Sun & Purity Vs. Darkness - A new Legend (Marissonshipping) [Wattys 2016]

Chapter 18: Shrine of the Seal Part 1 Fire

They arrived a square room.

In the back of it stood a huge stone gate with four round, empty slots, two on each side. On the right and on the left side of the room were two doors each. Three of them were closed by a brown, white or blue Lockjaw, a small one-eyed demon, who is clamped on doors. His pupil has the shape of a keyhole. Only the door in the top-left hand corner hadn't one. In the center of the room was a round, slight recess, which was divided into four parts. Each part had a symbol. The part in the top-left hand corner had a flame, the one next to it a wave, the part under this one a sapling and the last part a spiral. These symbols were also engraved in the slots on the gate in the same order.

The group looked around and walked to the gate.

''It seems, that we need four keys to open it.'' Issun said while looking closely at the slots.

''But where do we find them?'' Manon asked.

''I'm sure, that they are behind those doors and since there is only one door, which hasn't a Lockjaw we should take this one.'' Issun replied suggesting.

''What are Lockjaws?'' Manon asked curiously.

''Well, they are demons, who are used as a lock. To get rid of them we need an Exorcism Key. It's a key with an exorcism arrow tied to it.'' Issun explained.

''Let's don't waste any more time and search for the keys.'' Alan suggested.

The rest of the group agreed with him and together they turned to the left side, went straight until they reached the door and entered the room.

It was a round room with a grillage platform on the right side of the room, where the group had arrived seconds ago. Under it, lava, which came through a waterfall on a higher level, seethed. Next to the platform was a yellow spider with a platform on its back. This so called Platform Spider led to a higher level, where the door to the next room was located.

Once the group entered the room, they felt the heat of the lava beneath the grillage platform.

''What do we do now?'' Alan asked while looking around.

''We use the Platform Spider'.' Issun stated like it was that obvious.

Alan looked at him skeptically.

''What? It isn't dangerous.'' Issun assured.

Alan wasn't convinced by Issun's answer, but before he could say anything against it, Manon went with Amaterasu and Issun in tow to the spider and stepped on it. So Alan hurried to them and got on it just before it began to move upwards.

When they were halfway through, Issun raised his tiny voice:

''Listen, there's a special information about this kind of Platform Spider. It will climb to the highest point of its twine and once it reached it, it bucks everyone, who is on its back, off. So we need to jump before that happens.''

Alan nodded while Manon, who still couldn't believe, that she had shrunk and was using a spider as a way to get to a higher level, looked fascinated around.

The group waited until the spider crossed the platform of the higher level and jumped while it climbed further upwards.

Once they landed safe, Amaterasu and Issun walked in the direction of the door while Alan sighed relieved, that nothing had happened. When he wanted to follow them, he got a feeling, that something wasn't right and looked around. His eyes widened when he realized it. Someone was missing. And that someone was Manon.