Chapter 10 THe GAmble Pt . 2
The door closed shut as quick as it opened. A face of embarrassment taking the old man as he ushered us into another room.
I turned my eyes to Helga , “All that talk for a frisby ?”
Helga turned to me cheeks red , then turned towards Guspen with a face of concern.
The spirits walked further away talking in hushed conversation.
Just like that another room was entered .
This time a gargantuan sarcophagus wrapped in red rubies sat in the middle of an elevated dial.
“I’ll have you know , this item is guaranteed to give you all some goosebumps.
Behold!”
With a plume of white smoke the coffin cracked open. A giant indent ran from the coffins top to bottom. My eyes followed it, and on the second look over of the empty box I came to an ahah moment. A giant blade must've once rested here.
Now however , there was simply a kitchen knife laying square in its middle.
I looked towards the spirits . “You’ve got to be kidding me. “
“I can explain. “
“Oh you’re back Nava. “ In three flickers of flame , a spirit appeared dressed in a simple jumper covered in stains.
“ Lady Volcano just informed me of another visitor. They entered through the lower tier realm below and are gambling as well. ….It seems they have begun to clear the place clean and as a result artifacts are being pulled to match his bet. “
My curiosity rose. “ Where is this gambling match goin on ?"
She pointed to the floor.
“Avaurn Terusa .” She spoke simply .
And yet everything changed immediately. Rock split from rock , the bottom of the ground disjointing from the top in one smooth motion. In a few moments, a chamber had made itself out of the ground, it’s circumference shallow but its depth ginormous.
Nova pointed at a small set of stairs to the side.
“Lady Volcano has informed me that you are welcome to join as well , but the price below can end up much greater than the one up here. At its highest , one can bet up to the entirety of their life down there.”
I thought about it.
“There’s someone down there right now , cleaning this place out ?”
She nodded , “that is correct. “
“Than count me in. “
“Very well. “
-:-:-
The stairs were as grand as the rest of the place, each step emblazoned with some stone, mineral and what not. The transparency of the jagged rock letting one's eyes see the lave flowing down them.
“I’m starting to think we’re getting a little distracted from our original goal here, Suver.” Lysa commented as she took a step.
“Yea right, it’s crazy how much these guys keep changing up the rules. “
“I’m talking about you, Suver, you seem to be a long way from our goal. “
“It’s all in good fun Lysa , all in good fun “.
“If you say so Suver , just don’t forget about the telescope.”
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“Of course , their preparing the Smithy right now , it’ll probably be ready by the time we’re finished. “ I turned towards Guspen. “Right? “
“Most likely. “ The wizened spirit said back.
“See,” I said, throwing my arm around her. “No problem at all.”
She looked at my arm for a second then slinked out in one smooth motion. “Whatever you say, Captain.”
The stairs opened out to a wide chamber. Lava flowed out the back emanating a gold and light red. In the chamber's middle lay a wide table with four large chairs. One was taken by a figure , a large one , a man with a beard who laughed loudly and whose jacket was full to the brim with daggers.
“Yahohohoh! I like it up here ! Much more than the blokes downstairs. Ya got more spirit! “
Ahead I saw Rivol lay out a large blade on the table. Judging from its color it seemed to be Crafted with a deep bronze , strange for a sword. On its hilt a small gem was placed squarely. The same gem I had seen on the frisby earlier.
My eyes grew big. That I could do something with.
Seven steps saw me to the chair.
“I’ll be betting on that. “
“I’ll be betting on that. “
I looked towards my left where a pair of eyes matched my look.
I gnashed my teeth.
“Oi. “ I looked at Rivol. “ I’m in . “
Rivol picked up a small glass and wiped its inside clean with a small cloth then poured in an amber liquid.
He placed it in front of me then looked at us both.
