2

Protruding from the lip of a looming cave is a large water basin. As the chosen three drink several handfuls of the fresh quenching water, an unemotional voice booms from above.

“There will be three rooms. In each room, there will be a task you must complete. Enter the cave now.” One of the Mystics instructs them. The three mystics are the ones who put together the challenges and are the only ones that can observe. They also make the final judgment.

Brandon steps inside the gaping mouth of the cave. After a few feet, it opens into a room. Brandon can see a small opening on the other side, but an iron gate blocks it. The stone walls give off a turquoise glow that lights the whole room. Up a few steps on a platform are three wooden tables. Brandon can see that on one of the tables is a puzzle. It has fifteen puzzle pieces of various sizes, shapes, and colors.

William and Steven step up to the two empty tables. William reaches out and acts as if he’s moving things around. The mystics have enchanted the puzzles, to keep the contestants from looking at each other’s work.

As Brandon turns to his table, Steven catches his attention. The Highlander seems nervous and keeps glancing at the palm of his hand. Steven glances around cautiously. Their eyes meet briefly, but at that moment Brandon sees doubt and fear. Was that fear? Steven clinches his fist shut and his eyes go cold. Then he turns to his task.

Is he cheating? Brandon questions to himself.

Brandon looks at his complicated puzzle and thinks this isn’t my strong point. He ties back his shoulder length hair with a red ribbon that his sister gave him this morning for luck. Brandon takes one deep breath and starts. He touches a blue piece, and it turns white. When Brandon takes his fingers away, it changes to blue again. He places two pieces together and the entire puzzle shifts. I guess that’s not right, he thinks.

Brandon looks up when he sees a glow to his right. It’s William’s table. After a few moments, it disappears. Brandon smiles as William walks out of the room. The Highlander didn’t win this one. To Brandon’s displeasure, it’s only a few short minutes later that Steven’s table disappears.

Brandon frowns in frustration. What is this? He angrily hits the table making the pieces shift. Two of the fragments touch and turn white, and the puzzle doesn’t change. These two must go together. Brandon notices another piece that’ll fit with them. Then, he sees the solution. It’s the sign for the Royal-lands, a quadlit.

As he puts the last of the pieces together, a voice fills his head, ‘Well done Lowlander, you may go.’ It’s the mystic for the Lowlander’s, as always, utterly devoid of all feeling.

Brandon walks up to the substantial iron gate; it melts away. Behind the gateway is a long shadowy tunnel. The uneven floor is wet and slippery. He tries to hurry but falls and cuts his arm. After a few minutes, he begins to hear falling water. Finally, he comes out into a much larger room. The walls here are a red color due to the water from the Red Sea steadily trickling down them. Floating at different heights are orbs of dazzling white light. On the other side, he sees a fifty-foot wall that also has a slow trickle of water tumbling down it.

Brandon runs to a brown pack that’s sitting at the bottom of the wall. He hears the unfeeling voice inside his head again and puts on the parcel. The seventy-five-pound container doesn’t slow him down. Brandon is accustom to carrying one-hundred-pound sacks of grain and feed every day. As he starts up the wall, he finds that his strong fingers can grip the small ledges easily, but if he’s not careful, his fingers will slip on the wet stone.

Brandon catches up with William in only a few short minutes. As he passes him, Brandon notices that sweat is pouring down the Midlanders red face.

“They move.” The fear that Brandon hears in William’s voice matches the fear he sees in his huge eyes.

After going only a few more inches, one of the ledges, Brandon reaches for moves about six inches to the right. The one that his right foot is on drops about four inches. He lets out a choked cry as he starts to fall. Just when he thinks that he’s going to the bottom the hard way, his hand finds another ledge.

Where did that come from? Brandon questions as he looks at the large ledge.

Brandon never stops moving. He adjusts his course as the stone ledges shift. At the halfway point, Brandon sees Steven just ahead. As the Lowlander passes the Highlander, he can’t help smiling over at him.

“See you at the top,” Brandon says as he takes the lead.

