The Gauntlet ( A Fantasy Novella) (5 page)

“I won’t. I’ve always put myself first, but I will help others if the situation allows.”

Typical Janna, Ash thought. They both smiled at each other. Ash had yet to hear Janna laugh and he looked forward to the day that he would.

Ugg regained consciousness not long after Janna had fallen asleep. He graciously welcomed the extra food Ash handed to him and quickly finished the portion. The two men sat with their backs to each other, each supporting the other, and facing either end of the path.

“Good job I left my sword because I can hardly move my right arm,” said Ugg, grimacing as he moved his right shoulder in circular motions.

“Give it time and it will heal. Did you never learn to fight with both hands?” replied Ash.

“No. My right was more than sufficient to deal with the bandits and outcasts in the borderlands, still, I can throw a good punch with my left. I used to box a lot when I was younger, well, I say box, more like teenage scraps. I won every brawl I fought in, albeit at the cost of sacrificing my nose, teeth and ears to scars and breakages.”

“That is good to hear, because I have never thrown a punch in my life.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing, but there is no honour in fighting unless it is defending the defenceless. My fights were wholly unnecessary, breaking noses and blacking eyes over the smallest of grievances. I am ashamed now looking back but I was young and didn’t know better. Trust me, Ash, if the time comes when you need to fight - your natural instincts will come through. You will fight, kick, bite, spit and do whatever it takes to survive. Fight dirty, there are no rules when men are rolling in the ground with their hands grasping at each other’s necks.”

“Thanks for the advice, I’ll bear that in mind. So, have you…” Ash paused and thought about the question before asking. “Have you killed anyone with your bare hands before?”

“It’s fine to ask. Yes, sadly, and believe me, it feels a lot more raw than killing someone with your sword. You know, it’s not the bandits’ faces that I remember as my sword sliced through their bodies like butter. It’s the fifteen year old boy I strangled in a back alley when I was fourteen after he tried to mug me and then kill me with a knife.”

Ash was taken aback by Ugg’s frank admittance.

“You did what you had to.”

“I know, and if I didn’t I’d be long dead. Have you killed anyone?”

“Once, when a deranged man broke into the citadel and entered the Throne Room with a knife. I had no choice, but that was a long time ago, nearly fifteen years and I haven’t see any action since.”

The two men sat in silence for a good deal of time before Ugg woke Janna for her watch and thanked her repeatedly for saving his life. The rotation continued until dawn when all three were up and ready to go.

“Ugg, you take my knife. It is better you have it than I. Then that just leaves you unarmed Ash but at least you can swing both fists!” said Janna.

“Don’t worry about me, Ugg taught me some tricks last night while you were sleeping. I’ll be fine. From what Ugg told me he isn’t exactly defenceless with only his left arm.”

“I don’t doubt it, but I think this a good arrangement for all of us.”

The three knights proceeded onwards. The route led them right, left and right again, without any end in sight to the maze. They continued marking arrows in the ground and suppressed their frustration.

“I could have sworn that scream came from close by but clearly it didn’t,” said Ash.

“This maze loves to play tricks on its captives. The acoustics are all over the place. There is another junction ahead, whose turn is it to choose?” asked Janna.

“Mine,” replied Ugg. “No change for me, as usual.”

“Right it is then,” muttered Janna.

The three of them turned right and straight away Janna notched an arrow to her bow. On the ground ahead of them was a body, face down and with green blood oozing out of its slender legs and mid-rift. It was not human.

“What is that?” asked Ugg. “Don’t get too close, Janna, it may be a trap. Fire an arrow into its head just to make sure.”

Janna pulled back the string, ready to release the arrow but she didn’t.

“I can hear more metallic noises again, you two go ahead. I will stay with the body. Check what is around the corner, quickly.”

Ash and Ugg ran ahead and turned the corner. What greeted them shocked them to their core.

“Well, what is it?” shouted Janna.

“It’s a…I can hardly believe it. It’s a gauntlet like we passed through. Exactly the same in layout, an axe at the front, then swords and spinning blades and all with the same timings,” shouted back Ash.