“If you gentlemen are willing to both bet against the house then we will take both bets and the one with the best artifact gets the item provided. “
“Hold on a minute. What about the bit of my life you’ve been having me bet on , what if his item is better than mine. You’ll want a piece of me for that will you. “
Rivol shook his head. “No, only if your item falls up short of the house , will your life span be taken. Is this acceptable , Scar? “
The man who looked suspiciously like a pirate to me nodded. “ I spose so. “
Rivol turned back to me . “Is that acceptable for you, Suver. “
“Yep. “
“Alright then gentlemen. Place your bets.”
Scar reached into his large coat pocket and his hand came free with a dagger , on its hilt a symbol of a moon was on one side , and the symbol of a sun on the other.
The man looked at me . “ Suver , they call you ay, an audacious name. “
I looked over the symbol on the dagger.
“Peeps , open the old portal ,will you. “
With a squeak and a sigh , Peeps began the makings of a song like pitch , one that raised and fell. As it climaxed a purple energy fell from their body , it toppled and rippled then concentrated into one small outline. One of a flower .
The flower plopped off of Peeps gaining a shape of its own , life being breathed into its vague form by the purple energy. The energy twisted and curved falling into the flower, being soaked in and eventually coming back out. Its new form, one of glistening petals.
“Ahh it’s been a while since I’ve seen a beaut like that.”
Scar looked over the flower with greed in his eye. “ That is what I think it is , ay Suver? “
I matched his glare with greed with one of my own as I looked over his coat of daggers.
“I couldn’t say . “ I responded , “I don’t know what you think it is. “
The flower floated over to me hovering in the air. I reached a hand close and before it got within a foot of the flower it was swallowed ending up in a place out of sight.
I dogged around in there for a while and my hand came back with an item that was wrapped in leather. I placed the leather bound item on the table.
“A dimensional pocket flower.” I said at Lysa’s stare. It’s where I used to keep all my stuff. “
A laugh from my side was followed by a thunk as a dagger sunk into the table, “I’m intrigued, Let us play. “ Scar began. “Suver you say your name is, I say fitting for a man like you. “
“Come, strange man , let us play.”
“I’m not a man. I’m a leviathan. “
“Huh? “ Scar responded.
And so the game began.
'_+
Rivol tossed his hand of solid magma given life and put it on the tables edge. With a fierce puff of flame the game began.
“Gentleman , are you betting against the house or to all parties?”
“All parties .”
“All parties. “
I and Scar the pirate spoke in unison , but he was the first to lay a hand on his artifact.
“My bet is this . “ He tossed the blade up into the air and let it fall again. It landed solidly into the wood , a satisfying thunk along with it. It layed there for a second then all at once an energy rushed out from it , Pure silver , the color of moonlight.
The liquid light rested itself in the crack for a moment , glowing brighter and brighter , when it finally filled to a finish, the blade fell free from the wood.
The mark of its cut completely gone.
Scar turned the blade and tapped the blade upon the table. This time , the blade grew gold and in a moments time the mark returned .
“The dagger of Sun and Moon, one of only 20 in the world. “ Rivol spoke. “A good bet.”
Rivol turned to me. “And you sir Suver?”
I reached down lazily and unclipped the snaps holding the rolled leather together. All at once the leather unrolled revealing a piece of parchment.
On its top in Bubbly letters with an ethereal shadow that moved across the paper it said , “Map of the Realm Above. “
Silence took the room as everyone looked over my map.
The first to speak was Scar who said something along the lines of
“What in the devil.”
Rivol popped out a small magnifying lens and placed it over the map.
“Our winner.” He said . “ Suver. With the map of the land of the Gods. Of only three in existence. “
I laughed as I was given the dagger from the middle of the table. It was a good feel. The leather cushion melting into my hand.
“Lysa . “
“Yea ?”
“A welcome to the crew gift. “ lazily I threw the blade up and backwards.
Without looking I knew she caught it.
The sword I took for myself , strapping it to my back. I would try it out later , when I had more space.
“Come on.” I turned to Rivol gleefully. “Let’s go again. “
And so we did.