Shimmying across a chasm on a flimsy rope made out of vines was not on my list of things to do today. Neither was it saving my Mom from the evil Mordok. Sounds like a bad fantasy movie with all the cheesiest lines and tropes the director could muster.

But it was in fact, real. So real that the sap from the vines ran down my arms and stuck to my clothing as I shimmied upside down. Never knew the things were so sticky. My face wasn't faring much better. 

I kept thinking I was making good time when I risked a glance at Mom. Not even halfway across. All those swimming lessons and I had the upper body strength of a turtle. In my head, I could hear my Dad shouting, you can do it Macy. He was the only one to offer any support during meets. While I appreciated his valiant efforts, I confessed to being embarrassed hearing him alone in a crowd of silent spectactors.

Today, I wished he were here to spur me on. I would love it if he came back from the grave and told me I could do it. I would be thrilled because then I wouldn't be thinking about how high up I was and how my body would break if I fell.

"Go back, Macy," Mom said.

"Way to encourage me, Mom," I answered, putting one hand over the over. It was slow going but steady. This turtle was determined to win the race.

"Macy, you will get us both killed."

"I really need to concentrate. Besides, it's kind of moot right now anyway. I'm almost there."

"I hardly think so."

I increased the pace, gathering courage while my stomach continued to bottom out. Talk about facing my fears of heights, falling and evil Magicians. The latter, a new one I'd just acquired today. I kept it up until my head bumped something squishy and slimy.

I looked at Mom who was invisible save for her mouth. This was no ordinary cocoon. It had the appearance of one but it moved, alternating between tightening and loosening. The loose ends crawled like snakes, wriggling around with no heads. I shuddered. Snakes were on the list.

"Hi, Mom." She didn't answer. I could hardly blame her. Who would want to talk knowing those tendril things could crawl in her mouth any moment? Something snapped suddenly and I really hoped it wasn't me. The vine severed from the rock Grendel had secured it to and I fell, swinging toward Mom.

I closed my eyes, reached out and grabbed the cocoon, holding onto it tight all the while trying not to throw up. I breathed in copious amounts of sulfur and gagged. The tendrils worked their way around my hands and arms while my feet dangled over the chasm.

"You should not have done that. Now we will both be trapped," Mom said. Her voice was getting weaker, her life force draining from the strength of Mordok's magic.

"I love you too, Mom." I had one shot at this. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the sensation of falling forever. Please, let it be like it was before. I imagined my hands getting hotter, building up anti-magic in them. I couldn't see it but I could feel it. Similar to what I sensed in the caverns.

The tendrils writhed and wriggled. I captured them in my hands and squeezed not relishing the sensation of a slimy texture squirting out. The things wriggled in my hands trying to get loose but they couldn't. I poured all of my energy into them and they literally squealed in pain. 

Mom's body was released and we dropped. With reflexes I didn't know I had, I had somehow grabbed hold of the dangling vine and hung there. "You suppose we'll survive the fall if I let go?"

"No. This chasm is bottomless. It leads to the pit of hell."

"I sincerely hope you're joking."

"I am not."

"You mean, hell is real?"

"So is heaven. Well, Macy, now what?"

"I'm thinking."

"Think faster. You will not be able to hold us both for long."

"You know it would help if you weren't so negative."

"Just being realistic."

"There's a time for realism and a time to pretend the chasm isn't there."

"You know better than that."

"You're welcome, Mom."

From up above, came a sardonic chuckle. Mordok. I think I've established my hatred for bullies who laugh at me so I won't go over it again. "Well, well," he said. "Mother and daughter together again. You told me your daughter was dead, Lyra. Never took for such a expert in deception."

"Say nothing to him," Mom hissed to me.

"Wasn't planning on it." I tightened my grip only to have us slide down a couple of centimeters. Why weren't Grendel and Jilla backing us with their magic?

"Grendel and Jilla are rather busy at the moment," Mordok answered my silent question. 

"Can he read minds?" I whispered to Mom.

"Yes, I can."

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you," I blurted.

"Macy, be quiet!"

"Sorry." I did the thing that everyone said not to do when dangling helplessly in mid-air, I looked down. The end of the vine disappeared into the darkness. We had tied twenty vines together, should be a couple of meters of rope left. What would I find at the end of it should we drop all the way down? Bottomless meant it went on forever. I couldn't stomach the thought of falling for all eternity. "Hang on."

With everything I had in me, I tried to haul Mom and me back up to the dangling cocoon. If we could get to it, we could-- My mind went blank, unable to conceive the next phase of the plan. Mom was right, I really didn't think this through.

The stickiness of the sap was the only thing that kept from sliding back down. "Put your hands on the vine." Mom did as I said. I'm amazed she listened to me for once. Without the extra weight, we made good time climbing. "We need to get to that outcropping up there."

"I see it." Mom grunted with effort. She was weak for sure.

"How long were you in that cocoon thing?"

