The Ancient Labyrinth 3

by Maggie Akhurst

  “But,” Cierra continued, “I’ve been informed that the royal family wishes to meet us, so I guess that gets you out of being in bed.”

  “Finally!” Dru said, practically jumping out of the bed. Cierra laughed. It had only been a day, yet Dru treated it as if he’d been forced to lie in bed for a month.

  He grabbed his cloak from the coat stand and fastened the clasp around his neck, then hunted for his sword.

  “You won’t find it,” Elamiina said, crossing her arms.

  “What did you do with it?”

  “I took a necessary precaution,” she answered. “I had it taken away to prevent you from trying to leave before your body is up to it.”

  Dru’s face became a thundercloud. He stalked over to the healer. “Give me my sword, now.”

  She didn’t flinch. In fact, she leaned closer to him. “No.”

  “Dru,” Cierra intercepted, grabbing his arm. “Leave it. You’ll get it back later. Come on, we’re expected in the throne room.”

  He threw one last glare at the unfazed Elamiina before allowing Cierra to tow him out of the room. He continued to glower as a servant led them to the throne room. As they reached the doors, she turned to him.

  “Snap out of it, Dru. It’s for your own good. Now behave yourself.” She turned back to the doors, waiting for the servant to announce them. “Don’t make me wish you were unconscious again.”

  The doors swung open before he could make a response. The servant gestured for them to enter.

  Cierra’s eyes widened. She’d thought the council chamber had been grand. It had nothing on this place.

  The room was situated high in one of the palace’s central towers. The ceiling glittered, reflecting the hundreds of candles that sat in an ornate chandelier. Looking closer, Cierra discovered that Lakestones had been imbedded in the ceiling, creating beautiful swirling patterns of colour and creating the sparkling effect.

  The walls, made mostly of clear crystal, had small decorative patterns of Lakestones here and there. They shone in the candlelight, bright spots of colour lighting the room. Large arched windows gave sweeping views of the lake and the countryside beyond it. The room would be simply dazzling in the sunlight.

  At the opposite end of the large chamber was a raised platform. Four thrones were perched there, overlooking the entire room. Above and behind them in the wall was a large window made of coloured Lakestones that had been cut and polished to look like stained glass. It depicted a sword lying horizontally with a crown above it and a flawless diamond below.

  Cierra gazed at the room for almost a minute before Dru subtly coughed and tilted his head towards the thrones. With a start, she realised she may have offended their majesties by not properly addressing them immediately. She hurried towards the four thrones, two large ones and one slightly smaller on either side. Only the larger ones were occupied; a man and woman, both wearing glittering crowns that were set with more Lakestones. Their clothing was very rich and colourful and was embroidered with intricate designs.

  As Cierra and Dru approached, the two monarchs rose and came forward to greet them. They met halfway. Dru bowed and Cierra figured she should probably do the same.

  “Please, remain standing,” the lady said in a kindly voice as Cierra began to curtsey. “We are the ones who should be bowing to you. It’s good to see you again, Protector Dru,” the lady continued. “I should have expected you would be a part of the rescue.”

  She turned to Cierra. “I am Queen Adelia and this is my husband, King Niro. I have been informed that you are known as Cierra, the girl who wields the prophesied bracelet. It is an honour to meet you.” Both she and the king bowed their heads respectfully.

  Cierra looked at Dru, uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to having this kind of attention paid to her. She was usually ignored these days.

  “We would like to try and repay the debt,” the queen continued. “If there is anything in our power that we can grant you, please ask.”

  “No, no, it’s fine,” Cierra protested, immediately.

  “My sword back would be much appreciated,” Dru interrupted. Cierra elbowed him hard in the ribs.

  The queen’s delicate eyebrow rose. “Ah, yes. I heard that Elamiina had confiscated that. Don’t fret, Dru, it will be returned to you in good time.”

  Cierra watched as an expression of suffering passed over Dru’s face. It was gone in an instant as he tried to hide it. He seemed to feel incomplete without his precious sword.

