Chapter 53
The door bolted shut, making us jolt at the loud bang that followed. When we turned around, the door was replaced with rock. And so we again found ourselves at the start of a long, craggy corridor.
“Are you all right?” Marshen asked, his voice low.
“I’m fine. It got us through, didn’t it?” I wiped my face.
“Yeah, sorry for having to do that.”
“We can stop talking about it now,” I said, taking the first steps.
“Whatever,” he mumbled, following behind.
Marshen broke the long minutes of awkward silence with hopeful words. “Look. I think there’s an entrance right ahead.”
“Where?”
“There, right in front of us.”
“Well, clearly my human eyes can’t see it,” I said, upping my pace.
“Slow your step. Watch the floor!”
“I know, I won’t let quicksand get to me again.”
“Slow down.”
I didn’t. I hurried along the corridor, Marshen in tow, until we found ourselves beneath a glistening arch that led into a deep cavern—or rather a sinkhole.
The first thing that caught my eye was a stretch of glass-like lake, its surface a riveting shimmering twilight.
The spread of water explained the smell of wet stone that filled the heavy, humid air around us.
As I lifted my head, a breathtaking sight unfolded before me, causing my jaw to drop.
“Whoa,” I murmured. The high, rugged ceiling appeared enchanting—it was as if the stone was made of flickering blue crystals, all twinkling in no particular order.
Except it was not studded crystals that sparkled above us, but thousands of upside-down glowflies.
I could hear the occasional faint buzzing, creating a soft yet chaotic, melodic hymn.
“Glowflies,” I breathed, my eyes finding Marshen’s.
“They were endemic to Ramel, or should I say, they are endemic to Ramel.”
Walking towards the ledge, I noticed rocky stairs leading into the lake, and on the opposite side—which from where I was standing seemed very far away—were more stairs leading to another alcove.
“I think we have to cross to the other side,” I said. The words tasted hesitant as they left my tongue. I knelt and extended my arm, allowing the immortal light to fall onto the water. Despite the dusky setting, the lake shone light blue, just like the celeste glowflies glistening above our heads.
All of it appeared serene, inviting, yet my gut felt unsteady. Something felt off.
“I think so, too,” Marshen said, with similar reluctance.
Well, we didn’t have much of a choice, did we?
I was about to take my first brave step when something yellowish-white caught my eye.
I moved the flame towards it, then jerked backwards, away from the bones and skulls that I could now see scattered at the bottom of the lake.
Then my back bumped into Marshen’s chest as I glimpsed a grey silhouette moving swiftly in the shallow waters.
“What the fuck was that?” I exhaled.
And as if it heard me and wanted to show me what it truly was, it lunged itself out of the lake, then slithered back in.
It was effortless, its massive, sleek form undulating in smooth waves.
Remarkable grey scales covered its robust body—they reflected light as they glided seamlessly into the water.
It was a colossal snake thrice the size of Marshen in his animal form.
“I thought we were done with snakes,” Marshen grumbled.
“Can you shift?”
Marshen knelt next to the landing and dipped his fingers in the water, then placed them inside his mouth.
“That’s disgusting—people died in there,” I spat, pointing towards the nearest skull.
“It’s fresh water. I cannot shift.” Marshen’s gaze fell on the stairs once more and he tilted his head.
“I wouldn’t call it fresh water,” I argued. “And what are we going to do about the—”
“Come here, bring the light. I think there’s something written on the stairs.”
I knelt next to him, one eye on the inscription, the other scanning the water for shadowy snakes.
Across the waters where no bridge lies,
Guardians lurk with ancient eyes,
They crave on despise, hate, and anger,
They feast on spite, rage, and rancour,
Mercy and forgiveness is what they neglect,
Control and leniency is what will protect,
The ancient will tempt your mind and your soul,
It might let you pass, it might swallow you whole,
So tell me, traveller, brave and true,
Will the wise guardian let you through?
Or will it devour you when it tests your soul,
Eats you alive until you’re no more than bone.
“I do not like this,” Marshen said.
“Me neither…it’s like a twisted game of eat or pass.” My words came out bitter.
“I’ve spent one hundred and seventy-one years honing my skills, my instincts, training and fighting. I don’t know if I can allow myself to just stand by or even submit to it. I’d rather take that thing to its death with me.”
“You’re one hundred and seventy-one years old?” I asked, eyes wide.
“One hundred and eighty-five.”
“Wow, you’re old.”
“Thanks.”
“And you’d rather die? Really? Have you forgotten that people like Alma and Blake need us alive?
” Marshen dropped his gaze. I paced along the ledge.
It was strangely silent, other than the distant buzzing and soft splashes.
“Marsh, you’ve sharpened your body, yes, but I’m sure all those years of training coached your mind as well.
Till now, the riddles proved right, didn’t they?
I am ready to go in and do nothing else but try to walk to the other side as quickly as possible. Are you?”
“Well, it’s been one leap of faith after another. Why not add one more to the list?”
He moved closer, towards the ledge.
“Put that away!”
“What? You’re really expecting me to enter unarmed. What if it attacks?”
“Put. It. Away.”
“Fine,” he huffed.
I was about to take my first step when Marshen grabbed me by the elbow.
“I’ll go first.”
“Fine. After you, Grandpa.” I gestured, handing him the immortal flame.
The water was cool. It would have been perfect were it not for the enormous snake and scattered human bones. My bag absorbed water as I reached the bottom step. It turned heavy. Great.
Marshen and I moved side by side in the waist-high lake. Every step was careful, our eyes scanning the water around us.
My breath caught at the shadow approaching us, encircling us, the same way that the Phoenix’s flames had circled Sabi and the twins. We kept moving, taking little careful steps. I deemed that my stuttered breathing was completely justified.
Marshen holding the flame with his left hand made me queasy. It was as if he was leaving his dominant one free on purpose. I was eyeing him, teeth clenched, as I watched his hand go to his waist, his palm meeting the dagger’s hilt. That’s when I glimpsed a second shadow approaching him from behind.
“Don’t,” I hissed as the shadow neared, drawing Marshen’s attention. “Please,” I pleaded.
To my surprise, Marshen lifted both hands in surrender, giving me the need to release a shaky breath.
But soon I found myself gasping as the gesture of his lifted arms was synchronous with the snake-monster before him.
Its body lifted, exposing its massive squamous head.
I jerked as another head made its way out of the water before me.
We stood there, watched helplessly, as the two gargantuan heads opened before us.
Their mouths were like a twisted flower in bloom.
Their insides were made up of folded layers of pinkish-red skin, each equipped with two backwards-facing, sickle-shaped fangs.
They let out their forked tongues in unison.
The tips flickered as they extended towards our faces.
A small whimper left me as the wet bident tips reached both sides of my temples.