Hard Light (NaNoWriMo15)

Chapter 10 - Behind the Door

"So," said Shade, his breathing a whole lot more even than hers. "Apparently the wrong crystal can hurt."

Leah allowed herself a long exhale before she stood up again. She glanced at the floor, now without any sign of its dangers. "Yup."

She picked up her reference journal from where it'd fallen and was walking over to the second string's wall when Shade said, "One near death experience not enough for you in a night?"

"If the ancients thought one death trap was going to deter me, they should have included spiders," said Leah. "Big, Teridian spiders. But in their absence, I am getting this damned door open whether it almost kills me again or not."

With the adrenaline fuelling the shaking of her limbs refusing to subside, Leah's notes were a little more disorganised than usual, but still somewhat readable. The second question was easier than the first. Even the youngest Radiant knew their power was fuelled by the sun, and that symbol was literally everywhere, almost as common as 'Light' was.

But once again, after she lit the symbol string, it once more faded into oblivion.

"Broken?" suggested Shade.

"There's still the third string," said Leah, following it to the centre of the room. This time, it didn't lead to a wall with crystals. It went straight across the floor, encircling another 'Light' symbol.

Puzzled, Leah crouched down, searching for a crystal and finding nothing. There were strings with no symbols that wove around the others, and after a few minutes of following them, she realised they were linked to the questions on the sides.

Shade watched her as she moved back and forth. The symbols wrapped around 'Light' were far beyond her interpretation, but she was starting to get the idea. The 'Life' symbol on the door was lit in halves by the two questions on the sides, but the door's 'Light' was yet to glow. So...

Leah sized up the room. She had a few seconds before the halves dimmed. She should be able to run from one side to the next in the time. There was only one way to find out.

"You look like you've figured something out," said Shade.

"Maybe," said Leah from one side of the room. "If not, this is going to look pretty stupid."

Before Shade could reply, she reached up for the 'Pride' crystal, lit it, and dashed across the room.

She made it to 'Sun' before 'Pride' dimmed, and with the the two halves of 'Life' gleaming on the door, she pushed off the wall and ran to the 'Light' symbol in the centre.

It didn't work.

The strips were fading crystal-end first. What had she forgotten?

Light. She was standing on Light, and Light needed to be lit, so what if she--

Leah didn't think about it. She let her heart crystal gleam.

The 'Light' symbol of the door pierced the shadows, bathing the entire room in brilliant white light as something in the walls began to move.

The door was opening.

"Ha!" said Leah, jumping on the spot. "Did it!"

Shade's posture said it all. "Nice job. Too bad I have to kill you now."

Leah froze mid-jump. Her bag was too far, she'd left her Hilt in it too, forgotten who she was with. He'd just saved her life, but--

Shade laughed. "I'm kidding. Come on, let's go see what was worth all the security."

Leah followed him. Cautiously, after grabbing her bag and pulling her Hilt from it.

Shade went first, the large sword that usually rested over his back now in his hands. Leah tried to keep to the side so her Light would reveal the space in front of him, but the corridor behind the door was narrow.