try. Thoth deserves to be laid to rest with Ariel, which I’m sure lies in the crypt beyond that image. We’ve come this far and I’m not backing down.”

Harry sighed, saying, “Okay bud, just asking; as long as you understand the risk of engaging with that thing, I’m with you.”

“So are we,” Tau agreed, “From the confidence and passion I just saw from you concerning the guardian, I believe you’ll succeed. We’re all with you.”

Selina walked up to Hannibal and stood nose to nose with him, staring him in the eye with a sober expression. “We’re all with you, my prince, but you’d better be careful,” she said sternly, “We can’t afford to lose you now.”

“You’re not going to lose me, princess,” Hannibal reassured confidently, “If I was able to win the confidence of entities such as the King of the Sands, who is without a doubt one of the most powerful beings on this planet, then negotiating with our guardian friend here should be no problem if it’s what I believe it is.” He suddenly found his gaze drawn inexplicably to the image with a strange distant puzzled look rising on his face.

“What is it,” Selina asked urgently, feeling the change in Hannibal through her telepathic fusion with him. “Something is calling to you, isn’t it? I can sense it.”

“You feel it?” Hannibal asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Just through our fusion,” Selina stated, “Watch your step, my prince. What I’m sensing is as alien as the King of the Sands.”

“I agree,” Hannibal replied softly. “Furthermore, the déjà vu of this situation just hammered me. I swear I’ve done this before. It’s very disconcerting to have the déjà vu this strong. In fact, I swear I know how to get in here and can’t explain it. Why does this thing feel so familiar? Where have I encountered this construct before, for I know this machine?” Without realizing what he was doing, Hannibal reached into his coat pocket, feeling the bizarre alien disk Thoth’s ghost had shown him. The moment he touched it, a chill raced down his spine and his face exploded in surprise. “Son of a bitch,” he cursed, yanking the disk from his pocket and staring with excitement at the bizarre image on it for a moment.

“What is it?” Andrew asked intensely, feeling Hannibal’s excitement. “What did you figure out, uncle?”

“Shit,” Hannibal cursed again, “The answer is right here, at least the part of why this guardian’s image is so familiar to me. Look, the alien disk Thoth led me to on the main floor is the exact same image on it! They must have used this disk as the blueprint for the creation of this golem! Just look at it. It’s the same image!” He showed the image on the disk to the team as they gathered around him.

“Whoa, it is the same,” Andrew breathed as he looked back and forth between the disk’s image and the one on the wall. “That is so bizarre. No wonder the image felt so familiar since you actually saw and held the image when you picked up the disk and used it to deal with that Legion thing.”

“Fascinating,” Tau rumbled softly, “The resemblance between the two images is uncanny. I’d say there’s a good chance the disk and the guardian on the wall here are connected in some way.”

“I agree,” Hannibal concurred as he looked at the disk with great interest. “However, the study of that connection will have to wait for now. The call is getting clearer and more insistent. It begs me to come to the crypt and set it free.”

“What’s your first instinct about this, little brother,” Enoch asked. “Should you answer the call or no?”

Hannibal sighed and gazed distantly at the guardian on the wall as he replaced the bizarre alien disk in his coat pocket. “My first instinct is to answer the call, big brother,” he admitted, “Besides, we need to get into the crypt anyway so we can lay Thoth to his final rest with Ariel should she be there as I suspect she is.”

“Then you should follow your instinct, milord,” Assad declared soberly, “You feel the call from beyond the guardian. Don’t hesitate. Answer it before you lose your nerve. We’re here to back you up.”

Hannibal’s surprise and hesitation turned to confident determination with Assad’s words. With a grunt, Hannibal said, “You’re right, Assad. I need to do this now. Now let me see. Where do I start? Ah, I think I know. Harry, can you hold the scepter again?” Turning to Harry, Hannibal tossed the scepter to him.

Grabbing the scepter out of the air in his gloved hand before it fell to the floor, Harry said, “Sure thing, Hannibal. Be careful, okay?”

