The Secret Room of Oxen University

The lights were dim, making the old university library look like it belonged tucked away in a haunted mansion. From cobwebs adorning every corner of the library, to the massive oak stained shelves that held what seemed like every book in existence. Sarah sighed, closing her book as she tossed her pencil aside. This was pointless, she couldn’t focus tonight to save her own soul. As she was about to zip up her bag and leave, she heard a small clatter from the other side of the library.

“That’s weird, Mrs. Reifen said that I’d be the only here and to lock up when I left for the night.” Mrs. Reifen was the long-time librarian at Oxen Stone University. She was like a grandmother to a lot of the students, and everybody absolutely loved her. Slinging her bag onto her back, Sarah put her one hand on the Damascus knife sitting on her hip and darkened her cell phone. She didn’t want to give away her location or that she was even in here, just in case this was some lunatic or murderer or some other dreaded intruder of sorts.

The library seemed massive compared to school days as a kid, Sarah thought to herself. But maybe then again it was and maybe it was also because it was almost twelve am and nearly dark inside the university library. Sarah stopped at the end of a row near the biography section and listened intently for any more noises. Just as she was satisfied that she must have been hearing things, and was going to head out, she heard another sound. But this time it was more of a click followed by a pause. But that wasn’t the sound that caught her full attention, but rather it was what sounded like a heavy door of sorts opening and slowly closing right after the sudden pause.

“Damn it! Someone is in here.” Sarah wasn’t leaving until she confronted whoever else was in the library, as she was informed by Mrs. Reifen nobody else would be here tonight. She should have been a bit scared, but she wasn’t. Sarah was a hot head with a love for a good fight and solving mysteries. Finally, she made it to the area where she was convinced the sound came from. Nothing, not a soul in sight. “Ugh! What the! I know I heard something or someone.” She decided to turn on her phone flashlight and take a look around to see if she could see or find anything at all. She was so lost in finding the source of the noise that she didn’t notice her shoe had come untied. Suddenly she tripped, flying forwards towards a built-in bookcase. Her reflex’s kicked in and she grabbed for the bottom shelf of the bookcase to keep herself from totally falling to the library floor. Nothing could have prepared Sarah for the events about to unfold before her, as she herself was unaware of the adventure and mystery that lay ahead of her.

Sarah’s eyes squeezed tightly shut, and her whole body tightened up as she prepared to hit the bookcase wall. So, when she felt her body stretch fully outwards, holding herself just mere inches from the floor, she was stunned and confused. Opening her eyes, she noticed that the bookcase had pushed inwards, revealing a dimly lit passage before her very eyes.

“Whoa…” Pulling herself up right, Sarah glanced behind her shoulder before taking a step into the small passage area. “I wonder how long this has been-” She didn’t get to finish her sentence as her next step forward had her plummeting downwards without warning. She was so shocked that she couldn’t even scream as she fell down thru the floor. Trying to brace her body for the unavoidable impact, that was about to commence, she took a few deep breaths and tried to make her body limp.

Thump! Sarah’s body bounced on impact, sending her back upwards a few inches before she came back down again. Sarah sat herself up, confusion along with shock shown on her face. She was on a custom-made trampoline mattress in an elaborate decorated room that looked like it came straight out a story book from the Renaissance era. Sarah slowly stood up taking every detail around her in. The walls were stone, with seven full size, decedent pillars placed perfectly apart from each other. Each pillar was the same in color, but the carvings on each told a different story. She decided to take a better look another time, if she could. She slowly walked over to a pair of purple satin curtains with golden trim. She ran her hand over the curtains slowly, pulling them to the side to see what might be hidden behind it. Not even the shock of finding this hidden room would compare to how she was going to feel in the next several moments ahead.

“What the?” Sarah gasped not even a second after pulling the satin curtain aside. She was staring at an oil painting, but it was more then that. It was gorgeously and impeccably done like an oil painting from the Renaissance era. It felt like her heart was caught in her throat as she stared at what was unmistakably, her mother, at her age.

“I see you found us.”

Sarah jumped, turning herself away from the oil painting to face the voice behind her. “Mrs. Reifen! What are you doing here? What is going on and why is there an oil painting of my mother of when she was twenty?” Sarah was beyond confused and shocked. But she also wanted answers, so many questions kept reeling through her mind.

