Chapter 24

The Labyrinth

They looked around them and saw that it was no different than any other underground tunnel. They took another step, and suddenly there was no more floor.

They fell down a long thin tunnel about three feet wide. They bumped against each wall Raya first and Andreanna not far behind. The tunnels walls became slick, almost slippery, and seemed to be sprayed with water. Raya looked down by her feet as they rocketed down the tunnel. She could see light up down below, quickly coming up towards them, meeting them. As it got closer she could see the blue light starting to move, as if they were waves.

"Andreanna!" cried Raya, "hold on! There's about to be a slight drop!"

"What!" called Andreanna in terror.

And then the walls around them disappeared and they were free falling down, down, down. They had fallen from the ceiling of about a two hundred foot room of solid rock with a lake as its bottom. They screamed as they fell, faster and faster, as the water came to meet them and finally with a thundering splash Raya hit the water and soon another sounded as Andreanna did the same.

Raya quickly opened her eyes. The water around her was a beautiful, clear blue. She looked up and saw that she was far below the surface of the water. She started to swim upwards. Finally she surfaced. She took in deep breaths of air and started looking around for a place to swim too. As she looked around she saw that light was pouring into the cavern by large slits at the very top of the wall, a bright warm light like sunshine. She spotted a rock that jutted out into the water. Raya started swimming towards it.

When she grasped the side of the rock she hung there for a moment, attempting to catch her breath. She put her forehead to the rock and her breath started to return to normal. Then she looked up quickly. Where was Andreanna? She turned her head to look around, she couldn't find her. Quickly she drew out her wand from where she had hastily thrown it in her pocket; she was also surprised it was still there after the fall. She muttered a homing spell upon Andreanna. She looked down at the water. Far below the surface she could see the sparkling green light that appeared around the recipient of the homing spell. She was about to plunge when the walls around her shook and bits of rock came hurtling down around her.

"The room is going to collapse," Raya thought to herself.

She spun around as the stonewall near the jutting out rock began to separate and a passageway was formed.

"It will only be a matter of minutes before the whole room collapses," thought Raya, "I have to be quick."

And with that Raya dove below the surface. She swam down, down dodging slow falling rocks. The already freezing water grew colder and colder as she swam downwards. The shaking from the room grew greater. Raya knew there wasn't much more time to save Andreanna. She knew that even a wizard couldn't hold their breaths very much longer than the average human. Finally Raya caught up with the sinking Andreanna. Raya grabbed Andreanna and she was shocked at the coldness of her skin, it felt like ice.

Raya pulled her up as fast as she could. And finally they surfaced and Raya pulled Andreanna towards the large jutting rock. As she looked up she saw the passageway closing again.

Raya pushed Andreanna onto the rock and pulled herself up on it. Raya slung Andreanna over her shoulder and ran as fast as she could towards the door. She pushed Andreanna through and as fast as she could she followed and threw herself inside. The stone doors shut. Raya looked down at the ground where she had thrown Andreanna. She finally caught her breath. She tried to move away from the wall and yet she realized that her coat was caught in the door. She pulled her coat, but it wasn't coming out. So she slipped her arms out of the sleeves and the coat hung there limp against the stone. She walked over to Andreanna. She rolled her over so her face was up.

Raya checked for a pulse and felt was weak one. She opened Andreanna's mouth and breathed into her. Then she placed her hands and her chest and pumped slightly, trying to revive her. She repeated this over and over again until Andreanna gasped for breath. She coughed up lots of water and after she was finished she laid her head back on the stone, closed her eyes, and starting breathing heavily. Raya placed her hand on Andreanna's arm and it still felt like ice. Raya muttered a fire spell and a small fire popped right next to them. Andreanna sighed in relief. Raya sat by her for a while. Her eyes happened to wonder over to the stone door and she saw that written on the wall, in the same hand as her ink spill messages were, was the word "loyalty."

Raya tried to remember back to the book she had read. She thought about what she had read before she read all the things about the tests. She remember one phrases, "Once you have seen the word, you have completed the test."

"I've completed the first test," Raya said aloud, "the loyalty test."

Andreanna slowly sat up.

"Andreanna, are you alright?" asked Raya.

"Yeah," she said, but Raya could see that she was weak from the experience.

"Let us rest here for a moment," said Raya, "lie back down."

Andreanna did as she was told.

"I wish now that I had grown up in Novia," said Andreanna softly, "for it is necessary for young ones that a destined for military to take the courses for underwater breath."

"Just rest for a bit," said Raya. "Get your strength back."

Andreanna closed her eyes and was asleep in only a few moments. Raya, however, stayed for quite a while and then, after two hours had passed, she gently woke Andreanna.

"Andreanna, we must move on," said Raya.

After her sleep Andreanna seemed much stronger and willingly set out again.

