There was a joyful gleam in her eyes as Kate rounded the corner and saw before her, a large village. Lush pastures swept through and over the hills as far as the eye could see. The hazy sun had just begun to descend and smoke could be seen rising from the huts.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” said Kate, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“Hmm,” said Edward with little interest, “Amazing.” He stood agitated upon the rocky hill as the sun glared unforgivingly into his eyes. “I suppose we’d better stop here, our food is running low and we’ve been walking for days.”.

Undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm, Kate started the descent down towards the village with haste. She ran through a thin clump of trees and fields of purple flowers until she was within earshot of the village.

From towards the village she heard a shout from a child.

“Yazza, iela!!” it said in their African dialect. He was pointing at Kate with a worried look in his eyes. It was followed by a chorus of other calls as many villagers assembled in what seemed the be the center of the village. The women looked visibly frightened as they called their curious children away from the advancing strangers. A few men had separated from the huddle and were making their way cautiously up the hill. The stone heads of their spears were decorated with strips of white fur which glowed like fire in the reddening sky.

For the first time since the beginning of their expedition, Kate felt an acute sense of fear. She looked back upon the hill, wishing for the first time to see Edward’s angry face. All she saw was bare grass and straggly trees. Slowly, she turned her head back down the hill. Five other men had broken from the group and ran up to join the other three. She felt unprotected and helpless without Edward by her side and eventually fear got the best of her. Turning, she ran swiftly up the hill, crying for Edward as she panted. Her heavy backpack weighed her down but she didn’t think to drop it. Shouts followed from behind her and she could hear their loud footsteps gaining on her. The leader of the hunters halted and quickly flipped his spear, aimed and threw it, blunt end first. A sharp pain shot like lightning through her as her mind clouded over. Darkness…

Through a misty veil of half-consciousness she could see Edward standing in front of a glass display case, a look of adoration in his eyes.

They were talking. He seemed friendly. An archeologist? An adventure. A long hike through the forests. Would she go?

Sandra, what about Sandra? No, malaria, she had flown back to England.

I’ll go. I’ll go with you. Darkness again…

Pain registered all through her joints as she looked up onto the thatched ceiling. Where was she? She attempted to sit up but immediately fell down. A million bright flares ignited in her eyes as her brain felt like it was falling through the floor. Pulling herself on her side she rested a few minutes, trying to put the pieces together. The village…yes…and the men with spears. Fear overcame her again as she recounted her steps. She was their prisoner. But what about Edward? She couldn’t see him. She had left him far behind amongst the trees. Had he been captured? She was too exhausted to think any further. Through heavy eyes she took another look around her. She was in a circular hut constructed with planks of wood tied together with fibers. It did not look too sturdy but there were undoubtedly guards posted outside.

Again she attempted to pull herself off the ground. She wobbled slightly, her arms apart, as she tried to keep her balance. Anybody who didn’t know better would think she was drunk off her rocker. Her limbs were heavy and her legs seemed weaker than a baby’s. She could tell they had drugged her, for even her eyelids seemed a struggle to keep open. She took a step towards the door in front of her, instead she met the floor again and the greetings were loud. If any good had come from that fall, it was that she now felt a little more awake. She crawled towards the door and for the third time, pulled herself up. It should be known here that this time it was not her fault. The door had been left open, and as it kindly swung open she fell again with a thud. ‘Gravity sucks’ she thought as she climbed to her feet for the final time. ‘I guess they trusted their drugs too much,’ she thought, ‘the door was left unguarded.’

She looked out into the dark pathways, the huts fading in and out of clarity. Down the path to her right she could see group of people talking around a fire. They seemed too engrossed in conversation to notice her. She proceeded to walk down the path to her left, no clear idea of where she was going except that she needed to get as far away from the village as possible. She had hardly walked ten meters when she heard the sound of foot steps coming from around the corner. She crouched down to the ground, hiding in the shadows, praying that she wouldn’t be seen. Looking up she could see the shaded image of a woman walking past. When Kate almost thought it was safe, the woman stopped. Kate’s heart froze in terror as the woman’s head slowly turned her head around. They were looking directly into each other’s eyes. Panic had struck her again and she was about to make a run for it when the woman spoke. Though she could not understand the words, her tone was friendly and almost made Kate feel safe. Taking her by the hand, the woman led Kate gently towards the campfire, always talking reassuringly to her. She was a bit apprehensive at first but she knew that this woman’s intentions were good and had no mind to harm her.

