Chapter Eighty - Path of Broken Reflections

Chapter Eighty - Path of Broken Reflections

Chapter Eighty-One - In Case of Puzzle, Break Glass

Awen was the first to gravitate over to the light device when we were done dusting ourselves off post-battle.

Awa, this is where the gem goes, she said, pointing to a metallic basket to one side with little fixtures on it. And the rest of this... these are all mirrors and lenses. Its to focus light?

Moon Moon nodded. We make the spinning things spin until it works, he said as he gestured to the base of the device. Below all of the tiny mechanical arms holding bits of glass and small mirrors and even the occasional prism, were rings that circled all the way around the machine.

Awen poked one of these, and a few of the arms shifted and moved. Oh, I see, she said.

Moon Moon pawed over the gem and Awen set it in place. Then she started to spin each ring a little bit. I could actually follow her progress as each motion changed the angles of the mirrors and bits of glass within.

I leaned up against a wall near Amaryllis and tried to calm my breathing down even more. I had spent over a third of my stamina in that one fight. If we had to tackle another glass golem then I wanted to be well-rested for it.

Im not sure what to think of this dungeon, Amaryllis said.

Oh? I asked.

That golem, at level nine. It should have been just a little weaker than the one we faced out of the dungeon. It broke apart the moment it crashed to the floor. Now, Im more than willing to believe that my magic had more of an effect this time because I poured more into it, but it was still too easy.

I shrugged. I guess well see with the next one? I looked down the second corridor. Much as with the first, it ended with a large device on a marble pedestal. The area around it was far darker though, and I couldnt make out many more details.

Perhaps. Somethings off about this place though, Amaryllis said.

I swallowed and tried to dismiss the goosebumps crawling up my arms. I could vividly remember the strange evil roots at the bottom of the Wonderland dungeon. I wondered if they had made it all the way here too.

Awa!

I looked up to see Awen shifting one of the rings just a tiny bit, then the entire device clicked and a beam of light so strong it was almost visible cut across the corridor and over to the base of the next device.

Good good! Moon Moon said. Usually we just spin and spin for a long time until we figure it out.

Are, um, we ready? Awen asked.

I hefted my shovel. I guess so, I said. Shall we?

We all kind of paused when we arrived at the next intersection. There were two golems holding a gem each.

Thats not the same, Moon Moon said. Usually there is one.

Well, thats a bit of a pickle, I said. Insight?

A Glass Golem Gem Guardian, level 8.

A Glass Golem Gem Guardian, level 8.

Theyre a level lower, I said.

That shouldnt make too much of a difference. Well need to either focus on one or split our attention to two of them.

I hummed as I thought about it. We could try to knock them together? We have some rope.

Too likely to give them some momentum in the fight.

We could bite and chomp on both. Moon Moon suggested.

Sure, I said. Amaryllis, you and Moon Moon take the one to the left? Youre our strongest members. So take it down fast please? Awen and I will take the one to the right?

Awa, you trust me that much?

I blinked. Huh? I mean, yeah, of course.

Amaryllis, for her part, just shifted her shoulders and wiggled her wings to unlimber herself. Very well. Lets make this quick.

I eyed the golem I would be fighting with Awens help. With just the two of us it would be a much more even fight, and a far more dangerous one.

Like the last golem, this one had a lot of imperfections in its glassy surface. One of its arms looked partially melted, a rainbow of different colour glass all mixing together and coming to a point.

Ready! Amaryllis said.

Right, I muttered as I got ready to jump. If I could get it to crash, then Awen could smack it dead. Go!

I bounced forwards and shot up to the golems head.

It glowed to life moments before I reached it and started to lurch forwards while the gem hovering before it slipped into its chest.

I placed a foot on the golems head and used it to push myself over the monster, then, while at the apex of my jump, I rammed my shovel down atop its flat head.

My spade bounced off, and I had to refocus before I went splat on the wall behind the golem.

I was just recuperating from my landing when I heard Awen scream.

Turning, I saw a large glass spike racing for my head. I ducked, but was still sent flying as the spike smacked me on the helmet.

I rolled, getting back to my feet as quickly as I could. That hurt a little, but it was about as painful as when you tried to pick up an eraser under a desk and raised your head too fast. It hurt, and my eyes watered a bit, but Id live.

