The statement brought with it even more questions than he had before. So she did want to speak with him. But why? Was he the reason she came? His heart raced at the thought that his earlier fears might still apply. Maybe she didn’t want Onuric to know if Nahedu had been destroyed by the Avaern. The news would distract him from the mission and it was too important for them to find the weapon Naphul spoke of. If Nahedu was gone, it gave them even more reason to find a means of destroying the beast and taking it out before it could kill the rest of them. There was no sense in getting himself worked up about it, however. He couldn’t force her to tell him her reasons for coming. She would tell him when the time was right and with Ewei and Onuric watching, this was not the most opportune moment. But they would have to sleep eventually. Maybe then he would have a chance to ask her everything he needed to know.
As the days passed, Neomi’s nerves were frayed, tired of her brother’s constant watchful eyes, spying on her, commanding her every move. She swore he never slept, keeping note of everywhere she went, who she spoke to, what she said… he was driving her insane. There hadn’t been a moment of peace for her to pull Edric aside since she’d been discovered. At night Onuric remained alert, claiming to be acting as a guard over the rest of them as they slept. When he chose to lie down and close his eyes, Ewei was left to watch until morning.
On occasion she would drift off to sleep, waking soon after to see if Onuric had given up his post. She knew his real reason for wakefulness. He didn’t trust her. Given his behavior, she was beginning to wonder if he held more trust for Ewei than he did the rest of them. If she did anything out of line, Ewei would make sure Onuric was informed. He was like an annoying watch dog.
Lack of sleep was beginning to affect her. The lids of her eyes hung heavy, consciousness fading in and out while she walked. At times she would focus her vision to realize that she had walked for several minutes without memory of how she made it where she was. Her unsteady steps were starting to draw the attention of the men, doing nothing to help her frustration at being under their supervision.
They were deep into the northwestern region of Ethrysta, most of which had been uninhabited by the Ovatai for decades or more. The climate was too harsh for anyone to survive for extended periods of time. Wind blew across the uneven landscape, whipping her long hair in front of her face, biting the skin of her cheeks with the bitter chill. She’d never ventured so far north before. It was exciting in a way, considering the possibility of discovering some secret cave that no one had known to exist for centuries. Her fear was in finding it to have been a lie. Although they proceeded with the understanding that Naphul’s story could be false, they all possessed a similar hope that there was truth to it. They were out of ideas for how to fight the Avaern. This weapon was their last hope.
Countless hours were spent scouring the land for any sign of the cave they sought. Without a map, they had nothing to go by in locating it. They were on a blind search for a place that might not even be there. After nearly two weeks on their feet, the group was becoming restless. Tired. Tempers were hot despite the incredible cold surrounding them. Neomi prayed for something – anything – to tell them where they needed to be. Were they even in the right place? Naphul’s description of the area was too vague. Far west but north of Ilaka… there was so much land north of Ilaka. They could spend months searching and still find nothing. But they didn’t have months. They needed to find the cave and get back to the others. By now there was no telling what condition Nahedu was in. The attacks had shown no sign of stopping. It was her belief that the Avaern was preparing for a large scale assault. She only hoped they could find the weapon and get back to Nahedu before it chose to act on its plan.
Defeated by the thought of having come all the way there for nothing, she came to stand at the edge of a river which cut through the area, chunks of snow and ice floating along the surface, peaceful and serene. It was pretty, in a depressing way. The river marked the end of the path, blocking them off from the land on the other side. She had never seen the outer regions of Ethrysta. Most of the area was unmapped, long since eroded and changed since the earliest documented settlers of the country. It was impossible to know if this river existed during the time of the Avaern’s first appearance to the Ovatai.
She stared down into the depths of the water, as if willing it to give her the answer she sought. Where was the cave? If a meteor had struck the land, it would have left an obvious mark on the area. Even after years, the indentation would still be significant. A wide chasm, like that left in Isavo after the Avaern awoke. No amount of snowfall could have filled it so completely. Unless the meteor wasn’t of a large size.
There were too many variables. Maybe there was never a meteor at all. Callum and Edric were utilizing trickery in their story to convince Naphul to talk. It would have been just as easy for him to concoct false information in hopes of gaining their trust and breaking free of the prison.
In her distraction she began to follow the river’s edge, lost in thought. She wasn’t ready to give up. There had to be something they were overlooking. Some detail they missed along the way. Turning her gaze to the sun she tried to gauge which direction they were heading. East. Somewhere along the line they had turned around. Perhaps it was intentional. Onuric was less patient than she was when it came to pointless wandering. The men were a good distance away, searching the surrounding mountains for an entrance. The area was perfect for such a natural wonder. She just wasn’t convinced it was anything more than fiction.
