‘A round well, some say, is an invitation for monsters… that is why some still practice the art of triangular wells… but it is not common, and those who build triangular wells are often seen as… odd…’

-Carven, teaching his apprentice

Everything was deathly silent, and Nell’s heart hammered in his chest as Genesis peered into the inky depths of the lonely well set in the forest clearing. She turned back to Nell grim-faced. She motioned for him to move around the side of the well, opposite her, and then pointed toward the forest beyond.

‘You want me-?’

Genesis quickly brought a finger to her lips, commanding Nell to be silent. He stared at her a moment, nodded, and then started around the side of the well. Genesis patted the air with her hands, telling Nell she wanted him to keep his movements soft. Nell didn’t understand what was going on. He wished he could just ask Genesis, but even if he was allowed to talk right now, it wasn’t as if his question would do him a lot of good.

He realized too late that he shouldn’t have been musing, but rather focusing on getting to the woods as quietly as possible, and watching where he was stepping. He didn’t know how the stick had come to be there in front of him, but it had, and he stepped on it. The snap of the dry wood surely sounded louder than it really was, but it sent a shot of cold dread through Nell, and as he looked at Genesis, and saw the expression on her face, the same was for her.

The only difference was that she knew why it was bad.

The ground rumbled suddenly, and Genesis motioned with her hands, urging Nell to run. He didn’t hesitate, and just bolted for the trees. As he did, great writhing tentacles shot out of the well, reaching out for him and Genesis. Genesis was quicker and more agile on her feet than Nell; she ducked and twisted, slashing with her Hanul-Kal, lopping away tentacles, sending them flopping to the ground.

Nell was grabbed about the waist tightly by one of the snaky appendages and yanked backward to the mouth of the well.

Genesis leaped onto the edge of the well, and then off, spinning in the air and slashing with her Hanul-Kal. The tentacle that had Nell was severed before he reached the well, and both he and the wriggling limb fell heavily to the ground. Nell threw off the thing and scrambled to his feet as a loud roar issued from the well and the ground trembled again.

Genesis was almost instantly at Nell’s side. She grabbed his hand and together they plunged into the forest. Tentacles shot into the woods after them, and Nell looked back, watching the things stretch after him and Genesis. Then there were more, bursting out of the ground in front of them. As Genesis faced those, Nell’s hand shot to his sword. He drew the Hanul-Kal from his side in a rush and triggered the blade, hearing it ring as he did. He twisted, hacking at the pursuing tentacles!

His blade cut through them easily and there was shrieking from the well as what was left of them drew backward. Then Nell felt Genesis grabbing his wrist, and they were running again. Nell’s heart was hammering in his chest.

He’d done it!

He not just been useless.

There was a thrill crackling inside him, his head was spinning.

Genesis and Nell hurtled on, not slowing their pace.

After some hard running they burst out of the forest. Nell immediately noticed that they were on a high cliff side. Grass grew toward the edge and ended in tufts. Laying beyond the edge of the plateau was a wide expanse, a deep valley, jagged mountains breaking the horizon. Above, in the distance, a strange, lumpy moon glowed down.

Genesis turned, still holding Nell’s wrist, and started to run along the rim of the cliff.

‘Hold on!’ Nell called, pulling his hand free from Genesis and stopping. He glanced at his sword, smiling, and then collapsed the blade, as Genesis spun to face him, a note of anger in her face as she ‘sheathed’ her own sword, clicking the hilt back onto her belt.

‘I don’t think we have to keep up the pace,’ Nell offered.

Genesis walked up to him and hit him on the forehead with the palm of her hand.

‘Hey!’ Nell cried. ‘What was that for!’

He was still feeling pretty good about what he’d managed to do back there.

Genesis motioned with her hands, the same way she had by the well, patting the air, telling him to be quiet.

‘I was trying!’ Nell shot back.

Genesis parted one of Nell’s eyes really wide.

‘Ow!’ he complained, pulling back. ‘I was looking where I was going?’

Genesis rolled her eyes.

‘Okay, fine, but it would have been a lot easier if you could have just told me what the heck we were about to face!’

Genesis slapped Nell across the face and it stung.

‘Ow!’ he said, surprised, shocked, cradling his burning cheek. His eyes were stinging.

Genesis stared at him. Her face was filled with hurt, anger… her eyes were glistening. She turned and started to walk away, before the tears began streaming down her cheeks.

Nell felt sick, and worse than ever before. ‘Genesis!’ he called after her.

She waved him off.

Nell knew he couldn’t let it go though. He hurried after her, grabbed her by the shoulder, and turned her to face him. Her reflexes were quick and she moved to slap him again. Nell anticipated it though, and caught her wrist.

‘Wait!’ he said, looking her in the eyes.

She looked so terribly sad it nearly broke Nell’s heart. Wide wet eyes searched his face with tiny darting motions. He realized how insensitive he was being. The fact that Genesis couldn’t talk was indeed way more frustrating and painful for her than it was for him.

‘I’m sorry,’ Nell said as more tears leaked from Genesis’s eyes. ‘I was wrong!’ he told her.

Genesis stared at him, and let her muscles relax a little. Then she pulled her wrist from Nell’s grip and stormed away again. She walked a little ways, stopped, and turned back to Nell.

She nodded at him.

Nell walked up to her, holding a hand forward. ‘I’ve been insensitive, and I promise not to be any more… erm…’ he couldn’t quite think of a way to say it nicely.

Genesis smiled softly at him and she nodded, reaching out, taking his hand, and shaking it.

‘Friends?’ Nell asked.

Genesis lifted her hand and waggled it. Then a smile broke across her face. It was like the sun breaking through a storm. She motioned with her head along the edge of the cliff.

‘Yeah,’ Nell agreed, grinning at her, ‘we should get going.’

Genesis started off, and Nell followed.

‘You do know where you’re going, right?’ he called out.

She turned and wrinkled her nose at him.

Nell held up his hands, and smiled. ‘Kidding,’ he quickly told her, ‘just kidding.’

She narrowed her eyes. Then she grinned and started off again.

Nell beamed. Then he followed.