Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign

CHAPTER 17

Daddy, Help Me!

The Cave of Sorrow

GEORGE TOOK A DEEP breath. “Let’s go over the plan again before you go inside, Kep. Kroger and I will stay out here and give you the moments to find a spot to hide. Then, I’ll climb to the top of the entrance and hang out while Kroger bangs his club against the ground. Hopefully, the beast will want to see what the commotion is about. If he does, that should lead him past you, Kep. All you’ll need to do is chase him outside. Remember, you need to stop short of the entrance. We don’t know what will happen if you get too close to it. The map said the beast uses magic to stop folks from leaving once they’re inside. Once the beast is out here, I’ll shoot him. If I miss, Kroger can bash him over the damn head.”

George looked at his companions. “Do you understand that it may take a while before he comes looking? It’s one hell of a big cave, so I’m counting on the walls inside to echo the sound of Kroger’s club.”

Kepler nodded that he understood, but the ogre had an expressionless look on his face. George shook his head. “Do you understand, Kroger?”

Kroger shrugged. “Me thinks so, George. Kroger bang when George say bang. He bash head of beast when George say bash.”

George smiled. “Sounds like you’ve got it, buddy. Get going, Kep.”

The demon headed inside as George set the timer on his Rolex. After an hour, he climbed to the top of the cave entrance. “Bang away, Kroger!”

The Hidden God World

Ancients Sovereign

Mosley awoke and stepped outside onto the porch of Bassorine’s old home high atop Catalyst Mountain. The view was breathtaking, and the air smelled of pine. The cabin overlooked two valleys, one to the east and one to the west, and both were filled with grazing animals.

Bassorine had been the one to give the mountain its name. This had been the late God of War’s way to remember the many battles he had been the influence behind, or better yet, the catalyst of.

The home itself was not unique, but none of the others in the Collective lived in anything like it. Bassorine was rugged, and the dwelling he left behind was nothing more than what those of us from old Earth would have called a log cabin. Now, with Bassorine’s destruction, the house fit Mosley’s tastes as well.

Mosley jumped off the porch and started sniffing his new territory. Today was a special day for the night terror wolf. He would have his chance to meet the others of the Collective. The Book of Immortality said his introduction would be short and to expect a rush of interest after Bassorine’s Passing Ceremony.

Mosley had spent a good portion of the previous night howling his delight at the many different abilities he now possessed. All of them were useful, but he especially liked the fact he could conjure a rare, corgan steak and it would just appear before him. He had ignored the fact that he no longer needed to eat and enjoyed four steaks before he went to sleep.

The wolf felt it was important to look good for the ceremony. He knew the others were snobs—the Book had left behind a parchment inside the cabin to warn him of that much. No matter how much he hated the thought, a bath was in order. He smiled. If his wife was alive to see this Peak, she would have been proud to see the tub of hot water appear before him. It only took a simple nod of his snout to make it happen.

Mosley grumbled as he put the first of his paws into the water and spoke to his lost love as if she was there. “This is not wolf-like, Luvera. This is unnecessary torture and unbecoming of a beast of my stature.”





Now, fellow soul ... for Mosley being such a smart wolf, he sure didn’t use his head on this Peak. Sure, he thought far enough to create his own bath and make it appear in front of him, but I find it funny that he failed to think beyond the idea of a simple bath. A smarter use of his godly power was all it took to clean himself without water being involved at all. I’m sure Mosley was upset once he realized that he had bathed unnecessarily. Poor wolf.

Southern Grayham

The Cave of Sorrow

According to his Rolex, four hours passed while George sat above the entrance to the cave. The sound of Kroger’s club banging into the ground was becoming taxing to George’s nerves.

A hole had formed at the center of the clearing as a result of the devastation—a good five feet across and equally as deep, with the trees resting atop the pass shaking with every hit.

Finally, Kroger stopped banging as something scurried out, but it was not even close to what George expected. It was just an over-sized rat with dark-brown fur. George rolled his eyes as the rodent rose up in front of Kroger. Damn, he thought. What a waste of time. Will the damn beast ever come out?

A moment later, George’s opinion was changed. The rat rose up in front of the ogre and looked Kroger in the eyes as it held its ground. What the hell? It can’t be.

A moment later, Kroger grabbed his head, set his club on the ground, and then placed his thumb in his mouth. The ogre started crying.

George shook his head in disbelief. No freaking way.

