by Liza Fox
“That doesn’t sound good,” exclaimed Sally. “I hope Toka and Ben are ok down there.”
The sounds continued while Sam applied the mixture on the rocks then started to ease They both moved to the center of the circle. Sam forced the staff into the ground and they grabbed each others hands to form the ring around it.
The earth beneath them continued shaking. They could now hear what sounded like wailing and screams deep below; but they ignored it, concentrating only on the staff. The sounds below faded as it began to shine deep, dark blue. The whole area of the circle was pulsating and throbbing as the mist began to draw in, climbing up and seeping into them as they stood as still as the shaking earth would allow. Sally’s head began to swim. She felt like she was spinning round and round. Only the tightness of Sams grip on her hands kept her from toppling over. Sam could see that she was in distress and gripped her hands tighter, until the entire colour faded from the circle. Holding her up he helped her to the now still rocks, sitting her down again.
“It’s over Sall,” he said. “We’ve done it.”
“What would I do without you, eh!” she said.
They both sat there, staring up at a moon that was shining down on them as though nothing had ever happened.
CHAPTER 28: BELOW TO THE 7TH AND LAST CIRCLE - WHITE - VIOLET
Toka and Ben stood together, staring at the ceiling of the dust filled cave. Suddenly it occurred to Ben that the falling rocks may have blocked their way out to the 7th circle. He confronted Toka about it.
“What if we can’t find our way out in all this rubble,” he said, frowning. “The way out might now be blocked.” Before Toka could answer a shaft of deep blue light began heading toward them from above. It came so fast that it reached the floor before they had a chance to join hands and form the ring.
“Quick, grab my hands,” shouted Toka, over the booming sound that the light made as it spread with speed around them. They had just joined hands when there was a rush of wind that swirled around them, strong and buffeting, blowing their clothes and hair.
The wind became so strong that it was difficult to keep hold of each others hands. At the same time the indigo blue light was spreading, climbed up the cave and up them both. Shivering and vibrating as it moved up them, Ben and Toka watched until it disappeared into the ceiling of the cave. As it did so the wind lessoned and calmed and they were left standing in the dust and grit that filled the cave.
They watched as the staff’s light faded and the cave emptied of the amazing blue energy. Ben felt invigorated and knew that he would be strong enough to finish their quest.
“Sam and Sally have done it again. We must thank them deeply.” said Toka.
Covered with and choking from the dust they immediately began thinking of how to get out of this cave, onto the 7th and last circle.
They looked around at the shambles everywhere and Ben’s heart sank.
“Where do we start looking?” he asked, staring at Toka with blank eyes.
Toka looked at him.
“Up there,” he said, pointing to a large cavity in the top corner of the cave. Ben looked up.
“But how do we get up there?” he asked. “It must be 5 meters up.”
“The rocks have made something of a pathway of steps up to about 3 meters from the hole. If we can get up there you could get on my shoulders to get in, then help me up once you are there. I do not need your strength, just your balance to lift me up.”
They made their way to the pile of rocks and started their ascent.
Rocks kept slipping out under them but about half way up the rocks were larger, more stable. Soon they were at the rock nearest the cavity and Ben got onto Toka’s shoulders. He could just reach the outer ledge of rock and grabbed it.
“I’ve got hold of the ledge. I’m going to start lifting myself up. You push me.” he said, pulling as hard as he could to lift himself into the cavity.
He was soon clambering into the darkness of the hole. Turning, he leaned out, offering his hand to Toka, who grasped it and jumped, landing on the edge of the entrance. The entrance they now had to follow, to what was hopefully the 7th circle.
The cavity was high but narrow. Ben could stand in it, Toka, as usual, had to lower his head. In the glow of the light they moved forward into what could prove to be - well - Ben didn’t like to think about that. They forged ahead. The tunnel they followed was narrow and lined with sharp protruding rocks. A few minutes later they came to an open area, about the size of a small shed. Toka stopped.
“Something is wrong,” he said. “Shhhh, don’t make a sound.”