I saw Awen race over to the golem and deliver a heavy two-handed blow to the joint between his base and one of its legs. The glass splintered, but held.

Duck! I called just in time for Awen to dip under another swing of its spiked arm.

I ran back at the golem while trying to figure out a plan. Nothing was coming to me though except the idea of hitting it as hard as I could as often as I could.

Then the golem started to glow from within.

Awen, find cover! I said a moment before I jumped and rolled behind the device in the centre of the intersection. Awen soon joined me.

The air grew a bit warmer as the golem fired.

Not at us, but towards our friends.

Moon Moon yelped and jumped into the air before he started to smack his flank where a hole was now burnt through his leather shorts.

Sorry! I called out to him.

What do we do? Awen asked.

I chewed on my lip. I didnt have the oomph necessary to break its tough hide. Awen did, but her hammer...

Oh, I said. Im going to shove my shovel into it. You hammer it in as hard as you can while I distract it, okay?

Awaa, alright!

I took a deep breath, rolled out from behind our cover, and bolted towards the golem.

It turned to face me, its giant spike pointed right at me.

At the last moment I wove under the spike, grabbed onto my shovel as if it was a javelin, and rammed it as hard and fast as I could into the golems chest.

I heard the pitter-patter of Awens feet as she came up behind me and my spade shook as she hammered it in.

The tool sunk into the golem with a crack, and hundreds of fractures ran out of the wound, but it was still alive.

Awen squeaked before she was batted aside by the golems normal arm. Its spiky arm shot out towards me to try and turn me into a Broccoli kebab.

I spun out of the way, then ducked under its next blow. Awen! Try to hit the spade again! I called out. I would act as a distraction while she got ready.

Yeah, Moon Moon said. Suiting action to words, he squatted onto all fours and began padding across the bridge. It looked as if he was walking on empty air, kind of like how Orange did all the time.

The cat in question yawned and started walking ahead of me, pausing a little ways down to look back and see if we were following.

Well, I for one can fly, Amaryllis said.

The book mentioned wires making that dangerous, Awen said. Awa, I think I can see them. She pointed off to the side.

She was right. If I squinted I could just barely catch sight of razor-thin wires sparkling in the sunlight as the wind coursing through the ravine made them wobble a little. There were hundreds of them. And as the wind was sliced apart, there came a sound like a faint and distant hum.

Taking my courage in hand, I stepped onto the bridge, then bounced on it a few times, ears perked for the faintest crack or splintering sound, but it was as solid as stone, if a little more slippery. Well then, I said. lets get a move on?

Awa, Awen said. She closed her eyes as she took her first step, then opened them and looked straight down. I saw her entire body tensing. I couldnt blame her. Looking down to see a hundred foot drop under you was kind of spooky.

Hey, Awen, I said. It might help if you look at me instead of straight down, yeah?

Awen swallowed and tore her eyes up. Oh-okay.

Yeah Awen, Amaryllis said. You keep your eyes on Broccolis backside.

Awa!

We crossed the bridge slowly, as if we were all in our nineties instead of teenagers. Each step was slow and placed just-so on the slippery glass surface, and Im certain that a single crack sound would have been enough to stop all of our hearts.

We have made it, Moon Moon said as he hopped on the opposite ledge. And no one walked off the edge. Good good!

That happened? I asked as I hurried up a little and stepped onto solid stone.

Walks Very Crooked did not make it back from his last trip. It was very sad. But we have made it.

I didnt know quite what to say, so I picked up Orange and set her on my shoulder while the girls caught up with us.

So, this first room, its got a puzzle in it, right?

Yes, Moon Moon said. Its very easy. But we havent tried it since the dungeon went bad.

Lets try to form up, then, Amaryllis said. Broccoli, Moon Moon, you two at the front. Awen and I will take the back. Focus on knocking anything down, Broccoli. Awen can smash them, and Ill fry anything that looks at me funny.

What if I look at you funny? I asked.

You look funny period, she said. Now open that door. Its evening already, despite the light in the Dungeon saying otherwise.

Right-o! I said as I moved over to the door. It had a big brass wheel in the middle, with spokes poking out of it and two rods that slotted into the walls on either side to keep it locked. A bit of grunting, some twisting, and then even more grunting later, the door was sliding open on a pair of hinges that were as thick around as my thighs.

