Chapter 7 Part 3

The caverns were actually quite serene. The silence was peaceful and the air was cool and still. The company had stopped for a breather about twenty minutes after entering the cave. With the aid of a pair of Armegon's light crystals. They were seated around a color streaked collection of stalagmites, stalactites and columns. Yoan had assured them that before long there would be light aplenty as the sunlight was strangely transmitted via veins of translucent quartz from the outside to the interior.

During the break, they took the time to snack on some sweet cakes that Yoan's people had given them. They were very tasty and refreshing. Yoan told them that the cakes were made from honey and acorn meal. Calista asked Yoan if he knew more details about its making. He didn't, but he assured her that she would get the recipe when they returned. He would see to it personally.

After about ten minutes, they resumed their movement through the catacombs deeper into the mountain. The trail was winding downward. About four hours later they emerged into a lighted gallery where, just a Yoan had told them, the veins of quartz piped the sunlight in from outside.

It was a magnificent sight, and Ultrecht insisted on taking a short break to examine the phenomenon more closely. Yoan agreed since the caverns were generally uninhabited. He claimed that some force tended to discourage creatures from remaining in the cavern for very long.

Ultrecht asked Armegon to extinguish the lights for a moment. Armegon and Yoan complied and the cave grew dark. Then as their eyes adjusted the faint light from the quartz veins emitted enough illumination to make out distinct shapes and motions, but it was obviously not enough to see details.

Ultrecht chipped some quartz samples and was muttering some nonsense about igneous rock when Calista sat next to Armegon. She was irritated at the delay. Armegon could sense it. But he quietly reminded her that after the magical healing, Yoan could not maintain a forced march. It was more than just curiosity that had halted their walk.

They only rested for about ten minutes when Yoan suggested they continue. The last leg of their journey was fairly strenuous since the path was steeper than they would have liked and the temperature seemed a little warmer. Though navigable, it did require a reduction of pace for safety sake. But, since they were descending, the physical exertion was not as strenuous as it might have been and it was not long before the quartz veins began to converge into a single huge streak of dim light that seemed to be a guide for them to follow. Yoan kept true to the vein's direction.

They had been underground for a total of about seven hours when rather abruptly, they stepped out of the tunnel into a monstrous chamber. Avery assured them that they had descended to a depth below sea level and were far, far beneath the mountain.

The cavern strangely reminded Armegon of the crater that housed the Well of time, except instead of a hole in the mountain top, this chamber's ceiling was an intricate pattern of glowing quartz veins. The one they had been following joined the luminous lattice. The pattern was much brighter than the individual vein, fascinatingly complex, and looking at it for more than a few moments gave him a slight headache.

On the floor in the very center of the chamber was a huge crystal globe. The gem was about a meter in diameter. The distance to the gem was not really all that far, but the trail wound in and around many rock formations on the chamber floor so that it was a maze-like structure.

Yoan confided that he himself had never made this trip and that everything he knew had been passed down to him by his father and the other elders. They paused long enough for Ultrecht to unpack a sheet of parchment and a charcoal pencil. Under Avery's skillful hand, they constructed a map of the maze and then proceeded down into the chamber.

They followed the map religiously until, about ten minutes later they came to a dead end. Avery was puzzled and Ultrecht chided him greatly for his incompetence. They rechecked the map and confirmed that the path they had taken, according to the map, was the only route through the rocks.

Finally they retraced their steps and returned to the tunnel exit where they had entered the chamber. Avery compared his map to the rock outcropping and let out an angry growl. The map bore no resemblance to the maze at all. Armegon asked Avery if he needed some glasses. Calista though that it was a bad time to be wanting a drink.

Avery passed the paper and pencil to Armegon, who wiped the markings clear and proceeded to make the map himself.

When Armegon finished, they again hefted their packs and with Armegon in the lead headed down into the chamber.

This time they traveled almost fifteen minutes before a right turn on the map turned to the left instead. Armegon frowned and threw the map down in disgust. This time it was Ultrecht who mentioned the glasses and Calista decided that it was one of their private jokes, not thirst, that was being discussed.

Again they retraced their steps until once more they stood at the tunnel opening. Another comparison of the map showed that it held no resemblance whatsoever with the labyrinth below.

"I get the feeling that someone doesn’t want us to get to the center," Ultrecht said. "Yoan do you know anything about this?"

"No," the centaur replied. "The elders spoke of a Task of Faith," he admitted. "This might be what they talked about. They never explained it."

"The Task of Faith?" Armegon rubbed his head. The headache was getting worse. "What else did they talk about?"

