[Sidequest] Loose Grate

Apis watched with horror, despair, and a little curiosity as Elysia continued to argue with the water. Who was she even talking to? He couldn’t see anything, just a mirrored surface of water as she muttered and yelled in turn. Then, quick as a blink, a tentacle lashed out and pulled her under the surface. He let out a startled yell. Was Teuthida even able to do that?

The priestess pushed herself up when Elysia had disappeared under the surface, giving him a satisfied smirk. “Well,” she said. “That was surprising, but I hardly think the rest of you will…”

She was probably confident now that Elysia was gone (since she was the one with the sword) but Apis didn’t have the time to deal with this. It was just him and Balbinus left in the initial chamber, and he couldn’t let Elysia drown on her own. He stumbled down the steps, trying to take calm breaths. It would all be fine. He couldn’t be rejected by two goddesses, could he?

When he reached the water, however, there was no sign of a squid. Nothing to take him. He couldn’t even see his own reflection, the water was so disturbed.

He waited for what felt like an eternity. All he could see were the rocks scattered below.

“When is the test going to happen?”

The priestess didn’t respond. He could hear a thumping behind him, like someone was trying to break through the door. Surely Katla and her set of attackers hadn’t pursued them this quickly?

Apis pushed himself up. Balbinus had his ear to one of the doors, eyes wide with fear. As Apis walked up the steps, he stepped away from the door and gestured for Apis to come closer. Something he didn’t want the Priestess to know?

“I think they’re using the axe,” he said, when Apis was in hearing range. “I would give it only an hour or so. Those doors looked strong but not impenetrable.”

Apis looked at the door. “Oh.”

This felt, quite suddenly, like a problem he wasn’t capable of solving. He thought of the way the possessed people’s eyes had washed over. Was that the way he would be once they made it through and stole his mind, too?

“I see your mistakes have sunk in,” said the Priestess, who’d walked closer while Apis contemplated his next move. “Are you considering giving your mind and body to Teuthida in recompense?”

“We told you, we’re here to help!”

She stepped back, eyes wide. “Well! You don’t have to be so rude about it.”

Apis flung a hand towards the door. “I’m not like them. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to help my friends- one of whom is a kid- and get out of this temple. My bees could be in danger!”

He was losing the plot. Balbinus was clearly not listening anymore. Apis tried to rally. He didn’t often make angry speeches. “Anyway, you could have helped us before, and you didn’t! Where was all of this bravery when Elysia was trying to get stuff done!”

“Well- I- she threatened me!”

“She asked you to open the door!”

“Well- I- she was very rude about it. And she had a sword!” The priestess folded her arms. She was very twiggy, like someone had put her in a candy-making machine and stretched her out. It made the way she was trying to look angry have a lot less weight. “This temple has been falling apart. I was hardly going to help some madwoman that stormed in with a sword!”

“But you could lower yourself to gloating once she was gone!”

“I-” She looked away. “Well, I wouldn’t call it gloating. I was telling the truth. Yes, once the sword was gone.”

“You don’t like the woman with the axe, do you?” Apis had to take control of this situation before it spiralled, and he still couldn’t see the squid in the pond. It looked like this woman was his best bet, as much as he disliked her.

He heard another massive thump behind him. He winced.

“….No. You know her?”

“I don’t like her either.” He pointed to the door. “She’s coming through. There.”

Balbinus nodded enthusiastically. “We need to go. Fast.”

“But- I thought she was on a different mission,” said the Priestess.

“She’s cutting down the door. So she’s clearly coming this way,” said Apis.

They all turned and stared at the door. It trembled under the force of another blow. The priestess put her hands over her eyes like that would protect her. “Well- I- maybe she’s coming. But how do I know you’re not working together?”

All his life, Apis had gotten good results by being polite to people. He was a temple boy first. First with Honey; that was the word of Andrena. But in this moment, he couldn’t take it. He took the priestess by the shoulders and frowned. “Why, in this world or the one below, would we be working with her? Have you met her? I don’t think she even speaks the southern dialect! Stop panicking and think for once!”

“I-”

“Is there a way to get past this section without the squid. Just tell me.”

“There’s no squid?”

Apis was beginning to sincerely doubt Teuthida’s hiring process for Priestesses. He just pointed. The woman turned, her eyes going comically wide. “She…. The grate must not have been closed properly. Otherwise, She-”

“So is there another way?”

The priestess hesitated for a long few breaths. Apis felt like his entire life hung in the balance, listening to the thump of the door, waiting for this horrible priestess to decide if she would let him in or not. Maybe Elysia didn’t even need him- chances were, she would deal with this on her own. But…. He was tired of needing to be rescued.

“There is a way,” she said, finally. “But it is slow, and…” She gave Apis another long, slow look-over. “You must be good under pressure.”

Apis frowned. “What?”

“Can you swim?”

“I-”

“Never-mind,” she said. She turned on her heel and began walking towards another section of the room. “We will discuss this later. If they truly are using the axe, I don’t think we have time to consider. You seem… dedicated. I suppose that will do.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“I will need your help to move the machine. We will discuss who is using it and how after the initial problem is solved. Now! Follow me!”

Before Apis could ask any further questions, the woman had pulled up a tile in the floor, revealing a dark hole below. She didn’t even look. She just jumped down, disappearing into the dark.

Apis gave the trembling door one last glance, then took a deep breath. He’d always wondered if he could have an adventure without Elysia, hadn’t he? This is your chance.

Apis stepped forward and took the jump.