Excalibur Rising

Totems and chasing a leprechaun

Chapter 12

Sitting atop of a large throne like chair, an elderly man sat watching over the maze, his brows furrowed but his lips were curled into the smallest of smiles that if you weren’t looking for it, you would mistake it for a grimace. His weather worn skin looked more like worn leather and as he leant forwards over the balustrade, he raised his left hand and then after nodding towards a section of the maze built into his arena so that the umpires, a variety of mythical beings around the edge of the maze, could see and he then gave a thumbs up. They all let of a mighty roar and the ground trembled beneath their feet or hooves until all that was left behind was a dust cloud. The old man returned his attention to the maze, his lips parting to utter three barely audible words.

“Good Luck children,”

Colton was oblivious to the eyes upon him and instead of fighting it like he had done for the first five minutes; he now let his feet guide him through the maze. He had been walking for nearly an hour, taking sudden sharp twists and turns through the maze but strangely enough he hadn’t encountered anyone or anything, not even the sound of chirping birds or the rusting of the grass beneath his feet as he lurched down the narrowing pathways. After taking yet another right turn while he idly wondered if he was going in circles, he was shocked when he finally someone. He gasped and as the person turned around he realised it was more of a something.

He was there but at the same time he was not. The light breeze that was blowing through the area made him shimmer and his form became non corporeal. It was almost as if he would get blown away if the wind was strong enough. The man raised his chin and puffed his chest out trying to look superior and then in a deep booming voice he addressed Colton.

“Welcome child,” the man stared down at Colton trying to act intimidating but he just let out huge guffaws and swiped at the air. “Welcome child, ahh to funny, you look about 5 years younger than me, you should have seen your face.”

Colton who had paled when he had initially been addressed by the man now allowed a small smile to appear on his lips, though he tried not to look too amused, biting his lips so that he wouldn’t have to face the man’s wrath.

 “Kiddo, welcome to the centre of the maze, I see you have your totem and look at that, you’re not even bloody or bruised, that’s a first let me tell you.” The man swept his arms out to the side and a round swirling disk appeared in mid-air.

Colton thought it looked like the same foggy disk that Xandria had used to show them the story of Merlin and Morgana but somehow he knew that this wasn’t the same thing. He also felt himself pale at the man’s words. Bloody and bruised? He bit his lip and looked over his shoulder back into the maze. Although his feet were glued to the ground he could feel himself wavering. I need to save my friends he thought as he struggled against the invisible bindings.

“Anyway, there’s the way back, you ready to go now or do you want to wait and see if any of your friends have survived?”

 Colton gaped at the man, he was so flippant about the fact that his friends could be dead that Colton couldn’t restrain himself and before he knew what he was doing his hand was flying through the air. It swung towards the man’s face and Colton had a glare set firmly on his face as he aimed, hoping for the satisfying thud as it made contact with his face but instead the man’s body turned incorporeal and Colton had nothing to stop his momentum so he went stumbling forwards almost falling through the body.

Scrambling back, Colton stared as the man’s body reformed and he let out another deep bellowing laugh.

“What were you trying to do?” he said through a laugh staring at Colton whose fists were gripping into the grass as he tried to stop himself from getting up and taking another swing at the man. “What did I ever do to you anyway?” he frowned at the red head on the floor before sighing and folding his arms. “Well, are you going to tell me what caused you to think that you could possibly take me on?”