ADVENTURE TIME

The never-ending journey through the Knightmare Dungeon continues, with the score standing at Dungeon 12, Humans 5. Calum has reached level two, where further adventures await him.

Calum is in the blue cave at the start of level two. There is a table in the room with two chairs set opposite each other, the larger and grander of which is occupied by Hordriss the Confuser, who is making some notes in a large book.

  “Well, here’s an invitation if ever I saw one,” Treguard chuckles. “Hordriss wouldn’t have left a chair out for you, Calum, unless he wanted you to sit down, so what’s keeping you?”

Calum sits down opposite Hordriss, who makes a big display of finishing the sentence he is writing. When he has done this, he looks up at the dungeoneer.

  “Greetings,” he says pompously. “My name is Hordriss the Confuser. But then you knew that already, didn’t you? One’s fame, despite one’s natural modesty, will inevitably spread. What is your name, dungeoneer, and what do you seek?”

  “My name’s Calum,” comes the reply. “I’m looking for the Talisman.”

  “Such things can only be found in level three,” Hordriss states. “So, by coincidence, can a most important artefact which I desire. Unfortunately, I cannot retrieve it myself, but I can collect it once you have called me. If you agree to do this service for me, I will reward you with the magic you need to attain the Talisman. Well now, do you accept my pact?”

The advisors discuss this for a few seconds, but there really is no choice to be made.

  “Yes, I accept,” Calum tells Hordriss.

  “Splendid,” Hordriss smiles appreciatively. “The object one desires, Calum, is an old leather gauntlet, of no particular value. If you should find it on the third level, call me. My calling name is Malefact – call three times and I will appear. Oh yes, and as a gesture of good faith, I will tell you that the third step is golf. Now, be on your way, and be sure to remember our bargain, for one cannot countenance treachery.”

Calum stands up and is directed out. He finds himself in the level two clue room, where there is a key, a talisman and a chainmail gauntlet on the table.

  “Is that Hordriss’s gauntlet?” queries an advisor.

  “No, that’s made of chainmail, not leather,” says another. “Besides, we’re not in level three yet.”

Deciding that the gauntlet is a red herring, the team decide to take the key and the talisman. They then direct Calum out of the room, into Merlin’s chamber. Standing at the edge of the pit, Calum mimics kicking a football, then serving a tennis ball, and finally swinging a golf club, causing the path to appear. Calum crosses the pit and Merlin appears on his throne.

  “Ah, very nicely done, Calum,” the wizard smiles warmly. “I can see that you’re quite the little sportsman. However, now it’s time for your brains to do the work. I have two questions for you, and both must be answered correctly if you are to earn my help. Here is my first. Use me in a dark place – set me on fire, and I weep. What am I?”

The advisors chatter amongst themselves for a while.

  “Come on, team,” Treguard encourages them. “You must be able to shed some light on this one!”

  “A candle,” Calum says.

  “Truth accepted,” Merlin smiles. “Here is my second. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you no longer have me. What am I?”

Again, the advisors become lost in deep yet pointless discussion.

  “Don’t keep the answer to yourselves, team,” Treguard hints. “You know you want to spread it around!”

  “A secret,” Calum says with confidence.

  “Truth accepted,” Merlin beams. “Well done, Calum – a pass with flying colours. Your reward is called FREEZE. Use it wisely, for you may only use it once.”

With that, Merlin disappears in a flash of lightning. The advisors direct Calum out of the room, into the Great Corridor of the Catacombs. The two doors just in front of the dungeoneer each have a different talisman symbol in front of them. A little way up the corridor stands the Automatum, which clanks and whirs into life as soon as Calum enters.

  “Beware, team!” Treguard exclaims. “The Automatum can be deadly, and you must escape at once! However, you must also make sure that you use the right door.”

The advisors tell Calum to hold the talisman up before him. They see that the symbol matches up with the one in front of the left door, so they direct Calum out through it. He emerges into a wellway room. There is a large golden lock blocking the well, but worse still, the Automatum is already in the room, and he is standing directly in front of the wellway!

  “Extreme warning, team, the Automatum is being mighty tricky today,” Treguard declaims. “Use what weapons you may, or your quest ends now!”

The Automatum clanks towards Calum, morning star raised above his head.

  “Spellcasting:” declares the spellcaster. “F-R-E-E-Z-E!”

There is a terrific creaking, rending sound as the Automatum is encased in a block of ice. Calum is directed around this obstruction, holding out the key before him. This causes the golden lock to disappear from the wellway, allowing Calum to enter and descend to level three.

Is Calum up to the ultimate challenge? Read the next Adventure Time to find out.