Chapter 26: Choices, choices!

  Lorna stopped after passing by the lake. She held up her hand and they slowly caught up with her. in front they could see three tunnels. Each tunnel was marked with a colour - blue, green and red.

  “Any clues on which to choose?” Billy asked.

  Lorna shook her head.

  “I choose blue for water,” Yuki said.

  “It could be blue for air,” Su Li said.

  “Either way, I don’t want to be fighting underwater or flying things,” Billy said.

  “How do you know we will be fighting?” Trevor asked. “It could be a puzzle type dungeon.”

  “I somehow think our demonic friends are much into coded puzzles. While there may be some problem-solving elements and vicious traps, I am sure there will also be a shitload of fighting.”

  Lorna nodded. “I think Billy is right. The trap part worries me. We all need to be alert.”

  “So,” Billy said. “Given that the colour maybe related to an element, red is probably fire based. Which to me means that green is the safer route.”

  “So we go green then?” Yuki asked.

  “No, we go red.”

  They all looked at him.

  “You have to think like a demon. I think red will be the easiest route. This is a low-level dungeon so I think we can deal with the level of fire and heat here. I am not sure we can deal with whatever is down the blue or green tunnels.”

  “If you are wrong about this...” Lorna said.

  “If I am wrong then we can backtrack.”

  Billy could tell that initially he did not have a lot of support but then...

  “I agree with Billy,” Trevor said. “I think they want us to take green and I think it’ll be a nightmare.”

  “What if they are trying to trick a demon?” Su Li said, “What if they think ‘Ah, demon Bob will think red is easy therefore let’s burn that mofo alive.’”

  They all nodded after a moment.

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  Billy threw his hands up in the air. “Look Su Li may be right, Trevor maybe right but we will never know for certain until we choose one.”

  “Let’s vote then,” Trevor said.

  While Billy was happy that Trevor was finding his voice in the group, he was not sure that this was the best time. Still they did deserve the right to choose their own fate. He was their leader not their king.

  “Ok,” Billy said.

  Lorna pulled a face at him.

  Billy and Trevor chose the red tunnel. Su Li and Yuki chose the blue tunnel. And, of course, Lorna chose the green tunnel.

  “Look like we’re are tied,” Billy said. “Lorna you will have to recast your vote.”

  She stared at him and then looked at the two tunnels in question.

  Finally, she said, “Blue!”

  Billy sighed. “Ok, blue is. Everyone get ready. Drink some water from your flasks, not from the suspicious-looking lake, and then let’s go.”

  They had all entered the tunnel when a large metal gate slammed down behind them.

  “No going back then,” Billy said. “Gotcha!”

  ###

  The tunnel was not completely dark .Even without torches there was enough flourescent light from the faintly glowing patches on the wall for them to see far enough to walk safely. And so far there had not been a sign of a trap.

  They had been walking through the tunnel for about five minutes until they could see more light in front of them. The tunnel opened out onto a thin ledge.

  “Wow! said Yuki. ”It is so beautiful.”

  “Shit!” said Billy.

  This was worse than fighting underwater. in front of him, all he could see a vast array of floating islands. Beneath the floating islands was a vast ocean. A large leviathan came surging out of the water and smashed down. The water split beneath it with a loud crack.

  “I’m guessing those are not vegetarian,” Trevor said.

  Even Su Li seemed lost for words.

  “Well,” said Lorna it seems we have to get over to the other side.”

  ###

  The tunnel was not completely dark. Even without torches there was enough fluorescent light from the faintly glowing mushrooms – blue mushrooms of course –for them to see far enough to walk safely. And so far, there had not been a sign of a trap.

  They had been walking through the tunnel for about five minutes until they could see more light in front of them. The tunnel opened out onto a thin ledge.

  “Wow! said Yuki. “It is so beautiful.”

  “Shit!” said Billy.

  This was worse than fighting underwater. in front of him all he could see a vast array of floating islands. Beneath the floating islands was a vast ocean. A large leviathan came surging out of the water and smashed down. The water split beneath it with a loud crack.

  “I’m guessing those are not vegetarian,” Trevor said.

  Even Su Li seemed lost for words.

  “Well,” said Lorna it seems we just have to get over to the other side.”

  ###

  Billy steeled his nerves and moved closer to the edge. The nearest island was a four-foot jump away. An easy enough jump, especially with their stronger bodies. He could also see that further along the distance between the islands grew larger. But that wasn’t the worst part in Billy’s mind. The problem was the depths. The ocean had to be at least a hundred metres below them. He was not scared of heights, but he was definitely scared of depths.

  “Don’t worry,” Su Li said. “The water will break your fall.”

  “From this height the water will break my body. Then the monsters will chew up the pieces.”

  “Bah, people have dived from higher than this and survived. You might be right about the monsters, though.”

  “Cheers, Su Li. I feel so much better now.”

  “Ha, Billy! You think too much. It is like a platform game.”

  “I somehow doubt it will be that straightforward.”

  “Come on,” Lorna said. “Time is wasting.”