“You’ll be fine, just remember, nothing is as it seems in here. You can eat the fruit but eat too much and you’ll end up wishing you hadn’t. Good luck,” Arel says, gracing me with a thumbs up as he and Caelan walk back out the tree door, closing it behind them.
My eyes linger on the door for the longest time, waiting to see if this is just some joke they’re playing on me, but the door appears to be locked tight. I try feeling my way around the frame, looking for a hidden handle or switch to open the door, despite the warning not to try.
My fingers feel some rough wood that moves a little. I dig my fingers in and pull gently, the door shudders, and a branch smacks into me, throwing me onto my back. Groaning with theimpact, I stand and flip off the door, the branch swings back out again. But this time, I jump back to avoid being hit again. Temperamental door.
Being almost midday, my stomach starts to rumble, but I refuse to taste those strange fruits if I don’t have to.
In the middle is a large chasm with ridges on either side; it’s huge. Three bridges lead off the ledge I stand on. The left bridge looks sturdy but veers off into a pitch-black corner, the middle is wooden but looks like it doesn’t have an end, only into the abyss. I have more chance of dying than finding the exit. The third is my safest option, looking relatively sturdy with rope handrails.
It also seems to be the only choice with a pre-marked path filled with trees and bushes, crevices and nooks, anything could appear to be a door or cover a door.
Placing my foot on the wooden bridge, which seemed sturdy from afar, is now wobbly with every movement. The wooden planks creak and groan with each step, threatening to split under my weight. I force my feet to keep moving and my eyes straight ahead. I wouldn’t say I’m scared of heights; more the danger surrounding it. Like if I’m walking up a tall hill, that’s fine, but if I’m walking across, let’s say a rickety bridge over shadowy depths, then yeah, I’m fucking terrified.
I don’t know how long it’s been down here, surprised it’s still in one piece at all. As I near the final plank, it cracks, breaking apart. I throw myself off the bridge, landing onto the dusty ledge. My legs wobble when I stand, and my stomach is in knots, like I’ve stepped onto a ship on a choppy ocean for the first time. My legs were trying to adjust to the swaying of the bridge, and now, on solid ground, they still think they need to move with the motion.
The path is lined with yellow trees with neon blue leaves that swish high above me, with what looks like gemstones dangling from their branches. I pick one from a low-hanging branch.They’re rock hard and reflecting sparkling glints of gold and silver. I slip a stone into my pocket as a souvenir.
Droplets of water splash onto my skin from the waterfall at my right. Cool, muted pink water, flows across the path like a tiny river, falling into the void below. A blast of warm air bursts from one crevice beside me, with a heat like the height of summer in Vendyl. I cup some of the flowing water into my hands, but it transforms into insects before I can bring it to my mouth. I yell, tossing them on the ground and leaping away from the toxic water, heading further down the path.
The ground shakes and rumbles beneath my feet like an earthquake. Boulders roll down the slanted walls from the roof of the cave. Rolling across the path and crashing at the edge against a jagged rock. Splitting open, a group of butterflies soars high before vanishing.
Just as I reach the boulder's arc, they pick up speed, darting across the path. A sense of dread swamps my senses, and I dive between the boulders with seconds to spare. Panting, resting my arms on my knees, and shaking my head.
What is this place? How can a place like this exist?
Continuing down along the rocky path, it begins to narrow. Forcing me to walk sideways along the crag, clinging to the wall, digging my fingers into rough edges along the cliff face. My foot slips, and dirt and stones fall from beneath my feet to the dark depths below.
Gripping harder to the wall, my hands ache from digging my fingernails into the stone. I fall to my knees when the path widens, caressing my tender hands, red and cracked, already forming calluses.
I gaze across the cavern. I’ve somehow reached the other end of the cave, but still no door. I have rustled every bush, pried every crevice, and felt my way along the walls for anything unusual.
Nothing.
One opening in the wall seems promising as it has a switch, but as I pull it, a gust of ice-cold air smacks me in the face, and icicles cling to my hair.
Arel said, ‘Nothing is as it seems.’
Where are the tales of caves like this? I would have been captivated by reading stories about magical caves when I was a child, with its strange-looking plants, deadly waterfalls, and weird boulders. This would have made a great game for Andi and me.
Whose stupid idea was it to do these trials anyway? Prove my worth. I could have just left, risked death by going it alone. Doing something productive like storming Zury to find Nia and Elana.
Instead, I’m trapped in a magical tree.
This absurd cave spared me thoughts of Nia and Elana for a short time. But nothing will remove them from my mind completely. Not that I want it too. I want to feel the guilt of losing them, the shame of not being strong enough to protect them. But I will get them back. And I will get vengeance on Adrian.
Elana is so young, forced to grow up quickly with recent events. She was once a naïve girl, now so full of wisdom, taking on Andi’s role, helping Mum with healing. Andi would have been proud, I am. I dread to think of how these latest events have affected her.
I hope Andi’s okay. I hope Myles is still looking after her. I wonder if she’s reached Yiren yet? Is she alive? Gods, I hope she’s alive.
She is my sister and in the care of a man I barely know and trust. Something about him rubs me the wrong way, but I’ve never been able to put my finger on it. Andi was happy with him. I didn’t want to shatter that.
I guess it wouldn’t have mattered if I went with her or not, I’d fail either way.
As my thoughts drift to home and what I would do to the guards if I had the chance, I don’t see the dip in the path, crashing down hard onto the gravel. Once the dust settles, I realise I have somehow fallen back to the start. Did I walk around the entire cave? Was it always like that?
I shout at the top of my voice, “Fuck.” I sit on the floor for a minute, my head on my knees, punching my fist on the floor until the ground is stained in my blood. I’ve been at this for hours, what in the veils am I doing?
Looking around the cave, the first bridge was back standing, I was positive it had fallen beneath me. If the first and last bridge are connected, then the exit has to be down into the abyss. Great.