The fire shone with a radiant warmth, the group around it locked in conversation. As soon as Kate entered the scene with the woman, the group suddenly grew quiet. All eyes were upon her as Kate looked timidly down at the strange faces.

“Edward!” she exclaimed, seeing the hunched figure of a white man with his head bowed, “What are you doing here? Aren’t you a prisoner here also?” He seemed rather annoyed and not at all pleased to see her.

“It was your bloody fault they attacked you!” he scolded, “What else did you expect them to do with you running away like that!” The woman who had brought Kate sensed the tension between them and interrupted the conversation. She explained something to the group and then they both sat down. There was a general murmur of acknowledgment and soon the group were talking once more.

The woman said something to Edward, which he told Kate.

“This is the medicine woman of the tribe, Rayla” He said, “She says you’re lucky to be alive. She’s been nursing you for hours and supposedly gave you a sedative to last through the night. You were hit with the butt of a spear but it still managed to break the skin at the back of the head.”

“You speak their language?” Kate said surprised.

“I speak a lot of languages.” He replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Rayla said something else to Kate and promptly left the group.

“She says she is going to get something for you, probably some more of that tea she’s been pouring down your throat ever since you got here.”

“What are they talking about?” Kate asked, “They seem to be quite worried about something.”

“Many strange things have happened to this tribe. About a month ago they sent a hunting party to the north, seeing the southern lands had been burned in a huge forest fire. It seems they were never seen or heard from again. A week ago they sent a small scouting party along the same route but even they did not return. They say that the spirits were angered because they had taken the lives of too many animals and so punished them suitably. Personally I don’t believe in any of that bullshit.”

“Seeing that we came from the north they thought that we were demons sent to destroy their village. They’ve never seen white people or any kind of technology before. They’re a simple people and completely cut off from the outside world.”

“This is amazing!” Kate said, “To think that all this time, while we have progressed through the ages, a small group of people have been living along side us who still live with nature and have no idea of what is going outside their land! A wonder how many other groups like this still exist?”

“It’s funny you should mention that, for it seems that one that did exist, exists no longer.”

“What do you mean?”

“They say that there used to be a neighboring tribe of the Khakkan to the south of this village. They held many get-togethers and never a week went by without hearing word from them. When the fires hit, they escaped and found refuge here for a short time. They moved north, hoping to find suitable grounds for a new camp and said they would send a messenger back here to give their new location. That was 5 weeks ago and no messenger has yet arrived.”

“I wonder what could have happened to them.” Said Kate, perplexed.

“Maybe the spirits got them too.” Said Edward with an evil grin.

At that moment Rayla came back with the man who had knocked her down. Rayla spoke to Edward and he nodded in agreement.

“I’m to translate for her.” he said.

“Rayla says that this is the man who speared you and would like to apologize.” The man stepped forward, avoiding eye contact with Kate. He couldn’t hide the painful look of guilt that covered his face. Kate couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He began to talk…

“He says that he is deeply sorry for what he has done,” Edward started, “and he wishes to make amendments. He says that he shouldn’t have acted like blah, blah, blah you get the general gist don’t you?” Rayla glanced at Edward sternly to which he sighed and continued.

“And he wants to show you his feelings with…” Edward paused, looking completely shocked.

“What does he want to do?” asked Kate, an anxious tone in her voice.

“with, with an heirloom that has been in his family as long as can be remembered. A treasure that was found when the tribe first set camp here.” With that, the young man withdrew a long silver dagger, more beautiful than anything that Kate had seen in her entire life. Spirals of silver spread like flames from the handle, as the thin blade extended through the flames to a length of 20cm. Two giant rubies were set in the base of the blade like eyes staring at the wielder. The handle itself seemed to be woven with leather yet it was fully constructed from silver. On the end of the handle rested a perfect sphere and on that sphere was engraved a single character.

