The Prophesy: Book 2 - The Right Hand of Destiny

 

As the seven princes materialized, they immediately realized they were no longer in the Blue Pyramid: the material, albeit still of the same nature, was a rather pink colour.

"Well, at least we changed place. I wonder what this is all about?" asked Thorsten as he eyed the great room suspiciously. "All I know is this is pink quartz."

«This is the ordeal of War!» thundered an icy voice in their minds. «To acquire knowledge, one must fight for it!»

"Who the hell was that?" exclaimed Typhoon.

"If this is built on the same principle as the Blue Pyramid, I suspect this is the Conscience of the Pink Pyramid. I suppose that this is a pyramid, although I have no certainty about it," replied Thorsten.

«The Dwarf is correct. I am a Conscience much like my Blue Brother. Ready yourself for battle! It will start in sixty seconds.»

"That's my cue to take command. I'll take the front, Thorsten to the right, Paschal behind Thorsten, Ian in the middle, Typhoon, rear! Harp, take the left; and Enron, behind Harp! Stay in formation!

"Do we have a labyrinth to travel?" asked Ian.

"Probably, but of a totally different nature. I think the labyrinth is one of battle. We must choose our battles carefully, look at what we know, learn from our enemies, and destabilize it by acting unexpectedly. I think we will be fighting many different types of battle, and by proper use of each other's strength, we can manage. Remember, I am Montue, God of War, much like Paschal was Atlantis' architect. We trusted him, trust me!"

The seven princes did not have to even walk to face their first fight. From above dropped huge spiders, intent on ensnaring them. Sitar tried to slice the fibre, only to realize Excalibur rebounded on the elastic material. Harp was a bit more successful with Bata as he set the filaments on fire. Paschal used the light beam from Mitsuko to slice the ever-reforming web.

"I get it! Enron! Target the spiders' eyes! Thorsten use your axe to slice the legs off! I'll use Excalibur to cut throat. Typhoon, Dragon Form! Set them on fire! Paschal, burn as much as you can with Mitsuko, wide swipe! Ian, use your stave to keep them disoriented. Harp, assist Typhoon to set them on fire and burn the web! Let's move! Stay tight! I see the exit at the far end!

As the princes progressed across the room, more and more spiders showed up, intent on stopping their meals' progress. For some reason, they seemed to sense the objective of the boys and tried to force them to retreat. However, the whitish blaze of Mitsuko blinded them, and the constant lightning bolts emitted by Bata created ever more confusion as to where the source of the attack was coming, as each bolt bounced off the walls in erratic fashion. The fiery breath of the lumbering dragon incinerated millions, as Thorsten's axe sliced through legs, ocular pedicles, and an occasional head. Meanwhile, Enron's bow sang a song of death as each arrow hit eye after eye with deadly precision. Sitar was well occupied, slicing the giant arachnids left and right, covered in their disgusting and smelly innards. Typhoon's immunity to fire helped him as he stepped up to crush the multitude, while one prince or other took turn to keep him free from the sticky web's threads. Ian repeatedly threw his stave at advancing spiders, hitting them square on the head, as he immediately materialised another.

The battle lasted for two hours before the boys managed to make it to the entrance to the next room.

«Dragon, bind to your bonded! Now!" thundered Sitar.

With a last, powerful blast that torched everything left and right, the dragon converted back to human form. Harp immediately ported him to where the others stood, while Sitar entered the code for the door, by pressing his hand on the hand marker. The door lifted up majestically, and the seven princes quickly went beyond. Sitar released the doorstops just as a giant spider stuck her ugly head inside the space the boys had found refuge into. The repugnant insect's head was reduced to squash by the sixty-ton lintel's fall.

***

The boys took a respite as they studied the small room they were now in. The room presented nothing in particular, just barely enough space to rest.

"What did this little exercise prove, according to you?"

"That we are united as one, Typhoon. We have yet a lot more to prove, I would wager."

"To whom?"

"To what controls this."

"Sitar. You say what not whom, why is that?"

"It is an intuition. But let's eat; the next battle may not be as simple as this one. Has anyone managed to reach out telepathically?"

The others all indicated they had been out of contact with the outside world.

"I think this is to insure there is no outside influence on the results." Thorsten suggested.

"I agree. This looks too much like a test. But it's a test within a test within a test."

"Aren't you pulling on the rope a little too much, Harp?" Enron questioned.

"Not really, I think. Follow my thinking: we are six protectors of Ian, there are six pyramids; the first pyramid was the test for Paschal, the Architect; the second test we are currently undergoing is the test for Sitar, the mettle of battle, fit for the God of War. I suspect each step will test one of us more than the other for leadership. We have to be able to give orders as well as follow them; be united and diverse. It is also forging us, tempering us, as if we needed it. They will test us, try to separate us, break us. Only if we stay as one, fused and showing the six faces of a diamond shall we all survive, and Ian as well."

"That's all nice, but where do all the test within tests comes from?"

"Well, within the Blue Pyramid, we had to follow Paschal's guidance blindly. Each change of direction was a test. Had we balked we would have died. Here, we follow Sitar's orders without question, and we survive. I suspect that the number of battles will be limited, but diverse, each testing one of us. Trust your instincts, Sitar, at all costs! I believe that, ultimately, in a battle, this is the finest blade, and you have been honing it for seventeen thousand years. Each pyramid will contain a series of tests, each pyramid is a test; and the whole collection of tests is a test; the fact that we even embarked into this endeavour was a test. We are also discovering things about ourselves we did not know. This too is a test."

