Chapter 7

The Guardian

The passageway leading down the cavern was long and winding, and seemed to be blocked off by something towards the end of it. The walls of the cave were lined with gemstones that glimmered in the soft glow of a light that was coming from beyond the end.

“Hey Aaron, I don’t know about this. I know we were meant to find a fountain but this seems a little risky, don’t you think?”

Aaron thought for a moment and then chuckled. “You do remember we literally fought a giant spider a few days ago, right?”

The Jester gave out a sigh, and with a defeated look on his face said, “Fine, but if anything happens to me, make sure to keep a hold of my hat, it’s very important to the Jester’s Guild.”

They then began to make their way through the cavern. The path leading from the entrance seemed to vanish as they ventured further into the cave.The gemstones, it seemed, began to glow brighter as they got closer to the source of the light.

“The air, it seems to be getting a lot colder, don’t you think?” said the Jester.

“Uh, yeah I guess it is. Maybe this is an ice cave towards the end. Maybe there’ll be a polar bear waiting to eat us,” Aaron laughed.

“Yeah, real funny Aaron. Look, over there, there’s some sort of mechanism blocking a doorway.”

The Jester pointed forward to a large wooden structure with ancient runes located in front of a door, the only way forward it seemed.

“Hm, these runes seem to be similar to those we found on that rock a while back, the one that told us to go north. These might just be of similar origin, let me scan them real quick.”

Just as before, Aaron scanned the runes using his magic.

“It’s a riddle. It says: Unlock the door, for all to see, but what to use, perhaps a key. Do you still have the key from before?”

“Yes I think so,” the Jester replied. He pulled out the key from his pack and handed it over.

Aaron studied the structure for a bit and then said, “There doesn’t seem to be a keyhole, yet I’m certain this key is what the riddle was referring to.”

Just then, the Jester spotted a section of the mechanism that seemed to be charred, but the wood burned out of it was in the shape of a key.

“Aaron, look here. There is a shape of a key branded into the wood. Try and put it into that.”

Aaron did so and the structure burst into flames, taking seconds to burn up and vanish in a cloud of smoke.

“Hugh… cugh,” the Jester coughed. “What the heck was that?” “Well, we seem to be in now. Let’s go.”

They made their way through the door into a massive room, one filled with gigantic gemstones and a waterfall cascading over some rocks. A bridge was between them and a platform ahead. Sitting atop was the fountain, a large marble structure flowing with crystal clear water glowing brightly in the darkness.

“There it is!” the Jester shouted, “We did it.”

They walked over the bridge towards the fountain and the stream below it, along with the waterfall, began to glow bright purple. A rumbling was heard throughout the chamber and the walls began to shake.

“Uh oh, Aaron. I don’t think that’s good.”

Just then, a piece of wall broke off, but as it fell it began to glow, and two eyes appeared towards the top of it.

Aaron paused, transformed into his electric form and said, “That’s no rock, that’s the Guardian of the Fountain.”