“So strangers, you will not pass.” It spoke with a strange tremor in its voice, unlike anything any of the group had heard before. “None may pass me.” It flexed its arms and gave a high screeching call.

After a momentary halt, the group advanced slowly. Jenna appeared flustered and stopped again. The creature gave another call, this one a clear keening call.

“Jenna, what’s wrong?” Thurgod demanded. The others stared in turn at both Jenna and the apparition in front of them.

“I have no way of getting past this,” Jenna replied hesitantly, “the image is telling me nothing.”

“Oh no.” wailed Lista. All suddenly saw that the figure which had been floating above the carving had disappeared. They looked at each other in horror.

“What happened?” Costos asked. “What did you do?” The desperation was back in his voice.

“Nothing,” Jenna replied, “it seems that for this test, we are on our own.”

They looked at each other, uncertain. Fastos turned to the professor. “Is your map telling you anything?”

“Only that there seems to be more things in the woods around us and behind us.”

Nervously, they all glanced around.

“We must move on,” Jenna spoke, “it is not safe to stay.” Looking back they saw that the mist was entering the grassy patch above the swamp and eddying slowly but remorselessly towards them.

Fastos stepped forward. He seemed to have taken command from Thurgod, “Creature,” he asked, “do you have a name?”

“I do.”

“And what is your name?” Interesting, it responds only to direct questions, Fastos thought.

“My name is Grifmatour,” it replied.

“Grifmatour, we need to how do we pass you, as our journey is urgent and we need to reach the end of our quest?”

“Are you so eager to die?” It laughed a high keening laugh, alike but different to its earlier call.

“Answer, for our death is our own affair.” Ah ha, thought Fastos.

“The only way to pass me is to defeat me, by mind or by body.” Came the response. “You must chose.”

“If it is by our free will that we must take this journey, then why must we defeat you?” was asked now in a tone meant to annoy.

“It is my duty to be here and guard this place. I am commanded to do so.”

“And who commanded you?” Again with the tone.

“The one who placed me here.” The questions were causing Grifmatour agitation.

“Who is the one?”

“The one who put me here!” This was delivered in a high pitched call of anger. Grifmatour was pacing back and forwards, right to the edge of the clearing.

In a low voice, Thurgod urged Fastos to urgency. “The mists are halfway here already. We must move soon.” Fastos nodded, his eyes staying on Grifmatour.

“But Grifmatour, you are not telling me who the one is. Do you not know?”

“What I know is you must die!” it screamed, running around in a fury.

“Who told you we must die?” Fastos inquired in his most annoying manner.

“The one!” Screamed to the heights.

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“What one?” Drove Grifmatour mad. Running in circles, it twisted, and jumped in its frustration. “Get ready we will move ahead a little.” Fastos murmured aside to Tyrone, Draucs, Costos and Extsu. “Push it towards the mist.”

“Hope it’s close enough.” Muttered Thurgod.

Gathering their nerves, they moved ahead in an arrow formation, Fastos leading for once.

With a scream, Grifmatour rushed the band standing almost in the clearing. The women cringed to one side, Jenna clutching the carving with Draucs standing between her and Grifmatour, Lista and Ilisa holding onto her. The seven men divided at the last moment allowing Grifmatour to almost pass between them, then each, other than the professor, grabbed a part and with a mighty heave, pushed it into the mist which had practically reached the clearing. Grifmatour gave a scream and his arms came out of the mist to clutch Tyrone and Lista. There was another piercing scream then Grifmatour pulled the pair into the mist with him. All three could be seen grappling with something in the mist, Lista screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Run!” cried Jenna and Fastos simultaneously.