Stunned, Edward continued, “He says this dagger, has always brought good fortune, and any life that it takes will rest peacefully.” With that, the young man handed the dagger to Kate and strode quietly off into the black of night. It was Kate’s turn to be stunned.

It was clear the Edward was overridden with jealousy. He knew very well that the gems alone would be worth a fortune. Rayla smile warmly at Kate and put her arm around her. She spoke in soft tones.

“Rayla says the dagger is believed to have come from near a strange stone structure to the north. Nobody ventures there as it is believed to be the resting place of the spirits. The spirits grow angry when their sleep is disturbed and so none may approach it. Even laying your eyes upon it can cause anger in the spirits. There are more” Edward stuttered, an excitement growing in his eyes, “treasures within the structure but they cannot be taken as it would enrage the spirits.” Kate watched as Edward talked with Rayla. He seemed more excited that ever and it disturbed her. Rayla answered calmly, nodding and pointing towards the north. Suddenly she shook her head, disapproving strongly with Edward’s words. Edward nodded slowly and calmed down, he had all he needed to know. Tomorrow they would venture back north…he was going to find this temple…he was going to be rich.

Kate slept soundly. She had drunk another bowl of the sweet tea which numbed the pain and relaxed her tired body. Edward, on the other hand, had not even managed to scrape together even an hour of sleep. The thought of chests filled with gems and treasures of silver and gold managed to stay with him through most of the night. The villagers had been very hospitable and had managed to supply them with more than enough food to last them another week. Edward had told the villagers that they were heading back to the city, as the walking had been more than he had expected. Kate suspected otherwise but did not argue. In fact she was more than a little curious to see this place where the spirits slept.

They left early in the morning, after saying their farewells. Rayla had stood at the edge of the village, waving until they were out of sight. She felt worried for Kate and hoped no harm would come to her on the journey back. As soon as the village was well and truly out of sight, Edward veered slightly off course, explaining that he didn’t want to see the same countryside all over again. Kate said nothing and followed behind obediently. They walked for hours over grassy plains, under the hot summer sun. They were pleased when they saw a forest not far ahead.

They stopped for lunch in amongst the shade of the tall grasses. The meal was simple yet satisfying: fresh bread with dried meat and some potato-like vegetables. While Edward was finishing his meal, Kate brought out the dagger that was given to her. She caressed the silvery flames. They felt cool under her touch.

“Let me see that.” Edward said, holding out his hand. Reluctantly Kate handed over the dagger. He looked carefully at the thin blade and the two beautifully cut gems set in it. Suddenly his face became pale as he brought the dagger up closer to his face. He was now looking at the large sphere which dominated the butt of the dagger. As if he didn’t trust his eyes, he slowly ran his fingers across the symbol which was etched in it.

“What’s the matter?” asked Kate more out of curiosity than concern.

“I don’t believe it.” he said meekly. “I mean it just can’t be!” He looked once more at the sphere with astonishment. “It means life.” he said.

“I don’t follow you.” said Kate confused.

“The symbol on the sphere, it means ‘life’ but that’s not the strange part. The thing which bothers me is the language it’s in. It’s in Egyptian.”

“But it can’t possibly be!” Kate said, “Egypt is thousands of miles from here, and they rarely traveled beyond their borders.” Taking the dagger from Edward she examined it herself. She was no expert, but it did slightly resemble the hieroglyphics of the Ancient Egyptians. “An Egyptian dagger of life.” she said to herself.

“They would not name it that for nothing.” Edward said, “It’s most likely that that dagger once had a specific purpose. Perhaps it was used in rituals of birth or sacrifice, something that had an aspect of life. Sometimes ornaments like these were even used as keys. You were very lucky to have got your hands on that, it could be worth millions.” Edward was fascinated though he felt no jealousy. He would have his turn.

