In Search of Auria

by Alexis Rojas

  As the sphere lowered closer to the ground, I noticed it had a myriad of thin, green veins on the surface. It then slowly spun to reveal a bright yellow dot. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was a head sized, floating eyeball. It hovered just above the deer, and once the animal noticed it was been watched from over, it ran away. However, it did not get far. The ground split open with a quake that made the deer fall in.

  I heard a quick moan from the poor deer and then all went silent. I was stunned by what I saw, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the end. A furry claw clamped the edge of the gap, then another, and out came a beast like no other. It had the head of a wild boar, the body of a bear, the mane of a horse, and the tail of a bull. Each body part of the different animals was in proportion with the rest, and the whole beast was abnormally large. The boar mouth munched vigorously on what I guessed was the deer, and when it swallowed, its whole body shook. The back legs began to bleed as if they had been slashed viciously. The fur and meat peeled off and were replaced by a new pair of deer legs. Then, it bucked its head back and forth and bloody antlers burst out of its forehead.

  I hid myself behind the hardwood tree in shock and disgust. This was one repulsive monster. Now I knew why they called it the beast of infinite appearance. It acquires parts of the animals it eats. But, while I was on my own thinking, I became aware of a shine falling over me. I looked up and saw the eyeball above me, staring with its yellow pupil. I then felt the ground underneath me shake. I quickly jumped and hung from a branch as the ground split right under me. The boar’s massive tusks emerged from the thick soil trying to get a bite, but I kicked down at the snout. It maddened and started ripping at the base of the tree with its bear claws. The slashes quickly cut through the bark. I swung from the branch and landed on firm soil before the trunk fell.

  I quickly drew my sword to attack, but when I turned around the monster had retreated. The eye kept floating and moving around beyond my reach, like a bothersome mosquito. I then felt the ground moving again. This time I rolled to the side and stabbed my sword down the opening gap. I knew I cut it because I heard a nasty yelp. I looked inside the hole, but once more it had retreated.

  If the monster was underground, how did it know where the victims are on the surface? It had to have some type of connection with the hovering eye. It had to know where I was standing at the moment!

  I decided to run and try to lose it, but the eye steadily floated behind. It wasn’t long before I heard unorthodox footsteps. The monster was now following me on the surface. I leapt over the many obstacles the swamp offered; stones, tangled vines and puddles. But, the thumping footsteps came closer and closer. I looked over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of the monster lowering its antlers to ram me down. I jumped to the side, missing them by an inch. The beast kept running and quietly disappeared behind a tall bush. Seeing the eyeball in the air again, I picked up a rock and threw at it, hitting it directly on the pupil. Instantly I heard the beast grunt, and the eye floated farther from me. I stood ready with my sword. Would it attack from above or below the ground? I had to be careful. Also, I could not use my shield to cover myself. One single hit and it could be the end of me.

  After a minute of uneasy waiting, the beast walked out of the bushes with its mouth munching on something.

  “What did you eat this time?”

  After swallowing, the monster shook and bucked like crazy. I just hoped it hadn’t eaten a skunk. The antlers fell at the burrs and the head of the boar gashed open. It then exploded with a splash of blood, and out the neck burst the body of a giant centipede. The new, slimy acquisition curved up and down, clamping its tusks and moving its buggy legs.

  I twisted my face with repulsion as the sick creature took form. This had to be the most grotesque thing I had ever faced in all my life. Having a floating eye is one thing, but this?

  The beast came at me, striking forward with the centipede head. I could only dodge or deflect with my sword. I kept my distance and moved back as the monster constantly attacked. Eventually, I deciphered its movements. In one of its strikes, I skipped to the left and swung, cutting off five of its centipede legs. It stopped and quivered in pain. I prepared my blade to slash the bug body in half, when the eye suddenly appeared in front of my face. A bright yellow flash came out its pupil and blinded me. I stumbled back, swinging my sword about. When my sight returned, I saw the blurred body of the centipede swinging to me. It bashed my left side and threw me under the shadow of a copse of trees. I felt like my whole ribcage had broken. I got up and ran for cover.

