Blackstone

Meeting the Guardian

            "There's a spider in there the size of a small house," I said.

            "You can't be serious," Thomas said.

            "I'm telling you. I saw it clear as day."

            Carrie sat down on the ledge and pulled her knees close to her chest.

            I knelt down beside her. "Carrie what's wrong?"

            "I can't handle spiders. I've always been terrified of them, ever since I was a little girl," she said softly

            "Carrie, we've got no choice. We've got to go through that door," Thomas said.

            Carrie didn't answer, but pulled her knees closer to her body. "Go on without me. I'll find another way out."

            "Carrie, this is a team challenge. We don't leave anyone behind," I said.

            Thomas and I grabbed a hold of Carrie and pulled her to her feet, "Besides if it hadn't been for you we never would have gotten past the Minotaur," I added.

            "That's right, Carrie, the Minotaur. We've got to have scored points for healing that bloody bugger. That's all because of you." Thomas said.

            Carrie smiled and straightened up. She took a deep breath and faced the silver door. "Very well, I suppose it's time I faced my fears."

            I walked to the silver door, ahead of Carrie and Thomas. I grabbed the door knob and looked back at them. "Stay behind me. We'll go together. If this thing makes a hostile move then run for it. I'll try to hold it off."

            "How exactly are you going to do that?" Carrie asked.

            "Let's just say I'm not in Blackstone because of my charming personality," I answered her. For some reason, I felt I needed to add more, "Look, we all have powers and abilities, that's why we were recruited. My power is a bit darker and it's certainly more dangerous, so if I have to use it then I want you to get as far away as possible. Are we on the same page here?"

            Carrie and Thomas nodded. I grabbed a hold of the knob and opened the door and all three of us stepped through.

            The walkway extended about 50 yards through a large cathedral like room. At the opposite end, behind an ornate altar, was a Gold Door. Standing in the way of the door was an immense web and standing guard like a sentinel in the web - an immense gray spider.

            The spider was the size of a small house. Even from this distance, I could make out its immense fangs. Thick wiry hair jutted from its bulbous body and eight crystal eyes gleamed in light which shone from above. Despite its fearsome appearance, the spider waited patiently in the web. It made no sudden moves and I got the feeling that it was waiting for us to approach it. It seemed to me that it had been here a long time and this was its domain. The cathedral had been built for it. It wasn't an invader that had defiled this sacred place.

            Suddenly a booming voice shattered the silence.

            "Come forth, Students of Blackstone! Come forth and be judged by the Guardian!"

            We crept forward, inching towards the altar and the great web.

            I checked inside to see how the Wend was doing. Normally when my adrenaline began flowing, the Wend stirred and prepared for release. It knew that I was going into battle and soon it would satisfy its hunger. However, this time the Wend was silent and still, almost as if it was calmed by the presence of a superior being.