Taniwha

by Liza Fox

  “Where will the circle be?” he asked Toka. He wanted to get out of this stinking place as soon as possible.

  “We will wait for the staff to appear and then we shall know,” said Toka. “For now we wait, as this is the base of the 3rd circle.”

  As they stood, staring up at the ceiling of the cave, they could hear distant rumbling, interspersed with groans and muffled screams.

  Before Ben could remark on them a light started to appear in the center of the ceiling. They watched in anticipation as the light grew stronger, brilliant yellow and streaming to a thin laser like beam to the floor of the cave. They rushed to it and joined hands around it. A bright yellow mist began to rise from the floor, engulfing them as it rose higher and higher, spinning as it climbed, until it reached the roof of the cave and disappeared into it. Just then another creature appeared from a rock, then another and another. This time, as they got near, they seemed to dissolve into the mist, screaming as they disappeared. Ben and Toka were both transfixed by the surge of energy that washed through them, watching keenly until the light disappeared and the cave was back to normal.

  “Success again. Thank you, young friend.” Toka held Ben’s hands tightly. “Do you realize that the next circle, the fourth, represents Taniwha’s heart and it will be filled with pain and anger. We must be extra careful not to touch anything from now on, for he will know.”

  CHAPTER 20: ABOVE TO THE 4TH CIRCLE/GREEN

  Sally stood looking around at the destruction the wind had caused.

  “I think we might be in for worse than that,” she said. “You do realize that the 4th circle represents Taniwha’s heart?” She looked at Sam as she said this.

  “I know,” he replied. “Hard and shriveled, like its owner. Take the staff Sal and we’ll get there as fast as we can.”

  Holding onto the staff they both started to float upwards, visualizing the green 4th circle.

  They remembered it being in a valley and being small and withered. They floated slowly on and when they did finally see the circle its colour was such a deep green, that it was only its glow that made it visible.

  The earth also told them, shaking and rumbling as they landed softly in the center of the circle. Sam quickly started to apply Toka’s mixture on the stones and as he did so they began to vibrate. The deep, green energy began to fly out in an anticlockwise direction around the circle, dragging on their clothes and almost sending them both spinning with it.

  Sam struggled against the wind to place the drops on the stones. He had to work with his back to it to stop from loosing any of the precious mixture. After fighting the spiraling wind he managed to get the final drops onto the last stone.

  Jumping up to face the wind again he took the staff from Sally and tried to plunge it into the ground; but the strength of the wind forced it away from the center of the circle and up in the air. Sam was now struggling to keep hold of the staff as the wind tried to wrench it from him.

  Sally grabbed the other end and, pulling it downwards against the wind, managed to push it to the ground, where Sam forced it hard into the earth.

  “I hope it stays upright,” he shouted, above the noise of the wind. “Here, grab my hands.”

  Sally fought against the wind and grabbed hold of Sam’s hands to form the ring around the staff. Just then the wind slowed and was replaced by coloured streaks of energy that exploded around them. The streaks burst near their heads, causing their ears to ring and the skin on their faces to sting. Sparks continued hitting them and the dark green mist began crawling up them. First into their feet, then up their legs, through their stomach and up to their heart. Here it lingered for a while, before moving on past their throat and into their heads. They could feel an intense rush as it moved through them. Then, just as suddenly as they started, the exploding colours stopped. The wind settled. All was quiet as the glow on the staff gradually faded away.

  “I think it’s done Sam,” said Sally, flopping down on the ground. “We make a pretty good team eh! I wonder how Ben and Toka are doing.”

  Sam sat down beside her.

  “Yes, I wonder. They are here anyway, even if below us. So we’ve all come this far,” he said. Getting up he pulled the staff from the ground.

  “Well, we’d better start thinking about getting to the 5th circle. Taniwha’s throat and voice.”

  “OK. Give me a hand up then,” said Sally.

