Ska'i Malamalama
Time slowed, as the Riders thick leather boots made soft crunching sounds with every footfall.
"Okay, I could have sworn we've already seen this crystal before," Snotlout grumbled.
"Uh, duh," Ruffnut countered. "This entire place is filled with crystals."
"I admit their beauty is starting to wear off," Astrid commented, weary heavy in her voice.
"Yeah, I'm starting to get a headache," Tuff confessed.
As Ska'i squished her eyes tight, they screamed in gratitude to be getting a break from the constant shine they were surrounded by. "It is bright in here."
"Hiccup, do you have a pair of glasses?" Astrid asked, squinting.
"Yeah, the one pair. Alright, here's the plan: Fishlegs and I will lead, while you guys, cover your eyes with something."
Everyone cut off a bit of their sleeve to tie around their eyes, pushed their helmets down, and shoved their face in the crook of their elbow. With their hands on shoulders, and sight completely blocked, the Riders stumbled along, one after the other. Behind their leader then scholar, as they tried one way through the natural crystal walls. Then another.
Ska'i couldn't guess how much time passed; it was taking so long. She tried memorizing how many paces between each turn, it was a wonder how she passed this blind tracking section back on her island, but she was better, with her eyes. Granted, she had to take it a few times.
Only shuffles, and Hiccup and Fishlegs whispers could be heard, "There's a fork." "Which way?" "Why not go left?" "Sounds good," then the sound of metal clinking on metal, and ice chipping away. Or "Ah, look," "Yeah, we've already come this way." "So right it is." "Let's put an arrow there anyway, in case." Sigh from Snolout. Then more clink-chipping.
She also couldn't tell if it was the repetitiveness of the whole thing, but boredom soon followed. Or it might have been the toll of how exertive the solution to the riddles was causing her fatigue. She could only hope that forcing her body through sleep deprivation would reward them with the Stone at the end of all this.
"Hey. There are no more crystals," Fishlegs announced in a soft voice.
"Are we out yet?" Snotlout was impatient, while Ruff was curious, "Can we look yet?"
"It's not any less bright in here, but you guys can go ahead and look," Hiccup instructed.
Taking off their blindfolds, they gawked at what was before them. They were standing on a stone precipice that narrowed to a point at the edge, leading to a giant ice span of a hallway. What helped give some solace to their eyes from the all-too-brilliant sheen, was the seemingly never-ending crevice before them. Ska'i wasn't sure if it was so dark because of how far it went, or if something else could be down there. She did not want to find out either way - especially without the dragons. She squinted, not quite able to tell what was on the far side.
"Are those . . . more crystals?" Astrid was wondering the same thing.
"Appears that way." Then Hiccup asked randomly, "Does anyone have a piece of wood?"
"Oh here, let me pull one from this giant pile of lumber I happen to carry around!"
The Riders ignored Snotlout, while Tuff removed one from his belt. "I have one."
Astrid asked, "Why on Odin's green earth do you have a piece of firewood on you?"
"Uh, in case of boars. Duh."
"That's genius, brother! We don't want them hurt while herding them into our pit!"
"Okay," Astrid gave up, as Tuff handed over the log to Hiccup.
He struck a match, and immediately they were hypnotized, as he let the fire burn halfway through. With great caution, he joined Ska'i at the edge before dropping it down the dark hole. No one said anything, as Hiccup and Ska'i watched the firelight fade into the deep nothingness. It was as if this was where night itself was birthed at Creation. Ska'i didn't even know she was leaning forward, until Hiccup jerked her back, with a sudden outstretched arm across her shoulders. Her hand shot up to his wrist, as her heart rate sped up, and her breathing became heavy. "Thanks," she panted to the leader, and he gave her a steady, comforting nod in return.
Inching his way back, he asked, "Fishlegs, what count are you at?"
"That was about two minutes." They shared a glance. "I didn't hear anything."
"And we never saw it reach the bottom." Trepidation hung heavy in his voice.
"That would be four miles." Similar looks of dread were shared. "Maybe a little more -."
"Okay, wait a minute," Astrid interrupted. "You're saying that hole is four miles down?"
There was a sheepish sound to Fishlegs' tone when he corrected, "Or more."
" 'Or more.' " she repeated.
"Let's try looking for a riddle," Hiccup interrupted the precipitated tension.
Fishlegs tried peering down the sides, without being too careless. Astrid and Ruffnut scanned the walls, while Hiccup and Ska'i studied the doorway. It didn't take long to find; Tuff shouted from the far edge, "Hey, there's some writing here!"
Ska'i asked, "What's it read, Tuff?"
"It's kinda janky," he explained, tilting his head one way, then the other. "And it's in two pieces. Like a second half was added on as an afterthought." But he proceeded:
Now you're more than halfway through
Celebrate too soon, it will be the death of you
Rainbows don't shine in the dark, not without some light
You won't be able to cross without some type of flight
"Alright, we're more than halfway through!" Snotlout cheered.
-
