Chapter 3: The Black Pit Course
The Black Pit Course was named for the fact that it seemed to take you into a dark pit, when in reality, the course was underground and had the dangers of oubliettes and nasty creatures. The entrance to the course lay at the base of a small mound with a giant oak tree growing above the entrance.
Jessie and her group of twelve knights-in-training stood before the entrance. The trainees were all lined up in a row, facing Jessie. She paced back and forth before them.
"Today, I am going to take you through the Black Pit Course" Jessie said. She had her leather armor on and had replaced her hat for a helmet. The trainees were all dressed in a similar fashion. "The Black Pit Course is one of the hardest courses we have. You will face all kinds of creatures and you will need to use your brain as much as your brawn." Jessie pulled a sack from her belt and passed out charm necklaces that had green crystals in the shape of horses. "These charms are to be worn at all times. If you are badly hurt or get too lost, you will be transported to the end of the course where you are to wait for us to finish. Any questions?"
"What should we expect on this course?" A small man asked. Jessie smirked.
"This course is ever-changing. You could easily run into a hobgoblin or fall into an oubliette or perhaps see a small dragon" Jessie said. "The Black Pit never stays the same and is meant for everyone to expect the unexpected. Do not worry if you don't make it through. Most don't."
"Who has made it through the first time?" A tall Amazonian girl asked.
"I have" Jessie replied. "That's why I teach this course. The others can do it, but I have been through the most." Jessie looked at the trainees before her. "I am only going with you to see how you fare. I will not solve any riddles or help in any way unless true danger is met. With that said, does anyone wish to venture into the course without my presence?"
Half of the knights stepped forward. Jessie gestured to the dark opening and they entered. The others watched as the last of the trainees disappeared into the blackness of the cave. Jessie watched the entrance with her arms crossed.
The wind blew, making the leaves of the trees make a calming noise. Birds and forest critters chirped and made their usual noise. It didn't take long before the sound of a distant scream was heard from in the cave. Jessie turned back to the others.
"Let's venture in" Jessie said ignoring the wide eyes from the others.
Strangely, the inside of the course was well lit with torches. Realizing that they weren't going to have to navigate through the dark, the knights picked up their speed with Jessie behind them.
The walls were stone and dirt with large thick roots forming the roof. The path started to slope downwards. Jessie watched as the group stopped to look at a chiseled message scribed on the wall. It read: 'This far was easy. Watch your feet, watch your head. Danger lies on.'
The group went back to their slowed pace. They naturally formed a diamond shape as they carefully made their way down the sloping tunnel. The torches were becoming more and more spaced out and the ceiling was gaining in height.
A noise ahead of the group made them stop.
"What was that?" The small man, Pippen, asked. Heads looked up and down and in every direction as the noise sounded again. It was a high shrill and the sound of thousands of wings.
"I…think it's a bunch of bats" A dark elf, Furlong, said. The others, satisfied with the knowledge that someone had an idea of what was ahead, started to move again.
As the group moved, the tall elf that led let out a shrill sound before he seemingly disappeared. The group stopped and looked down. The tall elf, Rian, was clinging to the top of the oubliette that he had fallen into. It looked like it had been covered with twigs and grasses.
"An oubliette!" Rian said. Pippen and a human girl, Lorry, pulled him out of the oubliette. Jessie watched as the group seemed to release the breath they had all been holding and started on the path again.
It wasn't long before two more oubliettes were pointed out and moved around. Further on the winding passage, the torches ceased to appear and the sound of hordes of bats sounded again.
"The torches!" Lorry said. A Fae man with long green hair, Bernard, coughed and could barely be seen scratching his head. Then, in an instant, his hand started to glow a bright green.
"Will this help?" Bernard asked. Jessie stepped back from the group as quietly as she could. The group moved forward one by one since the path had started to become narrow. The group stopped when they came to an area where the path stopped. A few boulders were facing them.
"Is this the end of the course?" A hulking human, Verland, asked. The group looked back to find that Jessie wasn't behind them. "Sir Jessie?"
"Oh no!" Lorry said. "Something got her!"