  CHAPTER 21: BELOW TO THE 4TH CIRCLE – GREEN

  Toka and Ben soon found a large opening and began to follow the tunnel like cavity that they found themselves in. The light from Toka’s hand seemed like an entity in itself as they inched their way along, desperate not to touch anything. The floor was slippery and difficult to walk on, so they trod very carefully, fearful of slipping and sliding against the walls. All this time the walls around them pounded, moving in and out, in and out. The pounding became stronger as they moved on. They were both on the verge of falling when, after what seemed like an eternity, ( which was in fact about 10 minutes) they finally came to steps going upward.

  “These will be difficult, even more so than the tunnel. Tread sideways for more balance,” Toka advised. “Keep hold of my cloak. We must keep close.”

  As they ascended, fighting against the continuous, relentless pounding, the steps became wider. After fifteen steps they arrived at a ledge, overlooking what seemed to be a cavern with various holes around it. The whole area was beating like a heart would beat and dark liquid poured through the holes. Burgundy coloured water, swirling around the central hole and out through another hole at one end. Steps off to their right led down into the cavern.

  “Tread softly,” said Toka, as he began the descent into the gaping hole. Ben stayed close behind, glad of Toka’s large form as protection. What from he wasn’t sure but he felt sure he needed as much protection as he could get.

  “We’re not going into that stuff are we?” he asked, with a tremor in his voice.

  “No.” replied Toka. “We will take a route that bypasses this. Follow the steps and they will lead the way to avoid this area of Taniwha; but I can feel his anger. We must hurry.”

  Just then the earth began to shake again and they both held on to each other. As the pulsing became heavier the liquid coming through the holes began to gush through, like water being squeezed through a pump. It swirled and crashed against the walls of the central hole, splattering them both as they watched, before entering with a rush the exit hole. The sound was horrendous and Ben’s ears ached. Constant pounding on his eardrums! He held his hands to his ears to try to relieve the noise, but it didn’t help much. Besides, he needed his hands for balance.

  They edged their way along a narrow ridge in the wall of the cave. Sharp, jagged rocks protruded, digging into them as they tried to pass. The sound of the water was deafening and the air was wet and filled with mist. It was becoming difficult to see and the ledge they were on was getting narrower. However, it soon gave way to a platform of rock which they stepped onto, with a sigh of relief.

  More steps appeared before them through the mist, leading upwards and they quickly started to climb them. The steps were wet and slippery, like those they had traversed before and the tunnel was narrow, with just enough room for them to squeeze their way along without touching the walls. The pounding had lessened but they could still feel a slight vibration under their feet. As they climbed higher the walls began to get wider, the steps soon opening into another large chamber. Toka swung his lighted hand around. The area was dry. There didn’t seem to be any water here at all. The walls were covered with nodules that looked like some kind of fungi. Nodes were shining in the light, clusters of them, small and large, sprouting from the walls. Above him, Ben could see thin, straw like stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave. On one side hung flat sheets of almost transparent limestone, hanging from the walls and ceiling like swathes of fine silk material. As he looked around at the wonders that surrounded him something appeared from one of the drapes of stone
.

  It looked like some kind of fairy, with long, delicate legs, wings like the pale yellow limestone sheets and a white face surrounded by creamy white filament hair. It hovered above them, then began to circle round them. Soon there came another and another.

  Toka shouted. “Do not look at them!” Keep your eyes to the ground; do not look up at them!” They both stared hard at the ground as the strange creatures buzzed around their heads like large bees, chattering and hissing.

  “Why, what are they?” Ben asked.

  Toka replied, still staring at the ground. “They are mind spirits. They look harmless enough but they would be a problem if they manage to infiltrate our minds. Keep thinking of the circle and watch for the green glow of the staff coming through, for this is where we meet again with Sam and Sally.”

  The spirits kept hovering and chattering over them as they kept their thoughts to the circle and their eyes to the ground, until they could see the soft green glow of the staff above, shining on the floor in front of them.

