Chapter 12: The Power Of A Skillet

"How much further is it?" Flora asked anxiously.

Ragnar sighed and replied, "We're almost there." Flora nodded and Ragnar focused on the road ahead. Flora had been asking him the same question every hour since they left Burland Castle and he was thankful that this was the last time he would have to answer it.

The sun was beginning to set and Ragnar sighed again. Every time the sun began to set, his nerves became more agitated. It seemed his luck would fail him whenever the sun disappeared behind the mountains. First, it was the two beetle-men by the road, and then it was his experience at the bathing pool, and finally the ambush in the tunnel. What would happen to him this night? Unconsciously rubbing the breastplate of his family's armor, he hoped his ancestors might help his luck a little tonight.

Soon, Ragnar saw the tunnel entrance. He held up his hand and Flora stopped. "What is it?" she asked.

Ragnar didn't answer and pulled out the bottle of fairy water the King had given him from his pack. He undid the lid and spilled half of its contents into his hands, rubbing it over any exposed skin. He didn't detect any scent but he trusted his King that the liquid would work.

"Here," he said, handing the bottle over to Flora. She sniffed the bottle, unsure of herself, but eventually followed Ragnar's lead.

Ragnar held up a moistened finger into the air, testing the wind. It wasn't overly noticeable but enough to carry whatever scents the fairy water gave off to keep monsters away.

"Okay," he said to Flora, "stick close to me. We don't want to get separated in the tunnel." Flora nodded and grabbed the large skillet she had brought with her.

Ragnar looked at her, somewhat amused. She really did intend to use the oversized frying pan as a weapon! He hoped it wouldn't come to that but any extra help would come in handy. The soldier donned his shield, lit a torch, and walked forward, Flora just a step behind.

"Watch your footing," he whispered to Flora as they entered the tunnel. "It is quite steep here."

As if to prove his point, Flora suddenly slipped in the mud and began to slide down the steep incline, screaming all the way down. "Flora!" Ragnar called after her but she quickly disappeared down the tunnel.

"Damn it!" he swore under his breath. The soldier sheathed his sword and made his way down the tunnel as quickly as he could without slipping himself. In a few minutes, he could hear Flora muttering various curses at herself. At least she's all right, Ragnar thought and quickened his pace.

Soon, Ragnar saw Flora sitting down in the mud, huddled up in a little ball. "Flora!" Ragnar called out to her. "Are you fine?"

She looked up at Ragnar and he saw her face. The once, pale skin had become caked in mud. Thin streaks of tears ran down her face.

"Oh, Ragnar!" she wailed. "Look at me! I'm so sorry! I...I really didn't mean to do it. It's just that..." Her voice trailed off as another set of tears began to well up.

Ragnar couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. He walked over to her and helped her up. "Don't worry," he said, smiling. "There's an underground lake up ahead where you can wash some of this mud off."

Flora smiled back. "Thanks," she said, giving him a hug. The mud on her clothes smeared on the fine polish of his red armor and she gasped, somewhat embarrassed. Ragnar just smiled and lead her to the underground lake.

As they walked, Ragnar noticed the beetle-men he and Harald had killed the other day were gone. There were no signs of other beetle-men, nor of slimes, healers, or babbles. The fairy water must be working.

Soon, Ragnar and Flora came to the underground lake. Flora set her stuff down and kneeled by the lakeside, splashing water on her face.

Ragnar kept an eye out around the tunnel. So far, he hadn't seen or heard any indication of monsters, but he didn't want to be caught by surprise.

Flora rubbed her face clean of the mud and tried to get some of the mud out of her hair. She gazed out into the lake as she ran her hands through her hair and suddenly noticed something among the ripples she was causing. Something that seemed to be floating towards her!

She quickly stopped what she was doing and kept still. "Ragnar!" she breathed as quietly as she dared. No response. Flora quickly darted her head and saw that Ragnar had stepped towards one of the tributaries, apparently checking it out. He was too far away to hear her unless she yelled.

Flora looked back out at the lake and saw that the floating creature was getting closer! Panic crept through her mind. What was she to do? Whatever that creature was, it was almost upon her. Ragnar would never be able to get to her in time. She did the only thing possible at that moment: she grabbed her skillet and ran into the water.

Before the creature could even react, Flora started to bang her weapon repeatedly on the creature, water splashing everywhere. It had a hard, shell-like covering, and her hitting sent vibrations down her spine. She realized, though, that unless she persisted, the monster would probably be upon her in an instant.

Hit after hit, Flora was relentless. She felt adrenaline pushing her to keep hitting, to never stop. She began to scream with rage; in anger of all of the torment her soul had been put through the past few weeks; her thoughts of Alex, and how much grief she had been through in his absence. If she let this creature get her, she would never see him again, and he would never see her again. She was not going to let that happen and she kept on hitting her skillet with all of her fury, her weapon ringing out through the cave.

Several minutes later, Flora began to tire and her hitting ceased. The creature did not move. Flora breathed shakily, slowly realizing what she had done. She had actually killed it! A strange sensation crept through her body. Never before had she actually killed anything in cold blood; a few animals for dinner perhaps but never a monster. Hesitantly, she reached a hand forward, just to make sure.

The shell felt granular, with several ridges along it, almost like chopped firewood. She slowly went up to the monster to get a better look at it. She gasped when she saw what it was: a long piece of wood floating in the lake.

Suddenly, she heard clapping from behind her. Flora turned and saw Ragnar clapping his hands. "Bravo!" he said. "I do believe you have killed it!"

Flora began to shake all over, filled with embarrassment. She couldn't believe how stupid she must have looked, standing in waist deep water, attacking a piece of floating wood.

"At least we won't have to worry about logs with you around," Ragnar chuckled.

"Shut up!" she cried, and threw her skillet at Ragnar. The soldier ducked and the skillet clanged against the tunnel wall, sending a ringing sound throughout the cave. Furious, she began to slosh her way back to shore, sputtering several curses under her breath.

"Are you all right?" Ragnar asked, smiling as he offered her his hand.

"Let's just get the hell out of here!" she cried, throwing his arm away and storming down the tunnel.

Smiling to himself, Ragnar ran to catch up.