They continued their journey across the plains and soon found themselves at the forest wall. From up close it did not look at all as inviting as it did from afar. The trees looked half dead and very little greenery covered them. Many brittle branches had fallen, and now lay on the ground, obstructing their path. Tangled vines clawed at their hands and faces as they forced their way through the undergrowth. The trees did little to shade the sun, and by mid-afternoon they were sweating like pigs. Scratches covered their legs and the salt water did little to comfort the abrasions. Yet still they trod on, never resting while hardly a word was spoken between them. Edward could feel the excitement mounting in his heart. He didn’t know how or why, but he knew he was close, very close.

By the time the sun was low, the trees started to thin and soon they were out in the open again. They stopped and looked over the field which lay before them. A myriad of purple wildflowers contrasted with the dark green grass.

“Look!” said Edward, “Over there! Near the bottom of the valley, do you see it?” Kate held her hand up to shield the sun. Sure enough, she could see the temple. It was much smaller than she had expected it to be, maybe only 5 metres along each side. It stood alone in a sea of purple flowers and even Kate could sense a feeling of foreboding. Edward started to jog down the hill and towards this strange structure in the middle of nowhere. Kate followed reluctantly behind, not sure if she wished to proceed. She now understood why the people of the village believed it to be the resting place of the spirits, she could definitely feel a strong aura emanating from it. By the time Kate reached it, Edward had already unpacked his tools and was examining some symbols etched on one of the four columns.

Kate unloaded her gear and sighed with relief as a cool breeze swept across her sweat soaked back. With her hands on her hips she stepped onto the stone platform. Above her she could see strange curves and lines, radiating from the center of the roof and flowing down the columns like a waterfall. It was very bare and she couldn’t understand why she had felt so bad about it. Kate sighed as she watched Edward examining the column. She heard the clank of metal. Surprised, she looked down at her feet, there seemed to be a metal ring resting in a groove in the stone. Under the ring she could make out a column of symbols. Using her hand, she swept away the dust to get a better look. On top there was an image of what seemed to be a man, holding out his hand. Under that there was a symbol of what seemed to be a bridge, connecting it do the symbol at the bottom. It was this symbol that caused her to call Edward.

“Edward! Come here. Look at this, can you believe it? It’s the symbol that’s on my dagger, the symbol for life.” Edward came running to her side.

“Yes, it is. But the other symbols do not seem to be Egyptian. This is very strange indeed.”

“And look. Over there, there’s a metal ring in the floor. Maybe we can open it.” Kate held her arms apart and traced the groove of a square trapdoor around the ring.

“My, my! Look what she’s found!” smiled Edward, a joyful gleam in his eye, “Help me pull.”

Together they gripped the ring and pulled. It was surprisingly easy to open considering the huge amount of stone they had just lifted. Before it was fully open, there was a click, and the trapdoor would not budge either up or down. They looked curiously into the pit but the angle of the sun made it impossible to make out any detail.

“I think I see writing on the dirt down there.” said Kate.

“Don’t be stupid,” Edward started, “they would never have written on dirt.” He grabbed his backpack and threw it down. He then climbed down himself, until he was only holding on by his hands and let himself drop.

“How are you going to get up?” asked Kate, surprised at Edward’s rashness.

“I’ll find a way. Are you coming down or not?” he said, starting to explore the underground room. There was no way Kate was going to let herself be left out, and promptly dropped herself in after her backpack.

“You were right.” admitted Edward as he looked upon the ground, “There is some writing here, though not of that strange style. It’s written in that African language.”

“What does it say?” asked Kate looking at the scribbled words.

“Leave now, for death awaits you.” he said grimly, “Damn superstitious Africans, it will be their downfall.”

The feeling of fear had returned to Kate and she wished more than anything to be back on the surface. The air was damp and musty, smelling slightly of decay. Her hands were already feeling cold and clammy. Searching in his backpack, Edward pulled out a packet of matches and an oil lamp. In the instant he struck the match alight the room flared up with light. Kate screamed in terror. Edward dropped the match.

“Jesus Crist!!” Edward shouted, “What the hell is wrong with you?” Kate was silent. She was breathing quickly and irregularly. In her mind she could see an image that would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life. Edward struck another match alight and Kate closed her eyes. Edward fumbled with the lamp, removing the glass cover. Once alight, he looked around. Kate heard him vomit.

