When their meal was finished, Ganix had Hanvir help him into the hole. Once there, he pressed the tip of the lothseer to the marker. Instantly, it glowed bright red and pulsed wildly. “That’s what you should be looking for,” he told him.
After being assisted back up, he handed the tool over. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to rest my old bones while you youngsters go look for the ship.”
With Hanvir eager to start searching an area a few yards beyond the marker, Ganix swept a small portion of ground clean and laid out his blanket. The heat of the day had forced him to strip down to a light shirt and a pair of cotton trousers, but fatigue overcame any sense of discomfort. In no time at all, he was dozing.
He awoke once to find that someone had erected a canopy to shade him from the scorching sun. It was simple but effective, using some spare blankets and embedded shovels to hold them aloft. He could hear Hanvir and the others busying themselves in the distance. Grateful that he would not have sunburn added to his mounting ailments, he soon fell back asleep.
To his surprise, it wasn’t until the next morning that he eventually opened his eyes again. He hadn’t slept for so long in many years. And only then, when he had been ill. Clearly, the toll this expedition was taking on him was far more than he'd anticipated.
“I need to be careful, or I won’t make it back,” he warned himself.
With Hanvir and the others already up and busy preparing themselves for another day of searching, Ganix struggled to his feet. His joints were still stiff, but this was far more from the overnight cold and sleeping on hard ground than from any great labor. He actually felt much better.
Seeing him approach, Hanvir smiled broadly. “You look rested, Your Highness.”
Ganix gratefully took the bowl of dried fruit and the slice of bread he was offered. “No luck then?”
“Not yet,” he replied. “But I think we’re getting close. We found what looks like the remnants of a road less than a quarter mile from here. I’m hoping this will lead us to the ship.”
Ever since waking, Ganix had felt that something was different. At first he hadn't been able to put his finger on it. Now it struck him. “No howling,” he remarked. “Not that I miss it. But it’s curious, all the same.”
Hanvir paused to listen for a few seconds, then called over to Ryhol. “Stay with the king,” he instructed.
Ryhol nodded his compliance.
“That isn't necessary,” Ganix objected. “You won’t be very far away.”
“Humor me, Your Highness,” Hanvir said. “In any event, with only the one lothseer to use, there is not much the others can do aside from search the ground for signs of anything unusual.”
Ganix decided not to argue. In the end, he was pleased to have some company. Once the others were gone, he listened while Ryhol talked about his research at Borgen. Mostly, it was amusing stories about things blowing up or catching on fire while Rakaal jumped up and down cursing his ancestors repeatedly for the bad luck he was suffering.
With the others having taken enough food and water with them to see them through the day, Ganix and Ryhol ate alone at midday. But barely had they finished this meal when several loud shouts of alarm reached them from the direction of where Hanvir was searching. Without hesitation, they both got up and set off as quickly as they could.
Before they had made even a hundred yards, they saw a rapidly running Hanvir crest a low ridge. He swept straight past them without a word, stopping only when reaching the camp, and then pausing long enough to grab a large coil of rope they had stowed away. With this slung over his shoulder, he headed back at full speed.
“Broyhul has had a bad fall,” he cried while racing by.
Ganix did his best to keep up, but even the urgency of the situation could not force his legs to move fast enough. Soon, Hanvir was out of sight. Thankfully, it only took a few minutes to locate him. He and the others were gathered around a large hole roughly six feet in diameter.
“Stay back, Your Highness,” Hanvir shouted. “The ground is unstable.”
Ganix did as instructed. “What happened?” he asked.
Hanvir was already fastening one end of the rope around his waist. “There is a cavern directly beneath where we are standing. When I used the lothseer to check the ground, it simply collapsed from under Broyhul’s feet.” He handed the other end of the rope to one of his comrades.
“Can you see him?” Ganix asked.
“No, but I can hear him moaning,” he replied. Without another word, he began lowering himself down into the hole.
