The Stones of Magic

Chapter 10

  Mach was glad for the chance to have a rest. The previous day had been tiresome without so much as a single break between the time they had risen from sleep until the moment they boarded the ship. But now, he was sitting and waiting, oddly impatiently wishing that he were already at their next destination.

  Bastra had been silent since before they had left Kyrie while Sehto slept somewhere below deck. Mendoll stood at the helm, guiding the ship northward and attempting to raise the crews' spirits with his reasoning. “So long as we stay ahead of them now, we should be fine. It will take them twice as long to accomplish anything with the size of their group.”

  Mach had the feeling that the Healer was right, but he could not help but wonder what would happen if Mendoll was wrong. The very idea was a real concern. If they were caught, it would mean certain death for the theft of their king's ship. He did not regret the fact that they had done it, however, the thought of being executed was not one he wanted to entertain.

  As night had turned to day they could make out their destination. To the south and west they saw land rising up into the horizon. It was the same land he had seen from the mountaintop and from the docks. The island must truly tower above the ocean waves for him to see it this far out at sea.

  To the west and north was another, smaller island. Dark grey clouds shrouded the island for miles out into the sea. Even from their great distance from the island, he could see that there was snow falling heavily. It was odd to find such a storm in this kind of climate, let alone a storm hovering over a single little island. But after seeing the Lady Sytie, he did not take it for granted.

  Through the snowfall, Mach make out a single massive mountain. It looked larger than the one they had just left, rising up into the drifting clouds completely covered by snow and ice and as they drew nearer, he could actually see the sheets of ice creeping its way out over the waters.

  As the darkness surrounded them and all signs of the three suns were lost somewhere above the clouds, he began to see the first signs of a fortress through the snowfall. High walls blocked out the sea and land from the town within. Every second they drew nearer the temperature dropped and the day grew darker. Sooner than he would have thought possible, they were sailing up to the walls of the town.

  He carefully observed the top of the walls as they came nearer the walls. At first, he had thought they were abandoned, that there was no one guarding the ways in. But a subtle movement from the corner of the wall caused Mach to quickly look again. A single man walked the battlements in such white clothing that he blended perfectly with the snow and darkness and if it were not for the subtle movements of his slow pacing, he would not have seen him at all.

  Now that he knew what to look for, he could see that there were several dozen men standing upon the top of the wall. Each one in the same clothing as the last and each one with a spear in hand.

  Mendoll guided the ship forward as if he had been here before. At the middle of the seemingly solid wall, right where the ship was being directed, the wall cracked open and began to swing open. A thundering crack echoed across the open sea as the opening wall forced the surrounding ice to shatter and give way. Both he and Sehto leapt in fear and stared wildly for an oncoming attack. The sound reminded him of the attack on his hometown and he immediately dropped to the ground searching for the white of sails and the smoke rising from the bows of ships.

  Sehto nearly dropped his sword as he tried to pull it out of its sheath. Neither of them had ever seen anything like this snowstorm or this kind of ice coverage. It was likely that Sehto expected the same kind of attack to come that Mach was.

  Both Bastra and Mendoll burst into fits of laughing at the sight of the ‘two warriors’ jumping at what they surely felt was a simple sound. As the gates opened further to allow them passage, the ice floating the water crumbled and shifted about to clear a safe path and allow them passage.

  Within the gates the town looked far smaller than Mach had originally thought. The docking area was smaller than Selane's by at least half. Mach noticed that there were not many buildings within the walls, even for its small size he would have thought there would be more. In fact, it looked more like a ghost town with all the open space and only a handful of people around.

  They quickly tied the ship at the dock while Mendoll placed cast his cloaking enchantment on the ship. By the time they stepped off from the ship, Mach was freezing down to the marrow of his bones. The town truly felt deserted as the view of the soldiers on the wall vanished in the falling snow.

  His first thought when they walked into the city proper was that this place was prepared for any siege. That every non-fighter was sent elsewhere at some point for their own safety and only the defenders of the city were left. That was a very real possibility if word had somehow reached this place of Selane’s destruction. After all, both were port towns and vulnerable from the open water.

  Neither Mendoll nor Bastra seemed worried about the lack of people. Indeed, only a few moments later, Mendoll casually directed them through the maze of buildings, all the while sounding as calm as if he had come here a hundred times before this. “We turn left here, down the alley. There is a door that leads inside to something resembling a basement.”

  Mach thought sarcastically just how wonderful that would be, them leaving the freezing cold air behind just to walk right into the dark and freezing cold earth.

  The alley was small with a single gray door standing out against the white snow and stone across from where they had entered. If it had not been for the notable differences in color, he would have missed it completely. However, he was surprised to see that Mendoll did not approach that door, instead he turned left and walked right up to the opposite wall. Slowly he raised his staff and struck the wall three times with the butt of his staff. The sound produced resonated through the alley like hollow metal.

