Conjunction

Arranged around the giant ball was a series of concentric rings, scarcely half an inch thick, each one leaning at a slightly different angle relative to it. There was nothing connecting them to the sculpture, they just hung there in the air, suspended by unknown means. Upon each of these rings was a smaller orb, not one of them the same size. A few of those orbs had their own concentric rings, with their own even smaller balls, floating about their parent orb in much the same way. The result was an intricate, beautiful work of art, bathed in the light of the sun.

Kadal's eyes reflected the golden glow as she peered up at it, making them glitter, her jaw hanging agape as she beheld the sight. Caden was no less impressed, he couldn't take his eyes off the thing.

"I have never seen anything so...divine," she whispered. "What do you think it is?"

Before Caden could muster an answer, another grinding, creaking cacophony filled the pyramid. The mechanism slowly came to life, the rings beginning to rotate around the central ball. Caden suppressed his wonder long enough to check for more traps, then approached it, standing beneath the rings as they slowly turned above him.

"I think it's a model of the planets," he said, Kadal cocking her head at him. "This is the world at the center," he continued, pointing to the golden orb atop the pedestal. "The moon, sun, and planets rotate around it. Something is...wrong," he added as he narrowed his eyes at the spinning orbs. "I see what must be Freyja, Jord, Tyr, Borr, but there are more planets than there should be. They're not in the right places, either."

"I know nothing of planets and moons," Kadal muttered, captivated by the sight. Like a cat watching a bird from a window, her eyes locked onto the moving spheres, her head swiveling on her slender neck to track them.

"There are four planets, excluding the sun and moon," he explained, "celestial spheres that orbit around our own. Yet here, I see ten. Some of them have smaller objects orbiting around them, too. This is not the celestial model that I studied..."

"Maybe the secret could be found somewhere in this room," Kadal suggested, gesturing to the tables strewn with papers and equipment that surrounded them.

"I cannot read this Alfar dialect," he replied with a sigh of frustration, "but what other choice is there? We already know that this calamity relates to the heavens somehow, I have seen the stars fall out of alignment, the days grow ever longer. If these people knew things that we do not, then I must find a way to learn. I cannot help but feel that some clue lies in this sculpture."

***

It was many hours before Caden made a breakthrough. He had been poring over what Alfar scrolls he could find, trying to come up with some way to decipher them. Their language and writing system had more in common with those of the Alfar native to the Western regions that he had anticipated. His years of study meant that he could make out a few words here and there, usually enough to glean some meaning from them. Mathematics, on the other hand, was a language universal to all peoples. Their method of recording numbers and expressing calculations might vary, but at their core, the concept of mathematics and geometry remained constant. Two plus two would always equal four, and the angle of an equilateral triangle's corners would invariably be sixty degrees. It wasn't long before he had worked out the Alfar symbols for one through nine, largely thanks to some numbered tomes on the library shelves, and he was able to start making sense of some of the notes scattered about the tables.

It seemed that this place was an observatory, dedicated first and foremost to the study of the heavens, a pursuit that the Alfar clearly held in the highest regard. He had been able to find complex star charts that mapped the constellations, telescopes of incredible craftsmanship, and intricate calculations recorded onto pieces of yellowed parchment that plotted the movements of the planets. It was all a little patchy, inferred from snippets of text rather than fully understood, but he had formulated an idea of what the sculpture represented. More, he was beginning to decode the nature of the calamity that had befallen them.

He made his way back over to where Kadal was sitting, the reptile chewing on a piece of salted pork, her eyes tracking the rotating spheres. She had been content to just watch the mechanism for hours, it seemed to captivate her.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked, her head swiveling to face him as he approached.

"I think so," he replied, rubbing his itchy eyes. There was something so disorienting about these long days, as though his body insisted that it was night, but his waking mind could not accept it. "The Alfar had a completely different orbital model than we do. Our scholars believe that the world is at the center of the universe, and that all other heavenly bodies orbit around it. The Alfar believed that the sun was at the center of the universe, and that the world was just one of many bodies caught in its influence. Their model accounts for some of the discrepancies found in our own, so I am inclined to accept it as truth."

