ertwofeetrefusedtomove.Shehadspentallthestrengthinherbodyieepclimbandwasnowonthepointofcolpse.Buttherewasnotimetobelostforthiswasadangerouspcewhereferociousbeastsabouhedarkforests.Numerousfierdmalevolenteyeslurkinginthedarkwerejustlookingforacetoattack.TakingthemagicbowfromherbackViowaveditthreateninglyalround.ThewildbeastsreizedDimitri’smagicbowahatitrepresentedKingDimitrihimself,sononedaredtoeforwardandsoonallslunkquietlyaway.OnlythendidViherleadenfootstepstowardshergoldpace.

    Viopassedsafelythroughtheforestsandhillswithoutbeingattackedbyanywildanimals,buttheangerinherbreastgrewbecausethehillsandforestswereallunguarded.Shehadsetseseveralstrategicspotsbuttherewasnotasouround.Shethoughtthatthezyandundisciplinedbarbariansoldiersmusthavetakenadvantageofherabseosckoffandgocarousingwiththeirfriendsandbuddies,fettingalbouttheirdutytostandguardandprotecttheirkingdostfaintingwithfatigue,Viedherheavyfeet,aonwalkingtowardsherpaceusingallthestrengthshehadleft.Whenshepassedtheencampmentofthebarbariantribes,shewasgreatlyupsettofindthatthecampwasquietay,withnosignoflife.Shenoticedthatthecampfireswerenewlyputout,sotheremusthavebeenpeopleherenottoolongago.Wherecouldthemen,womenandchildrenallgoo?Hassomethingdrastichappethegoldpace?Shequiedherstepsandwalkedon.

    4

    Shecametothegateofthegoldpacewhichlookedlikeanopenbloodymouth,pushedopentheheavygolddoorandwalkedontothenarrowwindingpathpavedwithgold.Theflowersandshrubsonbothsidesofthepathwerebloomingprofuselyinanexplosionofcolors.Thenshecametothefountain.Ninegonshadbeedifferentstrategicpositionsaroundthefountainsothatthewaterthatsproutedfromtheirmouthscrisscrossedandformedaravagantwebofwaterdispy.Brilliant,shimmeringdiamondscoveredthebottomofthefountainwhereglitteringgoldsandhadalsobeenscatteredandwhereallkindsoffishswamleisurelytoandfro.Whenshewalkedintothemajestidglitteringgoldpace,shewasastohattherewerenoattendantsvisible.Shewastheonlyoandinginthegrayhall.Wherehaveallthepeoplegoo?Shewasjustabouttoasdthegoldthroneaforawhile,whensuddenlyshefelttheworldspinningaroufirstshethoughtwhatshewasfeelingwasdizzinesscausedbyfatiguebecauseshehadexpeoomuergyclimbingupthecliff.Butimomentsthegroundunderherfeettrembledandshefoundithardtoremainstill.Theentiregoldpaceswungfrhttoleftandthenshookupanddownviolently.ThewholeofGiantMountaiobeonthevergeofdisiion.Viothenrealizedthismustbetheearth-quakethatpeopletalkedabout.Shehadneverexperienythingsohair-raisingandtempestuousinherlife.Vioquicklyrantowardsthebankoftheke.Whilelookingbackatthegoldpacewhichwasactuallyt,aviolentforcehitherandthrewherintotheke.