Unconcerned about his own safety, Ryhol raced over to help the others support Hanvir's weight. Ganix could only look on helplessly. He knew the rope was fifty feet long, so if the cavern was any deeper than that, there would be no hope at all of rescuing their friend. With jaw clenched and eyes fixed on the steadily dwindling length of rope, he offered a silent prayer to the spirits. When there was only a few feet remaining, Hanvir’s descent ceased.
Half an hour crawled by with agonizing slowness before the signal came to pull the rope back up. Soon after that, Broyhul was lifted out and carried as swiftly as they dared away from the hole. Ganix could see that both of his legs were broken, and that he had several deep cuts to his head.
“Help Hanvir,” he ordered the others. “I’ll tend to Broyhul.”
The injured dwarf was still moaning with pain and unable to speak. And though he had somehow managed to avoid fracturing his skull, his legs would take many weeks to heal. As soon as Hanvir was back on the surface, they created a crude stretcher from shovel handles and the rope to carry Broyhul back to the camp. There, Ganix did his best to set the breaks and treat the cuts.
“I've done what I can, but he needs proper care,” he said after finishing.
By now Broyhul had regained his senses and was glaring at the king with grim determination. “No. We cannot leave. Not now. I’ll be fine here. There is nothing to be done.”
“Lylinora could heal you,” Ganix told him. “You must be taken back.”
Broyhul shook his head violently. “No! Please, Your Highness. At least wait until we discover what is down there.” He glanced at his ruined legs. “I’ll never get another chance. Let me be here when you find it.”
“If your wounds become infected, I don’t have any way of treating you,” argued Ganix. “I’m sorry. But I won’t allow you to risk your life.”
“It’s my life,” he snapped back furiously, for an instant uncaring that he was speaking to his king. “It is mine to do with as I please.”
Compassion welled up inside Ganix as he regarded the injured dwarf. To come so close to witnessing such an important part of their history, only to have it snatched away at the very last moment, would be unbearable for him as well. These people had spent their entire lives dedicated to reviving the past. And now the answers to so many tantalizing questions were possibly within reach.
The decision came with a rush. “Two days,” he said. “We’ll stay for two days. No longer.”
Though clearly still in great agony, Broyhul smiled. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Ganix nodded, then turned to Hanvir. “So tell me. What did you see down there?”
“Nothing,” he replied. “It was too dark. But the hole opened up just at the edge of one side. So I at least know where there is solid ground.”
“Then there is only one thing to do,” said Ganix. “We must go see what is down there.”
Hanvir beamed with anticipation.
Ganix checked Broyhul’s wounds one more time, then gave him a mushroom he had in his healing supplies that he knew would dull the pain. “Try to sleep until I return,” he said.
Broyhul nodded. “I am forever in your debt, Your Highness.”
“Do not speak too soon, my lad. We may not find anything.”
“You will,” he said. “I know you will.”
In spite of his cautioning words, Ganix could feel his optimism rising as he and the others returned
to the hole.
Hanvir pointed to an area about five feet from the edge. “That is where the wall of the cavern is located. Beyond that, we’re on nothing but two feet of rocky ground before a straight drop to the bottom.” He fastened the rope around his waist and slung his pack over his shoulders.
Ganix found himself becoming ever more impatient while awaiting his turn to descend. When the moment finally came, his heart was pounding in his ears and he could barely control his breathing. As the dwarves lowered him into the gloom, he could see the light from Hanvir's rajni stone glowing below.
“Careful, Your Highness.”
Hanvir grabbed him by the belt and guided him down the final few feet. Ganix then unfastened the rope and retrieved his own rajni stone from his pocket.
Even with the two lights, all they could see was the wall of the cavern. The darkness swallowed up everything else that was more than a few yards ahead. Hanvir took his time to examine the ground carefully, his light moving back and forth repeatedly before advancing another short distance. After several minutes he stopped and knelt. “This looks like a path,” he announced.