  Three similar knocks replied through the door, although it was much quieter than Mendoll’s had been. Bastra raised his hand this time and knocked four times. He paused a moment then knocked twice more. This is some kind of code, Mach thought wildly as he stood there shivering, his boots beginning to feel like ice.

  The Gargoyle reached forward and gripped something Mach had not seen the moment before. A large ring, the same color as the surrounding snow, hung near a crack in the wall above the snow that had piled high against it. He only realized it was a door when Bastra tugged at the ring and the wall cracked open.

  As light flooded through the door, Mach was hit with a gust of hot air. A welcoming feeling flowed through him as the door opened and a fog quickly formed where the two air currents mixed. The horrific image of freezing below the surface ceased immediately and the urge to enter the warmth almost overwhelmed him.

  Two men stood at the doorway and ushered the group in. They wore the same kind of clothing that the inn servants wore back in Selane which only served to remind Mach of what he had lost. With great pleasure, he followed Mendoll inside with Sehto right behind him. The moment the door shut, the remainder of the icy chill left his body and he found himself unconsciously unbuttoning his coat to the heat of the room.

  Small windows positioned along the roof displayed the snow-filled clouds above. He shivered at the thought of this kind of weather back home. He hated to imagine what this place would be like during the winter season.

  The two men did not say a word, only signaling for the group to follow. He followed closely as the two men took them through one room after another, each one as comfortably warm as the one before.

  He thought that maybe they were going to an inn, that maybe these men were indeed inn servants that had come to guide them to the warmth he desperately desired. As they came to a room with a dead end the two men stopped. Together they turned to Mendoll and bowed respectfully. The old Mage bowed back and walked between the two men to the wall and pushed gently opening a passageway noiselessly in response to his touch. Mach had expected another room but instead, he found himse
lf looking at a tight spiral staircase leading down into the depths of the earth.

  They descended the stairs that went down several stories. The dim lights up above transformed into a brightness that was not expected. It was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. They reached the end of the stairs and stepped out into a hallway where there were people as far as the eye could see. Hundreds, if not thousands of people were roaming the underground roads. The ceiling reached at least two stories high, open windows littered the walls of stores and homes, offering a view inside each of the numerous buildings. This was an underground city in all its glory. What he had thought to be a simple fortress village turned out to be an entire underground city.

  As he looked in amazement, Mach began to rethink how he was looking at this underground city. These streets could not be considered hallways to him. These were roads leading to all corners of a wonderful city. Wide enough for three or four carriages to pass each other, each road lead out of sight as it rose and fell on small hills, exactly as he would see in any city.

  If it were not for the dark of the stone ceiling above them and the absence of wind, he could have sworn they simply outside on a cloudy night. Even as he analyzed the similarity of the capital Eldour and this place, a horse drawn buggy came rolling around a corner and stopped less than thirty feet away.

  “This is amazing, an entire city, underground!” Mach exclaimed almost breathlessly, not realizing he was voicing his thoughts aloud.

  “This is only one small part of it, lad,” Bastra said grinning down at him. “There's much more of this city further in. If you thought Eldour was something, if we have time, just wait until you see everything this place has to offer.”

  Mendoll spoke wistfully, giving Mach the impression that he had needed such a place at one time or another. “Not everyone that comes here has the chance to see this much of Snowdrift. Most people only see what little is offered on the level above. This is a haven for some. For others, this is their new life, away from prejudice and hate.” The Mage studied the signs that hung all along the walls outside open doors before speaking again. “This way.”

  Mach followed Mendoll as the old Mage led them down the road towards where the base of the mountain would have been. Roads split off from the one they were on, crossing with other roads in the distance. Alleyways were lit brightly, a luxury most cities could not afford. Every inch of this place made this city look wealthier than any empire Mach had heard of. Hot air radiated from vents in the stone sidewalks. There would surely be no freezing nights down here.

  After asking Mendoll how this was all possible, all he got in response was a grin from the old Healer and was told that it was a secret.

  Mendoll stopped in front of a large inn. A wooden sign hung in front in the shape of a mountain. A white snowflake had been painted on the sign, right in between the words “Snow-Drift” and “Inn”. He had thought the outside of Snow-Drift Inn was magnificent, but he was dumbfounded when he walked inside. He could only gawk in amazement at the decor.

  The room was so brightly lit that it rivaled even the light of a sun and there was not a single shadow to be seen in any of the corners of the room. White furs carpeted the floor and hung decoratively on the walls. This was something he thought was plainly stupid, if anyone spilled wine on it the rugs would be ruined instantly.

  Bright brown, newly polished chairs and tables were scattered around the dining hall and at the bar, gold trim had been used to decorate the edges. Whether it was actually gold or merely painted so, it was still expensive to use as a decoration. Gold was hard enough to come by normal means and most currency around Eldour was silver not gold. The use of gold pigment was a luxury that even kings would shy away from. However, here it was casually garnishing a serving bar in an underground city.