  “Are you quite certain that there is nothing you want?” the king asked, speaking for the first time.

  Cierra nodded. “The only thing I want right now is for this curse of Darkness to be banished so that people don’t have to live in fear anymore.”

  “What about your home?” the queen asked. “Wouldn’t you prefer to return to your family as soon as possible?”

  She hesitated. “Yes, I suppose. People are bound to be searching for me by now.”

  Dru shook his head. “While you’re here, time is standing still in your room back in your world.”

  She frowned. “Standing still? How is that possible?”

  “When I crossed over to your world chasing the Darkness monster, I placed a Time Lock on your room. Basically, it will seem to slip out of the time stream for as long as I keep the Lock in place,” he explained. “As soon as I remove it, your room will reappear in the time stream and people will notice it again.” He paused. “I meant to remove the Time Lock after leaving, but someone followed me through...”

  She ignored that, trying to understand the Time Lock. “Time has stopped in my room?”

  “Something like that.”

  “I guess they won’t be looking for me then,” she said, satisfied.

  “Well, if you are sure that there is nothing we can offer you, at least accept our hospitality. You are more than welcome to stay as long as you like,” Adelia informed them. “It would be a pleasure to have you here.”

  Cierra smiled. “Thank you very much, your majesty, but we need to move on as soon as possible. The Councillor will be after us. The longer we stay here, the more danger we’re putting you and your people in.”

  Adelia’s delicate brow rose. “The Councillor? Do you mean Skjor?”

  “Yes, your majesty,” Dru said. “Once your family was frozen by the Darkness, he took over the council and used it as a cover to spread the Darkness more quickly.”

  She shook her head, stunned. “I always knew there was something about him that I wasn’t fond of, but I never suspected he would stoop to this. I can understand why you must move on. Do you have any idea where your next destination is?”

  Cierra glanced at her bracelet. The jewel charm had been insistently pointing straight down ever since she’d placed the droplet charm in its keyhole. She shrugged. “I don’t understand it. It stays like this, no matter what I do or where I go.”

  All three of them drew in sharp breaths. Cierra looked up. “What?”

  Dru looked concerned. “The Labyrinth,” he murmured.

  “What’s that?”

  The king answered. “The Labyrinth is an ancient construction of underground tunnels that stretch in a confusing maze all through Elturia. No one knows who built them, but the common theory is that it was the Ancestors.”

  “It doesn’t sound that bad.”

  “Oh, it’s bad,” Dru said. “Every single person who has gone down into that maze has never returned. Not even Protectors. No one knows what is down there, but there are entryways all over Elturia. People tend to stay away from them.”

  Cierra frowned. “Then how do you know so much about it? If no one ever comes back, how do you know it’s even a Labyrinth?”

  “There are a few ancient documents that were discovered about a decade ago,” Dru explained. “They uncovered several secrets about Elturia and the other Kingdoms of Alkadhara. The Labyrinth was one of those.”

  “Part of that tale was a whisper of a terrible creature that dwells in the
depths,” King Niro said darkly. “If people are not returning, then perhaps those rumours are true and it’s still alive.”

  Queen Adelia laid a gentle hand on his arm. “I don’t think you’re helping the matter, dear,” she told him. She looked at Cierra and Dru. “However, I would avoid that place if I were you.”

  “Doesn’t look like we have a choice,” Cierra sighed. “If we’re going to complete this quest, we’re going to have to go down there.”

  “That could also mean that we never complete the quest,” Dru said. “Or didn’t you hear me when I said no one returns?”

  “What else can we do, Dru?” she asked. “Would you rather give up and let the Darkness take over your kingdom?”

  He was silent.

  “I started this. I’m going to finish it.”

  He still didn’t say anything.

  Cierra turned back to the king and queen. They looked apprehensive. “If the offer is still available, I’d like to ask for what I want in return for banishing the Darkness from your palace.”

  “Of course,” the queen responded instantly. “What is it?”