“There is blood on the last blade,” said Ugg. “Yes, look, there is a trail leading to the body. Whatever it is didn’t make it through and bled out. What is going on here?”

Ash and Ugg dashed back to Janna and the unidentified body.

“Whatever this thing is it’s definitely dead, I’m going to turn it over,” said Janna.

Janna flipped the body over. It had pale green skin with two arms and two legs but its facial features were radically different. The three knights were taken aback by the face in front of them, which possessed three black eyes contained within narrow slits, a small elongated nose which drooped over its mouth and no hair whatsoever, anywhere on its body.

“Look at the teeth; they are like a dog’s. Those sharp canines could easily rip apart the toughest meat,” commented Ugg. “The ribs are practically sticking out as well, it’s just skin and bones left.”

“It didn’t come from Harwell, that’s for sure. But whatever it is made it through the maze this far, it did well. There must have been another entrance to the maze, perhaps on the other side?” said Janna.

“Another species is plausible. It’s a big land we live in and the Clouded Mountains have a lot of secrets,” said Ash.

“It could be from across the seas?” queried Ugg.

“Perhaps. It doesn’t look equipped with weapons, maybe it shed them like we did. There might be more of them, though, we should be extra careful. They are obviously as intelligent as us to make it this far,” said Janna.

“We heard two screams, one last night and, presumably, the one coming from this thing. We should expect to find another body,” said Ash.

“After this, who knows what we will find next?” replied Janna.

Janna knelt down and inspected the dead body.

“It is very thin, unless this is the natural body shape for this species? I suspect it was starving like us. We should not waste an opportunity like this, this is the first meat we have come across since leaving the peaceful valley. It will not have much meat but we need the sustenance.”

Ash and Ugg looked at each other with a sense of disbelief.

“You don’t mean what I think you do? I’m not eating that,” remarked Ugg.

“Why not? It’s not cannibalism if it’s not our species. Think of it as a dead rabbit or antelope. This body will save our lives, we should be gracious for it. This is survival in here – at all costs.”

Janna took her knife back from Ugg and carved off pieces of meat from the thigh, arms and mid-rift. There wasn’t much, but it was protein which their bodies sorely craved for. Upon looking at the slender pieces of meat Ash and Ugg couldn’t help but notice how hungry they actually were and their stomachs began to rumble.

“Let’s cook it at least, we don’t want to poison ourselves,” said Ash.

They started a small fire and roasted the lean strips of meat.

“If this thing had a friend, let’s hope it did die because if it sees us cooking and eating its buddy, well, there goes any amiable first encounters,” said Ash.

“I admit it smells good, but let’s see what it tastes like,” said Ugg.

Ugg ate a piece, it wasn’t as nice as eating normal red meat but it was satisfying to chew and made him realise how much he had missed eating meat.

Ash began to laugh: “Look at us, sat in the middle of a maze under strange skies feasting on an unknown species who we have no clue about. None of this makes any sense, yet I am happy, in a strange way.”

“A hearty meal is the best moral boost any one can wish for. We cannot waste anything we come across from now on, no matter how disgusting it may seem. If it keeps us alive, we will do it,” said Janna.

“Does that include eating one of us if we die?” asked Ugg.

“If I die you can eat my body, yes. I’ll be dead so I will hardly care, will I? You would honour me by using my body to save your lives,” replied Janna.

“Let’s not try to talk about such grim matters if we can help it. No one will die. I wonder what drove this thing into the maze?” said Ash.

“A quick change of subject but very well, I guess the same reasons as us: curiosity, pressure from society,” said Janna. “We shouldn’t stay here long, there is still plenty of daylight left for us to explore and hopefully get out of this maze.”

“And the body? Should we bury it?” asked Ash.

“Let’s not waste our time. It’s dead. It would take ages to dig a hole with just our hands and this knife, besides, we would expend the energy we just consumed eating it.”

