Half Brains, Sacred Water book 1

by Charles Kaluza

  Chapter 3

  Their journey home took Daniel and Jeremy just over two weeks to complete. They arrived in their village of Issip just as dusk was settling in. The small stone cottage on the edge of the village was a welcome sight to Daniel. Smoke was curling out of the chimney and only small patches of snow remained next to the house.

  Jeremy said, “How is it that they know when you’re coming home and have a fire waiting for you?”

  Daniel laughed and said, “I gave up trying to figure that one out. Seems like folks in this village just know what’s going on.

  Daniel lit a lamp and surveyed his small domain. Things were just as he had left them last fall. He had no sooner sat down by the fireplace when Jeremy said, “Let’s go to the tavern and get something to eat.”

  Daniel knew better than argue with Jeremy about eating. They headed over to the tavern which was already full of people apparently waiting for them. Room was made at one of the tables and they sat down. The smell of the mutton stew was so rich that it seemed to make Daniel’s head swim. He had been gone too long. They were served large heaping bowls of the stew and fresh bread. Mugs of beer appeared. The food and spirits combined with the fellowship of his friends seemed to finally lift the cloud that had hung over him since his imprisonment. He had no sooner finished his stew when someone asked what it was like living in the Northern Kingdom.

  Daniel took another sip of his beer and replied, “The biggest difference is they have rules for everything. The food has more spice in it and it was more expensive than here at home.”

  Someone else wanted to know what the beer and wine were like. There were questions about the winter weather and the arrangement of the city. When he was asked what the women were like Daniel hesitated in his reply. This gave Jeremy an opening and he asked, “Does this mean that you were smitten by one of those beautiful blond women?”

  Daniel began denying any such thing but the blush of his face told a different story. This prompted even more questions, but Daniel refused to provide any more information. A friend of his father’s said, “Word has it that you had a bit of trouble during your stay.”

  Before Daniel could say anything Jeremy jumped in saying, “A bit of trouble is a nice understatement. Daniel here was sent down to study something called alchemy. While he was doing that he mixed up some stuff and pretty much destroyed the whole lab where he was working and almost killed himself. He was lucky to survive. Now, most of us would’ve been happy to have just about killed ourselves once. Not Daniel, he figures that wasn’t good enough so he breaks some church rule and gets himself condemned to death.”

  The story grew from there. Jeremy filled in any missing details as he went along. The crowd loved the part about him changing into a weasel and escaping. As Daniel listened to Jeremy describing the bear attack on the guards he was enthralled with the story to the point of wondering if it was the same adventure he’d been involved with. The evening wore on and the beer flowed freely. Gradually people left and returned home and as was the custom Jeremy was the last to leave. Jeremy had such a good time everyone assumed he drank a great deal but he actually consumed only a few beer over the course of the evening. His excitement was intoxication enough. He was still in high spirits when they got back to Daniel’s cottage. Daniel invited him to spend the night and Jeremy rolled out the spare sleeping pad. By the time Daniel crawled into bed he could already hear his friend’s snoring.

  The next couple of days Daniel spent getting caught up. There was nothing to unpack except his surgical instruments. He took them out and carefully washed each of them before placing them back in the roll. As he was redoing the bandages he saw a flash of blue material amongst the white bandages. He pulled out a small blue scarf. The material was a fine silk. In the corner was a small embroidered shape which he recognized as the talisman he had given Heather. He held the scarf to his face and could catch the scent of Heather. That small whiff of the one thing he missed from the Northern Kingdom was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

  The messenger from the Forest Council arrived on the third day. He sought out Daniel and told him that the Forest Council was meeting and requested his report. The messenger moved on to make his announcement to someone in another village. Daniel began preparing for yet another journey. He had just started packing for the trip when Jeremy showed up at his door, backpack fully loaded.

  Jeremy announced, “Figured I had better go with you and keep you out of trouble.”

  Daniel thanked his friend but insisted that he was capable of traveling alone. Jeremy laughed and said, “You may be capable, but I think you and the world would be safer if somebody was there to watch over you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If the Forest Council is meeting to hear your report it must be important. With the luck you have been having, somebody should definitely be with you. And who better than me. No arguing. Are you ready yet?”

  “Almost, I need to write a letter before we leave.”

  Daniel sat down at his small desk and began writing a letter to Heather. He struggled with each word not wanting to misspeak or worse incriminate her.

