Mythian Academy: The Timeglass

Chapter Twenty-one: Fresh Air at Last!

Chapter Twenty-one: Fresh Air at Last!

Brick by brick our hands work together to pull the bricks apart and create a hole for us to squeeze through. The first to venture into the unknown Depths of Stench is Asher, and, with sword in hand, he climbs head first through the hole. He tumbles through landing with an appalling wet thud like the sound of jello hitting the ground.

"Asher?" I call grabbing my flashlight, peaking through the hole, and pointing it down at the ground inside.

He lays disheveled on his back in a dryer version of the sludge that slither through the tunnels. Cringing, I watch as he finally collects himself and his breath before standing. His once blond hair is now an unappealing shade of brown. The back and lower part of his shirt, coat, as well as the seat of his pants are all the coated same pungent smelling brown substance. Okay, that's gross. A growling sound rumbles from his throat as he examines himself. He turns to us with a sour expression, and I can't help myself. I burst into a quiet fit of laughter.

Immediately his piercing glare fixate on me. Manifest in his eyes is the frustration fluctuating between various degrees. Ten to one, he takes a deep breath and sighs. His eyes flicker away, but they fall back on Alexi and I.

"Come on. Let's get moving," he wipes his hand on a clean patch of jeans and then offers it to me.

"I guess we shouldn't spend any more precious time lounging around in these lovely sewers. I am sad to depart from them now. I wish I could appreciate their construction for a while longer." Alexi states looking back at the tunnels as he cuts in and takes Asher's hand first.

    Oh Alexi, you're amazing.I laugh and push his towards the hole.

    Getting though was much easier and much less gruesome than Asher's fall. We quickly find our exit point. Staring up at the hole to freedom, I refrain from touching anything.

"Let's get out of here," I whisper.

"Yes, let's," Alexi grins. *

After a two to one vote, Asher ends up being the one to dismantle the wood toilet seat, and the first one to climb up into the room. I follow behind him using my own superior strength to pull myself up. However, Alexi isn't as skilled as myself, so Asher and I assist him by pulling him up to our level. How he pasted that jungle gym contraption without any amount of upper body strength is beyond me.

"Well that was absolutely disgusting." Alexi gags.

"I don't disagree," Asher agrees gloomily throwing a disgusted look down at his filthy attire.

"Shh," I hush them.

Around us the air is still like that of an undisturbed mausoleum. A thick layer, stagnant layer of dust lounges on top of the racks of repudiated armour and weapon. I'll be taking special note not to touch anything for sure. Coats-of-arms from once reputable knights decorate the stone masonry walls. Tugging me out of this suffocating room is the light breeze that brushes up dust on it's path from the open door to create swirling eddies.

"What if we were to dump all this stuff down the toilet shoot?" Asher skems.

"Sounds good to me," Alexi grabs a helmet and is just about to drop it down the hole we just climbed out of like sewer rats.

"Do that and I will push you back into that sludge for blowing our advantage," I whisper yell seething from their childish tomfoolery.

Both children sigh and pout at me, but I ignore them so I can pull my crossbow and quiver out of my pack. Weapon ready, I make my way towards the door. I reach for the door that has been left ajar for us, but before my finger tips can brush against the it a wall of Asher steps in front of me.