The Game of the Gods by C G Gaudet

Author:C G Gaudet [Gaudet, C G]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

As Below, So Above

“The symbols on the floor are reflections of those on the door,” Willow hurries to explain. “The difference is that they’re scattered in different locations to make up the skull symbol carved into the floor.”

“If we account for the lava as being a necessary clue to solving the riddle,” Jameson adds just as excitedly, “then we must assume the link between the floor and door is based on timing rather than physical nearness.”

I look to Talie to see if she’s got any better idea what’s going on than I do, but she’s focused on the lava inching toward her feet and how little time we have left. Though she’s clearly being too polite to say as much.

“Quicker would be better guys.”

Jameson rolls his eyes and walks over to the door to press his hand against one of the carved symbols. The moment his flesh touches the stone, an inner glow pulses from the carving.

“We have to touch the symbols in the order they’re engulfed in flame,” he explains in small words just for me, or at least that’s what the annoyance on his face tells me.

A quick discussion between Willow and Jameson have them work out the order of what’s already been covered and what should be next based on the path of the lava.

Jameson hesitates with his hand over the final symbol, his eyes closed as his lips move in unspoken words.

The lava, mere inches from me now, bubbles and splashes just a couple of drops on my boot, but it’s enough to burn a hole clean through the thick leather and onto my foot. Searing pain draws out a scream which I direct all at Jameson.

“Do it now!”

His hand slams against a completely different symbol than the one he was hovering over, and Willow shrieks a warning, but it’s too late. My stomach plummets to my feet as nothing changes. Backing onto the last few inches of floor, I press into both Willow and Talie who are forced to do the same.

I hold my breath and wait for the lava to engulf my feet and kill me in the most slow and painful way possible.

A groan of old metal I recognize to be the sound of rusted hinges fills the silence of the room. I peek out one eye, sure I’m must be imagining the sound but there’s the door slightly ajar. I grab the girls and drag them past Jameson who’s grinning like a fool.

“See,” he says as we pass. “It needed to be a mirror image of the symbol, not the perfect copy I nearly pressed. The proper one was hidden between other carvings to create confusion.”

We’re well down the stairs beyond the doorway while he’s still trying to point out his triumph, so I go back to yank him by the arm out of the still lava filled room. I slam the door closed in hopes of stopping the flow from following us into the next room and turn back to Willow and Talie who are hugging with tears in their eyes.

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