I walked into a courtyard with four palm trees, each in a separate garden
bed, and the challenge I had been looking for. Ahead of me was a large
stone building with elaborate pillars - and Larson standing on the balcony
on the second floor.
A split second after I entered, when he saw me, he began firing at me. I grabbed my guns and ran forward, firing at him. I reached the safety beyond the pillars on the ground floor, and Larson began to chant, "Come out, come out, wherever you are . . . "
I flipped backwards twice and fired at him, before he yelped and disappeared. So much for a challenge. This was too easy.
There was a doorway in the center of the pillars, leading up to the building, which I ran through, but veered off to the left and down a ramp into a small room. Lying on top of a crate was a curious golden object. It was a six-pointed star inside a circle. I picked it up, and was surprised by its weight.
I put it in my backpack and, after backtracking, continued up the ramp to the second floor balcony. But when I moved out through the archway onto the balcony itself, I found Larson waiting on a ledge opposite me, grinning. Then he opened fire once again.
I ducked back into the stone building and stood with my back to the wall, on the right side of the archway. "Damn." I muttered when a chip of stone cut my right arm. I tightened my grip on my guns and pivoted so I could just see around the corner, and shot at Larson.
I didn't really want to kill the stupid man, but he was really beginning to annoy me. I ducked back when I heard the ominous click of an empty chamber. As Larson fired at me some more, I reached inside my backpack and pulled out two new clips.
The rasp and click of metal on metal echoed off the stone walls around me, as I reloaded my automatics. I spun around and plugged at Larson again, until I heard him swear and he disappeared again.
Cautiously I waited and looked around. Where was Pierre? Was he waiting to ambush me too? Minutes ticked by with no sound but the gentle breeze blowing through the palm trees, and I decided the coast was clear. I re- holstered my guns and stepped out onto the balcony.
Ahead of me, connected to the balcony, was a tightrope. Far below was the dark stone courtyard, and I could see the tops of the tall palm trees. Putting those thoughts aside, I walked towards the rope, and tested it. It seemed to be able to take my weight.
So I stepped out, my arms to the side for balance, and began to cross the rope. My feet walked on in front of the other, as I concentrated to keep my balance. When I got to the middle of the rope, I felt my balance slipping and I began to lean to the left.
I threw my weight to the right and took a minute to regain my balance. My heart was racing in my chest. I took a deep breath and continued. After another stressful minute, I reached the other side. I made a mental note to string a tightrope across the balcony at home, so I could practice for the future.
I took a moment to look about me, while I was on the ledge. To my right was the open courtyard, and oppose me was the wall of a building. I dropped down into the street on the other side of the courtyard, and pulled the switch that lead back out into the courtyard with a fountain, before jogging down the street to the left.
Coming to a T-intersection, I noticed the large golden gates to the right. Frowning as I thought, I pictured the map in my head, and tried to figure out where I was. "That's the garden. It must be." I muttered to myself and turned right into the street.
I walked up to the gates and tried to look for a lock, but they were both empty, as were the surrounding walls. I looked through the bars and saw a white building, with ornate arches and an almost temple-like appearance. That was definitely the building I was looking for. I remembered seeing a sketch of it in one of the books I read.
Having found what I was looking for, I had to find a way in. Taking another look at the gates, I decided I couldn't break them down with anything short of dynamite of a tank. The walls were too smooth to climb as well.
I scowled at the gates, before following the street to the left. Maybe there was a back door. But instead of a back door, I found another garden with another set of gates that looked just as strong as the first.
But then I noticed something on the wall beside the gates. I walked over and found a set of grooves in the wall. I ran my fingers over it, and noticed its shape. It looked like a six-pointed star inside a circle . . .
I smiled and pulled out the object I had found earlier. The key. I pushed it into the grooves with a loud click. But nothing happened. There was no grinding noise, no rasping or squeaking as gates swung open. I scowled again, and walked over to the gates before giving them a resounding kick.
They didn't budge. "Dammit!" I swore. Then I saw the second lot of grooves on the other side of the gate, and laughed. There was another key.
Since this end of the street was a dead end, I retraced my footsteps and carried on down the other end of the street. I went through a small doorway at the end, and into a narrow passage drenched with the red light of sunrise.
To my left was a small room, but a quick glance showed me it was empty. I continued up the passage, until I came out into the open air again. I jogged up some steps that led up to a blue door. Tried it, but it was locked. Behind me, and to my left was a ramp that led up to a pair of double doors.
I walked up to them and found the unlocked. I quickly pushed them open, and entered a cramp room, filled with wine casks. In the right back corner, was a locked door. I walked over to it and peered through the barred window.
Sure enough, I saw a golden glint inside. The padlock on the door looked too hard to pick, so I shot it off quickly and kicked the door open. I walked over and picked up the second key, just as a swarm of rats raced out from the back of the room.
I spun and ran out of the room, jumped over the railing on the side of the ramp and then down the stairs, leaving the rats far behind. I ran quickly back to the garden at the far end of the street and fitted the second key into the lock.
The main gates of the garden swung open, and I ran around and entered the garden. Slowing to a walk, I studied the white building as I approached. The gate house. Surrounding the door on the front, were four locks, and there were three hideous gargoyle heads above it.
I looked closely at the locks and found they were each in the shape of the four planetary symbols the keys represented. Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury. The Mercury lock was different from all the others because it already contained gold within its grooves.
All that was missing was the golden stone itself. I dug into my backpack and fitted the Mercury Stone into its place with an echoing click.
I heard a noise behind me, and whirled, my guns drawn. "Rodents, I shouldn't wonder." I said. "Big rodents."
