In Search of Auria (17 page)

Night fell with a partially cloudy sky. I
took shelter under a bent tree with curvy roots. I carefully
inspected my belongings before taking my rest. My shield’s arm
strap was broken. I could only fling it around my back. With a rock
I filed my sword to its proper edge; and unfortunately it still had
the smell of
troll barbeque
. My dagger was no longer with
me, since I left it stuck on the troll’s thumb. And my bag was
completely full; I had the Book of Beasts, Yang’s box with the egg
inside, the little bag of money from the outpost, my newly acquired
crystal gauntlets, and the small quilt. The weather was getting
chilly and it looked like it was going to get worse. I set out to
find some dry wood and rocks to make a fire, when the full moon
burst from the clouds. It brightened the place with its glow. The
dim light let me notice a deer drinking from a pond across me. Its
antlers were magnificent; they rose up and bent forward with seven
horns on each beam. I hadn’t eaten much during the day, and I could
sure eat some fine deer stake.

I had to move silently. Deer have acute ears
that could detect the lowest of noises. I cautiously stepped around
a leafless hardwood tree to get a better view. The deer stood in
the moonlight, when I had a scary realization: How could this night
have a full moon when the night before had a half moon? It was much
too quick for the change of phase. I looked up and searched the
sky. I confirmed the half-moon to the east, slightly hidden behind
passing clouds. But, floating high in the air was this white
sphere. It was so similar to the moon, even emitting its light. It
started to lower smoothly towards the deer, without making any
sound. It was almost celestial. Could this entity be the guardian
of the passage?

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.

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.