Ben stopped. He also stopped breathing. Silence! Not even a breath! Then he was falling. The ground had opened under him and he was falling. He landed with a thump on hard ground and was immediately followed by Toka, who landed heavily next to him.
“Damn!” Toka exclaimed, as he tried to get off his back. “I knew something was wrong. Why was I so slow to realize?”
He stood up, holding out a hand to Ben.
“What are we going to do now?” Ben asked. He looked around at the small, narrow hole they had landed in. There didn’t seem to be a way out that he could see, except upwards.
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to get out of this hole by climbing out,”
Toka said, looking up to where they had fallen from. It was about 4 metres to the top. Lucky to have no injuries!
“The hole is narrow enough for us to climb out by using our hands and feet. You go first and I shall be there in case you fall.”
Toka lifted Ben into the hole and he began the hard slog up to the entrance. Hands and arms pushing against the wall of the hole. Legs and feet gripping, edging upwards. Ben’s hands were sore, his arms and legs aching, as he fought his way up the hole. It took what seemed like forever but at last he reached the floor of the cave and climbed out. Toka followed quickly.
They stood, briefly, to regain their breath.
“Stay very close to me,” Toka said. “We must expect the worst.”
The tunnel continued to go deep into the ground as they followed it again.
They could feel the earth beginning to move and hurried even faster, until suddenly they walked into the largest cave they had come to yet.
“This is it,” said Toka quietly. “We must be as silent as we can, for this is Taniwha’s mind and thoughts. It is where he will come, to enter the world above. Be still, for we have trouble ahead.”
Just at that moment the whole cave started to shake and from the shadows on the far end came a deep, grating sound. Ben clung to Toka’s cloak, instinctively getting behind him. He looked out, to see something appearing out of the shadows. Something large! An awful smell began to close in around them as they clung to each other for balance in the shaking, pounding cave.
“Stand still. I must cover us with the cloak of protection,” said Toka, raising his arms high above them. A soft, white light began to form, coming from their feet, up their bodies and over their heads. It looked like a fine net or a grid, shimmering ever so softly with a white glow. Through the web Ben could see a large creature forming before them. It looked like a huge lizard. Its black, forked tongue whipped in and out, from side to side. Huge talons, crusted and scaly, were on feet like giant eagle claws.
Its head filled almost half the width of the cave and was shaped like a monstrous dragon. Scales covered its body, green and grey, glinting in the light. Eyes, large, red and bulbous, stared at them as Ben and Toka stared back.
“You cannot stop me!” It screamed, saliva dripping from yellow fangs as it leaned toward them. Its tongue lashed out and huge nostrils flared, blowing out a fetid, yellow smoke toward them and sending whirls of dirty grey fog all around.
The creature backed off, spitting and hissing. Ben could see its tail crashing against the rocks, as it writhed and squirmed in front of them.
“Walk slowly toward it,” said Toka. “Do not be afraid. This web will protect us as long as we stand firm.
Taniwha will back off. He does not have the strength anymore to fight back, as long as we hold true. We must make it to the centre of the cave, where the staff’s light will come. Taniwha will try to stop us; but heed nothing. Just walk to the center.” They both started to walk slowly forward. Ben was shaking all over. He could feel cold droplets of sweat rolling down his face, tickling his skin. They moved slowly toward the center of the cave. His legs felt wobbly under him, and he tripped on the rocky floor, grabbing Toka’s cloak just in time to stop himself from falling.
As they moved forward the ground continued to shake and vibrate. The cave began to fill with smoke and dust as Taniwha started to back away from them; but he wasn’t going without a fight. He continued to spit and lunge at them with his mouth and claws. Stones and debris filled the cave as he crashed against the walls, scraping and digging into the floor in a fearful fit of temper and rage. Despite all this the white web surrounding the two friends held true. None of Taniwha’s attacks managed to break through the magic power that it held. The further Ben and Toka got to the center of the cave, the more Taniwha backed away, screaming as he did so. Ben saw the inside of its huge mouth. Teeth like saw blades chased the web. Its tongue tried to sweep the web aside. Slime and drool coated the floor.