"We don't know that" Rian replied. "Besides, if something got her, then she'll be at the end of the course waiting for us."
"So where do we go?" Pippen asked. Rian was looking at the large rocks. Bernard had let his faery light hover above his shoulder.
"Bernard, I think you should take a look to see what's over that rock" Rian said. Bernard nodded and started to climb the rocks without a complaint. It didn't take too long, though the noises were getting louder and louder and more feverishly paced.
"Hey!" Bernard yelled back to the group. "The path continues, but it's a good twelve-foot drop and the path is pretty narrow!"
"Does it look possible to climb down?" Rian asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think so" Bernard replied. The others quickly climbed the rocks. Bernard let his faery light grow brighter so the others could see a little better. When the others reached the top, Lorry looked to see that the path was narrow because they were walking along the side of a deep cavern.
"I can't even see the bottom" Lorry said.
"Don't let fear get in the way" Pippen said encouragingly.
"Great, then you can go first" Bernard said. Pippen pulled his gloves up and started to make his way down to the narrow path. The near drop and loose small rock made the twelve feet extremely dangerous. Pippen clung to the rocky cavern and stopped his descent.
"Pippen?" Rian called.
"Does anyone have a rope?" Pippen asked. The group quickly muttered to themselves and quickly, a rope was dropped down. "Is it secure?"
"It's secure" Verland called. Pippen grabbed the rope and easily made it down to the narrow path. A small rock slide started on the opposite side of the cavern. The sound was of small rocks sliding only a few feet.
Lorry started down the rope. She was halfway down when the sound of wings sounded again, only from all around the knights. She let out a shriek at the sound and slid down the rope.
"Verland, Furlong, go!" Rian said. In Bernard's light, a black cloud formed, made up of bats, and they swooped down towards Bernard's light. In a hasty decision, Bernard simply ducked as the bats came closer. Verland and Furlong were going down the rope and were just trying to not let go.
The cloud of bats was thick enough that Bernard's light was nearly blocked out. The noise from the bats blocked out everyone's voices. Rian shook Bernard and pointed to his faery light. In an instant, it was out and the bats started to settle down.
"Bernard, slowly climb down the rope" Rian said. Rian couldn't see anything or anyone. "Do we still have everyone?"
The knights called out their names, signaling that everyone was still there. Rian started down the rope when Bernard yelled that he had reached the bottom.
The group slowly moved along the side of the cavern.
"That was a nice display of leadership skills, Rian" Jessie said next to him.
"Sir Jessie?" Rian asked incredulously.
"Is she there?" Pippen asked.
"Yes" Rian replied. "We thought you fell or something."
"Nonsense" Jessie said. "I've just been through here before."
The group soon found themselves amid lit torches and a wider pathway. The group was all smiles. Jessie came into the light.
"Keep moving" Jessie said. "The Black Pit never stops at one obstacle."
The group moved on and soon came to a flat area that followed a deep creek. The glassy water looked cold and lifeless, even though a few fish could be seen. A bridge crossed over the creek ahead of them.
The group followed the path around a small boulder, losing sight of the bridge, and soon found themselves before an old man who had small curled horns and long grey hair. His clothes were grey rags and looked like they used to be clothes of nobility. The man was eating a dead fish.
The group stopped and stared at the old man.
"Is this your bridge?" Lorry asked.
"My bridge" The old man said in agreement. His lips and teeth were becoming more and more stained with blood.
"Can we pass?" Lorry asked. The old man looked like he was thinking about it. He looked at the whole group and at his dead fish.
"No" The old man said. Furlong pushed past Lorry.
"You're Büt Kuguza, aren't you?" Furlong asked. The old man nodded and took a bite of his fish. Furlong looked as what he had on his belt and produced a small flask. "If you let us pass, I will give you this flask of liqueur."
"What kind of liqueur?" The old man asked.
"Razzleberry" Furlong replied. The old man lashed out and quickly took the flask.
"You and one other can pass" The old man said. Furlong grabbed Verland and they both crossed the bridge. The others started to go through their belts. Lorry gave the old man two gold coins, Rian and Pippen crossed by giving the old man bread and cheese, Bernard handed over a box of matches and didn't cross.
