IV
GIANT'S STEP
The next morning at eight o'clock Ness was once again at the mayor's office, where he was shown in to see the mayor at once. There he was promised the barricade blocking the caverns would be torn down immediately, and was told there would be a ceremony later that week in his honor where he would be given the key to the city, just as long as the mayor would not be held responsible for anything that happened in the caverns, "with it being an election year, and all." As Ness left Mr. Mashaka asked if Ness would give a speech supporting the mayor for reelection, but Ness promised him that if he ever asked that again he would find new and interesting places to store his bats.
Soon Ness was at the entrance to the caverns, where the Hernan brothers were happily tearing down the barricade. As Ness entered the cavern the brothers stopped him to thank him for getting the caverns reopened and one of them gave him a small charm "To protect you." When they heard he was going into the unexplored areas of the caverns they also gave him a hard hat with a lamp on it so he could see and some rope with a grapple for any climbing he may have to do.
After an hour of climbing and crawling his way through the explored areas of the cave Ness finally arrived at the opening to the unexplored portion of the cavern. It was roped off and a large "Do Not Enter" signed warded off casual explorers. However, according to Frank's story, this is the place where he started hearing the strange voices. Though Ness had yet to hear any voices he climbed over the rope and, turning on the lamp, made his way into the unlit tunnels. If he truly was the Chosen One the power of the Sanctuary would not attempt to drive him away.
Coming to a cliff wall he threw the grapple up and, once he felt it was secure, started to climb up. He was only a foot off the ground when the grapple slipped and he fell on his back. Dusting himself off, Ness looked up and saw two football-sized rats looking over the cliff chattering to one-another. The rats then ran down the cliff wall and jumped at Ness. He barely dodged the attack as they landed and turned back toward him. One charged at his leg while the other one jumped at his face. Ness used a psionic wave to knock the airborne one into a wall, breaking its neck, but he wasn't fast enough to kick the one on the ground, which bit his leg. He let out an agonizing scream before he kicked and then smashed it with his bat, crushing its skull.
Ness slumped down by the wall, holding his leg. "'Animals as well,'" he quoted Buzz Buzz. He was now wishing, though, that he had brought a first aid kit to stop the bleeding. As he thought that, though, he felt his hand get warm and the wound burning. The pain made him jump, but when he looked down at the bite he noticed all that was left was a small scar. He slowly got up and, hoping there were no more rowdy rodents up there, threw the grapple up again.
He slung the coiled rope over his shoulder again after reaching the top of the cliff and continued following the tunnel. After another ten minutes he heard several small clicking sounds all around him. Looking at the walls and ceiling he saw dozens of softball-sized black ants all around him. Once the lamp's light exposed the ants they charged at Ness. He tried to fend them off with his bats, but there were too many of them and the lack of light made them difficult to hit. Finally he started using psionic waves to defend himself and make a path in front of him. He ran through the tunnels, but the constant use of his psionics was beginning to wear him out. Soon, though, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. He doubled his efforts, making a mad dash for the exit and ignoring the ants. Ness dived through the exit, landed with a roll and spun into a fighting stance with both bats drawn prepared to make a stand in the mid-afternoon light. Upon reaching the edge of the light, however, the ants stopped. They seemed to study Ness for a moment, then retreated back into the darkness of the cavern.
Relieved that he would no longer be lunch in the world's largest ant farm Ness sat down against the lone tree on the grassy plateau. He tried to heal the ant bites the same way he did the rat bite, but they barely faded. His psionic energy was all but spent. He rested for a bit, drinking a bottle of water he took from his bag in the hopes of recovering some of his energy. As he relaxed there a yellow butterfly landed on his knee. He didn't know what it was about that butterfly that made him relax so much more, but he could feel his psionic energy building up again. It wasn't long before he was able to heal his wounds. A few more minutes of rest and another bottle of water later he was ready to move on. He got up and walked into the next cave.
Unlike the caves before, this cave was brightly lit between the light coming from the opening behind him and a light, far too bright for normal daylight, coming from atop the hundred foot cliff before him. Ness threw the grapple up and caught the edge of the cliff and he slowly made the climb up.
When he climbed onto the edge of the cliff Ness discovered that the light filling the cave came not from another opening to the outside, though there was one, but a great mass of glowing energy about twenty five yards from the cliff's edge blocking the exit. As Ness approached, uncertain what to do, the energy spoke, "Who has entered this Sanctuary?"
Ness stopped. "Ness Gamage. I was chosen by the Apple of Enlightenment."
"So the Chosen One is here at last. What is your purpose, Chosen One?"
"I've come to claim the power of Giant's Step as my own to stop the evil that is coming."
"The Chosen One's path is noble, but the power of this Sanctuary is mine. Take it from me, if you dare!"
At that moment the energy took on the form of a gigantic black ant standing on its hind legs. It lunged at Ness. Ness rolled out of the way and drew his bats. He dodged another lunge from the titanic ant and smashed it in the back with his bat. He rolled out of the way as it turned to swipe at him with its forelegs. As Ness got up from his roll the ant was already at him and bit his arm with its incisors and wouldn't let go until he was able to hit the ant upside the head with the other bat. As he stumbled back he deflected an attack from above, and then swung hard with the other bat, cracking the ant's exoskeleton on its abdomen. He spun to hit the spot again, causing a small piece of the exoskeleton to fall off. The ant reared back with a shriek, and in the process slashed Ness' arm with its foreleg.
Ness stumbled back again. He knew the titanic ant was starting to get desperate. He would need to finish this quickly. As the ant got down on all six legs and started to charge Ness, Ness attempted to perform his Grand Slam, but found his psionic energy still too weak from his previous encounters. He had to think fast as the titanic ant was almost on top of him, so he did what came naturally to him: He pulled back and swung the bat as hard as he could just as the ant reached him, knocking its head clean off. The body rolled onto its back from the impact as the head bounced a few times before rolling to a stop near the edge of the cliff.
Ness let out a sigh of relief as he let his arms fall to his sides. He watched as both the ant's body and head turned to a white mist and flow through the cave's exit. Sheathing the bats, he held his injured arm as he slowly walked out the exit himself.
Ness knew it had to have been at least five in the evening, but on the plateau he stood on it may as well have been high noon it was so lit up. He looked in front of him and saw a giant footprint in the rock. "Giant's Step…," he said under his breath. He reached into his pocket and took out the Sound Stone and held it before him. "Okay little stone. Do your thing."
He waited, but nothing happened. He wasn't sure what to do, then he thought back to what the energy said before it turned into the ant. He cleared his throat. "I, Ness Gamage, chosen by the Apple of Enlightenment, claim the power of Giant's Step as my own."
A wave of bright energy erupted from the footprint and washed over Ness. He could hear music, such beautiful music, but it seemed incomplete. As he heard the music he could see in his mind's eye a small puppy.
When the wave of energy subsided he looked at the Sound Stone, then held it to his ear. He could just barely hear the music that he heard earlier emanating from it. He pocketed the stone again. As he walked back to the cave Ness realized that his wounds were healed. Even the scars from where the rats bit him before were gone. Even the tears in his jeans and jacket were mended. He let out a sigh of relief, then headed back to the base of the mountain.
