Stone Sacrifice ✔️Chronicles of Grey BOOK ONE [COMPLETED]

Chapter Eighteen

I stared at the pool in silence.

I had spent another day of fighting off creatures I'd only heard of and ghosts with a violence I could barely comprehend. I'd even come across a baby werm that chased me through the tangled roots for two hours until I finally figured out how to kill the tiny thing. 

I had left a trail of blood through Eastwood and so now, standing here, I knew it had to be harder then it looked.

The pool was black and menacing, stretching at least an arm to my left and right. Straight ahead of me, about fifty twigs across the pool and not much more, there was a staircase set into an otherwise completely flat stone wall that was the entrance to the North Mountains. Between me and that staircase was a single line of stone about the width of my foot. I had balanced on things thinner then this in training and could walk it easily. Many, I'm sure, could walk it easily. Some children could no doubt skip across it. 

So that couldn't be all that was between me and my second destination.

Something was in the water. I was sure of it.

But the water was completely still, giving no hints as to what could be in there. I stood at the edge of darkness, and I waited, but there was nothing. I saw no other way across, no way around, and no other options.

I would have to risk it.

But... it couldn't be this easy. It couldn't.

I stepped on the stone ahead of me, then jumped back onto solid land quickly, hand on the hilt of my sword.

I waited.

Nothing

I frowned at the water suspiciously.

Behind me, I sensed something creeping up on me. In my two days in the northern part of Eastwood, my instincts were sharpened to a capital T and I had a feeling I used my second brain more then my first for almost everything since leaving the boulder. I have learned to trust them and so I turned but saw nothing. 

It didn't matter, my suspicions were more then likely correct and if there was something in the water —there was, I just knew it — then I would rather cross it in as much silence as possible and not have the sound of fighting wake it up.

I put the light crystal in my mouth, stepped onto the stone walkway with a grimace, and with my sword gripped firmly, I started across.

I walked. Two steps... three. My feet did not touch the water, only the stone which sat just a quarter twig above it. My steps on the stone did not make ripples in the alarmingly still water. There was nothing.

Four steps... five... six...

Before I knew it, I was half the way across. I did not feel safe, in fact, I was debating on running across the last half to get off this walkway as quickly as possible when it happened.

A tentacle, much like the sirens' but with no claw at the end and much, much larger, burst out of the water with a splash and wrapped around my ankle. I did not jump in fright or shock after (not after Eastwood), and instead I cut down at it instantly. However, it had knocked me off balance and I struggled to regain it. I thought I heard a shout from somewhere - more then likely mine - and then another tentacle came out, then another, and both went for me. 

I swiped at them, cutting off both in one strike, but a third tentacle came up behind me as I did and encased both legs in a hard, snake-like grip. Before I could cut it off, I was being yanked into the water.

My first thought was: I knew there was something in here!

Then, I was fighting.

My sword went down, cutting off the tentacle around my waist and leaving a splash of black ink behind which burned my eyes, but not enough for me to close them. Of course, I then tried to swim up, but several more came at me. With the light crystal, I was able to see my surroundings somewhat, but though I was fast, I was not fast enough.