"Matches!" The old man yelled.
"You should cook your fish" Bernard said.
"My fish is good" The old man said. He stuck his face close to Bernard's. The smell made Bernard grimace.
"I can just give you some money if you'd like" Bernard said.
"I don't want your money" The old man hissed. The old man looked down and saw the necklace with the horse crystal. "That. Give me that!"
"Büt Kuguza" Jessie said stepping in. She pulled Bernard back by his collar. Bernard had his hands around his horse crystal. "I will give you a large flask of peach liqueur for passage over your bridge."
"I want the necklace, Knight!" Büt Kuguza hissed. Jessie opened a pouch on her belt.
"I have something even better then that worthless necklace" Jessie said. Büt Kuguza raised an eyebrow. Jessie pulled out a necklace with blue glass beads and stones of turquoise and lapis lazuli. "For our safe passage."
"Done!" Büt Kuguza said grabbing the necklace from Jessie and placing it over his head. "Go! Go before I change my mind and take Match Boy!"
Jessie and Bernard crossed the bridge and the group hastily took off. Bernard glanced back and saw the old man sink into the water. He picked up his pace.
"I've never heard of Büt Kuguza before" Bernard said. Jessie raised a single eyebrow and simply kept her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"You just need to learn how to deal with creatures" Jessie replied. "Usually you can give them something like liqueur or wine or jewels for whatever your needs are."
Ahead of the group, a large rock with a large stony face started to move.
"Do not go on" The rock bellowed. "Danger is ahead."
"It's a False Alarm" Furlong said. Rian hurried over to the large rock face.
"What lies ahead?" Rian asked.
"Dangers in the dark and Ethomops….Etho….mopia" The False Alarm said. "Yes. Dangers in the dark and Ethomopsmopia. Beware! Go no further!"
"Thanks" Rian said with a sigh. The group passed the False Alarm and trudged ahead along the path that started to grow immediately dim.
It didn't take long before the group was back to relying on Bernard's faery light. Various sounds came from around the group; a rock falling, grunts, scraping noises, and fur brushing against the stones. Jessie quietly pulled out a long dagger. The others slowly took out their weapons. They trudged on through the darkness.
"Oh no" Verland said. He stopped leading the group and the group stopped.
"What's wrong?" Lorry asked. Verland moved awkwardly until he fell to the ground. "Verland?"
"I'm stuck" Verland said. Bernard moved forward and his light showed that Verland had found a pool of black substance. It looked like a mix between mud and tar.
"Pix mud" Rian said looking at the substance. He grabbed Verland and tried to drag him out of the sticky substance. Growls sounded from the darkness. Furlong moved to help Rian.
"Is that the only pool of-----" Pippen asked before unleashing a startling cry. A black creature raced through the light, taking Pippen with him.
"Pippen!" Lorry called. A long howl came from the darkness. Jessie moved closer to the others. "Bernard! Your light! We need to see!"
Bernard's light rose a few feet and started to glow brighter. Rian and Furlong pulled Verland free of the pix mud that made a sickening wet sucking noise.
"Trolls" Bernard said. The others stood up and looked around. The rocks and surrounding areas were covered with short, hairy trolls. Their eyes reflected the faery light in the same manner that cat's eyes reflect light. They moved closer and their guttural sounds sounded like they were made of hunger.
"Glaci glacies ubique" Rian said stretching his left palm towards the largest amount of trolls. The trolls and the rocks that were before his palm quickly frosted over until they froze into place. "There, that should hel----!"
Rian fell face first onto the path. A troll was straddling his back and had taken to brutally smashing Rian's face into the rocky path. Furlong quickly moved to kick the troll off of Rian. In a quick, fierce move, Lorry severed the troll's left arm.
"We need to move" Bernard said. The trolls that had not been magically iced over were heading towards the group.
"What about Pippen?" Lorry asked.
"Pippen failed" Jessie said. Lorry nodded. Rian stretched his neck and iced over the pool of pix mud.
