Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter fourteen

Layla

I'm still full of intrigue about the prophecy and this evil. Maylock isn't answering any more questions on the topic. He keeps looking at his angel, distracted by something. I lag behind him as he continues his quick pace down the corridor until we stop in front of a similar engraved circle that was on the wall in the previous room.

As I catch my breath, Maylock blows cobwebs off it and they drift softly to the floor followed by a plume of dust that is chucked up into the air which makes me cough. 

     "Do you have a thing with circles?" I recover myself.

     "These are locks Layla. We have them in every room that is important to the Guardians, ancient and now. This place was lost for years until I stumbled upon it and became the first Guardian angel. I strive to defend Lakeintown at all costs and reinforce what the ancient Guardians stood for. It keeps me going" he tenses after uttering those words and his gaze dips to the floor, away from me and he fiddles with his watch. "Right are you ready?" he refocuses.

     "Ready for what?" I wonder as this circle has five equal segments like the one before but instead of lined patterns within each slice, there are shapes carved into them and etchings around the edge of the circle. 

Upon closer inspection, the etchings are organised markings that are the same size all around the rim of the circle. There are even breaks between each marking which makes me think it's a language of some sort.

     "The choosing ceremony" Maylock presses his watch which makes the circle lock turn clockwise and a section of the wall pushes in to create an opening we can walk into.

It's a small room. Dim light from the corridor shines in but as I follow Maylock into the unknown, spotlights brighten the walkway which highlights the space around us. This isn't a room and calling it small was also the wrong description to give. 

     "I'm in a cave?" Formations of stalactites hang from the ceiling and sharp jagged rocks line the uneven walls. This is baffling.

     "Yep, the choosing cave" I don't hear what he says next as the sheer size of this cave is absolutely breath taking.

Metallic railings prevent us from falling off the edge of the walkway which I'm thankful for – as is my stomach for that matter. Yet I'm surprised at myself for just following Maylock down it in the dark.

Our footsteps clink and clap from the metallic crated flooring until we stop at an expanded area that's almost triple the size of the walkway. There is nowhere else to go ahead. There's no exit? 

Each corner of the railings has a rope attached to the rounded ceiling. It's taut with the tension of keeping this flooring up as well as supporting mine and Maylock's combined weight. The floor is only secured by a few pairs of diagonal poles below me. 

Maylock leaves me on the sparse flooring. His watch flashes red on his way down the walkway and he presses it quickly which stops it. 

     "So, why have I been led here and how do you get out?" I ask, facing him. 

     "You want to leave?" Maylock's voice breaks through exasperation. "It's not even started yet" he pauses, composing himself. "Well, if you were to leave which I hope not, as I have finally found you, there are many ways of getting out..."

     "...You have finally found me?" I interrupt him. "What do you mean by that?"

     "We have been looking for you to do this exact thing."

     "That doesn't explain anything"

     "I'll talk more later. You just need to stand a few spaces to the right"