Without A Heartbeat
Chapter 33

Raging fires burned in deep crevices far below the precipice that Scarlett stood on. A natural cavern stretched out in front of her, one that plummeted hundreds of feet down into the ground. Stalactites hung like celestial blades from the rock ceiling, so close she could reach out and touch the ones above her head. The natural formations of the vast cave had been incorporated into a series of metal walkways and precarious ledges that lead down to an exit so far away it looked like a mouse hole. Large metal openings had been screwed into some of the walls and through her improved vision Scarlett could see the shimmering of gas that was periodically ignited, spewing huge pillars of fire out in all manner of directions. The idea of the trial area was simple, but the implications were terrifying.

I have to get to the bottom without dying.

Edging forward, Scarlett peered over the edge of the precipice that the archway had led her to. The flames below heaved as if she were staring into the heart of a volcano. Heat shimmered in the air and Scarlett knew that if she were human, it would be impossible to survive. She caught site of a ladder that hooked onto the right hand side of the ledge. Swallowing hard, she swung her legs over the edge and climbed down, trying her best to hold on with her wounded hand. The ladder extended to a metal walkway, which groaned when she placed a tester foot on it. Hooking her arm around one of the rungs, she stamped down both feet several times. The walkway made a few more creaks of protest, but held fast. With a deep breath of habit, she let go.

Scanning around, Scarlett saw that she had to take the walkway to a narrow ledge that wrapped around the rock wall. Beyond that, a path led down to a second walkway, which was fixed to a flat pillar containing several fire spewing holes.

Great.

Wiping away a layer of sweat from her forehead, Scarlett crept forward. Her mind was growing hazier from exertion and lack of blood. The wounds around her body were not healing as fast as normal – the blood from her stomach injury had spread until the entire bottom section of her petticoat was stained claret. Blinking her eyes to focus, she kept moving until she had reached the other side of the walkway. Turning, she pressed her back against the wall and started to sidestep around the narrow ledge. Below her feet was a sheer drop that dove straight into one of the fire pits. Chunks of stone skittered out as she edged around, cascading into the flames below.

Please don’t fall, please don’t fall.

With a sigh of relief, Scarlett made it to the pathway, which spiraled downwards. At the bottom she stepped onto the walkway that held the first bit of real danger. Sections of the metal were glowing red and had warped from the streams of fire that belched onto them. Scarlett watched them ignite and in some type of pattern. She stared as they cycled over and over, trying to understand.

Three holes. The middle always goes first, followed by the first and then last.

She counted in her mind.

They last for ten seconds each.

Scarlett kept staring at the flame jets, trying to understand their timings, but it was becoming difficult to concentrate. Her thoughts kept receding, as the gnawing bite of the hunger grew stronger.

Come on Scarlett, you can do this.

She stared harder and forced herself to understand. There are two cycles. The first cycle has five seconds before each flame activates. To go then is suicide. The second cycle has fifteen seconds between each flame. I have to go then. The reach of the flames is too wide to do in fits and starts, I have to go and not stop until I reach the end.

Scarlett counted silently until the final flame winked out and then rushed forward. She hopped over the first red patch of metal and kept going. It was then that her foot hit an invisible weak spot on the walkway, which yawned downwards and broke open. A surprised scream escaped her lips, as suddenly there was nothing but air beneath her feet.

Scarlett fell through the hole.

Her fingers locked around a metal and pain tore through her hand and shoulder as gravity tugged at the wounds. Time seemed to grind to a halt as it dawned on her that she was dangling from one of the walkway’s support struts a hundred feet above a raging inferno.

Acting on pure instinct, she swung her legs backwards and forwards, rocking until she had built up momentum. Then with a grunt of exertion, she let go. Her hands coiled around the next strut. Ignoring the pain, she repeated the process until she was almost at the end of the walkway. Scarlett heard a faint click as something activated deep inside the pillar. With a flare of panic, she flipped herself up onto the walkway and dove forward, just as fire exploded from the mouth of the giant hole. She landed hard and rolled, colliding with a rock at the other end. Her foot exploded into pain and with wide eyes she saw it was on fire. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled her nose, as the flames licked her skin. Slapping her foot with her hands, she put out the fire, sucking in air through her teeth as the fire bit at her palms. Her foot was bright red and blistered, and when she stood, it sent bolts of pain shooting up her leg.

Scarlett wanted to cry. She wanted to give up and wait until someone came to collect her. But as impossible as it seemed to ever reach the end of the horrible trial, she knew her only option was to keep going. Gritting her teeth together, she forced herself to walk, doing her best to ignore the absolute agony that came from all of her wounds, and the constant dizziness that the hunger provided.

Trying her best to put no weight on her throbbing foot, Scarlett limped her way along the long path, which cut down into the centre of the flaming cavern. It kept going for some time.

Then it just stopped.

A gap of some fifteen feet stood between a series of four pillars, each barely large enough to hold a person. A wall fitted with smaller holes sent out flames that ignited each of the columns with fire for a few seconds before winking out. Scarlett whirled her head around, trying to look for another route down, but there was none. Her only chance to reach the walkway on the other side was to make the death defying leaps. As she counted the seconds between bursts of flame, Scarlett felt hopelessness curl through her.