They finished eating the last of the meat. Janna dispersed the embers of the fire and began to walk away. Ugg followed Janna straight away, but Ash paused to say his thanks to the unknown creature. He thought about whether it had a loved one and, if it did, would they ever discover its fate?

“Come on, Ash, the dead do not listen. You are too sentimental sometimes,” shouted Janna.

“That is not a bad thing,” spoke Ash quietly under his breath. The knight left to catch his companions up and couldn’t help but think about how cold Janna was with her emotions. While beautiful on the outside, she was, Ash thought, a little heartless and numb on the inside. Although that’s what also made her the strongest in many ways, he reasoned. All three had their own strengths which complimented the group dynamic for the better.

“If I die you can eat my body, just bury my bones, please. That is my only wish. There is something so undignified about being left to rot in the open. I don’t like seeing open bones,” said Ash.

The three knights continued navigating the maze until the sun set once more and, for another night, they rested. They did not hear any more screams, nor did they talk much, for the frustration and tedium of the maze was beginning to agitate them all.

At dawn they set off once more, hoping – and secretly praying – this would be the day they escaped the maze. Their water was running low, if they didn’t get out soon it would be their graveyard. It was windier today and the morning sky appeared a dusty red, streaked with pale white clouds. As they progressed the ground began to change, becoming sandier while the hedgerows appeared to fade from their brilliant dark green towards lighter greens and yellows.

All three of the knights sensed a change was coming and hastened their pace without realising it, anticipating the imminent exit. It didn’t take long for their prayers to be answered. At the next left an exit appeared to them, a similar sized hole in the hedgerow like at the entrance and joyfully, they escaped their two-and-a-half day prison.

“We made it,” proclaimed Ugg. “Never doubted that we wouldn’t!”

The environment around the maze was similar: a flat plain but dominated by an orange sand instead of gravel.

“It’s dry and arid, just what we don’t need,” said Ash.

“I’m not sure, in the distance I can see something. I hope it is water and not a cruel trick of the sun again,” said Janna.

Ugg focused on the distance. On the horizon there shimmered what appeared to be a lake and some palm trees.

“I do not believe it is a trick, there are trees and where they grow there must be water. We should head that way for certain.”

“There is something even stranger beyond the trees, an undulating orange line dominating the horizon,” said Ash.

“They are sand dunes. I saw the same at the coastline on the eastern borderlands. But these ones look to be much larger,” replied Ugg.

“Let’s get to the trees first,” said Janna.

All three of them were happy to put the maze behind them and they briskly walked towards the distant trees. The temperature was notably hotter on this side of the maze and the knights dripped in sweat as they trudged along the sandy, gravel floor. It was tough going but gradually the trees became closer and the crests of the orange sand dunes behind them rose higher and higher. A hundred metres away from the trees the three knights were in no doubt about the presence of water. They ran eagerly to the water and collapsed on their knees at its edge, scooping the clear, precious liquid into their mouths and over their cracked, dry lips. It was an oasis on the edge of a desert, a large natural spring where groundwater rose up and gave life to palm trees and other fruitful blooms.

“This tastes better than ale. It’s so clean,” said a cheerful Ugg.

“I don’t know about you two but I could use a good wash,” said Ash, as he began to take off his dirty and ragged clothes. Ash kept his underwear on though, not wanting to be disrespectful to Janna. He waded in and the water depth reached his chest but no higher.

“I think I’ll join him, are you coming?” asked Ugg to Janna.

“In a bit, I’ll just check the surroundings first. I want to make sure it’s safe.”

“It is, we can relax here. You can relax here. It’s like the valley of peace we were in, a reward for our hard work and a place to replenish our reserves.”

“Or just a natural feature. Water gives life, I want to make sure we and the trees are not the only ones living round here. This could still be a trick.”

Ugg didn’t argue any further and, smiling, waded into the water to join Ash. It was relatively cool, despite being scorched under the sun.

“Where is she going?” enquired Ash.

“To scout the area. She takes a long time to trust anyone or anything, no matter how tranquil it appears on the surface.”