"Harp is right, I think. The issue is what will be Ian's test? There are only six pyramids!"

"Enron, only six we know of from the hieroglyph! There is no guarantee there is not a subtler test for Ian that he is undergoing right now. As to its nature, I have no idea yet."

"Paschal, guys, I am here, in case you didn't notice. How about you stop talking as if I was not?"

The others looked at the not yet four year old, and smiled. His comment had driven the point home that they had been neglecting his input.

"Well, what do you think of the issue, my bonded?" asked Typhoon.

"Simply, that my issue is to prove I trust you, all of you, and that I can take counsel from you guys rather than act rashly. I could be a snotty-nosed brat for all that entity might be concerned. I will be tested, yes, not once, but six times. And then, when we reach the end of the road, I feel I will be called upon to do my part."

"Ok, are we rested and ready to move on?"

"Yes, Sitar. Do we maintain our old position?"

"I think it's best for now, but be ready to rotate depending of circumstances."

Paschal turned to Sitar, and pointing to a handprint, said "Open the next door, brother."

***

Meanwhile, outside the Blue Pyramid, the royals looked at the bright, towering structure that seemed to be in the process of cleaning itself up. As the dirt and mud slid slowly along its sides, the true beauty of the Blue Pyramid was revealed. The outside was a tapestry of scenes that portrayed a bestiary of inestimable quality, artistry and richness. All sorts of animals and plants were portrayed not in oils or any pigments, but in precious and semi-precious stones, so tightly matched no lines could be seen to separate the pieces. From what they could see from their current viewpoint, only animals of the Cenozoic³³³³ ("Cenozoic: This covers from the extinction of the Dinosaurs, some 65 MYBP (million years before present) to present.") Era were represented.

"If buildings are a measure of ego, this is a monument to the biggest ego the world has ever carried!" exclaimed Diamondcutter.

"I do not think so, my friend. I could regognize that touch anywhere! It is Paschal's work, and I do not think the kid has an ounce of idea of how talented he is!" replied Harold, proud as a peacock. "If ego there is, it's mine that got a boost from this!"

"As if you needed any, husband!" replied Annabelle.

After a bout of good-natured ribbing at Harold's expense, they began walking toward the pyramid to have a closer look.

"I suggest we stay clear of open fields. Did you notice this city is being built from bits and pieces that fit like a puzzle? I would not like to get a billion-ton building on my head," Amethyst, queen of the Dwarves, reminded them.

"You are right. I also notice that our four-legged and six-legged allies have taken that precaution as well. None is off in open fields."

The royals walked up to the Blue Pyramid's plaza, and began strolling around. At first, they did not see much change as they reached the corner, and wondered if the scene was repeating itself. Harold doubted this was the case and took them further away from the Pyramid's base to get a more global view of what the slanting wall was showing.

As they moved further off, another scene of a totally different nature unfolded. There, in all its glory, were scenes of the Mesozoic³⁴³⁴ ("Mesozoic: This covers from the first fossils Dinosaurs (roughly 253 MYBP) to the disappearance of the Dinosaurs, 65 MYBP.") Era, with all their giant animals, ferns, flying dinosaurs, volcanoes, and other frescoes of the times. There were three major scenes unfolding, each representing a distinct fauna and flora, typical of the three epochs covered by that time frame: the Cretaceous³⁵³⁵ ("Cretaceous: This covers from 145 MYBP to 65 MYBP."), the Jurassic³⁶³⁶ ("Jurassic: This covers from 200 MYPB to 145 MYBP."), and the Triassic³⁷³⁷ ("Triassic: This covers from 253 MYBP to 200 MPBP.").

"I never thought my son had that kind of imagination!" exclaimed Annabelle. "I have seen horrors in battle, but the realism of the carnages is so poignant you want to run for your life! Look at that one! I wouldn't want to meet one in real life!"

"Those were real, my queen! They existed!" stated Nestor, matter-of-factly.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Oh yes, very serious indeed. I visited the museum of Natural History in Frisco, and it had these huge skeletons, reconstructed from fossils, and then full-scale models, and paintings of scenes just like these all over the place. By the time I got out, I had nightmares for a week. None were as realistic as those, probably to prevent scaring the visitors for life. However, I can recognize the one you pointed out. It is an Albertosaurus. It is a much bigger cousin of the Tyranosaurus Rex, which you see on the left, there, getting into a fight for a female. You can visit it; the boys saw to moving its contents to the Elvin Kingdom before things blew up. As to where they moved it, you will have to ask them."

"That sends shivers down my spine! Let's move on, before my breakfeast decides to take leave!"

The other side also was a beastiary, presenting an even more complex scene. This one covered a much more varied flora and fauna, covering the Paleozoic³⁸³⁸ ("Paleozoic: This covers from 525 MYBP to 253 MPBP.") Era. Again, the organization of the scenes covered time from the most recent to the most ancient: Permian³⁹³⁹ ("Permian: This covers from 298 MYBP to 253 MYBP."), Carboniferous⁴⁰⁴⁰ ("Carboniferous: This covers from 370 MYBP to 298 MYBP."), Devonian⁴¹⁴¹ ("Devonian: This covers from 415 MYBP to 370 MYBP."), Silurian⁴²⁴² ("Silurian: This covers from 445 MYBP to 415 MYBP."), Ordovician⁴³⁴³ ("Ordovician: This covers from 490 MYBP to 445 MYBP."), and Cambrian⁴⁴⁴⁴ ("Cambrian: This covers from 545 MYBP to 490 MYBP.").

