Blood of the Abyss

Blood of the Abyss Part 16

Chapter 16

The Gauntlet of Knowledge

Lysandra

The path wound round and around. The low mist disoriented us and the turns we took seemed to blur together. But we did not see the 'X's on the branches for maybe a couple of turns. We continued until we arrived at a clearing surrounded by ancient trees.

"Did we make it out finally?" Thelran looked behind us to see the hedges, and no hedges continued after. "We did." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally! My feet are killing me!" Caspian put me down for a second. "By the way, just so everyone knows, my gut was correct!"

"Yeah, after following your gut for twenty turns, you were finally right." Alwine chuckled heartily.

"So what's with these trees? Part of the next trial?" Illine asked.

"I'm guessing this is supposed to reveal our will in the past? I have no clue what that could be at all." I groaned. "But we better get moving." Caspian helped me onto his back again and this time I was acutely aware of his grip on my thighs. I shook the thoughts from my mind. We needed to be focused on the task at hand. As we neared the ancient trees, the cackling we heard when we were pushed into the maze could be heard mixed with what sounded like thunder. Overhead, the sky darkened to grey. I suddenly shivered as a gust of wind rustled through the leafless trees.

"Any idea on what we are going to face?" Cas asked.

As if on cue, a roar came from the center of the ancient trees. A dark grey hulking creature stalked toward us. It was covered in what looked to be rock, but I couldn't tell. Its sharp claws dragged on the ground causing sparks to fly when it hit a rock. Its four beady eyes peered greedily at each of us.

"Are we supposed to kill it?" Caspian stared at the creature. Suddenly it gave a loud roar and came barreling toward us.

"RUN!" Thelran yelled and we ran to avoid the creature barrelling into us. What kind of test was this?! I tried to unscramble the apparition's riddle from before as I bounced against Caspian's back as he ran. I looked at the creature and noticed it's mouth was agape, it's jaw unhinged. I stared into the black chasm of its mouth and suddenly saw an old church through its mouth. Confused with what I saw I turned back and grabbed Caspian's dagger from his belt and threw it at the beast. The dagger stuck into his shoulder and sunk into its flesh. I looked over and saw Alwine pull his large hammer from his back getting into position to deliver a vicious blow.

"Come over here you over sized bowl." Alwine shouted. The beast turned and headed toward the dwarf. In almost perfect timing Alwine delivered his blow to the monster's head, the clay of its neck separated and the beast collapsed with its head hanging by a thin shard of stone. Caspian turned and drew his sword ready to fight along with Alwine. I clutched onto him using my legs and arms to stay put. The stitches in my leg started to pull but I barely noticed the pain with the adrenaline pumping through my body The monster on the ground started to shift and move, lifting itself up and righting its head. It crouched low to the ground readying itself to pounce. Its claws poised at its side. It leapt forward toward us stretching its arms to reach us all. Caspian barely dodged it and rolled to the side. 'Ow, Cas that hurts think before you move' I thought. A stone came soaring from behind me and landed in its mouth. Wait was that a ripple? Curious I clumsily grabbed at my dagger. Caspian shifted to accommodate my movements while giving me a worried and annoyed look. Finally getting my dagger I aimed it and threw it into the monster's mouth. As it entered I saw the ripple again, it shifted and showed an image of a building and trees. The beast howled again and charged. Caspian turned and ran away from the beast.

"We have to get eaten..." I whispered, shuddering at the thought of allowing whatever this creature was to eat me.

"What are you talking about?" Caspian asked as he continued to run.

"Do you not see that?" I pointed at the distant church inside the creature's mouth.

"See what? I see a giant mouth that could swallow us in a single gulp."

"Cas, you trust me right?" I asked.

"Um, yes?"
"Put me down."

"WHAT?" Illine yelled. "Do NOT put her down, Caspian!"

"Put me down, Cas. Trust me." Unsure of who to listen to, Caspian stood frozen for an instant. I wriggled my way from his grip and limped my way toward the creature.

"LYSANDRA!" Caspian tried to grab me and pull me to safety. Safety wasn't going to get us past this. I ignored Caspian's and everyone else's cries as I approached the monster in a cautious limp.

"I hope I am right about this." I groaned. "Alright creature! EAT ME!" I yelled. In one swoop of its unhinged jaw, the creature stooped and swallowed me whole.

***

When I opened my eyes, I could see the others on the other side of the weird portal I had just been transported through. The sun was bright here and the area was oddly beautiful. I looked at Caspian, who looked utterly horrified that I had just allowed myself to be swallowed by that creature. I glanced down at the dewy grass and a glint caught my eye. My dagger had also made it through. I bent down to pick it up, relieved that I was right. Glancing back up at the portal, I knew I needed to convince them that it was okay to be swallowed by the creature.

"Guys! I'm still here! Let it eat you!" I yelled through the rippled portal, hoping that they could hear me. Caspian looked in my direction, unable to see me, but could hear me.

"CAS! Trust me!" I called again. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded to the others before stepping toward the creature. He closed his eyes tightly as the beast moved down to swallow him. He appeared next to me confused by the sudden brightness.

"Lysandra? Don't ever do that again!" He exclaimed when he noticed me and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"I would hope I would never have to." I chuckled.

"C'mon guys! Let it eat you!" Caspian yelled back to the others. Soon the others had joined us on the other side of the creature and in the brightness of the new area.

"What on earth are these trials?!" Alwine yelled, slightly out of breath.

"Well the ghost did say each would be a bit more encompassing than the last." I sighed.

"My question is, how did you know that we needed to be swallowed by the creature?" Thelran eyed me curiously.

"I'm not sure." I started. I wasn't sure what I saw or how I knew that it was what we were supposed to do, and I definitely didn't know how to explain it to the others. "But let's keep moving. I think we are heading for that." I pointed at the building surrounded by trees.

"Then let's get moving," Caspian stated. "The sooner we get done with these trials, the closer we get to answers."

We began our walk toward the dark clusters of trees, letting the shadows overtake us.