"Watch out for the pix mud" Rian said. The group silently agreed to before taking up a sprint to reach a safer area of the Black Pit Course.
The trolls could still be heard after it seemed the group ran for ten minutes, but the troll sounds were very distant. Rian stopped and moved to sit on a rock. Verland took out his canteen and ungracefully gulped his water. Lorry fell to her knees, gasping for air, with Bernard doing the same. Furlong and Jessie seemed to be the only ones who weren't exhausted.
"Don't rest for too long" Furlong said. "Your muscles will tense up."
"How much longer is this course?" Lorry asked.
"I've been stuck in the Black Pit for two days running one course" Jessie said. "Like I said. It's always changing."
"Oh" Lorry said moving to sit on a rock. She pulled out a piece of licorice. "Great."
"At least there are torches again" Bernard replied. He stood up and stretched out his legs.
"Why don't we just get a move on? I hate just sitting around" Verland said. "Besides, I hear that they're making roast suckling and gilded potatoes tonight. Can't miss that."
Jessie leaned against a large boulder and pulled a vial with dark red contents. She sucked it down and returned the vial to her belt pouch.
"What was that?" Rian asked. Jessie looked over at him. The course had always caused her to use up her energy quickly.
"It keeps you all safe" Jessie growled. The vial wasn't enough, but it would have to do.
"Safe from what?" Rian asked. "I thought you said that you didn't know what was going to happen in here."
"It keeps you safe from me" Jessie said. She moved towards the path. "Let's get going my little trainees; otherwise those trolls are bound to catch up."
The others picked themselves up and started heading down the path again. Rian stopped before Jessie and looked down at her with narrowed eyes. Jessie gestured to the path and Rian moved to join the rest of the group.
The group made their up a steep slope that seemed impossibly high. When they reached the top, they stopped to drink some water.
"I'm tired" Lorry complained. The others capped their canteens and started to move on.
"The rest of it looks flat from here" Furlong called to her. Lorry grumbled and followed the others.
Jessie watched as a patch of eye lichen watched the group pass. She stopped and crossed her arms.
"You aren't supposed to be watching" Jessie said to the eye lichen.
"It's nice to see you so paranoid" Jareth's voice said from nowhere in particular. Jessie rolled her eyes and moved to keep up with her group.
The group had gotten surprisingly far ahead. When Jessie found them, they were crouched down behind a large rock with two of the knights who had entered before the group.
"What's going on?" Jessie asked crouching beside Rian.
"Where did you go?" Rian asked in a harsh whisper.
"No where" Jessie said in a whisper. "What's going on?"
"A dragon!" Artemis, the tall Amazonian girl, hysterically whispered. Beside her was a slim light elf girl who looked terrified. Jessie remained crouched and moved to the edge of the rock. "You can see the end, but it's past the dragon."
Jessie poked her head out from behind the rock. A large forty-foot dragon made up of muddy greens and reddish-browns was pacing back and forth, obviously aware that guests were just beyond the rocks. It had a long tail that was graced with four large spikes, two sets of wings, two talon baring feet that resembled an eagle, and a pointed snout. Jessie moved back behind the rock.
"Gather around" Jessie said. The others did and Jessie lowered her voice to a whisper. "Out there is an Ethiopian Dragon."
"An Ethiopian Dragon!" Lorry gasped.
"They're the most dangerous dragons" The slim light elf, Blossom, whispered.
"What do you guys know about dragons?" Jessie asked.
"Dragons usually guard a treasure or something important" Furlong said.
"They are attracted to food and shiny objects, like ravens or crows" Rian said. Jessie nodded. The dragon could be heard breathing heavily.
"This one breaths fire" Artemis said.
"Don't Ethiopian dragons have dracontias stones in their head?" Verland asked.
"Yes. They can only effectively be removed while the dragon is still alive" Jessie replied.
"You want us to fight it?" Rian asked incredulously.
"I haven't said anything of the sort. Do what you wish to do" Jessie said. "I just wanted you all to think about this before rushing in."
