Seth reconsidered the expansive cavern. “There are so many.”
“All of them virtually immortal,” Willard said.
“How do they come out?” Seth asked.
Willard walked over to a waist-high pillar of stone. “When the time comes for a combatant to return, I harvest their crystal and place it in the slot.” He indicated a socket in the surface of the pillar.
“And a person comes out?” Seth asked.
“A gladiator emerges from a chamber elsewhere beneath the coliseum,” Willard said. “That’s outside my purview.”
“You watch over the crystals,” Seth said.
“I just follow orders,” Willard said. “Along with a few others. We take shifts.”
“Exciting job?” Seth asked.
“You’ll note some crystals are dimmer than others,” Willard said. “The dim ones represent injured warriors. They receive extra care until they achieve full health.”
“How long are people trapped here?” Seth asked.
“They rest here,” Willard said. “It’s like sleep. Hibernation. They relax and heal.”
“And lose their memories,” Seth said.
“Their memories are not taken,” Willard said. “Not stripped away like yours. They are simply . . . submerged. I help that process along.”
“How?” Seth asked.
Willard clasped his hands behind his back. “Let’s say magic. Leave it at that.”
“You shouldn’t mess with their memories,” Seth said.
“It isn’t my policy,” Willard said. “I’m performing my job. Those above me consider the submerging of memories a mercy. Some of these fighters have been here for a very long time and have accumulated many lifetimes of trauma.”
“I would want to keep my memories,” Seth said. “I would rather understand my situation.”
“The choice would not be yours to make,” Willard said. “I suspect the great majority would thank me for hiding the vastness of this experience from them. Now you know about the Crystal Hollow. You arrived here haphazardly. Please do not return.”
“Are there other secrets of the Games down here?” Seth asked.
Willard smiled, his upper teeth uncommonly prominent. “There are secrets about the Games everywhere.”
“How do I get out of here?” Seth asked.
“I recommend you backtrack all the way to daylight,” Willard said.
“I ran into some trouble on my way in,” Seth said. “An alternate exit would help.”
“I’ll grant no extra favors,” Willard said. “You should hurry. Security will soon be summoned to oust you. I’ll give you a head start, in case you would rather see yourself out.”
Seth gave the cavern a final sweeping glance. “All right. Have fun down here.”
Willard offered a faint smile. “Enjoy your Games.”
Pungent smoke percolated through the holes of a brass incense burner on the corner of the expansive desk. Seated together, Kendra, Vanessa, Warren, and Tanu watched Dectus pace back and forth, hands moving animatedly as he talked.
“You four did very well in Stratos,” the giant said.
“We got caught,” Kendra said.
“But you returned with the map,” Dectus said. “And Madam Ladonna weighed you, taking the guesswork out of your motives.”
“You got what you expected,” Warren said.
Dectus held up a finger. “I had to be sure about you. I hoped for this outcome. And not a moment too soon. The Perennial Storm has been spotted.”
“You’re kidding,” Vanessa said.
“The storm visits here every seven years, give or take a couple of weeks,” Dectus said.
“How bad is the storm?” Kendra asked.
“It’s enchanted,” Tanu said. “The storm roves the magical world, never ending, bringing torrential showers and brilliant displays of lightning.”
“I heard it hailed gold for a while on Isla del Dragón,” Warren said.
“Legends about the storm abound,” Dectus said. “We know thunderbirds flock inside those tenebrous clouds. But, most important, we know the entrance to our Dragon Temple opens only when the Perennial Storm is present.”
“You want us to go out in the Perennial Storm?” Vanessa asked.
“Sounds about right,” Warren murmured.
“My most trusted courier will bear you safely there,” Dectus said. “Even giants respect the Perennial Storm, but, in a pinch, we sky giants can brave any weather.”
“I heard at its peak there can be a thousand lightning strikes a minute,” Vanessa said.
“Maybe at the very heart of the storm,” Dectus said. “We will insulate Bernosh and his passengers against lightning. The primary question is whether you will undertake the quest for the Harp of Ages.”
“What do you know about the guardians of the temple?” Warren asked.
“We have no details,” Dectus said. “Expect three monsters or dragons of great renown.”
“How do we open the door?” Tanu asked.
“You will need to use the lightning key while the storm is raging,” Dectus said.
“You have the key?” Tanu asked.
Dectus pointed at the map.
Kendra looked at the parchment. “Ptolemy and the lightning key,” Kendra read, tapping the labeled spot.
“Use the map to find the lair of Ptolemy,” Dectus said. “Take the key from him.”
“Who is Ptolemy?” Kendra asked.
“A three-headed giant,” Warren said. “Really tough customer.”
“You need not defeat him,” Dectus said. “You just need the key.”
“Ptolemy is notoriously unpredictable,” Vanessa said.
“And the Dragon Temple will be more perilous still,” Dectus said. “Will you make the attempt, or should I find other champions?”
“The Harp of Ages puts dragons to sleep?” Kendra asked.
“By the hundreds, provided they are within range,” Dectus said.
Kendra looked to Tanu. “We have to stop Celebrant. But we also need to find Seth.”
“You go after Seth,” Tanu said. “Warren, Vanessa, and I can chase down the Harp.”
“If you’re going to the Dragon Temple, you need a dragon tamer,” Kendra said.
“We have potions,” Tanu responded.
Kendra shook her head. “I don’t think Seth wants to be found, but the satyrs can take Knox and Tess to look for him while we go after the Harp. If we lose the dragon war, we’re all doomed.”
“I can help your friends make their way to Humburgh,” Dectus said. “If your brother has interest in Humbuggle and the Titan Games, it is the sensible place to investigate.”
A human-sized door opened and Raza entered, bowing. “Apologies, Dectus, but you have a visitor.”
“I explicitly directed we not be disturbed,” Dectus said.
“Understood, your excellency, but this is an emergency visitor seeking Kendra Sorenson,” Raza explained. “I believe her message is urgent and perhaps relevant to your discussion.”
“Very well,” Dectus said, sounding intrigued.
Raza stepped aside,