Taniwha boomed. “You will regret this, pathetic son of Atanga. You have not overcome me yet. You will not succeed! I shall have my vengeance and you shall all suffer!” He writhed and squirmed against the wall of the cave, sending rocks and stones flying. Ignoring him, Toka and Ben continued to the center, buffeted and shaken but holding strong inside the shimmering web.
“Watch for the staff’s light,” shouted Toka above the din. “Watch and be strong.”
CHAPTER 29: ABOVE AT THE 7TH AND LAST CIRCLE WHITE - VIOLET
Sam ran to the staff in the now colourless 6th circle and pulled it out of the ground.
“Well, we’d better start making it to the 7th circle. It’s the last one so we’d better expect something horrible from Taniwha. It’s his last chance so he’ll probably have something nasty in store.”
“Well, I’m ready for all he can throw at us,” said Sally, her hands on her hips in a defiant pose. “If he thinks he can get one over on us, he’d better think again. Getting into my head was not one of his best choices. It’s made me really brassed off, giving me a headache like that.”
“Shall we foot it or try the staff again,” Sam said. “The ground is shaking a lot, so maybe the staff is the better option. Up there will be safe.” He pointed skyward.
“I’m not so sure about that!” exclaimed Sally, as a large shadow suddenly covered the moon, bringing darkness over everything. They both watched as the shadow hung in front of the moon for several seconds, then moved on past, lighting the landscape again.
“What the heck was that? Not another of those bird things I hope.” Sam gripped the staff tightly, urging Sally to do the same.
Then, again, the shadow moved across the moon. Only this time it burst into dozens of smaller shadows, sending patterns of moving darkness across the silver-grey sky. At the same time shards of crackling light came raining down on them, hissing and sparkling as they hit the ground, sending shafts of light upwards from the earth.
“Quick, run for cover!” yelled Sam, pulling Sally towards some shrubs close by. They had just reached these when they were attacked. The shadows had been hovering over them at first, then began dive bombing just as they reached the shrubs. Sam ans Sally dived under the thick cover of leaves and branches and sat, curled up as tight as they could. They could hear the leaves above crackling, and smell them burning, as shards of intense light hit them. They huddled there as black shapes flung themselves at the shrubs and the shards hailed down, lighting up the air.
Then it was over. Suddenly there was silence.
‘Is that it?’ they both thought. Seconds went by that seemed like minutes, while they strained their ears to hear anything. After what seemed like forever they began to unfurl and very slowly crept out from under the shrubs.
The grass and earth around them was pitted and smoking, the smell filling the air; but it was quiet. The moon shone high, over a peaceful scene. The shadows had gone.
“Wow! That was scary. Thank goodness for those shrubs. I hope that was Taniwha’s Last Stand,” Sam said, trying to lighten the situation. Sally didn’t seem daunted however.
“Well, I think we can use the staff to get to the 7th circle. That way, we’ll be able to see better.”
So they both held the staff and concentrated on the double 7th circle, glowing vibrant violet and white.
They began to feel the sensation of rising and soon found themselves high above the seventh and last circle. The double circle of Taniwha’s mind and thoughts! His past and future. The white and violet was dazzlingly vibrant but fading to a hazy lilac as it moved further from the stones. They both landed gently by the circle, with its 2 rings of marble rocks.
“I think Taniwha is pretty weak by now. Did you see how the colour faded away from the circle?” Sam said to Sally.
“Yes, I did. Well, let’s hope eh!’” she replied. “Get the tincture Sam.”
Sam opened the bottle of liquid and followed the violet stones of the outer circle, leaving them crackling and hissing behind him. Then onto the center ring of white stones. These were much larger than the outer ring and there were only 7 of them.
“Taniwha’s 7 points of energy,” said Sam, as he put the liquid on the last stone. He put back the cap and placed the now empty bottle in his pocket.
