Part 4 (1/2)
The night continues to deepen and after another hour, the moon makes its appearance, adding its light to that of the orb. ”I don't think he knows where they are,” he hears one farmer say behind him.
”Quiet!” the father says to the other. ”If you don't want to continue, I'll understand. But I'll follow him to the edge of Coryntia's domain if it will get my children back.” Coryntia of course being the Hooded Lady, she whose domain lies between the living and the dead.
Suddenly the dogs begin barking. ”They've got the scent!” the father cries out.
James releases the spell and allows the father to take the lead.
”Come on boys!” he cries excitedly to his dogs. ”Find em.”
The dogs pull on their leashes, practically dragging the father along. The others follow right behind. Yowling, the dogs come to a game trail and turn to follow the scent. ”What would they be doing this far up the mountain?” their father asks to no one in particular.
They follow the dogs down the game trail for a hundred yards until the dogs abruptly turn into the woods to the right. Moving further up the mountain, they travel for several more minutes through the trees and undergrowth before a darkness appears in the side of the mountain before them. It's a cave and the dogs are moving to enter its maw.
When the farmer reaches the entrance, he pauses and hollers into the opening, ”Barric, Aria!” He pauses a moment to listen for his children's response before handing the dog's leash to another. When no answer is forthcoming, he enters the cave.
James hurries along behind, the light from his...o...b..revealing that the cave continues fifteen feet into the side of the mountain before it narrows dramatically. Everyone else follows except the man with the dogs, he remains at the entrance.
”Barric, Aria!” the father again shouts. The only replies are faint echoes coming from further inside.
The far side of the cave narrows to an opening barely three feet across and four high. Looks as if the mountain had s.h.i.+fted in ages past, creating the opening. Water oozes from the sides, collecting in the depressions along the ground.
The father moves to enter the opening first but Jiron puts a hand on his shoulder and says, ”You better let us go first, we've done this sort of thing before.”
He looks as if he's about to object but then nods and backs up to allow Jiron to move first, then James. Miko follows next followed by the farmer and the others who have accompanied him on his search.
”What would they be doing in here?” Miko asks as he enters through the opening. Having to hunch over due to the narrowness of the opening, he steps through.
From behind the father's voice comes, ”They're rather an adventurous pair. Barric's the worst and his sister will follow him anywhere.”
The tunnel they find themselves in is moving down a gradual slope, the floor of the tunnel is uneven to say the least. The further they advance down it, the more water is collected upon the floor. At one point the pools of water begin to turn into a small stream flowing along the base of the tunnel.
”Barric, Aria!” cries the father again, but only silence returns. Worried, he continues following behind James and Jiron.
The tunnel they're moving through comes to an abrupt end at a steep, downward shaft descending into darkness. The water flowing along the bottom of the pa.s.sage goes over the edge and can be heard as it cascades down into the darkness below. As soon as Jiron and James both reach the edge, the father sees them stop and asks, ”What's wrong?”
”The way continues down a deep shaft,” James explains. The shaft is even narrower than the tunnel which they've been following, barely two, maybe three feet in diameter. The sides are rough and afford many handholds which could be used in climbing down.
Upon reaching the shaft, the father looks down into the depths with dread. ”Barric, Aria!” he shouts into the opening. After a moment's silence, from below comes a barely heard female's voice, ”Father!”
”That's Aria!” he exclaims, hope springing to life. ”Are you okay?” he shouts down.
”I think Barric's dead,” she says with a sob.
Miko comes to the fore and asks Jiron, ”Do you still have that rope?”
He nods as he lifts his s.h.i.+rt to show the coil of rope secured around his waist.
”Let me have it,” he says and ties one end around his middle after Jiron hands it to him. ”Hold on tight and don't let go,” he tells him as he moves to the edge of the shaft.
”What are you doing?” James asks as he places a hand on his arm.
”What I have to,” he says. Removing James' restraining hand, he starts climbing down the shaft. To Aria below he says, ”Hold on, I'm coming.” Handhold to handhold he works his way down.
James comes to help Jiron in maintaining supportive tension on the rope as Miko slowly makes his way down. After he pa.s.ses into the darkness, a white light suddenly springs into being and they are able to see him as he continues working his way down.
”Where did that come from?” Jiron asks James when the light appears. There isn't any source for the light that they can make out, it just seems to be there.
”I'm not sure, maybe from the Star,” he says. Jiron nods his head in understanding.
Miko continues to work his way down the shaft, the water cascading around him soon has him drenched. At one point a rock gives way and he begins sliding uncontrollably to the bottom but is stopped by the rope. Jiron and James hold the rope steady until he has a chance to regain his foothold.
When the light appeared he was slightly surprised, not knowing where it came from. It bothered him at first, but then the light brought him peace and a sense of purpose. Giving it no more thought, he continued working his way down, one handhold at a time.
Before Jiron's rope is completely played out, he reaches a cavern. Fortunately, the shaft enters the cavern against one wall and he's able to work his way down the wall to the bottom. A large pool of water sits directly beneath the opening forcing him to work his way laterally along the wall in order to reach the edge of the pool.
”Father?” a girl's voice comes from further into the cavern.
Miko reaches the edge of the pool and comes to stand on the cavern's floor. Looking into the cavern, he sees a young girl of about sixteen sitting twenty feet away. Cradled in her lap is the head of a young man of about eighteen. Around the lad's head a cloth has been tied as well as two other bandages, one on his leg and another around his chest. His clothing in those areas is soaked with blood ”No, I'm not your father,” he says as he unties the rope from around him and goes over to them. Looking up the shaft, he hollers, ”I'm down and I found them!”
”Who are you?” she asks.
”You can call me Miko,” he replies.
”Is she okay?” her father's voice comes from above.
Miko glances to her and sees her nod her head. ”I think so, give me a minute.” Coming closer, he kneels down beside her to examine her brother. Next to her on the rock he can see what's left of three candles which she must have had with her when this all happened.
”Where is the light coming from?” she asks him, a little bit of fear edging into her voice.
As he puts his ear to her brother's chest, he replies, ”That's kind of hard to explain.” He then puts a finger to his lips indicating for her to keep quiet and she nods her head. Trying to tune out the background noises such as the water cascading down the shaft into the pool, her breathing and the sound of his own heartbeat, he listens for the boy's.
Lub...dub.
Very faint, but his heartbeat is there. ”He's alive,” he says. ”But his life is leaving him.”
”Oh, Barric!” she cries, holding her brother tighter.
Miko reaches into his pouch and produces the Star of Morcyth. The light within the cavern suddenly increases tenfold as its brilliance s.h.i.+nes forth.
”What's happening?” her father hollers down from above when the light from the Star reaches them.
Ignoring his question, Miko holds aloft the Star in his right hand and lays his other upon Barric's chest. Aria looks in awe at him as he closes his eyes and his lips begin to move silently.