"This looks like a history of life from its conception until those big beasts. I wonder where the dragons will fit in there?" wondered Samson.

"Maybe we will discover them on the last side of the pyramid we have not seen," proposed Amethyst.

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows? All this tugs on my memory a lot, but the life of me, I cannot yet access the data," answered Harold.

"Let's go see what the last face of that pyramid reserves for us," suggested Diamondcutter.

Another, very strange scene unfolded in front of them. Rather than animals, it showed huge circles, presenting a long series of changes. The disks presented a wide range of colours, from magmatic red, to dark rust to greenish, and finally to bluish as time passed along the pyramid's face. On most disks except the magmatic one, there were bumps that seemed to stick out. Below, a long period was left with next to no beastiary, and suddenly, there was an explosion of life matching the change from rust-brown to greenish, followed by the emergence of the dragons, first in small form, and eventually increasing to impressive sizes that put to shame the biggest dinosaurs, before returning to a more standard size. At the bottom, under the blue sphere, were a series of dragons, representing all the recognizable varieties, from the black to the gold type.

"Well that answers my question. As to what this really means, I am as lost as any of you."

"Amethyst, I think the dragons have been around for far longer than we care to imagine. They probably were the first to come, but as the planet cooled down, things turned sour for them. Those we know are probably the last of a long line, which dates to the birth of this planet, some years ago. As for how long ago, we will need to find out from the Atlantean Royal Archives, my dear. When we moved things out of Kantar, we were strapped for time and did not study the library's contents."

"That is true, Samson. What I find remarkable is the last, most bluish disk. Look at the form that sticks out. I saw that somewhere before!"

As the others looked at the last disk, they too couldn't help to feel it looked familiar.

"I get it!" thundered Timor.

"What do you get?" asked Harold, looking at the prince with curiosity.

"I saw a drawing done by Paschal. He explained that this was a map of our world and that the big masses were continents, as he called them. The shape we see from here is a map of our world. We have issues seeing the whole picture because of how it slants, but I am sure I am looking at the map from the South Pole as he called it."

"Well, young man, we are going to fly! I want to have a view from above!"

Harold would have taken flight by magic, but he didn't trust himself enough to carry the Troll prince with him so he asked for a lift from his dragonling. Timor called in his own dragonling as everyone else did the same. As they took off to survey the Pyramid from a more aloft point of view, they couldn't help but notice that Timor's idea was indeed fleshed out.

"Well, young prince, you are also one hell of a smart one! I find myself lucky to count you amongst my friends and vassal!" exclaimed Harold, beaming a wide smile.

"One conclusion must be brought out, given these developments," added Samson, as he looked at the proud Troll. "The other funny protruding shapes must represent continents as well. I think this collection represents the change the surface of Gaia sustained as it evolved."

"This is an interesting proposal, Samson. Are you implying that Gaia is alive?"

"I have no idea what this means, Diamondcutter. But we will need to talk to the Royal Healer to hear what she has to say about that proposal."

"Let's go back to the archducal palace. I smell rain, and I do not feel like getting drenched. Even our allies are headed for cover," Harold noted.

Everyone, including the dragonlings, headed for shelter, as the first lightning flashes could be heard in the distance.

***

Meanwhile, deep inside the Pink pyramid, the boys readied themselves for another test. What would this one bring they wondered? Paschal unlocked the next door, which fell within an underlying trap with a resounding boom.

"Talk about discretion. If anything is awaiting for a visit, it will know we arrived!" commented Paschal, looking at Sitar askance. Sitar couldn't but shrug as he looked at Paschal.

The boys noticed immediately that the disposition of the room was sensibly different from the previous one they had barely escaped from. First, the humidity was suffocating. The floor, well below their vintage point, and nearest to them, seemed to be a swamp covered with thick layers of very strange vegetation. Some areas seemed to be open water. They could see a river, whose thunderous path winded its way across the room, finishing its course in wide sweeping meanders that had sandy bars. Beyond the river, they could see a grassy field rising slowly to meet a forest whose trees seemed to be gigantic. Even stranger were the sounds they could hear, telling them that the room was inhabited. On the far end, barely discernable in the vapours rising from the miasma below, they could see another platform much like the one they were standing on. An almost white sun supplied the energy for photosynthesis.

"That's our goal, guys. Now, something tells me that straight line is not the solution. My old self probably made quite sure that the obvious was not the way to go."

"Sitar, you have a way of stating the obvious. Give me ten minutes to draw a sketch of the room as best as I can see," replied Paschal.

"Ok. Lie down, guys, I know that the noise probably attracted undue attention, but no use giving our positions out by flagging ourselves!"

Everyone understood the reason Sitar recommended this and, as Paschal peeked repeatedly but very quickly over to draw his map, the others kept watch for any animal movement. After about an hour, Paschal had finished.

"Did you draw every grass blade?" wondered Harp.