  Mendoll left the group standing by the door to speak with the inn master. The Healer returned looking pleased and beckoned the group to follow. He led them to a set of rooms that were, for lack of better words, spectacular. Large downy beds were pushed against the wall in each room and though there were no windows to let in sunlight, there were individual fireplaces that illuminated the rooms warmly.

  Mach sat in the chair beside a writers table in his room and looked around. His first thoughts went to the cost and the amount of silver they must have spent to rent such a luxurious room. His second was much simpler and was a bit surprising He could imagine himself living comfortably here.

  Mendoll had said this was a second life for many of the people that resided here. Perhaps after he found his mother, he could convince her to come here and together they could live out the rest of their lives. After all the stories he had heard of this Rubious, could he really face someone like that and survive? Was it worth it, to face a man like that when he had a chance to make a new life for him and his family? This place was secure and safe, so it was entirely possible that he could live a long and happy life free from strife here.

  It was something to think about and there would be time later once he found his mother to ponder the idea. His faith grew more every day that passed that the scouts of Madtu would find everyone from the village and with them his mother.

  He left his private room to find the others already eating a hot meal, and though he would have loved to join them, the only thoughts he had at the moment were to get clean. After all that they had been through so far they had had little chance to actually bath since leaving Eldour.

  He asked about the inn master if there were any bath houses near and was happy to find out there were several. He was so dirty that even a cold bath would have sufficed. However, with all the heat circulating from the vents all over the city, Mach was sure that there would be easy access to hot water. He quickly sought out Mendoll and asked when it was they were planning on leaving to begin their search for the next Stone. If they were going to be here long enough, he may spend the night stewing in hot water.

  Mendoll only smiled at him. “Not until morning. We need sleep and the appropriate gear to trek this mountain. Bastra will be getting the gear we need this afternoon. In the meantime, we are only to rest.”

  “Let me know if you need me for anything, alright.” Mach said excitedly before turning and running off to find the bathing room. He tore his clothes off trying to get undressed and into the tub when he finally found the nearest bathhouse. He had been right about the water. Somehow, like the inn at Eldour, water came through metal tubing to the tub.

  By turning both levers on the tubes, Mach was able to adjust the hot water to a point near scalding that was perfect for him. Now that he was soaking in hot water and the tension was beginning to ease up, he took the time to look around at his surroundings.

  The room was larger than most he had seen. Several tubs sat scattered around the room, each one looked to be made out of some kind of hardened clay or mud that made older cookware. He had not heard of such a craft on such large things, his mother owned dishes back home that were made by artisans who specialized in such work but their own washing tub had to be filled by hand and was made out of metal. Unlike this amazing piece of work, his old washing tub had to be heated from underneath with a small wood fire. This was relaxing to say the least.

  He had only been there for a few minutes when Sehto walked into the room. Mach’s heart sank at the sight of the tracker. “We're leaving already?” He asked, already sitting up to pull the little cork that kept the water from draining out.

  “Not yet. Don’t worry lad, we ain't going yet. I would rather go now, but we need proper gear before we head out. Or so Mendoll says.” Sehto laughed at the look of relief on Mach’s face. “That good, is it?”

  Mach nodded and sunk down to his neck in the hot water. He could feel his muscles loosening up and what felt like a lifetime's worth of stress melting away. Sehto stripped down and climbed in another tub, with a sigh of relief and a look of contentment that made Mach laugh.

  “You're right, it is that good,” Sehto said finally, his eyes
closed and a wide grin on his face. “Mach,” Sehto said softly and when Mach looked at him, his eyes were fixed on the ceiling and he wore a concerned expression that reminded him of the ones that his father used give him. “Lad, I wanted to ask you something, in private obviously. That dream you had of your mother, the one that you told me about. That was not the only one you have had, was it.” It was more of a statement than a question.

  Mach looked up at the roof as well, mulling over the possible answers he could tell Sehto. The chance that these people would turn him into the king for some odd gift or another was high. After all, he had only just met them and he knew little about any of them.

  He would like to think that he might be safe among them after all that he had heard. However, there was still that chance that they would choose to uphold the laws. Perhaps Sehto might not, but as for the others...well, that was still anyone’s guess. His silence must have been answer enough.

  “Lad, I don’t know what you've ‘Seen’. I don't even know if you even ‘Saw’ it or whether it was a figment of your imagination or something else entirely. But I am sure you know that other than myself and maybe these other two, you should not tell anyone about it.” Mach merely nodded enough to show that he had heard what the tracker had sad. “Good. Now, I have been thinking about it since you told me about it. I am sorry, but I have no clue what those dreams are meant to be. I wouldn't even know where to begin thinking about it. But, well, maybe you could try talking to Mendoll. He's a Mage after all. Maybe he could give you the answers you want. If anything, we could be jail mates.” Sehto sighed heavily, though Mach could see a slight smile spreading across his face.

