"This is the desert rock," called Krunch.
"We should take it with us," said Logan.
De-Stik took his dagger and pulled the stone from the floor. The bottom of the stone was flat and brighter than the top.
"Fire stone, ice stone and now the desert rock…" thought Krunch aloud. "Remind me again what the riddle said," he asked.
"'The first frost the second a flame, put against one another to answer their name. The wind symbols carved in the block are put against the desert rock'," recited De-Stik.
"It sounds like instructions on how to put the stones in place," said Logan.
"So we just need the symbols of the wind," said Krunch, "but what are they?"
"We'll try to look for them," said Achtisanor, turning toward the tunnel to which Smord had run to.
"Logan," said De-Stik, "are you sure it was sword that allowed you to command the skeletons to word?"
"And what was the word they kept saying?" asked Krunch. "'Gostokick'?"
"'Gostorick'," said Achtisanor, "In the undead language it means 'as you command, my master!'"
"Whew, so you are a master of the undead?" asked Krunch.
"No," said Logan, "it must have been the sword."
Chapter 28 - The Horn
The four companions continued to walk along the meandering corridor, leading them to a wider corridor. Stalagmites and stalactites stood as walls at both sides, and at the end was a large mud wall. They found the remains of the skeletons and their swords lying to their feet.
"Smord managed to gain control over them," said Achtisanor.
"But… to where did he disappear?" Krunch looked around, "this is a dead end!"
"If he retraced his steps, we would have seen before," said De-Stik, "this cannot be a dead end, search for a door."
Logan looked at the stalactite and noticed something strange.
"Look at the broken ones," Logan pointed to several broken stalactites and stalagmites near the mud wall. Between the broken ones was one whole stalagmite.
"Smord is smarter than we anticipated," said Achtisanor, "it seems that he knew how to find the door."
De-Stik approached the whole stalagmite and touched it softly. The stalagmite dropped inside itself and rose up again. A slight rumble was heard, and a part of the floor moved slightly, revealing stairs that lead even further down.
"As I thought," said Achtisanor.
The four friends climbed down the mouldy and slippery stairs. At the bottom of the flight, they have reached another corridor.
"Look," Logan said to her friends, showing them the large footprints of Smord on the muddy and wet floor. "He turned to the left."
"So we turn to the right," said Achtisanor.
They continued on their way and finally reached an opening. The four of them peeked inside.
It was a hall of a glorious temple. Its walls were covered in pure gold that gleamed in the light of candles and torches. At the thick walls to their left was an elongated stone fountain with water bubbled from it. At the centre of the wall was a fireplace and bright fire warmed the room. To their right was a white and cracked statue of an old man's face with pointed ears. To their left was the stuffed head of a giant moose with big and tangled horns. At the centre of the room was a very wide altar. Horns of every kind were placed upon it: ivory, silver and gold, encrusted with diamonds and other precious stones. At the four corner of the altar were four low columns with a flat top.
De-Stik smile covered his face as they entered the treasure-filled temple.
"The compass," murmured Krunch, "this is the room that is painted in the picture."
When they approached the altar, Smord suddenly leapt from the door opposite them and entered the temple.
"Don't touch Smord horn," he ran, pushed them away, and reached his hand to the horn mound.
Tigertief members were thrown back. At the same moment, a big block of ice was shot from the fountain toward Smord.
A second later, the ice was accompanied by a fireball shot from the fireplace, which hit Smord from behind.
Smord screamed in pain and fell on his back to extinguish the flames that burned his fur. From behind him, a fire elemental exited the fireplace and flew around the room, flames and brimstones following erupting from him. He shot flames from his hands.
A water elemental climbed out of the fountain. He was dripping water, and moved around the room in a frenzy and shot ice blocks and hail.
The four companions stood near one another, each one covering each other back. De-Stik and Krunch waved their torches toward the water elemental. Smord stood and waved his axe toward the fire elemental and blocked the fireballs with it.
