Though fairly level, the canyon floor was no more than ten paces wide, with schist and scree and shattered rock strewn throughout and piles of rubble ramping up against the vertical walls. All was barren stone-no soil, no plants, no life whatsoever could be seen-and a raw drift of air whispered through the chasm, like voices murmuring on the very edge of perception. And here the world was scarlet-drenched, as if the very rock itself had been drowned in blood. Even the shadows seemed to take on a crimson hue.
"Adon," breathed Delon, "but it is a vision of Hel."
Two paths stood before them, twisting away left and right.
"Which way?" asked Aiko, looking to Arin, as did they all.
The Dylvana stared at the canyon floor. "The rightward path has a faint glow."
Aiko touched her chest. "Peril lies that way as well, Dara."
Arin shrugged. "Nevertheless-"
"Perhaps we ought to turn back," interjected Alos.
Arin looked at the old man. "Nay, Alos. Herein we should find the cursed keeper of faith in the maze."
"But we don't even know if this is the right maze," quavered the oldster.
Egil canted his head. "Come, helmsman, of the two we've encountered this seems the best bet."
Alos glanced at Aiko only to meet an impassive gaze. He lowered his eye and nodded.
Rightward they turned, now Aiko and Egil able to ride alongside Arin: Aiko to the left; Egil to the right. Following behind came the three pack camels on their tethers, and then after came Alos, Delon, and Ferret, each of the trio also towing a camel.
"Which way is north?" asked Ferret. "We've twisted and turned so much that I'm all at sea. And down here I can't even tell."
Alos grunted and pointed to the fore and left even as Delon pointed back and to the right. Delon shook his head and burst out in laughter, but Alos growled and said, "Look, I'm a helmsman so I ought to know which way north lies."
But Delon pointed to the red canyon walls high above. "See the angle of the sun? Well, not the sun itself, but the shadows, instead. It's yet early morn, and so they fall from east to west. And given their slant, that puts north off to our right. We are headed southwesterly."
As his camel plodded forward, Alos looked long at the rim above, then shook his head in resignation.
"Don't feel bad, old man," said Delon. "I was raised in the mountains, while you were raised at sea. And when we are on the waters again, 'tis you will know and I who will not."
They held this direction for less than a furlong as the canyon bent back on itself. Twisting and turning, within a mile they came to a junction, where three slots lay before them. Again Arin chose the right-hand way, and zigging and zagging, veering and wrenching, through the labyrinth they fared, at times the way wide, at other times narrow where they could go but single file-and through these slots Aiko took the lead with Egil next after. And time after time they came to junctions: two-way, three-way, four-way splits, some narrow, some wide, some but cracks, some paths smooth, others rough, some choked with shattered debris. At these breaches, Arin would gaze at the choices before her and spy out the glimmering way, and onward they would fare.
Midmorning came and then midday, the sun directly overhead, pressing back the crimson shadows, replacing them with a bright red glare. Yet they paused not for a midday meal but ate as they moved ahead, for they did not want to camp in these canyons at night, hoping to reach the temple instead-wherever it might lie. At times they rode, at other times walked, giving the camels some respite, but always they pushed forward.
"I don't think we're on the right road at all," puffed Alos, during one of these strolls. "We'd better turn back, get out from these blasted canyons with their pressing walls."
"Why's that, old man?" asked Delon.
Alos fixed his white eye on the bard. "Surely we'd've reached it by now if this were the way. I think we've taken a wrong turn somewhere. Either that, or the temple isn't even in this place at all."
Ferret shook her head. "Look about you, Alos. The stone is crimson, as shown on Old Norn's card. And the 'alim said this is where we'd find it. As to the wrong turn, have faith in Dara Arin. Think on this, too: it is a great treasure we are after: a pure, translucent pale jade egg… the size of a melon. Surely we can sell it for an enormous sum, even if we have to carve it up. There's a buyer out there somewhere: a Dragon, a Mage, a collector, someone who will make all this worthwhile. We'll be set for life. No more hunger, no more wanting, no more having to-" Ferret glanced at Delon and abruptly stopped talking.
They walked in silence for a while, and at last Delon said, "Luv, as much as I cherish the good life-fine wines, delectable foods, pleasures for all the senses-we aren't after this thing for reward. It isn't a treasure we seek. Instead it's a token of power whose doom we hope to entirely set aside."
Ferret looked over at him, but what she was thinking did not appear in her eyes.
Ahead, Arin called for them to mount up again, and onward they rode through chasms of bloodred stone.
The midday sun passed beyond the rims above, though now and then as the canyons twisted and turned they could see it in the west. Midafternoon came, and then late day, and all about them scarlet shadows mustered once more as the angle of light shifted with the sinking of the sun. Finally there was a short twilight down in the canyons below and darkness fell in the land of red stone, and still there was no sign of a temple.
A narrow slash of glimmering stars emerged overhead with the onset of night, and Arin reined her camel to a halt, the others stopping as well. The Dylvana turned in her saddle and said to alclass="underline" "The time has come for us to decide: shall we push on, or instead make camp? Have ye any preference?"
Egil said, "I think we need rest the camels. They've had little ease all day, nor aught to eat or drink since yester."
Aiko reached down and tapped her mount on its ribs. "Fear not for the camels, Egil One-Eye, for they can go long without either food or drink." She gestured ahead along the canyon. "Fear instead for us; with every step forward our danger has grown."
In the glint of starlight, Arin nodded, but Egil raised an eyebrow. "Your tiger?"
Aiko inclined her head.
"I think we should go back," said Alos. "This 'alim of yours has led us into a trap."
Aiko grunted yet did not gainsay his words, but Arin said, "I think not, Alos, for Aiko's tiger found no untoward peril in him."
"That's because the peril's out here," retorted Alos.
"That I do not deny," said Arin.
"Why don't we just set up camp in a place we can easily defend?" suggested Ferret, touching the bandoliers of daggers crisscrossing her breast.
From the bowels of the labyrinth there came a long, ghastly howl, the echoes slapping back and forth across the canyon walls.
The camels flinched at this sound, yet held their ground for it was distant still. But Alos groaned and cowered down in his saddle.
"Adon, but that was much louder than before," said Delon.
"We are closer to whatever it is," said Arin.
"We are closer to peril," said Aiko.
"Since it seems to come out only at night, I think Ferret has the right idea," said Egil. "We should make camp in an easily defended place."
"There is that narrow canyon a furlong or so back," suggested Arin.
They set up camp in a box canyon, more of a fissure than aught else, for it extended into the crimson rock less than a hundred feet.
"This is good," said Egil, surveying the site.