TOMBQUEST

2. The Hieroglyphics

Abun Ke walked out of the dark and eerie passage. She entered a spacious chamber with a wall covered with painted hieroglyphics. There was an old, tattered scroll on the floor which she picked up, it read in faint letters;

TO OPEN THE FOUR DOORS ACROSS THE ROOM YOU NEED TO TRANSLATE THE HIEROGLYPHICS ON THE WALL INTO ENGLISH. YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE. HOWEVER, IF YOU DO NOT SUCCEED, THE GLASS FLOOR WILL SEPARATE AND YOU WILL FALL INTO A PIT OF MANY COBRAS BENEATH YOU.

Abun Ke looked down and saw a pit full of cobras spitting at her ferociously. "I don't like snakes one little bit." she sobbed.

Abun Ke walked up to the wall, and started to rephrase the hieroglyphics. After she had translated the first word she saw the sand timer flip over, which gave her more time. As she finished each word the timer flipped over which kept extending her time she had been given to finish the challenge.

Eventually after twelve minutes she had translated all of the password on the wall she went over to the doors and said "Your Ka will lead you on your way."

The password was wrong and so the doors did not open. Abun Ke was baffled, "How could I get it wrong?" she said to herself. She ran back to the wall and started to translate it all over again because of her mistake. With only one minute left she ran to the doors and shouted "YOUR KA WILL GUIDE YOU ON YOUR WAY!" All four doors opened and she was left with a choice of whether she should go through the Oak, Ash, Elm or Thorn door.

OAK

ASH

ELM

THORN