With Jenna leading the way, they raced across the clearing. Jenna stopping for a fraction, consulted the figure now floating back above the carving. Taking the route indicated they moved a short distance down the path. Looking over his shoulder, Extsu saw that Grifmatour and Tyrone had emerged from the mist both now covered with mud and blood. Of Lista there was no sign but the screaming had stopped. Tyrone staggered across the clearing onto the path. Grifmatour let out a final howl then stood still in the center of the clearing. The mist receded behind him and the group recoiled as something withed on the grass behind Grifmatour. Something monstrous that they could not see clearly, however disgust rose into all their throats as it disintegrated into a writhing mass of something that looked like large worms. Some sliding back towards the swamp, leaving glistening bones behind. The taste of bile filled their mouths at the sight.

“Lista!” Thurgod whispered. All watched in horror as the bones suddenly writhed and the things pulled them back to the swamp. With one accord, they all turned and ran down the path away from the nightmare they had witnessed.

Pausing for a moment to catch their breath, they all sank to the ground as Tyrone stumbled towards them. “I am still right.” From Extsu brought a short laugh from the rest of the group.

Tyrone sank to the ground, there were gashes on his arms and legs but his body armour seemed to have prevented worse injuries. Extsu pulled out the medical kit that he was carrying out and quickly bandaged Tyrone’s obvious wounds. Tyrone’s face was grey and drawn, as if he had carried a great weight. Unbidden Ilisa held a flask to his lips, as Tyrone drank, his eyes thanked her.

Looking back he muttered, “That creature was strong, the others, luckily not so much.”

Fastos looked back. “I doubt that he will follow. We defeated him by both mind and body.”

“Let us continue.” From Jenna brought them to their feet. “We should drink and eat, but let us continue as we do so.” Tyrone heaved himself to his feet, “I will take my usual spot.” He said. No one disputed him. No mention was made of Lista.

“Can you tell if we are close to the end?” Thurgod had recovered enough to ask.

“We are close, but how close, I cannot say.”

“Drink.” Ilisa held a flask to Jenna’s lips as she had before. Draucs standing close by watched and also accepted a mouthful.

“Only if you drink as well.” Jenna replied with a smile.

The path was wide, well-formed and flat. Smooth and easy to walk on. Extsu looked at it with suspicion as did both Thurgod and Tyrone. “Too easy, I don’t like this,” came from Tyrone who seemed to have mostly recovered. Beside him Draucs walked in silence. Watching Draucs, Costos wondered at the subtle changes only he noticed. Ilisa strode on as if nothing was bothering her.

“The map shows nothing ahead on the path.” Answered Denner Venkriller to the unspoken question.

“The calm before the storm,” murmured Fastos.

“What did you say?” Barked Thurgod. Costos’s head came up as well.

The counsellor shrugged. “The easy part before the next difficulty and if I am not mistaken, there it is.” He pointed. The path has closed in on them and it was as if they were walking in a funnel. Their view ahead had narrowed but they could see a massive wall ahead, unlike anything they had seen so far. Inset in the wall was a pair of doors that grew as they moved closer. Arriving, they looked around in astonishment. The forest had vanished, in its place had returned the familiar walls of the tunnel. Higher and wider they were, both the walls and the doors now covered in the same script that had appeared near the first set of doors. Still indecipherable, the pirates scowled when they saw the writing.

“Has anyone seen this before?” Asked Costos. When no one answered, he continued. “Professor, this is where we need your expertise. What does this mean?”

The professor was already running his hands over the writing on the wall. “I have no idea what it means.” He said. “But I have seen it before. On the carving and other artifacts from the same find.” He shrugged, “Without a key, I have no way to interpret any of it.”

“Let’s move then.” Thurgod turned to Jenna. “You can still lead us?”

“I can.” They fell into their accustomed order.

Moving to the doors they halted. The doors remained closed. Now that they were at the base of the wall, they could see that the doors were actually part of the wall. While there was a deep grove where it seemed the doors would split, there was no actual opening.

“What do we do now?” Asked the professor.

“Someone worthy must knock on the door. It cannot be me.” Jenna answered. Again Thurgod eyed her, how did she know that?