The Scrolls of Skava

Return to the Emerald Oracle - Part 6

     “Good!” said Naomi excitedly. “Let’s do it then.”

     “We’ll have to be quick,” warned Teasel. “I heard somewhere that these fish can reduce a corpse to a bare skeleton in just a few minutes, and that island’s a long way away.”

     “We’ll make it,” replied Dennis confidently. “Hey, I just thought of something. I presume we can all swim?”

     “I can,” replied Arroc. “We trogs aren’t natural swimmers, but a human friend of mine taught me the basics. I’ll be fine.”

     “What about you?” the soldier asked Teasel.

     “Never tried,” admitted the nome with a shrug, “but it doesn’t look too difficult. I’ve seen other people swimming and it doesn’t look that hard.”

     The others glanced at each other. “Better grab hold of me,” the soldier suggested. “Keep your arms around my neck and hold on tight.”

     They walked completely around the lake, looking for the spot where the island was closest to the shore, and decided to throw the wolf into the water about ten yards away from there. Dennis and Arroc took off their heavy armour and weapons, which would weigh them down in the water, and then they picked up the heavy wolf and prepared to throw it in. “Ready?” Dennis asked. The others nodded apprehensively. “Okay, let’s go. One, two, three...”

     They threw the wolf as hard as they could, and it landed about six feet away from them, where the water was only two feet deep. Blood from its gaping sword wound swirled out into the water and there was an explosion of glittering scales and foaming water as all the fish in the area sped inwards. Dennis and Arroc ran back to where Teasel and Naomi were waiting, where the water was now hopefully clear of fish, and the soldier picked up the nome, placing her on his shoulders. “Okay, let’s go!”

     They ran out into the water, and as soon as it was deep enough they threw themselves forward and began swimming. Naomi cried out in pain as the water reached her wounds, but she forced it out of her mind and concentrated on making as much speed as possible. She quickly took the lead, followed closely by Dennis and Teasel, the nome trying to lay flat against the soldier’s back to make themselves as streamlined as possible. Arroc soon began to fall behind, though, his broad, stocky body being far from the ideal shape for swimming. His powerful legs kicked up a lot of water behind him and his muscular arms swung with a strong, regular rhythm, but despite that he could only crawl through the water and was still only half way across when Naomi felt solid ground under her feet again.

     Dennis and Teasel reached the island a moment later, and then the three of them stood anxiously on the shore, waiting for the trog. The boiling and frothing of the wolf’s corpse was diminishing already and Arroc was still a full ten yards away. “Come on!” yelled Dennis furiously, wading out into the water again. “Come on!” The trog heard him and made an extra effort, but his speed scarcely increased at all.

     “Look!” cried Teasel, pointing into the water where sleek, silver shapes were beginning to return, some of them with scraps of flesh trailing from between their razor sharp teeth.

     The soldier swore loudly and ran out to help the trog, wincing as one of the carnivorous fish took a bite out of his bare arm. Now dressed only in their underclothes, most of their bodies were open to the water and they had no defence against the tiny monsters.

     Reaching the trog’s side, he grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the shore, helped by Naomi who appeared by his side a moment later. Dennis gave a start of alarm when he saw that her wounds had begun to bleed again, and he redoubled his efforts. They had to get out of the water before her blood attracted every fish in the lake!

     Teasel jumped up and down on the shore and screamed at them to hurry as more and more fish appeared around them, nipping and biting at bare arms and legs with every move they made. We’re not going to make it! thought Dennis in desperation. Poor Teasel will be left all alone on the island while the water boils around us, and then she’ll be left staring in horror at our bare bones, picked clean and left lying on the stony lake bed. I wonder how long it’ll hurt for?

     Suddenly, though, he felt smooth, round pebbles under his feet and he looked up to see the shore only six feet away. “Come on!” he yelled urgently, pulling the trog’s arm as he leapt forward. “Come on, we’re going to make it!”

     Later on, when they were all standing safely on the island nursing dozens of tiny fishbites, it seemed incredible to the soldier that they’d made it, considering the number of fish there’d been around them at the end. The only explanation he could think of was that the fish had gorged themselves on the wolf and had no appetite left for anything else. Or perhaps it was just that the Gods really were with them, as Diana was always telling them. Whatever the reason, they somehow managed to stumble out of the water with nothing worse than a few minor bite wounds, to be greeted by a delighted Teasel, grinning all over her pudgy, rosy face.

     “Thanks,” gasped Arroc, wiping a hand over his face and blinking the water out of his eyes. “Thought I was going ter the dark mountain for a while there.”

     “Don’t mention it,” replied Dennis with a smile. “And now, let’s see if the Oracle’s home, and if he is, what he’s got to say for himself.”

     They all turned to face the huge emerald building, their faces set with anger at the trials they’d been put through, and the soldier led the way towards the entrance. They paused only once before entering, while Dennis and Arroc looked regretfully back at their weapons and armour, left in a pile on the lake's far shore, and then they went in, their fists clenched tight with a grim determination to finish their business there and be gone.

☆☆☆

     They thought their ordeal was over, that they now needed only to confront the Oracle, probably a frail old man, and demand that they be let off the island. They knew nothing about the maze, of course, and they didn’t know that the Oracle was watching them even as they entered. It sized them up in just a few seconds. Young. Inexperienced. Unarmed and wounded. Low physical ability, intermediate level intelligence. It adjusted the maze accordingly and then settled down to wait.