บท 36: Light in the Dark (2)
Growwwlllll…
A guttural rumble erupted from Joseph's stomach, mimicking the thunder rolling across the stormy sky. "Anyone else starving?" he asked, cheeks flushed by embarrassments and hunger that rivalled the clatter of their horses back to the shore.
Eydis, ever practical, rummaged through her seemingly bottomless bag. "No time, Jo," Anna snapped, eyes glued to the approaching storm. "Let's get this night over with!"
But Eydis, with a triumphant flourish, revealed six mouthwatering sandwiches, each layer packed with savoury ham, gooey cheese, and fluffy eggs that beckoned with a tantalising aroma. Her smirk intensified as she placed a second one beside Joseph's.
"Marry me, my Lady!" Joseph blurted, eyes widening beyond reason. If she conjured these culinary masterpieces daily, this whole ridiculous quest was almost worth it.
Eydis chuckled, a rich sound that sent shivers down his spine. "Get in line, big boy." Her gaze swept over the other nobles, faces contorted in a mix of surprise and disapproval. Humility wasn't exactly her middle name.
Adam, fidgety as ever, managed a hesitant, "You're…um, very prepared."
An unreadable smile tugged at Eydis' lips. "Just call it foresight," she purred, a soft hum escaping her as she watched the night stretch before them. It was going to be a long one.
Fuelled by the hearty sandwiches, they reached the shore just as the sky unleashed its fury, cold rain stinging their faces. The lighthouse, a beacon of hope amidst the swirling darkness, stood defiant against the elements. Adam, ever the diplomat, volunteered to secure a boat. After a tense negotiation, generously spiced with sapphires, they were afloat, the cost barely denting the Sapphire budget.
But as her shivering teammates huddled for warmth, Eydis turned to Joseph, her head tilted expectantly.
"What... seriously?" The red-haired boy caught on, huffing, "No, I'm not your personal furnace!"
Eydis simply tilted her head further, her gaze holding the playful glint of a predator toying with its prey. "Come on, Jo," she coaxed, her voice dripping with honeyed amusement. "You know what they say – no free lunch. And you, my hot friend, are radiating enough heat to warm a small castle."
Joseph's heart hammered against his ribs, confused by the rollercoaster of emotions she evoked. One moment he was smitten by her generosity, the next doused in a bucket of icy realism. This girl was infuriatingly…magnetic. Was it truly necessary for a mighty fire mage to be reduced to a heat source?
Before he could protest further, Elias, his hair hanging like limp seaweed, broke in. "You heard the lady. Light it up."
Fists clenched, Joseph muttered a curse under his breath as he seated himself behind Anna. The storm shrieked around them, icy rain stinging their faces like a thousand needles. Yet, a curious warmth radiating from Joseph's body, spreading to his companions, defying the weather.
Hope flickered in Anna's eyes as she stopped before a rusted gate buried beneath the frothing waves. "Right here," she said, her voice barely audible over the roar of the sea. "Anyone can dive, Adam? Can you get us through?"
Adam's ears twitched like a startled rabbit. A grin, wide as the storm itself, split his face, chasing away the shadows that clung to his ocean-blue eyes. "Course I can!" he exclaimed, a mischievous glint in his ocean-blue eyes. With a flick of his wrist, a pulsating blue orb bloomed in his palm, casting an ethereal glow on their faces. "Been practising since I was small," he added, a touch of pride lacing his voice. "This nifty little bubble will keep us breathing underwater. Let's make a splash!"
Eydis observed Elias's expression shift from surprise to a flicker of something warmer—a subtle softening of his gaze. "Clever," she thought, a silent laugh bubbling in her chest. It was an ingenious solution, a far cry from excessive displays of power like parting the ocean. Adam, catching the tail end of her thought, flushed a charming crimson. The heat of the bubble seemed to intensify, or maybe it was just the way his ears twitched again.
"Keep that torch burning, Light-bringer," Eydis teased Joseph, who grunted in grudging agreement. The pressure built with every inch of descent, a cold vise squeezing her chest. But before the discomfort could bloom, a warm hand clasped her arm, a silent reassurance. She would have swooned at the chivalrous gesture, if only the prince in question wasn't already claimed by another. Elias's brow furrowed, a hint of annoyance flickering across his face at her playful jab.
At a time like this, her curse seemed to transform into her strength. Adam requested the team to avoid talking if absolutely necessary to preserve the oxygen in the air pocket. However, Eydis could communicate without opening her mouth, a privilege envied by her teammates at this moment.
Their faces lit up with excitement as they approached what seemed like the gate. However, upon further inspection, there were seven other identical ones, forming an octagonal shape. Emma, Terravale's telekinetic powerhouse, had tried every trick in her book, but the gates remained stubbornly shut. Hope dwindled as fast as their precious oxygen, painting their faces with a grim despair.
Just as the bubble's glow began to flicker, an ethereal voice, laced with a hint of defiance, echoed through their minds. It was Eydis, the cursed commoner, and her words were as unexpected as they were welcome as she recited the riddles from sheer memory.
"As shadows sway, eight arms confide, Celestial light on the ocean's tide. Whispers hum where kraken hides, Decipher the course, where nature presides."
"Eight arms... as shadows dispersed... celestial light... Could it be?" mused Adam as the storm's final wail faded, leaving only the whisper of the wind and the rhythmic sigh of the waves. Moonlight, unveiled by the retreating rain, bathed the lighthouse in an ethereal glow. It was then he noticed them – hidden numbers on each door, pulsating in celestial blue.
As he read the engraving on each door, Adam mentally noted the numbers in the sequence: "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8." His heart stuttered in his chest, hope rising like a tide before crashing into the reef of confusion. Was it a simple order, ascending or descending? Or something more complex, a mathematical sequence he couldn't decipher?
Without a word, Emma surged towards the first door, her eyes blazing with desperation. Her magic crackled, but the stone remained impassive, a silent mockery of their dwindling time. Despair carved lines on her face as she pivoted to the eighth door, a desperate gamble.
A slow and heavy groan echoed as the ancient portal yielded. Blue light spilled out, dispelling the encroaching darkness. Relief, as fragile as bubbles, permeated the air. Peeking inside, they discovered another wall blocking their path. Realising that all eight doors must be opened for the inner wall to rise, Emma, fueled by newfound determination, set her sights on the seventh door. Yet, the stone stubbornly refused to yield.
Thunder rattled the ancient doors, the sound a primal roar echoing through the chamber. Moonlight waned, the numbers on the stone numerals flickering like dying embers. With every tick of the clock, the air in their bubbles thinned, a chilling reminder of their dwindling time.
Adam's fingers, slick with cold sweat, gripped the edge of the stone. Eight was correct, but seven… What then? The blue light from the gate pulsed, a dying heartbeat against the encroaching darkness.
'What next?' Adam thought, his eyes darted around, searching for another clue, another whisper of hope. The numbers, cold and mocking, offered no solace. Time, a relentless tide, threatened to drown them in the suffocating darkness.
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