Before he was able to decide on a course of action, the darkness took him once again.
“It is very powerful,” Lady Kate said after several minutes of magically examining the dais and stone block.
“Can you tell what it did to Reneeke?” Jaikus asked anxiously. He stood back a ways with Charka and Seward while they waited for Lady Kate to finish.
She turned her attention onto the young, worried Springer. “It wasn’t so much that it did something to him. Rather, it sent him somewhere.” Gesturing to the dais, she said, “This, is a teleporter.”
“A teleporter?” asked Jaikus and Charka simultaneously.
Jaikus glanced to his leader and could see the man had a certain gleam in his eye.
She nodded. “I’m not sure how he activated it, but your friend was sent somewhere.”
“Can we follow?” Again, Jaikus and Charka spoke in unison.
Nodding again, she said, “I would think so. Most devices like this need to recharge their magical energies before a second teleportation can take place.”
“How long?” questioned Charka.
“That, I don’t know. It could take a minute, or even a week before the magical energies are refreshed.”
Charka slapped Jaikus on the back. “Boy, you may see your friend again!”
“You mean to follow, then?” questioned Seward.
“By the gods, I do!” He gazed at the teleporter with undisguised avarice. “Something like that has to lead to a treasure horde, or some other place of importance. There’s no telling what we’ll find on the other side.”
“But, oh fearless leader,” began Seward, “we must be back to meet Hymal by the time the sun rises. And as our Lady of the Arcane Arts has just said, it could take longer than that before this teleporter thing is ready.”
“Let’s try it now,” Jaikus suggested. “I’m the Springer, so it is my job to test it first.” Such an offer would never have left his lips, had it not been for his need to discover the fate of Reneeke.
Charka glanced questioningly to Lady Kate. “What do you think?”
She shrugged. “Either it is ready and he will be sent to wherever his friend went, or nothing will happen.” Turning her gaze toward Jaikus, she said, “Reneeke claimed to have felt something strange when he stood upon the dais. It would be reasonable to assume that what he felt was the power of the device.”
“So if I feel something, it might be ready?” He waited only long enough for her to nod before dashing for the steps. Vaulting to the top, he moved to the exact spot where Reneeke had stood prior to disappearing.
“What now?”
“Do you feel anything?” asked Charka.
Jaikus closed his eyes. Not sure exactly what he was searching for, it didn’t take him but a moment before he felt…something. He nodded. “Yes. There is something here.”
Lady Kate moved closer until she almost came into contact with the dais, then stopped. “Can you describe it?”
“No. It’s just like Reneeke said, a strange sensation.”
Then just as the first time, a quick pulse radiated outward from the dais followed immediately afterward by the rising of the darkness.
“It’s working,” observed Charka as his last Springer was swallowed by the dark field until a shimmering dome covered the area above the dais. He and the other two watched as the dome remained in position for several seconds, then quickly sank back down into the dais.
The vanishing of the dome left behind a person, but it wasn’t Jaikus.
“Hey!” exclaimed Reneeke in jubilation. “I’m back!” Torch held aloft, he turned toward the trio of onlookers. It didn’t take him long to realize they were one short. “Where’s Jaik?”
“Are you okay?” asked Lady Kate.
“Yes.” Hopping from the dais he asked again, this time with more urgency tingeing his voice, “Where’s Jaik?”
“Wherever it was the dais took you,” replied Charka. “He was trying to reach wherever it was you had been sent.”
Seward laughed. “Now the other one is missing.”
“Quiet,” ordered Charka and his man tried to rein in his amusement.
Lady Kate came and looked into his eyes. “Where did the teleporter take you?” Seeing nothing untoward about them, she relaxed.
“Yes, lad,” Charka asked, “Where did it take you? Was there treasure?”
“Treasure? No. It was a normal cavern. Jaik’s there?”
“He was on the teleporter when it activated,” explained Lady Kate. “You came here, he went there.”
Turning back toward the teleporter, he said, “Then I have to go back and get him.”
“We all will,” said Charka. “I think that cavern may be a good place to continue our search for treasure.”
Taking the steps, Reneeke returned to his spot while the others gathered in about him. “There wasn’t any treasure there.”
“Are you sure? Did you check every nook and cranny?”
“Well, no. I was more concerned about how to return.” Pausing a moment, he then added, “But I did see one of those stone faces carved into the cavern wall.”
“I knew it!”
They had to wait several minutes before they began to feel the strange sensation.
“Magic,” Lady Kate told the others. “This is magic that you are feeling. Very…powerful…magic.”
“Interesting,” commented Charka just before the teleporter activated and they were no longer in the room.
“Rene!”
Jaikus’ cry drew his friend’s attention to where he stood next to a tall stalagmite. Face alight with happiness at seeing his friend, Jaikus hurried his way. “I was getting worried there for a moment.”
Reneeke hopped off the dais and met Jaikus halfway. “You know I wouldn’t leave without you.” Giving his friend a brief, fierce hug, he heard Jaikus say, “Neither would I.”