  My dearest Heather,

  It looks like I will be heading off for another journey. I wanted you to know that I arrived home safely despite some minor adventures on the way. The comfort of home does satisfy the soul but I already miss your company. Winter is finally leaving the land and spring will soon bring color to our lands. I especially enjoy the blue color of the spring flowers.

  I hope it is permissible for me to write to you despite my trouble with the church authorities.

  Most sincerely yours,

  Daniel

  Daniel sealed the paper and addressed it to Heather, of the Palace of the Northern Kingdom. Jeremy was getting a bit antsy and Daniel said, “I need to get this letter in the mail service. Could you bring it over to the store for delivery?”

  Jeremy looked at the address and again teased Daniel about having been smitten while living in the northern Kingdom. Daniel ignored him and returned to this packing. Jeremy persisted in wanting to know who Heather was but Daniel was not offering any information.

  It was a pleasant three-day hike to the council meeting site. They had time to stop and fish in the evenings. It was the good life. When they arrived at the council site many people were already present. An elder from each village and representatives from each trade organization were present. It looked like nearly 100 people were crowded into the Forest Council headquarters. Jeremy looked at the crowded building and said he would wait down at the tavern for him. Daniel took a deep breath and walked into the meeting room. The representative of the sacred water trade group was arguing that the Kingdom of the South was a grave threat to not only their group but to all of the Forest Folk. He explained how the trading bridge, which was almost finished, would at the very least decrease the value of their prime trading commodity. Easy access to the spring from the South and ocean transport from there, to the Northern Kingdom, negated the need for their traditional role.

  Daniel’s presence was noted by the chair of the council. When the trade Representative was finished speaking he introduced Daniel to the council. He summarized the council’s decision to send Daniel down to the Northern Kingdom for his study of alchemy. He briefly reviewed the history of the saltpeter discovery. Daniel then reviewed his findings and discovery of the damaging power of his mixture. When he had finished describing the forces involved when he ignited his mixture and the damage produced, the church archivist spoke.

  This old priest said slowly, “You have described an explosion. It is an old term used concerning the igniting of mine gasses and the resulting release of force. Of course I must check the scrolls to ensure my accuracy.”

  The council chair asked, “Can you control this mixture and thereby control the explosion it produces?”

  Daniel responded, “The mixture seemed stable unt
il I lit it. It will take more experimenting to prove I’m correct. Learning to package the mixture should provide a good safety margin.”

  The representative from the sacred water trade group spoke up, “I move that the Council authorize Daniel of Issip to continue his work but that the work be done in secret.”

  There was little discussion before the vote was cast. It seemed to Daniel that everyone voted in favor. He was not yet sure why they wanted him to continue his work but assumed it had to do with the trading bridge.

  The chair of the Council then asked Daniel about his arrest. Daniel summarized his work on the sacred water and the half brains. He summarized his arrest and escape by saying, “Their church prohibits discussion of the half brains and I was imprisoned because I violated this rule. The half brains helped me escape and I returned home.”

  The chair asked, “What is it in the water that makes it essential?”

  Before Daniel could answer the old priest spoke up, “Iodine.” He continued, “One of the ancient scrolls describes this substance iodine in the water. I am not sure of the meaning of the word but it was definitely used to describe the character of the sacred water. Of course I must check the scrolls to ensure my accuracy.”

  Since nobody could ever remember the old priest making a mistake in his recall of the ancient scrolls, his word was accepted as fact. When he was asked about the half brains, the old priest said, “The most ancient of the scrolls tells of a time when the first people moved from here to the lands of the northern and southern kingdoms. Bad times came upon the lands and the colonies were forced to go without the sacred water. It was many years before the people of the forest again moved to the lands of the other kingdoms. When they arrived they found the first settlers had deteriorated and were living almost like animals. The second and third generations were very small with deformed features. The new settlers were afraid that a disease had caused the deformities and refused contact with the deformed people. Over time the separation of the half brains became complete.”

  People wanted to know if the same changes would happen to them if they lost access to the sacred water. The priest shrugged his shoulders and did not reply. They turned towards Daniel for an answer. Daniel said, “I would expect the words of the Priest are correct and we would suffer the same fate over time.”

  The Council chair wanted to know if Daniel could use the skills he learned studying alchemy, to discover the nature of this iodine and possibly locate an alternate supply.

