The next room was also quite large. The first odd thing Palla noticed was the floor. It was blue in color, like the stone itself was blue rather than a magical glow. A large crossbow was fixed to the ground, aimed at a high angle towards the ceiling at the opposite end of the room. It wasn't really large, Palla reminded herself, rather she was small. Her friends and family had spread out, searching the room for clues. Palla joined Est at the crossbow.
"Do you think we can fire this thing?" Palla asked.
"I guess," Est replied, pulling at the string, "I don't see any arrows though. Looking at this thing makes me feel a bit nervous..."
"I know what you mean," Palla agreed, "riding a Pegasus really makes you wary of things like this."
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to be hit by this in battle!" Est shuddered.
Hearing a noise behind them, the sisters turned to see the entrance closing.
"Again?" Est complained.
"I suppose we should have expected that at this point," Palla sighed.
The color of the floor turned red. A tile slid away beside the sisters, and a podium rose from the ground.
Est stepped closer to look at the new object. "Look Palla, arrows!"
"So we use these..." Palla thought. She could see there were four of them. Hearing the commotion, the rest of the group had joined them beside the arrows.
"Red can't be good, can it?" Sonya sighed, "Palla, you should grow us since we'll probably get shrunk again."
"Good idea," Palla agreed, readying her magic. But nothing seemed to happen.
"What's the hold-up?" Mae asked.
"I can't use magic again," Palla groaned, "really, why give me these abilities if they're going to be disabled all the time?"
"Can you fly?" Catria asked.
Palla attempted to flap her wings. "It seems like I can't," Palla answered.
"Well that's just great," Sonya huffed, "what contraption will shrink us to mite size this time?"
As if in response, a grinding noise sounded. The whole group looked up to the source, a panel in the ceiling distant from where they stood. Mechanical rumbling signaled the lowering of a strange object into the room. Sonya gasped as she saw a familiar figure. Wrapped in web, and suspended by a single thread leading above, was the tiny form of Genny. She wriggled about, feet flapping at the bottom of her cocoon in an attempt to get free.
"Genny!" Mae yelled to her trapped friend.
"Mae! Everyone!" Genny shouted back. She panicked when she saw how far away everyone was, realizing how high she was in the air.
"We'll get you down!" Mae reassured her, "just hang on!"
Genny was about to answer, but a loud whirring startled her into silence. A strong force swung her to the side. As her body neared the ceiling, she fell the other way. Upon nearing the ceiling on the other side, she was swung back again. Shocked, her friends could only watch as Genny was swinging around like a pendulum.
"H-help!" the cleric screamed.
"Don't worry!" Sonya shouted, "we'll figure this out!"
"Yeah!" Mae agreed, "we'll save you!"
Calmly watching from behind the crossbow, Palla had figured out what to do.
"We have to get her down using this," she gestured to the giant weapon. "If we time it right, we can sever the thread and get Genny down."
"But she'll fall!" Mae pointed out.
"Maybe some of us should wait below her?" Catria suggested, "that way, we should be able to catch her."
"Good thinking, Catria. You, Mae and Sonya spread out below where she's swinging. Est and I will handle the firing."
"Got it," Catria nodded.
"Please be careful..." Mae said. She and the other catchers headed towards Genny. Palla set down the Celica statue.
"I want a go!" Est cheered.
"Very well," Palla agreed, "but if you miss, there will probably be consequences for us."
"Don't worry, I got this!" Est chirped.
The others in position, Palla decided to load the crossbow. She picked up a bolt, roughly the size of a lance to her. She headed over to Est, who was reaching for the bowstring. The back of the bow was roughly waist height to the tiny ladies. Palla put the arrow in place while Est looked for the trigger.
"Remember to time it right, Est." Palla said.
"It'll be fine! Trust me!" Est insisted.
Palla nodded. She felt a strong need to help Est but decided to leave everything up to her youngest sister. She felt sorry for Genny, who must have been feeling a bit dizzy by now.
Est took a deep breath, watching the movement of her tiny comrade. It was almost hypnotizing in an odd way. Remembering to focus, she squeezed the trigger. The bolt instantly flew forth, sailing past the thread.
"You missed!" Catria shouted.
"I'm just getting the hang of it!" Est yelled back.
Suddenly the floor glowed green.
"What's happening?!" Mae yelled.
Sonya sighed. "Take a guess..."
All five women on the ground suddenly shrank by a quarter of their current size.
