I followed his gaze, searching for any irregularities in the stonework. The walls were adorned with faded murals depicting figures kneeling before a towering entity—a deity, perhaps, with eyes that seemed to follow us.
I pulled out the debris I had gathered when Maris was slashing with the machete and threw a bunch of it around me in an arc. The debris scattered across the stone floor, some pieces landing with a solid thud, others vanishing into the seemingly solid ground as if swallowed whole. It was an unsettling sight—what looked like a stable floor was riddled with invisible traps, ready to claim the unwary. My pulse quickened, but the idea was sound. Where the debris held, the ground was safe to walk; where it fell, danger waited below.
Maris eyed the fallen pieces warily, his breath shallow, but he followed my lead as we slowly picked our way through the treacherous terrain. Each step felt like a gamble, the air thick with the tension of not knowing whether the ground beneath us would hold. The faint drip of water echoed around us, only adding to the eerie quiet of the room.
For the next five minutes, we moved carefully, testing every inch of the path with whatever debris I could throw ahead, until finally, with a collective sigh of relief, we made it to the other side.
As soon as we crossed the threshold into the next room, my eyes were drawn upward to a rocky ledge jutting out from the wall. It looked like a natural balcony, offering a vantage point over the entire chamber. I wondered how we might reach it—there were no stairs or ladders in sight. Perhaps it held a clue or a treasure? But before I could ponder further, a loud clang echoed behind us—the door slamming shut. The noise reverberated through the chamber, sending an ominous chill down my spine.
Before we could process what was happening, a low rumbling began to rise from the depths of the room, like the growl of some unseen beast.
Suddenly, a massive boulder—easily twice our size—crashed down from above, slamming into the floor with a deafening roar. It immediately started rolling toward us with terrifying speed, the ground shaking beneath our feet. Dust and debris exploded into the air as the boulder thundered forward, leaving us no time to think.
“Run!” I shouted, and we bolted down the only path available—a wide circular tunnel that seemed to wrap around the chamber like a deadly track.
The tunnel sloped slightly downward, which only made the boulder pick up speed as it pursued us. Each time we passed the original door, it became painfully clear that no matter how fast we ran, the boulder was gaining. The rumbling grew louder and louder, its weight bearing down on us like the inevitable crash of a wave. I could feel the vibrations in my chest, each footstep becoming heavier, more labored, as panic started to settle in.
I started throwing out everything I could from my inventory—torches, unused weapons, building supplies from the Aerlyntiums. The ground behind us was littered with broken items, but nothing slowed the monstrous boulder. It plowed through everything, unstoppable.
Maris glanced at me, wild-eyed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “What do we do?” he shouted, the panic thick in his voice. I could tell he was reaching his limit, his legs trembling with exhaustion as we pushed ourselves harder than ever.
The boulder was nearly on us now. My eyes frantically scanned the walls, searching for any possible escape. The rumbling was so loud I could barely hear myself think, and it felt like the walls were closing in, like we were trapped in a nightmare loop, destined to be crushed.
Then I saw it—the weird rock formation I had noticed earlier when we first entered the room. The small ledge, just out of reach. An idea struck me. If I could lift Maris up to it, he might be able to pull me up after. I didn’t know if it would save us, but we were out of options.
“Maris!” I shouted over the roaring boulder, “We have to climb that ledge! I’ll boost you up, then you help me!”
He looked at me like I was crazy, but I could see in his eyes that he knew it was our only chance. The boulder was almost upon us—there was no time to hesitate. As we made the next pass around the tunnel, I braced myself, ready for the moment of truth.
The boulder's shadow loomed closer, its deafening roar filling the space around us. We had seconds, maybe less, before it overtook us.
"Now!" I yelled, and in one fluid motion, I hoisted Maris up toward the ledge. He scrambled up, grabbing the rocky edge and pulling himself onto the platform above. I kept running, the strain beginning to eat away at my strength. My legs felt like they were filled with lead, each step heavier than the last. I needed to act fast before I didn't have the energy to save myself.
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A knot of desperation tightened in my chest. My only idea was risky—potentially fatal—but I was out of options. I was going to let the boulder hit me.
