by F. P. Spirit
Glo and Elladan then began shouting directions his way. Seth let the two elves guide him across the chasm, and it wasn’t too long before he landed on the final tile. As soon as his feet touched it, the force screen in front of him shimmered and winked out of existence. Seth leapt from the last tile to the rocky bluff only a few feet away. Cheers erupted from behind him—Seth turned and executed a short bow. He grinned briefly, then strode over to the second switch.
After a brief examination, he found two nozzles hidden in the base of the lever. Considering the room they were in, Seth could only guess that it was some kind of acid spray trap. He traced a well-hidden wire around the base to an invisible control box. Seth swiftly cracked it open, and disabled the pin-and-tumbler mechanism inside.
“Child’s play,” he muttered to himself absently.
Seth then stood up and threw the switch. Over the chasm, all of the tiles began to grow. They melded together and solidified into a bridge across the acid pit.
“Nice trick,” Seth said to himself. He had to admit, he was impressed with Larketh’s level of magic.
As soon as the bridge finished forming, the ground beneath his feet began to rumble, and he heard a grinding sound over his shoulder. Seth spun around and saw a section of the cavern wall slide away, a rock tunnel appearing beyond the doorway. He spun back toward the others and waved them across, his attention then returning back to the pedestal. Much to his surprise, it was not rigged with any sort of traps. Seth gingerly reached up and retrieved the golden piece of sphere. The others soon joined him and he handed the piece to Glo.
Donnie motioned toward the tunnel behind them. “Guess the other piece is somewhere in there.”
“You want to go first?” Seth said with a wicked smile.
Donnie took a quick glance around the acid room, then ushered Seth forward. “Um, after you.”
Seth and Donnie approached the tunnel entrance. It was a long, dim, rocky corridor, another chamber visible at the far end. That room was well-lit, clearly displaying a second pedestal with another golden piece of sphere hovering over it.
Donnie eyed the tunnel cautiously. “That has to be trapped.”
Seth quickly described the acid jets he had found on the lever. “Cute,” Donnie said.
“You two might want to be careful in there,” Aksel said with clear trepidation.
Seth let out a short, ironic laugh. “Heh. Ya think?”
Elladan drew up next to them and said, “Maybe this will help.”
The bard cast a quick spell and four globes of light appeared in front of him. With a wave of his hand, he sent them floating through the rocky entrance and down the tunnel. He stopped them halfway, effectively lighting the entire corridor. Seth gave the bard a grateful nod. He still didn’t completely trust him, but Elladan had proved himself useful more than once now. With a quick glance at Donnie, Seth crept forward into the narrow tunnel. He did not turn his head, but felt the slight elf close behind him.
Seth took one step at a time, slowly moving down the corridor, careful to scan the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling. He was prepared to jump back at any second, but things went smoothly for the first dozen yards or so. At that point, Seth spotted a pressure plate on the floor. He quickly found the control box and disabled the mechanism. Meanwhile, Donnie discovered more jet nozzles hidden in the walls.
The slight elf stared cautiously at the site. “Did you say an acid spray trap?”
Seth shook his head. “I don’t ever want to find out for sure.”
A few more yards down the tunnel, they found a second trap. Donnie actually spotted this one first. It was an extremely thin wire running across the tunnel, three inches off the ground.
Seth gave the slight elf a grudging nod. “Not bad.”
Donnie was actually getting rather good at this. The duo swiftly found the trap mechanism and disarmed it. They moved on down the tunnel in tandem, finding more pressure plates and trip wires along the way. In one particularly nasty spot, they found a pressure plate on the other side of the trip wire. If someone had stepped over that wire instead of handling the trap, they would have gotten sprayed with acid anyway.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the duo reached the end of the tunnel. They entered a small, circular chamber, no more than ten yards in diameter, the podium standing in its very center. Seth and Donnie cautiously crossed the room together. When they reached the pedestal, they examined it carefully, but there were no more pressure plates, trip wires, or anything of the like.
