Jay looked over his shoulder and saw a wall of water.
It was opening up in the middle like a portal, and moulding small blobs of water into something. Something round with two long arm-like pieces protruding from each side.
“Hollie, there’s no time to be injured, we gotta run.” Broudie sped up the steps as fast as he could, uncapping his sword (like that was going to do any good against water!).
“How can we kill something made of water, without magic?” Jay puffed, chasing up behind Broudie.
“Cold stuff I guess,” Broudie answered.
“GUYS!” Claire called up, “WHAT ABOUT HOLLIE?”
Broudie, Jay and Jordan turned back and began racing back down the steps towards Hollie and Claire.
As they were rushing down Jay got a mouthful of water. The tingling sensation slapped him as hard as a hand.
The blobs of water were throwing water bombs at them. Jay spat out the water, cleared his eyes and carried on down, grunting with anger.
It was a terrible thing for Jay to laugh at the childish look these water creatures had, but they really didn’t look scary.
When they reached Claire and Hollie, Broudie took Hollie’s other arm and both of them heaved her up the next few steps.
“You lot need to protect us ok,” Broudie ordered.
“How?” Jay questioned.
“I don’t know, find a way.”
“It’s only water, all were going to do is get absolutely soaked, none of us will get hurt,” Jordan said.
“Really?” Beside them was one of the balls of water, which had now grown a very duck-like mouth. “Let’s see what you think of this then.” The ball of water sparked orange and transformed into fire.
“Gustarmia,” Jordan howled.
A shock of electricity erupted from the wall and struck its way at Jordan.
Jay was just quick enough to reveal his shield from his rucksack and reflect it. The charge bounced off his shield and straight at the fat-lipped fireball, which somersaulted backwards into the wall of water.
“I guess that’s how we get rid of them then Jay,” Jordan concluded, sprinting up the stairs to catch up with Broudie, Claire and Hollie, who had managed to hobble up another twenty odd steps.
“Jay, we got loads more to battle here,” Jordan informed, uncapping his sword to use to reflect the electricity.
Now there were at least eight water bombs with arms, and two that were now made of fire.
“What on earth is happening now?” Broudie asked, as Jay hurried past him.
“Oh, the water bomb things can turn into anything, like eh,” a fireball zoomed between him and Broudie, “fire!”
“Degradium,” Jay screamed.
“What are you doing?” Broudie said, frustrated.
The electricity shot out from one of the walls and Jay swung round his shield so as the electricity rebounded off it and spun another water bomb monster back into the water wall.
“Shut up and get a move on.” Broudie hurried, meeting Jay’s ‘Sorry, did you say something’ smile.
“Polacify,” he shouted another spell.
Every time he screamed one of the many spells he had learnt, a shot of lightning would strike from a wall, reflect off his shield and stun one of the orange or blue monster balls.
This was quite hard seeming he had to dodge fireballs and water bombs, plus them themselves, who had now started plucking up the courage to come up to them.
Jay leapt from side to side of the rickety staircase as he fought the monstrous bombs.
Then, when they were about three quarters of the way up to the muggy fog, they heard a scream. A bone-rattling shriek that echoed like shards of glass in your ears.
The monsters froze in motion, the water wall and Jay as well.
Everything was silent as the screaming got louder and louder. The hexagonal chamber was filled with thick battle, twenty no-eyed monster bombs were floating motionless around the room now, their fat lips gaping around for the source of the screaming.
Then suddenly, a ghost drifted swiftly through the wall and started circling the monsters.
It came to a stop in front of Jay, and he stared for the first few minutes in ore.
It was a vampire, a vampire ghost.
It had two long, sharp teeth and evil, devilish eyes. It wore a ripped cloak of white and swooped along with its two miniature, pale feet.
“Mormo doesn’t like bad children. Mormo knows these bad children, these are entering the temple of the mighty jewel. Oh Mormo been here long, and Mormo needs to rid the jewel of these pests.” The vampire-like, demon ghost looked down on Jay and his friends as she floated lightly in front of them.
She was the one who was screaming, the high-pitched scream that made them cringe had now turned into a soft, high-pitched talk of innocence and fragility.
“Mormo?” Jay pondered.
“Children, frightener. The one who bites naughty children in the ancient myths,” Hollie said.
