We encountered the first 'deterrent' immediately upon entering the cavern. Persephonix stepped off to a small alcove in the side of the cave, motioning for Cove and me to follow Ninelithe. I craned my neck as we walked past, watching as she lifted, barehanded no less, a giant rock, using the steel rods burrowed into the back to slot it neatly into place. Previously unnoticed bars slid down, preventing people on the other side from pushing their way through. Not that any person, even Cove with enhanced strength, could have pushed the rock from its location if they knew it was there in the first place. Even from the back, it was difficult to see the cracks where the door would be. I imagined that from the front, the cracked outlines of the door were paper thin, nearly impossible to see at any time of day, but especially in the shadowed recesses of the back of the tiny cave.
Ani huddled deeper into my chest, and I ran my fingers across his velvety ears as we continued deeper into the cavern.
We were met by the occasional tiny offshoots that brought fresh air with them–most likely ventilation from the surface. While most of the ventilation shafts were carved roughly, I spotted a few that had been smoothed out over many years and wondered at the difference. Persephoenix chalked when I asked, a rough, stony sound. I didn't ask again.
Once, Ninelithe paused to heft a two-plank wooden bridge up from its resting place on the wall, dropping it to lay it across a hissing pit. He and Persephonix leaped over the six or seven foot gap between the two easily, and it became obvious the wooden bridge was for Cove and I's convenience. My curiosity got the best of me as we crossed the bridge, and I glanced down into the pit to see a mass of scaly bodies slithering around each other. I swallowed thickly. Snakes.
The bridge was lifted and slid into a gap on our side of the pit, disappearing as if it had never been there at all.
Further down, the cavern narrowed and descended, the ceiling dipping until even Cove and I had to crouch. Persephoenix and Ninelithe didn't hesitate, crawling on all fours with ease akin to their lizard-distant relatives.
In one particular area, I trailed my hand along the deeply grooved notches in the ceiling and asked Persephoenix, who crawled behind me, "What are these for?"
"Spears," she answered shortly.
I pictured spear tips hanging down from the ceiling and winced, glancing down at the rust-spotted floor. Persephoenix huffed out a clear laugh behind me. Ahead, Cove gave a light appreciative whistle.
Despite my utter hatred of all physical activity, our movement through sent shots of excitement through my bloodstream, reminding me of so many adventure books, movies, and television shows.
A few times, we passed through maze-like areas where the path would split, and Ninelithe would walk unerringly to one or the other. Occasionally, we'd pass through massive arched rooms with an entrance on either side. Other times, as the light spheres floated by just so, I'd notice cracks in the shape of doorways. I was sure there were more than the ones I'd noticed, entry and exit ways for the people of Agartha to move through the tunnels unspotted and to confuse their enemies.
The odd pits, spear grooves, and ventilation shafts were the most common feature.
There were moments in my exhaustion when I felt a smidge disappointed as we didn't run into more of the outlandish classic booby traps, such as poison-covered arrows raining down from notches at our side before I recalled this wasn't a game, and my life was actually at stake.
Cove and I both grew more tired as the long walk continued on and on, but our resolve, and the snacks and drinks we'd packed in our backpacks, filled us as we continued. Unfortunately, to the delight of our guides, we had to stop a few times for breaks and to give the cats water, spending those precious minutes recovering our energy.
Ninelithe and Persephonix stayed primarily silent as we walked, rushing us forward with words of 'encouragement' or answering questions when asked.
Every so slowly, the moist, cool air started to warm up as a comfortable summer breeze drifted in through the vents. Ancient writing, in an script I didn't recognize, began to crawl up the walls in rows, and the rough cave-like texture of the walls became smoother, as did the floor underneath.
The tunnels opened up once again, this time into a massive room supported by massive ruby-red –perhaps even actual ruby–pillars thicker than I was tall, with gold-filled scripts etched into the jewels. Golden plates inlet with navy blue gems surrounded the supports for the pillars, and cold covered the walls.
On the far end of the room, multifaceted ruby doors as tall as the ceiling stood proudly atop golden steps, with a single, shimmering golden circle split on each door. Our fatigue vanished at the awe-inspiring sight.
"Woah," Cove said, halting next to me, his eyes reflecting the room and full of unabashed wonder and curiosity, mirroring what I was sure was the expression on my face.
If the entrance was as grandiose as this, then how grand was the city? I was eager to find out.
Ninelithe and Persephonix took the lead, walking side-by-side as Cove and I fell in line behind. They split, and we paused at the top of the stairs as they walked to either side of the doors. Simultaneously, they placed their hands on hidden scanners.
The doors opened silently without so much as a shudder, and sunlight spilled into the room, along with our first sight of Agartha.