Chapter 2: A Tunnel into the Depths
As short as the cave was supposed to be, it took the two well into 20 minutes or so to reach the other end of the cave. They both became unusually tired and quite dizzy at one point as well and had to stop and rest for a brief moment before moving on, which didn't help things either. Sophi made another attempt at lifting a brow while Tanja simply gave off a look of mild confusion, knowing very well that the cave should have been very short, in accordance to the flat land around the small hill.
"This is really startin' to scare meh a bit," Sophi muttered, the telltale Minnesotan accent making her cut off the endings of her words. Tanja nodded in agreement, frowning a bit in concentration, knowing far too well that while Sophi almost always had at least decent articulation, her accent hinted only when her nerves were getting the better of her.
"I agree. Where the heck are we?" Tanja exclaimed as they stepped their mounts into a new clearing. While it seemed normal enough, large, majestic redwood trees surrounded the area, each trunk thick enough for a small band of men to circle.
The sun remained high in the sky, shining hotly down on the girls as well as the deep green grass. Sophi dismounted unsteadily and took a few steps forward, going down to one knee to examine the grass. The corners of her mouth twitched downward as Tanja now stood beside her. The grass was oddly waxy and shimmered in the sun as if someone had coated them in glittering blue-green sequence.
"Blue grass?" Sophi stood, looking up to Tanja.
"Blue-green, more like," she responded shortly. "I've had all the adventure I can bare."
"Agreed, most definitely!" Sophi quickly turned to mount the testy mare, who was very much enjoying herself at the odd buffet. "Tanja!" She shrieked.
"Huh?" Tanja turned about to look at a rather pale resemblance of Sophi. "What's wrong n--," she blinked and looked to where the cave was--or should have been. Tanja took striding steps toward a large tree, running a hand across it. "Where did the cave go?"
"Better question yet, where'd the hill go!? Nothing here but more and more forest now. If I knew that answer, I wouldn't be scared witless right bout now," Sophi responded, reaching a shaking hand out to the dappled mare.
"Ladies, do not fear, I mean you no harm," spoke a new voice, speaking lightly accented to them from behind. Sophi spun around on her heal quickly to face the voice with a frightened stance of defense. Tanja took a bit longer to turn about, her reflexes not as honed as Sophi's.
And there the owner of the voice stood: a vague, shimmering figure of a man with long white hair and shockingly silver eyes. He wore an expression of faint amusement as his eyes flickered between the two. His clothing was heavenly white, from tunic to boots, making him seem immaculately clean.
"Who are you?! What do you want from us?!" Tanja cried at the figure.
The strangers smile grew until his eyes sparkled at them. "I'm almost surprised at that question. As for who I am, dear lady, you would know me as Vanyel Ashkevron," Vanyel bowed gracefully. "I am here to lead you on your path to destiny."
"Van, that wasn't very nice of you, scaring them like that." Another voice sounded out as a beam of light fell down beside Vanyel and another shimmering figure materialized beside him. "For shame! You're supposed to help them, not scare them witless," he chuckled softly.
After scolding Vanyel he turned to look at them. His kind face was formed into a smile, forever patient was his look, even though it made Sophi's eyes water when his form kept wavering between a man with curled, light hair and a gray outfit to a man with fire-like hair and a crimson robe to match.
"You know what," Tanja whispered to her friend. "I think they're telling the truth. They must be Vanyel and 'Lendel-Stefen," she made a gesture behind the two. "And that must be Yfandes behind them, also."
"For our sake, I hope you're right." Sophi replied doubtfully as she looked past the two in front of them to stare at an odd image that seemed to be split on deciding if it wanted to be a woman or a horse. She shook her head with mild dizziness as a light whicker came from the figure, sounding much too much like a chuckle.
"She is, and just for reference, call me Stefen. I haven't been 'Lendel in a long time," Stefen smiled warmly to them as they nodded slowly.
"Come now, sit and we will explain everything," Vanyel told them, a gesture of his hand and a charming smile persuaded them to do just that.
* * *
"So, let me get this straight," Sophi finally spoke once Vanyel stopped speaking. She rubbed her forehead lightly with one hand, gathering her wits back about herself. "Not only are the books from the Heralds of Valdemar series documenting real events that have happened, but the people in them are real as well, along with what they've done. Yet to top it all off, you want us to believe that we are truly in the Forest of Sorrows and you're here to send us off to Haven to, and I'm going to quote you on this, 'make of ourselves what we will'?" She threw her hands up in despair. "Why not just tell us the world is flat and that the moon is made of Swiss cheese?"
"I believe them." Tanja murmured slowly, blinking once before turning to face Sophi, who stared at in her disbelief. "What reason do they have to lie? Furthermore, how could it not be true?" A small smile creped across her lips as she spoke. "Haven! Think of it. The Collegiums, Companion's Field, the gardens," she paused and stated again, dreamily now. "Companion's Field, with live Companions! I'd give and arm to be allowed to just get close to them, even if it meant at the cost of having to clean stables and tack until my hands fell off." She wasn't just stating things now, she was pleading for her friend to believe and agree, and she was very well aware of that fact.
Sophi paused and looked from Stefen, to Vanyel, to 'Fandes and then back to Tanja. She sighed and shook her head lowly.
"Like I'm going to let you get all the attention, and by 'attention' we both know I mean 'strapping young men'. Someone has to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay on the straight and narrow." She smiled as Tanja clapped her hands together, relieved that she wouldn't be going alone.
"Wonderful," Vanyel spoke up finally. "Now your duty is to travel south from these woods, straight to Haven. With these two horses it should take you about, mm, I'd say about two, maybe three fortnights, weather permitting of course." He turned slightly to gesture down a small road--rather, a path, that cut into the thick grass.
"Oh! Also, before we forget to tell you, don't dare worry about your Outworlder lives," Stefen continued as Vanyel turned halfway from them, 'Fandes already walking back into the shelter of the woods. "They have been taken care of. You'll have more immediate things to think of soon." At that kind word, Stefen offered up a smile to them both, which they readily returned. He nodded and turned about to follow after Vanyel, who nodded to the girls before taking Stefen by the hand gingerly and following after the light sound of 'Fandes' hooves against the soft grass.
Tanja sighed softly as they went out of view, looking to Sophi with a sidewise glance. "Are you ready?"
Sophi smiled slowly, still looking off into the woods. "As I'll ever be," she responded before taking to her mare. "How difficult could it be, anyhow?" She smiled wryly to her compatriot.