There isn’t enough time to make it across.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. They had put a trap that was impossible to survive. This makes no sense. Why would they train me just to put me in an unwinnable situation?

It was then that Scarlett saw the small handles fixed lower down on the pillars and understood what she had to do. Giving a laugh that bordered on delirium, she squared herself and waited for the flames to wink out.

Then jumped.

She hit the top of the column with expert precision, her foot flaring with pain as it stamped down onto the rock. Still crouched, she tensed her legs and sprang up, arching through the air and landing on the next pillar. The soles of her feet hit a number of loose stones and her legs skated out in front of her. Through instinct alone, she used her hands to grip the edges and stop herself falling off.

The clicking began inside the pillar.

Scarlett rolled off the side and clung onto the side of the column. With a grunt she let herself slide down several feet, her hands scraping against the rough surface and ripping at her bandage, until her fingers caught the handles. There was a roar above and she pressed her face tight to the rock as the jet of angry flames spewed just above her. She could hear the fire cracking and hissing as it scorched everything overhead. Letting out a scream of fear, Scarlett held fast, squeezing her eyes shut and crushing her hands around the holds.

As soon the flames stopped, she moved.

Scarlett inched around the rock until her back was in line with the next pillar. She looked over her shoulder and stared at the column, blinking away the haze that clouded her mind. One wrong move and everything was over.

Do it. Do it now Scarlett.

Pressing her feet against the pillar she stamped down, using the rock as a springboard to vault into the air. Turning, she reached out and grabbed onto the column.

Her hands slipped.

With a gasp Scarlett fell, her hands snatching at the rock. Through pure luck, her fingers coiled around something and her shoulder was almost yanked out of its socket as she jerked to a halt. Another set of metal handholds had been placed some twenty feet below the first ones. Scarlett swung herself around and snatched the metal of the opposite handhold. Hanging there, wounds aching and arms trembling, something inside Scarlett switched. The hunger sank away and survival instinct rose in its place.

Using her arms and feet to propel herself upwards, she made light work of the pillar, as she had the trees in Dorcha Forest. Reaching the spot with the other handholds, she waited until the next stream of flames had died out and then vaulted onto the column top. Without slowing, Scarlett pounced right over onto the next pillar and once more, landing on the walkway.

With renewed energy, Scarlett kept moving, rushing through the fire cavern like a streak of pale light. Her fangs were down and she had no more conscious thought as she raced down walkways, jumping, rolling and ducking to avoid flames, scale pillars and launch herself over gaps. It was not long until she had reached the bottom, where the black floor was fissured with flames that rushed up in thick walls, before parting like waves and splashing back down into the cracks.

With a growl, she darted forward and jumped, arching over a rising bed of flames, flipping in the air and landing in a crouch. Without stopping, she hopped from section to section across the fractured rocks, trusting her instincts until she was facing the final challenge.

Twelve horizontal holes stood on either side of the cavern, spewing flames that were so long they touched in the middle, crackling blue and rising into the air with combined energy. A pit of the rolling fire lay just beneath, with a gap of almost thirty feet that led to a recessed precipice, containing a large metal door.

The only option was to jump.

Scarlett backed up, watching the flames and waiting for the moment they dropped away from each other. When it came she surged forward, drawing on every bit of energy she had left and waiting until the last possible moment.

She jumped.

Scarlett sailed through the air as the flame jets reignited. She felt them close together one by one, like curtains being drawn behind her. Her foot hit the lip of the precipice and she tripped, her momentum throwing her right over onto her back and sending her crashing into the door. As she lay staring up at the towering cavern above her, the predatory side departed, leaving her to contend with her pain and the hunger once more. With a groan Scarlett tried to stand, only to have her legs give out. I have to rest.

It was as if her words triggered fate.

A series of hisses filled the cavern, followed by a thundering roar. Jerking her head around, Scarlett saw a tide of flame rushing towards her from the back of the cavern. No, no, no!

Forcing herself to stand, the girl stumbled over to the door, as spots of giddiness flickered in her vision. She pressed against the metal surface, but the door didn’t budge.

“Let me in!” she screamed, pounding on the door. “Let me in!”

No one opened it.

The wave of roaring flames continued to rush towards her. Heaving her shoulder against the door, Scarlett pushed with every ounce of strength she had left – which wasn’t much. It gave a loud creak and started to inch open. Turning her head, Scarlett saw that the flames were sweeping closer.

Move you bastard!

She drove her feet into the ground and sank low, putting all of the weight onto her hands and shoulder. The tendons in her neck became as taught as rope and her muscles burned as she shoved against the door. The flames were so close; she could already imagine the searing agony as they devoured her like the maw of a great dragon.

The scream that escaped from Scarlett was so inhuman, it didn’t sound as if it had come from her lips. The door yielded enough for her to squeeze through and she dived to the right, curling into a ball as flames exploded around her. Blinding light filled her eyes as the fire flickered all around, scraping up the walls and feeding themselves through the gap. She clamped her eyes shut and kept screaming until her voice went hoarse.

And then it was over.

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