“All in good time Sarah, follow me please.” Mrs. Reifen calmly spoke. It was like she had been expecting Sarah. But she had told Sarah earlier that nobody was going to be here. “I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise you will get answers to them all in due time.” Mrs. Reifen’s voice trailed off as they entered into another room that was down a small hall and off to the side. This room was just as breathtaking as the room Sarah had fell into. Each room had seven pillars, but this room also had an ornate pedestal dead center of the room, it was intricately designed and stood about a few feet tall. Laying on the pedestal was an old, tattered book. It was thick, with a leather cover and binding. Something about this book, gave Sarah chills just looking at it. She was so entranced by the old book that she didn’t notice the other people standing around the room.

Suddenly a voice that wasn’t Mrs. Reifen spoke, pulling Sarah out of her trance like state. “I thought we weren’t expecting her until we agreed she was ready.”

“Circumstances have changed, and we have to fill her in immediately.” This voice sounded almost like her aunt, her mom’s sister. Sarah spun towards the voice, as she did several cloaked silhouettes emerged from the dark corners of the room. Like a rehearsed scene, the five people that emerged, pulled back their hoods at the same time.

“Hey sweetie, it’s good to see you.” Sarah’s Aunt reached forward, taking Sarah’s hands into hers.

“Aunt LaReese? What are you doing here and what is going on?” Sarah questioned, now completely baffled by the events of tonight.

“Sarah, please stand on the circle, your circle is labeled seven.” Mrs. Reifen spoke suddenly, taking Sarah by shock because at this point, she had forgotten the librarian was there. Her eyes scanned the room again as she made her way to the circle and stood in the small circle labeled seven. While the others all stood in their corresponding numbered circles as well. “Sarah, welcome to the Oxen Seven Society. Do you accept your place among the sixth, becoming our seventh sister of the Oxen Seven Society?”

Sarah’s hands were clammy at this point, but she couldn’t help but hang onto Mrs. Reifen’s every word. It was like she was almost in a trance, snapping back to reality as Mrs. Reifen finished speaking. Sarah’s eyes darted around the room; her mouth was dryer then the desert sands across the planet currently. It finally dawned on her, that they all wanted an answer from her, and now. “Um…um…I don’t even have any clue what the Oxen Seven Society is, first off.” Sarah had finally found her courage and voice to address the room. “Secondly. Why would I join anything that I don’t know a damn thing about? Sounds foolish to me. Also, I still want to know what is up with the oil painting of my mother as well. Oh, and-” Sarah didn’t get to finish as Mrs. Reifen had put her finger to lips and within that gesture Sarah seemed to be without a voice. Sarah’s eyes were wide, this time with a hint of fear in them. How did Mrs. Reifen take away her voice she questioned in her mind.

“You see Sarah, everyone here is special, including you. I have silenced your voice, so I can speak without interruption. You know how much I loathe being interrupted,” Mrs. Reifen chuckled slightly. “Oxen University started in the seventh century, with a pair of siblings named Bandecca Abate and Emilliano Acqua. There life wasn’t grand, they lived in a small hut tucked snugly into a small wooden grove, not more then a hundred yards from the water front. They lived with their mother, who was unknown to many a nymph priestess. Simply meaning, that she presided over all nymphs and had all the power her fellow nymphs did. But society back then feared the unknown and labeled everyone. So man kind fearing her power dubbed her Ginevra Abate, which also stood for White Phantom Priestess. After the birth of her son Emilliano Acqua, darkness fell on the land. Ginevra sent out her two young children hoping there father Poseidon, and the other gods would watch over them. Two days latter Ginevra’s village fell under attack. She went out a hero’s death, taking every soldier in that battle, with her to Hades gates. Giving her people and children a chance to escape to freedom. Her two children became great leaders, with great power. As soon as their mother had passed in battle all the hearts of her people felt the loss. In that moment Bandecca Abate became the high priestess nymph queen over all the people. A war was begun between the siblings, and sides had to be chosen among the people. History is written by the winners so they say. But there are finds of both siblings documentation from their own point of views. In the end though, Bandecca had to do what was in the best interest of her people and for her safety as well. So she called her brother out to a final battle to end it all, a battle to the death. His followers were bitter and a lot of them executed as they tried to carry on her brother’s legacy. The feud lasted for centuries, and is still going on to this day. Shortly after the feud had started, Emilliano had made a school right over the border, teaching his ways with hatred and resentment for the school he once loved. You asked about that oil painting, that you saw back there? It isn’t of your mother, Sarah.” Mrs. Reifen paused taking in the confused expression on Sarah’s face. “It’s your Aunt Tyesha, your mom’s twin sister. She was brutally murdered in a string of killings back in 1990, here on campus. The person was never caught, the trail went cold and forgotten. But the one who did this has a heir to the bloodline that goes to that school…an heir of Emilliano. We are all in danger, we must unite our powers as one, if we wish to survive the incoming danger. We all here are descendants of Bandecca, but you are a direct decedent of her. Sarah, I implore to you that you take your place here among us. Do it for the future, if not anything else.” With that Mrs. Reifen clasped her hands back together, giving Sarah her voice back.