"Fire burns the ice it turns," called Krunch, and created a fire halo around Tigertief. Dozens of ice blocks were thrown toward Tigertief from the water elemental, but they evaporated when they touched the fire shield.
A long moment, all of them stood around the great horn altar, waved and screamed, ducked and parried.
"What are we going to do?" asked Logan, "these are the altar keepers, and they are magical. We cannot kill them."
"The shield protects us from the ice," called De-Stik, "but a protection from fire would also be nice!"
"We must choose one of them – the water shield will evaporate the fire," said Krunch.
At the same moment another fireball flew over their head and hit one of the walls.
"Smord, get over here. Stand with us," called Achtisanor at the moment that the fire elemental touched his axe. Smord threw his axe and ran to Tigertief.
"Fire, fire, stop, fire." Smord screamed and stood by Tigertief members. The elementals flew around them.
"When I give the word, get down on the floor," called Achtisanor. "Now," he called when the two elementals flew at them. Smord fell on the floor, and afterwards the rest of them. The elementals crashed into one another in a great blast that was accompanied by fireworks and broken ice. After a moment, silence fell.
A sound of applause broke the silence. Achtisanor, De-Stik, Logan, and Krunch looked toward the altar and saw an elderly cleric standing near it. He wore old cleric robes, and a green cape covered his head. A big green cloak covered him.
The four stood in front of him.
"Who are you?" asked Krunch.
"I am the last guardian of the horn," explained the cleric, "I was enchanted to wake up and guard it when the city resurfaced."
Behind the cleric, Smord rose to his feet. Achtisanor, Logan, and De-Stik drew their weapons, but Smord hands already hugged the old cleric and his sharp claws raked his throat.
"Don't move or I kill him," said Smord. "And you, show me the horn," he ordered the cleric.
"Please, you may choose," the cleric said and gestured to the horn mound.
"No time to choose, much work," Smord said to the cleric and tightened his hug. "Show me – or I kill you."
"No, Smord," called Achtisanor. "If you kill him than the city sinks."
"Shut your mouth," screamed Smord. "Come on, show me the horn." Smord pushed the cleric on the altar and crushed him. Several horns fell to the floor.
"I cannot show you," the cleric groaned, "you must solve it yourself."
Smord ripped the cleric's green cloak and spread it on the floor.
"If you not show me, I take all. All of them nice. Smord take all the Hubris, and he find real horn," said Smord and started to gather the horns with one hand on the cloak.
"If you step any closer," he yelled, "I kill him and all of you die," and pressed his claw against the cleric's throat.
Tigertief members stood there helpless. De-Stik face frowned deeper with each horn that was gathered in the cloak.
When Smord gathered all of the horns, he tied the cloak's corner with one hand, lifted the improvised sack and exited the room, grabbing the cleric with him. "Smord won," he called aloud, "Smord have horn. Achtisanor and Tigertief are now dead," Smord laughter thundered in the corridor. A muffled thump was heard from the doo
r to which Smord went to.
The four ran to the opening and found the cleric lying dead on the floor.
"He is dead," yelped Krunch, "a magical creature was killed."
A small tremor shook the place.
"The city is about to disappear again," said Achtisanor. "Help me put the stones in their place."
"What? Why? How would that help us all?" De-Stik said, "He took all the horns, there is no reason to stall."
"It can't be that simple," said Achtisanor. "We have not been given clues for naught."
"Come on," said Logan. "De-Stik, put the ice stone on the column near the fountain. You, Krunch, put the fire stone on the column near the fireplace."
A tremor shook the place again. The temple started swaying like a ship in clear water.
"How do you know that this is the correct order?" said Krunch and done as she told him.
"The picture showed us that the statue shows us the north," answered Logan and turned to the column near the stuffed moose. "This means that the fountain is in the east, where the sun sets – darkness, and the fireplace is in the west, where the sun rises – light."
