knights

Chapter Ten: What Lies on the Other Side

Chapter Ten: What Lies on the Other Side

Silence remained amongst us as we crossed the threshold through the opened wall; our guide steadily leading us through a long corridor filled with shifting gears and clocks. At the end, our destination; a room very similar to the one we entered when first arriving inside the Temple, but on a smaller scale.

What is it with the clocks? I have yet to come to any conclusion as to what they could symbolize except time, but I know there’s more to it than that, there has to be.. This whole trial had a purpose for something other than time, so why can’t I figure it out?

“I’m hungry..” Ellie spoke out, though I think she was talking more to herself than to anyone else.  It only made me start to feel hungry as well. With all the excitement happening around every corner I didn’t really have time to think about my stomach till now.

“So Your Highness.. afraid of the closet monster are you?”

How did he? Who is this cloaked guy anyway? How in the world did he know..

“Oh Prince, are you kidding me!?”

A loud thud shot throughout the room, sending vibrations like waves under our feet. It wasn’t till I saw the shadow being cast onto a nearby wall that it came to me that the thud was actually a footstep.. A footstep of my greatest fear, and my greatest embarrassment..

“Oh good grief! I thought he was joking! Your biggest fear is something that doesn’t even exist! The closet monster was just a wives tale that the grownups told to get a rise out of kids! It never really existed!”

“Well it does now Ellie otherwise it wouldn’t be here!” I shouted without thinking.

The closet monster groaned from behind one of many pillars, its shadow enlarging as it slowly moved forward toward us.

I went to run back to the corridor, but to no surprise, the damn exit disappeared, leaving us completely trapped in yet another closed room.

“I don’t know if I should be afraid or amused. You really are something else Prince!”

“Shut up Ellie! Now’s not the time for your childish remarks!”

“So how do we defeat it, guide?” Delita spoke in a low tone, completely ignoring Ellie and me as we continued bickering with one another. I could still hear a hint of anger under his voice, it sent a slight shiver down my spine. I never heard Delita sound like this, angry yes, but not like this..

“Simple, just use the sword given to the Prince and plunge it through the monster’s chest. Oh, and only the Prince can do it. We can help, but only he can strike the final blow.”

Why, do I hate that idea? Me fight an oversized closet monster? Even with everyone’s help I don’t feel confident enough to pull that off.. I don’t even know the first thing about using a sword, and I have to fight with it? Are they kidding me!?

Another thud shook the room and I couldn’t veer my eyes away from the terror that was finally moving into the light. A monster so large that it could squish us under its very foot and had fangs the size of mountains. A monster so terrifying that children from all around the world flee in horror as it gobbles them up whole, one by one..

A monster so beyond scary that it could..

..it could..

Wait what?

Ellie busted out in laughter, and for a brief moment, I almost did too. What came out from amongst the pillars was not the closet monster I’d imagined. In fact, it was the complete opposite. You have no idea the relief I felt just then, how happy I was in that moment. Maybe this will be easy after all?