  “Quick, form the circle and close your eyes,” cried Toka.

  The spirits began circling them both, trying harder and harder to get their attention. As the bright green light beam from the staff began to get stronger the spirits all screamed loudly and vanished into the wall.

  Toka and Ben could see the end of the staff getting brighter above them. Soon they were totally surrounded by green energy, spinning as it entered the ground. They could feel it creeping up their legs, into their stomach and chest, swirling around their throats and into their heads. Their ears were ringing as the colour rushed up, causing their eyes to sting and water. Slowly it all began to dissipate. The green mist faded, the staffs light disappeared and soon they were standing in the cold blackness of the cavern again. All was quiet. Even the earth was still.

  CHAPTER 22: ABOVE TO THE 5TH CIRCLE - SKY BLUE

  Sam pulled Sally up and they stared at the now lifeless 4th circle, treading over the debris that littered the ground in and around it.

  “I’ve got to sit down for a while again,” Sally said to him. “I’m feeling pretty weak at present and I need to rest awhile.”

  They both headed for the trees where they sat down on a fallen log. The silence seemed heavy and foreboding and they hugged each other for comfort and protection.

  “We can’t stay here for long,” Sam said, standing up again. “We’ve already lost time due to that awful wind and now we have to make it to the 5th circle as fast as we can.” He looked up at the rising moon, almost directly above them now. “Let’s join hands and concentrate on the 5th circle.”

  Sally rose and placed her trembling hands into Sam’s and they both stood, visualizing the sky blue circle. Sally was finding it difficult, the memory of the previous happenings still clear in her mind.

  As she tried hard to think only of the 5th circle her thoughts kept jumping to other things. The winged creature, the wind, the colours and rocks, Toka and Ben. She couldn’t seem to keep the thoughts out of her mind; consequently she could not keep the 5th circle in her thoughts long enough for them both to begin moving toward it.

  “I just can’t seem to keep the thought,” she told Sam. “Other thoughts keep coming into my mind.”

  Sam was getting concerned as the minutes ticked by and they were getting nowhere.

  “You’ve got to let those other thoughts go,” he told her. “I know it’s hard but you’ve got to try Sal. Just imagine the rocks in the circle and with your minds eye just stare at them. You mustn’t allow any other thoughts to come in, just the circle. Just the circle, Sal.” He looked directly into her eyes as if to force the image into them.

  “I know,” he said. “I’ll describe them to you and then you’ll be able to see them clearly.”

  “Ok’ said Sally, keen to try anything that would still her mind and rid it of all the unwanted thoughts.

  Sam began describing the 5th circle to her as best he could. Sally closed her eyes and listened, allowing his description of the circle to fill her mind.

  “Imagine the rocks, glowing sky blue; imagine the circle, the stones and ground around it. Can you see the rocks? Can you see them in the ground? Can you see the blue energy all around them? Imagine standing in them. Imagine them all around you.”

  Sally strained to keep the picture there, clear in her mind, before another thought tried to enter.

  “Concentrate, concentrate,” she told herself.

  To Sam’s relief it seemed to work and they slowly began to rise into the air, floating gently above the ground. He opened his eyes and saw below the grassed valley in which the blue 5th circle sat. It looked tiny against the surrounding hills but the blue haze reaching out from it was bright. It stretched out from the center, over the ground and on up the hills which rose on either side.

  As he gazed at the scene below he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see what it was. Something was coming toward them and it was coming toward them at speed. Their concentration was broken and they both began tumbling downward towards the ground below. Sally opened her eyes and screamed as they hurtled towards the earth; but before they got near they were both surrounded by an immense energy field that held them in mid air. There they hung, unable to move, neither up nor down. The field of energy gripped them like a vice. They could feel it tightening around them, pulling their clothes and causing their hair to cling against their heads. Sam hugged the staff as tightly as he could, petrified that he would loose hold of it, or it would be wrenched from his hands.

