Eighth Fire by Gene Curtis

her arm to Mark and before
anyone could say anything they were gone. Instantly they were at
the front entrance to The Seventh Mountain. They stood in front of
a polished bronze statue of four horses and four students just
yards from the front steps of the main entrance.
    Shana said, “Testing begins promptly at
seven o’clock in The Oasis. Don’t be late. You’re a level one
sophomore, so it’s two points per minute now.”
    Mark asked, “Is Mrs. Shadowitz in her
office?”
    Another counselor materialized with a
student beside Shana. Shana glanced to her right, acknowledging the
other people, turned back to Mark and said, “She should be
somewhere around The Oasis. She’ll be starting the testing. Do you
really need to see her, or is it something I can take care of?”
    “I don’t know? I just think I know what
Benrah wants me to destroy.”
    “Yes, I heard about that.” She shook her
head slowly. “What do you think it is?”
    “I think Otomi’s brother stole the power
source for the sunstone, and I think I almost know the area where
he hid it.”
    “That’s something Mrs. Shadowitz needs to
know, right away. I’d go with you, but I’ve got four more students
to bring in.”
    “I figured something like that. I’ll find
her.”
    Shana disappeared and Mark glanced at the
inscription on the statue.
     
    For Friends
    Destiny Chose Friends, Four.
    Legend Sprang From Emerald’s Core.
     
    He looked around; the other counselor and
student were gone. He thought a little about things that had
happened last year, and wondered what lay in store this year. Some
of Mrs. Shadowitz’s last words came to his mind. There is more
to the staff than we have discovered, and we still have no idea why
you four were pre-chosen. He knew without a doubt that more of
his destiny would be revealed this year.
    He removed his cloak from Aaron’s Grasp and
rubbed his fingers along the emerald green embroidery work along
the bottom seam before putting it on. To him, that act was a
conscious decision to walk a path he was certain could lead to the
destruction of everything and everyone he had ever held dear. He
also felt if he chose not to take that journey, his own fate would
be sealed. He remembered the story of Jonah; how Jonah had been
eaten by a big fish as a result of refusing to follow destiny’s
course. He turned toward the main entrance of the mountain and
whispered to himself, “Destiny awaits.”
     
    He saw Mrs. Shadowitz seated at the center
table on the stage opposite the main entrance to The Oasis.
Students, all wearing cloaks trimmed in tribe colors, were milling
around talking to each other. Mark waved at Nick and Jamal when
they called to him, but otherwise ignored them while he walked up
to the stage. He knew better than to just walk up onto the stage
until he was summoned. He called, “Mrs. Shadowitz.” She glanced at
him with a quizzical look on her face, and then motioned for him to
put his hood up before stepping onto the stage.
    Mark approached her and said, “I think
Benrah is after the power source for the sunstone.”
    “What makes you believe that?”
    “When I came out of the labyrinth, the first
time, I started having this dream over and over again, until Ricky
Barns and all. I just forgot about it. I didn’t have it again until
last night.”
    Mrs. Shadowitz said, “Show me the
dream.”
    Mark learned last year that he projects the
thoughts in the front of his mind into other people’s minds, a rare
ability the Magi called Rooack Dabar, or spirit speak. He’d learned
to control it with the help of exercises Mr. Diefenderfer had
assigned for that very purpose. He brought the dream to the front
of his mind, remembering as much detail as possible.
    After he finished Mrs. Shadowitz asked,
“Does the dream always end there?”
    “At first, they ended earlier than they did
in the one you just saw, but each one went a little farther until
they all just started ending there.”
    “Do you recall any