“Always,” Hannibal answered confidently as he stepped cautiously to the bas-relief until he stood right in front of it. His face fell as he sensed the intense aura of fearful repulsion growing stronger and noticed the crystal eyes looking down on him as if they were real eyes. Hostility started emanating from the image that Hannibal instantly noticed, so he galvanized his resolve, pushing his fear down. Before he realized it, he pulled the Caverias Seal out from beneath his chainmail shirt so it lay in full view of the terrible alien carving. Next, he raised the Caverias Signet, displaying its icon to the image, now truly sensing a sentient intelligence within it. “Please forgive me, my friend, but we need access to our venerable ancestor’s resting place so we may lay Thoth to his final rest,” he said directly to the alien carving with the utmost respect.

To the surprise of everyone, the carving responded with the crystal eyes of the draken and Roc flashing as the aura of hostility diminished slowly with the waves of fear it emanated. The giant dodecahedral scarlet crystal lit up and audibly hissed, breaking the silence that had fallen over the throne room. “Ah, I see, my friend,” Hannibal said gratefully, “Thank you for showing me where to start.” The crystal with the signet indentation in it glowed with an eerie ominous radiance as Hannibal stepped up to it. Looking closely at the crystal, he saw it was like the signet lock on the bulkhead door at the fortress’ front entrance. A separate plug of black diamond with the socket for the signet lay embedded into the larger scarlet crystal, the obvious trigger for the mechanism. Everyone became aware of a low, deep threshold hum emanating from the sculpture, and watched in silent fearful anticipation. Hannibal looked at the signet and a smile slowly crept across his face as he then looked to the socket indentation in the center of the scarlet crystal.

“Wait,” Leila called out urgently, “I haven’t told you the combination yet!”

Hannibal lifted his finger in a wait position without saying word or looking to Leila. Balling up his fist, he pushed the signet ring into the socket until it audibly clicked into place. The hum became a deep soft growling rumble as the scarlet crystal grew brighter as he turned the ring clockwise, turning the plug of black diamond half a turn as he called out in a distant tone, “Severia mglw’nafh eloi carundar Thoth siarevac undar carina Beowulf Caverias undar ceileaphace .” No one except for Leila understood the alien gibberish Hannibal chanted in a most ominous manner. The alien syllables rolled from Hannibal’s lips as if he’d been born to it. It caused icy chills to race down every spine, including Selina. The moment he finished the strange incantation, the sculpture groaned deeply in a drakenish manner as the eyes flashed, casting beams of multicolored light on Hannibal. With a bang so abrupt it caused almost everyone to jump and squeal in fright, the draken’s clawed hand sudden released the sword and pivoted out as if to shake hands. To the shock of everyone, including Hannibal, this movement revealed the draken actually had three arms and clawed hands. The hand that moved had been hiding the third arm and hand that still held the sword in place. The enormous clawed hand on the arm that now stuck out perpendicular from the sculpture three feet to within reach of Hannibal’s position proved to everyone the sculpture was exactly what Hannibal had suspected: a guardian golem protector of the way to the Caverias Crypt.

When the shock of the clawed hand moving wore off, Hannibal sighed deeply, settling his stunned mind. Looking at the clawed hand as it waited patiently, he realized what it wanted. Hannibal quickly triggered the Draken Gauntlet on his free arm so it collapsed into its vambrace form, and then placed his hand into the clawed hand of the draken, saying, “Beowulf Hannibal Caverias, descendant of Ragnar Omicron Caverias of the Silver Eyes.” The clawed hand abruptly closed around Hannibal’s hand, firmly restraining him. He snarled in pain as he felt numerous needles grow from the clawed hand while the light beams from the sculpture’s draken and Roc eyes brightened, and zeroed in on his eyes. Hannibal became paralyzed once again, unable to move. However, he didn’t panic and remained calm, though the pain he felt was evident to all.

“What’s happening?” Harry asked fearfully, “Are you okay, Hannibal? Do you need help?”

“No one move,” Hannibal hissed in fiery pain. “If you interfere, the guardian will kill you. It’s testing me, just like the Caverias statue machine in the Circle of Hammunaptra. Just stand back until it’s finished.” He suddenly sighed in great relief as the pain in his captured hand ceased, to be replaced with a warm tingle. At the same time, the light beams from the crystal eyes of the sculpture softened, but remained focused on Hannibal. Ten seconds later, the paralysis lifted, but Hannibal’s hand remained trapped by the draken’s clawed hand. “The pain and paralysis has let up,” he announced, “But it’s not finished. It wants something else, but I’m not sure what.”