  Daniel responded, “I will try. The work will require some glassware and supplies.”

  The council chair said, “We will provide the equipment and supplies you need for both of the task we’re assigning you. It would be best if you and your friend would proceed directly to the old copper mining area. We will make sure you have sufficient help.”

  Daniel left the council chamber somewhat bewildered. He walked into the tavern and was not at all surprised to hear Jeremy telling his story about the bear attack. Daniel sipped a beer while Jeremy finished his story. The story was never quite the same. When things quieted down a little, Daniel told Jeremy that he’d been assigned another task which required more traveling.

  Jeremy asked, “When do we leave?”

  Daniel replied, “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone and there may be some danger. You don’t have to come with me.”

  “And let you have all the fun and excitement without me?” Jeremy continued, “I think it would be best if we stuck together just like we always have.”

  Jeremy’s declaration of loyalty brought tears to Daniels eyes. He smiled at his dear friend and quietly said, “Let’s get going.”

  As they headed out Daniel began explaining his task to Jeremy. Jeremy was especially interested in creating more explosions. The trail they were on headed around Mount Ash and took them towards the frontier. Jeremy as always supplemented their existing supplies with his hunting skills. Winter still had a grip on the upper slopes of the mountain. They had to camp in the snow for two nights as they traversed the pass. The weather was moderate with only a light snow. Daniel faithfully followed Jeremy’s lead, not knowing anything other than the general direction they were taking. Jeremy always seemed to know where he was going.

  When they arrived at the mining site someone had already delivered some supplies and had started the repairs on one of the cabins. It was still warm from the fire they had started in the fireplace. Daniel and Jeremy made themselves at home and started sorting through the glassware that was on the counter. Daniel was explaining how the instruments were used to separate and mix the elements together but Jeremy’s mind could not seem to grasp the complexities of alchemy. He could remember every trail he ever traversed but this discussion of elements just would not sink in. Daniel finally gave up and told him he’d take care of the alchemy and Jeremy could take care of provisions. This suited Jeremy just fine.

  The morning came and the sun shone with the promise of spring. They explored their surroundings. The small cluster of stone buildings was on the edge of a pit. On the downhill side the ground was strewn with the rubble of mining. Many of the rocks had the green color of copper. It was otherwise a desolate area; too high for farming and a difficult journey from any of their villages. It was easy to see why the area was abandoned when fresh sources of copper were discovered closer to the valleys.

  One of the buildings contained a grinding mill which was powered by poles extending out from the upper stone like spokes on a wheel. It required significant human power to rotate the large stones and grind the minerals to powder. Despite the passage of time the mill was in good shape and appeared operational. Daniel watched Jeremy walk in a circle turning the mill and said, “It would appear that we won’t have to worry about not getting enough exercise. No wonder they moved the mining operations next to streams, much easier using water power.”

  Jeremy asked, “How much grinding will we have to do?”

  “The minerals are pretty soft but we do have to grind them very finely. Still, I can’t imagine needing more than a couple of barrels of each ingredient. We should be able to handle that.”

  They soon fell into a pattern. In the morning Daniel would mix the powders of sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal. They would celebrate lunch by setting off trial explosions and recording how large of a rock they could move with a given amount of the explosive. The afternoon was spent with the heavy work of grinding the minerals. Evenings were spent on alchemy trying to distill the essential ingredient out of the sacred water.

  After a few weeks of limited improvement in the power of their explosions, Daniel decided to try packing the powder into cakes which would be easier to handle. They made several of the cakes by pouring the powder into a cylinder and packing it down with a tamping rod. They placed one of their cakes under a large boulder and carefully dribbled some of the powder on the ground away from it to create a wick. They watched from behind a huge rock and were disappointed when the cake merely burned and did not explode. Watching the streaks of white light shoot out of the hole was fun but it wasn’t much of an explosion.

  Jeremy was disappointed with the failure of the experiment. Daniel just shrugged off and said, “We tried and it didn’t work. Maybe the next experiment will succeed and we’ll be able to really move one of those big rocks with our explosion.”

