Ar’Zul

The Climb Above Darkness

Chapter 40

The maze seemed endless.

Every turn revealed another twisting corridor of ancient stone.

The beam of sunlight that pierced the center of the labyrinth remained visible far ahead, but it always seemed just beyond reach.

The expedition moved carefully.

No one spoke louder than a whisper.

The growls of unseen creatures echoed through the maze, reminding every warrior they were not alone.

⸻

The first carnivorous plant blocked their path.

Its massive jaws slowly unfolded.

Rows of thorn-like teeth glistened beneath thick strands of acidic saliva.

SSSSSSHHHHHH…

The plant lunged.

Without hesitation, Gorak stepped forward.

His shortened hammer came around in a powerful arc.

BOOOOOM!

The head of the monstrous plant exploded into green pulp.

Acid splattered across the stone floor.

The expedition continued.

A second plant emerged.

Kaela darted beneath its snapping jaws and sliced through its stem with a single clean strike.

The enormous head crashed to the ground.

THUD!

The warriors pressed onward.

⸻

Then they reached another narrow passage.

Three enormous plants burst from both sides simultaneously.

“Move!” Gorak roared.

He charged.

His hammer crushed the first plant.

CRACK!

He spun and struck the second.

Green acid sprayed through the air.

The third lunged before he could recover.

Its jaws snapped shut inches from his face.

Gorak shoved it backward with his shoulder before bringing his hammer down one final time.

BOOOM!

The creature collapsed.

As it fell…

A stream of acidic saliva splashed across Gorak’s right shoulder.

SSSSSSS!

Smoke rose instantly.

Gorak grunted in pain and stepped back.

Kaela rushed beside him.

“Gorak!”

She inspected the damage.

The acid had begun eating away at the outer layer of the beast-hide armor.

But…

It hadn’t penetrated.

His skin remained unharmed.

Only the armor bore the scars.

Gorak looked at the smoking shoulder guard.

Then at the thick hide.

A slow smile crossed his face.

“I’ve got an idea.”

⸻

Minutes later…

The expedition cut several large sections from the remaining beast hide they carried.

Gorak demonstrated.

“We keep the hides above us.”

He lifted one over his head.

“If the plants spit…”

“The hide takes the acid.”

Kaela nodded approvingly.

“It’ll protect us.”

The warriors quickly formed a tight defensive circle.

The largest sections of reinforced hide were held overhead like enormous shields.

Together…

They advanced.

Several plants snapped from above.

Streams of acid splashed harmlessly across the thick hide.

The leather hissed.

But held.

Tarlok laughed.

“I knew killing that beast would pay off.”

⸻

Hours later…

The maze finally opened.

The expedition entered a vast circular chamber.

Unlike the twisting corridors…

This room was completely open.

The warriors slowed.

Something felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Too empty.

Then…

A low growl echoed through the chamber.

GRRRRRRRR…

A massive figure stepped from the darkness.

It stood nearly ten feet tall.

Its gray skin resembled rough stone.

Long black hair hung across its shoulders.

Its arms nearly touched the ground.

Curved claws extended from massive hands.

Its mouth opened, revealing rows of jagged yellow teeth.

Rhea whispered,

“What… is that?”

Zahren stared.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The creature beat its chest.

BOOOM!

Its roar shook the chamber.

Then…

Movement.

Another appeared.

Then another.

More emerged from every shadow surrounding the chamber.

Soon…

Nearly a dozen troll-like creatures circled the expedition.

Their yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.

Tarlok slowly counted.

“I think we’re surrounded.”

Gorak answered calmly.

“I think you’re right.”

⸻

“Formation!”

Immediately the warriors moved.

The strongest fighters formed the outer ring.

Gorak.

Tarlok.

Korin.

Heavy shields locked together.

CLANG!

Inside the defensive wall stood Kaela, Sena, and Rhea.

Their spears slipped through the narrow openings between the shields.

Perfectly positioned to strike without exposing themselves.

Zahren remained near the center, protected on every side.

The trolls attacked.

One crashed into the shield wall.

BOOM!

Another swung massive claws.

SCRAAAAAPE!

Steel screeched against reinforced shields.

Kaela thrust.

Her spear pierced a troll’s shoulder.

Rhea struck another in the ribs.

Sena’s throwing knife buried itself in one creature’s eye.

The monsters roared in pain.

But more continued advancing.

From every direction.

The defensive circle slowly rotated.

Every warrior protected the others.

Every opening was covered.

The formation held.

⸻

Suddenly…

Kaela glanced upward.

