The Chronicles of Shamballa

Chapter LXVI: Healers and Keepers

It must have been hours before Carey finally regained consciousness and gradually opened his eyes. He was surprised that his eyes were back to normal- the burning sensation was gone and he felt healthier than before. He looked around and noticed that he was in some sort of gigantic ice room. The Princess was lying on a slab of rock with candles burning all around her. Ram was standing by her feet and a strange looking man dressed in white with a pale white skin and blue eyes was sitting next to her touching her forehead.

“What are you doing to her? Back away- now!” said Carey rushing towards her.

“Sahib, calm down, this man- he saved you and is trying to heal her majesty- he’s a good man Sahib, relax, see your eyes are healed too,” said Ram Babu holding him off.

Carey drew a sigh of relief and walked towards the Princess.

“What is this? Who are you? Is she all right?” he asked.

“She’s hurt by the black dagger, it is a normal wound but is powered by the dark hence it won’t heal easily, I’m afraid it will take a higher power to cure her,” said the strange white man.

“What? Who are you? Why are you helping us?” Carey asked.

“I’m a healer, my name is Chang Xi, I have been here for thousands of years protecting this place and keeping its location a secret, the Yetis are the gate keepers and you my friend are the seeker. It has been predicted that every thousand years or so, a seeker will come to find the great kingdom of Shamballa to restore peace and stability on to the world and keep Shamballa away from the dark forces,” said the man calmly.

Chang’s words hit Carey like thunder. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing- Shamballa? This strange looking man was talking about Shamballa. He looked curiously at him. He looked quite young and yet so old, with a bald head and tiny specks of white hair on his round head. His eyes were strange- abnormally large and green like marbles. His skin sparkled like glitter and was pale with fine blue veins running along his neck and hands. That and with the white robe he wore, made him almost undetectable in the snow- he did not seem to be of this world.

“How did you know that I am looking for Shamballa? Are you from there?” he asked.

“We have been watching you since you entered Tibet, we hoped that you wouldn’t find much trouble but the darkness have followed you here. We tested you to see if you were indeed the true seeker and tried to remove any obstacles that might come your way. The Yetis were not so sure of you, which is why they took your friend away,” Chang replied, his voice floating through the large chambers.

“Raza? You took him? Where’s he? Is he alive?” Carey asked.

“We don’t take lives, the Yetis have him imprisoned for he had ulterior motives for joining your team, don’t worry, he’s being treated well,” Chang replied.

“Is she- going to be all right?” he asked touching her cold hand.

“It is beyond my ability to cure her, you must take her to Shamballa, and her time is running out,” he replied.

“Shamballa? Where’s it? How do I find it?” Carey asked.

“I do not know and it is not my destiny to seek, you already have the answers, go find it, I will give her something for the time being but she can only be cured in Shamballa.” Chang replied.

“Yes, Sahib, to save the Princess, you have to find Shamballa,” Ram Babu said.

Carey immediately grabbed his satchel and took out the Orb. He checked the pieces and arranged the last piece back again and waited for the thing to start. Within a couple of seconds, the Orb got warm and started to hum. And then a strange white light seeped through the cracks while the Orb started to levitate away from his hands. Chang immediately bowed down in reverence. The pieces of the Orb started to dismantle and a streak of white light started to flow from the topmost part of the object. The light slowly transformed into a sort of holographic image and Carey and Ram Babu looked at it in awe. The images showed the current position of the Orb and then it showed the path beyond the northern mountains, towards the highest peak of the Himalayas- where a large iron gate stood with yetis guarding the entrance- this was Shamballa- the Orb has shown the way- finally!

“That looks like Mt. Kailasa, I knew it! Shamballa and Kailasa were the same place,” said Carey enthusiastically.

Then the Orb powered down and the pieces fell back together and fell to the ground- it was nothing more than an ordinary piece of metal now. Carey saw the way, straight north- for ten kilometres and then straight upwards a mountain for another ten kilometres or so.

“We need to hurry, quick Ram, pack our bags and ready the Yak!” he ordered.

“Before you go, be careful, there are people who want you dead, keep an eye out!” Chang advised.

“You mean the witch? I don’t know what her agenda is, she keeps interrupting,”

“Not just her, there’s someone else,”

“Yes I noticed, someone shot at her, who might it be?”

“That’s for you to find out. Two of the Yetis will accompany you halfway, the Princess will stay in our care, once you find the cure, start a prayer and she’ll be healed,”

“That’s good- um, thank you for your help,”

“It is my sacred duty to be of assistance to the seeker, now please prepare for your final journey,”

An hour later, Carey got ready to go. He kissed the Princess’s hand goodbye, hoping he would find the cure. The Yetis accompanied them and Carey bade Chang goodbye.