"Typical..." Sonya huffed.
"So that's what happens if you miss..." Catria mused.
"Est!" Palla chided her sister, "be more careful!"
"I'm sorry!" Est squeaked defensively, "I'll get the hang of it!"
"You had better! You've only got three more chances!" Palla said.
Palla picked up the next arrow. It was quite a bit bigger now, but it was light enough for her to easily carry it. She loaded the crossbow, and Est got ready once again. Palla jumped back when Est fired, moments later. The arrow completely missed.
"Are you trying to miss, Est?" Catria sighed.
"I thought it would swing into the path of the arrow!" Est shouted back.
The floor glowed again, shrinking the ladies to half an inch tall.
"This isn't good," Palla worried, "two more misses, and we might shrink to nothing."
"No way!" Mae complained.
"I'll get it this time!" Est insisted with a jump.
"Make sure you do..." Palla said, walking back to the podium.
Having lost half of her height since entering the room, it was getting more difficult for Palla to pick up the next bolt. She was having to reach quite far over the crossbow now, barely seeing over the back of it. Est was jumping about, having trouble with the string, so Palla had to assist her.
"Take your time, Est," Palla told her, deciding to stow her annoyance.
"I've got the hang of it now!" Est insisted.
"I can't take much more of this!" Genny yelled, feeling rather sick.
Palla stepped back, watching her sister time her shot. Seconds later she fired. The arrow flew forth in an instant, barely missing the string of web.
"Almost!" Catria called out.
"Darn!" Est cursed.
The floor shone once more, reducing the group to quarter of an inch tall.
"You've got to be kidding..." Sonya complained.
"Aim better, Est!" Mae shouted.
"Leave her alone!" Palla commanded. She turned to her sister. "This is it, Est. You've got to get it this time."
Est looked to Palla, her cheerful expression faltering for a moment. "I-I'll get it this time, I swear!"
Palla didn't look convinced. "Just trust me, all right? You do trust me, right?"
"Of course I do," Palla smiled, "you'll get it this time."
"Yeah!"
Palla slid the final arrow off the podium, now like a flagpole to the tiny girl. Reaching up for the crossbow on tiptoes, she used all of her strength to slide the bolt over the weapon. Probing with the other end, she felt for the ridge that she could no longer see. Est couldn't reach the string anymore, so Palla boosted her up on top of the weapon. She helped her older sister up, and together they pulled the string into position.
"All set!" Est cheered, jumping back behind the crossbow. In position, she had a horrifying realization.
"Um, Palla?"
"What is it, Est?" Palla asked nervously.
"I can't see over the bow!"
Palla sighed, taking a deep breath. She walked over to Est and took her hand.
"I'll watch it for you," Palla said, "when I squeeze your hand, fire."
Est nodded. Palla leaned round, Est placing her other hand on the trigger. Palla watched the thread swing a few times, getting a feel for the rhythm. Everyone's fate was on her shoulders. But she remained strong for her sisters. She picked her moment, squeezing Est's hand.
The bolt took flight, piercing the web in a single moment. The thread snapped under the force, sending the tiny Genny sailing to the ground. Sonya stretched her arms out, anticipating Genny's fall. The girl landed on top of her, sending them both to the floor.
The others hurried over to the cleric and mage.
"Thank goodness..." Palla sighed.
"Genny! Are you all right?" Mae pulled at the web encasing the cleric.
"Yes, I... Think I'm fine." Genny answered. She was still a bit dizzy from all of the swinging. Over the course of the latest trial, the others had shrunken as small as she was.
"Cutting it close, Est?" Catria remarked.
"But I did it! That's the main thing!" Est protested, "right, Palla?"
Palla giggled. "Yes, my sweet sister." The two mages freed Genny, and Palla grew everyone back to an inch tall.
"I'm so sick of this place," Sonya complained, "can we get out, already?"
"We'll have to find the exit first," Palla pointed out. A new exit opened in the wall.
"What's next?" Catria wondered.
"Only one way to find out!" Est cheered, running ahead.
Palla sighed. Where does she get that energy? She was ready to sob just a few minutes ago. She walked back to the crossbow, retrieving the statue of Celica. Looking up, she saw another inscription.
"The power of the high witch flows though the temple..." Palla wondered if this was the magic they had been subject to their whole journey. She realized her friends had gone ahead, so she hurried to rejoin them. But what was waiting for the tiny heroes?