"I'll just freeze it" Rian replied. He stood up and moved to stand out in the open. "Glaci glacies ubique."
The frost and ice started to form on the rocks, but the dragon seemed to be unaffected. It growled and breathed a stream of fire in Rian's direction. Rian moved to cover his face. His necklace glowed and he disappeared.
"Any other bright ideas?" Jessie asked.
"What can stop a dragon?" Lorry asked.
"We'll distract it" Bernard said. Bernard stood up. "Everyone get ready to run for the exit."
Bernard's faery light came to life and he sent it heading towards the far corner. The group waited for the dragon to head towards the light before racing across the small cavern to the tunnel that led to the exit.
The dragon howled when it noted its deception. The group raced out of the tunnel with fire chasing them. Jessie picked herself up and brushed the dirt from her pants. The others did the same.
"Pippen?" Lorry said with a smile. Pippen was sitting on a log holding a bleeding arm.
"I can't believe I didn't see that troll" Pippen said. Lorry moved over to Pippen and used a sash to wrap his arm in. "The bastard took a bite out of me."
"Your crystal is grey" Lorry said.
"The crystals will turn more and more grey the more you fail at the Black Pit" Jessie said. "The more you succeed, the greener the crystal becomes."
"Your crystal is yellow" Blossom said. Her silver helmet was tarnished with black soot now.
"I have succeeded many times" Jessie replied.
"I don't mean to interrupt" A short red-head, Asner, said. He was kneeling over a Fae with blue hair. "Lod'ar needs immediate medical attention."
"What happened?" Jessie asked moving to look. Lod'ar was bleeding from two large puncture wounds and had several small scrapes.
"He got hit by the dragon's tail" Asner said. Jessie pulled an acorn from her pouch and quickly wrote a small note on the shell.
"Glandis invenire medicus celeriter" Jessie said. The acorn spun around and shot off through the woods. "Help will arrive shortly."
Jessie moved to kneel down beside Lod'ar. Asner was holding a piece of cloth to the wounds. Jessie moved to undo the armor.
"Lift your hands, Asner, we need to get his armor off" Jessie said. Jessie used her dagger to slice through the strapping on the sides of the armor chest plate. The front portion of the armor was thrown to the side. Jessie cut Lod'ar's shirt away. "Asner, apply pressure to the wounds."
The others slowly gathered around to stare at Lod'ar and his wounds. The pool of blood that was gathering around Lod'ar, Asner, and Jessie perked Jessie's senses.
"Rian, follow that path over there and take the others back to the court" Jessie ordered while pointing to a small dirt path. "I'll meet you all in the council hall."
"Yes, Sir Jessie" Rian said. "Let's get going guys."
The group quickly made their way to the path and disappeared into the forest. Lod'ar cringed and moaned.
"It's going to be okay, Lod'ar" Asner said. "Help is coming. You'll be fine."
There was a sharp crack sound and Jessie moved to take her helmet off. Her acorn lay a foot away from her on the ground. A large red X and two black dots were marked over her message.
"We're getting to field nurses. Faeries" Jessie said. When she looked up, she could see two small glowing orbs coming through the woods at high speeds. "They're here." Jessie looked down at Lod'ar who looked extremely pale. "How are you doing Lod'ar?"
Lod'ar cringed in response.
"At least you're still alive" Jessie said. The two faeries landed and grew in size nearly to five feet tall.
"Oh my" One with wild blonde hair said. The blonde one opened a small bag and pulled out a few vials and a small bowl.
"What happened?" The dark haired faery asked. She pushed Asner away and started to pull out clean rags.
"He was hit by the tail of a dragon" Jessie said. Asner backed up on his hands and feet, standing when he reached a log. Both faeries cringed. The blonde faery quickly mixed up a powder. She pulled out a vial of clear liquid and dumped the whole thing into the powder, turning it into a grey paste.
"This might sting a little, but it'll keep you alive" The blonde faery said. She quickly scooped up two handfuls of the paste and applied the handfuls to the main wounds. Lod'ar let out a bloodcurdling scream, let out some heavy pants, then collapsed.
"Lod'ar!" Asner called.