Ganix knelt to look as well. Hanvir was right. Though barely visible, it was unmistakable. It was definitely a narrow path. Now relieved that he had relented and stayed, his heart rate sped up dramatically. Surely there could be only one reason for a path to be buried here.
After drawing the rod tucked in his belt, Hanvir led the way cautiously forward again. The air was stale and dry, and no matter how carefully they trod, the echoes of their footfalls still sounded loud. If there was anything lurking within, it would certainly be aware of their presence. Hanvir halted every few yards, allowing the echoes to fade. Whenever he did, there was nothing but silence.
They continued in this way for more than half an hour. Ganix's throat was feeling parched, but just as he was about to take a drink of water, Hanvir’s hand shot out. At first he couldn’t see what his companion was pointing at. Then, gradually, it came into focus. The path ahead had become more defined, and just at the point where their probing lights started to fade, it ended at a smooth surfaced ramp that appeared to be metallic. This sloped gently upwards into the blackness.
So great was his excitement, Ganix could barely contain the urge to run. Instead, he confined himself to stepping in front of Hanvir to take the lead. The ramp rose for fifty feet until ending abruptly in what appeared to be a red wall – a flat, solid barrier extending beyond the limit of their lights in both directions. It was also impossible to see how high it rose.
Ganix ran his hand over the smooth surface. “A dead end?”
But Hanvir’s younger eyes were sharper. Holding the rajni stone up close, he placed the tip of his finger against a barely visible vertical line. “A door,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. “There must be some way to open it.”
Ganix pulled a knife from his belt and attempted to wedge the tip of its blade into the line, but it was useless.
Hanvir, meanwhile, located twin outer edges and established that the first line was splitting the other two exactly down the center. With renewed eagerness, they began looking for a way to open the barrier.
“Here!” cried Ganix.
Just to the right of the door, a thin circle had been etched into the metal. Ganix traced this with his fingertip, then placed his palm flat in the center, holding it there for nearly half a minute. Throughout this contact, there was only silence. But when he removed his hand, a dimly glowing imprint of his palm was clearly visible. Tiny dots of blue light began flashing randomly within the circle.
For a few seconds, nothing else happened. Only the faint sounds of the two dwarves' breathing disturbed the otherwise absolute silence. Then, with an ear-splitting screech that had both of them jumping backwards and placing hands protectively over their ears, the doors began sliding apart. At once, a huge rush of air blew out, throwing clouds of dust into their faces.
A loud metallic click told them that the doors were now fully open. The pair wiped their stinging eyes and exchanged excited glances. Ganix was the first to move. Holding out the rajni stone, he stepped inside. However, the moment his foot crossed the threshold, a strip of dim light emanated from above to reveal a long hallway.
“Wondrous,” Ganix whispered, putting the stone back into his pocket.
They followed the passage until reaching a second door, much smaller than the first, but also with no apparent handle. Ganix immediately looked for another etched circle, but this time the door slid open automatically, as if anticipating his arrival. He stepped through into a room with a single door on each side and an empty shelf spanning the rear wall.
He was still trying to decide whether to go left or right when the floor began to vibrate and a loud hissing sound came down from the ceiling.
“Please stand…for…” said a female voice. Some of the words were garbled and the accent was unfamiliar. “This…moment…Thank you.”
Seriously alarmed, both Ganix and Hanvir made a dash for the door they had just passed through, but it slid shut before they could reach it. Hanvir searched frantically for a way to open it again, but to no avail.
The hissing steadily increased in volume and an unfamiliar odor began assaulting Ganix's nostrils. Soon, his eyes were watering and his lungs burning. Only moments after that, both he and Hanvir were on their knees, gasping for air. Then, just as he thought he would black out completely, the hissing abruptly ceased and the floor went still. Slowly the odor dissipated and Ganix was again able to breathe normally.