“The water will do her good, but it’s probably best us two give her some space if she wants to bathe. When we set off to the dunes we can go earlier than her and wait for her to catch up, if that sounds reasonable?”

“It does. By the way I noticed your reaction to her back in the maze, after we’d eaten that thing. She’s not completely heartless, at least I don’t think so,” smiled Ugg.

“No? I get the feeling she would kill me if I was a hindrance to her completing this quest, or test, or whatever it is.”

“She likes you, I think. Remember she dragged your sorry ass out of the water back at the fall. She’s just a realist. Strong, focused and not obsessed with the woes of the dead like you. I think the mundane life of being a guard has shielded you from the cold, hardened reality of our world. The world outside the citadel. One which Janna and I are, sadly, all too familiar with.”

“I know all about death, believe me, but that doesn’t mean you have to get used to it. I’m not a religious man, but I want to believe that we all deserve better than lying on a ground somewhere as a meal for the next person or animal to come along.”

“It’s obvious to me that your duty in the citadel has changed you. You should have been with me on patrol, we sure could have had some fun together slaying bears, boars and bandits! We’d have made a great team.”

The two men were so engrossed in conversation they didn’t notice Janna had returned from her scout.

“Well, gentlemen, it is safe here. Now, do I have to ask or can I just presume?” said Janna.

“She knows us so well. Let us go for a walk and dry off, Ash. Those sand dunes look like they need exploring, what do you say?”

“We’ll wait for you by the highest dune, enjoy the water!”

Ash and Ugg collected their possessions, while their water and food pouches had already been restocked by Janna with what little scraps she could forage.

“See, she does like you or she wouldn’t have refilled your food and water. I’m still her favourite though, she gave me a few more dates,” laughed Ugg.

The two men walked away to leave Janna to bathe alone. They reached the edge of the desert after a short distance and gazed up in wonder at the crescent dunes, both majestic in their shape and equally daunting in size. Wisps of sand blew from the peaks and off the dune crests.

“They are beautiful. I have never seen such a wondrous landscape before,” said Ash.

“Going to be a pain to walk up though. I’m tired just thinking about it, the small ones on the beaches were tough enough.”

“In the maze we were physically confined, but once we are deep in those dunes we will also be their prisoner.”

“Nothing new. We have been prisoners since we first entered that devious chasm between the rocks.”

Ugg sat on the floor, his back cracked as he did so and his knees popped. He let out a small groan and said: “My body is breaking. I hope there is a masseuse at the end, I badly need one. My shoulder’s not too bad though. It could have been much worse.”

“I have thought a lot about the end, if there even is one. I’ve concluded that there is probably just a sea, with a small boat on the beach and another horizon waiting to be explored.”

“That sounds terrible. I’d prefer a dead end, then at least we have closure. I hate mysteries.”

Janna was approaching the knights, her distant figure gradually transforming from a vertical, blurry line into a slender, tall woman. She looked radiant and reborn, the oasis had done her the world of good. Ash noticed that Janna, looking very comfortable as she approached the men, looked like she had always lived here. Like she could have been a native of, what were to him, anyway, strange and exotic lands.

“Well, here we are again, on the verge of entering another unknown,” Janna said.

“Let’s get to the top of this dune first and see what we’re facing. You look good, Janna,” said Ash.

Janna was taken aback by the compliment and only nodded back to Ash in response, before beginning the ascent of the sand dune. Ugg winked at Ash, suspecting Janna had secretly liked what the knight had said.

They trudged up the imposing dune, quickly becoming exhausted as their legs sunk deep into the orange sand. The hot, desiccating wind that rolled down from the crest fought against their ascent and made it even more difficult.

“I’m knackered, you two go on ahead and I’ll meet you at the top,” said an exhausted Ugg.

“I’ll wait with you, there is no rush,” replied Ash.

Janna continued and reached the crest, although she collapsed onto her knees at the summit to regain her breath.

“Well, what do you see?” shouted Ash a dozen metres below her.