Slowly, Kate open her eyes, as if she needed proof that she had seen what she had just seen. This time she looked long and hard, studying them like a scientist would study a dissected rat. There were three of them. Two were on their stomachs, but the one lying on it’s back was what had made her scream. The skin around the eyes had sagged, revealing the slightly sunken eyes, staring vaguely at the roof. The cheeks had slumped and the neck had mostly sunken to the ground below. Yellow mold had begun to grow around the corner of the mouth, accenting the stiff dry tongue which hung limply out. The chest had sunken, some ribs protruding grotesquely through the skin. One of the ones on it’s stomach had it’s head in a conical hole in the ground next to one of the walls. On the wall two ruby eyes had been set, as if looking over him.

“The three scouts.” Edward chuckled, his head bowed near the lantern.

“I wonder how they were killed.” said Kate, turning her eyes away from the bodies. Edward shrugged and picked himself up from the floor, grabbing the lantern. He walked over to the wall opposite from the bodies, studying the engravings.

“There’s a door here.” he said. Kate walked over beside him and looked at the wall.

“Where?” she asked, not seeing anything.

“See the outline?” he said, tracing his finger up the side of the wall, “Help me push.” He put the lantern on the ground and together they leaned against the door and pushed with all their might. It didn’t budge.

“Maybe it opens inwards.” suggested Kate, examining the outline, “Here! Next to the door, look.” On the wall was the symbol of life again, outlined by a circle. She placed her hand on it and pushed. Suddenly the trapdoor snapped closed and at the same time the door burst forward a tiny bit. Edward, who had been leaning against it was thrown halfway across the room.

“Idiot!” he cried, looking at the roof, “We’ve been locked in!”

“You would have done the same.” Kate retorted. She was examining the door. It had been thrust open only a few centimeters but more than enough to get her fingers around it.

“Are you going to help me get this open or sulk like a baby?” said Kate, pleased with herself. Irritated, he walked back to the door and helped pry it open. Bit by bit the door slid open. The air on the other side was chilly and extremely damp. Edward led the way, holding the lamp up in front of him.

“What is this?” asked Kate, looking up ahead. In front of them lay a long narrow corridor and every few metres a large axe-like blade hung from the roof.

“It seems to have once been full of traps but over time they’ve worn down. They shouldn’t be any problem.” They continued on through the hall until they came to an intersection.

“This seems very similar to the layout of the Egyptian tombs.” said Edward, “If we keep to the wall on our right at all times we should make it through.”

Together they walked on through the dark labyrinth never seeing what lay ahead in the distance. The flickering light from the lamp danced against the walls and floors as Kate listened to the constant echoes of dripping water all around her. She thought there must be a lake nearby. Every corner they took, there were more axes suspended in the air.

“They haven’t done a very good job at keeping us out.” said Edward as he sidestepped a row of metal spikes jutting out of the floor.

“Normally all this stuff would be hidden, and these plates,” he explained, pointing at a circular disc on the ground, “would trigger them off. Very uncomfortable I would imagine.” He smiled to himself as he continued on. They had been walking for almost fifteen minutes when he found something out of the ordinary.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here now?” he mused, looking at the wall.

“It’s the bridge.” said Kate, “The symbol between the person and life. Is it another door?” Edward examined the bridge closely and heaved with all his weight against it. It moved. Together again they pushed as hard as they could until they could fit through.

“It’s so beautiful” Kate said with emotion.

“I almost feel we’ve made it here too easily.” Edward said, handing the light to Kate. They were in a cavern the size of a football field. The roof shone with the light of thousands of tiny blue luminescent rocks, clustering together at the far end. It was there that a magnificent statue of gold and silver stood tall with his hand outstretched.

“It must be a god of some sort.” said Edward

“It’s the first symbol in the series-the man holding out his hand.” Kate replied. The platform they stood on sloped downwards to a black underground river. A stone bridge lay across it, leading to the platform on the other side.

