James would like nothing better than to take an excursion to see this wonder of nature. But time is pressing and they need to reach Lythylla before the Empire begins the attack. “Maybe another time,” he says wistfully. Glancing at the fading light, he says, “Perhaps this would be a good time to make camp for the evening.”
“As good as any,” agrees Illan.
They move off the road and set up camp near the banks of the river for easy access to the water. The mountains rise just to the west, casting deep and long shadows in the sun’s final light of the day. Another couple days and they should arrive at Lythylla, then things will become interesting.
Just as twilight sets in, the sound of dogs barking can be heard coming from the direction of the road to Serene Lake. In the gloom, six figures appear and are soon revealed to be local farmers, one of whom is in the lead with two dogs on leashes.
They all come to their feet when it looks as if they’re heading straight for them. James moves to meet them as they enter the campfire’s light. “Have you seen two small children?” the man in the lead asks.
“No,” replies James. “You are the first we’ve encountered. Are they lost?”
Nodding, the man says, “Since day before yesterday. They are my children,” he continues, a sad and worried look upon his face. “They are a wild pair but they’ve never been away this long.”
The dogs sniff around, as if trying to find the scent. James notices the man holds a shirt in his hand, one too small for him to wear. Indicating the shirt, he asks, “Is that one of theirs?”
The man glances at the shirt and nods. “My son’s,” he replies. “Been using it for the dogs to get the scent, but so far they haven’t picked up the trail.”
James glances first to Jiron and then to Miko. Miko has a serious expression on his face and nods his head. He knows what James is thinking. Holding his hand out, he says, “If you give me the shirt, I can help you find them.”
Looking suspiciously at him, he asks, “How are you going to do that?”
“I’m a mage,” he says and instantly the farmers become less friendly. Again the reputation of those who do power in this world has begun to turn others against him. “I can help, I’ve done it before.”
One of the men takes a closer look at him and asks, “Is your name James?”
Surprised, he replies, “Yes it is.”
The man grabs the father of the lost children by the shoulder and begins whispering in his ear, the others with them move closer to hear. After a minute of whispers passing back and forth, they turn as one to face him.
Holding the shirt out, the father says, “Heard of you. They say you helped out Lord Pytherian last year and prevented the Empire from taking Lythylla.”
“True,” he admits as he takes the shirt. He glances around and spies Devin not too far off. “Go get my mirror,” he tells him.
Devin nods and rushes to his tent.
While he waits for Devin, James says, “We’ll find them for you.”
Hope comes to the man’s eyes and a slight tear as well. It’s clear to see how much he cares for and misses his children. James decides he’s a good man. Devin returns shortly with his mirror.
He holds the shirt in one hand while resting the mirror atop it with the other. Concentrating on finding the one who last wore this shirt, he lets the magic loose. The image in the mirror begins to shift and then turns completely black.
A gasp is heard from the father as he asks, “Are they dead?”
James glances around at the fading light and says, “It may be they are simply in an area with no light, like a cave or something.” Canceling the spell, he hands the mirror back to Devin.
The shirt has long sleeves. Taking hold of one of the sleeves halfway down from the shoulder, he again concentrates on the owner of this shirt, willing the sleeve to point the way. After letting the magic flow, the sleeve begins moving and points to the east, not directly following the road, rather more toward the mountains. “They’re that way.”
“You sure?” the father asks.
“If James says they’re that way,” Jiron speaks out, “you can believe they are.”
To Illan, James says, “Stay here with the others and watch the camp.” Then to Jiron and Miko he says, “You two come with me.” Once Jiron and Miko nod, he turns to the father and says, “Now, let’s go find your kids.”
Moving away from camp, he follows the direction the sleeve is indicating. Behind him he can hear whispers from the farmers, what they are saying isn’t clear.
“Think they’re alive?” asks Jiron. The father grows silent as he awaits James’ answer.
“Don’t know,” he replies. “This will just lead us to them. We’ll have to wait until we get there to find out.”
As they move from the light of the campfire, James’ orb springs to life and hovers above and slightly behind his head. The farmers gasp in shock and fear at first, but then Miko and Jiron calm them down with assurances it will do no harm.
The interactions between the others are lost to James as he concentrates on maintaining the spell and keeping his footing in the tangled undergrowth. They travel for half an hour before the ground grows steeper. The loose rocks upon the surface make footing more and more difficult as the incline grows. At one point, James stumbles while lost in concentration and only Jiron’s quick reflexes kept him from falling backward down the slope.
“Careful,” he says as James regains his balance.
“Trying to be,” he replies. As he begins moving again, he takes more care to keep stable footing.
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 orb 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 shifted 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.