by Justin Wayne
***
Outsider dropped Cuke and let the semi-conscious dwarf roll as the boulder closed in. He leapt back as it barreled past him and covered his ears as it struck the cave below with an earth-shattering boom that shook the ground. He turned his head and saw Cuke still rolling down the slope and ran over to catch him.
The cleric’s eyes spun around unfocused and his tongue hung out the side of his mouth. Outsider slapped him across the face and his attention snapped to him immediately.
“Ow.” he murmured slowly and rubbed his cheek before standing. He wavered a moment then took a swig of his liquid courage and felt right as rain. “So uh, I guess the stone didn’t work huh?”
Outsider stared at him levelly as another crash echoed from within the cavern. “No.”
Cuke clapped his hands together and shrugged. “Oh well, not to worry. I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeves.” He reached into his pack again and removed a stick of already lit dynamite. “We’ll just blast our way through!”
“Are you sure about this?” Outsider pointed to the mountain shelf that hung above the vortex off to the side. “I think this area before us is attached to another mountain that has a lot of snow built up on it! If that thing explodes too loudly it could cause an avalanche.”
Cuke shook his head and waved his words away. “I said no worries didn’t I? This is ever-burning-silent-dynamite. Erupts on impact without a sound; watch!”
He reared back to throw the stick when Outsider caught his wrist. “Perhaps I should throw it.” The cleric’s face fell but he passed it on to the hunter regardless. Noticing the fuse was already burnt half away, Outsider hurled it to the peak of the slope just before the vortex.
A moment later a wall of hot air and choking dust covered them and threw back his hood with the force. Cuke coughed and looked over to see Outsider, white hair thrown wild and covered in dirt, staring at him.
“What?” The dwarf held his arms out to either side obliviously. “It worked didn’t it?”
They turned to see a new gap in the lip of the slope about five feet deep and four across, with spiderweb cracks spreading from it and singe marks. The spinning wind, judging by the fact it was no longer clear what with the rock and snow within it, was visible and appeared to jump the gap for the most part.
“It’s spinning too fast to really branch off and get down in the new dip, so it should be no problem!” Cuke hollered over the roar as they neared it. “But you go first just in case!”
Outsider crouched to slide into the new gap. “Why me? This was your idea!”
“Because you’re bigger!” The two stared at each other a moment until Cuke blinked and ushered him on excitedly.
“Whatever.” Then the hunter slipped into the gap and lay flat as the tremendously powerful hurricane winds tore at him and his cloak. The immense roar of the churning air pounded on his eardrums until he was sure he was deaf, as he oh so very carefully maneuvered beneath the wall of airborne debris. He paused fearfully. "You know, if Cancer has his victims come this way there has to be a secret way through somewhere."
Cuke laughed haughtily. "Why Outsider, are you afraid? You know we don't have time to scour the area!"
Outsider cursed and continued. He cringed at the thought of being mere inches away from such power, knowing one false move could send him flying into the vortex to be disintegrated slowly. Shivering, he crawled out and inspected the area on the other side before dropping down to a ledge. Several minutes later Cuke made his way down and they shared a nod.
“What is this place?” the cleric asked as he looked around bewildered.
Before them was one of the most beautiful scenes they had ever laid eyes on. Small trees and tropical fauna littered the landscape and dotted the small hills with berry-bearing shrubs. Tall grass and white sand covered the ground and they realized from how high they were in comparison, that the mountain they were in was a bowl shape; an upside down dome, in which they were near the wide top.
As amazing as the land was, it was the small lake that lay cool and glassy in the center of the area with a surrounding beach on all sides that truly captivated. The surface was crystal clear and flat as if frozen, with the most vibrant turquoise that shone so purely it actually glowed.
The cleric and hunter shared an astounded glance at one another then turned back to the enigmatic scene. Outsider pulled his hood back and smelled the fresh air and smiled faintly as the scent of life filled his nostrils.
“That vortex must keep away the snow and cold while the spring bubbles up into the lake and keeps everything green.” Outsider pondered and stroked his chin. He turned to the likewise questioning Cuke and nudged him. “I know I’m typically the one with wildlife knowledge, but would you happen to know how the lake is glowing like that?”
Cuke frowned and closed his eyes, muttering a spell, with both hands out and facing the lake. His lips stopped then and he nodded as if listening intently for nearly five minutes when he snapped open his eyes and a curious light sparkled in them.
“What?” Outsider asked as the cleric simply stared at him.
“It’s not natural I can tell you that.” He scratched his head. “And it’s some ancient magic with numerous properties; too many to know or tell.”
“Is it responsible for the vortex as well?”
Cuke nodded and looked about the area. “Honestly I think I’ve read about this place before..” He scratched his head a bit more in thought then snapped his fingers. “Yes, yes how foolish of me, of course!” He reached into his pack and removed an old, weathered tome a moment later. “I brought all my most important books with me you know.” he said as if common knowledge and practice.
“Here it is,” he said as he flipped open to a page in a scrawly written language. “The Tempest Bowl as it is known to most, is and has been for generations, a superb mystery. Many have studied the emanations of magic that ripple through its stone and have tried to replicate the glowing waters or endless hurricane, but none have succeeded…the most common theory is it was created by a god to be either a stronghold or prison for something or someone, to protect those within or those outside.”
He slammed the book shut and Outsider flinched at the sound as he was yanked from his reverie.
“Whatever it is, it’s quite the sight to behold.” Outsider whispered and motioned to move on. “I think we’re getting close.” he said as they floated down the basin together under Cuke’s last levitation scroll.
“Why’s that?”
“Because I can sense something darker than anything I’ve felt since Duskenbaijan.”