    TurbulentwavescarriedVioouttothedeepwaterswheretheonlythingshecouldseewaswater,wateralroundher,withsosightofnd.Giganticpilrsofwatercrasheddownaruggledagainstthetumultuouswavestryingtokeepafloatandhempushhertothebottomoftheke.Suddenlyaseriesofear-deafeningcrasheswereheard.WhenVioturnedbacktolook,shesawthatGiantMountainwhichusedtoliehorizontallyonthehorizonlitintoseveralpartsandintheblinkofaneyeherbelovedmagnifitgold

ertwofeetrefusedtomove.Shehadspentallthestrengthinherbodyieepclimbandwasnowonthepointofcolpse.Buttherewasnotimetobelostforthiswasadangerouspcewhereferociousbeastsabouhedarkforests.Numerousfierdmalevolenteyeslurkinginthedarkwerejustlookingforacetoattack.TakingthemagicbowfromherbackViowaveditthreateninglyalround.ThewildbeastsreizedDimitri’smagicbowahatitrepresentedKingDimitrihimself,sononedaredtoeforwardandsoonallslunkquietlyaway.OnlythendidViherleadenfootstepstowardshergoldpace.

    Viopassedsafelythroughtheforestsandhillswithoutbeingattackedbyanywildanimals,buttheangerinherbreastgrewbecausethehillsandforestswereallunguarded.Shehadsetseseveralstrategicspotsbuttherewasnotasouround.Shethoughtthatthezyandundisciplinedbarbariansoldiersmusthavetakenadvantageofherabseosckoffandgocarousingwiththeirfriendsandbuddies,fettingalbouttheirdutytostandguardandprotecttheirkingdostfaintingwithfatigue,Viedherheavyfeet,aonwalkingtowardsherpaceusingallthestrengthshehadleft.Whenshepassedtheencampmentofthebarbariantribes,shewasgreatlyupsettofindthatthecampwasquietay,withnosignoflife.Shenoticedthatthecampfireswerenewlyputout,sotheremusthavebeenpeopleherenottoolongago.Wherecouldthemen,womenandchildrenallgoo?Hassomethingdrastichappethegoldpace?Shequiedherstepsandwalkedon.

    4

    Shecametothegateofthegoldpacewhichlookedlikeanopenbloodymouth,pushedopentheheavygolddoorandwalkedontothenarrowwindingpathpavedwithgold.Theflowersandshrubsonbothsidesofthepathwerebloomingprofuselyinanexplosionofcolors.Thenshecametothefountain.Ninegonshadbeedifferentstrategicpositionsaroundthefountainsothatthewaterthatsproutedfromtheirmouthscrisscrossedandformedaravagantwebofwaterdispy.Brilliant,shimmeringdiamondscoveredthebottomofthefountainwhereglitteringgoldsandhadalsobeenscatteredandwhereallkindsoffishswamleisurelytoandfro.Whenshewalkedintothemajestidglitteringgoldpace,shewasastohattherewerenoattendantsvisible.Shewastheonlyoandinginthegrayhall.Wherehaveallthepeoplegoo?Shewasjustabouttoasdthegoldthroneaforawhile,whensuddenlyshefelttheworldspinningaroufirstshethoughtwhatshewasfeelingwasdizzinesscausedbyfatiguebecauseshehadexpeoomuergyclimbingupthecliff.Butimomentsthegroundunderherfeettrembledandshefoundithardtoremainstill.Theentiregoldpaceswungfrhttoleftandthenshookupanddownviolently.ThewholeofGiantMountaiobeonthevergeofdisiion.Viothenrealizedthismustbetheearth-quakethatpeopletalkedabout.Shehadneverexperienythingsohair-raisingandtempestuousinherlife.Vioquicklyrantowardsthebankoftheke.Whilelookingbackatthegoldpacewhichwasactuallyt,aviolentforcehitherandthrewherintotheke.

    TurbulentwavescarriedVioouttothedeepwaterswheretheonlythingshecouldseewaswater,wateralroundher,withsosightofnd.Giganticpilrsofwatercrasheddownaruggledagainstthetumultuouswavestryingtokeepafloatandhempushhertothebottomoftheke.Suddenlyaseriesofear-deafeningcrasheswereheard.WhenVioturnedbacktolook,shesawthatGiantMountainwhichusedtoliehorizontallyonthehorizonlitintoseveralpartsandintheblinkofaneyeherbelovedmagnifitgold