by Liza Fox
“What’s this place Toka?” he asked. “What part of Taniwha is this?”
Toka looked slowly around the cavern.
‘This is Taniwha’s sacral area. It is in this cavern that my mother kept me when I was young. The pool is where I drank. The flat stone you see in the corner was my bed. All the crystals were my light. It was from here that she sent me forth, through to the earth above. This was once my home and sometimes now I stay here, when Taniwha is quiet. This cavern evokes many memories, good and bad; but my feelings are of no importance. We have more urgent things to accomplish.” He looked hard at Ben.
“By now Sam and Sally should be above us. Anytime now we should see the light of my staff appearing through the earth above.” Ben didn’t hear Toka’s last words as just then a shrill scream filled the cavern, bouncing off the walls and ceiling and echoing around them. The sound blasted them, knocking them back. They both tumbled against the stones and rocks on the floor as the scream careered around the cavern, causing the walls to pound. Stones and dust flew in the air as they sheltered under Toka’s cloak, covering their ears against the extreme sound.
Slowly the scream faded and stopped, leaving them dizzy, their heads spinning.
Getting up from the floor they stood in silence, regaining their composure. Dust hung in the air, moving around them and settling on their heads and clothes.
Silence again, bar the delicate drip of water into the pool.
CHAPTER 16: ABOVE TO THE 2ND CIRCLE/ORANGE
Sam and Sally watched in amazement as their friends disappeared down into the black hole! The hole that had formed in the middle of the first circle.
“Cripes, this is really real,” said Sam. They stared at the hole as it slowly closed, leaving charred earth in its place.
“I know,” Sally looked at Sam. “We have to do everything Toka told us, you know. This is serious. We’ve got to get to the next circle. Think the orange circle, Sam. Hold the staff and join hands and think the orange circle.”
They held hands around the staff and concentrated their thoughts on the orange second circle. Gradually they both began to rise up. They looked down at the slowly diminishing 1st circle below, its former bright red glow now gone.
“I’ll miss seeing the stones glowing,” Sally said.
“Don’t worry about that,” replied Sam. “There are more important things to think of. The 2nd circle is our priority now.” They were floating slowly over dark forest and large areas of grassland, all looking a bit more hostile in the light of the full moon than it had seemed before. There was an air of expectancy around them, making them both shiver. Time seemed nonexistent as they floated on, until they broke out of the trance like state to see the glow of the second circle below them.
It was shining with enormous intensity. An orange mist spread wide into the surrounding trees, like creeping smoke, making it look like part of a party scene. As they drew near they could see the circle shivering from the power and as they descended into it they felt the energy, like needles traveling through them.
Landing in the circle they stood for a while to get their balance. The energy from the rocks was making a buzzing sound and they could feel the vibration from it making their skin tingle.
“Get the essence Sam,” said Sally. Sam removed the small bottle from his pocket and opened the top. He went from stone to stone, dripping a small amount on each. As he did this each stone sizzled, sending up sparks of white and yellow light as the droplet spread. Once the essence started working the intense orange seemed to loose its vibrancy.
While Sam performed this task Sally stood in the center, holding the staff, waiting.
All was silent. Creepily silent! Then suddenly there was an ear-shattering scream which seemed to come from underground. The earth began to shake under them. Sally felt a cold chill waft through her.
“Do hurry Sam, that didn’t sound too good.”
“I know,” he replied. “Just one more to do.” Finishing the last stone he took the staff from Sally and plunged it hard into the earth at the center of the circle. It immediately began to glow and tremble as they joined hands around it to form the ring. The earth continued shaking under them and the mist that was everywhere began to roll and shiver. They felt a cold wind passing over and through their clothes and around their bodies.
Their hair began to rise on their heads as the energy from the circle began to penetrate. First their feet, then creeping up their legs into their chest, on into their heads. Filling them until all the orange mist had shrunk from the rocks and been absorbed.
The buzzing vibration that the moving energy had caused gradually lessoned.
It was an hour long minute before the stones sat quiet and colourless and the staff stood brown and unassuming in the center of the circle.
They could feel a cold breeze around them.
“I think we did it,” said Sam, grabbing Sally in a hug. “We did it Sal.”
Sally was crying. “It’s ok, they’re tears of relief,” she said, beginning to laugh. “I just hope Ben and Toka are ok. This ground shaking gives me the creeps.”
Sam pulled the staff from the ground and they both stood for a minute gazing around them at what was just a circle of stones, still and grey in the moonlight.
Above them the moon shone in the sky as though nothing had happened.
They were just moving out of the circle when they became aware of something large and dark passing overhead. They felt a rush of wind as it passed over them.
“What the heck was that?” Sam exclaimed.
“It looked like some huge bird,” said Sally. “Where did it come from? There aren’t any big birds that live around here, not that big anyway.”
“We’d better keep a watch out,” warned Sam. “It might be something to do with Taniwha. We’d better get going to the next circle anyway. We can’t delay.”
They held onto the staff and concentrated on the third circle, yellow and vibrant in their minds. Soon, as before, they began rising and the colourless circle below vanished into its surroundings.