Seward had the lantern in hand and was beginning to investigate the vicinity surrounding the dais.
“Don’t go too far,” Charka said to his man. “That’s a Springer’s job.” Turning to Jaikus, he held out the now shortened rope and said, “Your turn.”
Resigned to the inevitable, Jaikus nodded and took the rope. After tying it securely around his middle, he gave Reneeke a half-grin. “I hope it goes as well as your stint did.”
“It will,” his friend assured him. “Adventure awaits.”
Jaikus nodded. “Adventure awaits.”
Charka indicated for him to proceed along the narrow, slightly worn path Reneeke had earlier discovered leading away from the dais. Jaikus held the lantern and panned the light to the left and right as he continued along.
The path led through a forest of stalactites and stalagmites, some actually having come together to form magnificent columns that stretched from the cavern floor all the way to the ceiling high above. For a hundred feet or more the path remained discernible upon the cavern floor. It wasn’t until the cavern began to narrow that a man-made construct came into view from out of the darkness ahead. Five feet tall and obviously made of stone, an obelisk rose from a squat, box-like base to a tapered peak at the top. Runes were etched into the surface.
“Hold up a second,” Charka said to Jaikus. As his Springer came to a stop, the Troupe leader asked his magic user, “Is it a threat?”
After speaking a single word and making a gesture toward the obelisk, she shook her head. “It holds no magic and I detect nothing malignant in its nature.”
“Have you seen these before?” asked Jaikus.
“A few,” Charka replied. “But none bearing this writing.” Returning his gaze toward the obelisk before them, he added, “It must mean something special.”
“Like turn back or you’re dead?” quipped Seward.
“Quite possibly,” agreed Charka in all seriousness.
Jaikus gave the obelisk a thorough once-over, then turned the lantern’s light toward the cavern ahead. The well worn path continued through the illumin
ated area and disappeared into the dark. Considering how the walls of the cavern continued drawing closer together the farther they went, he figured they should be fairly close to reaching the end.
Glancing back to Charka, he asked, “Shall I continue?”
“By all means.”
Once past the obelisk, the cavern diminished rapidly as the walls and ceiling steadily grew closer together. When the light at last reached the end of the cavern, Jaikus was greeted by the sight of two massive columns of rock, three feet in diameter, that stood a mere two feet apart, just before the rock wall. The path continued through the columns and into a dark opening beyond.
Jaikus came to a stop. “Something ahead,” he hollered back to the others.
Charka saw the twin rock formations and had him continue on. “My guess would be that once past yon pillars, things will get more interesting.”
“You think so?” questioned Reneeke.
“Yes, I do.” Then to Jaikus he hollered, “Keep on your guard.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied. But then under his breath he added, “What do you think I have been doing?”
A rough-hewn passage extended past the twin columns and made its way deeper into rock. Jaikus eyed the opening with suspicion, but as he could discern no tangible threat, continued forward.
Charka’s words prophesying that things would “get interesting” were ever present upon his mind. A sense of foreboding settled over him that increased with every step he took. Twenty paces past the pillar, he found himself placing every step carefully before him, dreading some unpleasant repercussion to descend upon him for daring to defy the totem’s warning.
Maybe it wasn’t a warning? It could have been nothing more than a marker, such as the one the elders of Running Brook had put in place to inform visitors of the village’s name. His edginess slackened off somewhat as he began thinking of alternate, non-lethal meanings behind the totem and its enigmatic etchings.
Another thirty paces passed before an abrupt widening of the passage became visible in the lantern’s light. Not rough-hewn as was the passage they had been following, it instead was constructed of worked stone. Ceiling, walls, and floor were all crafted of stone blocks set one atop the other, or side by side as was the case in the floor and ceiling. So well did they fit together that there were hardly any seams. Not far from where this new area started, it came to a dead end.
Jaikus paused at the end of the narrow passage just before the new area of worked stone. “We can’t go any farther.”
“What?” queried Charka. Coming to stand beside his Springer, he saw where the new passage ended. “There must be a hidden door.”
“Do you think so?” asked Jaikus.
Giving his young Springer a grin, he replied, “I’d stake Seward’s life on it.” Patting Jaikus on the back he indicated for him to continue. “Walk to the wall, then back. If nothing happens, I’ll send Seward in. This is his area of expertise.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call myself an expert,” came the reply from back in the narrow passage.
“You’re the best we have,” replied Charka. Then to Jaikus, he jerked his head toward the dead end and said, “Go ahead.”
This is it, he thought to himself. I’m going to die. After first taking a calming breath, he stepped forward. Recalling tales of adventure spun by bards, Jaikus made sure to place his foot on only single blocks of stone. One tale in particular came to mind about a thief that had infiltrated a demon’s lair. He remembered how the bard had described the way a thief had stepped on single blocks of stone in an attempt to make his way through a trapped area. Jaikus wasn’t sure if such a strategy would be effective, but he wasn’t about to take the chance.
Two steps, then three. He carefully made his way toward the wall at the far end.
“Do you see anything strange or out of place?” asked Seward.
Pausing, he glanced back. “Like what?”
