The Elder's Curse by Andrew Walbrown (ereader for textbooks TXT) 📕

with magical lettering. But despite the lack of foreign script, Ulam still did not let his guard drop. After surviving the enchanted slabs of black marble, evading the swords of animated sentinels, and reversing the paralyzing poison, there was no chance Ulam was going to trust the room’s innocent appearance. Clearly, I am supposed to pull the lever, but what new horror will I unleash by doing so?

“Ready?” Ulam asked, looking at the wobbly-legged Mwai.

Mazargo smiled. “Of course. What bad could happen?”

Ulam grunted and pulled the lever.

Chapter 18

Amantius

Placid, crystal clear water washed over the floor by Kona’s feet like a lazy tide. Amantius was nearby, standing in ankle-deep water, boots in one hand. After climbing a flight of stairs, they had entered a narrow hallway with a pool stretching from one end to the other. Though the scene looked harmless, Amantius decided to stop only a few steps into the pool, not wanting to risk the possibility of awakening some unknown monstrosity lurking in the depths.

“This seems easy,” Amantius said as he stared at the exit on the opposite shore. “Too easy.”

“For you maybe,” Kona replied, “I don’t know how to swim.”

“Are you afraid of water?” Amantius asked, wondering if this room was the product of Kona’s fear, much like witnessing his mother’s faux execution had been for him.

Kona shrugged. “Not really, but I don’t like that I can’t see the bottom.”

Amantius took a few more steps forward, but the water level remained at his ankles. He was surprised by how warm the water was. Since he could not spot an obvious heat source, he had expected it to be much colder. “I could go first if you want. Just to test it, of course. I’ll come back for you.”

“Will you?”

“Of course I will. I can’t leave you behind.”

Kona smiled. “Thank you.”

Amantius removed his shirt, tossing the sweat-drenched piece of clothing to the side along with his boots. He rolled up the legs of his trousers to just above his knee and then proceeded forward, the splash of water echoing off the narrow walls with each step. He was cautious, gradually placing weight on his front foot, distrustful of the lack of difficulty. The water level rose as he waded away from Kona, stopping only when he reached the halfway point, where only from his waist down his body was submerged. Though nothing had happened, Amantius was still uneasy about the whole ordeal. He believed this had to be some kind of trap, with a pool of seemingly clean, refreshing water the lure. But if there was some kind of menace waiting to pounce, he could not figure out what it was. As he continued onward the water began to recede, until eventually, he came to the other side of the pool, completely unharmed. I guess it’s just a shallow pool. Actually, wait a second…that’s amazing!

There was one effect the water seemed to have on Amantius, other than soaking his trousers, and that was his knee no longer hurt. In fact, every body part that had been submerged felt far more energetic than before, even the smallest of kinks and pains no longer nagged him.

“What is it?” Kona called from the other side. “Is something wrong?”

“No!” Amantius shouted in joy. “Quite the opposite. I think we may have stumbled upon some kind of healing pool!”

“A healing pool? Those exist?”

Amantius shrugged. “Why not? If Kuruk had the power to cast a spell that could perfectly replicate Accaria from my memories, why not have a healing pool? After all, he was at war with the dragons and probably needed a place to heal. I feel great!”

In one last test Amantius returned to the glimmering waters, dashing straight for the deepest area of the pool. For the past year, he had a slight pain in his left shoulder, caused by drunkenly falling down a flight of stairs at a brothel in the Emberi city of Redgate. Though he knew there was something wrong with his shoulder, the discomfort was manageable; it was more annoying than painful. Amantius guessed that if he dipped his shoulder beneath the surface and the irritation suddenly vanished, then there would be no doubt left about the water’s magical properties.

When he was at the center of the pool Amantius curled his legs inward, sinking until even the top of his head was underwater. As he had hoped, the pain in his shoulder suddenly disappeared, as though it had never existed. I can’t wait to tell Ulam about this!

Amantius stood up, spitting out water in a high arc as he wiped the drenched locks of hair from his face. Not only did he feel no pain, but he also felt more energetic and stronger than ever before. The pool not only healed his torn muscles and broken bones but also increased his strength and toned his body. If I stay in here long enough I might become a God!

With renewed vigor, Amantius waded across the pool and slung their traveling packs over his shoulders. Though the bags were far from light, with his newfound strength they felt like they were filled with feathers instead of an assortment of traveling gear. But while Amantius was beaming with excitement, Kona stood by with a quiet reservation in her eyes.

“There’s nothing to fear,” Amantius repeated as he headed for the water again. “You watched me cross the pool twice already and nothing happened. Come on, it feels great.”

From the center of the pool, Amantius watched as Kona rolled up the legs on her baggy trousers, exposing more than just her hands and face for the first time. Before he could react she then removed her customary white linen shirt, revealing a tan brassiere wrapped around her torso that held her bosom in place. As she neatly folded her clothes to place in her bag Amantius remained frozen, his eyes wide open. For the sake of manners and privacy, he knew he should look away, but a very instinctual curiosity