“I don’t like the feel of this.” said Kate, “You said yourself, we’ve made it here too easily. Something is terribly wrong. We can still turn back Edward, please, let’s go back. Everything is too neat, too precise. Although we don’t know it we’re walking right into a trap. For God’s sake Edward! Please! Just think will you? What about the lost Khakkan tribe and the hunters? What in God’s name makes you think you have a chance!” It was useless. He had already crossed the bridge and was walking to the other side.

“Trust me Kate!” he shouted from across the cavern, “Didn’t you see the traps? They all have to rely on potential energy! Once they’ve fallen, they’ve fallen! Nothing can harm us as long as we be careful!”

Kate stood at the far end, near the door expecting at any moment to hear him scream. She could see him walking towards the cluster of glowing rocks taking every step carefully. He had come so far and he told himself he was not going to make the same mistake the others made. The statue now towered over him, it’s hand held out towards the wall behind it. On the wall, beneath the hand was engraved a large and intricately carved silver bridge, leading down to a blank plate in the wall. ‘Where’s the symbol of life?’ he asked himself as he placed his hand on it. He pushed. Kate jumped when she finally heard what she had been waiting for. His scream echoed off the walls and the roof, passing through the roaring, laughing currents of water and finally to her ears. She closed her eyes tight, falling weakly to the ground. It was too much for her.

Suddenly the ground shook uncontrollably as a deep roar echoed through the huge cavern. The water level of the river visibly fell as Kate watched it. Edward lay groggily on his knees, his arm locked in the hole in the wall. He was half laughing, half crying.

“So there we have it, I guess I’m your symbol of life. Ooooohhh damnit. Damn damn damn damnit.” he said like a drunk, looking at his arm lodged in the wall. “I should have known. That river is something you Egyptians never had! I should have seen it, all along I should have seen it! I bet right now that water is fueling a hundred turbines, turning cogs and gears to set the traps.” he laughed, “They weren’t meant to keep up out after all! They were meant to keep us in! What the hell is this!! A God damn self-sacrificing temple?!” All of a sudden he seemed to regain a grip on life as he grabbed his elbow, trying to pull his arm from the wall. He strained as she walked his feet up the wall, screaming as he pushed, hearing the muscles snap. When he realized it was no use, he collapsed to the ground weeping.

Kate stared in horror as one by one, doors along the sides of the cavern slid open. She could see in the dim light a thick green smoke escaping into the dark corners near Edward. The doors kept opening one after the other, continuing their way up towards her, the smoke was spreading quickly and had already covered the back end. Kate ran. She ran because she was afraid. She ran for her life

Amidst a cloud of thick smoke he knelt by the wall. His senses were blurred and he was losing control of his thought. Already he couldn’t feel his hands and feet and he knew he would soon be dead.

“I’m sorry Kate.” he whispered, “Oh god I’m so sorry.”

The light of the lantern swayed to and fro as she scrambled frantically passed the hanging axes. ‘Keep the wall on your left’ she thought to herself. In her head she could hear Edward screaming. ‘Why didn’t you save me Kate? What were you thinking Kate?’

“Noooo!!” she screamed into the empty hallways. She collapsed to the ground, her hands shielding her ears from sounds that did not exist. The lantern dropped to the floor, the flame splattered and died. Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to control herself. Through the crack of the main door she could see the smoke advancing, silhouetted against the blue light inside. She remembered the words of Rayla. ‘Any life that it takes will rest peacefully.’ She withdrew her dagger and held it to her chest. If she died by the deadly gas that was advancing, she knew her soul would live in torture for eternity. The blade felt cool and comforting against her skin and somehow she knew it would not hurt. The flames of silver grew hot and she could feel the dagger burn against her skin.

All of a sudden the silver threads burst into flames, lighting the hallway once more. The clouds of smoke were advancing. If she was to attempt an escape she had to do it now. Leaving all her gear behind she continued along the corridors keeping the wall to her left. She breathed hard and fast as sweat beaded across her forehead in the heat of the fire. The stationary axes flew past her head as she sprinted around corner after corner. She had been running for almost a minute when she saw the smoke again. It dawned on her that while she stuck to the wall she would never beat the green gas back to the entrance, she needed a direct route.

