Victor and the Seven Circles of Darkness

Chapter 9 - The First Gate

As soon as they finished eating, they packed their things and moved on, and none of them complained. They came to a halt when they reached three passages leading onward and Master Tyrus was uncertain which way to follow.

"Bogle, will you check each passage and see where it's going?" ordered Master Tyrus. His priority was the safety of the companions, time and effort have to be considered as well.

"Yes, sir!" said Bogle and flew away. His necklace defied darkness as he surveyed the area. It took  him awhile to come out from the first passage, the same with the second passage, and finally he's done with the third. He came back panting.

"The left passage is connected to a stairway routed downward," he reported. "The middle passage is a straight bridge, and the right passage is connected to a stairway going upward. The paths are all narrow and down below are deep to fall into. At the other side of each path is a dead end."

"What do you mean a dead end?" said Trobit.

"Blocked—all walls."

Master Tyrus considered it a good news. "We might be reaching the gate to the first circle now." He approached one passage to another, going back and forth, studying each one. Obviously he didn't want to take chances. It would be a waste of time and energy to go through all these passages one by one. He held up his lamp in the hope of finding some marks or inscriptions that might help his judgment. He even tried to feel the flow of the wind, but nothing of that sort had helped him decide which passage to follow.

Victor, Trobit, and Bogle remained quiet, giving Master Tyrus the time and space he needed to concentrate. They waited. All of a sudden, the rooster crowed at an alarming intensity, making them jump in terror. They stood silent, frozen, and observant to whatever movement or sound that could possibly arise from the noise. They gripped their swords up and ready to strike if danger take control over them. A moment of silence had passed and nothing came up. They lowered their swords and took a long breath of relief.

"What a noisy, reckless, inconsiderate rooster this is!" fretted Trobit. 

A rooster crow in a place so quiet and sealed had been expected to be that loud, but still, it made their hearts jump, knowing that it might attract enemies from nowhere. 

"A day just passed," said Master Tyrus. "We better stop here and take a rest. Get some sleep, I'll watch." Master Tyrus held the thin rope around his waist and made a knot. Victor and Trobit did the same. They had twenty-three days left.

The two boys spread their mats on the cold floor, wrapped themselves with their sleeping bags and fell into a deep sleep. Trobit began snoring. Bogle sat beside Victor's face and closed his eyes.

Master Tyrus studied the three passages one more time, still, he had no clue which one to choose. He wouldn't gamble time for a wrong guess. He had to make sure it's the right passage.

He stood in silence, closed his eyes, stretched his arms sideward, palms open wide and tried to catch the whip of wind coming out from the three passages. First, he concentrated on the left passage, after which the middle, and lastly on the right. In a short while he sighed with a smile on his face. He sat beside the sleeping prince and leaned his back against the wall. Out of tiredness, he, too, fell asleep.

He wasn't sure how long he slept as pain in the neck awoke him. He took his backpack and searched for his little clock. He knew Mount Saligia was unpredictable, and yet, he wanted to try and to his dismay, the clock stopped tickling. He decided to wake them up.

"It's not morning yet. I'm still tired and sleepy," answered Trobit while enjoying the warm comfort of his sleeping bag.

"Hey, you're in the Darkworld, fat boy. It's always dark here," said Bogle. "Wake up!"

"Have you decided which passage to follow, Master Tyrus?" asked Victor while rubbing his eyes.

"I've made up my mind. My palm froze on the left passage, and there's a foul smell on the right passage. I felt warm breeze on the middle—we shall take the middle passage."

After eating of what they considered breakfast, they entered the middle passage. The footbridge was narrow and long to pass.

Master Tyrus warned them. "Don't look down, just walk straight ahead and observe caution."

They plodded on in single file. Every step they made was careful and slow; a wrong trip of a foot could bring them into a fatal fall down to the rocky deep. Nonetheless, it's easy for them as they're used to high altitude. They reached the other end with ease, and finally coming up to a small cave.

"This is it," said Master Tyrus. "Now check the wall if there's a feather mark."

They moved around and ran their palms against the wall.

"I found it!" cheered Trobit. "I found the feather mark!"

Victor took one feather from his coat pocket and placed it on the mark. The stone wall sucked the feather in. A radiance of light burst out from the feather mark, and from there came out a thick line of light and slithered around the stone wall, cutting it into the shape of a door. Luminous inscriptions appeared above: Gate Superbia.

"Superbia?" blurted Victor as he never heard the word before. "What's superbia means, Master Tyrus?"

"It's a Latin word, an old language in the human world which means excessive arrogance, egoism, conceit, self-adulation, pride."

The stone door moved open. Another tall man of strong aura appeared, also wearing a brown robe with a belt of hemp rope around his waist, and a pair of leather sandals. His skin had the color of chestnut that matched well with his curly hair and expressive eyes.

They bowed to him.

"My name is Kushiel, the guardian and keeper of Gate Superbia." His voice vibrated low and strong. His eyes counted the presence of each one. "I've been expecting you. You may come in." He gestured his hand for them to enter.

"Lord Kushiel," said Master Tyrus. "Pardon me, but before we proceed, may I ask you a few questions?"

The gatekeeper looked at him as if he knew already what's in his mind. He answered him with a gentle nod.

"If in any case we're in trouble in this circle and our strength as companions are too weak to handle the situation, could you please help us?"

"I am the guardian and keeper of Gate Superbia, my responsibility is where I stand. I can't help you and no one can. This is your quest and you're on your own. My utmost advice is for you to be vigilant, stay close together, and don't waste time."

"Is it dangerous inside the circle?"

"You'll find out yourselves. I still advise caution in every decision and action you make."

"We'll keep that in mind, Lord Kushiel. Thank you for allowing us to enter the first gate. I have no more question." Master Tyrus bowed to him again.

Kushiel stepped aside and signaled them to enter. In a blink he disappeared and the door zipped close.