  A few moments passed before Sehto spoke again. “I told him about my own little gift. He seemed genuinely curious but nothing made me think he was going to haul me off. Fact is, many weird things are here in this city, and weird people. Some of the people I have seen here, I knew from a few of the villages near Eldour. Now they live here in Snow-Drift. Mendoll seems to know a lot about this place as well. Something is fishy about that Healer that much is for sure. I think he may be doing something he shouldn't. But then again, that's just my opinion.” Sehto said. His tone gave Mach much more to ponder than his actual words did.

  If there was something that the tracker was picking up from the Mage then it was safe to say there was something odd going on with Mendoll. Sehto had not become the best tracker in Eldour for no reason, or at least that is what the man would say. He was good at picking up the slightest signs that were around him in both people and nature.

  Sehto only stayed a short while before leaving Mach alone to enjoy his bath. As he began to fall asleep he drained the now chilled water and refilled the tub to the brim with the wondrously steaming hot water. His exhaustion from the last two weeks had caught up to him but easily melted away in the heat of the water. He was relaxed for the first time in a long while and he could feel himself drifting off to sleep but did not bother to get out of the tub. He let the sleep sweep him away in the warm embrace of the tub.

  Mach stood outside the walls of a small city, the light fading rapidly from the skies above him. An army of soldiers clad in black armor stood before him. At least five hundred strong stared straight at him and he began to wonder where his companions were.

  A voice to his left made him jump.

  “Let's go!” The words were simple, but powerful. As they rang out over the troops he heard the dull thuds of hundreds of boots begin in response. Turning around he saw the King of Sirunre, King Rubious, standing before him. This was the man that had spoken.

  What was more, Mach recognized the location in which the army was marching to. A great mountain rose up before him, dark puffs of clouds rising from the top. King Rubious was outside Kyrie and the domain of the Guardian Sytie.

  That meant that they had left just in time and by the looks of it, with their skins barely attached. If they had indeed stolen the king’s personal ship when they left the mainland, it was a grand miracle that King Rubious had not recognized it, with or without the spells Mendoll had placed on it.

  Pain shot through Mach and he collapsed to the ground gasping for air. His vision blurred and he blacked out. An instant later, he found himself leaning over the side of the tub, coughing up water from his lungs. He was back in Snow-Drift Inn, back in the cold water of his bath. Water had flooded the floor of the room. His head had fallen below the water as he had napped.

  He deeply prayed that the visions he was experiencing were simply dreams. That it was all in his mind and he had no such 'gifts'. However, as he leaned over the tub breathing heavily, he thought back to the wolves and how he had seen them coming…twice. Those dreams had been as real as anything could get.

  But what about the other dreams? More specifically, what of the dream with the demonic red-eyed beast? How was that one even possible? Or the woman with the golden hair? Was that really his mother? Or was it merely his mind attempting to find solace after all the trials he had been through recently?

  Mach cleared his lungs of any more water with a final cough and pulled himself out of the tub. He had no clue how long he had been in there soaking, but it must be late into the night by now. Half the torches had been put out and the hallways of the inn looked more like the nights back home at the inn in Selane.

  He found his room quickly and dove under the warm covers. Some kind soul, most likely one of the servants of the inn, had placed heating tins under his blanket. Aided by the gentle light and warmth of the fireplace, he fell into a heavy sleep.

  Mach awoke feeling refreshed. The candle that sat on his nightstand had burned down to its base and since it had only been half-way when he had come to sleep, only a few hours had passed. He arose out of bed and left his room feeling as if he were ready for what was to come.

  The halls of the inn were empty and quiet in the early morning. He left the inn in favor of searching the city for anything of interest. The streets were almost completely deserted but the few people that were out were yawning and stretching as they went about their business. Just as it had always been back home.

  Bastra had been right. There were things here that he would never have seen in Eldour, or possibly any other large city on the plains of Eldour. Specialty shops for mining and cooking were fully stocked with goods. There were items in those shops that looked as though they had been hand crafted by the shop owner’s themselves. Other shops had been stocked full with gems and stones that glittered at him, inviting him to enter and further explore.

  As he walked around the underground city, he began to feel the need to see the sky. Wonderful though this place was, Mach thought himself a sailor and remaining underground for such a long period of time was beginning to unnerve him. He took his time searching staircase after staircase, looking for any building above that had windows he could actually see through. He only wanted to see the world outside, he did not care to step outside into the freezing weather.

  He followed each staircase one by one until he finally found one that looked promising and climbed up the stairs carefully. There were no torch lights lit above, but he could tell by a faint glow that there was a good-sized window in the room above.

  He reached the top of the stairs to find a small room that was only large enough to hold a few people at any given time. It looked more like a watchtower than anything else, with windows lined along the walls and above him, the building itself rising above the other buildings beside it.

