Nemesis and the Fairy of Pure Heart by Ashley Du Toit Page B

game.
    Bella waited a few minutes to ensure they were absorbed in their game, then crossed to a small hollow in the rock floor. She poured the water in, reached into her bag for the opal crystal, and placed it into the water. She rubbed its smooth surface and waited to see what would happen.
    She didn’t have long to wait. A few minutes later Zeis popped his head out of the water, smiling at her.
    â€œSo, Fairy, you needed me sooner than you thought, hey?” he smirked.
    Bella grinned right back. By rights they should not be friendly after the stunt he pulled on her, but since she was of pure heart, she couldn’t hold a grudge, and he was here to help her.
    â€œYes, Zeis, I need to retrieve the fire’s heart, and I would like you to quench part of the flames long enough for me to put my hand in and grab it. Do you think you could do that?”
    Zeis looked insulted that she would even ask. He said, “Yes, but you do know that once you remove the fire’s heart, the caves will come crashing down, so you’ll have to hurry if you want to get out alive.”
    Of course, Bella had not known that, and she shuddered. She called the goblins towards her. Gariz and Pronkzie looked at Bella as she explained that she wanted them to start moving towards the entrance of the cave. They were not to stop for any reason, she emphasised. Reaching into her bag, she took out some of her blue shimmering dust and sprinkled it over them in the hope that it would work for the goblins and keep them safe. Urging them to go, she turned towards Zeis.
    â€œReady Water Sprite, when you are,” she said, and together they moved towards the ridge.
    Bella used the footholds notched in the walls of the cave to climb to the ridge above her. When she reached the top, Zeis was already there waiting for her. Zeis nodded his head up and down and started racing around and around the bright flames that licked and stretched even higher now with the wind of his passage. When Zeis nodded to show that now was the time, and Bella put her hand into the fire and withdrew the heart. It pulsed wildly in her hand. She carefully took Zarg’s parchment from her bag, and wrapped it around the heart to protect it.
    Two things happened at once. Zeis bid her goodbye, disappearing before she even had chance to move off the ridge, and the cave started to rumble, deep groans coming from the centre where she stood. Suddenly, it seemed that the mountain itself was shaking. Bits of rock from the roof began crashing to the ground, chunks of rock from the walls broke off and fell with loud bangs. The ground below her opened, small and then larger chasms chasing each other across the cavern floor.
    Bella’s heart racing, she clambered down from the ridge. She jumped the last few notches and landed heavily on the hard floor below. Scrabbling to her feet, she ran towards the entrance. As she raced, she dodged pieces of the cave roof and walls that were falling around her. The air became heavy with dust, which rose up in the air, choking her and making her eyes stream. She tried to run faster, but she could hardly see and she was afraid of stumbling and hurting a limb, then becoming trapped in the collapsing caves.
    She rounded the final curve in the tunnel and ran straight into the goblins, who weren’t running at all, but rather laughing at the sight of the chaos and destruction around them. They’ve finally gone mad she thought, as she shouted at them to follow her.
    A dim light showed ahead and Bella could just make out the entrance to the cave. They were so close now. Her heart pounding in her chest, her lungs straining for breath, and her legs cramping with exhaustion, she finally reached the entrance. Bella just had time to turn and see the goblins come crashing through behind her before the entire front of the cave crashed in, sending dust and rocks flying in all directions.
    The force sent them catapulting through the air and they