The room beyond the door was like a cathedral. Faint light illuminated the room from behind monolithic stained-glass windows and the walls were made of large grey bricks. The passageway we stepped into curved off to the left a ways, only stopping at a large device that looked like a sextant with about a hundred extra arms. There was another passage branching off that one and veering off to the right, but I couldnt see far into that one without being at the intersection myself.

Moon Moon moved ahead of us and pointed to the device. Thats the thing, he said. You need to make the light go from that thing to the next thing.

What light? I asked as I approached the weird device. It was the size of a small car, and set atop a marble plinth as if it was a piece of art. It was certainly pretty enough.

That one, Moon Moon said.

I followed his pointing finger to the wall behind the device. A glowing gem floated, suspended between two glass hands just before the opened chest of a strange statue.

Amaryllis, can you shine some light that way? I asked.

Ive been demoted to team lamppost, Amaryllis griped. Still, she pointed a light towards the gem and that end of the room lit up.

The statue-thing holding the gem was a glass golem, similar to the one we had fought outside of the dungeon, but... warped. Its surface wasnt made of as many clean lines, instead it was broken up and covered in tiny asymmetrical bumps and bubbles just under the surface, like really old window panes. One of its four legs even looked a bit shorter than the others.

When you reach for the glowing rock, itll eat it. You need to beat it up to get it back, Moon Moon explained.

It wont try to fight until then? I asked as I took off my backpack and pushed it into a nook to the side. I carefully placed Orange atop it and gave the kitty a pat on the head.

No, Moon Moon said. But without its glowy thing you cant move on. Its like this three times.

It was right up against the wall, so there was no sneaking around it. In fact, the best place to fight it would be a little bit deeper into the corridor.

I brought my shovel around and tried to think on how best to tackle the golem. In the end I went for simplicity first. Okay. Moon Moon, you try to grab the gem. Im going to kick it from behind. Amaryllis, hit it in the leg as hard as you can without making us all go deaf. Awen, if her attack doesnt break its leg, youll do the honours. If it doesn't fall from that, we break another leg, then we dogpile it.

I like this plan, Moon Moon said. Usually we all just jump on it and rip and tear until its done.

I grinned. Everyone ready?

Amaryllis flicked her wrist, revealing that magic dagger she sometimes used, and Awen fumbled her hammer out of her belt and nodded at me.

Go Moon Moon!

The droll leapt ahead, tail wiggling behind him as he pounced onto the glass golems chest and swiped at the gem.

It was sucked into the monsters chest before he could so much as touch it.

Insight, I muttered.

A Glass Golem Gem Guardian, level 9.

Its level nine, I said before firing off towards the creature with a burst of stamina. I planted one foot on its head, then hopped towards the wall behind it. There wasnt much space between the golem and the wall, which was exactly what I wanted.

Spending all of my stamina on the first fight would have been silly. So I kept a bit in reserve as I kicked the golem with my back pressed up against the wall for support.

The lumbering glass giant stumbled forwards a couple of ungainly steps.

Close your eyes! Amaryllis screamed.

I did as she asked while landing in a crouch behind the golem. I even pressed my hands over my ears for good measure.

It was partially wasted. The clap of her lightning attack shook the room and left me with a huge greenish-white mark across my vision even through closed eyelids.

It did a number on the golem though, sending a spider web of cracks through one of its better legs and turning its surface black.

Ah-awa! Awen screamed as she ran over to the monster and with a full body swing to give her attack some weight, smashed her hammer into the creatures leg.

It splintered.

The golem tipped.

Awens eyes widened as the huge construct started to fall on a direct path towards her.

I shot out of my crouch and dove across the floor to tackle her out of the way.

Everything shook as the golem fell onto its side and exploded into thousands of glassy splinters that showered down on the two of us. I did my best to shield both myself and Awen until the last piece of glass tinkled to the floor.

Then, as one, all the shards started to fade away.

Congratulations! You have busted Glass Golem Gem Guardian, level 9. Bonus Exp is granted for breaking a construct above your level! Due to combating as a team your reward is reduced!

Awaaa, Awen whispered.

I looked down to her flushed face and grinned. Sorry about that, I said.

N-no, Awen said. I dont mind.

That was easy! Moon Moon said as he plucked the glowing gem from the fading remains of the golem. No loot though.

I hopped to my feet, then helped Awen up. Ill take easy, I said. Now, lets figure out this thing and keep on moving!

***