Lasgol immediately poured some of its contents over the surface of the enigmatic stone.
They all looked on, expectantly.
With a loud snap the slab slid two paces to the left, revealing an opening in the rock wall and a mysterious cavern behind.
“I…I don’t know what to say…” mumbled Toral.
Lasgol smiled at the discovery in delight. He had deciphered the ancient enigma those caves held: a powerful magic based on the primeval element, Water, which flowed throughout that underground labyrinth of rock. Without more delay, deeply satisfied, he went into the cave.
It was huge, with a round lake of indigo blue filling it almost completely. A ring of clay surrounded the peaceful lagoon. In the center of it a gigantic geyser rose to the ceiling of the cavern. The jet was so strong and rose so high that they all stood staring at it as they entered the hall. They could not see the top of it, so high and majestic that it melted into the blackness of the lofty vault. What is this huge geyser doing inside that cave? From the roof, the liquid which was forced upwards showered down again, feeding the lagoon in an endless circle, as if an eternal dew rained down inside the cave.
Lasgol looked at the ceiling, searching for an explanation of this unlikely phenomenon of nature. An impenetrable grey mist covered the upper part of the chamber. Its thickness was impossible to determine.
Using his Gift the Tracker tried to feel for any living thing in that enormous cave, but could only sense something liquid and earthy.
Water. I feel water born out of the depths of the earth. That’s what I haven’t been able to identify… An ancient magic lives in this strange place which imbues everything, and whose power comes from Water .
“It’s unbelievable, a geyser like that in here. What’s it doing inside a cave?” Toral whispered in Lasgol’s ear.
The Tracker looked at him. The veteran’s cold eyes showed fear, a fear of the unknown, of the irrational. He turned to the rest of the men, who were staring at the unearthly scene in awe. Lasgol could feel the incredulity of those hardy warriors. He could almost touch the fear in their hearts. He shrugged.
“I don’t like this at all, Lasgol. I have a bad feeling. Nothing is as it should be in here. I’m sure there are White Demons of the Mahuro in this accursed place. I can feel them.”
“Don’t be superstitious, Toral.” Lasgol said with a smile. “The Demons of Mahuro are nothing more than a legend to scare the children. Let me remind you that we aren’t in the snowy mountains of our own land, and you stopped being a child many years ago.” He was trying to calm the Captain, but without obvious success.
As they neared the shore of the lagoon, the Tracker noticed various hieroglyphs carved on the great boulders at the foot of the geyser. A message or a warning? thought Lasgol as he studied them. The geyser was alive in the midst of that frozen place, it beat with its own life. He looked thoughtfully at the great lake at his feet and something caught his attention, something which did not fit into the scene.
The waters of the lagoon did not move at all, they were completely inert; the surface was smooth as a mirror, apparently frozen in liquid form, as if lacking life, in eternal repose. For some unnatural reason not even the jet from the geyser created any impact on the surface of the lagoon. Before he could finish his reasoning, out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the soldiers inadvertently stepping into the water at the edge of the lake.
He held out his hand. “Stop!” he warned. The soldiers looked at him in surprise. Instinctively most of them reached for their weapons. They all stood still, waiting.
A wave spread from the soldier’s foot, crossing the lake surface at incredible speed until it reached the boulders at the foot of the geyser. The strange carved symbols began to shine, changing color and turning to an intense gold. The brightness increased
They all looked on, expectantly.
With a loud snap the slab slid two paces to the left, revealing an opening in the rock wall and a mysterious cavern behind.
“I…I don’t know what to say…” mumbled Toral.
Lasgol smiled at the discovery in delight. He had deciphered the ancient enigma those caves held: a powerful magic based on the primeval element, Water, which flowed throughout that underground labyrinth of rock. Without more delay, deeply satisfied, he went into the cave.
It was huge, with a round lake of indigo blue filling it almost completely. A ring of clay surrounded the peaceful lagoon. In the center of it a gigantic geyser rose to the ceiling of the cavern. The jet was so strong and rose so high that they all stood staring at it as they entered the hall. They could not see the top of it, so high and majestic that it melted into the blackness of the lofty vault. What is this huge geyser doing inside that cave? From the roof, the liquid which was forced upwards showered down again, feeding the lagoon in an endless circle, as if an eternal dew rained down inside the cave.
Lasgol looked at the ceiling, searching for an explanation of this unlikely phenomenon of nature. An impenetrable grey mist covered the upper part of the chamber. Its thickness was impossible to determine.
Using his Gift the Tracker tried to feel for any living thing in that enormous cave, but could only sense something liquid and earthy.
Water. I feel water born out of the depths of the earth. That’s what I haven’t been able to identify… An ancient magic lives in this strange place which imbues everything, and whose power comes from Water .
“It’s unbelievable, a geyser like that in here. What’s it doing inside a cave?” Toral whispered in Lasgol’s ear.
The Tracker looked at him. The veteran’s cold eyes showed fear, a fear of the unknown, of the irrational. He turned to the rest of the men, who were staring at the unearthly scene in awe. Lasgol could feel the incredulity of those hardy warriors. He could almost touch the fear in their hearts. He shrugged.
“I don’t like this at all, Lasgol. I have a bad feeling. Nothing is as it should be in here. I’m sure there are White Demons of the Mahuro in this accursed place. I can feel them.”
“Don’t be superstitious, Toral.” Lasgol said with a smile. “The Demons of Mahuro are nothing more than a legend to scare the children. Let me remind you that we aren’t in the snowy mountains of our own land, and you stopped being a child many years ago.” He was trying to calm the Captain, but without obvious success.
As they neared the shore of the lagoon, the Tracker noticed various hieroglyphs carved on the great boulders at the foot of the geyser. A message or a warning? thought Lasgol as he studied them. The geyser was alive in the midst of that frozen place, it beat with its own life. He looked thoughtfully at the great lake at his feet and something caught his attention, something which did not fit into the scene.
The waters of the lagoon did not move at all, they were completely inert; the surface was smooth as a mirror, apparently frozen in liquid form, as if lacking life, in eternal repose. For some unnatural reason not even the jet from the geyser created any impact on the surface of the lagoon. Before he could finish his reasoning, out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the soldiers inadvertently stepping into the water at the edge of the lake.
He held out his hand. “Stop!” he warned. The soldiers looked at him in surprise. Instinctively most of them reached for their weapons. They all stood still, waiting.
A wave spread from the soldier’s foot, crossing the lake surface at incredible speed until it reached the boulders at the foot of the geyser. The strange carved symbols began to shine, changing color and turning to an intense gold. The brightness increased
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