The Wizards of Myst

Chapter 15

August's POV

As Winter and I emerged from the stairwell, General Langston greeted us with a warm smile.

"Congratulations, you passed Round 3."

...

General Langston led us over to a room over on the left side of the wall. Inside, there were several rows of benches- all facing a few televisions.

Each TV screen showcased a different couple of competitors.

On one screen you could see Oliver and Isla running down a narrow- and getting narrower- corridor. I was a little worried they'd get crushed by the enclosing walls, but I doubt General Langston would let that happen.

On the next screen over, Eriana and Lynx were standing in front of a door with a coded lock over it. Next to the door was a keypad and screen, with some kind of puzzle on it. From the looks of it, they were pretty close to solving the problem and unlocking the door.

The last screen showed Cal and Nao as they leaped from rock to rock across a roaring river. Nao had seemingly no problem getting from one slippery stone to another, as they jumped and landed with impressive gracefulness. Cal, on the other hand, was not as skilled. Maybe it was the fact that he had a much more brawny build, or maybe he just lacked balance- or possibly even both. Either way, Cal was not having a very easy time getting to each rock. I wouldn't even be surprised if he fell into the river and was swept away by the current.

Mr. Langston sat down on one of the benches, and Winter and I quickly followed his lead.

As the General crossed his legs in a way much too elegant for a simple bench, he pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time.

"Only 3 minutes remaining."

...

As it so happened, Cal actually did fall into the river. Luckily he was able to get out of the water before it pulled him away. Unfortunately, however, Nao and Cal were unsuccessful in completing the maze before the time ran out.

Now, as Cal trudged through the room soaking wet, he grumbled about how unfair the whole maze was.

General Langston led Nao and Cal over to a quiet area in the corner of the room and had a quick chat with them. The rest of us were preoccupied exchanging our maze adventures, so I don't think any of us heard what the General was telling Nao and Cal.

After they were done talking, Nao and Cal exited the room, leaving a large puddle behind.

Mr. Langston gathered everyone's attention, and the room became silent.

"Congratulations to all of you. The six of you have shown great power and determination these past few rounds. In honor of your progression thus far, there will be a feast tonight. Please take this time to clean up in your rooms, and meet down at the dining hall at 6:00pm sharp."

...

At exactly 6:00, Winter and I arrived at the dining hall.

The two of us stepped through the eloquent set of double doors and were immediately greeted by a butler who led us over to the table.

The table was a very intricately designed cedar dining table- and it was beautiful. On each side of the table sat 4 chairs, with one seat at the head.

The seat at the head of the table belonged to General Langston, who sat down as soon as he made sure everyone was situated.

Everyone who participated in Round 3 today was there- including Nao and Cal, who stated that there would be carriages waiting to take them home as soon as they were finished eating.

Our "feast" for the night was a wide assortment of dishes, from salads and soups to meats and cheese.

As we ate, we exchanged stories and jokes, laughing every time someone said anything remotely funny.

This was by far the most fun we had had while we were here, but I couldn't help thinking,

"Is this the calm before the storm?"

So how did you like this chapter? Was it good? I hope you liked it!

What do you guys think is going to happen next? Do you think August is right and something bad is about to happen?

You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out!