  Because of the foliage, the eyeball had to lower close to the ground to search for me. It hovered around, but it could not find me. It passed the trees and floated over the pond, gazing anxiously.

  It was then that I came out of hiding; I rose up from the water with a roar and slashed the eye across the pupil. The monster immediately shrieked in panic. The eyeball wavered in the air trying to get away from me to the trees, but I finally put an end to it. I grabbed it, sinking my fingers into its gooey flesh; I threw it to the ground and squished it flat under my sole and heel. White, pasty liquid oozed out of it as I twisted my feet down. To this, the beast snarled and howled like crazy. I heard it running around, seeking me. But now it had to do it the hard way since its eye was no more.

  At last, it found me and charged like the wild animals it was. It drew nearer and nearer, and I waited for it to meet its death. When it came and struck with its bug head, I dodged to the side and slashed off the centipede from the neck. The monstrous body crashed down, but it was still alive. Before it rose up, I cut off its front legs. Now, unable to move, it was time to finish it. I walked around to its tilted back and sank my blade into the middle of its spine. The body tensed and curled backward until it moved no more.

  I announced my victory with a shout, the real moon casting its light upon me. I left the sword stuck on the carcass as I went and leaned against a tree. I hugged my left side tightly, feeling a scorching pain on it. I think I really did crack a rib when the centipede swung at me. And I was still hungry. I stared at the beast’s body, but weird animal monster meat is where I draw the line.

  As I worried about food and health, I heard my sword fall to the ground. I looked up to see the carcass decomposing rapidly. A process that would normally take days was happening in mere seconds. Fur, skin and muscle rotted away, leaving behind an odd looking skeleton of what it once was. I stood and picked up my sword, when I noticed something peculiar in the remains. I leaned in to have a closer look and realized it was a petit, hexagonal coffer. I took it from between the bones and opened it. Inside was a small metal arrow, spinning around like a wheel. It was an interesting artifact, and even more when it abruptly stopped spinning. The arrow pointed towards the mountain. This was just as Louis said; the entrance will be shown if you overcome its guardian.

  “I’ve dealt with the beast of infinite appearance,” I declared, “Now, direct me to the passage.”

  The arrow took me to the mountain I had climbed before, only much higher. I had to push myself and climb up around fifty more feet. When I reached a certain altitude, the arrow switched and pointed to the right. I walked upon a narrow ledge with the wind forcing against me. The rock was slippery and deteriorated. I held my breath every time a stone fell to the bottom. Reaching the end of the ledge I was hoping to find an opening on the mountain wall, or at least a sign or mark showing the entrance. But there was nothing, only a withered shrub growing from a crack. I got so mad. The arrow pointed me to a freaking dead plant! I cursed and slammed my fist against the rocks.

  “Damn it! So much effort and pain for nothing?”

  I continued banging my fist until the pain from my ribs stopped me. I rested my head against the rock wall and stared at the dark horizon. Now I had done it. No more time. No way through. No more fervor. No more hope.

  I hit my head on the rock out of frustration, as a single teardrop ran down my cheek. Why was fate so cruel?

 
“Auria, I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

  I stayed there with my sight fixated on the withered shrub, when I noticed something odd about it. The wind smacked the plant side to side. When it was blown away from me, it hit the rocks. But when it blew towards me, the shrub would swing around and disappear into the rock wall. When the wind stopped, the shrub would come back out. I thought it was my weakened mind playing tricks on me, but it happened again. I got closer to the plant and knocked on the rock, but it was solid. I took a few more steps and when I tried again, my hand went through and disappeared. This had to be an illusion created by the gnomes! This was the passage!

  “I found it!” I yelled with joy. I then stepped forward and walked through.

