THE PRINCESS OF ÉLEVÉ

Shroom Attack

Yuri, Calypso, and the WOOs traveled for many hours to make sure they'd left the vicious tiger behind. The underground passageways meandered up and down. They entered a very large chamber in the maze of tunnels.

Yuri was stunned by the beauty of the chamber. Stalactites hung from the ceiling and were dripping into several warm pools. The stalactites rimmed the chamber.

"Calypso," Yuri asked, "Where do these pools go?"

"They go underwater to thermal pools. They can be hot."

"I wish Archie could see these. They're beautiful."

Yuri realized there was no way out other than the way they entered. There were stalactites around the entrance of the tunnel. There was a moss covered cave, and one wall was smooth with figures engraved. He wondered if there were hidden passages.

The WOOs began tugging on Calypso's wings.

"Quit it. You already made me lose my wand." They decided to retreat, and wait for another time.

Yuri took off his backpack and wiped his brow.

He asked Calypso, "do you notice something strange?"

"Like what?"

"There doesn't seem to be a way to go on. And look at the engravings on the wall." Yuri pointed.

"Looks like a monkey. And those look like coconuts."

"It was mentioned in Archie's journal. It's a riddle."

"What about?" asked Calypso.

"Three men collect some coconuts. Then each in turn divides the pile in thirds with one coconut left over for the monkey. Each hides a third and leaves the other two thirds. At the end they divide the much smaller pile into thirds with one again for the monkey."

"We figure out the number of coconuts? I have it."

"So quickly? You're sure?"

"Yep. Now what?" Calypso asked.

"I guess we walk off the number around the cavern."

Calypso whispered in the ear of each WOO and sent one to the left around the cavern and the other to the right. They walked slowly, counting as they walked. Then each stopped at the same time some distance apart.

"I didn't know which way to go. What now?"

"They should push against the wall as we did before."

Calypso nodded to the WOOs to go ahead. Each tapped the wall with their wands. They jumped back as the rocks slide away in the two spots revealing two passageways. One had moss around the opening, the smaller had an archway. The WOOs named them MOSSIE and ARCHIE as Archie did.

"Well, I'll be," Yuri mumbled. "It's just like the last cavern. I wonder if the passages were supposed to be hidden there but the entrances were left open by mistake? Oh well, it doesn't much matter now."

This cavern was even cooler than the last one and the light was different too. It wasn't just phosphorescence. The light in both of the secret tunnels intensified. Perhaps they were quite close to the surface, thought Yuri, or maybe they were reaching the end of the long series of passageways.

The TWOWOOs chimed in.

"Which fork do we take?

What choice do we make?"