"Too long. It is made with Mordok's magic which sapped my own."

"Those tendrils didn't seem to like my magic."

"Curious. Your anti-magic repelled his."

"I thought it was supposed to enhance Alluvian magic."

"Perhaps not in all cases. Unless-"

"What?"

"Mordok has anti-magic as well."

"Well, this certainly changes things." Opposites attracted while like poles repelled. Suppose it applied to two people with anti-magic? My head collided with a hard surface. "Ouch." I worked my leg over it and lay belly down. I reached down to help Mom up. Her nails clawed my skin but I didn't let go. Together, we rested, panting for breath, inhaling thin oxygen and dust. I coughed so hard I thought I brought up a piece of a lung. "Let's go," I said when I could finally speak.

Mom went first, belly crawling toward a flat shelf that ran along the wall. I made for it after I saw that she was save and my body slammed down via an invisible force.

"I hardly think so," Mordok chuckled. "You will not be escaping me today."

Crushed by gravitational forces greater than Jupiter, my face was making a permanent impression in the outcropping. "Mmmf." I struggled against the powerful forces of Mordok's magic." Mmmmm." I couldn't talk without getting a mouthful of cave dust.

Breathing a non viable option. My lungs screamed for air. Lack of oxygen brought on rapid asphyxiation, dizziness and panic. Oxygen and I were best friends, which is why I always swam with my head above the water. Also why I never won any meets.

Faint shouts from below reached my ears. "Hold on, Macy, we're coming!" Grendel bellowed. Way to announce your presence.

Losing consciousness, I made my hands into fists and pushed. I got my head up a few centimeters at least. Enough to grab a couple of lung fulls  of air. But Mordok slapped me back down. 

"You will not get away from me," he said, chuckling. The chuckle reminded me of someone else, a very familiar someone.

I got my head up once more this time anticipating Mordok and turned my head. A little thing, but I could breathe. My right cheek pressed into the rock making permanent dents in my skin, but my nose was free to inhale and exhale. My head was facing the wrong way but why quibble over semantics. I was just grateful to have air.

"You will not defeat me!" Mordok shouted suddenly. Rocks clattered down from up above. He could bring the whole mountain crashing down with that voice.

"Who's trying to defeat you?" I said. "You're the only one who thinks this is a fight. I'm just trying to live my life." I know. Mom said not to engage but really the ridiculousness of his comment compelled me to.

"An utter lie! You have come to destroy all magic."

I let out a sardonic chuckle of my own. How delusional. How distorted his world view was concerning me. "Hey buster, I didn't know I had magic until a few days ago."

"Another lie. You have known of your magic all along. You have come to defeat me. To defeat all Alluvians."

"Macy, what are you doing?" I heard Mom whisper. 

"Appealing to his vanity?"

"Not likely. Nothing you say will deter him form his belief that you are here to destroy him."

"I know some politicians who are like that."

"This is not the time for jokes."

"Who's joking? Some of them are so far out of right field they've developed a cult following."

"Macy, gather your wits together and do something."

"How? He's got me pinned down."

"You will think of something."

"What about you?"

"I am too weak. Jilla and Grendel are caught in the same snare as I. It is up to you."

"Up to me," I muttered. "Great. Let the newbie fight the big, bad magician." I was on an outcropping that could break at any moment. The empty cocoon dangled further down and off to the left slightly. If I rolled off instead of waiting for it to break, could I grab onto it? And do what, climb it to wherever Mordok was?

A horrible plan but dying was a far worst one. But my with my body held fast to the outcropping, I couldn't execute a full roll. The better idea was to try to get to my hands and knees and get to Mom. Yeah, much better. I wasn't fond of falling. I jammed my right elbow into the rock and got my head up with all the force I could muster. 

I rolled onto my chest, face planting in the rock again. I couldn't breathe but I had my arms beneath me this time. I used both elbows to keep my upper body from slamming back down. Another bout of magic from Mordok pressed me down with my elbows the only things holding me up. Pain swirled around the olecranon but I held on. You know the sensation of hitting your funny bone? Not funny here.

"Where do you think you are going?" Mordok taunted.

"Anywhere you're not." With great effort, I dragged my right elbow forward then my left. I got as far as a couple of centimeters but no further. Mordok unleased his fury upon my back and I went down once more. It would take more magic than I've got to defeat him on his terms.

So, don't do it on his terms. Think unconventionally.

An image of the cavern came to mind. The size of the energy ball I had created had been softball sized but it had created great damage. I couldn't do that here. Or could I? I planted my hands flat onto the rock. It vibrated softly at first but grew intense exponentially the longer I concentrated on it. The vibrations in the outcropping shot out like a Tsunami wave hitting the wall then ricocheted around chasm. A scream burst my eardrums, so loud and piercing that blood trickled out of them. Next thing I knew, a body dropped from up above and fell into the chasm. God, I hope that was Mordok.