Aryza and the Soul Keys

Keeper of Death

She heard something. In the hallway. Her breath stopped. Footsteps. Coming closer. Her door to her bedroom opened. She saw a shadow. She wanted to scream, to let her family know. It was too late. The figure came closer and she saw a faint outline of a face. With a gun in his hand, he looked at her. Aryza stared back. The gun was pointed to her face and she closed her eyes and came to peace. There was a loud boom and a scream.

When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the purple pit called her bedroom. She was in a place that looked liked the inside of a volcano. It felt like Death Valley. She was wondering where she was. Was this a dream? What had happened? Then she remembered. She suddenly felt trapped inside. Doom and dread was the feelings that she felt. She saw a figure in the corner. It was dressed in black and red robes. She walked toward it, for there was no where else for her to go.

She walked up, and realized it was a man. She was only a fourteen-year-old girl dressed in pajamas, but seen as she was already dead, figured she would talk to him. "Hello? Can you help me? My name is Aryza Thomas. I am fourteen years old. I don't know where I am. Please?"

The man responded, "I know who you are, Aryza. I am the keeper of the Death Grounds. You know that you have died. Perhaps you are wondering why. There is no reason to this treason and no dwindle in my riddle. Perhaps you could figure out my next rhyme before you are out of time."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, waiting intently for an answer. "I may be smart, but this is a bit weird."

The Keeper responded, "I am no fiddler, just a riddler. Take your way around the loop. Take your time, do not droop. Look for any thing to pay, and I may help you on your way."

"I still don't get it," replied Aryza.

"Do you know how hard it is to write these things!" The Keeper responded, "I spend all of my time, focusing on my area of the Death Grounds, thinking of the new rhymes, only for those brave enough to solve, and they give me you! I don't get it. I am only supposed to get the good ones, as I am The Keeper. I am not getting paid nearly enough.  Now go. Find something around here worth any value and bring it back to me. Hurry."

Aryza turned and started walking around. Her eyes, not yet weary, were looking around. Scanning every inch of the football sized grounds, she could not spot it. Still she kept searching. She started to think to herself. Why was she here? Who was the silhouette? Will she be able to see her old friends? Will she reunite with her family?

She kept searching for it. Even though she was tired, she could not ask The Keeper for help. She must do it herself. Just when she was about to give up, she found it. It looked like a glowing green shard of glass. She picked it up. Even though it didn't look like anything special, she decided to show it anyway, as it was a bit of different scenery.

Walking toward The Keeper, with the shard of it in her hand, she was triumphant. The smile was spreading across her face. She did it. She kept walking, with even more vigor than she did when she started.

The Keeper looked up at her. He nodded in recognition. "Let me see that," he said, "Ah... Exellent. I see that we actually do have a warrior here. Please, take this scroll. It has directions to youe next area of the underworld. Do be careful and take the shard with you. Beware of the magical forest. Good luck. Go now."