Chapter 11
I could feel my blood freezing in my veins.  I could not risk a back spring now, as it would certainly devour me in midair.  And my arm became more and more aching with each passing second.  Anytime now, the python would make its move and there would be no escape!
“Go! Epi! Now!” I heard Bituitius shouted.
I closed my eyes and swing back, expecting a sharp cut into my body by its probing fangs.  Instead I heard a loud crashing sound.  I opened my eyes and saw the python turned, distracted by the noise.  The original hill of skeletons had now littered the whole area, skulls with empty sockets rolled all over the place.  A big boulder was in the place where the pile of bones used to be.  Bituitius had hurled that with a spell and caused the monument of bones to collapse and that confusion gave me the brief break, which allowed me to make hair-splitting escape!
I landed back on the spot where I started and was still shivering.  But the python had realized it had been tricked of its prey and in anger, it turned and uncoiled!
“Run for your life, Epi!”  And the next instant, he sprang in front of me and back-tracked the way we came from.  I used one more second to retract the metallic pointer from the rock and saw it shot back into the metallic device and turned to run.  The hissing sound of the python was behind us, picking up speed as its full length was released.  I could almost feel the brush of its tongue against my back; its scale gliding along the walls of the tunnel we had chosen to flee.
“Bituitius, it is behind us!  What should we do?” I was desperate, as I knew it would not be long before I collapsed onto the floor, out of breadth and be sucked into the python’s stomach as a worthy meal.
Bituitius was not answering.  He just ran at the top of his speed.  I recognized the route now.  He was leading me and the python back to the cave with the bottomless pit!
“It is no use, Bituitius…we could not stop it there!”
What was he doing? Had he gone mad!?  We would not be able to cross the abyss but it, with its length and strength would easily spring across and get us!
Yet he ran on and I had no choice but to follow.
Finally we made it to the cave, panting.
 “Use that.  We would swing across.” The hissing sound again became closer. “Together!” he added.
I shot the metallic pointer to the top of the ceiling and fixed it in place.  Bituitius grab it the handle linked to the wire with one hand and my waist with the other and together we jumped forward.  I was not sure if the device could hold both of us together and it would be a long drop if it could not.  
The wire held and we landed on the other side.
But there was no other escape path.  We were trapped!
The python slowly moved into coiling position opposite to us.  It did not hurry, as it knew it had cornered us.
“Bituitius, it will spring against us..”
“Epi, shoot it in the eyes with your sling when it jump…”
“But…”
“Do as I say!” He bellowed.
I took out my sling with trembling hands and locked two pebbles into place.
The python unlashed its attack, flying straight at us as it used its tail to push against the rocky wall behind it.  
“Now!”
I let go and the two pebbles went straight for the eyes.  The python saw them coming too and slid shut its eyelids, my pebbles bounced off, eggs against an iron pen!
“We are dead meat!”  I thought.
But Bituitius was smiling.  
“Tetus Plumbia!” The druid cast his spell with his rod.
I knew that spell.  It was not a lethal one, just turning their heads momentarily into heavy lead and used mainly to turn dozing sentries into more deep sleep so that one could sneak around them.  The spell could only be cast against one whose eyes were close shut!
A dark purple beam found its target on the spot between the closed green eyes and the next instant the head of the python was turned into greyish lead!  If the serpent was on the ground, that spell could do nothing more than just stopping it for a brief moment.  But it was in mid-air and the head, heavy with tremendous weight, led the plunge into the dark abyss, bringing the whole length of it back to the place where it should belong.  
We did not hear any sound hitting the bottom.
We sat down and tried to adjust our breadth.  When this was done, we used the same device to cross the pit.  I clang to Bituitius tightly as if the python might rise from the pit anytime to hunt us.  
When we reached the other side and I retracted the pointer, I looked at the multi tunnels facing us.  Now we had got what we wanted, how could we find our way out of this maze to the gate?
Bituitius knew my thoughts but he did not seem to worry.
He led the way for a while until we reached a point where five tunnels led to different directions and there was no way we could identify which one we had used before.