He gestured to the rotating rings, Kadal watching as he elaborated.

"At the center is the sun, and each of these rings plots the orbit of a planet or a moon. Our world is here," he added, pointing to the third-most sphere from the center as it rotated past. "The little ring around it is our moon. The Alfar knew of more planets than we do, probably because of the superior craftsmanship of their telescopes, but that isn't important. What matters is this," he said, unfurling a roll of cracked parchment. "I keep finding this calculation all over the place. It was being studied by dozens of magi, it was an obsession for them."

Kadal cocked her head at the parchment as he brandished it, not understanding the series of rings and lines, nor the symbols and numbers that accompanied them.

"These shapes plot the orbit of our planet," he continued, "the angle and distance that it rotates around the sun. The magi here had discovered that its orbit is degrading," he added breathlessly, Kadal waiting for him to elaborate. "It means that the sun is not growing larger, but that we are getting closer and closer to it. If something is not done, we will collide with it, falling into it like a pebble into a lake."

That got her attention, her eyes widening.

"That is what I saw in my vision quest," she gasped. "A sun large enough to fill the entire sky, a world scorched to a cinder."

"These notes are thousands of years old," Caden continued. "We already know that the magi found a way to correct the celestial imbalance of their time, but the same thing is happening again. With every year that passes, our world spirals closer and closer to ruin."

"The black stone," Kadal added, peering up at the spinning orbs again. "Are you any closer to uncovering its resting place?"

"Maybe," he replied, leafing through his collection of papers. "I found what I believe to be a map of the pyramid, what they referred to as the window of heaven. Look at this," he continued as he unrolled an ancient scroll. "It shows a vault beneath the observatory, hidden deep underground. Inside it, the artist has drawn a black sphere sitting atop a pedestal, cradled in some kind of...claw-like mechanism. I believe that the runes associated with it are the Alfar words for star, and sinking or sunken. The chamber of the sunken star is my best guess. What else could that be if not the black stone from your vision?"

Kadal swallowed the last of her dried meat, hopping to her feet.

"Then we must find a way to reach it."

"Listen," Caden began, peering up into her amber eyes. "I don't know what we're going to find in that vault. Certainly more traps, but once we locate the Alfar artifact, who knows what could happen? A power great enough to move the heavens is one that I may not be able to control. I have to try, it's the only hope left, but I can't guarantee that anyone who enters that vault will ever leave it. If you wanted to stay behind..."

She reached down and ruffled his hair affectionately, giving him a toothy grin.

"Where you go, I will follow."

As much as he worried for her safety, he could not deny the comfort that her presence gave him. He nodded, returning her smile.

"Very well. We shall see this through together."

CHAPTER 11: THE YAWNING ABYSS

"Here it is," Caden said, "the same symbol as on the map."

They had left the main chamber of the observatory, heading into a series of backrooms towards the rear in search of the door that was shown on the parchment. It wasn't exactly hidden, it was clearly marked on maps that had been left lying around the pyramid, and no attempt had been made to conceal it. It was a simple marble door in a nondescript hallway, engraved with the sigil that Caden had come to associate with the sunken star, a snake that was in the process of devouring its own tail. Still, he suspected that the magi had no need for secrecy. If they didn't want trespassers, then they had far more potent means to ensure that no visitors ventured where they were not wanted.

"Another lock," Kadal said, directing Caden's attention to a second clockwork mechanism. This one was holding a sliding bolt shut.

"Good thing we came prepared," he said, sliding his dagger out of its sheath. It cut through the metal with ease, Caden pushing open the door on creaking hinges to reveal stone steps that extended far below ground, steeped in shadow.

He raised his staff, preparing to perform the incantation that would light up the figurehead, but he was once again preempted by the ingenuity of the Alfar. Beams of sunlight illuminated the stairs, filtering in through shafts in the ceiling that opened automatically, motes of floating dust reflecting the glow. The two companions shared a glance, then began to descend.