“So let me get this straight. My mom has a twin sister, identical at that, that died here on campus at the hands of a killer over some bloodline feud, that was never apprehended? But yet nobody ever decided to once tell me this!” Now Sarah was a bit pissed, her whole life felt like a lie.

“Sweetie, we couldn’t tell you. It would of put you in danger, take those bracelets off for a minute that I gave you.” Aunt LaReese spoke softly, but with a reassuring tone that always could calm Sarah down.

“Um, okay…” Sarah unclasped each bracelet and gently put them in a small jewelry bag so she didn’t lose them. She loved those two bracelets, her aunt gave them to her when she turned seven.

“Now listen to me real close Sarah,” her aunt said, with that soothing tone that could entrance the strongest of men. “Relax your body, clear your mind. I want you to find your center, find your drive. Focus on it, and let go.”

Sarah wasn’t fully sure what happened exactly, but within the next minute she was surrounded by a radiant light, like a ball. She was in the center of it and it was rising upwards. Suddenly she felt herself drop like a sack of potatoes.

“You need to take your place among us, as you hold the power of the high priestess. You alone are a force to be reckoned with.” This voice wasn’t familiar to Sarah, and she didn’t recognize the lady’s face. “I’m Violet, from fifty notches southwest of here. We are distantly related.” A grin flitted across Violet’s face as she stretched her hand out to shake Sarah’s.

“It’s getting late, we need your answer now Sarah.” Mrs. Reifen sharply sounded, interrupting the moment between the two ladies.

“Yeah, I guess I will take my place as you put it.” Sarah answered Mrs. Reifen immediately

“Good, then off to bed all of you. Remember find your number passage to find your way out. Good night.” With that Mrs. Reifen turned away and left the room, headed no doubt to her quarters for the night. Sarah found her passageway easily enough, and started going down it. It was dimly lit, and their seemed to be spots off to the side, that people could dip into and hide. Sarah had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She put her hand on her knife that always sat on her hip, trying to chalk the dark feeling to paranoia. She just barely passed the third hole when she heard something from behind her.

Bam! Sarah had round house kicked the person coming at her. Sending them flying into the tunnel wall. “What the fuck?”

“Ugh.” The guy started to get up, keeping his eyes on Sarah the whole time. “You won’t escape this tunnel tonight Sarah. I know of your powers, and I took an oath and vow to end the High Priestess bloodline. I, Demetrion, direct descendant of Emilliano’s bloodline, will end this feud today!”

“So, I get pulled into some kind of cult, my cousin wants to kill me, because you’re all a bunch of damn lunatics? Just make sure, though Demetrion, you take me out first shot. Because I didn’t know shit until today and I don’t need powers to end your pathetic brainwashed life.” Sarah spat with utter disgust. She was pissed now; this was a bit much. Suddenly she was shaking and glowing all over again. She remembered her aunt’s words from earlier. Closing her eyes, Sarah tried to find her center. But within seconds the glowing was gone again.

“Ha! Pathetic!” Demetrion sneered at Sarah, walking menacingly towards her. She started to back pedal which was what he wanted. He was a god like deity when it came to water play. After all he could be linked back to the sea god Poseidon himself. The last side spot had a river of sorts flowing just on the other side of the wall in the side hole. Suddenly without warning water came like a tsunami at Sarah from the side hole, knocking her off her feet. “See? I told you; you weren’t leaving here alive Sarah.” Amusement and laughter came from Demetrion.

Sarah couldn’t breathe, the water had taken her by total shock. She didn’t know anything about this feud except it was over power. But her power in the wrong hands would be catastrophic. If he managed to kill Sarah, he would get her powers if he was truly who he said he was. Sarah knew that at the very least. It was in that moment she was able to find her center and grasp it. Suddenly she was able to take control, she bent the water to her will immediately. Trapping Demetrion in a sphere of water. Panic set in on his face, as he realized, that he was the one not leaving alive. Suddenly the sphere looked like it was made of crystal. Then Demetrion slowly disappeared from her view as a dirt color coating started to cover the sphere.

The next few moments were like a dream. The dirt cover sphere sunk into the ground like a ghostly orb. Sarah continued on her way to her dorm in a dazed like state. It wasn’t until she sank onto her bed, after a hot shower that she processed tonight’s events. How she was a somebody with amazing power, and she alone had saved a ton of lives tonight with that power. A smile flitted across her face as she dozed off into a deep and peaceful sleep.