  “Could we have some food to take with us, please?”

  “Are you sure that’s all you want? We would have offered supplies anyway.”

  “Positive. Thank you for the offer, but I don’t need anything and it would likely only slow me down.”

  “Very well. There will be food ready for you in the morning. You will stay for tonight?”

  Cierra glanced out the tall windows. She had no idea how the Elturians knew what time of day it was. The twilight never changed. “Yes, we’ll leave first thing in the morning if Dru is up to it.”

  “Dru would be ready to go now, if he only had his sword,” Dru said indignantly.

  “Your sword will be waiting for you tomorrow morning, Protector,” the queen said, smiling. “I suggest that you both go and get some rest. You have a long journey ahead of you.”

  “Thank you,” Cierra said. She caught the queen’s concerned glance as the lady eyed the bracelet. She turned to leave, Dru following.

  As Adelia had suggested, they both went back to their rooms to get some sleep. Cierra fell asleep almost immediately. The next thing she knew, someone was shaking her awake.

  “Time to go, Cierra.”

  She opened her eyes, blinking up at Dru’s face leaning over her. The bandages on his face were gone, revealing cuts that had started healing well.

  “Why do you look so happy? We’re supposed to be heading into the feared Labyrinth today, remember?” She sat up.

  He patted the hilt of his sword. “I’ve got this back. I feel much better now.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Good for you. Now would you mind leaving me alone? I need to get dressed.”

  He got up to leave, pointing at a neatly folded pile at the foot of her bed. “Travelling clothes for you,” he said, closing the door behind him.

  The clothes provided were simple, but a lot more suitable for travelling - a pair of loose pants and a flowing, short-sleeved, tunic-like shirt, accompanied by a belt. A pair of leather shoes were on the floor.

  She dressed quickly, eager to get going. The longer they waited around, the more it felt that the Councillor was catching up to them or plotting something terrible.

  She hesitated, glancing at her pyjamas. After a second, she decided to leave them behind. She had no use for them and it would only be something more to carry. She fished Dru’s badge out of the pyjama pocket and transferred it to a pocket in her new pants. Grabbing the red furred cloak that he had given her, she dashed out the door.

  A servant was waiting for her outside her room. She followed him out to the courtyard where a fair crowd had gathered to see them on their way. The king and queen were waiting with a young man and a younger girl.

  “Cierra, good morning,” Adelia greeted her. “This is our son, Jaspar and our daughter, Bronwyn.”

  Cierra curtsied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

  “Thank you for what you did,” the boy said.

  “We won’t forget,” the princess added, eyes shining in admiration.

  Cierra nodded. A small satchel was handed to her by a serving girl. “This is the food we promised. We’d like to give you more but, like you said, too much will slow you down,” Niro explained.

  “Thank you, this is perfect.” She turned to Dru. “Are you ready?”

  He was carrying a similar bag to her and had his full uniform on, complete with shield and sword. “Definitely. Let’s go.”

  They said goodbye to the royal family and the people of the palace. Elamiina hugged Cierra quickly, slipping her a small vial. “In case of emergencies,” she whispered, winking.

  Cierra smiled her thanks and put the vial into her bag, walking away. As the two of them walked through the gates, everyone let out a great cheer. Dru grunted irritably. She laughed.

  “Where’s the entrance to the Labyrinth?”

  “On the other side of the island,” Dru replied. “It’s not too far.”

  Cierra stared out at the lake as they walked. It was no longer frozen, but the twilight made it dull. “That tetrapus isn’t coming back, is it?”

  “No. It’s well and truly dead, especially now that you’ve placed the water drop charm where it belongs. That creature wouldn’t be able to survive in these purified waters now. Only the normal tetrapi will be left.”

  “Normal?”

  “Small ones, nowhere near the size of that monster. They aren’t as deadly. Their poison would only cause you some mild discomfort.”

  They continued in silence until a thought struck Cierra. “How are we going to get back across the lake?”