Suddenly, something grabs and pulls one of his legs. He looks back to find that Steven has a hard grip on his large calf. Forcefully, Steven pulls Brandon down a few inches. Brandon feels his fingers slipping on the wet rock. He’s going to fall twenty-five feet to the cold, wet stone floor. What would his family do? Brandon hears someone holler out in pain and surprise, and then Steven’s hand is gone.

The water is making it impossible for Brandon to catch himself. He continues his deadly descent. When Brandon slides passed Steven, he sees that a rock hand has come out of the wall and is gripping his wrist. The Highlander claws at it to no avail.

Brandon digs at the wall trying desperately to stop his plummet, but there’s nothing he can do. He’s going to die, and his family will never make it without him.

His mind races feverishly. Then a searing pain shoots through his back as he surprisingly comes to an abrupt halt. He has landed on a narrow ledge that wasn’t there before. Without thinking, he pushes past the pain that’s growing in his back and starts up the wall once again.

Brandon scrambles up the wall without caution. He must finish first. His fingers and feet slip numerous times, but Brandon’s able to find other ledges quickly. In an incredibly short period, he passes Steven, who’s still desperately struggling to get free of the stone hand. In the seconds it takes him to past Steven, Brandon sees the palm of the Highlanders hand. Covering them are burn scars. After a few feet, Brandon looks back to find that Steven is free and only a foot below him trying frantically to catch up.

Bloody, bruised, and exhausted Brandon astoundingly reaches the top first. Even in his haste, Brandon takes one last look down. A few feet below him, he finds the Highlander’s furious eyes staring up at him. With a wave goodbye, Brandon turns and drops his now useless pack.

When it hits the ground, the bag splits open, but nothing comes out. As tight as Brandon time is he grabs the bag. It’s empty, but it still weighs the same as it had on his back. Once again, he drops the bag. It lands at the edge of the rock wall next to Steven’s hand. Brandon turns and flees down the narrow, shadowy cave that leads to the last task.

One room is all that’s left. Brandon can’t wait to see what the Mystics’ next challenge will be. He comes out of the dark tunnel and goes around a sharp corner. Suddenly, there’s no floor under his right foot, and he almost steps off the rocky ledge.

Brandon scrambles backward and looks around the enormous new room. To his right is a lavafall it is coming out from under the ground below his feet. Along the edge are small pools of lava. He glances up but is unable to see the ceiling. What little light there is comes from a few torches along the walls. There is also a dim glow coming from an uneven crack that goes from one side of the cavern to the other. He looks down inside the crevice and sees that about a hundred feet below is a lake of lava.

What’s that?

Something’s moving through the flames that dance on the molten rock.

A sleek creature the size of two horses steps onto a steaming, hot rock. It’s a Fire Dragon. Its scaly skin is reddish-orange. Spiraling black horns shoot out of the top of its head. The dragon shakes itself like a dog drying off. Flaming lava sprays all around it. The lava droplets land several feet away splashing against the walls of the crevice. Some of the fire droplets soar well over Brandon’s head.

The dragon rises up on its hind legs and seems to be looking at something. Its forked tongue flicks as it tastes the air. When the dragon snaps it’s tail, a thunderous crack fills the cavern because it’s split in two at the end. It dives back into the flames, swimming through the lake of lava as if it’s a cool mountain pool.

Brandon watches the wondrous sight just for a moment longer. He’s amazed at the sight of a live Fire Dragon. Everlyn has told him stories about how they eat molten rock so they can blow fireballs. Incredible, he thinks and then looks around him.

Crossing over the flaming lava is two old rickety wooden bridges. The first bridge is tapered and has no handrails. Because it’s located at a narrow spot in the crevice, this bridge is shorter than the other. This bridge would be quicker, but it’s more dangerous, the other is wider with handrails. It’s sitting at an angle which makes it a great deal longer, but it would be safer. He could also move faster, but his lead is a small one, so he takes the shorter bridge.