  He tried to shout out but the sound was soaked up in the air. They both stared at each other as they tried desperately to fight the invisible field that had them in its grip. They both knew what they should do. Concentrate on the blue circle. They closed their eyes and concentrated.

  Sally pictured the circle as clearly as she could, seeing it glowing bright sky blue. Sam did the same. They could feel the energy gripping them but they kept picturing the circle below, imagining it coming towards them. Sam’s legs and arms felt as though they were bound in a vice; but he kept visualizing the circle. Sally kept her eyes closed tight, one thought locked into her psyche. She wasn’t going to give up. She wasn’t going to give in to whatever this was that was binding them above the circle. A high pitched scream filled the air and they could feel the energy begin to release. The vice-like grip that had kept them imprisoned slowly became weaker. Sally’s ears ached from the sound the energy made as it began to loose its power over them. She opened her eyes and stared into Sam’s. She saw the circle almost etched into them, like she was staring at a colour photo of it.

  Slowly they began to descend as the energy field completely lost its power over them and, before they knew it, were both standing in the blue mist of the 5th circle.

  Sweating and shaking, with legs feeling like jelly, they hugged each other with relief. A piercing scream filled the air. Looking up they saw a multi coloured streak of lightning explode above them. Lines of light were going in all directions from the centre of the explosion, disappearing into the sky. Then all was calm. Sally collapsed into a crumpled heap on the ground, exhausted. Sam leaned down to help her up and they both moved on wobbly legs to the center of the circle.

  “That was another of Taniwha’s tricks to stop us. I’m going to place the tincture on the stones now, so get ready with the staff.” He went to each vibrating stone, placing a small drop of the mixture on them. The stones reacted as the others had and Sam had to dodge sparks and burning shards.

  Finishing the stones he took the staff from Sally, raised it high and then brought it down hard into the black earth.

  As it penetrated the ground another explosion of light lit up the sky above them. Sparks rained down, stinging them and causing spitting fireballs as they hit the earth.

  “Ignore them,” shouted Sam and grabbed Sally’s hands to form a circle around the now vibrating, glowing staff. All around the earth sparked and crackled, shaking and trembling under their fee
t. Small fire balls began rolling towards them. They stood their ground though, ignoring all that was happening, gripping each others hands tightly so that the circle and staff stayed intact. They could feel the heat of the fireballs creeping up their legs and onto their chest and arms, until it reached their heads. The staff was now a vivid sky blue. Sam and Sally could see the energy traveling out of it and into them. All weakness and fear had gone now. They both felt strong and filled with purpose.

  After a while the light from the staff and the blue mist that had smothered the surrounding land began fading, drawing in.

  They stood there, hands locked together, until the staff and the land around returned to normal. Until the colour had gone and the jolting and shaking had stopped. Again all was calm, still. The moon above hung in the sky like a huge lantern. Everything seemed peaceful again.

  CHAPTER 23: BELOW TO THE 5TH CIRCLE - SKY BLUE

  “Good work, Ben,” said Toka, holding Ben’s shoulder in a sign of appreciation. “Sam and Sally are also doing an excellent job. They have not let us down. Taniwha is becoming weaker by the minute; but come, we have no time to waste.”

  The huge cavern seemed to have only one exit, large and high. The floor was encrusted with stalecmites, some as high as Ben’s head. The ceiling hung with huge stalactites, some of which were already meeting their mate growing on the ground, forming long pillars of limestone.

  They worked their way through the maze, trying not to touch anything; but it was difficult. With hardly any room between the individual pillars their progress was slower than they would have liked.

  Toka was ahead, his lit hand forever out in front of him, lighting their way.

  “Where does that light come from in your hand?” asked Ben as they wormed their way along.

  Toka turned to him and held out his open hand. Nestled in his palm was a crystal, radiating a rainbow of dazzling light. Ben stared at it, transfixed by its brilliance.