  He leaned against the wall of windows and peered out into the city. The blue moon of water shone through a gap in the clouds, illuminating the snow surrounding the city with a magnificent blue glow. The snowfall had lightened up overnight and he could almost see the entire village from his vantage point.

  The sight was spectacular, not as much as what lay below the ground but wonderful nonetheless. He could see the walls encompassing the town sparkle in the moonlight as snowflakes softly swirled around before finally succumbing to gravity and blanketin
g the slumbering town in a sheet of brilliant blue-white.

  The battlements glowed with glistening snow, dotted with little figures walking about. Mach chuckled to himself as he witnessed one of the soldiers bend down suddenly and with the speed of a child, rose to his feet and threw a ball of snow at a fellow soldier. Thus began an entertaining snowball fight that lasted until the first sun began to rise, its light shinning between the horizon and the borders of the clouds.

  The whole place lit up like a midwinter’s morning. A sight that ached in his heart as his thoughts returned to his hometown once again.

  He wondered how much distance Rubious had covered already. Surely they had made it to the mountain base by now. He wondered whether his army had as easy a time as Mach’s own small group had. He closed his eyes and imagined the tyrant's face. He focused all his feelings on that one thing. The face of his enemy.

  Time seemed to pass. The sounds around him changed as if he were standing in the middle of a camp. He could hear the sounds of a campfire crackling, men speaking quickly as orders were issued. He opened his eyes to find that night had lifted in the west. Campfires littered the camp and with their light, he could see soldiers readying themselves and packing up camp.

  He furrowed his brows and tried to focus on a hazy character in the distance. Rubious. The king of Sirunre stood at the edge of camp. He was looking up at the mountain trail before him. They had only made it partially up the mountain and it seemed they were doing what Bastra and Mendoll had said they would, taking it slow.

  Mach had stepped forward to investigate further with the hope of finding out what the enemy had learned when his breath caught in his chest. He gasped for air and blinked hard. As his vision cleared, he found himself staring through the window right into the glaring sun.

  He bent over and tucked his head between his knees. Why was this happening to him? What was the point of it all? Was he supposed to learn something from it? He felt his eyes burning with tears as he thought of the ramifications if anyone were to know about what was happening to him. Was it not enough that these dreams occurred while he slept? It was worse that it occurred while he was awake. Despite Sehto's opinions about the other two, or about what they might or might not have done in the past, he had no desire to become any servant or slave to any king. He refused to become a servant to any lord or king. “Well, you are serving a king right now, aren't you?” He muttered darkly to himself.

  He looked out toward the western skies to witness the first sun beginning to hide behind the clouds and the second sun peaking its way over the horizon. “No, I am not!” Mach declared to no one in particular, as if the words spoken aloud would make them reality. “I'm here on my own accord, not on any king’s orders. I could have left at any time and gone home!” He exclaimed, his voice rising to a shout determined to believe he was right. But what home did he have left? Rubious took away all of his dreams and his family’s home when he attacked Selane.

  I will build a new one. He told himself fiercely. He would find his mother, go off somewhere, and build a new home. Like his great-grandfathers had when they first came to Selane and founded the town. Maybe somewhere in the Sedan lands to the east of Eldour and Sirunre. He knew how to hunt and fish and George had taught him basic carpentry, he could build a home easily enough.

  He sighed and looked up into the snow-filled sky. Who was he kidding? He could not even build a birdhouse, much less an actual house fit for a human. Moreover, he had no idea where his mother was or where to even begin his search for her. If the Gargoyles of Madtu found her, he would be in their debt. And if that dream he had was true, then he would most definitely be indebted to that man that had been caring for her...but that was if what he saw was real.

  The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became. He sat there thinking until the third sun had risen past the cloud coverage. There was too much to think about and all of it hurt his head. He wanted an escape, he wanted to leave it all behind and find a quiet place to hide from the world. But there was nowhere for him to go.

  Mach rose to his feet and descended the staircase. It was about time to return to the inn and the others. Surely they must be up by now and it would not be long before they were making their way to wherever this other Stone was located.

  He had not made it more than a dozen yards before Sehto’s voice rang over the low din of the city. Bastra and Mendoll were with him, each one with a pack strapped to their backs. The tracker and the Mage were both wearing thick cloaks while Bastra wore an unusually thick pair of pants instead of the leather ones he had before. Mach wondered for the first time whether the Gargoyle even felt the cold.

  “Here, gotcha some winter clothes for the trip.” Sehto said, tossing a bag to Mach. He opened it to find a pair of wool over-pants and a cloak inside. They were baggy, which suited him fine. He was able to slip them on over his clothing to double the protection against the cold.

  Bastra handed him his sword and sheath with a deep scowl. “You should always carry this with you.” Mach grinned sheepishly at his own foolishness. What would he have done if Rubious were to strike while he was up in that tower? He would either have been forced to run into the inn or steal one from another soldier. Either way it had not been smart to leave his sword behind.

  “I won't forget it again. Are we leaving?” He asked lacing the sheath to his side.

