Ch. 12: Preview #3

As he made his way around the next bend, an ethereal sound began to tickle his ears.  Singing, he realized.  Abstract, serene, and painedly beautiful.  It seemed to trigger a shifting in the ground ahead of him.  He watched, blinking, as the entire clearing rose into a stone-like mound.  And at its apex, a shining sword emerged, its hilt pointed toward the sky.

The singing swelled, filling him with chills.  The stands became filled with murmurs, the entire crowd brimming with anticipation as he awkwardly climbed the big mound and approached the gleaming blade.

Unlike Excalibur, its edges were safely dull.  And it rested loosely in its hole, not affixed or stuck in any way.

“Oooof!”  But hell and flame, it was heavy!

The crowd commiserated with a loud “Awwwwhhhh”, and no stinting of laughter.  He tried alternating his grips, propping his shoulder under the hilt – every angle you can think of, but never raised it more than a bare inch or two before it thudded back in place.

“Is this made of freaking LEAD!?” he huffed, slumping over the hilt, panting helplessly.

But then the ongoing singing gave way to words, gentle and flowing, as from a dream: ☄☄ ”Brave Knight, come to me if your heart is pure.  I possess what you seek.” ☄☄

Atop the mound, he could see over the hilly terrain straight ahead, dotted with grass and makeshift boulders and trees, to a long, shimmering pool and a lady in a white dress standing beyond.  Was she the speaker?

He clambered down and made his way past rock and tree, to the edge of the pool.  You’d think he’d be used to seeing gorgeous women by now, but he still gawped at her to the point of distraction.  Flowing hair, radiant dress, sinuous curves, and an entrancing voice calling to him again.

☄☄ “I am the Lady of the Lake,”☄☄ said her dreamy voice, fluttering through the arena.  ☄☄ “Come, test your virtue.  Find if you are worthy.”☄☄

Worthy?  He felt shy heat coming to his cheeks as he focused on the pool ahead.  It stretched the full width of the floor with no way around.  The stepping stones which dotted the lake were the only option.

Leaping from one to another proved easier than expected.  The stones were solid and stable, and gripped well to the soles of his Mouse suit.  Spaced close enough that his short but nimble legs could easily glide among them.  Whoa—except the last few, farther apart and almost catching him off guard.  He barely avoided slipping into the water.

☄☄ “Don’t stray into the water, Sir Knight,”☄☄ lilted the heavenly babe.  ☄☄ “The Waters of Withering have claimed many before you.”☄☄

“The waters of--?!”  He jumped from the last stone like it was a burning coal, landing on the small island and scampering from the edge in fright.  ‘Withering’ could only mean ‘shrinking’ here.

☄☄ “The first test is passed!  The shining armor is yours.”☄☄

“Huh?” he said, rattled.  Turning, he saw a tan cloak draped between two artificial trees.  As he pulled the cloak away, spotlights switched on from the heavens to illumine a full set of armor: shiny breastplate, greaves, pauldrons, the works.  He shielded his eyes from the glare then timidly took hold of it.  It was pretty badass, honestly, but there was only one problem.  It was way the heck too big.

☄☄ “Only a knight in armor may proceed.”☄☄

With a miserable groan, blushing again, he stepped into the oversized greaves and boots, slid the barrel-sized chestplate over his Mouse-eared head, put on the preposterously large gloves.

He felt like a young one trying on a grownup’s clothes.  The chainmail hung way past his waist, like a gown.  The chest was stupidly loose; the sleeves nearly covered his hands.

☄☄ “Continue your quest, brave knight!”☄☄ the alluring babe lilted over the jeering crowd.

His reluctant leap to the next stone was made so much harder by the heavy, oversized suit.  The next was even harder still, and the next … Soon his wits frayed and he went for broke, hopping and leaping and stumbling with a maniacal yell.

He crashed onto the island, knees first, as the surprised audience cheered.  Good GOD, the Withering Waters almost got him.