“What in the name of the spirits was that?” coughed Hanvir. He helped the king to his feet. “I think we should leave here as quickly as possible.”
Ganix could hear the fear in his voice. And in truth, he was afraid as well. But his curiosity and determination was overcoming this. “If you want to turn back, I understand,” he said. “But I am not finished here.”
“But, Your Highness,” Hanvir protested.
His words went unheard. Ganix was already walking to the door set in the right hand wall. To his relief, it slid open as he drew near, just as the first one had.
A sudden insight then occurred. He turned to Hanvir. “Something tells me that we are not in danger.” He looked at his hands; his skin felt fresh and tingled slightly. He pointed to Hanvir’s shirt. “Look at your clothes.”
Hanvir did as the king said. For a moment, he didn’t understand. Then he noticed - they were clean. Spotless, in fact. Not a stain or speck of dirt remained anywhere on his clothes or person.
“We just took a shower, unless I miss my guess.” His words came out almost as laughter.
The distinctly female voice that seemed to come from everywhere cut in. “Please follow the green light to the main bridge.”
Just beyond the door, a green light appeared on the wall. Ganix touched it curiously.
“Please follow the green light to the main bridge,” the voice repeated.
They followed the light down a labyrinth of hallways. The walls were bare and doors were spaced at regular intervals. Ganix tried to enter several of these, but none would open. And when he paused too long, the persistent female voice would call out yet again: “Please follow the green light to the main bridge.”
“Someone certainly seems to know we are here,” Hanvir remarked nervously.
Ganix had no reply. He was sure that no one could have survived here for so long. An automated response was his guess. His own people had devices that would activate when someone drew near. The gates of Elyfoss for instance, which would open only for a dwarf. But this was something completely different.
As they passed through several larger rooms, he tried to see if there was anything on the walls or discarded on the floor that might teach him something about the former occupants. But it was as if everywhere had been deliberately made bare.
At the end of yet another long corridor, a door slid open to reveal a tiny square room hardly large enough to hold four or five dwarves. Ganix peek
ed his head inside and saw a panel just to the right of the doorway. Some of the symbols on it were vaguely familiar to him.
Hanvir recognized them immediately. “Ancient lettering,” he stated. “At least we now know for certain that this place belonged to the dwarves.”
“Yes,” agreed Ganix. “But what is it? A ship? If so, then it is larger than I would have ever dreamed. How would such a thing fly?”
“Please enter the lift and proceed to the main bridge,” said the voice.
Ganix spread his hands. “You heard the lady.”
The moment they were inside, the door closed and the entire room began to rise. Hanvir reached out and clutched at Ganix’s sleeve for a moment, then gave an embarrassed shrug.
Ganix smiled. “Don’t worry. It scared me too. It seems to be taking us to the upper levels. I suppose that’s where the main bridge is located. Whatever that is.”
The lift came to a sudden halt, once again startling the pair.
When the door opened, the room beyond was unlike anything either of them had ever seen. It was circular - about fifty feet in diameter - and set every few feet into the curved walls was a panel of multi-colored crystals. All of these were lit in various patterns, while between each one was what looked to be a pane of oval glass. In the very center of the room, a ring of chairs surrounded a pure white globe measuring at least five feet across. This glowed with a dim white light that pulsated slowly while hovering above a silver metallic cone balanced perfectly on its end. Directly in front of each chair, more multi-colored panels were suspended from the ceiling by thin silver wires.
“Welcome friends,” said the voice. “I have been expecting you.”
Ganix’s eyes shot back and forth, but there was no one there. “Where are you?” he called out.
The light emanating from the globe intensified for several seconds, then returned to its original state.
“I am here,” the voice said.
From the corner of his eye, Ganix caught a glimpse of something that definitely hadn't been there before. He leapt back, pressing Hanvir to the wall. Only then did he shift his gaze fully.
Dragonvein - Book Three Page 17
