Hall of Infinite Doors
"Can you control ths bridge, dwarf?" you ask. The dwarf looks at you nervously.
"Er... more or less," he mumbles. You push the dwarf up against the railing and speak through clenched teeth. "Alright, here's the deal. You're going to tell this bridge to lower me down to that door. Right? Or off you go." You nod towards the deep, dark chasm. The dwarf nods furiously.
Immediately the bridge rumbles as if to some silent command, and breaks away from the sides of the chasm. Then, floating in air, it begins to descend.
You lower the small man down to the ground again, but still hold on to him. For you know if you were to let go, he'd be able to summon the bridge and kill you in an instant.
Darkness surrounds you. You can barely see. All you hear is the dwarf's frightened breathing. Or perhaps that is yours.
"When you see a light," the dwarf whispers, "It is either the door, or the monster."
"Monster?" you squeak, then clear your throat. "Monster?" you say again in a much deeper voice.
"Yes." the dwarf whispers again, "It uses a light on its head to attract its prey. Or to see--I'm not sure. Just watch for it."
Deeper and deeper you go into the chasm. You cannot see anything. A pitch black maw of darkness closes about you, and you do all you can to keep from whimpering.
Then you see the light. Your heart jumps as your imagination makes up the monster in the darkness, but you soon calm as you realize the light is coming from a glowing door on the cliff face. A door with a blood red sword burnt into it.
"There it is." the dwarf whispers, "If you want to go in, I won't stop you."
You smile. For once on this whole adventure, you smile.
"This is the way out," you say to the dwarf, "And I'll gladly take it."
The bridge finally reaches the little ledge, and you step off, taking the key with you. You insert the key in the keyhole, turn once, then again, until it clicks. The door swings open revealing a long hallway.
You turn to the dwarf and toss him the key.
"So long," you say before turning around and stepping through the doorway.
"Er... more or less," he mumbles. You push the dwarf up against the railing and speak through clenched teeth. "Alright, here's the deal. You're going to tell this bridge to lower me down to that door. Right? Or off you go." You nod towards the deep, dark chasm. The dwarf nods furiously.
Immediately the bridge rumbles as if to some silent command, and breaks away from the sides of the chasm. Then, floating in air, it begins to descend.
You lower the small man down to the ground again, but still hold on to him. For you know if you were to let go, he'd be able to summon the bridge and kill you in an instant.
Darkness surrounds you. You can barely see. All you hear is the dwarf's frightened breathing. Or perhaps that is yours.
"When you see a light," the dwarf whispers, "It is either the door, or the monster."
"Monster?" you squeak, then clear your throat. "Monster?" you say again in a much deeper voice.
"Yes." the dwarf whispers again, "It uses a light on its head to attract its prey. Or to see--I'm not sure. Just watch for it."
Deeper and deeper you go into the chasm. You cannot see anything. A pitch black maw of darkness closes about you, and you do all you can to keep from whimpering.
Then you see the light. Your heart jumps as your imagination makes up the monster in the darkness, but you soon calm as you realize the light is coming from a glowing door on the cliff face. A door with a blood red sword burnt into it.
"There it is." the dwarf whispers, "If you want to go in, I won't stop you."
You smile. For once on this whole adventure, you smile.
"This is the way out," you say to the dwarf, "And I'll gladly take it."
The bridge finally reaches the little ledge, and you step off, taking the key with you. You insert the key in the keyhole, turn once, then again, until it clicks. The door swings open revealing a long hallway.
You turn to the dwarf and toss him the key.
"So long," you say before turning around and stepping through the doorway.