"No, but I tried to draw to scale, as much as this weird perspective allows."

"Ok. Has anyone seen anything move?" Thorsten enquired.

"No, but that doesn't mean there aren't predators on the loose. Maybe they are simply waiting for the evening to hunt, like we do," suggested Harp.

"What time is it, according to you guys?"

"Difficult to say, Typhoon. I would say mid-morning. That leaves us some hours of respite before the big predators get on the hunt. I suggest we try to get across before it'd dinner time for them!" Thorsten recommended.

The boys quietly began their descent into the valley below, wondering what they would discover at the bottom. They had to use a lot of careful mountain climbing, as it seemed the gravity well was abnormal and they could no longer levitate to progress. It took them an hour to reach the bottom of the cliff and begin their progress across the valley floor. Sitar took the lead, first turning right to give a wide birth to the swamps. He guided them along the crests of low-lying mounds, making sure they were as invisible and silent as possible. At some point, as they were ready to run across an open area separating two series of mounds, they heard a tremendous noise, and watched, awed, a predator emerge from the swamp and assail a giant animal that defended itself desperately. The earth shook violently from the battle, mud and water rained on the boys. Sitar signalled for everyone to stop and wait. Then, using hand signals he explained to each boy what they were expected to do: crouch as low as possible, and run across the open area, stopping at each shelter and hitting the dirt along the way. They were to monitor his hand movements and wait for him to signal another leg of the run.

Harp went first, as Sitar checked that both fighters were looking elsewhere. Then, as the battle raged on, he waited until another opportunity arose to send Ian as he signalled Harp to run for the next hideout. Then, as another bout of intense fighting resumed and the animals were again engaged in a deadly lock, he sent Enron on its way. The next to go was Thorsten, and then Typhoon. Unfortunately, the predator spotted Typhoon on the run and tried to get an easier prey.

Even before Harp had time to voice his command, the dragon shape-shifted and engaged the predator with powerful jaws. The previous prey, left to its own devices, decided to make a run for it and took a tangential route that brought it perilously close to Harp's position. It ran by, barely missing him by a yard, and sprinkling him with blood, much to his distaste.

Meanwhile, Sitar made his run and crossed the opening to join the others. As he watched the unfolding battle, he noticed that its adversary was dragging the dragon toward the swamp.

"Thorsten, use your axe to slice off some bits of the beast the next time you have a clear shot! Any piece you wish; just do not hit the Prince!"

"Ok. Protect my rear!" replied Thorsten as he stood up, waiting for an opening.

As the battle continued, attracting more and more carrion-eaters, the two ferocious fighters fought and rolled. Finally an opening appeared and the axe left the right hand of Thorsten to hit the beast at the lower spine, literally cutting the nerve influx to the lower limbs. As soon as the animal lost traction from its hind paws, the dragon took advantage and jumped on its back, biting hard at the junction between the neck and the shoulders. Then, as the animal collapsed, deprived of its last means of defence, the dragon took to flight, lifting its opponent with immense difficulty. Furiously whipping its wings, it climbed slowly up in the air and after reaching the ceiling of the room, some six hundred feet up, it dropped its cumbersome cargo away from its friends, making sure they would not be caught in a feeding frenzy. The resounding fall of the beast attracted every possible predator in the room to its fall point. Once this was done the dragon rejoined the princes and took back its human shape.

"Well done, Typhoon. Are you hurt?"

"No, my bounded. But this was a warrior worthy of our kind. I will be proud to report this battle to our Council."

"Let's get going, while everyone is busy bickering at the carcass. Walk quietly, and keep your eyes and smell open. Not all predators and carrion-eaters must have reached the feast yet, and I do not want to be an appetizer."

The boys resumed their slow progress, as Sitar curved their path slowly left. As they progressed, they could hear the noise of the falls that marked the river's entrance into the room grow louder. Finally, they emerged somewhat below the falls, to see huge boulders litter the river's bed.

As they neared the river, Ian got worried. "Stop guys! Keep quiet and back off! These aren't boulders! They are the backs of huge animals!"

Not one to miss a suggestion, however far-fetched it was, Sitar guided them behind a dune before asking the obvious question.

"What makes you think these are not boulders?"

"Have you ever seen a boulder go upstream, Sitar?"

The others looked at Ian, wide-eyed.

"Are you sure?" asked Harp, sceptic.

"Oh yes. I saw two converge upstream in what seemed to be a clear spot."

"OK, I'm convinced. Let's continue upriver; I feel this is the way across anyway," replied Sitar. "Let's keep an even more careful eye out. It is sext, and I would not be surprised to see animals try to catch a drink to fight off that heat."

The boys resumed their progress through the room, wondering why it took so damn long to reach the base of the falls. Quite a few times, they crossed the path of a predator or a prey going to the river for a quick drink before retreating to the shade of the forest or whatever shelter they had left to risk a drink.

"Let's climb up along that cliff, slowly, guys. Beware of hidden predators!"

The boys began the ascension, slowly progressing upward. Ian and his bounded, Typhoon, were helped over the biggest boulders. Thirty feet after they began climbing, Harp came face to face with a huge snake, which was sleepily digesting its last meal.

"Back off! Back off!" he ordered. "Let's find another path!"