"He'll be fine" The faeries said smiling. The dark haired one turned to Jessie. "We'll take him to the medical center. He'll be fine."
The faeries and Lod'ar shrank. The faeries moved him onto a piece of tree bark and then took off with him. Jessie stood and retrieved everything that she had dropped. She looked over at Asner, who was almost completely soaked in blood.
"Are you okay?" Jessie asked. Asner nodded. "Good, lets head back. Lod'ar will be okay. I've seen them deal with worse problems."
"How can you be so calm about this?" Asner asked. His stunned expression had changed to one of anger.
"Simple" Jessie replied. "He joined the knights knowing the risks involved. I've also seen worse happen to people, including to myself."
"You're a liar" Asner said. "You're just a cold-hearted, crazy bitch."
"Is that right?" Jessie asked stepping close to Asner. Asner puffed out his chest.
"Lod'ar almost died and you could care less" Asner hissed. "If I was your superior, I'd have you publicly whipped."
In a swift motion, Asner was on the ground holding his face. Jessie let her fist hang at her side.
"I am your superior" Jessie replied. "If you ever talk to me that way, I will have your knighthood revoked and you will be imprisoned." Jessie stepped back and looked up at the sky, which started to rain. "Let's get back."
Jessie's group of trainees was all in the council hall foyer when she walked in. Asner pushed past her and moved to stand near Artemis. A small goblin came running out with a large book.
"Sir Jessie!" The goblin said. It held the book open with a pen hook on the page like a bookmark. "Sign in please." Jessie bent down and signed in. The book slammed shut and the goblin smiled. "Room four."
The goblin showed them to room four before scampering away. The knights piled in, sitting at a horse shoe shaped table with London sitting on the tall chair before them all.
"As you all have heard, the Black Pit Course is one of the hardest courses to pass" Jessie said. Blossom's hand shot up in the air. "Blossom?"
"I don't understand" Blossom said. "I made it through, but my horse turned grayish-green."
"So did mine" Bernard said.
"All of ours did" Rian replied. Jessie raised her hand and they became quiet.
"What I notice with the group that I was with was that everyone wanted to run away from the problem" Jessie replied. "As a knight you must be willing to deal with the problems at hand." Jessie took off her helmet and placed it on the table that was near her feet, since she was in the tall chair. "Does anyone remember what was inscribed on the wall when you first entered the course?"
"This far was easy. Watch your feet, watch your head. Danger lies on" John, a brown haired man, said.
"Exactly" Jessie said. "Did any of you read the instructions that we all passed by?"
"There weren't any instructions" Artemis said.
"You're trying to make us look stupid" Asner said. Jessie looked at Asner.
"That's because you were all being stupid in there" Jessie replied. "You took everything for granted and you didn't listen to what you were told."
"Well what did we do wrong?" Rian asked.
"The first instructions said that each person was to gather five gemstones from the cave with the bats" Jessie said. "Büt Kuguza keeps glass fish in his stream. We were each supposed to claim one through bartering. The trolls are miners and were protecting their gold. Why else would they attack us? If they are hidden then they won't attack unless they think their belongings are in danger."
"And the dragon?" Furlong asked.
"The treasure was enough to grant safe passage past the dragon" Jessie said.
"But, Ethiopians are the worst kind of dragon" Blossom said.
"What did I say at the beginning?" Jessie asked. "I said that I would jump in if true danger was approached. That dragon was raised in Svengard. It had a brand on its right talon." Jessie shifted in her chair. "I want you all to study up on creatures that could possibly appear in the Black Pit Course. You will all be running through the course three times a week until your charms start to become bright green."
"With you at our side the entire time?" Asner asked.
"No" Jessie said. "The instructor can only go through once with the students. You will all be split into groups of three. You may go into the Black Pit at any time, but if you want your runs to count, you must have either a medical technician or an elder present. Any questions?"
"Can I go to the doctor now?" Pippen asked.
"Lorry, go with him please" Jessie said. "As for the rest of you, you're dismissed. Please take some time to reflect on what you did wrong and what you did right through the course."