Janna took a moment to eye the landscape and her gaze fixed on one particular feature. She was stunned by what she saw, before finally responding: “I could describe it to you, but you would not believe me until you saw it with your own eyes. I suggest you get up here as quick as possible if you don’t want to wait any longer to find out.”

Ugg’s energy and spirit was renewed upon hearing Janna’s exciting words and, together with Ash, the men reached the summit.

“I think we’ve found our ending. Yes, it has to be,” said Janna.

In the far distance glistened a clear, crystalline tower that twisted upwards from its wide base and gradually spiralled out to a single, golden peak.

“It’s magnificent,” declared Ash.

“It can’t be more than a day’s walk, but it is difficult to fathom the true distance,” said Ugg. “Look, down there, there are tracks in the sand.”

“It was a snake, I saw it make them while you two were climbing. This desert is probably riddled with snakes, most likely the venomous kind.”

“I wish we had our leg guards on. If we don’t interfere with them they will leave us alone,” said Ash.

“This is not like the maze, darkness will be our ally here. The sun will only boil us and make us sweat. We should go back to the water and wait for dusk, then begin the journey,” said Ugg.

“The snakes will be harder to spot at night and perhaps more active,” said Janna.

“I agree with Ugg. We should not underestimate the sun. If this is the final challenge, then we must assume it is the most difficult,” said Ash.

“We will wait then,” said Janna.

“Uh, I forgot that means we have to climb this dune again,” said Ugg.

The three of them turned around but immediately noticed something blurry on the horizon, not far from the exit of the maze.

“Quick, get down,” shouted Janna.

They hurriedly collapsed to the sands and lay flat, with just their heads peeking out over the crest.

“There are four of them, I think, maybe more. It’s those green things, it has to be. Unless there were others also in the maze?” said Ash.

“Hmm, if it’s the green things they may know we ate their friend. They are going to be aggravated,” said Ugg.

“I cannot tell if they are armed but, regardless, there are more of them than us. Do we risk fighting?” said Janna.

“No. We are ahead of them. Let’s keep it that way. They will surely stop at the trees before continuing, it would be suicide to not. I say we take our chances that the tower is the end and get to it first,” said Ash.

“Me too. We are already wasting our lead the more we talk,” said Ugg.

“What are we waiting for then? Come on,” cried Janna.

All three of them scuttled down the dune and, with a fast pace, traversed the sands heading towards the gleaming spire – their guiding beacon. The dunes undulated up and down but none, thankfully, were as large as the first they had climbed. The sand sapped their energy but they were spurred on by the unsettling knowledge that they had strangers behind them, most likely pursuing their footsteps.

The wind was dry and suffering as it blew the sand grains around them. It slowly washed away faint snake trails and the tracks of other creatures – beetles, scorpions and spiders.

“I remember when I first stepped into The Gauntlet I was picturing myself fighting huge monsters with multiple heads or worse. Yet here we are, keeping our distance from beings which are, in many ways, very similar to us in shape,” said Ugg.

“They are not similar to us, they are green. We are all heading to the same destination after battling our way through a series of physical and mental challenges. The end, if that spire is the end, I am certain is not a prize to be shared equally,” said Janna.

“They will undoubtedly see our footsteps in these sands, if they haven’t already picked them up across the gravel plain,” said Ash. “They know we are ahead of them and judging by our footsteps, they too will know that they are not chasing monsters. They are probably just as confused as we are.”

“How do we know we will be the first to arrive at the spire? We could just be the next in a line of hundreds who have made it over the years?” said Ugg.

Janna stayed silent, she hoped Ugg wasn’t right and her gut feeling told her no one had made it yet. She wanted to win.

Ash laughed out loud and proclaimed: “It wouldn’t surprise me if we got there and only one person could enter. If The Gauntlet was only ever meant to be conquered by one. That would be good news for you Janna, as you were first. But the short straw for Ugg and myself. Let’s just hope it isn’t death for second and third place!”

“We are speculating too much, just like before. We’ve got so far because we’ve always kept our heads level, focusing only on the present danger and obstacle ahead. I would suggest a break but sitting down does nothing for our lead,” said Janna.