"Mostly old folk tales and songs. They always sang a song about the cave," Yoan told them.

"Can you sing it for us," Calista asked. "I could use some nice music right now. I’m feeling a little down."

Yoan smiled. "I reckon so." He cleared his throat and sang with deep voiced marching tune.

Travel in the dark my boy.
Travel after noon.
Travel ‘til the trav’lin light
Guides y’through the gloom.
Rest upon the door my boy.
Wade into the void.
Walk the path the an’mals take
Or else y’be destroyed.
The millipede has many feet.
Use each print but twice.
Don’t turn the wrong way here
Or else y’pay the price.
The centipede takes many steps.
Follow his trail with care.
Turn about then half again.
Now follow this next pair.
Beetles dance the dance this time.
A two step jig they make.
They turn about about and a half
Makin’ no mistake.
A quartet of ponies prance now.
Galloping three strides each.
Put out y’hand and open y’eyes,
and behold the prize you reached.

Calista clapped happily. "That is a cute tune," she praised. "Don't you think so Armegon?"

Armegon rubbed his eyes. "Yes, yes, its very nice."

"What's wrong?" Calista asked.

"I have a headache," he snapped back. He was immediately sorry he had done so. Calista had done no wrong.

"You too?" Ultrecht asked. "My head's been throbbing for the last hour," he said.

"Me too," Avery added.

"I have had a very annoying ringing in my ears for some time as well," Ruk said.

"Now that you mention it," Calista added. "My stomach has been hurting for a while. I thought it was just hunger pains."

Armegon turned serious. "How about you, Yoan?"

"I feel fine. Like Ruk, I got a ringing in my ears, but that’s all."

"Didn't you mention a force that keeps people from staying too long?" Avery asked. When Yoan nodded, he suggested, "I think we’ve discovered what that 'force' is."

"You know," Ruk spoke up, "when we’re sailing, we memorize coastal landmarks and how to steer from each one to get to a particular destination. Those landmarks and the course to steer are sometimes memorized in the form of songs."

"You think that Yoan's tune is a verbal map of how to navigate the maze?" Armegon asked.

"Yoan did say that there was a test of fate," Avery reminded.

"That’s 'Task of Faith'," Calista corrected.

"Right," Avery admitted rubbing his head.

"Okay," Armegon said. "Before we decode that song, I need to deal with this headache."

"Can't you just magic it away like you healed me?" Yoan asked.

"No," Avery replied. "We knew what was wrong with you and repaired the damage. The effects we’re experiencing right now are the result of a continuous action against us. We need to shield ourselves."

"Maybe the answer’s in the song," Calista suggested. "The song says to travel after noon. We entered the cave during the morning. Maybe that’s why we’re being affected."

"The song also says to wait on the door," Yoan said. "I think that’s where we are now. How long do we wait?"

"We’re supposed to wade into the void." Ruk said. "Or at least that’s what the song said. Most people call total darkness a void."

"So we must wait until dark?" Calista asked. She looked worriedly at Avery, Armegon and Ultrecht. They were in a lot of pain. She stood and took the light crystal from Armegon and the other from Ultrecht and stuffed them into her pocket. The surroundings went dark.

They could see nothing for several moments until their eyes readjusted. Then with the abstruse design on the high domed ceiling shedding its eerie light, they saw the maze far below. It was a seething mass of motion. The rocks were moving about randomly.

"Well that explains the problems with the map," Ruk observed.

"D’we try to follow the song?" Yoan asked.

"Not yet," Ruk said. The song said to wade into the void, and it’s not dark." He gestured

to the soft, but steady light raining down from above.

"Well we can't turn that off," Calista said.

"No," Ruk agreed, "But if we wait until dusk, the night will."

"What then?" Yoan asked.

"Then we’ll trust your song."

So they waited. Armegon, Ultrecht and Avery spoke quietly to them and they explained their reasoning. The more experienced trio agreed with their logic. It was very hard for them to concentrate or think, such was the pain they were experiencing.

Calista doubled over and vomited about an hour later. With tears in her eyes, she complained that her stomach was burning.

Ruk and Yoan had both raised their voices due to the ringing in their ears and they could not hear very well. They too soon complained of headaches.

Ultrecht leaned on his staff heavily at one point and informed the others that if the situation demanded it they could teleport out of the cave, but it would be back to Nikki's cabin on the other side of the world. He had not thought to realign the emergency teleport spell to any place closer.

Armegon and the others agreed to use that as a last resort only. They did not want to travel across the world again.