"'The first frost the second a flame, put against one another to answer their name'," said Krunch and put the fire stone on the column.
"Very good, south is the desert rock," said De-Stik, "but without the wind symbols, we cannot this riddle unlock."
"Have you ever visited the weather forecasters' guild in Broncolina?" asked Logan.
"Milady," said De-Stik, "the city is sinking right in the middle. Do you think this is a good time for another riddle?"
"The silver feathers," called Achtisanor and took the feathers from his belt and ran to the column near the statue.
"What?" asked Krunch.
"Silver feathers," repeated Achtisanor, "the forecasters depict cold winds as feathers."
"Exactly," said Logan. "Put them on the north column."
Achtisanor laid the two silver feathers on the northern column, feeling a cold breeze on his back.
Hot motes of dust lifted from the altar, collided with the wind and created a vortex on the altar.
"Stand against the walls," said Achtisanor to his friends.
The western column, on which the fire stone rested, glowed in a blinding light. The light beams shot from it to the ice stone and engulfed the eastern column. The light broke inside the orb and was reflected into a thousand colourful shards into the sand storm, which still roamed the face of the altar, shooting sparks from within, grains of sand thundering together.
The storm continued to roar around the altar, which was obscured from them. When the storm lifted, the bottom of the altar was revealed. The storm lifted more and more until it disappeared in a blink when it reached the ceiling.
The four stood and watched the altar with gaping mouths. A bug seashell was resting on it. It was a simple shell, but elongated like ram's horn and etched as coral.
"The horn?" Krunch stood on the tips of his toes and tried to catch a glance of it.
"After such a ruckus hell, all we get is a simple shell," said De-Stik.
The sound of rushing water sounded again and the floor became wet.
"The place is flooded, how do we get out of here?!" screamed Krunch.
"We are currently in the lowest place in the castle or somewhere near," De-Stik looked at a narrow and circular opening at the ceiling, "we need to follow the storm to get out of here."
"Logan, give me your rope," said Krunch. "I'll try to get us out of this mess."
The water covered their ankles. Krunch tied the rope around himself. Achtisanor took the horn and put it in his pack.
"As the firefly float so shall I, grant me wings so I can fly," said Krunch and levitated to the top of the room. "Ouch," he screamed when his head bumped against the ceiling and he disappeared into the little opening.
His three friends looked expectantly above them. The water still poured into the room and started to lash at their knees.
Krunch threw the end of the long rope from the opening. The rope reached almost to the altar.
"The horn bearer will climb first," Logan looked at Achtisanor.
Achtisanor jumped on the altar and climbed to the opening. Logan jumped right after him and De-Stik after her. De-Stik looked down and saw that the water reached the altar's height. At the same second, he noticed the gleam of the silver feathers floating on the water.
"The feathers!" yelled De-Stik. "Continue on! There is something I must do alone," and he jumped into the great pool.
Chapter 29 - Return to the Beach
Achtisanor and Logan climbed up and exited at the centre of the big fountain, which resided in the main entrance hall of the castle. They could hear battle cries, screams and shouts all around them. A battle raged between Dragon's Breath, headed by Van-sniff, and three lizard-men and two grey elves.
"Come on," said Krunch, "let's get out of here."
Achtisanor looked at the battle on the other side of the hall and followed Van-Sniff's movement was a calculating eye.
"We are not staying to help the longnose, right?" Krunch understood the look on Achtisanor's face.
"No," said Achtisanor, "we have the horn. We must get out of here now. Leave the rope attached. De-Stik… what happened there?"
"ACHTISANOR," a roar was heard from Van-Sniff's throat.
The three companions saw his gleaming axe flying with a dizzying speed toward Achtisanor.
Achtisanor fell immediately to the floor. The three looked back and were astounded. Two big lizard-men fell to the floor, their chests carved open.