“Well, at least you know who I am,” she snarled.
“Is she here to help us?” Broudie questioned.
“I rather doubt it, being someone who bites naughty children,” Jordan replied.
“Mormo thinks you may resume the fight boys, Mormo not needed. Oh, I doubt Mormo will be seeing you lot again, bye.” she smiled then swooped off.
She stopped next to the wall and spoke, “Let’s add some more heat, ha, ha, ha.” The once wall of water, now erupted in flames, a surge of heat and light illuminating the area and the tension.
The fire wall lit the chamber even more, sparkling in a ring around the central platform below them.
She swept through the wall and then the monster fireballs began to shout once again.
“Let’s get going,” Claire said.
The war against the monster blobs was now back on, but the second half was far from easier.
Balls of fire shot from all different directions, Jay having to block them all, to stop Hollie, Broudie or Claire getting hit.
The fire arrows he had implanted in the shield didn’t seem to harm the fireballs, so he decided to use something else. Another thing he had done to the shield.
“Activate protection,” he ordered.
The shield followed his instruction, and immediately started building a bubble round Jay. He shuffled over to Hollie, Claire and Broudie so as the protection would cover them.
“Jordan, get here,” Jay called. Jordan turned round, saw the protection barrier, and huddled underneath it.
“Wow, what else did you do to that shield?” Jordan said astounded.
“Never mind that, we need to get going. Will this keep them out?” Claire asked.
“Yeah, I think so, I mean that’s what it said in the book,” Jay replied. The protective barrier completely covered them like a bubble and left a small round gap at the bottom so as they could still run up the stairs.
So they carried on up the stairs, the monster fireballs pelting balls of fire at them constantly, making them more and more angry as they kept rebounding away.
“Look, we’re nearly at the top,” Broudie told.
Jay looked up and saw there was only one last turn left of the winding rickety staircase, and then they’d be there, up in the cloudy mist.
“Ah!” Jordan squealed as a small orange fist punched its way through the stair case.
“They can get in through the bottom,” Claire screamed.
“They don t know that.” Jay carried on climbing his way up.
“Oh yes they do,” Broudie said, as five fireballs darted underneath them.
“We best get a move on then,” Jordan concluded, “Let me and Jay take Hol the rest of the way, you lot sort out these monsters.”
Broudie handed over Hollie’s one arm to Jay and Claire gave her side to Jordan.
Jay had never been so hyped up in his life. Once again in a time of action his mind trailed off to his new friends.
In less than two weeks he’
d created eleven new friends, without one, single enemy. He had befriended them all, and he felt like he’d known them all his life. It was a strange feeling, but a comfortable feeling. He finally felt like he was wanted, and at this particular time, he was really wanted!
As Claire handed over Hollie’s arm to Jordan, another fist punched its way through the floor and grabbed hold of Jay’s leg.
“Let, go, of, me,” Jay struggled, trying to throw the monster off him.
Then, with one big pull, the two handed fireball managed to drag Jay’s foot half way through the whole, leaving his whole leg protection free.
Jay felt the grasp withdraw from his ankle and a fireball hit his leg. All he felt was warmth, it wasn’t even hot.
“Jay, c’mon!” Broudie hurried, looking back and seeing him stuck with his leg dangling beneath them.
“I, am.” Jay gave one big pull and lifted his leg out of the hole. He looked down and saw that one of his trainers were on fire.
He ignored it and carried on, lifting Hollie up every step. She hadn’t breathed a word since Mormo’s short visit, and they didn’t even know if she was breathing. For all they knew, she could have been dead.
“Watch out there’s a big one coming,” Broudie informed.
Jay looked to his right and saw that there was now a giant fireball, about thirty times the size of the small ones, with muscular biceps the size of boulders.
“That’s not good,” he mumbled to himself as the monster drifted closer.
“Just another few steps now guys, c’mon,” Claire encouraged, jumping up as another fist pounded its way through into their protective shield.
“Uuuuggh.” The giant fireball smashed down with one of his bulky fists, breaking the stairs behind them in two.
Jay looked in front and saw nothing but murkiness and fog, he looked to see what he was standing on, but he couldn’t. He was surrounded in mist.
“We’re here,” Broudie said, relief filled his voice.
Another grunt told them otherwise.
