The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,87

would have.”

Ben didn't respond. There was nothing to say. He knew from Charlie's demoralised face that his friend would not be able to face that pain again.

The problem was there was no way round.

Ben knew this might happen. The spell clouds were getting increasingly difficult to overcome and time was starting to worry him. There was only one solution, and it wasn't a pleasant one.

“I will go alone,” Ben said.

The announcement caused a predictable uproar. Charlie's protests were half-hearted, but Natalie, who hadn't yet experienced the fog, was adamant.

“We're not leaving you,” Natalie said. “Right, Charlie? Not when we're this close.”

“Right,” Charlie said, after a little pause, which caused Natalie to frown with surprise.

“Getting you both through the spell clouds is taking too long,” Ben said, “and they are getting increasingly powerful. Even if I got you both through this one, the next one could be even more difficult.”

Natalie turned to Charlie. “Was it really that bad?”

Charlie looked beaten. “Yes. The pain – I could not face that again.”

“We could double back. I saw another way down about ten minutes ago,” Natalie said.

“We don't have the time, and we would still end up encountering increasingly powerful mind spell clouds like this one.”

Natalie bit her lip. “I don't like it. We're a team.”

“Normally,” Ben said, his voice gentle, “but not in this instance.”

Natalie looked ready to argue, but another look at Charlie and she changed her mind.

“We will wait for you here,” Natalie said.

“I won't be long,” Ben said. “We must be near the bottom by now.”

“Good luck,” Natalie said, coming forwards and giving him a hug. To Ben's surprise, Charlie did the same.

Ben turned and walked into the black fog, alone.

— Chapter Twenty-Nine —

Revelations

It was strange being alone in this vast cavern. Ben hadn't appreciated the comfort and reassurance of friends until now. Between the three of them someone was nearly always talking, but now the only sound was that of his footsteps and slightly laboured breathing, as he descended as fast as he dared. Progress was far quicker now that he didn't have to drag Charlie and Natalie through each passing fog, and soon he had left his two friends far behind.

He checked his watch every fifteen minutes and resisted the urge to speed up when 11:30am came and went. He had already almost lost his grip several times and couldn't afford to be any more reckless.

Ben heard the noise as he was jumping onto yet another slab of rock. It was a faint echo from somewhere below. He paused. Had he imagined it? No, there it was again. A voice perhaps? It was too soft to tell.

Ben continued his downward climb, so intent on listening that he had several near accidents. Gradually the noise became louder and more distinct. Definitely a voice. Two voices even. Then a crashing noise – the sound of rock crashing against rock.

Curiosity overpowered his anxiety. Who could possibly be down here? Could it be another spell cloud, designed to scare him off? Ben could think of no other explanation.

He squeezed through a small gap in between a couple of stalagmites, and the noise suddenly exploded into full volume. There was a fight going on, Ben was sure of it, and it was happening right below him. Ben instinctively hit the ground. A sudden sickening feeling hit him. What if it was the forreck down there fighting someone? What if Lornor was wrong, or lying, and the forreck was unaffected by the eclipse?

Ben dragged himself forwards using his elbows until he reached the edge of the rock. He peered over and received the shock of his life.

Thirty feet below, at the very base of the cavern, were two combatants. One was the Shadowseeker, sword drawn, hand pulsing with energy, trying to get into a tunnel that cut into one of the walls. But a woman stood in front of the tunnel, spellshooter drawn, blocking his path.

It was Dagmar.

Ben's face paled, his mouth slowly opened, and for a moment he forgot to breathe. Questions threatened to explode out of his mouth, but they evaporated the moment the Shadowseeker fired a purple bolt of energy at Dagmar; she deflected it with a shield that materialised from her spellshooter. The Shadowseeker leapt forwards, sword slicing through the air. Ben made a choking noise that was drowned out by a defiant growl from Dagmar. She shot a spell into her hand and a shining white sword materialised, which she used to block the Shadowseeker's blade. The Shadowseeker launched