  Inside was a narrow room about three paces across and seven paces in length, illuminated by an antique lantern on the wall. I saw no oil feeding the flame; only that it was connected by a cylindrical shaft going through the rock. Embedded on the wall at the end of the room was an iron column. At its center it had a cavity the shape of a hexagon; a perfect fit for the arrow coffer. I raised the coffer to fix it in, but I hesitated.

  “I hope nothing weird happens,” I murmured

  I had to shake my head to quell my thoughts. When I placed the coffer, there was a ‘click’ and steam started to blow out from the sides of the column. I stepped back and covered my face from it. The iron pillar started to rise with a turning motion. Up it rose, spinning until the bottom reached the ceiling. The steam cleared and what was left was a pitch black hole on the ground. I peered inside, but only saw darkness within. I dropped a pebble down and heard it clank again, and again, and again, until the sound vanished. This was the only way to get to the other side, down the dark unknown. It was scary, but I could not falter. I had to be strong, I had to be willing, and I had to save Auria.

  I secured my sword, shield and bag, and with a deep breath, jumped in.

  17- Knowledge

  The only time I was afraid of the dark was when I was a child. My father encouraged me and took me for a midnight stroll in the woods near our home. At first I was fearful of the spontaneous sounds, the chilly weather, and the animals that roamed. But after a short while, I got used to it. “There is no reason to fear the dark,” my father used to say, “Most things hide in it because they’re afraid, too.”

  I appreciate the teachings of my father. They have helped me throughout my life. But, right now, all those teachings went out the window. The pitch black hole I jumped in was a swirly slide that led me to a room. All I could see in it was black, and sound was inexistent. I heard nothing, but was I alone? Could the gnomes be with me at this very moment, studying my presence? Or maybe something else? The fear I felt when I was a child began to haunt me. I couldn’t even see the tip of my nose. But, I knew I was in some type of room and not some naturally formed cavern because the floor was not bumpy or rocky; it was smooth and even.

  I walked around with my arms outright, taking only itty, bitty steps. I had to be careful; the floor could have gaps, or the walls, sharp spikes. I went left, right, forward, back, until I finally touched a flat wall. I cautiously paced beside it and reached a corner. I walked around it and saw a thin line of light right in front. I immediately recognized it as light seeping beneath a door. I walked to it and confirmed it was a set of wooden doors. I began to push them open, but they were stuck. The hinges cracked as if the doors hadn’t been used in a long time. I continued pushing and forcing them until they busted open.

  The new room I entered seemed to be a library. Light came from lamps on the ceiling. Like the lantern I saw at the entrance of the passage, these were also attached to iron shafts that penetrated into the rock. With the help of their light, I looked back into the room I was first in; the room was completely empty with a broken lamp on the ceiling. There was nothing in the darkness, so there was nothing to fear, after all.

  In the new room, there were five, long bookcases, divided by aisles. These bookcases were tall and reached to the ceiling. They were filled with a variety of books; there were big books, small books, thin books and large books. There were books with thick artistic covers and books with barely any cover at all. There were narrow ladders with tiny steps clinging to the bookshelves. By the slim size of the ladders, there was no mistake it was for the use of a gnome.

  Then, I heard a loud thud. It was the sound of a book falling flat on the floor. It came from the side of the room. I approached and found the book on the floor. It had fallen from a shelf. And the shelf had a ladder on it. The books on the shelf were organized in a row, except for two that lay open facedown, covering something.

  “Is someone there?” I asked.

  It was low, but I started to hear rapid, nervous breathing. There was definitely something hiding under those books! It had to be a gnome. I reached for the books and lifted them away. But, I was not expecting to encounter this.

  “Holy crap, it’s a baby!”

  I had discovered an infant. It was crouching face down, shrouded in a garment with a cloth hat. I was about to touch it when it talked with a squeaky voice, “I’m no baby! My beard will grow soon.”

  It stood up and revealed itself to be a grown, little man. He was about the height of my knees, with cute round eyes and cheeks, and outward pointed ears. When he realized my size compared to his’, he put his back against the books and covered his head.