They walked through the passageway. Raya had her arm stretched out in front of her with a lumos spell emitting from her wand. The corridor was very tall and yet not so wide; only about three people could walk comfortably abreast. They walked for what seemed like ages in silence. Finally Andreanna spoke.

"This isn't to make you sad or anything, but, I am sorry about Draco," said Andreanna, "he was a dear friend to you and a loyal ally to Novia. He'll be sorely missed."

"Indeed, he was a dear friend to me," said Raya sadly and she stared at the ground, "and he was a true hero."

"You are as well," said Andreanna, "I mean you're so strong and I've never seen anyone that can wield a sword as cleverly as you."

Raya continued to stare at the ground as if consumed in sad thought.

"Don't sacrifice yourself to grievance," said Andreanna, "come back and live in your wondrous life that's filled with luck and light."

"Real heroes know when they must let themselves be sacrificed to let another live. Let another person live in that wondrous life of luck and light. That is what a real hero is, it has nothing to do with swords and strength, its knowing what is right and doing it no matter how impossible it seems," replied Raya.

They walked in silence once again.

Then in the silence a soft sound was heard and sound like the gentle hissing of a flame.

Raya stopped and Andreanna did as well.

"What is it?" asked Andreanna.

"Shhh," said Raya softly.

Almost immediately the walls around them lit up with torches that burst into flames. Raya's wand went out on its own accord.

"What's going on?" asked Andreanna.

Raya tried a spell. It didn't work.

"All the magic's been taken from my wand, I can't use my magic," said Raya.

"Don't worry," said Andreanna, "Neither of us really needs a wand to channel our magic."

She tried a spell through her hands, and it didn't work either.

"What we going to do?" asked Andreanna, know panicked.

Then a room suddenly appeared before them.

"That wasn't there before," said Andreanna.

"Well the only thing to do is go forward," said Raya.

They walked into the room. It was light from a mysterious light that was shining through the underground windows. The room was made of white stone and it shone and reflected the light. Their footsteps echoed on the stone floor.

"What test is this?" asked Raya. "The room is empty and there's no way to get out."

"What if we try going back," said Andreanna.

They turned but the passageway was gone.

"We're trapped," said Raya.

They turned forward again and both screamed as they looked back at what used to be an empty room. Now there was a child, a dead child that was standing up and staring at them.

"Zombie?" Andreanna whispered in Raya's ear.

"No," said Raya, "zombies are dead humans that have turned into monsters, they no longer take on such a humanlike shape. This human is no zombie."

Andreanna brought up her fists to fight.

"We Novians have learned long ago that the dead can never be trusted," said Andreanna, "they trick you, and then they kill you."

"I know well of that," said Raya.

The dead child stepped forward.

"Please," she said, her voice was shaken, "I'm not suppose to be like this."

Raya began to step forward in a kind nature to move closer to the child, but Andreanna put her arm in front of her, "No, she'll trick you."

"No," said the child and she fell upon her knees and wept into her skeleton hands.

Raya took time to study the child. Her face had kept all its skin but it had become a deep dark gray. Her hair was still intact as well but it was knotted enough to break any brush and there were bald spots on certain parts of her head. The rest of her body was barely covered by skin. Most of her body had at least a little bit of stretched out skin covering it. Her hands were only her bones as were her feet. She looked like someone that had climbed there way out of hell.

"What do you mean you're not suppose to be like this?" asked Raya stepping forward despite Andreanna's hand and kneeling on the floor.

"I'm not dead," said the girl.

"What do you mean," said Raya.

"I can't say," said the girl, "if I say, he'll kill."

"Who will kill?" asked Raya.

The girl's all white eyes grew wide, "HIM!" she gasped.

Raya and Andreanna both turned to see. A man was standing there. A great tall man that was defiantly not human. His skin was light gray and he was bald, his eyes were red and his teeth were yellow and looked like needles all lined up in his mouth. But strangely enough, countering his gruesome appearance, he was wearing a smart looking, pinstriped business suit. His hands, which he had nails that were about two inches long and had sharp points on the ends like knives were clasping an orb that was black but for a pink swirling cloud in the center.

Raya turned back to the child.

"Who is he?" asked Raya.

"I am the Devil's assistant," said the man he had an American accent and spoke with enunciation as though he were giving a presentation.

"What?" asked Raya, but he cut her off.

"I am Hellcrist. I collect souls for the Devil to torment," he continued, "as a reward for my work he gave me one to play with on my own."

He smiled lovingly at the girl.

He gripped the orb tighter.

To the horror of Raya and Andreanna, the girl screamed in unbearable pain as gray smoke appeared to be sucking her towards the orb. Then Hellcrist loosened his grip. As Andreanna and Raya looked back at the girl, she had lost more of her skin. It occurred to Raya what was happening.

"So she isn't dead," said Raya.

"No," said Hellcrist, "imagine how you would feel how if any time I wanted."

To emphasize what he was saying he tighten his grip on the orb once more. And the again was surrounded by gray dust and was screaming and then again he loosened his grip and it ended.