As the ogre’s tears rolled down his face, George surmised, It’s got to be Maldwin. Kroger wouldn’t act that way if it wasn’t. But why does everyone make him sound like he’s so much more? This little guy is not a real beast. He’s not even scary. I’ll just toss him a piece of cheese and then shoot his ass.

As George continued to minimalize the rat in his mind, Kroger’s actions reminded him about the seriousness of the rodent’s visions. Come on George, think. He may be a damn rat, but he’s made a lot of folks kill themselves. He looked at Kroger. It’s clear his visions have an instantaneous effect. I better be careful.

George needed to protect himself before anything else happened. He reached in his backpack and pulled out another scroll he had purchased from Morre. As he read from it to shield his mind, the giant’s booming cry covered his voice. Just like the scroll he had used when he snared the saber tooth lord, the paper vanished into thin air as soon as the final word was uttered.

The longer George watched the ogre cry, the more he realized a new plan was in order. His original plan was not going to work. Kroger was no longer useful, and he knew his pistol would work since the beast was small enough, but why shoot the rodent? There had to be a better way, and a new idea was forming. If Maldwin’s ability was able to be harnessed, killing him would be a waste of resources.

George climbed down from the top of the cave as the ogre continued to cry. For the moment, Maldwin had his back to him. It was worth a shot, especially with the scroll protecting his mind. What harm could it do to try to get the rat on his side? He smirked. Holy hell. I can’t believe I’m trying to befriend a damn rat. I must be insane. He reached up and covered his mouth to suppress his desire to laugh at his next thought. Everybody will call me the rat whisperer if I pull this off.

With his feet on the ground, he questioned his judgment again, but the answer was the same. The rat’s talent would come in handy, and if it was not salvageable, he could always shoot him.

George noticed Kepler was near the entrance, yet the jaguar had stayed far enough back that he had not challenged the magic that was said to protect the mouth of the cave. As he turned to face the rat, he quietly pulled the blood stained sleeves of his old shirt out of his pack to wrap his hands for protection.

He was now within 10 feet of Maldwin, and the rodent still had no idea he was there. The opportunity was wide open for the taking. George lunged and landed on top of the rat.

Maldwin squealed as George closed his hands around his body.

“I got you, you little snot! Visions, my ass! You never saw me coming, did you?” George pinned the terrified creature to the ground and then waited for the rat to stop squirming.

Maldwin continued to squeal as he fought to free himself, but struggle as he might, he could not break his assailant’s grasp, nor could he bite his captor’s hand to force the human to release him.

George mocked, “Face it! You’re screwed!”

Eventually, Maldwin tired and his body relaxed.

George adjusted his hold to one hand and then reached under his pant leg to draw his pistol. He pointed it at Maldwin’s head and shouted, “Can you talk?”

When Maldwin did not respond, George tightened his grip. “I asked if you can talk! Every other damn thing around here can, so you’d better be able to!”

When nothing came out of the beast, George’s voice amplified. “This is your last chance! If you don’t say something, I’m gonna drop you!”

Again, nothing. George lifted his pistol. He was about to pull the trigger when the rat spoke. “As sel a ip te yalema quay!”

The words were clearly a language, but nothing George could understand. “English, you little freak. Do I look like I speak Ratanese?”

From inside the cave, Kepler growled. “He wants you to spare his life. He’ll do whatever you want.”

George found the jaguar’s glowing eyes. “You understand this … this … this—”

“He’s a rat!” Kepler snapped. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve made your point. You’ve displayed your ability to pounce. Your prey is frightened, and idle threats no longer serve a purpose.”

George thought, Damn it. I’ve got to think faster. Come on, George, you need to be smarter than this. You’re going to lose your advantage if you don’t pull your head out.

George adjusted his attitude and then responded. “Well don’t you have many talents, Kep? Having you around is going to be just what I needed. I have a linguist and a politician all wrapped up in one big, furry companion. I should never have doubted you.”

George made sure Kepler saw him smile. The manipulator knew that simple reassurance often went a long way. The jaguar seemed nervous over the last few Peaks and being complimentary, however untrue his intentions, would help the cat relax. George’s manipulative mind was now working more efficiently.

Kepler did feel a sense of relief. The jaguar shouted something that only the rat could understand. “Uh uyat gote say!”

George watched as the rat twisted his head and responded, “Le fuat yoor tekle!”

Kepler walked out of the cave and back into the open. He moved close to George and sat down. “I told him to release his magic over the entrance. I’m going to translate for you, but I cannot say this pleases me. Speaking to a rat is degrading. I should be devouring him, not conversing with him.”

