The roar of the water hitting the surface above Robert's head filled the ambient silence under the water

The roar of the water hitting the surface above Robert's head filled the ambient silence under the water. He opened his eyes to see the murky green of the incandescent gloominess. Light from above reflected off rock walls in the water, but only looked like a blurry gray blob.

The water was cold against Robert's skin and he was beginning to regret jumping in so suddenly. He looked around for an opening to go further into the mountain through, but could see nothing without light. His lungs started to hurt and he pulled himself to the surface for air. Tribbon stood at the edge of the pond looking at Robert. "You look cold," he said.

Robert looked at Tribbon with a look that seemed to say, "You think?" but instead he said, "I can't see anything down there. I need a light."

Tribbon looked dumbfounded. "A light?" he asked.

"Yes, a light so I can see where to go, let alone where I'm going once I get there."

"Would a lantern help?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose a lantern would help, but only if it worked under water," said Robert angrily.

"Oh yes, I see what you mean," said Tribbon as he continued to think.

After a few minutes of thinking, Tribbon suddenly grew slightly excited. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a little rock, "Would a glowrock be of some use?"

Glowrocks, though highly rare to the land, were rather handy items for people on the go. The rocks were known for their luminescent qualities in dark places. There was a time when they were spread across the land and it seemed like nearly everyone had to have one. Then, after time, they became scarce and eventually nearly unheard of. Anyone who found one was truly a lucky individual and could probably sell it for more than an entire gold mine's worth.

Robert looked at the stone sitting in the palm of Tribbon's hand. He had traveled the land for ten years and had only seen a glowrock once, but he hadn't realized it. "Is that really a glowrock?" he asked in surprise.

Tribbon nodded as Robert carefully took the rock from Tribbon's hand. He held it in his palm carefully judging it's weight. The stone intrigued him as he rolled it from one hand to the other. It was a gray stone, perfectly smooth and round. It had been polished at one time or another and was as close to beauty as a rock could be.

Robert turned to the pond and plummeted back into the depths. Tribbon stepped closer to the edge of the pond to gaze into the hole and saw Robert down in the hole holding the glowrock out to light the walls. Robert soon resurfaced for air exclaiming, "I don't believe it."

He remained bobbing in the water, staring at the stone for a moment before turning to Tribbon. "Let's go," he said and dropped back into the water.

Tribbon looked around. He felt as though he was being watched, but quickly shrugged it off. He stepped forward and disappeared into the pond. At the top of the hill in the field near the pond, a grim looking face looked curiously towards the pond where two people had just disappeared. Tribbon's instincts had been correct; he was being watched by Morgan Fritz.