The bubble somehow popped and they were left once again, unprotected.
The ground that they were stood on, whether they were still on the staircase or not, suddenly disappeared and the five teenager’s free-fell. This was beginning to be a constant occurrence.
Jay held tightly to his shield and to his sword, which was pocketed in his belt. He had lost grip of Hollie when the floor had gone, and he couldn’t see or hear anyone.
His heart raced and his body tightened. All his nerves had shut down, he could feel, see, smell, taste, hear…nothing.
Silence overwhelmed their fear. He couldn’t even scream. All he could do was fall.
Then he collided into something soft and fluffy, like a giant bag of wool.
It was so soft, like a marshmallow pond.
He sprung upwards like he was on a trampoline, then come back into contact with the fluffy bed.
“Whoa,” he heard Claire say.
He didn’t want to open his eyes. He thought may be if he just stayed there and didn’t look up, then he wouldn’t have to fight anyone anymore, and he could just lie there forever.
“Jay,” Jordan whispered to him, as he patted him on the shoulder. He raised his head, unwillingly, and opened his eyes.
“Wow.” He was lost for words. The place was amazing.
He was stood on clouds surrounded with clear blue skies - it was like a dream.
In the centre was a ladder. It lead upwards, dissolving into blue as it reached the top. The other end lead down through the white fluffy clouds.
“Are we dead?” Jay asked.
“I doubt it, seems as there’s no such thing as heaven and hell it’s Hades all the way. Fields of punishment, Fields of asphodel or wherever that other place is for the heroes.” Hollie went into a bit more depth than he’d thought, squinting her eyes now and again from the pain in her leg.
“You’d think they’d make this temple a bit less luxurious, it’s like a five star magic hotel,” Claire said.
“Yeah, and the cleaners shoot fireballs at you, punch you up and sing you to death,” Hollie added sarcastically.
“Which way now then?” Jay questioned, pulling himself to his feet and taking deep breaths to try and reclaim his calm attitude.
“Em, I’m not quite sure,” Hollie replied lifting herself to her feet, and rubbing her knees.
“What d’you mean, not quite sure?” Jordan asked.
“Well, the next one is up, but we went up the staircase before, so does that count?” Hollie pondered.
“Course it doesn’t, there was no other doors to go through,” Broudie laughed, as if it was a stupid question.
“But maybe there was another way out, but we didn’t see it,” Claire debated.
“I didn’t see anything,” Jordan told.
“We might not have, but maybe we just weren’t looking properly.” Jay sided with Claire.
“You two didn’t see anything though did you,” Broudie shot back.
“No, but we didn’t look very well did we, there could have been a doorway under the water or something,” Claire persisted.
“Hollie, what do you say?” Jordan asked.
They all looked to Hollie who simply stood their, her one leg slightly raised and her face revealing a blank expression.
“Eh, I say we should have bought the chooser with us,” Hollie answered.
“Which way should we go, you’re the leader, and you make the decisions,” Jordan told.
“I don’t know which way,” Hollie sighed.
“How about two of us go that way and two of us go the other way,” Claire suggested.
“No, we’ll all go the one way. We don’t want to be getting lost in this place.” Hollie rejected the idea.
“Then which way,” Jordan asked once again.
“I don’t know.”
“Hol, we won’t hate you if we go the wrong way,” Jay comforted.
“Fine, we’ll go…up,” Hollie instructed.
“What about your leg?” Jay asked.
“Numbing spell, I should have thought of it, ah, before.” Hollie straightened out her leg and said, “Gollia deserlium.”
There was a flash of red.
“Cool,” Jay said.
“Right, c’mon then.” Claire strolled over towards the ladders and began the ascent.
“Hold on, numbing spell means you have no feeling in your leg, how are you going to climb?” Jordan asked.
“I have enough upper body strength to pull myself up, don’t you worry,” Hollie replied, hopping over to the ladders.
Jay and the rest followed her, climbing up away from the clouds.
The ladders were ice cold and made of metal.
The metal bars were thin and shiny, as if they’d been polished a few minutes ago - unlike the rest of the temple that was mostly covered in dust and cobwebs.
As they climbed, the blue skies that surrounded them seemed to fade into darkness. Eventually they were climbing in the pitch dark.