“Quick Sall, hand me the staff’.”
Taking the staff from Sally he forced it deep into the earth at the center of the rings. They quickly joined hands just as the brilliant violet mist was sucked along the ground, into the center and on up the staff. The staff began glowing with so much intensity that Sam and Sally shut their eyes as tight as they could, lowering their heads against the glare. Wind was rushing up from the ground, accompanied by the sound of roaring. They felt the energy rotating around them and being sucked into them.
The ground was shaking, the noise hurt their ears, when suddenly the earth around them began to open. A deep ring between the inner and outer circles was appearing. The ground began to slowly sink, forming an opening between the two circles of stones. Sam and Sally clung onto each others hands as tight as they could as the chasm deepened around them, until they were standing on a floating island of earth, about 8 meters wide. The 7 white stones surrounded them were spitting and humming and a deep gorge between the circles had appeared.
The staff was still glowing intensely and they still held each others hands. They had to, for balance. To let go of each other now would mean falling into the abyss.
Then they heard it. The most awful sound they thought they could ever hear. Sad and mournful, a wailing and moaning that sent shivers through them and bought tears to Sally’s eyes.
It came up from the blackness of the ring that surrounded them, causing the air to shake and the island they were on to rock back and forth. It was followed by a huge rush of wind, spiraling and spinning around the chasm, carrying with it stones and dust that hit Sam and Sally as they strained to keep hold of each other. They were pelted from all directions as the wind spun around and upwards, taking the dreadful crying and wailing with it, into the night air.
The staff continued to glow with dazzling violet but the surrounding colour was quickly fading as they felt it filling their bodies with its energy.
Holding each other’s hands as tightly as possible Sam and Sally stood their ground, their bodies tensed against the wind and the energy of the sounds. They were exhausted with the strain but knew that they could not give up now. They were almost there.
The wailing gradually began to change into a long, drawn out scream. Bright colours swirled around in the spiraling wind. Then suddenly the island began to move under them, gradually changing shape. The earth was moving beneath them, forming a series of steps leading down, into the blac
kness below.
CHAPTER 30: THE FINAL TEST
As all this was happening above Ben and Toka were confronting Taniwha in his last stronghold.
The creature was howling. Its wailing cry spun around the cave, making the white net of protection that surrounded them tremble. As they moved nearer to the center of the cave the wind, filled with the sound, began spinning around the roof. At the same time a pinprick of violet light showed above.
“There! There!” shouted Toka, pointing to the light. As they watched it got brighter and brighter, finally sending down a beam of brilliant violet and white light onto the floor of the cave. They joined hands, forming a ring around the light beam, just as the colour began to rise again. As it moved up their bodies they could see Taniwha beginning to shrink. He was shrinking away, emitting the most dreadful cries and moans which mingled with the wind, to be taken upwards. Taniwha was getting smaller, almost as if he were melting into the background. The wind that spiraled to the ceiling began to spin violently, eating away at the earth above and forming a wide opening. Shaped like a wheel, the opening surrounded an island of earth, the beam from the staff glowing in the center. Ben stared in wonder as the opening in the roof formed. As it grew larger the wind forced its way out, carrying the forlorn wails and cries with it.
As they watched time seemed to stop.
As they watched, the creature before them shrank, just like the wind and colours. Shrinking back into the rocks and crevices from where it had started life. The ghastly cries ceased. The wind dropped to stillness.
Suddenly there was a rumbling above. Looking up, they saw the island begin to slowly turn into large steps. First one large step formed, followed by another, then another below that, until there were 15 steps. Steps that led down into the cave where Toka and Ben waited.
“Hey! you two! Are you OK?” They heard voices calling and saw Sam and Sally waving at the top of the steps.
“Yes, we’re fine,” Toka shouted up the steps. “Come on, my friend,” he said to Ben. “Our quest is over. We have silenced Taniwha. Our beautiful countryside and all that dwell on her are safe.”