George grinned. “Degrading, but necessary. He’s too valuable to devour.”

Kepler’s head tilted. “How so?”

“I’ll show you. But first, I need you to tell him something. Will you please do that for me?”

The manipulator thought a moment. He had no idea how stupid he was about to sound. “Tell him it’s clear that neither you nor I are affected by his visions. Tell him I don’t intend to kill him. Tell him I’m offering him a chance to do something other than live in his cave. Tell him I would like to employ his ability to send others visions.”

Seeing there was not going to be an end to George’s rant anytime soon, Kepler plopped onto the ground.

“Tell him that killing everyone that enters his cave is pointless, and it solves nothing. Tell him there will be a reward for traveling with us. Tell him a life of luxury will follow. Oh, oh, oh, and tell him that we intend to rule this land, and that he would be wise to hang with us.”

George put his hand to his chin. “And we better not threaten the little guy, so tell him if he says no, I won’t harm him. Tell him I only want something from the inside of his cave, and after I retrieve it, he’s free to go. I think if you tell him all that, it would be good enough for now.” George paused and then blurted, “But make sure you tell him that we would prefer it if he was with us.”

Kepler smiled as a jaguar would. He looked at George and for the first series of moments since their introduction, he jested. “That’s it? Are you sure there isn’t anything else that you want me to tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him, and tell him? I would hate for you to miss an opportunity to tell him something. It’s not like you’ve given me enough to tell him already. Perhaps I should tell him now. George, do you think I should tell him now?”

George rolled his eyes. “Just tell him, damn it!”

The demon-cat laughed, and after a few moments of speaking with Maldwin, he translated. “George, he said to tell you—”

George cut Kepler off. “I get it already. I sounded like a moron. You’ve made your point. Now get on with it.”

Kepler chuckled. “He’ll travel with us. He hates the cave his family lives in. He lives here only because his family wants to avoid you humans. A number of his family was killed by your kind, and he uses his visions only as a way to defend those he loves. That’s why he didn’t send Kroger walking down the pass toward the pool.”

George’s brow furrowed. “Okay, that makes sense. Then he realizes that his visions cause people to drown themselves.”

Kepler turned to Maldwin and proposed the question. “He said he thought the people simply left and never returned.”

George studied the rat’s demeanor. He could see that Kepler’s revelation was causing the rodent stress. “Damn, I think he looks remorseful. Does he know his home is called the Cave of Sorrow?”

Again, Kepler queried the rodent. As Maldwin looked toward the entrance, the jaguar translated. “He said he had no idea, George. All he wanted to do was protect his family. He’s the only one who can use the visions to make the humans go away.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” George replied. “What else can he do with his visions?”

A long conversation followed between the jaguar and the rat. Eventually, George interrupted them. “So what’s he saying?”

Kepler cleared his throat. “He can channel the visions to evoke many emotions, not just sadness. Apparently, his family was given the gift to help with some sort of test. He doesn’t remember the details, but the rat does remember that this is why they received the power. Apparently, a group of dwarves was to be kept out of the cave. His family was to use the gift for this purpose, but the dwarves never showed. After that, they decided to use the visions to keep other predators away ... especially the humans. The power is a comfort to Maldwin, but he’s never used it with malicious intent. He simply wants to live in peace in his own territory.”

George laughed. “Tell that to the poor saps at the bottom of the lake.”

While George continued to muse over his response, Kepler remembered the reason why the dwarves never showed. He had been friends with the Serpent King, Sotter long ago. He knew it was the snake who had murdered the dwarves, but he never knew why. The Serpent King had asked Kepler for permission to slither through the Enchanted Forest. The message that was delivered by Sotter’s runner said, the Serpent King had some dwarves to kill near the Pool of Sorrow. They had a map of his kingdom, and he was going to get it back. The message never said what the dwarves were doing at the pool or anything about the cave.

The demon realized George now had the map that Sotter was after, but the jaguar could only guess what George intended to do with it. Perhaps he wants to make the serpents serve him or use the map to seize their territory, he thought. The map must possess secrets. Kepler now wished he had cared more about what the Serpent King had been up to. Why would the map take George inside the cave, especially if it depicts the serpents’ kingdom?

The demon further thought, Why would the dwarves need to enter the cave? This must be the reason why George needs to go inside. I wonder what he’s after. Is it what Sotter wanted? Why would two different beings have the desire to prowl the same territory?