'Probably named Pierre and Larson.' I added in my head.
A split second after I entered, when he saw me, he began firing at me. I grabbed my guns and ran forward, firing at him. I reached the safety beyond the pillars on the ground floor, and Larson began to chant, "Come out, come out, wherever you are . . . "
I flipped backwards twice and fired at him, before he yelped and disappeared. So much for a challenge. This was too easy.
There was a doorway in the center of the pillars, leading up to the building, which I ran through, but veered off to the left and down a ramp into a small room. Lying on top of a crate was a curious golden object. It was a six-pointed star inside a circle. I picked it up, and was surprised by its weight.
I put it in my backpack and, after backtracking, continued up the ramp to the second floor balcony. But when I moved out through the archway onto the balcony itself, I found Larson waiting on a ledge opposite me, grinning. Then he opened fire once again.
I ducked back into the stone building and stood with my back to the wall, on the right side of the archway. "Damn." I muttered when a chip of stone cut my right arm. I tightened my grip on my guns and pivoted so I could just see around the corner, and shot at Larson.
I didn't really want to kill the stupid man, but he was really beginning to annoy me. I ducked back when I heard the ominous click of an empty chamber. As Larson fired at me some more, I reached inside my backpack and pulled out two new clips.
The rasp and click of metal on metal echoed off the stone walls around me, as I reloaded my automatics. I spun around and plugged at Larson again, until I heard him swear and he disappeared again.
Cautiously I waited and looked around. Where was Pierre? Was he waiting to ambush me too? Minutes ticked by with no sound but the gentle breeze blowing through the palm trees, and I decided the coast was clear. I re- holstered my guns and stepped out onto the balcony.
Ahead of me, connected to the balcony, was a tightrope. Far below was the dark stone courtyard, and I could see the tops of the tall palm trees. Putting those thoughts aside, I walked towards the rope, and tested it. It seemed to be able to take my weight.
So I stepped out, my arms to the side for balance, and began to cross the rope. My feet walked on in front of the other, as I concentrated to keep my balance. When I got to the middle of the rope, I felt my balance slipping and I began to lean to the left.
I threw my weight to the right and took a minute to regain my balance. My heart was racing in my chest. I took a deep breath and continued. After another stressful minute, I reached the other side. I made a mental note to string a tightrope across the balcony at home, so I could practice for the future.
I took a moment to look about me, while I was on the ledge. To my right was the open courtyard, and oppose me was the wall of a building. I dropped down into the street on the other side of the courtyard, and pulled the switch that lead back out into the courtyard with a fountain, before jogging down the street to the left.
Coming to a T-intersection, I noticed the large golden gates to the right. Frowning as I thought, I pictured the map in my head, and tried to figure out where I was. "That's the garden. It must be." I muttered to myself and turned right into the street.
I walked up to the gates and tried to look for a lock, but they were both empty, as were the surrounding walls. I looked through the bars and saw a white building, with ornate arches and an almost temple-like appearance. That was definitely the building I was looking for. I remembered seeing a sketch of it in one of the books I read.
Having found what I was looking for, I had to find a way in. Taking another look at the gates, I decided I couldn't break them down with anything short of dynamite of a tank. The walls were too smooth to climb as well.
I scowled at the gates, before following the street to the left. Maybe there was a back door. But instead of a back door, I found another garden with another set of gates that looked just as strong as the first.
But then I noticed something on the wall beside the gates. I walked over and found a set of grooves in the wall. I ran my fingers over it, and noticed its shape. It looked like a six-pointed star inside a circle . . .
I smiled and pulled out the object I had found earlier. The key. I pushed it into the grooves with a loud click. But nothing happened. There was no grinding noise, no rasping or squeaking as gates swung open. I scowled again, and walked over to the gates before giving them a resounding kick.
They didn't budge. "Dammit!" I swore. Then I saw the second lot of grooves on the other side of the gate, and laughed. There was another key.
Since this end of the street was a dead end, I retraced my footsteps and carried on down the other end of the street. I went through a small doorway at the end, and into a narrow passage drenched with the red light of sunrise.
To my left was a small room, but a quick glance showed me it was empty. I continued up the passage, until I came out into the open air again. I jogged up some steps that led up to a blue door. Tried it, but it was locked. Behind me, and to my left was a ramp that led up to a pair of double doors.
I walked up to them and found the unlocked. I quickly pushed them open, and entered a cramp room, filled with wine casks. In the right back corner, was a locked door. I walked over to it and peered through the barred window.
Sure enough, I saw a golden glint inside. The padlock on the door looked too hard to pick, so I shot it off quickly and kicked the door open. I walked over and picked up the second key, just as a swarm of rats raced out from the back of the room.
I spun and ran out of the room, jumped over the railing on the side of the ramp and then down the stairs, leaving the rats far behind. I ran quickly back to the garden at the far end of the street and fitted the second key into the lock.
The main gates of the garden swung open, and I ran around and entered the garden. Slowing to a walk, I studied the white building as I approached. The gate house. Surrounding the door on the front, were four locks, and there were three hideous gargoyle heads above it.
I looked closely at the locks and found they were each in the shape of the four planetary symbols the keys represented. Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury. The Mercury lock was different from all the others because it already contained gold within its grooves.
All that was missing was the golden stone itself. I dug into my backpack and fitted the Mercury Stone into its place with an echoing click.
I heard a noise behind me, and whirled, my guns drawn. "Rodents, I shouldn't wonder." I said. "Big rodents."
'Probably named Pierre and Larson.' I added in my head.