CHAPTER 17: BELOW TO THE 3RD CIRCLE/YELLOW
Ben looked up and saw a dull ochre light appearing in the roof of the cavern. Toka had seen it as well. As they watched, the light became brighter and began turning into brilliant orange. Toka lowered his hand and the light it had been emitting dimmed, allowing the light from the staff to shine like a huge star in the blackness. The light soon began to intensify into a golden point that traveled like a beam to the earth of the cavern.
“Quick, we must form a circle around it.” Toka rushed to the beam with Ben and they joined hands around it. As they did so the earth beneath them vibrated and thick orange mist began to rise, engulfing them as it made its way up, gently settling on the ceiling of the cavern.
“It will be moving through the earth to the circle above ground, where Sam and Sally will be forming a ring around the staff. The energy of the second circle is now entering us. Breath in the orange mist, feel the energy move through you.”
Ben could indeed feel an energy surge through him as he inhaled deeply. The floor of the cavern was now vibrating with more intensity and they both found it hard to stay on their feet and keep the circle joined; but they did and after about a minute the vibrating eased as the mist began disappearing into the earth above them. The light beam from the staff began to dim with the mist, and as its final glow faded, the light disappeared. The staff had been pulled out by Sam above.
“Success Ben,” cried Toka. “We have passed our first trial and it went well. How do you feel?”
“I feel good,” replied Ben. He did feel good. Positive, with a feeling they would definitely succeed.
“We must now go forth to the 3rd circle, which will be more difficult than the path we have just trod.” Toka was looking at the wall of rock in front of them.
“There is only one way out of this cavern and we must make it ourselves.”
CHAPTER 18: ABOVE TO THE 3RD CIRCLE YELLOW
As they rose higher into the night sky Sam and Sally stared back at another colourless circle. They felt strong from the energy that they had absorbed from the 2nd orange circle. They floated up, slowly rising above the ground. The moon had risen high and shone brilliant yellow, surrounded by a large halo of rainbow light.
Sam and Sally kept their thoughts on the yellow 3rd circle. They were picturing it clearly in their minds eye when they heard a sound that made them break their concentration. They both looked at each other.
“What’s that strange noise? Can you hear it Sam?”
“Yes,” Sam replied, “but I can’t think what it is.”
The sound, like the whirring of a motor, was getting closer. They searched the moonlit landscape far below them but could see nothing but hills and valleys. Looking around they searched the starry sky but could see nothing there either. The sound, however, was getting louder and the whirring now sounded like the flapping of some large birds wings.
Sam was shouting, trying to be heard over the noise.
“It sounds like some kind of winged creature; but we mustn’t get side tracked. We must concentrate on the 3rd circle. We must get to it soon.”
Suddenly they were both hit. Hit by something hard. They began spinning through the air, clinging to the staff and each other.
“What the heck! What’s happening?” They both gasped as they span out of control through the air. Their minds had been taken off the next circle to what was happening to them now. As they spun the whole world spun with them. All they could see were spinning moon and stars, then spinning forest, then stars again as they twisted and turned in mid air. The air soon became a strong wind, cold and biting.
“Think of the circle,” yelled Sam “Just think of the circle. Try to concentrate on that.”
They both concentrated as hard as they could on the next circle, yellow and glowing in their minds, as they spun out of control through the night air. They tried desperately to think of nothing else; just the yellow circle of shimmering stones. There they were, spinning and visualizing, until suddenly they felt themselves slowing down. The wind was getting softer against them and the starry sky above gradually became still again. They found themselves on the ground, in the center of the 3rd circle, with its yellow glowing stones.
Just at that moment a piercing screech vibrated the air around them, followed by the appearance of the huge apparition they had seen earlier.
It flapped its immense wings over the circle, causing a wind that moved the mist, their hair and clothes.
Sally shouted loudly over the rushing sound of the wind. “Quick, Sam, put that stuff on the stones and let’s get this staff in the ground. That thing’s scaring me. It must have been that that knocked us flying up there.”
Sam quickly passed her the staff and began running from stone to stone, dropping the liquid on each. His hands were shaking as he applied the mixture to the glowing rocks. As the liquid hit them the stones began hissing and crackling, causing bright yellow sparks to shoot up and outwards, hitting his hands and face and causing stinging sensations through him.
“Finished,” he cried as he treated the last one. The stones were almost moving with the energy that had begun to emerge from them. The earth beneath them was shaking, sending shivers up their legs and into their arms and head.
Sam grabbed the staff off Sally and, with as much strength as he could muster, drove it into the ground. Hovering and flapping above them the huge bird like creature suddenly screamed. Wings fully spread it backed off from the circle. As they watched, it began to glow brilliant, intense yellow, lighting the air above and below as it started to slowly disintegrate before their eyes. The yellow glow began to shrink, forming a spiral, one end heading toward them and being sucked into the top of the now vertical staff.
They watched in amazement as the yellow light was drawn into the staff like a piece of string being pulled through a straw, leaving the staff pulsating in vibrant, golden yellow.