Kepler would have to wait to find out until the human exited the cave with the answer. He thought it best to stay quiet since he could not do anything about it anyway. George was too powerful, and the human would destroy him if he tried to force the answer out of him. Besides—his connection with George was growing, and he could see that the human’s mind looked for every opportunity to dominate every situation. Perhaps this was not a bad alliance after all.

Kepler moved to the mouth of the cave and used the rocks to scratch his back as he continued to talk with George. “Maldwin said if you provide his family a safe lair, he will travel with us and remain loyal. He asked that you give your word that you’ll provide this haven of safety once you’ve gained the power you’re after. He also asked that you seal the cave. His family can use other escapes to hunt for food. He also wants to say goodbye to his family. This is important to him, and it’s non-negotiable.”

George thought a moment as he took note of the anxiety in Maldwin’s eyes. “Kep, do you believe him? Do you think we can trust him?”

“I do. I think the rat will be useful. He doesn’t have a devious bone in his body, but he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his family. I think you should use this to our advantage and allow him to travel with us. I may even be able to teach him to speak with you as we quest.”

George smiled at the cat’s use of the word quest. “Tell Maldwin...” He stopped and realized he was about to do it again. He took a deep breath and continued. “Oh my freaking hell, don’t tell him anything. Inform Maldwin that I’m agreeable to his terms. But I would like him to stay out here with you until I retrieve what I’ve come for.

“When I exit, Kroger will seal the cave after the rat has said goodbye to his family. Oh ... and please ask Maldwin to give Kroger some happier visions. I’m sick of listening to his big ass cry. I’m going nuts. His sobbing is killing me.”

It did not take long before Kroger’s crying turned to smiles. The big guy warmly hugged himself and started to sing in gorilla tongue.





George rolled his eyes as he looked at Kepler. “You’ve got to be kidding me. He’s snuggling himself now. How in the hell did I sign up for any of this? I don’t remember the application asking if I had experience with giant morons.”

Kepler’s brow furrowed. “What’s an application?”

George threw his hands in the air and shouted over his shoulder as he turned to enter the cave, “I’ve got to get out of here! I’ll be back!”

The demon watched as George disappeared into the darkness. He could not wait to get the answers to his questions. What did the dwarves want in the cave, and was it the same thing George was searching for? The cat allowed himself to get lost in thought.

Eventually, Kepler looked down at Maldwin and spoke in the rat’s language. “Does the cave have other secrets?”

Maldwin nodded. “My visions are not the only magic that protects this cave. Fear surrounds what is hidden. Your friend may not scurry out of the darkness. His days of scavenging may be over.”

Kepler lifted his head, and as his red, glowing eyes found the entrance to the cave, he laughed. “We shall see if George is truly a master of the hunt after all. Fear ... how delightful.”

After a few more moments of pondering, Kepler turned to face Kroger. The demon-cat also understood gorilla. The knowledge of this language had saved his life seasons ago when he was threatened by Kroger.

Kepler shook off the memory and watched as the simple-minded, big fella sang a lullaby that his gorilla mother taught him as a child. Even Kepler’s vicious heart had to smile at the sight of the pathetic sweetness.





George made his way into the cave. Realizing more light was needed, he pulled out another torch from his pack, fumbled around in the darkness, and produced his antique cigarette lighter. The lighter had been passed down from his great-great-grandfather, a lie he told everyone. The truth—he stole it from a Vietnam veteran while doing court ordered charity work for the VA Hospital in Orlando. He had refilled the lighter the day before he sold Brenda her RV, and considering how dark the nights were on Grayham, he would continue to need it and could use it for quite a while before it ran out of fluid. It was one of a kind, and he carried it everywhere, despite the fact he did not smoke.

He lit the torch and studied the map. Once he had his bearings, he headed for the secret door. The cave was moist and wet, the floor slick and smooth, like massive amounts of water had raged through it for many seasons. The air was stale, and he would need to be careful of his footing. He tried to grab hold of the walls for balance, but they were just as slippery as the floor. It was clear why it took 8 Peaks to go from one end of the cave to the other, but there was one positive quality about the wet surfaces. They reflected light well.

According to his Rolex, it took him over an hour to get to where the secret door was marked on the map. Setting the torch down to free his hands, he ensured the moisture on the floor did not extinguish the flame and then searched the walls. There had to be some kind of hidden latch or switch to toggle. He checked the entire area more than once, but found nothing.

Frustrated, George returned to the torch and snatched it off the ground. With the flame above his head, the light filled the tunnel. From the way things were going, he might need to exit the cave and ask the rat for assistance.