  After lunch they began grinding more sulfur. Daniel was thinking about the remaining explosion cakes they had made and decided to try grinding them to see if he could save the ingredients they had labored over. He had Jeremy raise the grinding stone and placed a couple of the cakes underneath. Jeremy gingerly lowered the stone and began grinding. They were both afraid that the grinding may ignite the powder, but the operation proceeded without incident. As the cakes were reduced again to powder Jeremy raised the stone and Daniel carefully swept the powder into his container. A change was evident in the powder. Instead of being separate particles of the sa
ltpeter, sulfur and charcoal it now seemed to be a uniform black powder. Daniel rubbed the powder between his fingers and it had a gritty sensation. They decided to repeat the morning experiment.

  They used the same boulder and placed about a cup of their new black powder in the hole they had dug under the boulder. They created their wick which they lit. As the fire burned along the powder trail they hid behind another rock with just their heads poking out. When the wick fire reached their black powder a flash of light occurred which was accompanied by a sharp roar which filled their head with sound. The boulder did not simply roll over but actually fragmented into many small parts which went flying in all directions. Large sections slammed against their protecting boulder. It happened so quickly they didn’t even have time to duck back behind the rock. They were lucky the flying debris did not kill them.

  They sat behind the rock laughing like a couple of teenage boys. Jeremy finally said, “Now, that is what I would call an explosion!”

  Daniel just nodded in reply. After a few minutes they got up and looked at the rock which wasn’t there anymore. Instead there was a hole in the ground which measured about three feet across. They repeated the experiment with some more of the black powder they had created and it was again dramatic. Jeremy thought that maybe alchemy wasn’t so bad after all. They spent the rest of the afternoon making some more cakes and grinding them into the black powder.

  That evening Daniel spent writing a letter. The letter was to the chair of the Forest Council explaining what they had accomplished but without giving details of the manufacturing process. The long summer twilight was fading when they were hailed from outside. They opened the door to a messenger from the Forest Council. He was tired and had obviously traveled hard to reach them. Introductions were brief and they offered him some supper. He accepted the rabbit stew gratefully. As he ate he informed them of the events which had spurred his journey. The trading bridge had no sooner been finished and the celebration completed when the Southern Kingdom sent a small troop of soldiers across to protect the bridge. Overnight they reinforced the troop with a garrison of soldiers. Soon a small army was crossing the bridge and secured the sacred spring for the Southern Kingdom. An envoy met with the Forest Council and explained that the Southern Kingdom was just protecting their vital interest and they intended to share the sacred water with everyone. The Council’s protests were ignored. It is felt that war will soon break out.

  Daniel and Jeremy received the news solemnly. When the messenger said he was to return with a progress report, Daniel handed him the letter he had been working on. This caused the messenger to say, “I almost forgot, this letter came for you.”

  Daniel accepted the letter and immediately recognized Heather’s writing. He took the letter and went to sit by the fireplace to read it in private. Before opening the letter he held it to his nose and again recognized the faintest smells reminding him of Heather. The letter was addressed simply to “Daniel of Issip.” He didn’t understand how mail found its way but it didn’t matter, the letter was here. He carefully broke the seal and opened the letter.

  My dear Daniel,

  I am glad to hear you made it home safely. Your departure here created quite a stir. They say you escaped prison by changing yourself into a weasel and then forced your way across the swinging bridge by changing into a bear and charging the guards. You must be exhausted from all the changing you did.

  Spring is well-established here and the crops have started to sprout. I’m glad your colors are returning with spring. Color can be a talisman. I asked my father about corresponding with you and he said as long as you have not broken any civil laws it would be acceptable but you cannot return without facing the church authorities. I do miss you but know we will meet again.

  Always yours,

  Heather

  The messenger made as if to leave but both Daniel and Jeremy insisted that he spend the night. They promised to demonstrate the results of their work if he would wait until morning. This seemed an adequate excuse to the messenger and he accepted their hospitality. Daniel sat up and composed a reply letter while Jeremy and the messenger went to sleep.

  He wrote, “

  My dearest Heather,

  I am sorry that my leaving created such a stir and wish I could have said a proper goodbye. The world has become much more complicated with the invasion from the Southern Kingdom. My work keeps me busy but I am afraid we’re facing some hard times. I hope my work with the half brains will provide all of us with a secure future.

  Your father is a good King and will provide your people the leadership they will need. I worry about you and want to make sure that you take at least one drop of sacred water each week. Your healing is not yet truly complete and you need the essence of the sacred water.

