The Valley

Upon approaching the pedestal, it became obvious to them that the writing on the cover of the tome was in another language. Though this was true, it was in no language that they had ever seen before.

Annie was the first to reach out and touch it. Her fingertips lightly traced the strange patterns and symbols. As she stared at it her eyebrows furrowed, and then she looked back up at David.

"What do you think it means?" she asked, her eyebrows lifting.

"We probably should have squeezed more information out of William," David shrugged, a deep frown forming on his lips.

Checking for the seal William had mentioned, he lifted the cover of the tome. Sure enough on the first page rested the faint seal. A bright smile formed on his lips. Finally, what they had gone on the troublesome adventure to search for.

The flashlight was handed over to Annie, and David lifted the tome off the pedestal. It was even heavier than it looked. Soon after the tome had been lifted, the center of the pedestal began to raise. Annie's hand flew over it to press it back down, but found that she couldn't.

"Oops," she gave David a concerned look as an alarm started blaring.

"Well, let's get out of here," David sighed. He ran off toward the doorway they came in through, tome in his arms. Annie glanced at the other exits anxiously before following after him.

When they made it through the entryway, the larger beast from before was charging down the hall toward them. Annie let out an ear-piercing scream, and David had to grab her in order to keep them both moving. It was no time to be staring in shock at a beast that would probably brutally kill the both of them.

"Do you really think we're going to outrun that thing?" Annie yelled over the alarm.

"No, but here's to hoping that luck is currently on our side," David shook his head and clutched the tome tighter to him.

In a matter of moments, more of the beasts were marching toward them from the direction they were headed in. David didn't stop pulling Annie along though; they were far enough away that they could probably reach the place they had woken up in.

Smiling when he found that he was correct, he pushed Annie inside and handed her the tome, taking the flashlight from her. There was a panel dotted with several buttons to the side of the door. David took the chance to hit the panel hard with the object in his hands, and then he ripped at the wires that came free.

"Hurry!"Annie urged as the door began to pull closed.

David ripped another wire free, glancing toward either side of him. They were surrounded on both sides by at least a dozen of those creatures. THe man nodded and jumped inside the room with Annie.

Just before the door shut, one of the beasts' tails slipped through and was crushed by the mistake. The howl of pain could be heard through their new barrier. It remained dark inside the room for a few moments, before the entire place lit up with the eerie glow the group was growing accustomed to seeing.

"That never gets old," David's laugh was humorless.

"Of course you'd joke around at a time like this," Annie sighed and adjusted the way she held the tome.

"Sorry," David gave a sheepish smile and stuck the flashlight inside his shirt.

"Do you still have the ring?" the woman asked as she looked about the place. There were two tunnels, both seeming to be valid exits to the place.

David tugged the chain out of his shirt to be sure, and nodded in reply, "Yeah, I still do." He placed the chain back inside his shirt.

"Good, then let's get going." She wandered over to the tunnels, carefully looking down each of them. "Which way?"

A sigh escaped the younger man and he scratched his chin in thought. The beasts started banging on the door behind them, and the sound of it beginning to come apart quickened the group's decision.

"This one," they said in unison and started off down the tunnel on the right.

The echoes of the battering continued to grow quieter as they ran, though this brought no relief to Annie. She pushed herself to run faster and ended up passing David, leading the way.

"What do you think they'll do to us?" she called behind her.

"Let's hope we never find out," David chuckled and did his best to keep up with the woman.

"Yeah, okay," she agreed.

The tunnel grew wider until it opened up to another large room. The alarm could not be heard in this room.

The woman's heart nearly sank into her stomach; she hoped they weren't back at the library again. She stepped further out onto the balcony that looked out over the room, and to her joy she saw that the layout of the place was entirely different when compared to the library.

Annie leaned out over the railing, examining the place further. A staircase wound around the walls, leading down to the center of the room where there rested a large nest. Seated upon the nest was the largest beast they had seen yet.

Snoring could be heard, and David was thankful that the creature was asleep. Its large scales were glowing the same eerie color as the walls and waters of the place.

"There," Annie whispered, pointing toward an open doorway near the end of the staircase. David nodded and took the tome from her, and the two began their descent.

The creature stirred, sniffing at the air. Annie and David froze and waited for a moment before continuing on.

"What if it wakes up?" Annie inquired; she hoped that her companion had some sort of plan.

"We run as fast as we can out of here through there," he answered. The words offered no comfort to Annie. "I'd prefer it if we didn't become giant-lizard chow."

"You can say that again," the petite woman agreed.

When they reached their destination, the lizard-beasts that had been chasing them stepped into the room through the tunnel. The commotion woke the giant beast, and it turned its attention toward David. Its tail came crashing down onto them, catching David's arm with one of the sharp spikes that decorated it. The man let out a scream of pain and he and the tome fell to the floor.

"David!" Annie exclaimed, rushing to his side as the tail lifted back into the air. The other beasts began to make their way toward the two.

"I'm fine," David growled, gripping his arm tightly. "Get the book!" Annie nodded and scrambled to get the tome back up and off the floor. She tucked it safely inside her shirt.

"Come on, they're catching up!" Annie yelled and dodged the tail that came at her. "David, we have to go; get up!"

"You go; I'll stall them for as long as I can," David waved his good arm at her.

"I'm not leaving without you."

Annie did the best she could to pull him to his feet, and then lead him out of the dangerous room. She smashed the controls on the panel to the side of the entryway, and a door slid shut behind them. A triumphant smile formed on her face as she helped David down another long tunnel.

"Here, let me see your arm," she demanded when they stopped, helping him lean against one of the glowing walls. David grimaced and gave her the most convincing smile he could, letting her grasp his arm.

"It's not that bad," his voice was laced with pain. "I can still move it, so it's not broken."

"Stop trying to act so tough all the time," Annie sighed and examined his arm.

The spike from the creature's tail had done a number on his arm. A long, deep gash ran along his forearm, blood steadily flowing from the wound. Annie couldn't help but wince at the sight.

"It honestly isn't that bad," the man grumbled and pulled his arm back from her. "Stop worrying already and let's just leave this place as fast as we can."

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea," Annie nodded and helped him back up, leading him down the tunnel once more.