He sighed, “You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s got to be here.”

He was about to give up and leave when he noticed an area about 10 paces deeper into the cave where the wall failed to reflect the light. He moved to this spot and stood in front of it. Again, he held the torch above his head. The light was passing through the wall, and as a result, a dull spot was left behind that looked like an entrance, yet the wall still appeared to be solid.

It was worth a shot. He reached out to feel around, but the wall faded away. His hand destroyed the magic as it passed through the illusion, and a pathway was revealed.

But of course, he thought. Why wouldn’t a wall disappear around here? Just another messed up thing. Without wasting another moment, he stepped into a long, narrow corridor that stretched in front of him without a visible end.

He would have taken another step, but he heard something that made his heart sink. His daughter’s voice filled the darkness. “Daddy, help! Stop it! You’re hurting me!”

Fear seized George’s mind.

Again, Abbie’s voice echoed, “Don’t touch me! Aahhhhhh! Daaaaaddy!”

George called out, “I’m coming, baby! Daddy’s here! Whoever you are, get your damn hands off her!”

George’s hand trembled as he lifted the torch and started to run toward his daughter’s cries. The walls and the floor in this part of the cave were different. They were not smooth like before. Instead, they were rough. Footing was much easier to find, but the end of the corridor remained untouched by the light of his torch.

With each step, his daughter’s screams echoed. “Daddy, make him stop! It hurts!”

His heart raced as his pace quickened. “I’m coming, baby! I’m coming!”

Over 900 panic-filled footsteps pounded against the floor before the light of his torch found a door at the end of the corridor. The door was solid, made of a thick wood, maybe some sort of oak, and it was painted red. A small, half-arch window rested eye-level at its center. Beyond the door, no light was visible through it.

George slowed his pace and approached with caution. He held the torch near the window. Suddenly, his daughter’s face appeared on the other side and screamed, “Daddy, help me!” Then Abbie’s face vanished, and the window went black.

George freaked out. He snatched the doorknob and twisted. It was locked. Again, he twisted and pulled with all his might, shouting, “I’m here, baby! I’m here! Get your damn hands off of her! I’ll kill you! I’ll break every bone in your body!”

George reared back, ensured his footing was solid and then kicked the door with all his might, but the barrier held firm.

He continued to call to Abbie to let her know he was coming as he kicked the door over and over, pounding until he was exhausted and unable to lift his leg.

George fell against the wall, his chest heaving. His daughter’s voice continued to scream, “Daaaaaaaddy! Make him stop!”

George’s face was covered with tears as he pushed himself off the wall and prepared for another assault. He was about to kick the door when a light appeared on the other side, illuminating the window.

Again, he held his torch up, but now he noticed a heavy, iron door knocker that was not there previously. It was hanging at its center, just below the window.

George lifted the heavy, metal hoop and bashed it against the wood. He waited, removing his pistol from beneath his pant leg. He pointed the gun and whispered, “Answer it, you son of a bitch.” He lifted his voice and shouted, “I’m coming, baby! Daddy’s here!”

The lock on the other side of the door released. As it opened, a set of familiar faces appeared. They were George’s worst nightmares. His ex-wife, Catherine-wench, her mother, Cynthia-ho, and the bastard responsible for trying to take his daughter away from him, Assface, were all standing in a row with his ex motioning for him to come inside.

The room beyond was a kitchen, elegant and with many expensive appliances. He touched the walls. They felt real. Somehow, he was no longer in a cave. Nothing made sense. He scanned the rest of the room. Abbie was sitting at a large table by herself. Her face was red, and her eyes were blood-shot. Her fear was evident as tears streamed down her face.

George dropped his torch, holstered his gun, and then darted across the room. He lifted Abbie from her seat and tried to hold her tight, but her form faded into nothingness. “What the hell?” he shouted as he turned to face his ex-wife.

Catherine only smiled as Assface reached out and handed her a document that George was familiar with. It was the court summons for the custody hearing over Abbie. He taunted George with a wink and then leaned down to give Catherine a kiss. A moment later, he vanished in a blue cloud of smoke.

“Somebody better explain what’s going on!” George demanded.

Catherine lifted her hand and pointed at her mother. As she did, she chuckled hauntingly and then slowly dematerialized while responding, “Ask her.”

George took a defensive posture and faced his ex-mother-in-law. She now had a large wooden spoon in her hand, and she was stirring a sizable bowl of macaroni and cheese. She glared at George, and a calamitous grin appeared on her face.