After Brandon’s first few steps, he thinks this’ll be easy. At the same moment, the Fire Dragon comes out of the fiery lake again. It shakes itself, and fire droplets rise above Brandon’s head once more. When they come down, they land on him, and the bridge. The ones that land on the overpass cools almost instantly. The ones that hit Brandon are a different story. They burn into his flesh, clothes, and hair. He brushes the hot embers off as quickly as he can while continuing to cross the swaying bridge.

Brandon only takes a few steps more when he hears someone skidding to a stop. He glances back and sees Steven’s heading for the longer bridge at a dead run. Brandon blocks out the danger on each side of him and drives himself to run faster.

Out of nowhere, a scream rips through the cavern. Brandon looks around and sees, well behind him, a petite female sitting in a basket a few feet above the flames dancing on the lava. The basket is hanging from the longer bridge by a slender rope. The girl has light brunette hair and pale skin. She’s a Midlander and doesn’t have the strength to help herself. Brandon looks up at the others. Terrified, William has barely moved from the start of the bridge. Steven is well past her. Brandon watches as the Highlander looks at his scarred palms. Steven briefly glances up at Brandon. He seems to make a quick decision turns and continues to the finish line.

Even though Brandon knows he’ll lose the race and the new life he wants so desperately for his family, he turns to find the fastest way to the girl. He sees that not too far from where William is standing, there’s a rope coming from the unseen ceiling.

“William, do you see her?” Brandon points to the young girl. William only jerkily shakes his head yes.

“See the rope beside you? I need it. Can you throw it to me?” William’s eyes widen, and he turns paler than he already is. “Please, William. She will die if I do not get to her quickly.”

William closes his eyes, and Brandon fears that he won’t do it. He looks around trying to find a different way. To his surprise William’s eyes gradually open and with shaky hands, he takes a hold of the thick rope. There’s a metal hook at the end of the cord, which helps it to swing to Brandon easily.

Before William can take more than a few steps, Brandon lands in front of him. He knows he’s going to need the rope. With no real hope, he gives it a hard yank. To his astonishment, it falls out of the darkness. Painful lava drops shower down on him and William. The Fire Dragon’s flaming spray hits the basket below, and a few small flames begin to eat it. The girl lets out another blood-curdling scream.

“Someone, please help me!” she pleads through her tears.

Brandon makes himself run more rapidly. When he’s above her, he drops to his knees.

“I am coming!” Brandon yells down to her. She lifts her tear stained face and sees she’s a lot younger than he first thought. She seems to be his sister’s age, around ten. He feels anger rise within him. What kind of people put a child in danger for a tournament, Brandon thinks in disgust?

He fastens the metal hook to the underside of the bridge and lowers himself down to her. Before he’s half way down, his hands start to burn from the stiff fibers of the rope. When he’s even with the girl, she quickly wraps her arms and legs around him. In her haste to get out of the slowly burning basket, she hits Brandon’s stinging hands. He loses his grip, and they slide toward the end of the rope.

Behind him, the girl lets out another ear-shattering scream. Her hold around his neck tightens to the point that he can scarcely breathe. As he forces his hands to grab the rope again, he feels his skin rip. The blood that starts pouring from his hands makes it even harder to stop their descent. When they’re only a few inches from the end of the rope, they finally come to a halt.

After a moment’s rest, Brandon grits his teeth, knowing the pain to come and starts up the rope. It isn’t long before what little strength he has left begins to disappear. His arms start to shake, and his hands want to let go.  They’re not far from the top, but Brandon doesn’t think he can make it. He looks at the distance they have to drop. The fire below rages on and seems to be reaching for them. Then, the rope catches fire. It crackles and pops as the fire rapidly consumes it.

“Need some help?” a nervous voice asks from above.

Brandon looks up and is amazed to see William. His hand is only a few inches away, and the girl is already reaching for it. Without the girl’s weight, Brandon tries once again to grasp the edge of the bridge but is unable to. He looks down. The fire is almost to him. He tries one last time to pull himself up when he feels a set of hands wrap around his arms. With help from William, he gets up safely. William picks up the small child, and they run to the finish line.

