by D. W.
That night he checked the sending box and was happy to find that it was empty. The fact that the princess had finally checked the box put a smile on his face. It would still be a few days before she could send a response but he could wait. He hoped everything was going well with her. He knew that her life could get busy at times but something inside him told him this wasn’t one of those times.
Setting aside his fears of things he couldn’t do anything about Thad focused on what he could control. At the moment that was finding the best direction to head. The underground lake stretched far in every direction and seemed to feed many different small rivers and streams. Many of them seemed promising but Thad decided to follow the largest one hoping it would have the biggest chance of leading him to the surface.
With his direction determined Thad cut a rough arrow in the stone for future reference. With his belly full and everything planned for the next leg of his journey Thad settled back trying to find a comfortable place to sleep. He knew that he was exposed but there was little he could do about it. There wasn’t enough room to use his magical walls. He turned on one of his shield rings but he knew it would expire long before he woke. He hadn’t seen anything dangerous in the water, though that meant very little, as the darkness was apt at hiding the creatures that prowled within.
When Thad woke he found that he had remained safe despite being unprotected. His dreams had been filled with countless monsters that his mind had created. Sleeping unprotected wasn’t something he wanted to do again if he could help it. Sooner or later he was sure his luck would run out.
It only took about half a day of travel to reach where the underground river broke away from the lake. The walls were still narrow, forcing him to continue walking on the water for quite a ways, but after what he believed was about two miles the walls of the tunnel widened enough for him to once again set his foot down on solid ground.
He wasn’t sure how long the small ledge would last so he used the chance to take a small break. With his walls up it left him just enough room to lie down comfortably. He wasn’t really tired but he had learned that he must take his rest where it could be found in safety. Closing his eyes Thad daydreamed until he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
CHAPTER V
Over the past few days the tunnel had widened greatly giving Thad plenty of room. He still hadn’t been able to locate an exit but he was still hopeful. If nothing else he was making an effort. It wasn’t as if the tunnels could stretch on forever without end. There had to be countless way back to the surface and all he had to do was find one of them.
The princess still hadn’t sent a message to him and that worried him far more than his lack of finding a way out. She had been one of his first real friends. If anything had happened to her Thad wasn’t sure what he would do. He still wasn’t sure if he had any romantic feelings toward Maria but he did know that he considered her very important in his life.
He had tried to push his worries aside but with only the darkness and the glowing fish to keep him company it was hard to do. His mind constantly conjured up the worst possible scenarios for both Eloen and Maria. He could usually put aside his fears for the princess she was well protected but it wouldn’t be impossible for her to be in danger. With Eloen it was a much different story. She had rushed into enemy territory after him. His only link to her was the princess and now with that cut there is no telling what had happened to her. It was very possible that she was in the very prison that once held him huddled in a cold corner crying for someone to save her.
Shaking the morose thoughts from his mind Thad continued his way down the dark corridor. The thoughts refused to be shaken from his mind easily so Thad tried to keep himself busy by studying the rock formations around him closely. It reminded him of his time spent as a youth watching the clouds. Most of the time they were simply rocks but every now and then one would look as if it had purposely been formed to look like something else.
As he studied the rocks he noticed one section of rock that looked as if it were moving. Secure in his own protection Thad let his curiosity get the better of him. The closer he got the more apparent it was that the rocks didn’t simply look as if they were moving but actually were.
The memory of the large rock snake that had nearly killed him shortly after he had entered into the depths of the underground forced its way into his thoughts. Thad nearly bolted but boredom mixed with curiosity won out over better judgment. He continued warily forward each step coming less confident than the last.
When he was no more than a few paces from the rocks it was easy for him to see that whatever was moving was no larger than a large dog. He could also hear a slight whining noise from the creature. Using his staff Thad cast a large ball of light above the area where the rocks moved letting him see the creature as if it was midday on the surface.
The creature looked like a mix between a large dog and a small horse. Its body while large had long legs that looked as if they were meant for running. Its head looked large and slightly off with sharp rows of teeth easily visible. Its eyes were what really caught Thad’s attention. They were like two large rubies that had been placed in front of a bright glowing candle. If Thad had met the creature without a shield he would have ran for his life. Even with his shield he still had the urge to run.
After the initial shock of seeing the creature Thad let his view widen and take in everything. The animal was obviously trapped by large boulders that had fallen around it. The poor creature continuously tried to move but the boulders held it fast in place. It was amazing that the thing could even stand given the sheer amount of weight that must have been on its back.
Thad couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor creature. In a way he was in the same situation. He was trapped though he was able to move he just couldn’t get out. He wanted to help it, but was afraid that if he did so it would attack and he would be forced to kill it. His mind warred with itself as Thad forced himself to move closer.
When Thad was no more than a foot from the beast it took notice of him. It didn’t snarl or bite at him as he expected. The creature simply looked at him and whined. As close as he was Thad could see that the creature didn’t have fur or even skin. Instead it looked as if the creature was completely made up of rock.