Achtisanor shot his head back to Van-sniff, who stood with his three friends on the flight of stairs. His red eyes gleamed from beneath his helmet and he lifted his arms into the air. His axe magically flew in the air right back to his hands; a moment passed and the four of them ran through the castle gates, leaving the corpses of the enemies behind.
Achtisanor, Logan and Krunch also ran to the castle gates and from there to the main avenue leading out of the city – to the sea turtles.
The waves crashed around them. The circle of water surrounding them became closer and closer.
"Look there," called Achtisanor, "all the turtles left."
A huge wall appeared in the distance. The wall churned and rumbled, got bigger and stronger every passing moment.
"This wall of water will crush us," screamed Krunch.
"We won't be able to avoid it," called Logan.
Achtisanor looked around to search for a solution.
"Wait," said Krunch. "Look, maybe I can cast a spell that will allow us to breath under the sea."
"Really?" they both asked.
"The magic will last only for a few minutes. I'll split it among the three of us," said Krunch. "We will have to swim to the shore as fast as possible. I hope it is enough."
"What will happen if the spell duration is finished before we reach the shore?" asked Logan.
"If you start to feel that your breath is laborious, discard of anything heavy and try to float," said Krunch.
Logan looked back to the castle, hoping that De-Stik would follow them.
The huge wave continued to come. It swallowed anything in its path.
"Our hearts will keep beating on, when we swallow the salt waters of days bygone," called Krunch with lifted hands. The huge wave swallowed them and cast them into the deep.
Comforting silence engulfed Logan at once. Everything became slow and peaceful. Her arms and legs moved slowly amidst the lukewarm currents. Playful rays of sun warmed the surface of the sea above her. Debris of broken furniture and branches flew around her, stones from the wall and heavier rocks fell heavily to the bottom of the sea.
She still held her breath with fear, and in her head she heard Krunch's words. The pressure of her chest was lifted. She opened her mouth and she could feel air coming from the water. In a panic, she started to breath deeper.
A muffled crashing sound was heard above her. It was
the crash of the wave on the castle walls.
Logan moved with the current. She kicked with her legs and swam to the direction, she hoped, was the shore. "There is not a lot of time," she thought to herself.
Huge anemones waved their thin pinkish tentacles toward her. Schools of frightened fish passed her.
Logan's breath grew heavier and heavier. Her hands and legs shook from the effort.
"Just a little more," she thought. She continued to fight against the sea currents, her breath came in heavy pants.
Water entered her lungs. Logan started to cough, and more water entered her body. The brine water burned her lungs and eyes and blinded her. Her body wanted to break the surface and breathe the open air, but she was too heavy. Logan threw her pack, feeling that she was going to pass out soon. She kicked and tried to reach the surface. Her slim body continued to sink. She had a strange feeling in her body, like it was numb. "The eagles…" thought Logan. "The curse…" the heavy waters pulled Logan and drowned her. Her boots touched the poisonous tentacles of the anemones. Her lungs bled and her hands were paralyzed.
A huge shadow covered her. It blocked all the light surrounding her. The shadow grew bigger from above, until giant claws pierced her armour.
Logan was pulled and dragged in the water. The anemones looked smaller and smaller, their tentacles waving goodbye. A great thunder broke the silence and blinding light caused her to close her eyes in pain. Wind gusts hit her. Her head was hanging between the claws of a huge winged creature between sea and sky.
"Take a lungful of air, dear. Let the air pass," said De-Stik. "Welcome to flight silver eagle one, business class."
Still dazed and confused, Logan was terrified when she saw the huge and wicked beak turning toward her, took her and lifted her to his back, right behind De-Stik. Logan held De-Stik's pack with her dear life.
"The eagles…" she murmured. "You did it." A was smile covered her face.
The eagles shook their wings and powerful wind blasts hit her.
"Krunch, Achtisanor – what about them?" asked Logan.
"The greybeard and the lutin?" screamed the eagle and laughed.
Logan Marsh: A Thrilling Fantasy Novel (Action Adventure,Mystery, Y/A Book 1) Page 17