Jay was behind Hollie. Watching her pull herself up every step with just her arms was quite amazing, her courage, he deeply admired.
“Now this is a bit less luxurious,” Claire said.
“How long do we have to climb for?” Hollie complained.
“Not long,” Claire answered.
“What d’you mean, have we reached the top?” Jordan questioned eagerly.
“Yep,” Claire called down.
Jay went to grab another set of bars to steady him, but they had gone. He felt around and felt a cold icy floor. He pushed all his weight on it and pulled himself up.
“Gods, the floors absolute freezing,” Broudie moaned.
“Sparkinum,” Claire whispered. A ball of light popped out in front of her, lighting up her face. She reached out with her hand and the ball of light floated away from her, gliding slowly outwards. The light reached a wall and then floated around it.
“Sparkinum.” Jay lit his own light
, along with Jordan and Hollie.
“What is this place, a freezer?” Broudie questioned.
“We need a bigger light,” Claire decided.
“Too right,” Jay agreed.
“Jord, have you ever done it since?” Hollie asked.
“No way,” he replied.
“You might be able to control it now,” Hollie insisted
“What might he be able to do?” Jay pondered.
“Nothing, I’m not gonna try, we’ll have to find another way,” Jordan told.
“What are you two on about?” Broudie asked again.
“Nothing,” they said in unison.
“How about we just make more of them,” Claire suggested, narrowing her eyes and giving Hollie and Jordan a suspicious look.
“Can you do that Hol?” Jay wondered.
“Yeah, as far as I know,” Hollie answered, glad to have changed the subject.
“Sparkinum, sparkinum, sparkinum,” Jordan chanted, sending rays of light shooting from the palms of his hands.
The rays lit the icy room up completely.
“Good at that, aren’t ya. You practised?” Claire asked gob smacked.
“Comes naturally.” Jordan shot one more strike of white from his palm, which shot into the only gloomy corner left.
The room they were stood in was wall to wall with ice, the ceiling and the floor were covered too.
It’s a miracle how none of them had slipped over. There were two doors in front of them, side by side, directly opposite the ladders they’d scaled up.
“Didn’t you say we were supposed to go down next?” Jordan asked.
“Yep,” Hollie replied, checking the sheet of paper in her pocket.
“We’ve gone the wrong way!” Broudie shouted.
There was a deafening silence that suddenly filled the room.
“We can go back down.” Jay shot across the room in desperation. “If we go quick enough then the room will still be there.”
“We can’t go back remember what Frederick said,” Hollie told.
“Maybe before the room changes!” Jay urged, his mind had gone fixed on the ladder at the other end of the room.
His feet were losing grip from his speed.
“Jay. It will lead somewhere else and we’ll be lost forever!” Hollie shouted.
Just then he came to his senses. What was he doing?
Then he lost balance and the icy cold floor took his stability, keeping his pace, sending him sliding away.
It was too late now, he couldn’t stop himself from sliding along the floor, he tried to grip in with his nails, but he couldn’t.
“I can’t.”
“JAY!” Jordan turned around and started racing towards him. Jay reached out with his hand, still sliding along the ground.
He just touched Jordan’s hand when he felt the floor beneath him disappear once again…and he fell.
“HELP!” He screamed as he freefell through the gap. He reached out trying to stop himself by using the ladder, but it just disappeared. He looked down and saw that the room had changed.
It didn’t have soft fluffy clouds as a carpet, or beautiful clear skies as walls. No marshmallow land of heaven.
It was a cylindrical, rocky chamber. Full with scorching hot lava…
He shouted and screamed as he plummeted towards the lava pit, heat radiating through his body as he came closer.
He looked up and saw Jordan, Hollie, Broudie and Claire shouting from a small square window metres above.
The air rushed past him, robbing him of his breath. Three metres, two metres, one metre…
SPLASH!
Thick orange liquid engulfed him. His skin tingled as he sank a few metres into the lava. He closed his eyes in pure shock.
His mouth was sealed shut but he couldn’t hold it.
His throat burned as the hot lava sank in.
The liquid trickled down his throat, he felt it running down into his lungs. They filled up, and he couldn’t breathe. The fiery blaze burnt a terrifying glow in his eyes.
Death was near.
Again.
All is revealed.
(Chapter 17)