Memories Of Ice

Atlas, Seb, Amanda and Syl were wandering through the jungles on the island they had run ashore on, the trees sheltered them from the harsh sunlight, but the jungle had made the air thick and humid.

"I hate this dumb island" Syl grunted.

"You're not the only one" Atlas nodded.

Flies and mosquitos buzzed around the group, and were periodically swatted by a hand. The group had been journeying through the jungle for three days with no sign of civilization. Seb wandered on ahead, he looked around, but suddenly felt the ground giving way, he jumped back just before the ground beneath him collapsed.

"What the?!" Atlas said as he ran up to Seb and pulled him away, he then looked where the ground had given way, below was a stone brick room with mossy walls.

"Well, this island isn't abandoned after all" Atlas smirked.

"Huh?" Amanda said before approaching, followed by Syl and Seb, they all peered down into the room below.

"Are we going in?" Syl asked, as he knelt down.

"Hmm, let me check it out first" Atlas nodded, before climbing into the room below. He pulled out a torch and shone it around the room, there was a doorway on one of the walls. "It looks safe, come on down" Atlas shouted up.

The others made their way below ground, while Atlas opened the doorway, outside the doorway was a long corridor going in both directions.

"Well this looks ominous" Atlas gulped as he stepped out, followed by the others.

"Should we split up?" Seb asked.

"That sounds like a terrible idea, no offence" Syl shook his head.

"Yeah, best if we stick together, we don't know what is down here" Atlas nodded. The group began heading down the long tunnel, the humid heat of the jungle had been replaced by cold stale air, and water drips echoed in the distance.

"I wonder who built this place?" Amanda asked as she examined the walls as she followed the group.

"Hopefully we can find some clues, then we might be able to figure out where we are" Atlas nodded.

"It must have taken a lot of work to build the below ground" Syl said as he looked around.

"Yeah, this tunnel seems to be going on forever, it would have taken a long time to dig this out" Seb added.

"Hmm, we have been walking quite a while... maybe we should check the other way?" Atlas asked, as he stopped.

"Hmm, couldn't hurt" Syl agreed, as did the other two. They turned around and began heading in the opposite direction, they walked and talked for a couple of minutes before Atlas stopped.

"Hmm, did I miss the entrance?" Atlas asked.

"How do you mean?" Syl scratched his head.

"I'm pretty sure we'd only been walking in the other direction a minute or so, yet we've walked this way for about five minutes and I don't think I've seen where we came in" Atlas pondered.

"Now that you mention it... neither have I" Seb panicked.

"Try not to panic Seb, maybe the door closed and it blended in?" Syl said.

"Let's keep going this way for now, maybe we were walking for longer than we tho..." Atlas began, but was interrupted by a screech from the direction the group was facing. "Run!" Atlas said as he turned in the opposite direction. The group ran as fast as the could down the corridor, they ran for what felt like 30 minutes before they finally reached a grand chamber, it must have been thirty of forty feet tall, and in the centre was a stone table, with a small holographic projector.

"Huh" Atlas scoffed. "Didn't expect to see this here" He said, pointing at the holographic device.

"How did that get here? It looks like new..." Amanda pondered.

"Activate it" Seb said. Atlas nodded and walked over to the projector. As he approached, it sprang to life. The man in the projection was Treleva, as he appeared back in Ancient times.

"It has been 10,000 years since I last walked the soil of this planet. 10,000 year since Celestia ruled this planet. 10,000 years since those Witches, cursed Araneia and killed me. But now, I have found a way back. To whomever may find this log, you are no longer on Crystalla. The doorway you entered through was a gateway to the Underworld. The last remaining realm of the Gods." Treleva said.

"I am sorry to have done this to you, but a price needed to be paid to get back to Crystalla. That price is the blood of those unfortunate enough to have found this labyrinth. The Gods are not unfair though, and they will let you out, if you can find the way. Be warned, you are being stalked, these chambers have a protective seal, which means you are safe in here. For now. Find your way out and you will be free. If not, thank you for giving your lives so that I may live once more" Treleva bowed his head. "I am truly sorry" He said as the hologram faded.

Amanda punched a wall in anger.

"Gods dammit, why can't we catch a break" She yelled.

"Well, we're screwed" Seb panicked as he paced. "Maybe this is the price we pay for what happened to Avadey" He said. Syl grabbed him and shook him.

"Snap out of this" He shouted. "You too!" He said as he looked at Amanda. "We can get out of this if we work together. If we don't, we die" He sighed.

"Syl is right, we work together, and we'll be out of here in no time" Atlas nodded. "But for now, lets make the most of the time we have to rest here" He sighed.

The group agreed and found a spot to rest, as the windy howled down the long corridors that surrounded the circular chamber.