My friends are gone, but the portal is, too.
Seventy-three
Completely alone, genuine fear detonates in my soul. How am I going to defeat the remaining monster on my own? How am I going to get out of here? Tears well instantly, but I don’t dare wipe them away with the sticky, soured blood of the monster stuck to my fingers. I retreat to the desolate shelter, my mind reeling as I try to make sense of what to do. Desperate for a solution to present itself, I make another round, wishing and praying for another portal to appear. What if… what if I have to defeat the monster for a new portal to appear? Much to my dismay, the solution seems inevitable, as if fate had designed the circumstances to unfold this way.
“Okay, Zellie. It’s okay. Make a plan.” I talk myself off the ledge of spiraling into a state of anxious uselessness. I take inventory of what remains on the weapons rack, wincing at the options. A long sword, a mace, and a shield are all that are left. Fearful of bludgeoning myself to death with the mace, I opt for the long sword, taking the shield with me for good measure. I adjust my grip on the shield. The shining silver is heavy but manageable in my hand. Leaning back against a crumbling wall, I close my eyes, gaining as much energy as I can to face my materialized fears. “Can’t stay in here forever,” I mumble, opening my eyes and pushing off the wall. Running onto the battlefield, a fleeting thought crosses my mind: I could die today. I acknowledge it, and then I let the thought go.
“Where are you, you big ugly fucker?” I scream, my vocal cords straining as I pull on every ounce of rage living within me. I stand still, recalling Merri’s words. The faster the creature comes to me, the quicker this will end. Whoosh, whoosh. The slow and steady thumping advances, the sound sureto haunt my dreams for nights to come. Burning eyes glow steadily like two blazing suns, with me caught in their gaze. The monster opens its mouth, and I watch as starfire ignites in the back of its throat. Reacting instantly, I jump sideways, swiping my sword out and connecting with part of the creature’s wing. It pivots at the sudden pain, the wing knocking the sword from my hand. I clamber for the weapon but retreat as the beast turns in a tight circle, approaching its prey once more.
Limbs trembling, I dash for a broken pillar. Searing heat trails inches behind my heels. I jump for cover, spinning and positioning the sword in front of my face and upper body, squeezing my eyes shut as I tense for the impending pain. Landing hard on my tailbone, the sword slams into my chest from the impact of the starfire. Eyes popping open, I watch as a beam of fire is propelled in the opposite direction from me. The shield… the shield reflected the starfire. I laugh, not believing my impossible luck. If I can reflect the fiery light towards the beast, I can defeat it. I may have a fighting chance of getting through this after all.
I adjust my bandana before breaking through the dense haze once more, collecting the discarded sword as I run. Having an additional weapon on my person gives me a sense of security. I take a calming breath, exhaling every ounce of fear and negativity from my body. I can do this. Today, I will not die. The rest of the game is forgotten to me; there is only now. I am a viper, coiled and waiting. This monster underestimating me will be the last mistake it makes. Minutes pass, feeling like hours, until the monster returns for another chance at besting me. The wings beat lopsidedly, one injured from my first swipe. This time, as the beast levels out, mouth open wide, I stay rooted to the ground. I drop my sword, gripping the shield with both hands as my body tenses. Starfire gathers, increasing in brightness until it bursts from the mouth in a steady stream. Time stands still as I position the shield in front of me, wondering if this is the smartest or stupidest idea I have ever had.
The building heat threatens to scald my hands as I hold the shield steadily in place. I brace my legs against the impact, ducking beneath the shield and leaning my shoulders forward into the stream of light. The strength of the impact lessens as the starlight projects backward toward the beast. Instantly,the pressure subsides as blood and goo explode outwards, raining down on me from behind the shield. The ground shudders beneath me as I hold my position. Trembling from the adrenaline, I peer out from behind the shield to find the creature on the ground, deceased, with a gaping hole where its face should be.
Dropping the shield, I fall to my knees and let out a breath of relief. As predicted, a portal has emerged beside the fallen beast. I did it, and I’m going to make it through. I gather my composure and approach the portal. There’s no way the game can get any worse than this, right?
Seventy-four
Iland on my feet in what appears to be another antechamber. This room, however, is free of monsters, fire, and smoke. I take a moment to inhale the clean air, sliding down to the floor to rest, pulling my bandana with me as I go. The exhaustion feels set in my bones, zapping the life out of me. I’m covered in sweat, blood, and beast guts; fortunately, I’ve grown used to the smell. There’s no sign of my friends or the moonstone. I don’t see any other doorways in this room at all. Only four walls of large cobalt blue stones and a single orb light floating overhead. I sigh, giving myself a mental pep talk. There can’t be much more after this. I’m so close, and giving up is not an option. I need to finish this.
Patience wearing thin, I stand and assess the room, finding… absolutely nothing. Did they teleport me to the wrong room? There’s no way; everything with the Kosmos is intentional. It's time to tap into my mental fortitude and put this brain to work. If there’s nothinginthis room, then there must be something already here. I need to work with what I have. Curiously, I tap the floor, looking for loose stones. Finding no cracks, I examine the walls. I give each stone a gentle push to see if it yields. Finally, one stone shifts slightly. Re-energized, I grasp the stone, prying at the edges to loosen it further. I probe and wiggle, repeating the motions until I’m able to grab and pull.
Holding the slab, I crouch slightly to find what has been left behind. In glowing, bolded script, part of a message is etched into the wall that the brick had been against. Squinting, I make out:
Forged in trial, I rise above.
Through flame and grit, proving what I’m made of.
Relief and hope flicker to life in my chest like a living, breathing thing. The words are part of a riddle! With a renewed sense of purpose, I set out to find the remaining word clusters.
I slip my dagger out of my pocket, attempting to pry the stones using the thin blade, but find that the rocks require more grip. I groan as I tuck the dagger away, realizing I’m going to have to do this the hard way. The pads of my fingers rub raw as my brittle nails break off, prying stone after stone. Four more stones come loose after I make my way around the room; the task is consuming and daunting. I take a step back, examining my work and the openings with the contained riddle. Thankfully, the riddle appears to be intended to be read from left to right. I take my time at each hole, reading the script repeatedly until I have memorized the puzzle. Muttering the phrases aloud, I consider the words.
What’s greater ahead than left behind?
Tested and true, a fate-willed design.
Forged in trial, I rise above
Through flame and grit, proving what I’m made of.
In the dark without a crown,
a new light is born; a star renowned.
A price paid in blood and breath;
I dance with cosmos and conquer death.
I wield power unmatched by those before.
Who paid the price to become so much more?
Goosebumps line my flesh as the weight of the words sinks in. Beyond any doubt, I know that this rhyme refers to me, to the humans, to my friends. I’ve paid the price, but at what cost? Lenny? My life back home? My innocence? Was any of that worth what we gain in the end? I’ll make sure it is.
Is the room sentient? Is someone listening? No one communicated with me like they did during the first riddle. Knowing the answer as surely as Iknow myself, I clear my throat, ready to relay the solution. Who paid the price to become so much more? I fucking did. “The Celestial Champion.”
Seventy-five
