Aru Shah and the End of Time

Mini worries about what Aru has done, but Aru asserts that she saved them and got them across the bridge. Despite knowing this was necessary to get the weapons and save the world, Aru feels doubtful of her actions and wonders if all heroes feel this way.

Past the bridge, there is nothing but a giant cave with stalactites resembling teeth dripping down, and the place smells like rotting fish. Inside, the girls come across a sign that reads “THE CHAMBER OF THE ASTRAS” (249); the words elongate into a rhyme instructing them that answers are hiding in plain sight, but they must move quickly. Mini finally realizes they are inside the mouth of some giant creature. A hot gust of air blows at them, as the creature begins to close its mouth.

Aru and Mini try to use their ball and mirror to escape, but the gifts don’t work. Mini figures the creature is a whale and tries to find a way to make it gag and eject them. As the whale’s back teeth continue to move dangerously close to the girls, Aru notices that there are weapons hidden among them.

Aru attempts to get to the weapons, but a gust of air knocks her down again, and she realizes the whale is trying to inhale them.