Chapter 8- The Mysterious Shadow Stone

The chamber Crystal had entered was extremely dark. One torch lit the room and illuminated the words scrawled on the wall, all written in Latin. “Another puzzle it seems”. Luna said waving her wings and flying to the wall. Crystal sat down and quietly observed the room. It was strangely not as well made as the others, cracks spread over the walls and dirt pushed through them and the one torch flickered as though it was about to go out. “This room seems older than the others, more untouched”. Crystal commented. “Worse, it looks like someone died here”. Luna said slowly moving her eyes across the wall. Written in blood was a small message: “All who read this will suffer the same fate”. Crystal pondered the message for a moment before stopping and turning to Luna. “What does it mean”? Luna was still fluttering about the wall reading the carved messages. “Apparently the wolf came here looking for the stone and became stuck in this chamber”. Luna’s eyes traveled over another messages, this time in Latin. “And now I think I know why, the torch here went out at one point”. Crystal scanned the message herself, unable to understand it. “What does it say”? Crystal asked sitting herself. “My ears have endured war and death, to acquire what you seek; you must pain yourself with a similar sacrifice and feel the agony I have wrought”. Crystal stared blankly at Luna. Luna’s face was hanging solemnly. Luna raised her head to look at the single torch. “I have to burn my ear to a char”. Crystal shook her head in complete confusion. “What makes you think that”?! Crystal sputtered. “It’s the only way, check the wooden door ahead”. Crystal turned to look at the wall. Luna was right; the wall had a wooden door with an odd keyhole on its side. Luna grabbed the torch up in claws and flew down holding it. “Here take this and hold it”. Crystal grabbed the torch. “Luna there has to be another way, let me do it”! Luna snatched the torch away from Crystal’s head. Luna shook her head and pulled it close to her ear. “It’s my turn to make a sacrifice, now push my head down no matter how bad I yell, you must burn the ear completely”. Crystal gulped but nodded. “Alright”. Luna slowly lowered her head. “Push now”! She yelled Crystal shut her eyes and pushed down with her other paw. Luna’s soft head went down quickly and just as fast tried to pull back. Crystal felt herself crying as Luna screamed in agony. “Keep pressing, don’t hold back”! Luna shouted through the agonizing screams. Crystal flinched still crying and finally let go. Luna’s head sprang up and Crystal dropped the torch to the floor. The crackling of the flames filled the silent room. The two had jumped back and now stared at one another silently. Luna lifted her shaking hands and moved her left hand up near here ear, now burnt to a small chard stub. “It’s done, we can pass”. She flinched at the sting and shook her head. “Come to the door”. Crystal walked over to the door wiping away the cob webs on the keyhole. “Now help me”. Luna said weakly. Crystal raised her up to the door. Luna turned her head and placed the charred stub against the keyhole. A short but loud rumble echoed and the door cracked open. Crystal pushed it open revealing another hallway. She looked down at Luna held in her arm. “Can you fly”? Luna looked dazed but turned her head up nodding. “I’ll try my best”. Crystal lowered Luna to the floor. Luna leaned against the wall with her eyes fluttering. “Crystal, don’t feel bad, you did what you had to”. Crystal lowered her head and turned away without saying anything.

 

 

 

 

 