  “We are. In fact, I have a report of where a tunnel might be located. The best part is, it is not at the top, though it may still be difficult to get too.” Mendoll winked at Mach which served to alleviate some of the worries that had been brewing. Mendoll must have known that he was not eager to head up another mountain, and honestly he did not think he could survive such a trip in weather like this. If this place was like Kyrie, than it would be possible to do so. But not in this snowstorm. There was no way that Mach’s legs would be able to carry him up the mountain if he were forced to wade through the snow.

  Equipped with heavy clothing, packs full of provisions and a tent supposedly large enough for even Bastra to sit in, the group left the confines of the city to brave the weather outside in the fortified village. The storm had strengthened considerably in the few moments he had been away from the windowed room, the snowfall making it hard to see more than a few paces in front of them. They marched straight for the gate north of the town, their eyes squinted against the wind and snow.

  When they arrived, several men in white uniforms went to work hauling the drop gate up with what could only be rope and pulleys to let them pass. They did this without a single question being asked. That only aroused Mach's curiosity of the true connection between Mendoll and Bastra had with this strange place.

  The weather outside the walls of the fortress village was horribly worse than what was within the confines of the walls. Inside the walls, it was snowing heavily, but only a slight breeze blew across their faces. Outside the city, however, the snow fell like rocks, fast and hard. The wind whipped around their backs, shoving the group forward and up the mountain. As they went along, their footprints were quickly covered after they were made. How in the world are we going to find anything out here?

  The snow was thick enough that he had difficulty seeing Bastra who was a few paces away from him. He could not imagine anything surviving in this continuously freezing weather until Sehto pointed out a rabbit's den hidden behind a large rock.

  This was surprising sight, though a welcome one. He had feared that this was a frozen wasteland with the exception of the village. But if hares could survive here, than surely other animals could as well. With creatures like that then there was the possibility of vegetation being capable of growing here in some form. Wouldn't be so bad living here.

  As they marched on through the blizzard, signs of animals became more noticeable to him with the guidance Sehto was providing. The signs were the same as the ones he would find on his trips up the mountain to Madtu. The further he moved from Selane, the more abundant those life signs became.
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  He was intrigued that they could thrive in such conditions and thought he might even be able to learn a few things if he could find the time to study them.

  “Here we are!” Sehto exclaimed loudly over the roar of the wind. Mach had not expected them to find what they were looking for this quickly. If this truly was the cave they were searching for, he would be very happy indeed. The wind was cutting through his cloak and leggings like a butcher’s knife and he had not stopped shivering since they had left the village. “There is a cave right under this ice sheet. Should be easy enough for Bastra to crack open.” He yelled over the roar of the wind.

  Mendoll stepped towards the rising wall that Sehto had pointed at and raised his own voice to be heard. “It should be, but let me try something. I have been going over the knowledge Guardian Sytie gave me. I may be able to do something about this ice and I would like the opportunity to try.” Sehto nodded and moved away.

  Mendoll stood before the small rising hill and bowed his head and raised his staff, pointing the crystal tip at the ice. The Mage's voice was lost in the wind but Mach could see his lips moving furiously, eyes shut tightly in concentration. The crystal flared red and a deafening crack issued from the ice barrier.

  Before he could process what his eyes were seeing, a cave mouth opened and a puddle of water was refreezing on the ground at Mendoll’s feet.

  This is impossible! Mendoll was a Healer, a Mage of the White and Green clothe. They should not know magic like this! Wait, what do I know about Mages other than what my teachers had taught me? And his teachers were not Mages so far as he knew. To be honest, now that he was looking at things from what may be a Mage's point of view, he realized the lessons he had received were biased against the Mages of old days.

  Mendoll smiled at his accomplishment and stood back to admire his work. He was breathing a little heavily, as though he had stopped running moments before. There was a glint of excitement in his eyes that was almost infectious and the only thing that crossed Mach's mind was that if Mendoll were to join him against killing the man that destroyed his home his chances of winning were far better as were his chance of surviving.

  With the path cleared of its icy wall, they slid into the earth as they did on Kyrie and began a trip through darkened caves. Unlike Kyrie, the tunnels here were cold and frozen and as Mendoll lit his staff as he had done before Mach saw just how different of a place this was. Instead of deep red earth, the tunnels of the cave brightly glowed white in response to the light of Mendoll's staff. Light sparkled and reflected off the walls and the cave was lit as though the suns were directly behind them. With Mendoll in the lead, the group made their way down into the earth. Without the wind cutting into their cloaks, the freezing air slowly became more bearable.

  Hours passed and Mach began wishing he were back at the inn, sitting in a nice hot bath. His thoughts wandered back to the wonderful hot water when Sehto caught his attention and pointed out something odd. The ice around them was beginning to melt. Already, the cave had expanded itself two-fold and the crystal ice was giving way to hard rock. A thin river of water flowed downward and they could see a faint glow radiating ahead of them.