They quickly joined hands and, as with the other circles, the colour gradually began to release from the stones and the surrounding area. It was sucked into the ground, through the circle, and into the four of them. Two above, two below. The energy surge made Sam and Sally gasp as they felt it creep up to the top of their head. Sally saw their hands glowing bright yellow. As they stood there, hands joined, a vibrant rush of light appeared where the staff had been plunged into the ground. It crept up the staff and disappeared into it.
The yellow on Sam and Sally’s hands began to slowly disappear and they were left standing in the glow of the moonlit night. The ground below them began shaking violently again, the intensity of it causing them to almost lost their balance. They clung to each other while the earth groaned. At the same time a violent wind rushed through the trees that surrounded the circle, causing them to bend with the pressure. It was so strong that Sally lost her footing, falling onto the blackened earth and rolling along with the pressure of the wind as it swept across the circle.
She screamed as she was hurled against one of the rocks. Sam ran towards her and was caught in the power of the wind, ending up in a crumpled heap against his sister. They both lay there, scared and shaking, while the wind howled and buffeted against them. They tried to rise but were forced back down again by the winds immense pressure.
Sam yelled, trying to be heard over the noise. “Try to make it to the other side of this rock. It might give us some protection.” Pulling on Sally he began crawling to the other side of the large rock. Once behind it they were given some semblance of protection and sat, huddled together, while the wind howled and moaned around them.
“It’s ok Sal.” Sam had to shout to be heard. “I’m sure this wind will die down soon. We’ll just stay here until it does. We can’t go any further till it does anyway.” So there they stayed. It was about ten minutes before the dreadful strength of the wind started to subside. When it finally did they crept out gingerly from behind their protective cover. The shaking of the ground had stopped, along with the wind, and had been replaced by an eerie silence. They both stood up, holding tight to each other, and surveyed the area. Branches and leaves from trees were scattered everywhere. Amazingly the staff was still in the ground and Sam went to it, wrenching it from the earth.
“Well!” he exclaimed. “That was unexpected. At least we got the job done. We’d better start thinking of how we’re going to get to the 4th circle. I hope this sort of thing doesn’t happen again.”
They stood together, looking at the circle, both wondering if they were in a nightmarish dream.
CHAPTER 19: BELOW to the 3RD CIRCLE/YELLOW
Toka and Ben stood surveying the cave that had served as Toka’s home for so long. The cave that just before, had held the golden orange energy of Taniwha.
Toka walked towards a wall where Ben could see a large area that was smooth and flat.
Toka spoke softly. “We must use some of the power we have gained to open the way out of here. It is the only way. My mother used the power to visit me when I lived here. We must now do the same. Come, hold my hand and concentrate on the wall ahead. There is a white spot in the middle of the wall. We must both look at and concentrate our minds on that spot. Imagine it growing into a large opening. See this in your mind, clear and real.”
They both stood in silence as they stared at the white spot. Ben imagined the hole expanding into a large, dark opening; large enough for them both to walk through.
The seconds ticked by as they both stood there, willing a hole to appear. More seconds. Suddenly Ben could see the white spot turning bright yellow. It started to grow, expanding in all directions. Yellow slowly changed to deep green, then black, as the hole formed itself into an opening. An opening, to the next realm of Taniwha. They went through, Toka first, holding up his lighted hand as they entered a small cavity. It was round in shape, just high enough for them to stand with Toka’s head bowed.
As they moved forward the size and shape of the cav
ity stayed the same. They kept walking and Ben soon realized that they were in a tunnel. Smooth sided, the floor wet and slippery, it was difficult to stay standing without holding on to the sides of the tunnel.
“Try not to touch the walls,” said Toka. “We don’t want to transfer any energy signals through our hands. Taniwha will sense it. He will be on the alert, for he knows something is not right.”
After about 15 minutes sliding and slipping through the tunnel they finally stepped into a large open area. High ceilings hung with stalactites that sparkled in the light from Toka’s hand; but the beauty ended there. Ben could see piles of bones littering the floor of the cave as the light roamed around. Suddenly he saw a movement over to their left and grabbed Toka’s cloak.
“Something just moved,” he whispered. “Over there.” He didn’t have to point as suddenly something rose from a heap of bones and was heading toward them. It happened so fast that all Ben saw was a flash of brilliant colour. Toka lifted his hand, pointing it at the creature as it lunged toward them. There was a piercing scream as the creature dived at Toka’s hand and, to Ben’s amazement, disappeared into it.
“Did that thing just go into you?” he asked..
“It was an energy form and I have absorbed it,” Toka replied. “We may come across more as we venture forward but know that you can absorb these creatures. If you are not quick, though, they can absorb your own energy.”
Constantly aware of unseen creatures lurking behind rocks they searched the cave, finding many animal and bird skeletons. Some still had rotting flesh, the smell of which filled the cave and made Ben want to retch.
What looked like huge fungi were growing on the walls and on the ground, slimy topped and dripping with a black, ink like substance that gave off a sickly sweet aroma.