They were trying so hard to deal with the problems, that it was almost a complete surprise when the pain disappeared completely. They were suddenly more aware of their surroundings and the fact that they were in total darkness.

"Is everyone okay?" Ultrecht's voice sounded out from the darkness.

"Calista," Armegon whispered, "bring out the light."

Calista reached into her pocket and drew the crystal forth. Immediately the light radiated outward and just as immediately the pain returned. Yells went out to extinguish the light, but they were unnecessary. The light crystal went back into the pocket much faster than it had come out.

When the pain subsided, Avery put to words what they were all thinking. "I don't think we want to have the light out anymore."

"Well," Ruk said, "we are now in the dark. I guess we can try to follow the song's instructions."

"Right," Ultrecht said. "Yoan, what’s the first stanza of that song?"

"Travel in the dark my boy.
Travel after noon.
Travel ‘til the trav’lin light
Guides y’through the gloom."


"Well that’s certainly clear enough," Ruk said. "We reached the place and the quartz vein did kind of guide us once we found it."

"Right," Armegon agreed. "What is next, Yoan?"

"Rest upon the door my boy.
Wade into the void.
Walk the path the an’mals take
Or else y’be destroyed."


"Okay," Calista said. She palmed the light crystal in her pocket. "We’re in the dark. If we move on, we’ll certainly be wading into the void. But if we walk in the dark how do we follow an animal's path."

"It isn't the path of an animal," Avery's voice cut in. "It’s a set of directions. Yoan, what’s the next line."


"The millipede has many feet.
Use each print but twice.
Don’t turn the wrong way here
Or else y’pay the price."

"A millipede is a small creature with many many legs," Avery said. "Each individual creature may vary from specimen to specimen. The average number of feet may be the key, but it’s not common knowledge. However the name itself means a thousand feet. I suggest the verse means to take two thousand paces since it tells us to use each print twice."

"Ah," Armegon interrupted. "But, those are the instructions for a Janusian. They have four feet. Does that make a difference?"

"No," Yoan answered from the darkness. "We measure our strides in pairs of steps. The front pair and the back pair each are considered independent."

"Okay then, two thousand paces," Avery said. "After that we turn to the right."

"How do you know that?" Calista asked.

"That bit about not turning in the wrong direction is a fairly old play on words," Ultrecht told her. He was closer to her than she had thought. "If you go right, you can't go wrong. The right way is not the wrong way. I'm sure you have heard things like it before."

"So what next," Armegon asked. "Yoan?"


"The centipede takes many steps.
Follow his trail with care.
Turn about then half again.
Now follow this next pair."

"The centipede doesn't really have a hundred legs, but that is what the name means," Avery said. "Okay then, a hundred paces."

"Turn about," Yoan repeated, "then half again."
"There is no reference for direction this time," Armegon observed.

"Then let us assume it is the same then," Ultrecht suggested.

"Agreed." Armegon concurred. "Turn about then half again. That’s the equivalent of a left turn."

"So now we turn left," Ultrecht said. "Next stanza."


"Beetles dance the dance this time.
A two step jig they make.
They turn about about and a half
Makin’ no mistake."

"Beetles are insects and have six legs," Ruk said.

"But, the song said, 'follow this next pair,'" Calista reminded them. "So that’s twelve legs."

"They are dancing a dance that has two steps in it so that is twenty four paces in all?" Ruk guessed.

"It would seem so," Avery replied. "’About and about and a half,' would seem to indicate another right turn as well."

"And the last line?" Calista asked.

"Probably just a warning," Armegon said. "A mistake could be disastrous."

Yoan continued.

"A quartet of ponies prance now.
Galloping three strides each.
Put out y’hand and open y’eyes,
and behold the prize you reached."

"Okay," Calista said. She had gotten the hang of this. "Four sets of four feet taking three strides each. That's forty eight?"

"Did you forget how Janusians count steps?" Armegon asked.

"Twenty four?" Calista asked. She was angry at herself for forgetting that.

"Twenty four," Armegon confirmed.

"Well then let's go," Ruk said.

They groped about in the darkness and immediately concluded that they were in trouble. Though Armegon and Avery's elven vision enabled them to locate everyone as heat sources in the darkness, they still had problems directing movements in and about the rocks which the halfelves could not see.

The problem was solved by stringing a rope between the two halfelves and having everyone attached to the rope. That way the leader, Armegon, could concentrate on the song's instructions, and Avery could monitor the group's integrity.

When all were ready, Armegon led them out on the floor. Meticulously he followed the directions as Yoan sang them out. Calista followed Armegon and held his hand. At his request, she counted the steps softly. When she reached two thousand. They stopped. Armegon turned to the right but did not proceed.