The boys moved laterally, and resumed their climb further off the falls than they had initially intended. Finally reaching a ledge, they began again progressing toward the fall, amongst very slippery and moss-covered rocks.

"Look between the waterfall and the cliff, there is a space!" Paschal pointed out.

"Yes, it seems to be accessible from the ledge just above us. Paschal! Enron will climb on you to reach the ledge and pass in front to enter the cave. Then hoist Typhoon first, then Ian, on the ledge. Enron, your goal is to verify it is unoccupied. We would be hard put in our situation to be involved in a fight!"

The boys did as Sitar proposed, and after a lot of huffing and puffing, Enron found himself on the slippery and very narrow ledge.

"Wait until I tell you to lift the boys up, Paschal. Since we won't be able to hear each other, watch my hands. If I put them on the floor, stay put; if I put them above my head, bring them up!"

Paschal progressed along the ledge, almost slipping a couple of times, until he reached the water's veil. Then he disappeared behind the fall. Ten minutes later, he came back and stepped out, lifting his hands above his head.

Typhoon was pushed up by Paschal and progressed slowly toward Enron. Once he was behind the fall's face, Paschal lifted Ian, which quickly joined his bounded. The next one up was Harp, which stayed on the ledge to help Paschal up. The biggest problem was getting Sitar up as well, since he was now below and could not climb on his own.

"Harp, I'll lay down on the ledge. Sit on me to add your body mass, so I don't slip."

The boys did as Paschal suggested, and Sitar used his brother's arms as hand holds to climb up on the ledge. This manoeuvre was easier said than done, given how wet both boys were, but finally, all three were on the ledge and crawled toward Paschal. The first to reach him was Harp, followed by Paschal and finally Sitar. The boys retreated behind the waterfall.

"What have you found during your exploration, Enron?"

"This cave is rather vast, dry inside except for the first ten feet. We have a perfect refuge for a well-deserved rest. The ledge continues on the other side too, and is much wider after a few feet."

"I suggest we take just such a rest. I for one, feel like I've been running all day. Let's spend the rest of the day here, using our new vintage point to study the fauna and the geography of the next stage. However, we set up a watch! I do not trust this place more than necessary!"

"Harp's right! I've never felt so tired in my whole life!" piped up Thorsten.

As the boys settled deep within the cave to dry their selves up, and take a well-deserved meal of fruits and meats (for Typhoon) they discussed their day.

"One thing I don't understand is how this room can be so big!" commented Typhoon. "It just doesn't make sense!"

"I can explain that, my friend. You have not accompanied us in the storage bins located at the eastern edge of Thebes, have you?"

"No, what are they?"

"The storage bins are to store the treasures of this world, ready for incorporation within Thebes when the time comes. But these storage bins are very special. They are tessaracts. They fold space so that the inside is bigger than the outside, by a huge factor. Apparently, we are within a tessaract of a size I can only guess. I think we covered ten miles in reality, which, given the nature of the terrain, is pretty remarkable!"

"Harp's right, Typhoon! I just couldn't figure this out either, but with a tessaract, all becomes possible! However, where do all these life forms come from?"

"Paschal, this ecosystem has been evolving since the construction of the Pyramid, some seventeen thousand years ago, in a completely closed circuit. We are seeing the result of this evolution. Animals built their niches; many disappeared and were replaced by new species. There are two ways to see an evolutionary explosion: adverse conditions, and isolation. It is the later we see here."

"Enron, you are probably right, but we must then be even more careful. We have no knowledge of the ecology of this system! And who knows, maybe even plants have evolved!"

"Oh, they definitely have, Harp. I saw strange plants I have never heard about. We must be weary of them as much as of the animals," replied Sitar.

"There is one thing you guys are missing entirely!"

"What is it, Ian?"

"What if the time flow differed in here? What if for each year outside, say one hundred passed here, or a thousand?"

"That is entirely possible, Ian. We will know when we get out of here!" Thorsten commented.

"How do you plan to prove this?"

"I have been keeping a calendar. If it doesn't match the outside world when we get out of this mess, we'll know, Sitar!"

"Yes, this is an effective way of testing the hypothesis. Rest, guys, I'll take first watch with Pascal, so he can benefit of the rest of the day to fine-tune his map."

Paschal spent a couple of hours to finish his map of the area he could see through the falling water. Sitar spent the time with him, discussing best path to reach their goal. Then Harp and Thorsten took over for another two hours, before Ian and Typhoon took their turn while Enron prepared a hot meal for the evening.

"Should we set a fire for the night?" asked Enron, as he distributed a meal of roasted pork with apple sauce, an apple and milk tossed salad, and fresh rolls; dessert was composed of fresh fruits with cheese.

"I don't think so," decided Sitar as he cut himself another slice of the pork roast, and two more for the ever-hungry dragon. "Consider this: the night must be extremely dark in here, and a light source must attract attention, something we must not do at all costs."

"Furthermore, our night vision would be impaired by the light of the fire, Enron," added Harp.

***

Outside, the weather was showing signs of getting worse. The wind picked in intensity, blowing the rain horizontally. The rain drenched the kingdom. Rivers rose and left their bed to fill in their flood plains. Rivers once mile-wide reached two or three miles in width. Far, far north, dams began showing signs of excessive stress as water overflowed their top. Higher up, the rain fell as snow, adding several feet to an already thick blanket of ice and snow, pressuring the progress of the glaciers down in the lower valleys.