From my time trapped in the first world, I knew the magic of the Shield spell allowed me to bounce higher and higher. Could the momentum of the massive rock propel me up to where Maris was? There was no time to weigh the consequences.
I took a deep breath, the cold air searing my lungs, and shouted, "Shield!"
A shimmering golden sphere enveloped me, humming with arcane energy. Spinning on my heel, I sprinted straight toward the oncoming boulder. It loomed like a wrathful titan, the ground quaking beneath its weight. The deafening roar of stone against stone filled my ears, drowning out all else.
"This is madness," I thought, but it's all I've got. My heart pounded like a war drum as I closed the distance.
The collision was explosive. The instant we met, the boulder's immense force launched me skyward like a slingshot releasing its payload. Time seemed to stretch as I soared upward, the wind whipping past me. But my angle was off. Instead of reaching the ledge, I slammed into the cliff face. The rough stone scraped against the shield, sparks of magical energy flickering upon impact.
I ricocheted off the wall and plummeted back to the ground, landing hard and tumbling to a stop against the far wall. Pain shot through every inch of my body, my muscles protesting with each movement. The taste of copper filled my mouth.
Despite the agony, a grin spread across my face. The idea had potential; I just needed to refine it.
"You're completely insane!" Maris shouted from above, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief.
"Probably!" I called back, staggering to my feet. "But it might just save us."
The boulder continued its relentless loop, thundering down the opposite side of the corridor. Dust filled the air, and the scent of earth and stone was overwhelming. I wiped the sweat from my brow, my fingers trembling.
"One more try," I told myself. "This has to work."
I steadied myself, timing my next move. The boulder was a juggernaut of destruction, but perhaps I could turn its power to my advantage. Adrenaline surged through me, masking the pain.
As the boulder rounded the bend, I sprinted toward it with everything I had left. The world narrowed to this single moment. Leaping into the air, I shouted, "Shield!" once more. The golden barrier enveloped me just as the boulder barreled forward.
"Here goes nothing!"
The impact was immediate and bone-jarring. The collision sent a shockwave through the shield, but instead of shattering, it held firm. I was propelled upward with incredible speed, the force pushing me toward the ledge like a cannonball fired from a gun. The wind screamed past my ears.
"Cancel!" I yelled at the apex of my ascent. The shield dissipated in a flash, and I reached out desperately. My fingers grazed the edge of the ledge, slipping for a terrifying heartbeat before finding a hold on the rough, rocky material. The stone was cold and unforgiving against my scraped palms.
"I've got you!" Maris shouted, dropping to his stomach and extending his arm.
Our hands clasped, and with a grunt of effort, he pulled me up to safety. We collapsed onto the platform, gasping for breath. My body throbbed with pain, but relief washed over me like a soothing tide.
Below us, the giant boulder continued its endless journey, rolling away unbothered by our escape. Its thunderous rumble gradually faded into the depths of the chamber.
I turned to Maris, laughter bubbling up despite everything. "Told you it would work," I panted.
He shook his head, a mix of exasperation and admiration in his eyes. "Next time, let's find a less terrifying way to cheat death."
I chuckled, the sound echoing softly. "Agreed. But admit it—that was kind of impressive."
He raised an eyebrow. "If by impressive you mean utterly reckless, then yes."
We sat there for a moment, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. The cool air was filled with the scent of dust and stone, and the distant dripping of water echoed like a forgotten clock.
"Ready to keep going?" I asked, pushing myself to my feet despite the protests of my aching muscles.
A grin spread on Maris’s face as we continued through the next door. Thankfully, we had finally made it to the treasure room so there was no danger of other traps, right?
[You have received a Library Ticket. You have received the Enchanted Mace of the Clairvoyant.]
“Oh neat. What’s the mace do, Crystal?” I asked, already feeling a spark of curiosity as I hefted the weapon in my hand.
[Here are the stats:
Enchanted Mace of the Clairvoyant: This mace grants the wielder glimpses of the immediate future during battle, allowing them to react to attacks with supernatural precision. The weapon pulses faintly when danger is near. Move over, Theresa Caputo—there’s a new Soothsayer in town.]