CHAPTER 7
There was never a moment of rest for Carletta over the next four days. After quickly patching up her wounds, she reported back to Peligrous as Matturn instructed and was immediately led to her second trial. Unlike the last one, this would take place in the temple, but that didn't stop it from being just as torturous. She was taken to a large chamber with about ten huge stone pillars placed in a circle. The idea of the task seemed easy enough: keep the pillars floating for as long as Peligrous saw acceptable. Carletta knew it wouldn't be easy in keeping them aloft, but that wasn't the catch she was expecting.
'Of course you will come across certain … intrusions that may hinder your focus.' said Peligrous slyly. 'Remember, your performance will be rated on how many pillars are left in the air, how long you can last out and how you will survive.' Peligrous made her way back to the doors. 'Begin.' Slam. They were shut.
There was only one beam of light in the middle which Carletta walked to and made deep breaths before motioning her hands to life some invisible weights. At first, a couple merely shook, but slowly, Carletta's mind cleared. The pillars lifted up very gently. All too easy she thought and it couldn't have been more correct. Loud tapping noises echoed throughout the chamber. Darting her eyes from left to right, she tried to make out what made them, but the darkness was too blinding. The tapping did not cease and began to sound closer and closer until several crimson lights came into view. When the lights stepped closer they revealed themselves as war droids.
They were tall, four legged machines with slim, hunched over, squared torsos. Their arms were long that ended with a double barrelled blaster cannon and their wedge shaped heads bore a crimson light for a single eye. As they crept liked spiders, their mechanical whirring could be heard.
Raising their blasters, Carletta sprang into the air, avoiding the explosive fire that impacted on the walls. When she landed, the pillars were still afloat, but they seemed to be edging down slightly. The droids crept further, urging Carletta to plan something.
With much effort, she hoisted the pillars higher, let them go and flung the war droids backwards into the dark. The crashing of metal piling onto each other sang across the chamber right when the pillars were about to hit the ground, but were caught in time by Carletta.
It wasn't enough time however, as a couple smashed onto the floor and fell over, leaving them in wrecked pieces. She gritted her teeth, feeling all her strength being quickly sapped and prayed she'd dealt with her attackers. It was foolish to think so. War droids were built hardily, so a pile up was not enough in keeping them at bay.
Though lightly damaged, they returned to thwarting Carletta, whose mind was desperately trying to clutch at an idea. Suddenly the answer came, both simple and clear. Although it made her wince with focus, Carletta started to spin the pillars around her. Faster and faster they sped and before the war droids could simply blast their way through the blockade, Carletta moved them outwards as well. The pillars now span at a blurry pace which was enough to whack the droids heads clean off or merely sweep them off the floor. When the last one had finally crashed into the wall, the pillars slowed to a halt and returned to their calm, unmoving state.
It looked to be over. The time that had passed was not much, but felt arduous enough for Carletta to think for one single moment that the task was over. She couldn't have been more wrong.
Somewhere in the chamber, a door opening was heard, then silence. Carletta squinted into the darkness, scanning all around her for whatever would attempt to hinder her. The paranoia was unbearable. All she desired right now was to know what was coming for her now. She didn't have to wait long. In a flash as sudden as blinking an eye, something slithered through the small layer of red dust and leapt straight for Carletta's face. Falling flat on her back, she cried out in shock at the sight of a large mouth filled with fang like teeth trying to gnaw its way through her mask. The sounds of its grotesque screams made Carletta's ears ache, but her mind was still dominated by the intent of keeping the pillars aloft.
Clutching at the animal (which felt long, thin and scaly) Carletta tugged with a resolute strength and yanked the creature off. Then, without so much as examining it, she threw it far and returned to the pillars that came so close to hitting the ground. More screams sounded. Eventually Carletta finally saw what made them. Long and snake like, they were coated in scaly plates and had wide heads. They bore no eyes, instead possessing a pair of large nostrils that loudly inhaled air. Some reared up and bared their teeth – a cavern of fangs with only the smallest of tongues. All of them began to coil, alerting Carletta to another attack, but what could she do? The answer was both obvious and the worst choice she could imagine: defend herself against the creatures, or hold the pillars and endure their wrath.
The creatures chose for her as they leapt from the ground bearing their teeth. A couple landed on both her arms while another clung to her shoulder. Carletta cried out as she felt the stinging pain of hundreds of little daggers pierce her skin. How she yearned to rip them off and cut off their demonic heads, but the pillars would probably fall. Never had she felt this frustrated with pain. All she wanted was to kill these little slimerags and finish this trial. The air now seemed to crackle with her anger and when she felt another creature suddenly bite into her still healing wounds on her back, Carletta yelled out in fury.
The brightness was swift and blinding, accompanied by the loud crackle of electricity and just as quickly as it came it was gone. Carletta no longer felt the creatures biting into her, they now lay on the ground as smoking husks. The sight felt strangely satisfying, but the pain still remained. Carletta looked around and to her delight the pillars remained above ground. Unfortunately the pain now riddled away any strength left.
Falling to her knees, Carletta and the pillars crashed to the floor. The crashing filled the chamber and filled it with a mist of dust. Exhausted, breathing heavily, Carletta felt more drained than she thought possible. As much as it pained her to stand up, she felt desperate in showing as little weakness as she could muster when hearing footsteps. Stepping into the light Peligrous faced her looking indifferent.
'I can't say you performed perfectly.' she said coldly. 'Any less and I don't think Matturn or I wouldn't bother with you any more, but considering how you began to embrace the Dark Side, you pass. Just.' Peligrous turned on her heel and traipsed back to the doorway. 'You may now rest for the day. The third trial will begin tomorrow morning. Carletta blinked, still amazed at her survival and barely taking in any of Peligrous' words. She fell to her knees again in relief, not leaving for a good few minutes till she felt able to even stand again.