Down the way she came to a widening in the river, spreading outward into a large, almost circular body of water. The sound of crashing waves could be heard to the northeast, drawing Neomi’s attention back to the unusual lake. She wasn’t sure why, but the entire place looked odd. Misshapen. Following the shore, she came to a point where the mouth narrowed once again, a strong current carrying the water from the lake toward a drop in the landscape. Over the years it appeared the river had eroded the ice and snow, creating a crevasse which cut through the surface, water crashing over the edge to meet a wider river down below. Hesitant of the height she took a step away from the water. Falling in would be certain death. The water no doubt carried from the river out into the sea, and at the speed it flowed, swimming to safety would be next to impossible.
Her eyes were instantly drawn to the lake again, ignoring the splash of water as she turned away from the falls. Icy mountains rose up on the other side, creating a massive wall which bordered the far shore opposite where she stood now. It was too far away for her to see it with any clarity. Still, she found it fascinating. A strange, circular lake cut into the ground, the shore elevated by several inches above the surface of the water…like a crater carved into the land. The meteor. It hit her suddenly, her heart racing wildly. Could it be? Had they really found it, or was it nothing more than wishful thinking?
She needed to get to the other side. If there was nothing on the shore where they were, then it was possible the entrance was somewhere in the mountains across the water. Hastening her steps she moved back toward the narrow section of the river where she’d first discovered the lake, kneeling at the edge to peer into the water. It was deeper than she liked, but the current was less powerful than it was near the falls. If she was careful she could swim across.
What was she thinking? The water was freezing. If she soaked herself in it, she would have to pray they found the cave and escaped the bite of the wind or she would freeze to death. She didn’t care. Death was going to come one way or another, be it from the icy waters or the wrath of the Avaern. Her people wouldn’t stand a chance if she didn’t take some risks.
Quickly she slid her gloves off her hands, stuffing them into the deep pockets of her coat. The river here was narrow enough that she could toss the garment to the other side and prevent it from weighing her down. It would be the only dry article of clothing she had once she reached the shore. Removing her coat and her boots she tossed them to the other side, watchi
ng them with bated breath in fear of them falling into the water. Satisfied that they were safely on dry land she stepped into the river, feeling the icy water rushing over her feet, freezing them instantly. The cold jarred her focus, harshly pulling her back to the reality of her situation. She was being foolish. Her head was so distracted by the thought of finding the cave that she’d failed to take into consideration the other options she had in crossing the river without having to drench herself.
Shivering, she stepped back out of the water, staring down at the snow where her wet feet sank into the shore. With a wave of her hand she directed the snow to form a bridge across the water. It was less than sturdy in her haste, but it would be enough to get her where she needed to go. Steeling her resolve she ran across the ice-bridge, crying out at the sound of it cracking under her feet, barely supporting her weight as she stumbled off it onto the safety of dry land, turning to see the snow give out from the flow of water underneath, drifting in broken pieces toward the lake.
She could hear someone shouting her name, the outline of her brother coming into view from further down the river. Not far behind him she recognized Edric’s figure, followed close by his brother and Ewei. They were all calling for her, having noticed her pitiful display. She couldn’t focus on them at the moment. Her feet were numb and her fingers tingled uncomfortably from the exposure to the cold. Desperate for warmth she bent forward to retrieve her boots, sliding them over her feet with significant difficulty. She was having a hard time manipulating her hands. The cold was getting worse.
“Neomi, what are you doing?” Onuric demanded, pausing on the shore to stare at her in disbelief. “Have you lost your mind? You could have fallen in.”
Irritated by his scolding she reached for her coat, slipping her arms through the sleeves before turning away. She was too angry to explain herself. If he wanted to know, he could follow her.
It didn’t take long for the others to find their way across the river. Without the shock that she’d encountered in discovering the crater, they were able to think more clearly about their actions before jumping into the water. She was surprised to find Edric was the first to reach her side, his silvery blue eyes staring at her with concern. “Neomi, are you alright? Did you find something?”
“Look,” she stated simply, pointing toward the lake at their right. “The river opens up into a wide crater which very well might be the location of impact from the supposed meteor Naphul spoke of.”
“Naphul filled your head with lies, Neomi,” Onuric scoffed. A hard grip at her wrist pulled her backward, stopping her progress forward. Angered by the harsh behavior she spun around, slapping wildly at her brother’s chest to get him to release her. Surprised at her reaction he stepped away, staring at her in confusion. “The cold is affecting your senses. We need to get you somewhere so that a fire can be built.”
“Out of what?” she demanded. “We have nothing to burn! Our only chance at reprieve from the cold is to find that cave. You may be willing to turn back empty-handed, but I refuse to give up until we have checked every corner of this country for that weapon.”
Defiant, she stormed onward. She wasn’t going to let Onuric stop her. She was too stubborn to let anyone get in her way when they were so close. If there was no cave here then she would be willing to admit that Naphul’s story was nothing more than a well told fairy tale. Until then, all she could do was cling to the hope that there was some truth left in his words. It was the only thing that kept her going.
The men followed silently, none of them daring to argue with her. When her mind was made up, there was no changing it. She didn’t care if they had to walk through the night to cover the length of the crater.
