Act Two: Chapter Nine: Fairy Lake

Daniel Grayson,

Canada/2025,

After taking a nine-hour flight, in arrived at Victoria Airport. Wearing a black trench coat and fedora and holding a small containing my clothes and a giant one containing the Red Cross. Sure I attracted some of the attention, but at least looked good in it. I walked outside and looked around, finally spotting a man in his forty's, with brown hair, white streaks, and blue eyes. He was holding a signboard with my name on it.

I walked over to him and our eyes met.

[Hello there, you must be Aurumai]

[And I take it you must be Daniel Grayson... very good come with me]

I followed Aurumai to his land curser.

[You can put your luggage in the back seat and if you want you can sit in the front seat]

[Sure, it will be my pleasure]

I opened the back door and shoved my suitcase inside and then sat in the front passenger seat. He sat after me and started the car, soon we were on the road.

[Ah...If I remember you want to go to Fairy Lake, am I correct]

[Yes, that would be it]

[Good than, relax and sit tight, it will take some time to get there]

Nice and fresh sea breeze hit my face as we drove on the side of the river. It was a nice change of pace, from what I have been going through. But now I was really tired of sitting, I just wanted to stretch my legs.

As for how am I going to find the amulet, I was clueless. As the scripture only stated the location and gave information about the tome which contained a creature that was protecting it, just not how to get in.

[Ah...Daniel, I will take it that you did not come here for sightseeing]

His question took away my attention.

[Hmm...What makes you think that?]

[Church sent you, didn't they? Now why would they sent someone for sightseeing]

[True...Well it is not something I can explain]

[Alright I can let it go...The church does mean business]

[What about you, how did they make you work for them?]

[Just my job as a guide, I say its a family tradition...till the better end]

His eyes went to the back mirror.

[So...How long are you staying?]

[A day]

[Oh...Okay]

After I almost fall asleep, we finally arrived at the Fairy Lake recreation site. We got out and I took my suitcase with me. We walked towards the lake and it was in sight. The small island, with a massive tree in the center. The lake in the morning was beautiful and the small island in the center of it, made it look like something out of a fairy tale.

[Alright do you have a boat that can get me there?]

[Sure I have]

Pointing at a motorboat on the coast, tight to a stump.

[But first, why don't you show me what's in the suitcase]

I stared at him, as what he said was something I was not expecting.

[And how it may concern you?] I asked With a harmless smile

[Oh... Daniel, I now church mean business...But that does not mean I trust you...So you have to show me what you got]

[And...What if I said their clothes?]

[Come now you could lie better than that...How many clothes does one person need for one day]

[I wasn't trying, but Fair enough]

I opened the giant one suitcase, reviling the Red Cross, secured inside of six feet suitcase. He gaze analyzed the Red Cross.

[Oh...That makes sense, well now let's get you to the island]

[Wait...You know what this is]

[Nah...But my father and his father and his father and so on... told a story about a man which will come with a "Red thing" and will ask to be taken to that island...So you good, come on, I got not all day]

[Well then...That saves me a lot of time]

We got on the motorboat and a few minutes later we reach the small island. We stop on the foot of the island. The island was big enough for the great ancient tree in the center.

[What type of tree is that?]

[Douglas fir, similar to what you see around the lake, but...This has outlived us all...It is so god dame old, that I don't how god dame old it is]

He wasn't wrong, that tree was more than 200 meters tall and wider and denser than its brethren. Its branches cover most of the lake.

[If I remember, there should be something written on the trunk of the tree... I couldn't read it]

Walked on the island. The ground was soft and mushy. The island itself was held together by the roots of the massive tree. There were bushes on the bottom of the tree covering the trunk. I moved the bush out of the way, reviling Some figures which were carved on the trunk. I rubbed the dust off the craving and realized that they were not on the trunk rather on a stone table that was embedded in it.

[Do you see them?]

[Yeah...This is old English]

[So...Do you know what it means]

[Kind of...]

It took a minute to translate the words. The first sentence translated "use destruction as a key", next one translated to "Will open underwater passage".

[Well from what I understand, it says, "Use the destruction as a key and it will open underwater passage" did you father said anything about it]

[Nah...Not a clue]

If it was destruction, I had something which resembled it well. The Red Cross, destruction is one of its attributes. I looked at the tree, thought for a while. Destroying it came to my mind.

[Hand me my suitcase, will you]

[Sure... here you go]

I grabbed my suitcase and took out the Red Cross.

[Are you ready to see something really cool?]

[What...Hmm, sure why not]

With all strength, I stabbed the tree with the Red Cross. The gem and my eyes synchronized in a red glow. From where the tip of Red Cross was touching the tree, blotted. The tree popped from the middle, like a balloon popping. The top felled into the water and snaked down. I looked at Aurumai's face. Expression of amazement and shock mixing into one.The tree which stood for tens of centuries, now in two pieces. One-piece on the island and another sinking.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, then all of sudden the water started shaking. From the west of the island, a few meters away. A tome started emerging out of the water. Made of stone, in an old European architecture from the 5th century. A single building on a platform, with an opening in middle, surrounded with four pillars, all of them connecting with arches.

Since the scriptures were from the fifth century, you would think the building would be old and decrypted. But to my amazement, it was almost like it was built recently, well-polished and without a single crack in the stone. I looked around and it was made certain that we were not in Canada anymore. The trees surrounding us were replaced with thick gray mist and the sky was clouded.

[Well now it is up to, Daniel]

I looked at Aurumai and to my shock, he started to dissipate, becoming translucent.

[Wait, what is happening to you?]

He shrugged his shoulder in response [I wish you good luck...I guess]

After saying that, he completely disappeared and now I was alone to retrieve the amulet.