The stairs descended for thirteen steps and ended in a thirteen-foot square flattened area. The stairs made a ninety degree turn to the left, descended thirteen steps, and ended in another thirteen-square foot area. The stairs turned ninety degrees to the right, descended thirteen steps, ended in an identical area and turned ninety degrees to the left. The pattern repeated- right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, and lastly left. Thirteen steps turned thirteen times. The last thirteen squared foot area ended with a wall to the south with a black door with no obvious opening mechanism.
“I’m glad I don’t have triskaidekaphobia,” Roscoe muttered.
” What’s that?” Boomer asked.
“The fear of the number thirteen,” Knarra answered. “Many people fear the number. Many consider ‘thirteen’ bad luck. It is feared by some that if thirteen people sit down to dinner together all will die within a year. Many towns and hamlets don’t have a thirteenth street. There are thirteen witches in a coven. If you have thirteen letters in your name you will have evil’s luck. It’s all folklore-just stories; it’s not based on fact like Magick.”
“I’m glad I don’t have paraskevidekatriaphobia,” Roscoe smirked.
“I don’t know what that means,” Knarra conceded.
“It means fear of Frightday and the thirteen steps,” Roscoe added
(Paraskevidekatriaphobia means fear of Friday the Thirteenth-author)
“That’s very funny, wise guy! Have you got any ideas of how to get beyond this door?” Nigel asked.
“It must be closed by some form of ‘Black Magick’,” Big Jon joked making reference to the color of the door.
The door opened and revealed a tremendous cavern. There was a continuous whistling sound. The ceiling was at least two hundred feet above them.
(It was three hundred and thirty-eight feet to be exact!)
A platform made of bluewood was suspended from the ceiling by a thick sturdy cable. The cable glistened; it wrapped around a huge pulley at the top of the dome of the cavern. The pulley was suspended…by nothing. Was the pulley made of the blue stone they had seen in the dragons’ lairs? The thick cable entered another pulley thirteen feet above the platform. The cable split below the second pulley into four substantial strands that entered openings in the corner of the platform. They crossed over to reinforce the bottom of the device. The platform had an area of thirteen by thirteen hands.
There was an area of hardened soil about thirteen by thirteen paces immediately before the stairs. A bluewood table identical to those found in the lairs of the dragons Levimire and Faranzer rested to the right of the now opened door.
benjamintowe 