I walked over to the gate, pulling at the curving handle, as I tried to open it. Releasing my grip, I followed my eyes' up towards the top. Pulling again, turning as I did so, " It's no use, the gate is sealed ", I said.

" Well, I could have told you that " , Fledgling blurted out, sarcastically. I shook my head, tut -tutting, as I ignored his irritating remark.

Having been caught off - guard, by the heavy thudding of the gate, we hadn't noticed our new surroundings'. We was standing under a flickering light, a flame encased inside a candle holder , embedded into the wall. Casting my eyes' across the flickering flame, I returned my gaze upon the path ahead . The light appeared to dim off into the distance, leaving part of the route in complete darkness.

There wasn't any narrow alleyways'; in this section of the maze. It appeared at first to be comprised of many large square departments'. Correlating with the markings', in the book. There was a exit to the left of us, and a route forward. I looked at the them both, as I began breaking the news' to them . " We have two choices' ", I said. " We can either go forward, leading into the interior of the maze, without any protection, or we can use this exit. It will bring us up, upon a lake surrounded by large plants'. The map tells' us, of a wild beast residing within it's misty waters'. It's job is to protect a sacred scroll. Upon the scroll is a ancient spell that will help us obtain the stone of shanzan. However, in order for us to obtain the scroll, we have to defeat, and kill the beast. The spell will freeze the beautiful voice of Alvina, if spoken correctly. It will help protect us from the encapsulating elegance, of her fatal charm.

103.