***

Dusk brought out predators in quantity, and the wolf sight let the princes see in vivid details battles worthy of the orcs. Below them, out of sight, they missed a scene that would have sent shivers down the back of the most hardened animal hunter. The animals that had been moving upriver according to Ian were slowly disappearing below the river's surface. Further down the bend, well out of sight, the alpha predator of these regions was on the hunt. Even the biggest land hunter was weary of the water that night, and it took an inextinguishable thirst for the herbivores to venture near the riverbank.

The boys heard more than saw the dance of life and death that unfolded below them. Cries of agony, cries of victory, cries of defeat, cries of relief could be heard from all directions. As the night fell so did the temperature. They saw a thunderstorm that dwarfed all they had seen so far in their life. Huge lightning travelled from the room's floor to the ceiling, carpeting the entire area above with veils of brilliant white-hot light. Ozone permeated the atmosphere. Giant trees exploded, throwing limbs and timber in all directions. The cliff face on which the fall was located was not immune from repeat hits by thunderbolts. Falling rocks could be heard cascading down on the valley floor, as even the river's water glowed with static electricity. The boys couldn't sleep much given the noise level. At one point, lightning struck the waterfall directly, and the boys, which had retreated deep in the cave saw a series of plasma balls materialize in front of them an begin to bounce on the cave's walls, floor and ceiling.

"Down!" ordered Sitar, as everyone hit dirt.

The balls flew by the boys, missing them by mere inches. Apart from a few burned hairs, no harm was done.

"That was close!" exclaimed Ian.

"Don't sell the storm until it's over! I think something is out to do us in!" replied Sitar. "These things followed a specific path, that indicated a polarized magnetic field! Stay put guys! Paschal, next time there is one of these big spark showers, let's plug it! I believe our armour can act as Faraday cages and isolate us from the malicious effects of the plasma! By using the swords we will be able to redirect the flux of plasma outside or at the end of the cave so it can dissipate!"

Sitar had barely finished explaining his plan that seven humongous fireballs crossed the waterfall, headed straight for the boys. Paschal and Sitar stood up and intercepted the first two sending them right back at the following balls of plasma. The colliding balls fused together, quadrupling in size as they expanded due to the sudden increase of their internal temperature in excess of 55,000 °F, well above those found on the surface of the sun. As the balls collided, they stopped their forward momentum, blocking through their expanded volume the entire cave passage. The three following energy balls could not help but collide with the static energy mass of the combined balls now blocking the passage, as the gaps between them or the walls was smaller than their radius. Again the balls increased suddenly in size before exploding with terrible force as the plasma touched the walls, ceiling and floor at the same time. Sparks of blinding intensity travelled across the cave, hitting the standing boys, who glowed with electric charge. The boys used their sword to direct the energy potential toward the rear of the cave, where it exploded repeatedly, making the surface bright with heat and ionised metals. Finally, after fifteen minutes, the light show came to an end, and darkness descended on the cave anew.

Paschal and Sitar sat down, tired beyond measure, breathing heavily.

"Is everyone ok?" enquired a worried Ian.

"I think so, Ian. I hope we won't have another show like that. I like fireworks, but not when I'm sitting in the middle! Sitar, Paschal! Are you ok?"

"For now, I can't see naught, but I hope this is temporary. That light show was several magnitudes brighter than anything I have seen. You, Paschal?"

"I'm in the same state, brother. We'll see in the morning. Let's rest. Who takes watch?"

"I'll do it for the rest of the night. We are four hours away from daybreak," offered Enron.

***

As daybreak broke, Sitar and Paschal's eyesight did not return, and they told the others so.

"Let me examine you!" declared Harp in a no-nonsense tone.

After a few minutes, he had to admit that the two boys were effectively blind.

"Ok, I think I can regenerate your retinas, but we need to get out of here. Sitar, Paschal, it's time to put into practice your other senses. Remember these exercises we did fighting with blindfolds? Well, now, you have them on. When we get out of this place, I'll remove them by regenerating the retinas."

"Why not now?" asked Typhoon.

"I do not want our adversary to know too much about us. I'll deal with that bastard once we are done and have completed our ordeal! Believe me, it will learn not to piss me off!"

"Count me in, Harp! I will not put up with someone hurting a brother of mine!" exclaimed a furious Ian.

"As we are!" stated in a chorus of enraged voices the other princes.

The boys left the cave and began their descent. Harp took the lead, while Sitar followed him closely; Thorsten took third place, guiding Paschal along the slippery path down to the valley floor. Progression was slow, painstaking, and hot, even in the early hours of morning.

"Harp, something tells me we must stay clear of the grass. Let's follow the forest's edge as much as we can."

"Ok, Ian."

The boys did as Ian suggested, and progressed slowly, keeping a row of trees between them and the grass expanse. As they made their way through the forest, the boys saw the grass move beyond the tree line and the ground shook slightly. Carefully, they ran from tree to tree, hiding behind the trunks.

"We are being hunted, guys," commented Enron. "As soon as I have a clear shot, they will learn to back off."

"Make sure it's a kill, Enron. A wounded animal is more dangerous!" replied Sitar.

"Don't worry, brother."

Just then, Enron let go of four arrows in quick succession, and a terrible roar was heard from the grass. There followed a terrible fight between the members of predator herd vying for a chunk of the still kicking victim of Enron's precision shooting.