“One stone not sitting flush to its neighbor. Or maybe of a slightly different color?”
Panning the light about the walls, he shook his head. “I don’t see anything.”
“Okay,” said Charka. “Continue.”
A quick count of the stone rows making up the floor revealed he had nine more to cross. Nine steps before he could turn around and return to safety. Let’s do this quick.
Picking out the most stable looking stone in the row before him, he stepped forward.
One.
When that was easily accomplished, he did two more in quick succession.
Two. Three.
Then…
Four. Five. Six.
At seven, Jaikus froze when he felt the stone shift beneath his foot.
Reneeke saw his friend come to a sudden stop. “What’s wrong, Jaik?”
“The stone!” he shrieked. “It moved!”
“It’s probably just loose,” his friend hollered back.
“Don’t count on it,” said Charka.
“What do I do?”
“Does it move up and down, or side to side?” questioned Seward.
“Both, I think.” A pause, then… “There’s more side to side movement.”
Charka glanced to his man. “What do you think?”
His gaze lingered on the stone floor beneath Jaikus’ foot. “The fact that the stone is near the center of the passage would tend to make me believe it’s a trap. But it is possible he could have found the way to access the hidden areas.”
Thinking for a moment, Charka then asked, “Did you put all your weight on the stone?”
“No. I had barely touched it when I felt movement.”
“Remove your foot,” suggested Seward.
“Are you crazy?” asked Jaikus.
“For good or bad, you are going to have to take your foot off sometime,” explained Charka. “It may as well be now.”
“O…okay.”
They watched as Jaikus simultaneously lifted his foot from the stone floor and leaped backward with a powerful thrust from his other leg. He stumbled upon landing, but kept his balance by placing a hand against the wall.
Reneeke came to his side. “Pretty snazzy footwork there.” He couldn’t help but chuckle.
Knees and arms shaking, Jaikus leaned upon the shoulder of his friend.
Amusement turned immediately to concern. “Are you okay?”
Jaikus nodded. “Just a little shaky.”
“He’ll be all right.”
Turning they saw Charka standing behind them.
“Seward, see if you can see what that stone is about.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have the Springers mess with it first?”
“Not this time.”
Shrugging, Seward took the lantern from Jaikus and went to investigate the loose stone that had caused Jaikus such anxiety.
Lady Kate offered the shaky Springer her water flask.
Taking the proffered flask, he said, “Thank you,” then drained it dry. The water helped calm his nerves. As Seward knelt down to inspect the floor stone, Jaikus whispered to Reneeke, “I don’t think I can keep doing this.”
His friend eyed him with compassion. “I know it’s nerve-wracking. But we have only the one day and it will be over. On the morrow we head back to Reakla.” Glancing over to where Charka now stood watching Seward’s efforts, he said, “Why don’t you sit down until he’s finished?”
Jaikus nodded. Putting his back against the wall, he slid down to the floor. Reneeke followed suit.
“You two are doing a wonderful job,” praised Lady Kate.
“Thank you, Lady,” replied Reneeke.
Turning his attention toward her, Jaikus asked, “Do you think Charka will put me forward for Guild membership?”
She was quiet for a moment before answering. “I don’t know. He did smile at you earlier, so I think your chances are better than they were. Just keep doing the best you can and cause no problems.”
“I will,” he asserted.
Reneeke nodded.
“We both will.”
They sat quietly while Seward worked. Jaikus had his eyes closed and head leaned back, resting against the wall. He had almost fallen asleep when Reneeke jostled his shoulder.
“He’s done.”
Coming awake, Jaikus saw Seward and Charka walking toward them.
“It wasn’t a trap,” Seward explained. “At least, I don’t believe it to be. There are three loose stones, not just the one. I believe them to be the triggering mechanism that will open the secret way.”
“Did it work?” asked Jaikus.
Seward gave him a half-grin. “We won’t know that until you try.”
“Me?”
“You are the Springer, after all.”
The look Charka gave Jaikus indicated he agreed with Seward.
“Fine. What do I have to do?”
“It’s simple really. Press the stones in the correct order, and the way should be opened.”
“Should be opened?” queried Reneeke.
Seward nodded. “Of course, if you get the order wrong, the results could be disastrous.”
“Of course,” Jaikus said, copying Seward’s tone in a less than flattering way. Seward merely grinned. “Any idea what the correct order may be?”
“Nope. You’re going to have to trust in your luck.”
Reneeke laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Do you want me to do it?”
Jaikus shook his head. He would be ashamed if he allowed his best friend to assume a risk that he feared to face. And if Reneeke were to be hurt due to his cowardice, the guilt would be unendurable. “Thanks. But I’ll do it.”
“All you need to do, is put pressure on the stones until you feel a click.”
“Are you certain this will work?”
“No.”
Jaikus paused and glanced at the man to see if he was messing with him. To his distress, it didn’t look like he was. Unable to escape this fate, he steadied his nerve, took the lantern and walked down to where the loose floor stones waited.
Jaikus and Reneeke Join the Guild Page 11