THE STRANGENESS OF THE WALLS

By Ian Down

Kevin landed in a bland room – oddly, it was clearly a clue room. There was a table with objects and just sufficient time to take the necessary food to restore life force, this time an apple, before slowly, inevitably, Granitas emerged.

“Concentrate, team, this monster doesn’t usually inhabit this level. Something odd may be going on,” said Treguard with a puzzled look.

“I am Granitas of Legend,” the wall monster declared pompously. (The team inevitably sniggered at its name, but were still wary of what it would ask of them.) “The truth I shall have or you shall inevitably meet your doom. Three riddles have I, and three answers I demand. Here is my first. What can you put in a barrel of water to make it lighter?”

The team looked puzzled.

“A gas lighter than air?” suggested Alice.

“Can’t be, there’s lots of gasses lighter than air,” Robert was convinced.

“I know, what about a hole? That would make it lighter eventually!” John was guessing.

“Say a hole, Kevin,” Alice ordered.

“Truth accepted. Here is my second. I have rivers with no water, forests with no trees and towns with no houses. What am I?”

The team looked truly stumped. John guessed, “A desert?”

“Falsehood! A map was the answer I sought. Here is my third. I have ten men’s length and ten men’s strength, yet a young boy can lift and carry me in one hand. What am I?”

“I think it’s a rope,” said Alice confidently. The team agreed and Kevin gave the answer.

“Truth accepted. Two is the score, you may know more. Weaponry will be of no use to you for the rest of your quest. Select the right colour and you may appease the witches. Now, I sleep.”

Granitas faded back into the stone. Kevin examined all the items: a large axe, a string of orange beads, a scroll, a tiara and a wooden key.

“Read the scroll, Kevin,” Alice demanded.

He fumbled with the rolled up manuscript until it was the right way up: “Obedience may be an erstwhile friend, until a spell that brings Her to an end.”

“There’s no spell here. Should we take the tiara for vanity’s sake?” suggested Alice.

“How about the orange beads? They could be witch amber,” said John hopefully.

The team agreed on the tiara and the orange beads and began to move towards the doorway. At that moment, Lord Fear suddenly appeared and spoke to Treguard in a booming voice and deathly mocking tones.

“So, Treguard, your minion still survives, I see.” Here he paused. “But not for much longer!”

“What wickedness have you blighted my Dungeon with now, Fear?” Treguard demanded.

“Oh, let’s just say walls have ears,” Fear whispered, “not to mention a new master. Oh, I just did mention it! Never mind. Anyway, even though this team is strong, I doubt they can handle that woman, added to which I can stop them anyway by sabotaging any Dungeon wall. Genius, even if I say so myself. Oh, I just did! Never mind.”

And with that, the apparition left with a sickening cackle. Treguard showed great concern.

“It seems you have very great trouble ahead, team,” he remarked. “The fabric of the Dungeon itself may be in the thrall of Lord Fear.”

They continued with trepidation into the next room, which revealed a large woman brandishing a very large sword.

“Introduce yourself, Kevin,” ordered Alice, “and be polite, this may be the powerful one.”

“I am Kevin, Your Ladyship, a humble dungeoneer on a quest for the Cup,” he said reverently, and bowed his head.

The swordswoman barely noticed him as she continued slashing away.

“Well you’re a bit of a pipsqueak, aren’t you?” Gundrada grinned. “Don’t fancy your chances in the Dungeon much, especially if you’re going to be so grovelling. I am Gundrada the Sword Mistress.”

“Can you help us in our quest, please?” Kevin squeaked.

“Why should I help you? I could chop you in half right here and now, just to check that my blade’s still sharp,” she laughed, as she swished her sword.

Kevin thought quickly and said, “Apparently there is a female warrior in the lower levels reputed to be an even greater swordswoman than you. We may be able to take you to her.”

“Impossible,” said Gundrada, clearly in a huff. “But on the off-chance that your information is correct, I shall accompany you. In any case, a tiny little piece of bandit-fodder like you wouldn’t last five minutes alone in this part of the castle.”

As they moved onward, the castle opened up into a grassy courtyard that was surrounded by walls on three sides. Immediately the sound of horns could be heard.

“Caution, team,” urged Treguard. “For some reason, goblins are hunting in this area.”

Almost immediately, three goblins appeared, attacking from all angles.

“Get back!” ordered Gundrada, almost pushing Kevin into the castle wall. “I’ll take care of these!”

With that, she began to slaughter the three attacking goblins. Three dead goblins soon lay at her feet.

“Pah! Only level two goblins, not even hobgoblins! Pathetic, really. Well, come on, there’s no time to lose.” Gundrada strode forward, dungeoneer in hand, almost dragging him along.

At the other end of the courtyard, they entered a large, majestic, luxurious room with huge columns and a throne perched high upon a set of shiny marble steps. A serene woman sat on the throne. She had a greyish complexion and whitish hair pulled back into a plait, although she did not look old at all. She stepped slowly and grandly down the stairs.

“I am Greystagg, the ruler of Witch Haven.” She looked Gundrada up and down. “I do not require the presence of this barbarian woman. Begone, or perish by my magic.” Her voice was stern but calm.

Gundrada thought for a second, and then sloped away; she felt rather intimidated and had no defence against Greystagg’s magic.

“Who are you and what do you want from me?” Greystagg said, in an aloof tone.

“My name is Kevin and I’m on a quest for the Cup. Will you let us pass?”

“Well, you rather impertinent intruder, do you have anything of value to me that might persuade me to let you pass? Otherwise, of course, you shall perish here.”

Alice got excited: “Give her the beads, Kevin, the orange beads!”

Kevin fumbled for a moment and then thrust the beads at Greystagg. Eventually she deigned to receive the object, whereupon her mood patently pacified.

“Ah, witch amber. We haven’t seen this amount in months; you must have brought it from an upper level. You have my deepest thanks. I will not only let you pass, I will grant you two spells, and you will certainly need them. It is rumoured that Maldame has become more powerful and is totally dominant in the lower level. A meagre spell I shall grant you is called PHOBIA. A more powerful spell you may wish to reserve for a greater foe is called MIRROR, and you should use it wisely. You will do all in the Dungeon a favour if you can defeat that demon woman, so I shall also give you a clue to the combination for the causeway. Remember that a root may be useful. The causeway key is as follows: 9, 25, 64, 100, 169. Now, my tolerance for impudent adventurers is short, rather like you. Begone!”

Greystagg ascended to her throne. The team swiftly guided Kevin through the exit and were surprised to find themselves instantly faced with the causeway. The grid had none of the numbers given to them by Greystagg, except the number nine on the front row.

“Should we guide him onto the nine?” suggested John cautiously.

“But then what?” interjected Alice.

“Maybe the numbers will change when we step onto it,” John replied uncertainly.

Alice looked at her notes. After some scribbling, she came up with a suggestion.

“Remember what she said about a root being useful,” Alice said. “I thought she meant an ingredient for something, but look - all the square roots of the code are there, so maybe we should step on the three!”

They tentatively guided Kevin onto the three, and then breathed a collective sigh of relief when he remained standing. They easily crossed the rest of the correct path - 5, 8, 10 and 13. They had crossed safely but were wary of what was to come. They were venturing into level three with just two enigmatic sounding spells and a tiara. Suddenly they felt unprepared for the last and most difficult level.

“Don’t give up yet, team,” urged Treguard. “You may still have a chance!”

Will Kevin survive on the third level, even in the face of Lord Fear’s evil machinations and Maldame’s increased power? Stay tuned for the fourth chapter of this story to find out.