Time ticked by, her legs moving awkwardly along, no longer able to feel anything from her ankles down. It was enough to wake her from the trance-like state she’d been in since departing Nahedu. How could she possibly be tired when they were so close? Unfortunate for her, she was the only one who seemed to believe they were on to something. They were getting nearer to the wall, the height of it more impressive up close than it had been from the other side. It was cut strangely. Areas had been eroded away over the years, leaving tiny crevices and uneven corners. Set back into a shallow bay was a large opening, blackened by the depth, the light of the sun unable to reach beyond the mouth. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of it, turning to face her brother with a triumphant gaze.
Onuric’s face was contorted in shock. “It can’t be,” he breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Prince, your Captain spoke of there being Ythes guards. There have been no signs of life which would indicate anyone to have been here in years. This cannot be the place Naphul spoke of.”
“Naphul could have been lying,” Edric replied calmly, slowly moving to stand at Neomi’s side, gazing in wonder at the sight of the opening deep in the snowy cliff. “He wanted us to let him free. His bargain was that he could get us past the guards and lead us to the weapon. It could have been a ploy.”
“Or there might have been guards… centuries ago,” Neomi chimed in. It was starting to make sense. The cave and the weapon were nothing more than myth to anyone who had no knowledge of what really happened the day the Avaern was laid to rest. The ancient leader of the Ythes might have positioned guards to watch over the cave at the time, but no one would have known to commission new warriors to the post once the original line had passed on. She didn’t want to consider the possibility that they had come all this way only to find it was the wrong cave. It was too perfect. The crater. The opening. The only thing they had left to do was find the weapon.
Without waiting for anyone else to speak she stepped forward along the base of the mountain. She didn’t care that it was underwater. Her feet were numb already. How much worse could it get?
“Neomi, stop!” Onuric shouted. She didn’t listen. Her legs carried her further out, slipping on the icy surface until she was submerged to her waist, inhaling a sharp breath to feel the cold soaking into the fabric of her clothes. All she could think about was the cave. There was no other way to reach it. The water was the fastest route without manipulating the mountain itself and she wasn’t willing to take the chance of causing it to collapse. They needed it intact.
A splash from behind signaled someone else entering the water. Onuric’s protests remained distanced. It came as no surprise that he would linger behind. He was a brave warrior but he disliked anything he lacked absolute certainty of. To go after her would require him to give the impression that he believed the story was true. If they found the cave empty, he would feel foolish. Ridiculous pride. For so long it had gotten in the way of their people. Thanks to Edric, she’d learned the faults of such behavior, allowing her to place more in the hands of fate than she would otherwise have done. She had to trust the gods wouldn’t lead her to this place if there wasn’t a reason.
At the mouth of the cave she paused long enough to take note of the person wading up to her, the shock of black hair framing Edric’s pale face, teeth chattering from the cold. He looked absolutely miserable, the water coming up past his waist to soak into the bottom of the doublet he wore. His cloak was gone, discarded on the shore where they left the others, allowing him more freedom to move in the water without the weight of the fabric holding him back. She found her respect for him growing at his fearless decision to follow. His body was less accustomed to the frigid temperatures yet he was braver than Onuric and Ewei to plunge into the icy depths of the lake. He shivered noticeably, the intensity of each shudder striking fear into Neomi’s heart for his well-being. They needed to get him out of the water before hypothermia took him over completely.
Another sound from the shore caught her attention, casting a curious glance over her shoulder to see who else made their way toward them. She was surprised to find it was Edric’s brother, his hands holding a wad of material in his arms which Neomi recognized after a moment to be Edric’s cloak bundled with his own, keeping it held securely above the water. His for
m was more slight than Edric’s, immediately overcome by a similar chill as his brother, the color of his lips turning blue by the time he reached them.
Disappointment set in at the fact that the foreigners had more courage to press onward for the sake of the country than her own people. It was Onuric’s kin who died on the battlefield in Nahedu and he lingered on the shore, staring after her, shouting for her to come back. She’d come too far to turn back now. He could either follow or go home without her.
Turning from his angry stare she set her gaze on the cave once again. Water pooled on the inside, stretching deep into the blackness. Oh, how she wished she could see! She wanted out of the water so Edric could get dry and her legs could regain feeling. An unusual fear came over her at the thought of going into the inky blackness before them. There was no way to know what lay in store. No one had traversed these lands in centuries. She was frightened of what beasts might dwell in the dark corners of the cave, the images in her head conjuring creatures more disturbing than the veswar or the boeikath. Her hand sloshed in the water to where Edric stood, gripping his fingers tightly, grateful to feel him at her side. No matter what happened, it was a comfort just to know he was there.
He gave no hesitation to follow as she moved further in, the ground under her feet starting to slope downward. In a sudden splash Edric slipped, his head quickly submerged underwater, the weight of his body nearly bringing her down with him. Reflexively she tried to pull him back, his hand torn from hers while his brother’s arm reached outward to try and catch them both before Edric went under. A muffled curse came from Ehren as the cloaks he carried fell into the water.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 82