Seth ushered Donnie toward the piece of sphere. “Be my guest.”
Donnie responded with a short bow. “You did most of the work.”
Seth could not help himself—he actually grinned. “I know. I’m just in a good mood.”
Donnie grinned back at him. “If you insist.”
The slight elf reached up and grasped the golden piece of sphere. The duo then strode back down the tunnel and rejoined the others. Donnie gingerly held out the sphere piece to Glo, and the wizard took it, joining the two pieces together. Elladan then brought out the hemisphere, and they attached the pieces together. When it was done, they had a three-quarter sphere.
Everyone seemed elated by their success, though Seth still had his reservations. Aksel and Lloyd slapped hands together enthusiastically. Glo and Elistra hugged each other, joyfully rocking back and forth. Donnie clasped Alana and Ruka on the shoulders, and ardently shouted, “One last room to go!”
Only Elladan appeared as cynical as Seth. He gazed at the halfling and winked. “Yeah, the fire room. That should be a real blast.”
Fire
The cannonball-sized fist hurtled directly toward Alana
One more time, the companions crossed the main chamber. This time they were headed toward the fire room, the archway with the single spiral at the bottom and the three leaf-shaped objects extending upward from it. The small company strode purposefully to the end of the corridor, their excitement noticeably building as they reached the door to the last of the elemental chambers.
Once again, they used Elistra’s multicolored disc to open the chakra lock. The panel lit up, the door slid aside, and the companions were immediately hit with a wave of sweltering heat. Through the doorway, they spied another dim, rocky cavern, which on first glance appeared quite similar to the earth room. However, the major difference between the two became quickly apparent. The pit in this chamber was filled with a thick, bubbling, yellow-gold liquid.
Molten lava! Glo had never been near a volcano, nor seen the searing liquid rock before, but it was impossible to mistake for anything else. Scattered amidst the bubbling lava were a number of large, rocky outcroppings, but none that came near the opposite bluff. There was no force screen in front of that cliff, either, and the door in the rock-faced wall at the back was clearly visible. Despite that, the entrance appeared just as unreachable as the one in the earth chamber.
Donnie mirrored Glo’s thoughts. “Wonder how we’re supposed to get over there?”
On top of their seemingly unattainable goal, the environment in this room was extremely inhospitable. It was easily twenty degrees warmer in here than in the main chamber. Many of the companions loosened their clothing as soon as they entered the room. Glo felt especially bad for Alana, the lady knight having no recourse, being encased in steel armor. Alana removed her helmet and wiped beads of sweat from her brow.
“Phew,” she exclaimed, flinging the sweat away with the back of her hand. “Now I know how a roast feels in the oven.”
The only ones seemingly unaffected by the change in temperature were Lloyd and Ruka. There was not a drop of sweat on either of them, nor did they seem the least bit uncomfortable. Glo found the phenomenom quite curious. “Lloyd, pardon me for asking, but—why aren’t you sweating like the rest of us?”
The young man
spun around, his eyes fixing on Glo. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. As a spiritblade, we are taught that the body’s reactions are mostly in the mind. Part of my spiritblade training was learning to control bodily functions that most people are unaware of.”
Seth let out a cynical snort. “Does that include blushing?”
Lloyd’s face immediately reddened and he grinned sheepishly. “Guess I never got the hang of that one.”
Donnie eyed Ruka curiously. “I don’t suppose you’ve had spiritblade training?”
The young teen’s expression remained impassive. “Never even heard of it till I met a Stealle.”
Donnie hesitated a moment, his suspicion filled eyes flickered around the group before returning to Ruka. “Then I don’t suppose you want to tell us why you’re not sweating?”
“No, not really.”
The young teen spun away from the slight elf, and strode off along the edge of the cliff, effectively ending their conversation. Donnie gazed after her dubiously, but Glo merely shrugged. At this point, nothing Ruka said or did surprised him. It didn’t seem to shock Aksel, Seth, or Elistra either. Any further discussion was cut short by a shout from somewhere over the side of the cliff.