  With the ice melting, giving way to dull rock, the reflection of light from Mendoll’s staff dimmed considerably. The light of the crystal suddenly went dark and all was lost to darkness.

  Slowly the light coming from ahead illuminated the cave enough for everyone to see by. They crept ahead, taking each step with care. It seemed like hours had gone by since they had entered the cave, although it was noticeably less time than they had spent underground previously.

  Slowly the tunnel brightened as they neared the source of the light. Mach stepped out from the tunnel into a sight that was just as beautiful and amazing as the cavern of the Guardian Sytie.

  The ceiling could barely be seen above and the only indication of how high the ceiling truly was were the brief flashes of light from luminous insects flitting around. A gentle light illuminated the cavern, however, revealing a domain massive and simple as anything that he could have imagined possible.

  He was reminded of a clear night sky out on the coastal cliffs back home. He watched as fish swam in the lake, some just breaking the surface to glance at them before diving deep into the water. stone paths and cliffs were everywhere and though there were no trees it was enough like home to make him yearn to be there. To Mach the movements and sounds of the fish splashing were familiar and calming, resembling the quiet sounds of the cove back home in Selane.

  From somewhere deep below he could see a faint blue light pulsing and it was that light that illuminated the cavern. A single path led through the cavern and onto a large rock rising up from the lake, just as it had been in the cavern of the Guardian Sytie. However, unlike that cave, where the platform was raised up high over the molten river, this formation was almost level with the water.

  Inching their way across the path to the small island, the echoing splashes of the fish below them resounding all around, Mach could not help but be entranced by everything that was around him. Another alter sat near the edge of the platform of stone resting beside the water's edge.

  A small object gleamed brightly in the cradle of another stone dais. Mach’s eyes were once again drawn to the orb sitting in its stone cradle. Like the Stone that was Sytie’s, this one also had the inner glow that pulsed softly like a heartbeat. The blue light soothed his eyes and once again he heard whispering in his ears. He turned sharply fully expecting someone to be there, only to find the path behind them completely deserted.

  Mendoll stepped forward after a few moments and raised his hand over the stone, muttering words no one could not hear.

  The altar burst into light, the cave instantly filling with a blinding light as though a midday sun had fallen into the cavern. From the depths of the water emerged a massive shadow that blocked the light coming from below. It breached the water with incredible speed, but barely caused a ripple on the surface as it did so.

  The form floated before them, glowing sapphire eyes staring unblinkingly at them. Scaly skin glimmered as it reflected the light from the orb and from down below. The creature's face was feminine as was the shape of its body.

  True that this thing possessed no beauty like the Guardian Sytie held, Mach found that he could not look away and he continued to stare in wonder. Its body was not like that of the Guardian Sytie. Above the waist, it was human in shape with skin that shimmered so slightly, like the scales of a bright fish.

  But beginning from the torso and stretching below, it transformed into the body of a massive snake. He could see something resembling a fin at the end of its tail, after several dozen feet in length. The scales of its body glimmered blue with such an unearthly look that he found himself transfixed at her beauty

  What stood before them on the island was something he had only heard of as a sailor’s fancy. A Naga, part human, part sea serpent, a creation that predated the Goddess of Life, Kriasta, and the formation of the world at her hands.

  A creature was supposed to be of another world.

  Like Sytie, this wondrous being was extraordinarily beautiful in its own way. There was something about it that drew Mach’s attention and made him long for the open sea that lay outside these caverns. He did not know how he knew, but he knew that there was a power within her that was far more than any living creature could dream of. His mind flashed back to when he had first laid eyes on Mendoll. When Mendoll had first cast a spell to light the candles in the audience chamber of the king of Eldour. There had been the gut feeling that he somehow knew the Mage.

  Now that he thought about it, it might have been that very feeling, hidden deep down, that had caused him to agree to travel with Mendoll and Bastra when they had asked him to join. There had been a feeling that he was connected to the Mage and he was getting almost an identical feeling from this Naga, just as he had from Sytie.

  As he looked up at the creature, the bond he felt intensified. A bo
nd that felt as if he were kin to it, as if he were one with it. Something deeper than what he felt with Mendoll.

  A voice spoke to him, echoing loudly within his mind. “BRAVE ONES, CHILDREN SEEKING THE POWER OF THE ANCIENT RACE! YOU SEEK WHAT WAS GIVEN TO ME IN AGES PAST. I WHO WAS BROUGHT HERE AGAINST MY WILL! YOU DARE THINK TO TAKE IT FROM ME?!”

  Mendoll stepped forward calmly and bowed, just as he had done with the Guardian Sytie. “In all rights, Guardian Watesa, yes I have. I have come for the Stone you guard. The very one given to you by the last king.”

  Unlike their encounter with the Fire Guardian, Watesa did not seem at all happy about being disturbed in her chambers. She looked irritated and ready to assault any one of them, the tone of the voice in his head seemed to tell him no different.

