“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 passage 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 shirt 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 passes 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 shines 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.
No sooner do his lips begin to move than a glow surrounds him and extends toward her brother. Gasping in shock, she begins to recoil from the approaching glow but then her fears melt away as a calmness comes over her.
As the glow continues to envelope both Miko and her brother, she sees her father emerge through the opening in the ceiling. “Father!” she whispers urgently, glad to have him again with her.
Coming to stand on the floor of the cavern by the pool, he turns to see his son enveloped by the Star’s glow. Rushing over, afraid of what may be happening to his son, he makes to push Miko away.
“No father,” his daughter says, holding up a hand. “He’s alive.” She nods to Miko and adds, “I think he’s a priest.”
Looking down at his son, blood soaked and for all the world looking as if he’s already passed to the other side, he holds little hope for his survival.
Others begin entering through the opening, first James and then Jiron who has left the rope in the hands of two of the other farmers. They make their way over to the others and arrive just as Barric’s chest begins to rise and fall on its own.
“He’s breathing!” his father exclaims. Looking to his daughter, he can see his hope and joy reflected in her eyes.
Another few minutes and the glow suddenly disappears, the only light now in the cavern is that of James’ orb. Barric’s eyes flutter open and he looks around at those standing around him.
Miko gets to his feet and returns the Star to its pouch. “How can I ever repay you?” the father says to Miko as his son begins to sit up.
“There is nothing to repay,” he tells him.
James comes and pats him on the back, “Good job.”
“Thanks,” he replies. Then to the boy’s father he says, “He should be okay now, but will need many days of rest before he’ll fully recover.”
“What temple do you belong to?” the father asks. “I would like to go and give my thanks and make an offering.”
Miko looks surprised and glances to James. James just shrugs and allows Miko to handle this on his own. Turning back to the father, he says, “I don’t really belong to any temple. The healing of your son was done by the power of the god Morcyth.”