Figure 25: Enron Taking Aim at the Predators

"Nice shot, Enron. Let's put some distance between them and us while they are busy."

The boys sped up their progress; by sext, they had covered about half of the distance they needed to do that day to reach the exit.

"Let's climb up that tree, guys. I believe the hunt must have resumed, and I think aerial travel would leave our pursuers short on a trail to follow!" suggested Thorsten.

The boys climbed up the proffered tree, as Paschal and Sitar used their ears and touch to progress in the tree. Thorsten took the lead and Typhoon the rear of the column. As they reached a giant horizontal branch, Thorsten invited them to follow it for some length, as it seemed to lead in the direction they wanted to travel. They progressed from branch to branch, from tree to tree. Not too far behind them they suddenly heard a commotion: the hunters had found the tree they had used to elevate themselves above the ground and were definitely trying to make them fall from it or to topple the tree over. The boys continued to progress, trying to stay as silent as possible, even if they believed any noise they could make would be drowned by the falling branches of the tree assailed by their hunters.

At nones, the boys could clearly see the wall they were trying to reach, but they were faced with a serious problem: the forest was replaced by open savannah.

"We have a problem," whispered Thorsten. "The forest is replaced by savannah, Sitar. What would you suggest?"

"How wide is the open area?"

"It would take us two or three hours to reach the base of the cliff."

"Could we run it?"

"No, even if you still had eyesight."

"There is another issue, Sitar. I smell that this grass must be handled with extreme care. It looks strange," added Thorsten.

"What do you mean?"

"Sitar, I see huge bumps all over the place, spaced about a mile apart. Between them there are vast open spaces that send shivers down my spine. Not that the bumps are any more inviting. I feel we will have to walk on a razor's blade. We are as blind as you are in this. It's intuition, precognition, call it whatever you want, but I smell danger."

"I agree with prince Thorsten. I smell traps everywhere. We must be very careful!" added Typhoon.

"Can we run tests?" suggested Harp.

"We are relatively safe here, high up in that tree. In fact let's climb a couple of levels higher. Then Thorsten sends out his axe or Enron lets an arrow fly at whatever bothers us and we observe the result."

"OK. I'll go up. And check for any unwelcomed guests," said Thorsten as he began climbing.

A few minutes later, a commotion was heard above them, and a giant snake that would put a boa constrictor in the worm category made its descent in chunks all around the boys.

"All's clear, but I suggest we change tree. That kind of food is bound to attract carrion eaters, and given the size of the animals we have seen so far, I'm not a fan of meeting them!"

"Good idea. Let's move to that taller tree over there." It took the boys three tree changes before they reached the king of the forest, a tree that culminated at thee thousand feet and had a circumference well over six hundred feet.

As the boys watched the open area from their vintage point, they saw all sorts of carrion eaters converge on the carcass of the snake: giant vultures, big ostriches with long, and very toothy beaks. Still others were four-legged animals that battled the birds for pieces of the fallen snake.

Suddenly, one of the four-legged animals, that resembled a giant panther, got kicked in the side by an enraged ostrich, and fell on the side of one of the open spaces, touching a long grass blade, then another. Instantly the ground on which it stood rose vertically and the two sides of the open area snapped together!

"Holy shit! Did you see that!" exclaimed Typhoon.

"Yes! It is sobering!"

"What happened?" Paschal asked.

"Well, we know what these huge open areas are now! They are giant flycatchers, big enough to swallow whole a tiger and then some! I think these long grass blades are triggers, and they probably have digestive juices to dissolve their prey. From what I see, the panther is still kicking furiously, but from the roar of despair and pain, I think it's being digested alive!"

"One mystery solved. Let's hope we figure out the mounds before we have to cross the savannah, Typhoon."

"That's about to happen. Two ostriches are in a fight for a piece of meat and have ventured near one of them."

As the boys watched from above they saw huge ants emerge from the top of the mount and walk in compact columns toward the still fighting ostriches. The birds, oblivious to the danger kept bickering over the piece of meat, until one, then two, then thee ants managed to crawl under their feathers and take a bite at their huge thighs. By then the entire area was covered by the ants and dozens were climbing on their legs to start gnawing at the proffered meal.

"Meat eating plants! Now, meat eating ants measuring a foot long!" exclaimed Harp stricken by horror. "What next?"

"Don't ask, I won't tell!" replied Typhoon on a very serious tone.

"Yes, it's not a nice scene. But what I want to know is the trigger. I don't see anything from here!" replied Enron.

"Did you see that fine green thread snap?" exclaimed Ian. Unfortunately everyone had missed it.

"Watch he ostriches as they try to escape their fate! At regular intervals, their feet raise a tiny green thread that is totally invisible in the grass, but you see it by contrast on the top of their brown-reddish feet just before it snaps. And the more they snap them the greater the number of ants emerge from the anthill."

The boys that could see took a closer look and gradually, even as the ostriches were losing their battle with the ants, they could see repeated ruptures of these fibres.

"I think we have our trigger!" exclaimed Harp. "Any suggestion as to how to progress?"

"We climbed up here to do some tests. Let me do a few, if you don't mind."

"Proceed, Enron. I doubt the carrion-eaters will be looking for us any time soon!" replied Ian.