Her sharp eyes caught something.

“There!”

Everyone followed her gaze.

Nearly thirty feet above the chamber floor…

A narrow stone ledge stretched across one wall.

Beyond it…

Another tunnel.

An exit.

Hope.

Kaela pointed.

“Tarlok!”

The massive Gorilla warrior looked up.

“I see it.”

“You can climb?”

He grinned.

“I was climbing trees before I could walk.”

Without waiting, Tarlok sprinted toward the wall.

He leapt.

Caught a crack in the stone.

Then another.

Slowly…

He climbed higher while the others defended him.

A troll lunged.

Gorak intercepted it.

BOOOOM!

The creature flew backward.

Moments later…

Tarlok reached the ledge.

He secured a heavy rope around an ancient stone pillar.

Then threw the rope down.

“Come on!”

⸻

One by one…

The warriors climbed.

Rhea.

Korin.

Sena.

The remaining Gorilla warrior.

Then Zahren.

Even injured from the fighting…

He managed to reach the ledge.

Only Gorak and Kaela remained below.

The trolls were becoming more aggressive.

Kaela looked toward him.

“You first.”

Gorak shook his head.

“No.”

“You lead your people.”

“And you’re climbing.”

She frowned.

“Gorak—”

“Go.”

For just a moment…

Their eyes met.

Kaela understood.

She nodded.

Without another word…

She grabbed the rope and climbed.

The trolls charged.

Gorak stood alone.

⸻

He inhaled deeply.

Then roared.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

The sound thundered through the chamber.

Every troll hesitated.

Gorak swung.

His hammer swept through three creatures at once.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Bodies crashed across the chamber floor.

Another troll lunged.

Gorak grabbed it by the arm.

With a tremendous roar…

He lifted the massive creature completely over his head.

The trolls froze.

Then…

Gorak hurled it into the charging pack.

CRAAAAAASH!

Several monsters collapsed in a tangled heap.

The opening lasted only seconds.

But it was enough.

Gorak ran.

He seized the rope.

And began climbing.

⸻

Almost immediately…

The climb became difficult.

His single arm strained beneath his enormous weight.

His muscles trembled.

Halfway up…

He slipped.

The rope jerked violently.

Below…

The trolls leapt upward.

Their claws missed him by inches.

“Gorak!” Kaela shouted.

Without hesitation…

Every warrior grabbed the rope.

“Pull!”

Tarlok planted both feet against the stone.

“Together!”

One by one…

They pulled.

Slowly…

Gorak rose higher.

Closer.

Closer.

Finally…

Strong hands grabbed his armor.

Together…

The expedition pulled Gorak safely onto the ledge.

Everyone collapsed, breathing heavily.

For several long moments…

No one spoke.

Then Tarlok laughed.

“I told you we’d all leave together.”

Gorak smiled.

“I never doubted you.”

⸻

The laughter quickly faded.

Kaela noticed something.

“Zahren…”

The former Snake King was kneeling against the wall.

Blood stained the back of his clothing.

Long claw marks stretched diagonally across his back.

During the battle…

One of the trolls had managed to strike him.

Before anyone could reach him…

Zahren collapsed.

“Gorak…”

He barely whispered.

Then lost consciousness.

⸻

Eron immediately knelt beside him.

The expedition’s healer carefully examined the wounds.

His expression became serious.

“The claws were deep.”

He carefully cleaned each wound with fresh water.

“They missed the spine.”

He looked relieved.

“But barely.”

The warriors quickly gathered supplies.

Fresh bandages.

Medicinal herbs.

Ground roots.

Fragrant leaves.

Eron crushed herbs together inside a small stone bowl.

He added powdered bark and a thick green sap collected during their journey.

The mixture slowly became a dark medicinal paste.

He gently spread it across the wounds before wrapping Zahren’s back with clean cloth.

Everyone waited silently.

Finally…

Eron stood.

“He’ll live.”

Several warriors released relieved breaths.

“But…”

He looked around the camp.

“He cannot travel.”

“Not yet.”

“His body needs time.”

“At least one…”

He looked back toward the unconscious Zahren.

“…possibly two days.”

Gorak nodded.

“Then we stay.”

Kaela looked around the narrow ledge overlooking the chamber below.

“We make camp here.”

The trolls still roamed beneath them, their distant growls echoing through the maze.

No one complained.

For now…

Their journey north would pause.

The mystery of the Tide Stone would have to wait.

The most important mission was no longer reaching the center of the maze.

It was making sure every member of the expedition—friend, ally, and even former enemy—lived long enough to continue it together.