The basin expanded into a long shallow pool of red wax with thousands of candles hanging above it, and a narrow walkway led to five doors.
My jaw dropped.
On the high ceiling above the pool, dozens of full-size marble and bronze sculptures depicted men and women in battle—it was a melee of bodies, swords, and shields.
Crimson dripped below the fighting statues, off the candles and into the water...as if they’re bleeding.
But what was below them took my breath away.
It’s beautiful.
In the pool there were statues of female musicians. Motorized harps and violins played in their hands as red wax dripped across their faces. Their gowns were carved into the stone in exquisite layers, which created a sopping-wet effect.
It was art, beyond imagination.
“Initiates, stand in a line!” General Cleandro barked, his voice echoing off the rocks, a sharp contrast to the poignant melody playing behind him.
He frowned down at us as we filed into a line, deep wrinkles stretched across his forehead. He seemed to be in his sixties, which meant he was probably hundreds of years old.
“There are five doors”—he gestured behind him—“on either side of the sacred pool: a classroom, a library, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a tunnel that leads to the creature menagerie.”
His dark eyes narrowed as he walked slowly back and forth before us.
Whatever he saw, he didn’t like.
Touché.
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?” he bellowed.
My left ear rang with sharp feedback as his warped baritone voice echoed louder than should have been possible.
“Yes, General!” we chorused.
The music intensified.
We waited.
General Cleandro’s sandals scuffed across the rock, and the chilly underground air prickled across my skin.
Finally, he scoffed and said, “Luctor et emergo.”
I struggle and emerge.
A new melody played as General Cleandro glared down at us with disgust, and the hawk on his shoulder wore a matching expression.
The tune was gentle and hypnotizing.
Everything was surreal.
“Humans,” he spat like it was a filthy word, “takeeightweeks to heal a singlebroken bone. They can also only gotwenty-onedays without food...tendayswithout sleep, and only...threedays without water.”
Wax rained behind him.
The musicians looked like they were crying tears of red.
I wanted to cry with them.
Candlelight cast strange shadows across the room.
