and Ethan helped the other two up before climbing out themselves. The landscape was somewhat changed. Small patches of grass were scattered about, and a few thin pines had forced themselves up through the rocky soil. Even so, it was a far cry from what Jonas had described.
They reached the pond some twenty minutes later – a circular expanse of clear, icy cold water with a white sandy bottom that extended for several yards beyond the shore. On the far side of this they spotted a worn trail that disappeared behind a low ridge.
They were now almost right up against the base of the mountain. Ethan took a deep breath, hoping this meant they had finally arrived.
Glancing in all directions to be sure that no one was watching, Markus led them around the pond to the trail. As they crested the ridge, Jonas smiled broadly. “This is it!” he exclaimed. “This is the entrance to the cavern.”
It was fifty feet across and half as high. On either side stood a cluster of fruit trees, though these were all withered and twisted and bore no trace of fruit.
The air changed almost the moment they stepped inside, becoming thick and humid and filled with a sweet odor that reminded Ethan of spring flowers, only much stronger. So strong in fact, that it came close to being distinctly unpleasant. The light from the entrance seemed incapable of penetrating the gloom within for more than a few yards, so Markus ran out and returned with several small branches to use as torches. But even with these blazing it was only possible to see two or three paces ahead. It was as if the darkness was actually consuming the light.
The cavern floor was smooth and well worn, though with enough inconsistencies in it to show that it had not been fashioned by craftsmen.
With each step, Ethan felt his apprehension rising. The air was growing thicker, pressing in around him, threatening to choke off his breath.
“This is where my mother was trying to reach?” he asked incredulously.
Jonas gave no reply.
The sound of water dripping into hidden pools echoed in his ears, punctuating the ominous feel of his surroundings. After a hundred feet or so of progress, the ground suddenly sloped sharply downwards, nearly causing him to lose his footing.
It was immediately after regaining his balance that Ethan first spotted a ghostly green light piercing the darkness ahead. On drawing closer he could see that the glow was coming from thousands of tiny crystals covering the cave wall. In perfect harmony they pulsed like blood running through rock veins, making the mountain seem a living, breathing thing.
“Beautiful,” gasped Kat.
“What are they?” asked Ethan.
“I don’t know,” Jonas replied. He ran a finger over a section of the crystals. As he made contact their light brightened and became steady, then continued to pulse once he withdrew.
They moved on, each one wondering what else might lay ahead. That question was soon answered when the tunnel came to an abrupt end. Ethan could not believe it. He had expected to see something waiting for them – a door, or a clue what to do next – anything that could help. But there was nothing here. Only rock. It was the end of the line.
Markus examined the area several times before kicking the wall with frustration and spinning around. “All right, Jonas. What now?”
Jonas also made an inspection of their surroundings, but with no better results. “Maybe they have to come to us,” he said. “I just don’t know. Lady Illyrian never told me what was inside.”
“I suppose it beats getting killed by dwarves,” Markus said, tossing his pack onto the ground.
“Lord Dragonvein would not have sent his wife and son here for nothing,” Jonas insisted. “There is a way into the mountain. There has to be.”
Markus sniffed. “That was over five-hundred years ago, you old fool.” He turned to Ethan. “I told you we should have headed for the coast.”
“Never mind that. What do we do now?” he asked.
“Well, we can’t stay here,” Markus replied. “If they find us, there’s no way out. We should wait for nightfall, then head west. We can follow the shore north to Barkal or Dragon Bay.”
Taking a seat beside his pack, he cast an angry glance at Jonas. “You have until then to find us a way in.”
Jonas glared back, then, mumbling curses, resumed his inspection of the walls.
Kat plopped down beside Markus and retrieved a strip of jerky from her pack. “What do you