“Bituitius…” I hoped the Druid was not just pretending to be calm.
He smiled and opened his bundle and handed me something.  I held it close and saw what it was- cheese.
I was about to ask him when I saw he opened up one compartment of the pouch on his left.  A tiny mouse appeared inside his palm, which he then placed carefully on the ground.
The mouse scurried away, sniffing.  We followed it for some way and then found it nibbling at something inside one tunnel.  Now I understood why Bituitius kept on dropping the yellow stuff.  He led me along the tunnel and after some time took out another mouse and sent it along when we were confronted with multiple tunnels again.  It worked and sure enough, our little friends guided us to those leading to upper levels.  
“How many mice had you brought along?” I asked.
“Enough.” He smiled and said, sending another pathfinder ahead of us.
Finally, we saw the gate now and my heart leapt with joy.
“Bituitius, you are really a cunning old fox!” I kissed him.
He did not evade my lips, as he must think he rightly deserved a reward.
“How do you know the mice will follow the cheese path?”
“Simple.  I only took along very hungry mice.” The druid replied.
We were at the gate and opened the hatch as was instructed.
“Hey, let us out! We are back!”
No answer!
Where did the guard go?
“Hey, Come here! “I shouted at the top of my voice.
Still no answer.
Something went wrong.
The gate was no obstacle to us though.  A simple spell guided the crowbar along and we pushed the heavy oak doors open.
The guards were not in sight.
“Epi, we better run along.”
I agreed and we rushed towards the palace.
When we reached there, the whole place was in utter confusion.  The maids were running in all directions, shrieking as if the end of the universe was at hand.
“What is happening?” I stopped a frightened maid and asked.
“The worm!  It has found the way up the fort!”
My face paled.  “Where is the queen?”
“On the ramparts!  Trying to defend against it!”
I let go of her and ran towards the spot where she had been pointing.
Sure enough, we could see the worm.  Even at this distance we could see its angry head rearing up, high above the rampart and threatened to crush down on the earthwork.  Alicia was standing on the walls alone, waving her magical wand, which sent out sparks and energy waves to try stopping the ugly thing. But it was a losing fight.  She could not hold up much longer.
I dashed up the stairs and flew to her side.
“Alicia!  I got the ring!”
“What?”
“I got the ring.” And as I said those words, I put the ring onto her small finger on her right.
She sighed relief.
While still fighting the hideous intruder with her magical spell, she cited the incantation that she had learned for years but lacked the instrument to bring it into effect.
I felt a wall of power being built up, starting from the ring, and expanding outward like a giant ripple.  Alicia’s body was engulfed in a golden sphere and her face lit up in a victorious smile.  The initiation was complete!
Without even having to use her magic, the Worm sank to the ground, its head bowing in submission.  What was an unstoppable pest was now as meek as a pet!
Alicia murmured something and we saw something unbelievable.  The worm was shrinking!
From its gigantic size, it shortened to less than the length of her palm.  She beacon it and it crawled towards her, to be picked up and put into a box made of oak.
I looked at her, mouth dropped in disbelief.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” She said with a smile and hugged me.  “You saved our kingdom.”
“But how can it ever protect your people now?” I looked at the box.
Alicia laughed.  “Size is only relative.  I can turn it back on its original form if I wanted to.  But now it is under my strict command and no one would be foolish to challenge the royal house.”
I nodded.  Something stirred inside me.  If she would not honour her words, there was nothing we could do to stop her.
She read my thoughts and laughed.
“Have no fear, my little one.  I will honour my pledge.  You can return the disc to me after your quest.  How can you think that I will betray you?”
I felt the heating up of my cheeks.
But she was in extremely jovial mood and wrapped her arm around my waist.  I did not protest.  After all, I was supposed to be her husband.
We stayed for two more nights, during which she taught me many things.  And then came the time to depart.  A ship was made ready for our use and as the vessel left harbour for the sacred island of Mona, Bituitius and I stood at the stern and waved good-bye to the beautiful queen.