Page 35 of Ruins of Magic
“There is an ax in the corner. Walk to over, pick it up and chop down your friends.”
“If I go near the fire it will grow bigger.”
“Yes, it will, so you have to move fast.” A bell sounded and the imp smiled. “Oops, too late, here comes a new challenge.”
The far door opened and an imp driving a large mechanical thing on wheels with spikes covering it emerged.
“He’ll be following you, Arion, so run!”
The crowd of imps cheered as if they were at the arena watching a joust.
Arion ran for the ax and the machine followed. As he leapt aside to miss from getting hit, the flames surged beneath Garron.
“Watch out, Arion,” he yelled down to him.
The buzzer sounded and the door opened. This time thousands of scorpions ran in. He suspected that programmed to follow him that the scorpions would avoid the fire, so he ran towards Garron who was closer.
“Protec the princess first,” Garron shouted down.
Arion looked up and their eyes met. He nodded and ran to the other side of the arena. Flames licked at his skin as he took his first swing. The mechanical machine was slow to turn around, but soon was barreling towards him as the scorpions awaited anxiously hissing at him refusing to come close to the fire.
Arion took another swing and could feel the heat rising. On his third swing blisters began to form on the back of his hands and up his forearms, still he continued to work on the log. Realizing that the lowest section was beginning to burn through, he dove into the fire and hacked it there instead.
“Get out of there Arion,” Valaria cried out. “Leave us!”
“Never,” Arion said. “I’m never leaving you.”
He felt a strange vibration wrack through his body and recognized it as magic. He smiled up at her and winked. Magic flowed across his skin. The imps were using magic to keep the fires burning, and his druid blood was boiling to release against it.
Arion had always fought down that feeling, but this time he let it go freely. Where the fire burned red, he was coated in blue. He no longer felt the heat as he worked harder on his task.
“Hold on!” he yelled up to Valaria as the wood cracked and she fell backwards still attacked. He stepped out of the fire and used his magic to soften the fall to the ground. He ran over and worked quickly on the ropes to free her.
The imp put out the fire and the scorpions descended once again. The imp in the vehicle had it turned around and was also heading their way. The buzzer sounded and this time the walls around them began to close in.
“Watch out!” Valaria yelled.
Arion recognized his power now and used it to create his own fire to keep the scorpions away. The imps above booed and complained he was cheating.
The spiked vehicle was not able to be stopped, as it was barreling towards them. Arion grabbed Valaria by the waist and jumped up on top of the machine. The imp screamed and lost control as the front spike plowed into Garron’s log knocking it over. He had already been working on freeing his ropes, and quickly jumped away as the log crashed to the ground.
With both his friends safe, he quickly looked for an exit.
“Stop!” the head imp yelled, and the room went entirely quiet. “You are far more resilient than we assumed and made of magic we do not recognize. Who are you?”
“I am Arion, prince of the druids,” he said.
The murmurs were deafening.
“Out of respect I will give you one last chance to save yourself,” he said.
The door opened and another imp walked in carrying a goblet.
“Drink this and you will surely die but have my promise to save your friends and return them to their world outside of Keptra where they will have no memory of this place or you. Or choose to live, my prince. Your friends will perish, but you will save yourself and go on to lead your people as you should. The choice is. . .”
Arion reached for the glass and downed it without a second’s hesitation.
“No!” Valaria yelled as she rushed to his side just as he collapsed. Her face was the last thing he saw.