  Watesa glared at each them in turn. As her eyes met with Mach's, he felt a little like a scalded child who had been caught doing something naughty. Then he saw something, perhaps it had just been a trick of the low lighting. There seemed to be a kind of recognition in her eyes, as though she knew who he was. Her mind's voice came a little softer when she spoke next, but only just a little. “WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?”

  “As I have told you, Guardian, we have come for the Stone. A man searches for these very Stones, and though he does not yet possess the strength to challenge you, especially here in your own domain, he is still a threat of unknown power. I ─ that is to say we, wish to take the Stones from their protectors. Our goal is to keep them moving, in that way only, will we be able to better protect the Stones than you.” Mendoll finished speaking with another bow. He was a courtier, that much Mach could tell by his words alone. The Mage was trying to smoothly talk the anger out of Watesa. Something that Mendoll must surely have to do with his king often.

  Her eyes drifted to Mach again and he felt a shiver run down his spine as he caught a glimpse of the look in her eyes. “YOU KNOW OF THE TRIALS WE WERE SWORN TO GIVE?”

  Mendoll nodded. “Indeed we do, we have spoken with Guardian Sytie. Legend also speaks of it. One who seeks the Stones must first prove his worth to the one who guards it. Lady Sytie has passed her knowledge on to me. She has refused to give up the Stone until I master what she has taught me. I know what these Stones are to you Four who were summoned. But I also know the last king placed upon you orders to allow them to be retrieved in times of great need. Hence the trials you speak of.”

  “YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT TIMES BEFORE YOUR LIFE, YOUNG MAGE. YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THE TRIALS WE WHO GUARD THE STONES HAVE GONE THROUGH IN OUR TIME. BUT YOU ARE CORRECT. THE LAST KING OF MAGES LEFT WITH US A REQUEST THAT WE WHO GUARD THE STONES WILL RESPECT AND HONOR.”

  Watesa sighed and grudgingly beckoned Mendoll forward. “VERY WELL THEN, MAGE, I GIVE YOU THE KNOWLEDGE I KNOW. USE IT AS YOU WILL. ONCE YOU HAVE MASTERED IT, RETURN TO ME FOR JUDGEMENT. ONLY THEN WILL YOU SUCCEED IN PROVING YOUR WORTH AND EARN THE RIGHT TO TRY AND RETRIEVE THE STONE FROM MY POSSESSIONS.”

  Mendoll obeyed quickly and knelt before the massive form of the Naga, Watesa. With a hand far gentler than Mach would have expected it to be, Watesa lowered her palm to Mendoll’s head. Mach could feel something pass between the two of them once again, just as he had when Mendoll knelt before Sytie. Something inside him stirred, like a beast awakening from a long nap. Mendoll groaned in pain and arched his back as he felt the transfer or spell hit its pitch. The Mage slumped forward to the ground as Watesa removed her hand. “GO! LEAVE ME AND RETURN WHEN YOU FEEL YOU HAVE MASTERED MY KNOWLEDGE.”

  The Guardian turned and dove below the water’s surface without so much as a ripple in the water’s surface, leaving Mendoll weak and weary on the floor. Bastra was at Mage's side immediately, aiding the old man to his feet.

  Mendoll managed to somehow stay conscious as they made their way to the other end of the cavern, stepping weakly one front in front of the other. How, Mach could not even begin to tell. He was sure that if it had been him receiving such a trial in that same manner, whatever knowledge that might be, he would not be able to stand for weeks, let alone a few hours or more so a few moments.

  They left the cavernous hall for the constricted walls of the cave. Sehto called for a halt after only a few moments and with a quick glance at Mendoll mach could see why. The Mage was white in the face and looked as if he were about to drop dead at any moment. Mach had just begun to wish out loud for a fire of some kind when Mendoll asked Sehto to lay out a mat they had brought with them.

  The moment Sehto had laid the mat on the floor, Mendoll ordered them to shuffle back a few steps. He extended his hand out shakily above the mat and began to mutter to himself. Mach saw the Mage’s face contort with concentration and felt a presence within himself as light flared from Mendoll's palm. In a blink of an eye, a miniature sun spun in mid air over the mat. Heat radiated from the orb and Mach again felt a certain kind of kinship with the tiny ball of flame and with the Mage.

  “Just a little something I worked out from Sytie’s knowledge.” Mendoll responded wearily, laying his head down on one of the packs as Bastra placed a thin blanket over him. “It is an Ever-Flame. You could take this and throw it in that lake back there and it would not extinguish. I am going to need a few moments to rest, all in all I don’t think we should have come here this quickly.” The Mage said closing his eyes, his voice already beginning to trail off as he drifted into a restless sleep. “I should have waited a little bit before charging in.”

  In less time it took for Mach to cast a worried glance at the Mage for revealing his weakness, Mendoll was snoring softly.