“There’s a ladder here!”
That’s Lloyd! Everyone rushed to the edge of the cliff. The young warrior waved up to them from a rocky ledge perhaps twenty feet below, just at the edge of the bubbling, molten pool of lava. A ladder with a strange metallic sheen ran along the side of the cliff directly below them, down to where Lloyd now stood. Glo reached down and cautiously touched the top of the ladder, but was surprised to find it did not feel warm at all. He briefly wondered what kind of material it was made of, but then his attention was diverted elsewhere.
“Would you look at that?” Elladan cried out in amazement.
Glo shifted his gaze to where the bard was pointing. Inbetween the two cliffs, down near the cavern wall, a large figure emerged from the molten lava, and waded up near a small isle of rock. It lumbered around the little isle, seemingly unaffected by its bath in the searing yellow liquid. From its metallic sheen, the figure was made from the same material as the ladder they just found. What was more interesting though, was the object it circled around—yet another lever.
“That’s an iron golem,” Aksel said in a hushed voice.
Glo felt a chill run up his spine, despite the fact they were in the hottest room in the monolith. An Iron golem? This is serious. Iron golems were massive creatures, much like stone golems, but as their name implied, they were made exclusively of iron. Appearing for all intents and purposes to be a giant suit of armor, their metallic bodies were not only harder than their rocky cousins, but also stronger, their powerful fists able to punch through even solid metal. In a one on one between a stone golem and an iron golem, the iron golem was sure to be the victor.
“This is not going to be easy.” Aksel stared intently at the golem, a hand on his chin, and his brows knit together.
Lloyd abruptly reappeared at the top of the ladder, his expression one of confusion as his gaze moved from Aksel to the large iron creature. “Why’s that?”
Aksel spun to face the young warrior. “You’ve obviously never faced an iron golem. Fire heals them.”
Lloyd’s mouth fell open. “Oh.”
The young man’s expression grew deadly serious as he mentally reassessed their huge, iron-clad opponent.
“It gets better.”
All eyes turned to Seth. The halfling gazed at the other side of the room, straight across the lava pit from the marching golem. Glo spiked an eyebrow—another iron golem had appeared, patrolling around a second lever on a similar islet.
“Let me guess—both levers need to be pulled at once,” Donnie noted wryly.
“Just like the water room.” Ruka nodded, an ironic smirk on her lips as she strode back to join them.
Donnie eyes narrowed as he gazed back and forth between the two iron creatures. “Unfortunately, unlike the water room, both golems are right next to their levers.”
“A distraction might still work, though.”
All eyes turned to Lloyd. The young warrior’s brow was furrowed with concentration. “They don’t appear to be very fast. If one of us can draw them away from the lever, the other can pull the lever.”
Seth let out a loud snort. “Sure—as long as you don’t get yourself killed doing it.”
Elladan leaned in close to Lloyd, the back of his hand going to the side of his mouth. “Iron golems hit hard,” he said in a confidential tone.
“Even harder than stone golems,” Seth added, his expression completely serious for once.
Lloyd’s eyes widened, the color draining from his face, most likely envisioning Titan after her battle with the Boulder back at Stone Hill. He just as swiftly recovered, firmly setting his jaw.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” the young warrior declared, his voice unwavering.
Alana stepped up to stand beside him, placing a steel gauntlet on his shoulder. “I agree. Lloyd and I will distract the golems. Donnie, perhaps you and Seth can work your way around and pull the switches then?”
Donnie and Seth exchanged a brief glance and a nod. The halfling’s eyes then shifted back to Lloyd and Alana. He gazed intently at the pair for a few moments, then shrugged. “Your funerals.”
“Not if I can help it.” Ruka stepped in front of Alana, folded her arms, and glared at the lady knight. “I’m coming with you.”