  “We don’t need to go back across it,” Dru said. “The Labyrinth goes under it.”

  Cierra paused. “Let’s hope it doesn’t cave in on us,” she said finally.

  They followed the castle wall around the edge of the island. Eventually the wall curved away back towards the centre of the island as they walked on, following the shoreline. A few minutes later, several crumbling towers loomed before them, overgrown with vines and trees.

  “The old Palace Gardens,” Dru murmured. “Once the most beautiful gardens in Elturia, until the Labyrinth became too dangerous to be around. It was abandoned and left to grow wild, in the hopes that the entrance would become lost.”

  They walked deeper into the overgrown garden until they came to two rows of columns. The columns were cracked and broken, covered in weeds. Some had even toppled over and lay in pieces on the ground. Cierra and Dru walked between them, overhanging branches making the twilight seem even deeper than normal. They soon came to a rotting wooden door framed by a stone arch. Rusting iron bands held most of the door together and a padlocked chain kept it closed.

  “Is this it?” she asked.

  “It looks like it,” he replied.

  She took a step forward. Her foot brushed against something on the ground. A wooden sign lay half-buried by weeds and moss.

  “Danger: Enter Labyrinth at your own risk,” she read. She looked up sharply at a loud clang. Dru stood by the rotting door, sword in hand. He’d used the pommel to break the old padlock. It and the chain clattered to the ground. He pulled firmly at the door. Most of the wood fell apart, too rotted to resist any force. The old hinges squealed as he pulled again. Cierra cringed and held her hands to her ears.

  Dru peered into the darkness. “There’s a stairway leading down. It’s stone, so at least it won’t fall apart beneath our feet.” He pulled back. “We’ll need some light though.” He walked over to a gnarled old tree and found a sturdy branch underneath it. He took out the cloth he had used to wipe his cut from the tetrapus. He wrapped it around one end of the branch and pulled out a flint. With the ease of long practise, he struck it and sparks flew immediately, falling onto the cloth and catching it alight.

  “This should work well enough,” he said, holding it up and watching it burn. He made sure that the wood caught fire
and burned steadily before walking back to the Labyrinth entrance where Cierra stood waiting. “Ready?”

  She shuddered as she stared into the dark opening. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I can’t say I’m looking forward to this. This place gives off a certain... feeling. It makes me uneasy.”

  He nodded. “I think it has that effect on everyone.” He held out a hand to her. “I’ll go first. Those steps look slippery.”

  Cierra took his hand and let him lead her into the bleak underground maze.

  2 Councillor Skjor

  The Councillor was bemused. He’d had no idea how much the Darkness had really taken over the land. The tetrapus had opened his eyes to the extent of the take-over. The Darkness was here and wanted to stay. Wanted it so badly that it left guardians to try and keep the charms from being placed in their keyholes. That suited him fine. He wanted the Darkness to stay too. It gave him such power.

  He scowled. Speaking of power, the royal family had been brought back. He was pretty sure they wouldn’t like the way he’d been running things in their absence. It wouldn’t be long now before they sent an army or a few Protectors to try and bring him down. He’d have to do something about that.

  His last creation had been very quick in finding the trail and following the two troublemakers. Unfortunately, that hadn’t worked out for the best. The monstrous creature had reached the edge of the Crystal Lake just before the girl had placed the water drop charm in the keyhole. The resulting spread of pure magic had effectively disintegrated the monster before it had a chance to fulfil its purpose. It seemed like such a wasted effort that he’d created it in the first place.

  At least the Darkness itself was on top of matters. It had taken things into its own hands and created monsters to protect itself. He sighed in irritation. It was time to create some more defences of his own.

  He went to the dungeon cell where the cracked vase sat on its stool. Standing before it, he pondered over what he should create.

  “Wolves,” he finally said to himself. They usually seemed to be the most effective. He’d made so many of them now that he could create them almost flawlessly, unlike that rogue experimental creature that had escaped into that girl’s world and started all this mess.