  The arrival of your letter provided me with a joy that I haven’t experienced since I left you.

  Most sincerely yours,

  Daniel

  Daniel sealed the letter and lay in bed worrying about the future of his people and about Heather. It seemed that he was awake all night but when Jeremy began rustling about making breakfast he realized that he had fallen asleep. After finishing breakfast they took a cup of their black powder and again dug a small hole under a large boulder. They created their wick and lit it. They ducked behind another rock and made sure that they were completely protected. When the explosion occurred the messenger clasped his hands over his ears. Rock debris flew everywhere and when they inspected their handiwork the messenger was amazed. The large boulder was gone and a hole in the ground was all the evidence left.

  As the messenger was leaving he acknowledged their work and promised to report it to the council. Daniel handed him the letter he had written to Heather and asked him to deliver it. He agreed and they loaded him with supplies for his journey back.

  Daniel concentrated his efforts on analyzing the sacred water. Helpers showed up with fresh supplies of the elements and Jeremy became the production supervisor. They ground each of the elements separately and stored them in barrels. They then began the tedious process of creating the powder cakes. The finished cakes were stored in cases of a gross each. They had decided to wait on grinding the cakes until they were needed to make sure they stayed fresh.

  Daniel worked from dawn to dusk with the sacred water. He had created a crystalline substance by boiling the sacred water until the flask was almost dry. By refilling the flask with sacred water he continued concentrating the essence. After ten cycles of the filling and boiling a crystal began to form. It had a reddish color to it. With additional cycles he built up a solid base of the crystals. Now it was time to try and analyze the crystals themselves. He tasted them and noted a bitter salty taste. They would not melt even with high heat. When he treated a sample of the crystals with alcohol the red color disappeared from the crystals. When he evaporated the alcohol that he poured off a darker red residue was left.

  He was able to consistently create this new type of crystal. The crystal remaining after the alcohol treatment seemed to be ordinary salt. The new reddish crystal was bitter and dissolved in both alcohol and water. Daniel was making progress but felt stymied by his inexperience and the lack of testing components. He wasn’t sure how to further test his substance which he felt was the Iodine that the old priest had talked about. A test was needed to easily identify this iodine. Daniel made do with the materials he had. He tried reacting the new crystals with iron and sulfur without any significant changes. The charcoal turned the solution black but he could filter off the liquid and the red crystals were still dissolved in it. When he placed some acid of sulfur in his flask and boiled the solution it changed to a purple color and purple fumes were given off which were irritating to his eyes and smelled terrible. Daniel was excited because he had actually done something to the sacred essence. Jeremy was not impressed, he said, “I don’t understand what you did but I know you sure stank up t
he place. Maybe you should move your experiments outdoors so we can breath when we come into eat. It smells like rotten eggs in here.”

  The purple solution settled out and after it was dry Daniel carefully scraped the purple substance into a small jar. He used samples to further test the substance. It dissolved in alcohol but not in water. The crystals melted fairly easily and then reformed when cooled. His iodine had a definite odor to it but not much of a taste unless it was dissolved in alcohol. Daniel was learning about the essence of the sacred water but yet had not figured out an easy way of testing for the substance.

  It was Daniel’s turn to cook and he was peeling potatoes. His mind was still on this substance he had created from the sacred water. It wasn’t until he started to put the potatoes in the pot for cooking that he realized some of them now had black spots from his fingers. It was only the first few potatoes that had the spots. He wondered if he had transferred something from the iodine to the potatoes. He took a potato and dipped it in the iodine solution. It immediately turned black and the color would not wash off. He tried the test with the sacred water and noted no color change. He touched some of the purple crystals to the potato and an intense black color developed. Even the weakest solution of the iodine produced a color change.

  When Jeremy came in and saw Daniel playing with the potatoes he asked, “Are you going to cook those potatoes or just play with them?”

  Daniel excitedly explained his findings, but Jeremy and his crew, were much more interested in eating. Pushing the grinding wheel was hard work and they were hungry. Alchemy could wait until after they had eaten. Daniel got back to his task of getting dinner ready.

  Daniel spent the next several days perfecting his test. He would mix the sacred water with soil and then treat it by heating it with acid of sulfur. He then allowed everything to settle and poured off the water. He added alcohol and shook the mixture up. After letting it settle it would again pour off the liquid and tested it with a potato. The only time the mixture would react was when he had added some sacred water. The next step was to begin testing other mineral and salt sources. He sent Jeremy out on expeditions to collect mineral samples. None reacted positively to his test unless he added some sacred water.

