The Curse of Hidden Hollow

Get Ready

Ash's confidence was gone at that point. He stuttered trying to put together words. "Wha-Wha- What do you mean!?" The chief's gaze never broke. "Exactly what I said. You must face and defeat one of the beasts of the mountain." Ash felt a ping of fear strike through his heart. "Ash," The chief began, "I have full confidence in you. All of these trials have been building you up to this moment. The moment you slay the beast is the moment you will fulfill a part of your destiny, and take over as the reigning chief of the Katahdin tribe." Ash wanted to believe the chief's words, he almost did, but he couldn't. "How? How am I, a young boy, supposed to beat a freakin' Wendigo!?" The chief winced at Ash using that name to refer to the beast. "You will find your own power within." Ash sighed. "You say I have this 'power within'." He said making air quotes with his fingers. "But I've yet to feel anything! What exactly is this power within?" The chief sat cross-legged in front of him. "Let me tell you a story." Ash turned to face him. "When I was a young boy, the village was a prospering community, much bigger and better than it was before the white man settled. One time, my father, the chief at the time, decided to take me on a hunting trip with him and a band of warriors from our tribe. We had gotten far out into the plains when we were set upon by an ambush of braves from an opposing tribe. Many of the warriors from my tribe were killed. It was at that moment that I found the power within. My body was overtaken by a force that was not my own. Like I was possessed by something not of this world. The adrenaline, the energy, powered me through. I was able to fight off all of the braves, and drag my father to safety. It was on that day I became a true warrior by my tribal standards. I returned to the tribe as a hero. I was brought before the tribe shaman shortly after we arrived back in the village. He told me that it was something he had never seen before. He named it "The power within". It was the power that had given me the strength to fight off all of those warriors." Ash was awestruck. "You fought off an entire ambush?" His eyes widened. "And I have this 'Power Within' thing?" The chief smiled, and nodded. Ash was kind of hyped up now, he probably shouldn't be, but he was. He stood up shakily, and looked at Ahtunowhiho. "I changed my mind, Ahtunowhiho. I think I can do this, I can beat this thing." The chief smiled proudly. "I told you that I believed in you, and now, you're finally starting to believe in yourself." Ash began the walk down the final corridor. He began to think as he walked. What would become of him after this? Would he ever be able to go back to normal after all of this? What if he couldn't stop the beasts? Would anyone make it out alive? Would it truly be the end of all days? Would the world really come to an end? How many creatures would be unleashed on the world? What would happen to his parents? His grandparents? His friends? Kiera? All of their lives are in his hands, shoot, the entire world is in his hands. He still didn't completely understand why this burden was being set upon his shoulders, but dang it if he wasn't going to see it through to the end. As per usual, he came to a large door, this one with a symbol of a deer skull on it, with a torch on each side of it. Ahtunowhiho appeared in front of Ash, a serious look on his face. "This is it, Ash. The final trial before you fulfill your destiny as the chief of the Katahdin tribe. After you complete this task, the ending tunnel will bring you right up to the chamber you first started in, before you fell down in the elevator with the minecart. You will be able to leave the mines, and you will begin the battle with the beasts." Ash's heart rose into his chest at the mention of the battle. Up until that point, he had forgotten that there was still a major battle ahead, even after this battle. It hit him a bit hard, but he knew he could do it. He turned to Ahtunowhiho, "What am I allowed to use to take this thing down in there?" He asked. "You may use anything that is currently on you, but be warned, the only way to kill one of the beasts, is to carve out its heart, and burn it in flames. In the chamber, you will find a very large empty room, a burning flame within a small fire pit on a pedestal. There will be a lever on the wall. Pull it when you are ready, and it will release the beast into the chamber." Ash nodded, remembering he had a few weapons on him. It was almost as if Ahtunowhiho could read his thoughts. "I have seen you collect weapons and items along the way, feel free to use them to your disposal." Ash smiled at that, he knew how good a shot he was. He was telling himself that this was going to be easy money. Ahtunowhiho put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready? You better be, because once you enter that door, there's no turning back." Ash cracked a cocky smile. "As if there was turning back in the first place?" He gave the chief a mini salute and pushed open the door. He took a look around, and it was exactly as the chief had said. The lever on one side, the fire on the other side, and a giant door in the middle. Ash swallowed a lump in his throat and pulled out the colt. He checked to make sure it was all loaded up, and everything was good to go. He put the knife into his boot, making sure it was easy to grab and pull out at a moment's notice, but not so loose that it would fall out. He stood back up from the ground and made his way over to the wall. He took a deep breath and pulled the lever.