  “A giant!” he shouted. “Please, don’t eat me, please!”

  “Don’t fear me, toddler,” I said compassionately, “I am no giant and will do you no harm. Tell me, are you a gnome?” He showed his face and nodded shyly. I quickly came close to him, and he tensed scared.

  “Please, you must help me,” I pleaded,” Guide me through your passage. I must get to the other side of the mountain!”

  “S-so, you’re not here to eat me?”

  “I would never.”

  The gnome straightened out and fixed his tilted cap, “Well, if you are not what I said you were, then what are you?”

  “I, my little friend, am a man of the surface,” I proudly expressed.

  “Ooh, a man,” he said as he looked at my stature. “I must talk to the Nomac about you. Come, follow me.” He went to the ladder and slid down.

  “Through here,” he pointed to the opposite wall. He happily trotted his feet and sprinted to it, vanishing through. It was the same type of illusion as the rock wall outside the mountain. Knowing what it was, I walked to the wall with complete confidence, only to smash my face flat. I fell back, covering my swollen nose. The gnome poked his head out the wall and saw me squirming on the floor.

  “Um, these stone passes are shorter in height. You will need to bend.”

  “You tell me now!”

  I approached the wall again, this time bent down. Inside was a cylindrical tunnel with perfectly smooth walls. It was illuminated by the same type of lamps.

  “By the by, I am Harwit. I can’t wait to show you to the Nomac,” the gnome told me as he paced in front of me.

  “My name is Erik. It is said that this passage of yours is a myth, but I have found different.” Every few paces I had to tilt my head to miss the lamps fixed on the ceiling. I had to ask from where they drew their fire.

  ”I have a question. How are these lamps and lanterns lit? I don’t see any oil.”

  “Oh, I guess surface folk don’t know about it. We use methinus, it is a natural gas deposit located deep in the earth that has the wonderful property of combustion.”

  “…what?”

  “Underground air that lights up.”

  “Ah, got it!”

  Harwit passed through the wall on the other side. I was still half way because of my uncomfortable bend. As I neared the end of the tunnel, I could hear Harwit talking to someone about me, but he was receiving laughs and mocks.

  “Oh, Harwit, you liar.” “You must’ve been daydreaming. Go back to the books and get smart, if you can. Haha!”

  “No, I’m telling y
ou the truth!” Harwit argued, “We have a man guest and we need to take him to the Nomac.”

  “Grow a beard and then we’ll believe you, Dimwit. Haha!”

  I felt bad for the little guy. He probably was the ass of his people. He was trying to help me, so I had to return the favor. He was about to prove them wrong.

  “Harwit, wait for me!” I yelled out loud, purposely making my voice deeper than usual.

  Immediately, the others shut up. I dramatically stretched my arms out through the illusion wall and placed them at the edge of the tunnel. Then, stomping heavily, I emerged and stood tall. I was now in a larger tunnel with a ceiling double my height. Lamps were in galore all around, so much it felt like sunlight. The tunnel was like a town street with clothing shops, bars, and grocer markets. And all the gnomes around raised their heads up to me. They wore cone and square hats of different bright colors. Most of the males had elegant white beards that reached to their bellies. All of the females had black hair with stone decorations and pony tails. And the young ones had no beards, but were more excited to see me than their adults.

  “See, I said he was real. A man of the surface,” Harwit showed me off.

  “Are these people the Nomac you told me about?” I asked.

  “No, these are my fellow gnomes of the mountain.”

  Then, a chubby gnome approached us and bumped Harwit aside, “You want an audience with the Nomac? Then, follow me.”

  “Why should you take him?” another gnome blurted out, “You just want to take all the credit for finding him… Let’s share and take him together.”

  A third came and started tugging on my boots, trying to pull me away. Soon the whole crowd started a discussion on who should take me to the Nomac. With the loud voices and pointing of fingers, Harwit got pushed to the side and I got annoyed. I reached down, picked him up and sat him on my shoulder.