The staircase led them deeper into the earth, the air cooling somewhat, just as it had in the caves. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls, the pair eventually arriving on level ground again, Caden holding up his map as he tried to work out where they should head next. Before them was a narrow corridor hewn from the solid bedrock, illuminated by those same light shafts that poured through open holes in the ceiling at regular intervals. There were stone doors leading to vaults on either side of the passageway, identifying runes engraved into them, each one potentially housing more secrets and arcane artifacts that had been squirreled away by the magi. Now was not the time for exploration, however. Caden was here for a single, solemn purpose.

"Stay behind me," he said, Kadal having to duck to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling as she followed after him. "The vault should be at the end of this corridor. Look out for that same symbol, the snake eating its own tail."

They proceeded cautiously, Caden scanning for pressure plates and enchantments as they went, but it seemed that the corridor was free of any traps. They soon arrived at the right door, this one barred by a locking mechanism identical to the one that had been used on the entrance to the observatory. With the use of his enchanted dagger, the way was soon clear, Caden preparing himself for what lay beyond.

Over the threshold was another long corridor, lit by more light shafts. It was suspiciously devoid of any features, the walls, ceiling, and floor made from bedrock that had been polished flat. He cast another cloud of glittering particles into the air, his suspicions confirmed. Hidden in the floor were trap doors, pitfalls that would plunge the unwary into a deep shaft, where they would suffer a painful and lonely death. Drawing moisture from the air, and cooling it, Caden was able to form an ice sheet over the trap doors that would let them walk right across without triggering the mechanism.

"It worries me that there have been no magical traps or challenges so far," he muttered as they slowly made their way to the door at the other end of the passage. "If the magi were such skilled sorcerers, surely they would have devised some magical means to prevent their secrets from being stolen? This feels...too easy."

He stopped again as he noticed another trap, the shimmering cloud of silvery particles revealing a section of the ceiling that would be dropped to crush those who walked beneath it. The crack between it and the true ceiling was so slim as to be imperceptible, more proof of the Alfar's mastery over masonry. There was a pressure plate in the floor that would trigger it to fall, Caden melting the clockwork mechanism with a wave of his staff.

As they approached the door, Caden extended an arm to stop Kadal, his eyes scanning the barrier. This one was more elaborate than the rest, hewn from a block of black marble, veins of white trailing through it. It almost looked like the night sky, in a way. There was that sigil again, the snake devouring its own tail, chiseled into the stone.

A series of glowing symbols appeared on the marble, shining blood red, Caden recognizing them as Alfar runes.

"Can you read it?" Kadal asked.

"This is the rune for pass, and this one is speak," he mused as he examined the shimmering text. "It seems that some kind of password is expected of us." He pulled some pieces of folded parchment from his pocket, beginning to leaf through them. "Come on," he grumbled, "there has to be something here..."

"Uh, Caden?" Kadal asked, pointing to the door. The glow was becoming brighter, somehow angrier. "Something is happening..."

"Damn it," he grumbled, dropping one of the scrolls in his haste. "I don't think we can break through. Marble is a brittle stone, but this door is imbued with a powerful magic."

The runes on the door vanished, the two companions sharing a worried glance. Was that it?

The hallway soon filled with the sound of mechanical grinding, Caden taking a few steps away from the door. Some kind of Alfar mechanism had been activated by their failure to provide a password. Before he could raise his staff in an attempt to find out what manner of trap had been triggered, there appeared small gaps in the stone walls to either side of them. As they began to retreat, the gaps formed a series of doors, three on each side of the passage. The Alfar had hidden them well, ever the skilled stonemasons.

The six doors slid into recesses, opening to reveal shallow, shadowy compartments. Inside each one was what looked at first to be a suit of armor made from shining steel, like those that one might see displayed in a blacksmith's shop, or hanging in an armory. They were taller and wider than a man, more akin to the stature of a reptile, but distinctly human in their shape.