  When the messenger arrived everyone gathered to hear the news. None of it was good. The Army of the Southern Kingdom had moved into the headquarters of the Forest Council and demanded that everyone begin paying tribute to the Southern King. The Forest Council had refused and it was dissolved by an edict from the Southern King. The Forest Folk had responded to the invasion by simply disappearing into the Forest. The Council reformed and was meeting in secret locations. Daniel was to report to the Council in person. Summer was wearing on and everyone was anxious to return home. Jeremy was not happy to have Daniel go off without him but Daniel insisted that he stay and finish the production. The messenger promised to guide Daniel back to the mine.

  Daniel’s journey was made quicker by the better summer weather. He recognized the pass over Ash Mountain but the remainder of the trip was through territory he did not recognize. They arrived at the council site which was a clearing in the forest with camping structures all around it. The large central tent was filled with people and the messenger brought Daniel into it. The council chair was reading a proclamation of war. It was a complex document and required the people of the Forest to wage war without physical violence unless it was started by the enemy. Their war was to be one of passive noncompliance and active interference with the troops and their supplies. Destruction of the supply lines was critical so that normal winter hardships would be enough to drive the enemy from their lands.

  The discussion that followed centered around the methods of accomplishing their goals. The use of rock slides, flooding and other apparent natural phenomena were to be encouraged. It would be appropriate if the southern soldiers disappeared without a trace and were taken into isolated villages as prisoners of war. A psychological war was to be waged. The council chair summarized by saying, “We are entering another hard time. This invasion must be repulsed but hopefully their fear of the spirits of the forest will work to our advantage. Our goal is to make the spirits come alive and instill fear in our enemy. Our winters are hard and if we can interrupt their supplies then occupation of the forest becomes impossible. Cooperation is essential if we are to survive and remain free. It appears the Northern Kingdom is entering the war. We will assist their active efforts.”

  The chair of the war council spoke about the need to secure a supply of the sacred water. This prompted the council chair to ask Daniel for his report. Daniel summarized his work by describing his methods of purifying the essence of the sacred water. When he described how he transformed the essence into the purple colored substance the old priest spoke up, “Now the mystery of the word Iodine is clear. The scrolls speak to a violet substance within the sacred water. These writings made no sense until now.”

  Daniel went on to explain the potato test he had developed and the accuracy it had. When he was asked about finding an alternate source Daniel had to give a negative report. He said, “My test can detect very dilute concentrations of the essence of the sacred water but we have not found a source. We have only tested a small number of possible minerals around our mining area. We will need to obtain samples from around the forest.”

  The discussion of possible alternate mineral sources was somewhat rambling. The old priest spoke up saying, “I would expect that since our spring arises from a cave below an old volcano that any new source we found would be associated with similar conditions. I recommend we concentrate our efforts on this type of geology.”

  The council approved the recommendation and all parts of the forest would obtain samples to be brought to Daniel’s lab. Daniel advised them that a cup of mineral would be plenty for his testing and they should concentrate on minerals with a salty taste. All samples needed to be labeled as to their source.

  The chair of the War Council then raised the issue of Daniel’s explosive. He asked, “Has your production of the black powder gone well?”

  Daniel reported that their production was almost complete. The grinding of the powder cakes would need to be completed. When asked for a time estimate he felt they would complete their work in three or four weeks. The discussion then moved to the destruction of the supporting towers of the trade bridge which had allowed for the invasion. The towers were described as huge triangular pillars which ascended from the floor of the gorge, up several hundred feet. Ropes made out of iron then connected the pillars with the sides of the great gorge creating the bridge. The towers were built from the rock of the gorge which was hauled up the stairway which lined the interior of the towers. They were an obvious great feat of engineering. They needed to be destroyed.

  The council was aware of the destructive power of Daniel’s black powder. They asked him if he thought there was sufficient power to destroy the towers. Daniel shrugged his shoulders and said, “This black powder destroys boulders without difficulty. I would assume that it was capable of destroying anything made by man. It seems a shame to destroy such a wonderful work but if it needs to be done the black powder would be capable if it can be placed inside the tower.”