His mind made up Thad took a steady breath and prepared for the worst. His staff glowed brightly and the rocks holding the creature to the ground shifted and rose slowly. Thad had lifted a lot of things with his magic including a frog the size of a small cottage but the sheer weight of the rocks atop the creature was staggering. He wasn’t sure how long he could hold it but hoped the animal got the idea and ran the second it had the chance.
As soon as the weight was off the creature it jumped toward Thad making him flinch. The creature simply bounced off of his shield. Moving back it looked at Thad cocking its head slightly to the side its ruby eyes glowing brightly. Its ears moved slightly when Thad began to lower the boulders slowly back to the ground. The creature turned quickly and began to growl at the rocks.
With his work done and the creature safe Thad turned back toward the river. It didn’t take long for him to realize that he was being followed. The creature wasn’t exactly quiet it sounded as if an avalanche of rocks were chasing after him. Stopping for a moment Thad turned to find the rock dog right behind him its face contorted into what Thad figured was an off sided grin.
He got down on his knees so he was eye to eye with the creature who continued to look at him happily. Thad deactivated his shield ring but quickly replaced it using his own power only letting the palm of his hand go unprotected. Reaching out his hand he rubbed the animal on the top of its head. Its skin was smooth and cold and reminded him of the well-worn stone table he had often eaten on at the Slave Academy.
After a few moments the creature nudged Thad’s arm with its nose and began to jump around in a circle. It sounded like someone had begun beating on the ground with a large stick. After a few moments of scampering around the
rock dog creature began circling around Thad. When it got to his pack the creature began trying to get at it with vigor.
The antics of the beast made him laugh. “Hungry are you boy?” Thad said pulling one of the last pieces of dried lizard he had left.
The creature sniffed at it for a few seconds then turned its head and began trying to get at Thad’s pack again. It left him wondering what the creature could be trying to get at. Thad pulled one thing at a time from his pack offering it to the creature. It wasn’t until Thad pulled one of the large gems from his pack, that the creature went wild.
Thad wasn’t sure what the creature wanted with the gem but offered it to him anyway. As soon as the gem was cleared of the protection of Thad’s shield the rock dog jumped on the crystal sucking the whole thing into its mouth. The creature didn’t chew on the gems it simply swallowed the gem whole. With its meal finished the rock creature began to bounce around Thad again making a sound that sounded like someone banging a hammer on a rock.
If the creature ate a gem that size a day it would cost Thad a fortune to keep the creature fed. He only had about five that size left in his pack along with a handful of smaller ones, but he had hoped to save those in case he needed them to make enchantments.
Thad had hoped that the creature would amble off after it had been fed but it continued to follow him. At first the noisy creature grated on his nerves but after a short time he was starting to enjoy the silly antics of the beast. It would randomly stop to bark at the wall, well what Thad thought of as its bark though it sounded more like someone had started a small avalanche. The longer he spent with the animal the more he was sure that it was some type of subterranean dog.
When he decided to stop for the night the creature settled next to him resting its head on the ground. Unlike dogs its feet looked more like hoofs so it tucked them under its body. Looking down on the animal Thad had to be honest with himself he was glad to have the companionship. The staff flashed a picture of itself into his mind getting Thad to chuckle slightly.
If the creature was going to be spending much time with him he needed a name. “What sort of name would fit you?” Thad asked his new companion getting the creature to lift his head slightly from where it had rested. “Rocky, Rox, Quartz, Avalanche?” When Thad said avalanche the Dog gave out another one of its loud barks. “Avalanche it is.”
It sounded more like a girl’s name but honestly Thad couldn’t tell if the creature even had a sex. “Well Avalanche if you’re going to be sticking around for any amount of time we’re going to have to find a way to keep you fed. I don’t think what I have with me is going to last that long.” Thad said rubbing Avalanche’s head.
Avalanche eyes seemed to light up a little when he was being petted. With the animal sitting right next to him in a contented mood Thad figured it would be a good chance to learn more about it. Closing his eyes Thad let his magical sight take over.
Avalanche was indeed made of a rock-like substance though it appeared different than what was around him. Through his magical sight Avalanche looked much like his staff. His body radiated with magic, it flowed through its body much the way blood flowed through a humans. It didn’t have a heart but it did have a central core that all the magic flowed to and from. Thad couldn’t find a trace of the gem it had eaten earlier but made a point to pay more attention the next time Avalanche was feeding.
Thad didn’t think Avalanche had been made by a mage. If it had then it didn’t have a traditional body. Rock was nice and smooth but it didn’t take well to enchantments. The few times he had tried to use it for some of his more volatile spells it hadn’t worked at all. He couldn’t find any source of the actual spell so while Avalanche obviously had a core it wasn’t a true enchantment but some sort of magically occurring creature.