Shadow stepped down into the room. It was moist and the air was extremely humid. “Where are we now”? James asked panting from the heat. “I’m not sure”. Shadow said moving forward. His feet stepped into a wet watery puddle. He looked down to see the room was flooded with water, swampy vines sprawled the floor and up into the ceiling. “Let’s look around”. Shadow said and he moved forward through the vines. James pushed past them looking in through bushy vine patches and searching for anything out of the ordinary. “How are plants growing down here”? James asked out. “Underground rivers possibly”. Luna’s voice answered. “Luna”? Shadow was surprised, they had reunited. Shadow turned his head looked through several vines. Coming through were Crystal and Luna. Shadow ran up and hugged Crystal; she patted him but her eyes shown sadness. Shadow noticed looking up. “Are you alright”. Crystal smiled and turned away. His eyes turned to Luna’s burnt ear, charred and blackened. “What happened”? Luna shrugged it off. “Never mind that now, we must find the stone before Chanoue does”. Shadow turned from Crystal to follow after Luna who hovered off through the vines. “It’s here”? James asked. “Yes it is, somewhere in here”. Luna replied hazily. The others moved ahead as Shadow began to slow. Shadow stopped in his tracks as a red flash burst through the chamber. He fell and covered his eyes. The light was too intense for him. He felt like it was going to burn him. He looked up to find himself no longer in the chamber but now in a golden forest. Leaves of gold and brown flowed about in low winds. Sunlight seeped through the tree braches lighting up the forest with shiny lamination. Among the trees stood the wolf Shadow encountered earlier. Donvu. He stood on his hind legs and was staring off into the trees “You”. Shadow said quietly. “Ah it’s you again”. Shadow stood up and walked over to him. “Why do I keep seeing you, why am I here”? Donvu rubbed his head and leaned against one of the trees. “It’s complicated, family heritage I think”. Shadow cocked his head confused by the statement. Family heritage? “But I’m not related to you, am I”?  The wolf turned his glass covered eyes onto Shadow. “You don’t know do you”. Shadow shook his head slowly. “I think I’m your uncle from about two-thousand years ago, and I’m still here to this day”. Shadow was a taken by surprise and stepped back. “Then where are you and what’s going on”? Donvu stared at him with a blank and puzzled look as though he did not know what to say. The red flash came rushing back and the scene before him was now the cave again, rocky and damp. Shadow was lying in the murky water with his face almost submerged. He stood up and wiped his face of water. The air around him sucked his face of the cool water returning to the humid feeling. Something caught his eye in the water. He looked back down at a strange glowing red light, the same as he had seen before. He reached down trying to grasp the small light in his paw but to no result other than ripples. He looked up realizing all he was looking at was a reflection. What stood before him was a shinning red orb split in half down the middle sitting on a large rock adorned with ivy plants and flowers. Shadow stared at it for a few thoughtful seconds. The piercing red stabbed his memory with an odd familiar feeling; like he had seen it before. His paws reached forward as though he wasn’t controlling them, he had this inspiring wish to grasp it. His paws slowly wrapped around its smooth sides and he grasped it tight. Before he could even lift the stone from it’s alter, a sharp pain slashed his head. He fell backwards splashing into the water. Sudden images in his head and the shouts of an angry person, sounding like a wolf, filled his ears. He stood up as the sound faded. He moved forward again reaching for the stone. Gripping it in his paws, he lifted red stone and held in his paws. It was heavy but had the weight of an average stone. Voices continued to call from somewhere around him, inside his head. Someone nearby came rushing to him. It was Crystal. “You found the stone”? Shadow lifted it up to her. It shined the crimson red of its outer shell. “Wow look at that thing”. She gawked at the shiny stone and grabbed herself. “It’s pretty heavy, we are carrying this thing”? She handed the stone back. Luna hovered in behind her and perched on her shoulder. “Indeed, we should take it back to the cave and study it”. James walked up behind them silently panting. “I think that is out of the question”. The voice Shadow heard was all too familiar. “Chanoue”. Crystal said annoyed. They all turned to face him standing in front of a group of snarling wolves all in stance ready to attack. “The stone belongs to me and I will be taking it”. Chanoue rushed unexpectedly and shoved Shadow over. Shadow tried to get up but Chanoue had him pinned. Chanoue growled. “Come on help me take the stone”! The other wolves ran forward joining into the fight. James hurled his paw into Chanoue’s face knocking him off. His eyes turned to Crystal and the stone cupped in her paws. He gave his mad dash in her direction. She threw the stone to Shadow. He grabbed it and watched Chanoue become tripped up in the fight. Blood splashed over the water as James dug his claws against one of the assaulting wolves. Shadow stood up with the stone in hand. “Give me the stone”! Chanoue screamed now slashing his claws at Shadow. He managed to dodge them as he swung. Chanoue finally reached out and snagged the stone in his claws. Scratch marks sliced over the smooth surface. Shadow tugged backward as hard as possible. Chanoue gave a huge pull and with that the stone slipped from both of their grips. It slid down and suddenly crashed into another stone peeking out of the water. The stone orb split clean in half and the two pieces rolled under the water. Chanoue reached down grabbing one and Shadow grabbed the other. “No”! Chanoue snarled lunging for Shadow. Shadow dove out of the way avoiding the tackle and held the stone close to his chest. Chanoue raised the one piece he clutched to his eyes and smiled with satisfaction. “This will be enough, now to deal with you”. Chanoue scrambled to his feet and set the stone aside skulking towards Shadow. Shadow watched the dark figure weakly. The stone flared up with its red glow. “Ach”! Chanoue screeched covering his eyes. Shadow leaped to his feet with his eyes clenched shut. He reached forward shoving Chanoue back. He leaped for a run still holding tightly to the stone and joined with Crystal and the others locked in a fight with Chanoue’s minions. “We have to get out of here fast”! Crystal growled shoving away another wolf from her. Shadow jabbed the stone’s sharp edge into a wolf jumping at him and turned his head wildly to look at Crystal. “Any ideas then”? Crystal shook her head then kicked another attacker over. Crystal hovered above watching the chaos helplessly. “Here”! She shouted. “Through this portal”! A large and open portal appeared along side Shadow. “Head north to the followers cavern, they can help you now go”! Crystal jumped through as Shadow motioned to his father holding off the attackers. “Come on dad let’s go”! James turned and jumped through after them. The portal hung up high above them on the ground of the other side. “Luna, get out of there”! But the portal slammed shut and disappeared before any answer could be made.

 

 

 

Chanoue gritted his teeth holding the feeble bat down. It didn’t even struggle which amused Chanoue more than if it had. “Where did you send them”? Chanoue asked sternly with a sharp glare. Luna did not answer. She lay limp with her eyes closed in a relaxed state. Chanoue slammed his paw down on her wing. She twitched slightly but kept her calm state. “Answer me you flying rat”. Luna raised her head slightly. “I will not answer to your evil Chanoue, your blood is stained in darkness”. Chanoue picked Luna up from the floor. He held her firmly then tossed her against the wall allowing her to slide into the puddles on the floor. Kanoue watched with horror. He felt concern for the tiny creature but he was afraid too provoke Chanoue. The stone piece sat tight in his arm. Luna pushed herself up and looked to Kanoue holding the stone piece in his arm. “You have what you want Chanoue, leave the young ones”. Chanoue smiled evilly and bent down in front of Luna. “I have my special reasons to deal with them, personally”. Luna, still weak, collapsed back into the water. “You’ll never win Chanoue”. Chanoue glared but kept his thin smile. “I think you’ll find your little battle against me has already been lost”. He turned and began to strode away not even bothering to look back. “Come my brothers, let us go”. Chanoue disappeared into the darkness, leaving the small bat alone in the cave.