A Tale That Dawned [Book 4 of Selvina's Tale series]

Chapter 48: Breaking the Chains

They descended an extensive stairway into pitch black and when the ordeal was over, Selvina's legs ached and burned painfully. Accolon, thankfully, waited a few moments to let her recover and then was off again. It was too dark to see and thus Merlin lit the tip of his staff, its shining light fighting valiantly against the smothering darkness.

They passed several connecting passages until they turned a few corners and stopped at the end of one hall. A hole in the wall led into more blackness and Accolon pointed to it.

"At the end of that passage is a stone door that can only opened from this side," he instructed. "It will be cramped and uncomfortable but you must remember that these passages were made for dwarves, after all." Without another word, Accolon bent down and slipped into the hole, disappearing completely.

Merlin gave Selvina a comforting smile and pat on the shoulder and let her go next. She bent down and entered the slimy tunnel, fighting hard not to gag. Merlin followed behind her, his light a beacon of hope and security.

The tunnel went in a straight line and the trek through it was uneventful, if unpleasant. Accolon motioned for Selvina and Merlin to wait as he unsheathed his blade and plunged it into a crack in the wall ahead of him. He then muttered several unintelligible words and turned his sword like a key. He then pulled out his blade, sheathed it, and they all watched as the wall opened up and swung wide, revealing an empty expanse ahead. The opposite wall of the huge pit stared back at them several hundred feet away as bluish lights danced across its surface.

"We're here!" Selvina said, recognizing the lights. "Iktarosh is suspended directly above this hole."

Accolon poked his head out of the tunnel and looked up. His eyes narrowed at what he saw. "Selvina speaks the truth. We have arrived and Iktarosh is there. It will take time climbing up this steep pit, however."

"I can help with that," said Merlin. "Legatus, allow me to lead from here."

Accolon nodded and pressed himself against the side of the tunnel as Merlin moved ahead of him. The wizard peered through the hole, looked down, from side to side, and then up. He sighed deeply at the sight above before he closed his eyes and spoke a few words. He pressed his hand on the tunnel's floor and, immediately after, a flat slab of stone protruded out from the bottom edge of the opening, extending out over the pit. Merlin walked onto it and looked left.

Selvina heard the sound of more slabs grinding out of the wall and watched Merlin step out onto another one, staying close to the pit's wall. Accolon let Selvina go ahead him and she did, albeit slowly.

Her heart was racing as she walked onto the flat slab of stone that hung over the pit. She looked down, knowing she shouldn't, and saw only darkness. How far down it went was a mystery she wished to never solve. She gazed ahead and noticed the Merlin was constructing a crude sort of ascending spiral staircase alongside the wall of the pit. It had no railing, however, and Selvina stayed as close to the wall as she could as she gingerly raised her foot to the next step. The stone steps weren't slippery but they had a few inches of space between them, enough for a leg to fall through, and the fear of it happening flooded Selvina's mind.

Accolon walked behind her, urging her to hurry. Selvina understood the need for urgency but try as she might she couldn't move any quicker. She felt childish and pathetic for slowing Accolon down and thought of allowing him to pass her but it wouldn't change much. Both men would still need to wait for her to reach the top before doing anything to Iktarosh. They could most likely stop the god's resurrection on their own but it would be unwise to drop a statue down a pit with Selvina still inside it, especially since she'd once again be Faeryum's only hope after the god's disposal.