finally made it to the ridge of the great mountain, Zanas could not help but stop and stare up at the giant beast that loomed above her. Its rocky surface blazed towards the heaven, jutting out green foliage at every possible altitude. The air seemed to be cooler here and Zanas felt a small shiver run through her. They continued their pace, Arrelia leading the way, and Zanas close at her heels.
The heavily wooded surface of the mountain was not easily penetrated, yet Arrelia somehow kept them to the small trail that they followed. In some parts it seemed as though they were trapped, being held against the rocky body of the mountain. The trees seemed to stretch towards the sky, tangling with each other. It was dark in some places where the trees were especially thick. They strangled out any hint of light, creating dark long corridors.
A light haze was around both girls, created by the heat of their bodies, mixed with the rapidly cooling temperature. Zanas felt the air growing thinner as they climbed still higher and higher into the mountainside, the only sound the steady inhale and exhale of their breath, and the steps of their feet. Zanas had begun to think that they would never emerge, when they burst out onto the stony cap.
There were not very many trees, only the twisted parched creatures that yearned for good soil and water that could penetrate the soil. But that did not happen here, and still the warped boney forms stood, each brittle finger holding steadfast to the earth. A cloudy fog eerily shadowed the large black hole that was the entrance to the beneath.
They stood there for a moment and then Arrelia clasped Zanas’s hand in hers.
“ I must give you a message. Panrrela says be wary. Trust no one with the knowledge that you go below to find your sister. If this knowledge finds the wrong ears, your quest ends in failure. It must be believed you enter with a pure heat and not with an ulterior motive. The forces will bring you back together when the time is right,” Arrelia stopped, her face stained with sorrow. “May Alwahi protect you, my clan sister,” she said, turning and disappearing into the trees, a ghostly shadow of herself.
Zanas turned and looked at the cave mouth, a huge dark expanse that seemed ominous in some way. Shaking off her sense of unease, she began the last small hike into the entrance.
The cave was musky, a greenish pond of water pooled to one side. The light from outside reflected in on the water, and cast beautiful creations of light that danced on the cave walls. Part of top of the cave had fallen in, and Zanas could hear the trickling of water as it fell from above. Her steps seem to echo in the big expanse and she tread as quietly as possible. There seemed no sign of life, as Zanas walked in the quiet peaceful emptiness that was the entrance into Alwahi.
She walked around the cave and noticed the entrance to a tunnel that lay behind the pond. Reaching inside her pack, she pulled out the cloak Arrelia had given her, and tightly secured it around her shoulders. She pulled her long black braid through the font and let it fall down her chest. The touch of her hair would be soothing in the dark abyss that she would be entering. Finally, she pulled out her club and placed her pack on her back alongside her bow. Zanas gave one last look at the beautiful, serene cave and then she started down the black gaping mouth.
The club cast a creepy yellow shadow on the smooth walls as she walked down. She trailed her hand on their surface, thinking that it must have taken hundreds of years for walls to be made so smooth. Zanas kept her breathing steady as she walked, noticing the slight decline of the floor beneath her. She had no idea where she was going, but she felt in her heart that she would find her way. Closing her eyes, she visualized her sister. A burning began in her temple and then it sounded as though she could hear her sister’s voice. Zanas’s
The heavily wooded surface of the mountain was not easily penetrated, yet Arrelia somehow kept them to the small trail that they followed. In some parts it seemed as though they were trapped, being held against the rocky body of the mountain. The trees seemed to stretch towards the sky, tangling with each other. It was dark in some places where the trees were especially thick. They strangled out any hint of light, creating dark long corridors.
A light haze was around both girls, created by the heat of their bodies, mixed with the rapidly cooling temperature. Zanas felt the air growing thinner as they climbed still higher and higher into the mountainside, the only sound the steady inhale and exhale of their breath, and the steps of their feet. Zanas had begun to think that they would never emerge, when they burst out onto the stony cap.
There were not very many trees, only the twisted parched creatures that yearned for good soil and water that could penetrate the soil. But that did not happen here, and still the warped boney forms stood, each brittle finger holding steadfast to the earth. A cloudy fog eerily shadowed the large black hole that was the entrance to the beneath.
They stood there for a moment and then Arrelia clasped Zanas’s hand in hers.
“ I must give you a message. Panrrela says be wary. Trust no one with the knowledge that you go below to find your sister. If this knowledge finds the wrong ears, your quest ends in failure. It must be believed you enter with a pure heat and not with an ulterior motive. The forces will bring you back together when the time is right,” Arrelia stopped, her face stained with sorrow. “May Alwahi protect you, my clan sister,” she said, turning and disappearing into the trees, a ghostly shadow of herself.
Zanas turned and looked at the cave mouth, a huge dark expanse that seemed ominous in some way. Shaking off her sense of unease, she began the last small hike into the entrance.
The cave was musky, a greenish pond of water pooled to one side. The light from outside reflected in on the water, and cast beautiful creations of light that danced on the cave walls. Part of top of the cave had fallen in, and Zanas could hear the trickling of water as it fell from above. Her steps seem to echo in the big expanse and she tread as quietly as possible. There seemed no sign of life, as Zanas walked in the quiet peaceful emptiness that was the entrance into Alwahi.
She walked around the cave and noticed the entrance to a tunnel that lay behind the pond. Reaching inside her pack, she pulled out the cloak Arrelia had given her, and tightly secured it around her shoulders. She pulled her long black braid through the font and let it fall down her chest. The touch of her hair would be soothing in the dark abyss that she would be entering. Finally, she pulled out her club and placed her pack on her back alongside her bow. Zanas gave one last look at the beautiful, serene cave and then she started down the black gaping mouth.
The club cast a creepy yellow shadow on the smooth walls as she walked down. She trailed her hand on their surface, thinking that it must have taken hundreds of years for walls to be made so smooth. Zanas kept her breathing steady as she walked, noticing the slight decline of the floor beneath her. She had no idea where she was going, but she felt in her heart that she would find her way. Closing her eyes, she visualized her sister. A burning began in her temple and then it sounded as though she could hear her sister’s voice. Zanas’s
Similar Books
