The Skalawags

7. Battle

They all land one atop of the other in a dark room. The only light comes from a single candle hovering just metres away in mid-air. Under this candle works an old lady, sweeping her broom back and forth trying to clear the broken crockery from the floor. Every now and again they can hear crockery fall to the floor out in the darkness somewhere.

"Oh, hello. It's not often I get visitors down here in the bin. Stay close now. Bad things happen if you step out of the light." The crone says in a cracked and wheezy voice.

"Hello there. Who might you be?" Verigar asks.

"I'm just a humble cleaner. I clear the floor of all the plates and pans which Tasha discards. The name's Jolean. It's nice to have some company. Keep up now you don't want to get left in the dark." Jolean continues to sweep the floor slowly moving away, the candle keeping pace with her.

Chester quickly lights a candle and places it on the floor. "Anyone got any more candles? I only have a few. What do you think is in the darkness?"

The Mole peers out into the depths of the room. He can vaguely make out shapes just beyond the reach of the light swirling and flying around at high speeds. "It looks like there is a swarm of something flying around out there in the dark. Whatever it is there seems to be a vast number of them. Best to stay in the light." He reaches into his pack and lights a torch.

The company quickly organise themselves and begin to follow the old lady around the room. Chester lights a candle periodically and places it on the floor, lighting a trail of light behind them leading back to the door.

"Hmm?" Verigar ponders as he puffs on his pipe. "The room appears to be circular. The floor is tiles in black and red tiles. The wall has a patchwork of white tiles upon it with the usual black void we have seen in the other rooms in between. If you look above, there appears to be a platform suspended above us and all these plates and platters are falling from up there. I think we need to find a way up. Any good ideas?"

"Even Doug couldn't throw something up that high. Must be something in here to help. Why don't we scout around the walls and see what is to be seen?" Chester starts to scamper after the old lady. Lighting candles as he goes.

Doug and The Mole head out towards the centre of the room carrying torches trying to get a better look at the platform above.

"It is long way up there. Only just see it." Doug nudges The Mole out of the way of a falling plate just in time. "What is dropping these?"

"Something that is very hungry." The Mole replies.

Verigar pulls his spectacles lower as he examines the tiles on the walls. Holding a candle close to get a good look. The tiles baffle him as he can see no way in which they are attached. Each tile floats in space. There is no wall they are attached to, yet they delineate the walls of the room. He moves his hand slowly around one passing his hand in a full circle around it and behind it. Then, very carefully he places his palm against it. The tile pushes back slightly against his hand and then as he moves away from it the tile rotates to lie horizontally, like a small shelf or step.

"Over here. I think I may have found something." Verigar moves to the side, as his companions head over to join him. He pushes against another tile and it too rotates to lie parallel to the ground. "I think we could use these as steps. I'll lead the way. You watch my back. Gram can you stay down here with Tabitha?"

The grumpy old lady agrees and moves off to gossip with the cleaner.

Slowly, Verigar leads the way upwards, turning tiles as he goes. Some of the tiles float further out into the room away from the wall. None are easy to balance upon. The going is slow and everyone helps to activate tiles and assist each other to keep balance. Eventually they make it to the level of the platform and they each leap upon it before they lose confidence. The sight before them, they did not expect.