When all three of them come around the last corner, they find a small room. In the center, standing beside a raging fire pit is Steven. As Brandon and the others arrive at the fire, a cool breeze fills the cave as all three cloaked mystics appear. Their long, black hooded robes flap in the breeze as they hover a few inches above the floor. In the center of the cloaks, is a symbol made with golden thread. The image starts out as a circle. Shooting from the bottom to the top of the ring are three staffs. The heads of the rod are shaped like sideways eyes. In the center of these eyes is what looks like a golden jewel shaped the same way. Golden beams are coming from them, and golden swirls are all around them.

Brandon takes a step towards them.

“How could you endanger a child!?” he yells with his fists clenched at his sides.

“There was no child in danger,” they answer together. They show no hint of emotion.

Brandon turns to point at the girl, but she’s gone. With his anger still flickering he takes a step back. He looks at them and wonders, not for the first time, what kind of heartless creatures hide beneath those robes.

“We need someone who is clever, strong, and courageous, but most of all honorable,” their voices join as one. “There is only one who has shown all four qualities. For the first time in two hundred years, a Lowlander will be the Queen’s Protector.”

Brandon glances at Steven. His face darkens with anger. One of the Mystics pulls a wooden box out of midair.

“Brandon, come and place a finger here.”

Brandon hesitates and then puts his finger at the center of a lovely heart carved into the box. Pain shoots through his finger as he feels something sharp pushed into it. Suddenly, every muscle in his body clinches, he can’t breathe. Brandon tries to fight, but none of his muscles will respond. He feels everything slipping away. Then, there’s nothing.

Brandon breathes in sharply and takes in foul-tasting air fills his mouth. The light that’s beating down on him is blinding. Slowly, he can see a strange sky above him. It’s blue. All around him are tree covered mountains. In front of him is what has to be a small white palace it is too big to be anything else. The only building with more than one floor on Grandel is the palace. It looks like flat wood, but he has never seen trees this white before. When he touches it, he’s confident that it’s some kind of metal.

Small trees with delicate white blooms on them line the front of the palace. Brandon takes a slow step toward them but is unable to smell their fragrance. So, he takes another step.  His foot catches on what looks like a green snake, but it doesn’t move. Brandon falls forward, landing on his hands and knees. The grass is a much darker green here, and it’s stiffer than the grasslands at home. The grass on Grandel is a bright green and as soft as feathers.

Getting up Brandon feels an urge to go into the palace. Hesitantly, he opens the door, and steps inside. The floor is soft and fluffy under his feet. These walls are different than the ones outside. They’re smooth and bursting with color. As Brandon stares at the odd things around him, a sweet smell overtakes his senses. It’s coming from behind him. He turns and looks down. The new Queen only comes to his chest.

‘Jacklyn,’ he hears inside his head.

She looks at him with her small blue eyes. A look of surprise dances across her delicate face.

Brandon wants to speak to her but finds he’s unable to. She raises her petite hand as if to touch him, but pulls back. When she does, the strap to the yellow sundress she has on falls from her shoulder. Just as he reaches out to put it back, her cascading auburn hair falls on his hand. Brandon has never felt hair this silky.

When his hand makes contact with her creamy skin, he finds that neither of them can move. Slowly, a light begins to spread over them both. He can feel both of their hearts beating rapidly. He can hear their breath becoming one. He can no longer see anything else, but her. At that moment, he knows his life is hers, no matter what she’d do with it.

Suddenly, he feels something pulling him backward. He doesn’t want to leave Jacklyn. The thought of separation makes it hard for Brandon to breathe. Before he can do anything, he’s ripped from her.

Once again, Brandon is in the cave. He falls to the floor. Something’s wrong. He feels so empty as if he left a part of himself with her.

The voice from before is in his head once again. ‘You are now bound to her.’

Brandon slowly struggles to rise to his feet but is unable. He looks up at the Mystics, but they’re paying no attention to him. Their focus is behind him. He glances back and finds that Steven and William both are slowly getting to their feet.