  When they asked why it needed to be placed inside, Daniel explained how boulders were destroyed only if the powder was under them. The force of the powder was then transmitted through the boulder. If they placed the powder on top of the boulder they got lots of noise and light but the boulder remained almost unharmed. A member from the builder’s organization told the council how the entryway was situated with a large ramp to move the stones into the tower which were then laboriously moved upward. He thought placing the powder inside the tower would be possible.

  The representative of the Hunter’s group then spoke to the difficulty of reaching the tower. He described how the trail down into the gorge was heavily guarded and open to view. It would be im
possible to move down the trail without a major battle with the guards and once on the trail, attack from above would be lethal. This report quieted the council. The old priest again spoke up saying there was another way. When he was asked for specifics he said, “The scrolls tell us that the first settlers to the Southern Kingdom journeyed into the frontier and then down the base of the gorge. It was a long and difficult journey which was possible only during late summer when the upper snows had melted enough to allow safe access to the upper reaches of the gorge. Some years passage was not possible and many people died attempting the journey.”

  The representative of the hunter’s group said, “I have heard stories of this route. Is there a map showing the way?”

  The old priest replied, “I recall travel directions. I do not remember seeing a map but I may be mistaken and will need to check the scrolls.”

  The chair of the war council asked the hunter’s representative, “Can your people make the journey with Daniel and his black powder?”

  He was quiet for a moment before saying, “The journey has been made before. We can make it again but we should leave within a few weeks or the weather will be against us.”

  The chair of the council than asked Daniel, “Are you willing to make the journey?”

  “I am.”

  The chair then completed this portion of their work by saying, “We will send Daniel on this journey. They will leave in two weeks which means his laboratory work and the completion of the black powder must be expedited. Our efforts will be concentrated on this work until their departure.”

  Daniel was excused and as he exited the tent he was met by the messenger. Daniel’s backpack was again full of provisions. The messenger asked for no explanation but simply started off on the return trip. They made good time and when they arrived back at the mining camp it was a beehive of activity. Several more people were involved in processing the black powder and multiple containers were stacked in his outdoor laboratory awaiting analysis. Jeremy was obviously excited to see him saying, “You sure shook things up. Sounds like our new adventure is going to be exciting.”

  Daniel didn’t even bother asking how he already knew. He said, “This journey is going to be dangerous and I can’t ask you to come along.”

  Jeremy looked a little puzzled and said, “Who said you had to ask me? It’s not an option, I’m going. You had better get to work with your alchemy because these samples keep arriving. We’re leaving in 11 days and you need to find that stuff you’re looking for by then.”

  Daniel spent from dawn to dusk working on the alchemy. He found several samples with slight traces of the Iodine but no significant sources. The work was discouraging but he kept at it analyzing one sample at a time. The test became intensely positive when he analyzed the soil at the outflow of the cave where they had discovered the saltpeter. The soil was so salty few plants grew in the basin. He compared the concentration with the sacred water itself and found that one cup of the soil equaled almost a gallon of the sacred water. A small pinch would correspond to a weekly portion of the sacred water. Now he had good news to report.

  His team was completing preparations for their journey. Daniel completed his report to the Forest Council and added a request. He felt it would be appropriate to send a supply of the “sacred soil” to the Northern Kingdom. This soil was to be transported in the same small casks they have traditionally used for the sacred water. If the transport team could be made up of some of the Forest Hunters, they could assist the active efforts of the Northern Kingdom.

  With his report to the Forest Council completed and sealed, Daniel turned his attention to a more personal matter. He wrote,

  My dearest Heather,

  Hard times have come upon us but that does not change the joy in my heart when I think of you. I am off again on another journey; we will meet again somewhere, sometime. Despite our absence from one another I feel our spirits are growing together.

  My work with alchemy has proven of benefit. You’ll be receiving a supply of a salty soil which contains the essence of the sacred water. It is a concentrated form and a small pinch should be adequate for a monthly dosage for those who are not ill or pregnant. All pregnant women should take a small pinch weekly. It could be sprinkled on food as a seasoning which would help prevent morning sickness. This is a smaller dose than is usually called for but we must ration our supplies until these hard times are over. It is most important that pregnant women and young children receive their dosage. I leave the distribution to you and your father.

  I will keep the color blue next my heart until we meet again.

  Most sincerely yours,

  Daniel