Watching Avalanche, Thad wondered if there were any more of its kind. Was it just a freak occurrence or was it a whole breed that thrived in the underground world. It was hard to imaging hundreds of Avalanches running around the subterranean networks. Then again he had already met more than one odd creature in the darkness. If he had two or three lifetimes to devote to the study of the massive underworld Thad wasn’t sure he could even make a dent in its hidden secrets.
When Thad put up the walls to his magical room Avalanche spent a good time walking around the interior of the room checking every corner. When it had finished its fourth round it laid down right next to Thad.
Closing his eyes Thad began his normal meditative state. Over the time Thad had gotten used to his staff’s influence on the magical currents that flowed around him. It wasn’t a large effect mostly it just drew power to it in a small manner. Avalanche did the same thing but in a much more pronounced fashion. Avalanche also emitted magic but only that of the earth element. It was odd and made it much more difficult to match his own internal magical senses with that of the world around him.
Thad looked down at Avalanche, amazed by the curious little beast. “What exactly are you?” Thad asked but Avalanche simply let out a low happy bark.
That night Thad’s mind went wild imagining all kinds of beasts that could roam the underground. His dreams were filled with things he had read about as a kid. Dwarfs, dragons, giant worms, and living darkness haunted his thoughts.
The next day Thad tried to feed Avalanche another gem but she didn’t seem to be hungry. He simply sniffed at the gem and then began bouncing around Thad. It didn’t bother Thad overly in truth he was a little relieved if Avalanche ate even once a day it would be hard to keep enough gems around to keep the thing happy.
Thad could have easily set up a shield and left the creature behind but the thought of having such a unique pet sparked something inside of him. Not to mention only having his staff to talk to was beginning to make him think he was going mad. While Avalanche couldn’t talk back it could at least give some sign of outward emotion no matter how primitive.
Throughout the day Thad found himself talking to Avalanche as he walked. The animal didn’t respond much but continued to scamper around behind him chasing after anything that moved usually squashing small bugs under its heavy feet. Whenever Avalanche killed one of the bugs he would whine for a short period about his lost toy. The whole thing greatly amused Thad.
A few hours before he would have normally decided to stop Avalanche began making an awful racket. The creature kept running in front of Thad and nudging him toward a small side tunnel. After the third time Thad gave in and followed Avalanche as he merrily ran down the dark corridor turning back every so often giving a loud bark as if demanding Thad to keep up with him.
When Thad finally caught up with Avalanche he found the creature growling at a section of the cave wall. Wondering what Avalanche was going on about Thad shined a bright light on the wall. As soon as the light hit the wall a host of gems reflected his light in a myriad of colors.
“Did you find yourself a snack girl?” Thad asked the humor evident in his voice.
Avalanche bounced around barking at the offending wall that was between it and its treasure. To help out his little friend Thad blasted at the wall getting a frightened yelp from Avalanche as rocks showered around them. As soon as the dust settled Avalanche searched the ground for pieces of gems sucking down any that he found. As soon as the ground was clean he went straight back to the wall and began clawing at a now exposed, rather large gem.
Walking over to the wall Thad placed his hand on the rocks surfaces and began to turn the rock around the large gem to sand. As soon as the gem was free it quickly disappeared into Avalanches maw.
With his hunger sated Avalanche found a comfortable place on the ground and curled up for a nap. Laughing Thad removed a few of the larger gems from the wall in case Avalanche got hungry when there wasn’t such a nice cache of food available.
After setting up his magical walls on the two entrances into the small section of cave Thad sat down next to Avalanche and gently stroked the animals head. It was nice to know that it could find its own food
though it did seem as if it had a bit of trouble getting to it. With that thought in mind Thad wondered if that had been what happened when he had met the creature. Had it been trying to get to a cache of food when the wall had collapsed down on it? He wished he could go back and check to see if that had been the case but it didn’t really matter in the end. He just hoped Avalanche didn’t cause the same thing to happen when he was around.
Laying down Thad continued to rub Avalanche’s back as he pulled one of Maria’s letters from the pack. It was one he had read so many times he could recite it without looking at it. It was odd but the words on the page comforted him, as if he could hear Maria’s voice when he read them.
After the third time reading through the letter Avalanche laid her head down across Thad’s knees. As heavy as Avalanche looked he felt heavier, after failing to lift Avalanche’s head from his legs he began to beg his new friend to lift her head. She finally complied giving him a strange look while tilting her head slightly to the side.
Hoping that Avalanche wouldn’t squash while he slept, Thad moved over to the side of the small room and lay down to sleep. His legs still ached a little from the loss of blood but even with the slight discomfort it didn’t take long for Thad to fall into a peaceful slumber.
CHAPTER VI
As the days passed the river began to grow slightly wider and was now more than six feet across. At the same time it had grown more shallow and less and less fish were seen in its depths. If the trend continued Thad would either have to turn back and take one of the many offshoots that had sprouted from the river or continue on and risk running out of food.
Avalanche had found two more places for her food in that time and Thad had enough gems to keep her fed for nearly a fortnight. Avalanche didn’t need to eat every day and usually went three or four days without begging Thad for a treat.