"We do not know how big our margin of error is," he said. "So this is what I want to do." He outlined his plan carefully. They drew in the rope until Yoan had joined the two in front. Armegon continued on slowly with Yoan to count the steps.

Calista stood stationary and Avery gave Ruk and Ultrecht instructions as they approached her. Calista's hand's were forming a turn buckle. As the rope passed through her hands, she reeled it on from one direction and let it out in the direction Armegon was pulling from. When Ultrecht's and Ruk's hands contacted hers, she redirected their movements. This was necessary because with no visible points of reference, they could not be certain of the direction of their turns.

When finally Avery made contact, he clasped her hand and headed her in the right direction as well. She followed the rope until she was several paces ahead of Avery and a couple behind Ultrecht.

They performed the same maneuver twice more until finally the train stopped. Armegon announced that they had reached the end of the instructions.

"Is anything there?" Calista asked.

"One moment," he said. Armegon pulled the rope and drew in all the others. When Avery was standing with them, Avery answered the question. "Yes, something is here, nearby."

"How do you know?" Yoan asked.

"Listen," the ranger replied. "Hear the voices about you. Do you hear how hollow they are all around you except for where someone’s standing?"

"That’s how some animals find their way in the dark," Ultrecht remarked. "Bats and other animals use echo ranging."

"Right," Avery said. "They’re much better at it than we are. A good listening person can tell the direction of a close object. Very few people can even tell about what distance an object is, by the time delay, but some animals can practically see using sound echoes."

"Well we certainly can't see," Ruk stated.

"I’m afraid we’re going to have to risk a moment of pain and get Cal to pull out that light crystal again," Armegon said.

"First let's get ready," Ultrecht advised. "I don't want to have to wait on someone to get his pack on straight while I’m trying to keep my head from exploding."

The feeling was universal and after the rope had been stowed and everyone was prepared, Calista pulled the crystal from her pocket. This time there was no blinding pain or deafening ringing. It was almost as if the whole thing had been a bad memory.

They took in their surroundings. They were standing on a flat expanse that ran to the cliff sides. None of the rock outcroppings could be seen. There before them, was a large crystal. The material was a light blue in color, and the exterior was devoid of any nicks or scratches at all. Almost hypnotically, Calista reached out and touched the perfect surface.
As if in response, the network of lines on the domed ceiling flared brilliantly and a shaft of light fell upon the sphere. Calista jerked her hand back, and rubbed it. There was no harm done to her, she had just been surprised.

Drawn by the spectacle, she peered into the crystal. Just as the old Centaur had said, it seemed as if she could see a tiny village inside. Even a mountain was visible. Then the scene changed and she saw a set of gates. They swung open to reveal a stairway of silvery light. Again she reached out to touch the sphere, but this time her hand made no contact. Suddenly Calista stood on the silvery step. Behind her was darkness.

Panic gripped her heart momentarily as she realized she was all alone. There was a flash to her left and Ruk stood on the step below her. Within minutes the whole compliment of their group were present save Yoan.

"Where’s Yoan?" she asked.

"I realize you didn't mean to do that on purpose," Armegon chided her gently, "but I do wish you’d think a little bit more before doing something like that again."

"I don't think Yoan made it through," Ultrecht observed. "He was standing the furthest away when the door started to close."

"His body’s so long I think you may be right." Ruk agreed. "He probably couldn’t get through."

"What happened?" Calista asked.

"The light opened the doorway, Calista," Avery said. "When you passed through, you took the light with you, and the door started to close. We don't think Yoan made it through the door in time."

"Will he be okay?" Ruk asked worriedly.

"Probably," Ultrecht answered. "These kinds of doorways will either close before you go through, or after you;ve gone through. They don't really close while you’re inside the doorway."

"He’s probably more worried about us than we are about him," Armegon commented.

"So what now?" Ruk asked. "Do we wait for him? It’ll be daylight soon."

"Well for one thing," Ultrecht said, "we don’t know how fast time travels in this world. A hundred years could pass for us while we wait for a single hour to pass for him."

"Nor do we know if he’ll come through at all," Armegon pointed out. "If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't. I’d go home and report what happened or I might stay around a day or so in case we came back, but I’d not follow us through the gate. I think Yoan is fairly smart. He won't come through."

"So where do we go?" Calista asked.

"I suggest we find out where these stairs lead," Avery said as he began descending the stairs. "You know," he added nervously, "I once had a very bad experience on a long flight of stairs."