Cirque Periculum

Chapter 23.1

Riley woke up a short time after Mr. Summertin's rune-dragon disappeared. Connor still lay on top of her, sheer panic sapping his strength. When he felt her squirming under his weight, it snapped him back to reality enough to roll off of her.

"What happened?" Riley asked, words slurring.

"We just killed the Somini," Connor said. "That's the second time she's been burned to a crisp today."

For the first time since his raging dragon had popped out of the wall, Connor noticed Mr. Summertin.

"We won, but it seems as though we still have to find a way out," he said, looking around the room and refusing to make eye contact with Connor or Riley.

Connor looked around as well and realized that nothing had changed about the cavern. The walls were still smooth and barren of any cracks or crevices. The pedestal the Somini appeared on sat unscathed in the middle of the room, though white ashes lightly dusted the floor around it. He shuddered at the image of the burning Somini that replayed in his head, and quickly pushed it away. There was no use to thinking about it now.

He stood up and walked to the pedestal, his right-side throbbing under the pressure of his bandaged wound. A rune glowed green softly on an indented part of the top of the pedestal, which glowed brighter when Connor put his face over it to look at it. The cavern walls began to glow with the same green, runes inscribed all around them. Words began to surface, until it formed a paragraph of text:

THE SOMINI: TO ESCAPE THIS TRIAL ALIVE, YOU HAD TO OVERCOME YOUR BIGGEST FEAR. IF YOU CONTINUE FORWARD TO THE NEXT TRIAL, YOU WILL NEED MORE THAN STRENGTH AND COURAGE. IT IS THE SAME IF YOU SHOULD SERVE YOUR PURPOSE AND ATTAIN THE MIRROR. DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME.

Just as quickly as they appeared, they began to fade and the ground quaked. Connor looked around, expecting an opening of some sort appear at some point in the wall to let them move to the next trial. Instead, the shaking grew more violent. Connor could hear protesting earth above them, and he instantly worried how much that cavern could take.

Mr. Summertin was the first to fall. He was knocked to his hands and knees, except his figure continued past the floor until he disappeared completely. Eaten by the floor.

Riley fell shortly after Mr. Summertin. She tripped, fell backwards and vanished into the stone floor with a shrill scream.

Panic ate at Connor as he tried to keep upright. Even still, he lost his balance. Falling forward, his hands shot out to catch him, but fell right through the ground.

Darkness pressed against his body as he fell, pushing until his eyes bulged from their sockets. As fast as it began, he was put upright, feet firmly planted on solid ground, but the darkness remained.

"Mr. Summertin? Riley?" Connor called out.

"We're here," Riley's voice echoed from the void.

Glowing words appeared a distance away, casting a dull blue light on the floor beneath him. Connor turned towards the words as other lights began to appear.

TO SURVIVE THIS TRIAL, YOU MUST CHOOSE WISELY. EIGHT CHOICES YOU WILL SEE, YET ONLY ONE WILL YOUR FREEDOM BE. TRY AS YOU MIGHT TO ALL ESCAPE WITH YOUR LIVES, A SACRIFICE IS REQUIRED FOR DAYLIGHT TO AGAIN SEE.

Glowing orbs apparated around him, illuminating the room enough to see Riley and Mr. Summertin standing near him. Riley made eye contact with him, her face somber. Connor looked around him, counting eight orbs. One was their key out. The problem was, they all looked the exact same.

"One out of eight," Riley said, pacing slowly around to each orb, examining them. "A sacrifice is required for daylight to again see."

Connor walked to the nearest orb, examining it. The light pulsed softly, a warm glow within a glass-like shell. He reached out to touch it.

"Don't touch that," Mr. Summertin exclaimed. "Don't touch anything until we know for sure what the answer is. We can't afford any mistakes."

"I was just looking," Connor said lamely, his hand dropping to his side.

"Mr. Summertin's right," Riley said. "They look like energy orbs though. They're all the same. I don't know what could be dangerous about them."

"It's the Alchemist's design," Mr. Summertin said. "Everything is dangerous about them. They're likely riddled with hidden runes."

Or they're a diversion. Connor thought. They could be how I stop this.

"Connor, don't," Riley.

You don't understand Riley.

Connor grabbed the orb without another thought. Recognition flashed on Riley's face, and she sprinted at him. The orb warmed in his hands, the yellow glow brightening and changing to a deep gold. A rune just under Connor's thumb glowed a crimson red. The other seven orbs began glowing the same golden color and floated lazily towards Connor's head. Suddenly, his vision blackened as a flash of heat enveloped his entire body. Involuntarily he felt himself float off of the ground, the warmth burning hotter than he'd ever experienced before.

"YOU IDIOTS!" he heard Mr. Summertin scream in the distance.

I won't let you do this, Riley's voice echoed in his head. I'm sorry for everything Connor. Goodbye.

Gravity returned as quickly as it had left him, and Connor crashed to the ground. His vision returned, and he watched in horror as Riley, right in front of him, floated off the ground. He scrambled backward. Riley clutched the orb, now glowing a crimson red. Her eyes opened wide, filled with the same crimson light. The orbs above her head spun around her angrily, becoming streaks equivalent to blood in the air around her.

"Goodbye Connor." Riley thought-spoke.

With a small smile, Riley threw the orb into the air. Light exploded from her body, blinding Connor. The orbs above her shattered, raining down golden shards of light and sinking into the floor of the cavern where it continued to glow. Riley's eyes closed, and she crumpled to the ground.

"NO!" Connor screamed. "RILEY, NO!"

Unmoving. Not breathing. Lifeless. Connor rushed to her body, his screams turning to sobs.

A strong hand grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him away from her. In a flash, Mr. Summertin was hunched over her, scribbling runes on her still figure. Connor tried to return to her side, but Mr. Summertin pushed him back.

It should have been me. I could have stopped this. This is my fault.

Mr. Summertin finally stepped away from her, face stony, calm. A rune began to glow a soft blue on Riley's stomach. Connor blinked and she was gone.

Rage filled Connor's being. "This is your fault!" He screamed, throwing himself at Mr. Summertin. "What did you do with her? Where did she go?"

Mr. Summertin swatted him off. "Her body is back at camp. We'll deal with it when we return."

Connor stopped mid-rant. "Deal with it- SHE TRUSTED YOU! She trusted you and you let her die! You heartless son of a-"

Mr. Summertin sighed. "Connor, it was her decision. What could I have done? Besides, she knew coming into it that there would be dangers. She knew."

Words halted in Connor's throat, only sobs escaping.

Eight choices you will see, yet only one will your freedom be. Try as you might to all escape with your lives, a sacrifice is required for daylight to again see.