Their helmets had a visor that was molded into the grimacing visage of a man, covering the face completely save for two holes for the eyes, the cheeks protected by two hanging guards. Atop each one was a brush dyed blood red, perhaps made from horsehair. The cuirass was similarly designed to resemble the musculature of a man, tapering into a skirt made from studded leather that came down to the knees. The arms and legs were encased in metal, flexible bands on the shoulders, knees, and elbows providing some range of motion. They ended in sabatons at the feet, the finely-crafted gauntlets that encased the hands allowing each of the fingers to move independently.

It wasn't until one of them began to twitch that Caden realized something was terribly wrong. It lifted its helmet, a pair of red eyes smoldering like hot coals through its empty sockets, turning to peer at him from the shadows. With an unnatural, jerking gait, it stumbled out of the compartment and into the passageway proper. Through the gaps in its armor, Caden could see innumerable gears and mechanisms turning, its clockwork innards animated by some ancient Alfar enchantment. As the other five sprung to life, stepping out to join their comrade, Caden saw that they were clutching weapons in their hands. Short swords of strange craftsmanship, two-handed axes, polearms.

"C-Caden?" Kadal stammered, her eyes darting between them. "What should we do?"

"Stand behind me!" he barked, raising his staff defensively. These things were awash with magic, but their weapons were not enchanted, and he doubted whether they could cast spells. They were not alive, they had no souls, they were merely mechanical constructs.

The six golems began to approach, Kadal hissing to him as they backed away.

"Give me a weapon!" she insisted. "Let me fight by your side!"

"Gods damn it," he grumbled, reaching for his belt. Slowly, hoping that it would not spur the machines to attack, he unsheathed his enchanted knife. "I need not remind you how dangerous this weapon is," he added, gingerly handing it off to Kadal.

"I know how to handle a knife!" she snapped. "Do not worry about me, worry about them."

The first of the golems stepped forward, its clockwork guts whirring and clicking as it raised its sword above its head, the motion far more fluid than Caden had expected.

"Look out!" he yelled, raising the haft of his staff to block the blow as the construct brought the blade down towards his face. It was far stronger than a man, only a rush of energy from Caden's staff preventing his knees from buckling under the strain, the creature cocking its helmeted head as it seemed to reconsider. Jerking and twitching, it pulled its sword back, its entire torso rotating at the waist as it whirled the blade through the air like a windmill. Caden blocked it again, the strike knocking him off-balance. As he recovered, taking up a defensive stance, the six golems began to advance.

Kadal took up position to his right, holding the enchanted knife blade-down, her frill rising to expose her eyespots.

"I am glad to be fighting by your side this time," she said, sparing him an appreciative glance.

"I could say the same," he replied. "These things are not truly alive, Kadal, show them no quarter. I fear that they will not stop until they are utterly dismantled."

He would have to be careful with his magic in these close quarters, he might inadvertently injure Kadal if he did not remain focused. This fight was different, however. Ever since his battle with the Borophage, his mastery over the staff's dark influences had been complete, and its power now felt like an extension of his very being more than something to be wrestled with.

Using his stave as a quarterstaff, he parried another blow from his mechanical assailant, its swiftness and strength once again surprising him. Its hide was made from steel, not skin. He would need to devise a way to penetrate it, as though he were dueling a knight from his own kingdom.

There was room enough for three of the things to stand shoulder to armored shoulder, Caden narrowly avoiding a strike from a polearm as a second construct pressed the attack. To his right, Kadal was contending with an axe-wielding adversary, the heavy blade cracking the stone at her feet as she leapt clear of the strike. She was as agile as ever, moving faster than any human could have hoped to, muscles like liquid iron flowing beneath her shining scales.

With a mechanical grinding, her opponent lifted the weapon, sending it whistling through the air. She ducked under the blow as the blade embedded itself deep in the rock wall to her right, the reptile lunging forward. She brought the enchanted dagger to bear, the vein of sapphire glinting as she slashed the golem across its belly. The blade sliced through its steel plating with the ease that Caden had come to expect. It would have been a killing blow had her enemy been made of flesh and blood, but it had no entrails to spill. It barely reacted, pulling its battleaxe free of the wall, and knocking Kadal back with a vicious strike from its haft.