Pandora's Box

Chapter 12: Part III

The crag of ancient rock whistled as it dropped, speeding for the immobilized boy below. Pandora quickly banished the elemental fire from her wand and quickly summoned a spirit of wind instead. She poured her focused will into the slim crystal artifact and then slashed her wrist at the falling stone. She saw Donovan's eyes close in silent prayer.

A low grumbling sound filled the shrine's cavern as Pandora's spell caught the monolith and hung it in the air a few inches from Donovan's outstretched hand. Sweat beaded on the princess's forehead, and a single droplet rolled from her temple. Her fingers went numb around the wand and her the muscles in her forearm screamed in agony under the strain.

"Novi... Move... Can't hold..."

Donovan hopped to a squat and dived back toward Pandora. With her friend clear of the danger, Pandora set the drawbridge-sized slab of stone down. And then collapsed in a heap of exhaustion. Donovan was by her side in an instant. He seized her shoulders and shook.

"Are you alright? Pandora? Princess? Can you hear me?"

Pandora heard a muffled string of words. It was like listening to a conversation underwater. She shook off the fleeting remnants of magical energy flowing in her mind and let her eyes focus. She snapped upright.

"You're alright. By the gods. It was so heavy. I didn't think I'd be able to hold it." Pandora pulled Donovan into a smothering embrace, and buried her face into his shoulder. "I thought I'd lost you."

"It's going to take more than a little stone," Donovan said. He brushed a sweaty lock of Pandora's crimson hair behind her ear. "Thank you, highness. For my life." The soft features of Donovan's face were replaced by hard lines of anger. He helped Pandora back to her feet and turned for the ziggurat. His sword slide from his sheath to the soft scrape of steel on leather.

"I think it's time we put a stop to this."