The Star Sapphire

The spectacular sunrise glowed for an uninterested audience that particular morning. An aura of suspense seemed to affect all the living beings in the former glacial area. Rikki bit her lip whiles staring at the man-made wall they had uncovered the day before.

“Where do you want to start?” Tomkin asked.

“Right there.”

The ancient bricks crumbled under their hatchets and created an opening large enough for them to climb through.

The light from their flashlights revealed a narrow tunnel with rough walls and she touched them as she walked on. Only those who knew the signs saw the marks of the tools that had shaped the walls.

“It’s amazing,” Tomkin whispered while studying the ground. “It has to be made by the Nom Sezzis.”

“It’s too early to come to such conclusions.”

“It has to be,” he muttered as they continued walking.

The tunnel ended in a large cave and they stopped to study it.

“It’s natural. Look at the stalactites.” Rikki’s heart dropped as she spoke, it might be another dead-end.

The crystals on the stalactites shimmered in the light from their flashlights and it reminded her of the stories about Ali Baba’s cave. A trickle of water led them to the far end of the cave and then it disappeared into a tiny tunnel.

“We can’t get through that.” Rikki turned around. “There has to be another way.”

Tomkin followed the cave wall whiles looking for signs of a tunnel. “You might be right. This might be another dead-end.”

“I can understand the need to keep their treasure hid, but this is bordering the absurd.”

Rikki sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I was so certain that we’re on the right track this time.”

“Can you see the opening?” Tomkin pointed up behind a stalactite. “I think I can climb up there.”

The light revealed a collapsed part of the wall.

“Yeah.”

He climbed to the opening and looked in. “It’s manmade. It could be a ventilation shaft. Give me some rope.”

She climbed up to the ledge where he was standing and secured the rope. “I’ll go first. I’m slimmer and you’re stronger if I need help to get out.” Then she lowered herself down into the shaft without waiting for him to reply.

“That’s not fair,” he chuckled while keeping an eye on her.

“I’m the one who deciphered the glyphs. You wouldn’t be here without me.”

“I’m the one with the money. You wouldn’t be here without me.”

“You wouldn’t know what to spend your money…” Rikki felt level ground under her feet and stopped to see where she was. She was standing in a tunnel that continued into the mountain. “Come on down!”

Tomkin followed her and they explored the area.

Rikki pointed to two half-meter high statues. “Nom Sezzis demons of misfortune. Here you have Dehvvi Addo, infected wound, the other one is Onnes Kaddeb, bloody diarrhoea.”

“Cute names. Sound as something my nephew made up.” He poked one statue.

“It’s a good sign. We’re still on the right track. They are warning us that bad things will happen to trespassers.”

“Like the curse of King Tutankhamen’s tomb?”

She nodded and took photos. “Superstitious nonsense of course.”

“Of course…” He studied the glyphs.

“Seems as if we’ve found the main tunnel.” Rikki read the glyphs. “This is a blessing; and over here…” She studied the glyphs closer. “It speaks of the legend.”

“What does it say?”

“The people of Hunfu carved this in honour of the great sapphire. They prey its magic powers will bring rain.” They kept on walking on the path they had found and Rikki read glyphs as they walked. “Sunsha bringing offerings and asking for magical favours. This is from King Sadoling, he’s asking for blessings for his hungry people.”

The path grew wider and the walls more decorated. Mosaics covered the ground and large statues guarded niches filled with offerings.

Tomkin opened a box. “It’s worth a fortune and we’re not even in the main chamber yet.”

“Dragons.”

Tomkin dropped what he was holding and hurried over to her. “The entrance?”

“Yeah.” She took photos of the dragon decorated doors.

They pushed and moved doors bit by bit until they could squeeze themselves into the chamber.
A giant golden dragon lay in the middle of the large chamber. Its long body wrapped around a large marble chest decorated with gems and jewels that shimmered in the light. The chamber had no other objects in it. The dragon looked as if it would come to life at any moment and Rikki had to force herself to walk up to it.

“Can you see the sapphire?” Tomkin asked from a safe distance.

“It has to be inside the chest. Help me move the lid.” She smiled when Tomkin hesitated before he stepped up on the back of the dragon.

It took great effort to move the lid and they peeked in through the crack while resting. They saw the lower part of several layers of skirts woven with delicate and expensive materials. A pair of soft boots with golden embroideries stuck out from the skirts.

“It’s a tomb,” Tomkin whispered.

Rikki backed away respectfully. “Someone to guard the star sapphire.”

They pushed the lid until it tipped over and fell with a loud crash. The sound echoed through the chamber and the tunnels like thunder and made their hearts skip a beat. Panic flowed in their veins and they jumped down from the dragon and backed up against a wall. For a while, they did nothing but to stare at the chest, then Tomkin took his camera and took a couple of photos.

“This is it,” he whispered. “Now we’ll finally know if the sapphire is real.”

Rikki climbed up on the dragon again to peek into the tomb. “You have to take photos of this.”
The woman in the tomb looked as if she was sleeping. Her clothes were in perfect condition and she wore a large golden crown decorated with blue sapphires. A huge twelve-rayed star sapphire rested in her hands.

Tomkin took a photo. “Amazing.”

The woman suddenly opened her eyes and sat up in the tomb. The dragon beneath their feet awakened, shook its body, and threw them to the ground. The woman spoke and the dragon swallowed Tomkin in one bite. She then stepped out of her tomb and walked up to Rikki that had frozen in fear.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she said while lifting the crown from her head. “This belongs to you now.”

The fear faded and Rikki blinked.

“Here,” The woman put the crown on Rikki’s head, and put the sapphire in Rikki’s hands.

“You are the guardian of the sapphire now. Keep it safe.”

The crown fit perfectly and energy, emotions, visions, and thoughts rushed through her. The world spun and her legs trembled. The sapphire burned her hands, but she could not let go.

“This is Heggo,” the woman kissed the dragon. “He will obey every order you give him.”

The dragon rubbed his head against Rikki’s leg.

“Goodbye.”

The woman left the chamber and Rikki stood there unable to stop her.