The first test Enron did was to hit two blades on the same carnivorous plant, and observe the behaviour. The response was instantaneous as the plant's lips snapped close. It took fifteen minutes to begin reopening its mouth, and a full thirty minutes to fully recover its initial position, including redressing what looked like grass blades. The next test was a bit more difficult.

"Thorsten, can you get your axe to graze the grass so it shaves it?"

Thorsten did as asked and suddenly an adjacent anthill disgorged an army of ants that headed straight to the last emplacement of Thorsten's axe. Again the boys observed and concluded that the order of snapping guided the ants to their prey. Finding nothing to eat, the colony set to repair the broken strands. Enron eyed their work and waited for their retreat. Once he was sure all the ants were back inside, he did a perfect three arrow shot, pinning three threads to the ground without cutting them. Again the ants emerged and converged on the last thread pinned by an arrow.

"OK, the only conclusion is that these green fibres trigger a collective response from the meat-eating ants, whether they are broken or simply pressed on the ground by a weight. Notice I fired three arrows between the fibres and the ants did not emerge. Therefore it is not he earth's vibration that calls them to arms, but these filaments."

"Any suggestions, anyone?" Paschal asked.

"I think the best would be to travel under the meat-eating plants. However, I want to make sure we won't get intoxicated by a perfume or other," offered Sitar.

"What are you talking about?" asked a worried Paschal.

"Well, plants are known to be the basic producers of narcotics. This being known, carnivorous plants produce the most potent narcotics. I would not put it beyond that monstrosity to add this to its devilish arsenal."

"How do we test this?"

"I see one solution, but I doubt you will like it."

"Come on, Sitar, get on with it!"

"Well, we tie a rope around the waist of Ian and he walks near a closed plant. If he feels dizzy or falls down we pull him back. Before you guys try to skin me alive for putting Ian in danger, there is a good reason for it: he is the smallest of us, therefore the most likely to react to any potent potion produced by the plant. If he doesn't react after five minutes, we can be relatively assured that things will go ok for us. As for you, Typhoon, I have no idea if you will fall prey to the chemical charms of a carnivorous plant, so we will do the test with you as well."

The others looked at Sitar, slacked-jawed. Finally, after ten minutes of very acidic discussion, Ian declared he was ready for the test, and Typhoon decided to follow the example of his bounded. Harp very slowly materialized a fifty-foot long length of rope based on the same material the Fairies used.

"Let's get down, and see what lies below this behemoth. We have lost enough time already," Harp decided.

Harp took the lead, guiding Paschal down the tree, and then Enron guided Sitar. The others followed on their own, with Thorsten guiding Typhoon and Ian on their way down. The rope came in handy to cover the last thirty feet of the very slick and branch-free tree trunk.

The boys moved a bit further away from the still raging feast before Harp considered it safe to undertake their final test. The rope was quickly tied to Ian, and, as soon as the prince was ready, Enron let go of two arrows, eliciting the expected reaction. Immediately after, Ian walked toward the closed plant and then stopped about ten feet from the plant's core and turned back.

"Why did you turn back, Ian?" asked a concerned Harp.

"I was beginning to feel dizzy. Sitar is right, these plants do emit an intoxicant, albeit I wouldn't call it a perfume! It smells like an advanced rot of an animal, and probably is too. I did see carcasses near the trunk, and quite a few bones. The strange thing is I saw vines wrapped around a partially digested animal. I think we need to worry even when the traps are closed. The good thing is, it's only when you get within ten feet that the effect really hits. I suggest we tie each other into a long string, using that rope. That way, Sitar and Paschal won't stray, and if anyone of us become dizzy, the others will be able to pull him back."

That suggestion was widely approved, and after a quick test on Typhoon, which revealed he was totally immune to the effect of the plant, it was decided to put him in the middle so he could effectively pull back on either the ones before him or the ones following in his footsteps. An additional ten minutes were required to create the cord. This time it was Enron in the lead as he was responsible to shoot the blades to open their path.

The next two hours were spent moving ever further afield, making sure to stay off the anthills, but as vespers was still an hour away, the boys realized they would have to cross over an anthill mound, a situation which as far from enchanting.

Enron slowed down and began to slowly crawl across the grassy field marking his footsteps with arrows. Paschal and Sitar were guided step by step through the obstacle by the voice of Enron and Harp respectively. Ian, Thorsten and Typhoon closed the march that could have made proud a funeral home director.

Finally, just as vespers would have been rung at the bells of Eloise, the boys reached another open field of carnivorous plants, which promptly were released by the care of Enron. Half an hour later, as dusk was descending on them, they reached the base of a steep incline and began the arduous climb to the doorstep that would let them out of this nightmarish place.

Sitar, with the help of Harp, quickly pressed his right hand on the marker, which produced the opening of the door, upon which everyone quickly entered the hopper, and Sitar closed the door.

"Do we open the next one?" asked Ian.

"No, I need to fix Sitar and Paschal first, and that will take at least two hours each. I'll use Bata as light source."

It was nearly matins before Harp finished regenerating the eyes of Paschal and Sitar.

"Eat up guys, and let's sleep. I doubt anything will happen to us in this place. After today, and last night, I could sleep on a bed of nails."

Everyone agreed with Harp's assessment and shortly, the narrow room resonated with an orchestra of snores.