The cavern rumbled, the final stage in progress. The hole in the wall slid open and Edward’s body fell limply to the floor. The ground shook once more as the platforms on both sides split in the middle and started to rise like a bridge. His body tumbled down the slope and into the side of the cabin, where he joined the carcasses of the Khakkan tribe and the hunters. There he would rot away in the airtight chambers. Bacteria would feed on his flesh, creating a deadly gas for the next adventurers.

She held her shirt to her mouth and took a deep breath before plunging into the unknown. The gas stung her eyes, making them water. She squinted as she rounded the bends in random order. Her lungs screamed for air as she continued to run with no direction to head in. She could take it no more, her mind was spinning and she needed air. She inhaled deeply through her shirt. Her lungs burned but like fire but for now she could last a few more seconds. She ran around another corner and almost immediately the gas subsided. She squirmed as she took long and deep breaths of fresh air but the gas had already done it’s damage and was beginning to take effect. Her sight was beginning to blur and her breathing seemed so distant. She had made it through the smoke and the hoped to god that she had found the right path. She continued to run as her pace slackened with weakening limbs. ‘Just a little further’ she kept telling herself.

She stopped as the path seemed to widen out. The first junction! She had made it all the way back, now all she needed was to lock herself in the room on the other side of this corridor. She rested against the wall as she caught her breath. She looked in horror at the corridor which lay ahead of her. No, it wasn’t her sight that was tricking her. The axes had gone. She looked frantically in all directions but not one axe still hung from the roof. Behind her she could see the gas slowly advancing. With no vision to see the pressure plates she saw only one option. She sprinted for all she was worth down the corridor towards her sanctuary. *click* *click* went the sounds of the traps as she ran. She heard two consecutive clanks of metal as they swung across and collided with the opposite wall. All the muscles in her body burned as she used the last of her energy to clear the final plate. Blood poured down the back of her shoulder but her mind was too clouded to even notice.

She squeezed through the crack of the door and tried to push it closed. She was too weak. She collapsed in a heap on the ground. She had come all this way and now she would die along side the other three. Through her blurred vision she could see two red lights shining from the wall ahead of her. Like eyes looking down upon her. Eyes…eyes…where had she seen those red eyes before? The dagger’s rubies shone bright to match those on the wall. Slowly she crawled towards the wall, her vision almost completely gone. The gas was already around her, she could feel it in her lungs as it burned through her blood. She reached the other end and pushed the man’s body aside. The head fell off. She laughed, she didn’t know why. While removing the head from the conical hole it rested in, she felt the wall with numbed fingers. The ruby eyes scalded her fingers but she did not flinch. A hole! There was a hole in the wall. She remembered Edward’s words-‘Sometimes ornaments like these were even used as keys.’ She lifted the dagger to the hole and slipped it in. Her lungs struggled for air. Her legs gave way, transferring all her support to the dagger in the wall. It turned and clicked. In the distant hallways she could hear the axes all falling simultaneously. The earsplitting sound of clanking metal shot through her brain and she fell to the floor unconscious.

As she fell her hand brought the dagger through the final turn in the hole, forcing the thread of the dagger through the handle like a screw and dislocating the metallic sphere. She lay in a world of dreams as the ball of life fell into the cone and down through the central hole. There was a click. Kate fell.

The water caught her in it’s refreshing arms, the fresh clean air soothing her burning throat. Through stinging eyes she thought she could see the stars in the sky as it carried her out into the open laid her down to rest on it’s sandy shores, far from the temple. There she rested for two days, drinking fresh water in the shade of the trees. In cool mud she dressed her burns and in wet leaves she bathed her eyes. Her vision would never be fully restored, but she was alive and that was all that counted right now. As she walked back up the hill on the third day, she looked back upon the sacrificial temple. ‘Long after your people are dead you still accept sacrifices of the highest kind.’ She thought. She could hear a contented grumble from the earth as the temple continued to restore itself. The cavern was silent and beautiful, all doors locked and shut. The axes lay innocently motionless as he patiently counted the years to his next awakening.