"I could suck your soul right out of you, as well as various organs and tissues," said Hellcrist, "if you're wondering what it feels like imagine if someone just pinched some of your skin and decided to remove all the skin that covered your bones just by pulling it off."

Andreanna covered her mouth as though she were about to vomit.

Raya looked over at the girl.

"Why her?" asked Raya.

"Her father made a deal with me: I would never touch him or the rest of his family again and I could choose one and only one of them to take back to the devil. I chose her and the devil let me keep her to play with myself."

"I am here until someone takes my place and challenges him to a fight," said the girl.

Raya nodded her head and grasped her hand on the girl's bony shoulder. Andreanna yelled, "No!"

"So you've taken my challenge," said Hellcrist softly and happily. "Let the games begin."

The girl and Andreanna were thrown magically aside and onto benches that came from nowhere.

"You have taken her place," said Hellcrist. "If I kill you I will continue to play with her soul."

"What if I kill you?" asked Raya.

"You won't," said Hellcrist.

And from his already long, knifelike fingernails grew longer and began metal.

"Claws of Death," said Hellcrist, "is the competition."

Raya felt something strange, not painful, but strange, in her fingers and she too sprouted long, nine inch metal nails.

"Feels weird doesn't it, hey you know what, if you win you can keep 'em," said Hellcrist.

"Enough with the chatter," said Raya, "let's fight."

"A woman who knows what she wants, a very difficult thing to find today," said Hellcrist and he threw the orb over to the corner of the room where a blue force field caught it and held it in midair, "alright then, let's begin."

The mysterious underground sunlight vanished and lit torches magically appeared, lining the walls and filling the room with an evil red glow.

"Ready," said Hellcrist, "set."

He took a longer pause in which Raya took the time to take a deep breath.

"Go."

Hellcrist came at her with a yell and she brought her hands up to a block. She pushed back and Hellcrist flew into the stonewall she moved towards him to attack again. He flipped upwards and blocked her shot as he hovered in midair for a moment before trying to stab at her left side and she cut him off with her nails.

She tossed him to the side where he immediately moved back to attack and she was ready as she slid on the ground under his feet and then she quickly turned around and tried stabbing at his back, but he was quick and was able to turn just in time to time to block the shot and he locked their nails together and lifted Raya into the air he took his foot and kicked her and she flew up into the air. She landed with a heavy thud but was immediately back on her feet and was running at him. She swung her arm around, he tried to move, and he succeeding making her miss his heart but she was able jab her long nails into his shoulder. He howled in pain and kicked Raya who flew into the stonewall.

He came running at her. She got on her feet and just as he was about to strike she held out her arm and he ran into it and fell to the floor. She was getting ready to stab him when he kicked up with both his feet and he kicked her jaw and sent her backwards back into the wall. It took her a moment to get up. Her mouth had begun to bleed. She got back up and noticed he was no longer there.

"On the ceiling!" yelled the girl.

Raya looked up right above her right was Hellcrist was about to drop. She moved out of the way but not quickly enough and one of his nails slid along the back of her left arm causing her to scream in pain as she ran out of the way. He fell to the floor.

"You cannot kill me," said Hellcrist, "give up."

And all of a sudden he realized she wasn't there.

"I never give up," said Raya as she appeared again suddenly behind him.

He turned and she struck him in the heart. He looked up at her.

"What in the hell!" he exclaimed and he exploded.

Raya ducked but still she was hit with various parts of his body. She heard Andreanna's cry of utter disgust. She slowly got up. Blood was spattered on her everywhere as well as all around the room.

"What did you do?" asked the girl. "First you were there, then you were gone."

"I don't know what happened," said Raya. "While he was talking to me I began to walk behind him, he never seemed to notice. He just kept talking to the spot were I was then When I spoke behind him he seemed surprised. I'm not exactly sure what happen."

"I know," said Andreanna.

Both Raya and the girl faced her and gave her a look of "please enlighten us."

"I've done some research on this journey," said Andreanna, "now mind you I don't know any specifics but I do know that with every task that you complete a new ability you gain. You completed one task before this, therefore you had one ability you weren't aware of."

"What ability is that?" asked Raya.

"I am guessing that because he thought you were there all the time but one second, that you gained the ability to alter time, at least for yourself. For you, you stayed in that spot for no longer than one second, for the rest of us you were in that spot for the whole time that he was talking to you."

"Well, I've completed the second task," said Raya, "what ability have I gained now?"

"He told you," said Andreanna, "the ability to use those nail, thingys."

She gestured towards the metals nails coming from her fingernails. All of a sudden the metal nails at top speed shrunk back into her regular nails.

"I take it their retractable," said Raya matter-of-factly.

I hope you liked this chapter. Sorry it took so long to post. My computer is going through major problems. Please review! Flames will be ignored, constructive criticisms will be acknowledged and considered, and compliments are, of course, welcome!