Title of the Book by Anthony Ryan

Author:Anthony Ryan [Lastname, Firstname J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, dark, demons, deities, quest, sword, anthony ryan
Published: 2020-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The Riddle

The tunnel’s glow lessened somewhat as they proceeded, the passage eventually coming to an abrupt halt where it met a ledge less than a yard across. Below lay a chasm, its depths lost to the shadows, whilst the gap between the ledge and the flat expanse of stone beyond was spanned by a bridge. It was constructed of two elegant arcs of stone, meeting at the summit of a massive rough-hewn pillar that rose from the void below where it widened to form a platform.

Guyime’s gaze was soon captured by the spectacle of the granite wall opposite the platform which had been fashioned by means unknown to resemble a giant human face. It would probably have retained a noble aspect but for the deep crevices decades of dripping water had carved into its surface. Consequently, the visage that confronted them as they crossed to the bridge’s central platform appeared to be that of a scarred, agonised victim to some dread wasting disease. The impression of a soul in pain was heightened by its open mouth, as if frozen in mid-scream.

“Akrius?” Guyime asked Lexius.

“Most likely.” The slave’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the stone features, blinking in recognition as they tracked upwards. “There’s an inscription carved into the forehead. I believe it to be archaic Valkerin but the lettering is too worn to fully transcribe.” He looked to Calandra. “Mistress, if you could…”

She raised her arm, fingers splaying to emit a stream of lightning from each fingertip. However, instead of striking out the bolts floated away, twisting and entwining to form a bright ball of luminescence. Calandra kept her arm outstretched, guiding the ball towards the face then up so that it threw the lettering etched into its heavy brows into stark relief.

Guyime had sufficient knowledge to translate most Valkerin text but the unusual grouping of the characters and unfamiliar phrasing made this a difficult message to decipher. Lexius, by contrast, did so in mere seconds.

“Ahhh.” The slave let out a soft exhalation of satisfaction. “We have our riddle. ‘I soar yet have…’”

His voice was drowned out by a large thunderous rumble from above, the din accompanied by the grind and squeal of heavy metal. Dust cascaded from the cavern’s roof along with several large boulders as the vibration displaced loose granite. Guyime felt the platform tremble beneath his boots and worried for a moment that this ancient bridge might be about to fall, then it stopped.

Silence reigned as they exchanged glances, Seeker allowing a rare smile of relief to play over her lips. The smile, however, soon widened into a shout of alarm as a whooshing noise came from the shadows to their front, accompanied almost immediately by an identical sound to the rear.

A huge crescent-shaped blade came sweeping out of the gloom, fixed to the end of a lever the size of a tall pine. Guyime whirled in time to see another swing out of the shadows behind. They impacted the right and left spans of the bridge simultaneously, cutting through both like steel through paper.

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