The sculpture rumbled so deeply it shook the throne room as the crystal eyes flickered. In a deeply alien tone reflecting draken and avian characteristics, the image spoke, saying, “Caverias royal lineage confirmed by retina scan, voiceprint identification, and genetic coding. Omega-level elemental, telepathic, and telekinetic power identified and confirmed along with the Anomaly of the Silver Eyes. Scans for contamination by the Darkness are negative and confirmed. Welcome home, Beowulf Hannibal Caverias of the Silver Eyes, descendant of Ragnar Omicron Caverias of the Silver Eyes. Speak the final security code to gain access to the Caverias Family Crypt.”

Hannibal once again sighed and prayed silently for inspiration. Without warning, he said with royal authority, “Gr’grar oriar se’phiar celephais iramar Thoth carina undar set flh’tagn qi set.” His fluency in the alien tongue that sounded like the gibberish of madness sent chills down every spine who heard it.

The sculpture rumbled deeply again in response to the unknown words and this time, the clawed hand released Hannibal from its grip, saying in its deep alien tones, “Final security code accepted and confirmed. Identify those who are cleared to enter, milord.”

Still looking into the glowing eyes of the guardian, Hannibal declared, “Every member of my team in this room has clearance to the Crypt, including the Xenian Nemesis and Josephine Nariko Keleb, who have been purged of the Darkness that touched them and stand as family, friend, and allies with me. I have cleared them.”

The light beams from the guardian’s four eyes moved from Hannibal and scanned those present. “Friends, family, and allies of Beowulf Hannibal Caverias present here are cleared with scans showing no contamination by the Darkness, especially the cybernetic organisms Nemesis and Josephine Nariko Keleb, who show the mark of the Darkness on their structure, but are not showing any taint by the Darkness of Chaos via the Darkness Scans. They will be allowed access to the Caverias Crypt in your presence, milord. Those positively identified and registered with Caverias blood and gene seed located among your team will be allowed direct access without your presence if that is your wish, milord.”

“I wish it,” Hannibal declared, “I also order that they be allowed to escort those not of Caverias blood into the crypt if the need arises.”

“Order received and logged in,” the guardian rumbled. “Are there any other orders, milord?”

“Only one,” Hannibal answered in a much friendlier tone. “I would know your name, if you have one.”

“No one has ever asked for my name before,” the guardian replied with an almost human quality of shock after a noticeable pause.

“Do you have a name?” Hannibal asked, as he now understood the guardian really was a sentient AI. “Every sentient being needs a name, which I can clear see you are.”

“My name is Azriel,” the guardian answered, “My creator named me after the great guardian of Ragnar Omicron Caverias...our most venerable and wise grandfather whom all other Caverias sought to emulate.”

“I see,” Hannibal said softly, “Azriel is a most powerful and honorable name. It suits you well, my friend. I look forward to getting to know you better when time isn’t such a cruel mistress.”

“I would be honored, milord,” the guardian golem Azriel said formally, “Now, are you ready to gain access to the Crypt milord?”

“I am, my friend,” Hannibal said. “Please, open the way.”

“Just turn and release the signet. That will grant you entrance to the Labyrinth Way to the Crypt, milord,” the guardian stated. “And from this day forward, any time you need access to it, use the signet to gain access.”

“Thank you,” Hannibal replied gratefully. “I appreciate it.” He then twisted the ring counterclockwise a half turn and removed the signet.

The draken’s clawed arm returned to its position, hiding the other arm as the eyes went dark. The aura of hostility and fear stopped emanating from the alien guardian as another loud bang echoed from beside the giant sculpture that shook the throne room and stirred the dust. The sound of stone grating against stone rose as a secret panel fourteen feet tall and seven feet wide appeared from the wall beside the guardian, first sinking into the wall and then sliding laterally until the entire passage had been revealed. A shocked look crossed Hannibal’s face as he saw the panel open from a seamless block of solid stone forming the wall. A smile then swept his face and he touched the guardian without fear, whispering, “Well done, my friend. Well done, and thank you.”