Alana eyed the young teen carefully. Ruka’s expression was defiant, as if daring the lady knight to argue with her. Alana remained silent for a few moments, then a thin smile spread across her lips. When she spoke, her tone was formal, but there was a trace of moisture in her eyes. “Your assistance would be most welcome.”
“I might also be able to help.” Elistra stepped forward, her expression grim as her gaze shifted from Ruka to Alana, finally coming to rest on Lloyd. “I can summon another astral construct. The fire won’t hurt it, and it should be able to help keep the other iron golem busy for a while.”
Glo had been listening quietly to their proposed battle plans, his stomach in knots as he thought about what his friends might be facing. Yet, based on what he heard just now, Glo began to think they might stand a chance. His eyes swept around the group, a thin smile sprouting on his lips. “This might just work. I can cast fire protection spells on the lot of you—that will help with the lava, and as for the golems, they are immune to all magic, except—electricity.”
Glo’s eyes came to rest on Ruka as he uttered that last word. A wide smirk spread across the young teen’s face as he finished his speech. “Really now? You don’t say.”
Aksel snapped his fingers together, his eyes coming alight. “Of course! Electricity slows down iron golems.”
Lloyd eyed the little cleric curiously. “How’s that work?”
Aksel shifted his gaze to the young warrior. “Since they’re metal, the electrical charge messes with their insides. It won’t damage them, but it will slow them down until the charge dissipates.”
“How long?” Lloyd asked, his brows knit close together as he tried to plan out his strategy.
“Not very,” Glo answered this time. “Not more than half a minute.”
Lloyd nodded solemnly. “Got it.”
“I can also help,” Elladan offered, holding up his lute. “An inspiring tune to increase your battle prowess.”
Lloyd’s expression softened and he smiled at the bard. “Thanks, Elladan.”
“Yes, that would be most appreciated, good bard,” Alana concurred.
Aksel’s eyes swept over the small group, mixed emotions playing across his face. After a moment or two, he set his jaw and nodded. “Very well then, let’s do this.”
Lloyd carefully picked his way across the pit of molte
n lava, hopping between rocky outcroppings, toward the isle that held one of the golems. Out of the corner of his eye, close to the cliff face, he spied Seth mirroring his steps, the halfling hoping to dash across to the lever once Lloyd got the golem’s attention.
Across the pit, far behind him, Alana, Ruka, and Donnie closed in on the other golem. Their approach was similar—Alana and Ruka would distract the golem, while Donnie snuck around to the other lever. Once Seth and Donnie were in position, they would pull their levers simultaneously. The plan sounded simple, but in reality these things never were.
Lloyd stood on a rocky islet halfway between the entrance and the iron golem. It was extremely hot, the yellow-gold liquid rock bubbling and steaming around him. Even the rocks at his feet were scorched, glowing a dull shade of angry red from the heat. Luckily, he did not feel it. Aside from his spiritblade training, Glo had cast a protection spell on Lloyd and the others. It would not last indefinitely, but it should be long enough for them to get the job done.
Lloyd scanned the way ahead, looking for a good place to leap across to the next islet. In truth, with Glo’s spell, he could have just waded through boiling lava. However, that would sap the spell’s energy, and it wouldn’t do for it to run out in the midst of battle. At best, the heat would quickly fatigue him—at worst, he could misstep and fall into the lava. That would be certain death.
The young warrior found a good place to cross, and leapt to the next outcropping, bringing him one step closer to his confrontation with the iron golem. He continued this process until he was nearly within reach of his metallic foe. The closer he drew, the more aware Lloyd became of its true size. It was more of a small giant, easily twice Lloyd’s height, and even taller than the Boulder.
The golem’s helmet-like head sat low on its broad shoulders, a strange, reddish glow emanating from the V-shaped split in its visor-less metallic skull. The golem’s massive, armor-clad arms hung down to its knees, ending in fists the size of cannonballs. Its thick legs, each the width of a tree, disappeared into the lava below, its feet hidden as it plodded through the thick, molten rock.