“What’s so damn funny?” George sneered.

Instead of responding, his mother-in-law burped up chunks of meat and spit them into the bowl. After giving it a quick stir, she lifted the delicacy and tilted it toward George.

Taking a few steps forward to peek in, George saw the partially digested pieces of meat turn into miniature pigs. He became sick to his stomach as the tiny swine devoured the macaroni.

George was now more unnerved than ever. “What the hell is going on here? Don’t make me ask you again! You better start talking!”

The woman dropped the container to the floor. As it hit the tile, the bowl shattered. What was left of the macaroni took form and added to the number of pigs.

George tried to avoid the tiny swine as they swarmed between his legs and attacked the soles of his boots. Many chunks were torn away from the leather and an equal number of swine were crushed beneath his feet before the rest darted across the room like mice and disappeared through a hole in the wall.

Finding his ex-mother-in-law’s eyes, he watched her laugh as she lifted her hand and pointed toward the table where Abbie had been sitting. She hissed, “Your daughter is in danger, George! She’s in danger!”

George’s heart sank as he watched an image of Abbie appear, only to vanish again. A chill ran through his body as every hair on his arms stood on end. Before he could utter another word, the image of Abbie’s grandmother also faded. The kitchen melted away, leaving behind the darkness of the cave, lit only by the torch he had dropped on the floor.

He moved to pick it up. He shoved the flame forward in order to light the way ahead. “Hello!” he shouted. He took a few steps, moving the torch from side-to-side and circling to see if he was alone. “Abbie, where are you?”

George felt lost, helpless, and terrified. “Abbie! Daddy’s here, baby! I need you to call to me! I’ll find you!”

He took a few more steps, continuing to move the flame from side to side. The light from the torch found the edges of what appeared to be an altar, similar to the ones Sam and Shalee woke up on back at the temple. The glow of the altar intensified, shedding light throughout the cavernous room. He could see everything, and laying on top of the altar was the staff he was after.

As he approached, his mind went wild. He stopped and took note, realizing the only way out of the room was through the red door he had entered, which now sat more than 30 paces away. As if triggered by his attention, the door dissolved and revealed the way back to the rest of the cave.

George rushed to the opening and shoved the torch through it. Beyond, there was nothing but the long corridor. He shouted again, “Abbie! Abbie! Answer me, baby!”

He stood still for many long moments and waited for a response. Nothing. As he turned around to face the altar, the room went dark. The only thing that remained lit was the staff resting at the center of the altar and his torch.

George fought to clear his mind, his blinding love for his daughter was making it hard to focus. The sight of the staff, and the way it was lit, toyed with his mind.

His thoughts raced. Am I sane?

He lowered the torch to check out the soles of his boots. As the flame lit their surface, nothing was out of the ordinary. It was as if he had never been attacked.

He moved to where his weight had crushed the pigs. There were no remains. I’m losing it.

After many long moments of turmoil, George convinced himself it was all an illusion. He turned his attention back to the staff. I hope you’re real.

He boldly walked over and reached out. As his hand made contact with the object, he quickly pulled it away. Crap ... it is real! He took a few steps back. Now his mind was racing in a whole new direction. If the staff is so powerful, it’s got to be booby-trapped. I could die if I take it. That’s it. It’s rigged. The staff is a trigger.

Sweat built up on George’s forehead as he scanned the altar and checked the walls, ceiling, and the floor for anything out of the ordinary. All he could see was a few, small cracks. Nothing seemed alarming.

Returning to the altar, he stopped beside it. All he had to do was reach out and take it, but he could not make himself do it. He just knew it was rigged, and his life was in danger.

He scanned the room again, his heart pounding. If he did not take it, he would live, for now, but he would not be able to defend himself once Kepler learned he was powerless. Either way, he was screwed. He was in a bad spot and now, more than ever, he wanted to go home.

After what seemed like hours, he finally gathered the courage. Reaching out, he took a deep breath, let it out, and then breathed in again. Counting in his mind, ONE … TWO … THREE, he lifted the staff from the dais and ducked.

From his balled position, he opened his left eye. “Hmm, I’m still here.”

He opened his other eye and without moving, he scanned the room. “I guess there aren’t any poison arrows on this trip, eh, guys?”

Looking around for someone to answer, George realized his insanity and started to laugh. He backed out of the room. As he did, he called for Abbie once more and waited to hear her voice—a voice that never answered.