Jaeger Lowemon: I'm happy to note that I have a spotless review record! A
great big thank you to all those great readers and reviewers out there who
took the time to read through my stories. Reviewing what happened in the
last chapter for those of you who didn't feel like reading it, the
companions have reached Mount Ryithorr in the middle of the Synchtare
Desert.
*****************************
Takuya began moving forward, descending into the depression in the sand. Izumi stood debating with herself mentally upon whether to follow him or not.
'I ought to follow him. I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble he can't handle alone' she finally decided descending quickly behind him.
Meanwhile he'd reached the bottom of the indention and was reading aloud from a stone tablet set up not far from the mountain's base.
"Enter thee who hath achieved the sword of the wolf and the shield of the falcon by passing the trials of the Keeper. Find the Oracle of Orithine deep within and it will tell you your destiny."
"The Oracle of Orithine" he murmured slowly, almost reverently.
"What's that?" Izumi questioned.
"I don't know but it is what I must find it. It will tell me my destiny."
He moved forward, walking toward the stone rock face. He looked like he was planning to walk into the rocks. Fearing that he would hurt himself, she cried out. "Watch out for those rocks!"
He turned, smiled knowingly, and disappeared into the rocks. She stood; somewhat awed by his disappearing act, when suddenly his head appeared from the mountainside.
"You coming or what?" he asked rather casually, as if the fact that he'd just walked through an outwardly unyielding rock wall like it didn't exist was an everyday occurrence.
"Yeah.sure. I guess so" she said rather cautiously, stepping into the outcrop behind him.
She found herself in a large cavern, well decorated and elaborate. Before her was a long tunnel.
"Come on" said Takuya.
She followed him into the tunnel, which was lit only by torches held by beautifully crafted wall sconces. Takuya removed a torch and motioned to her to do the same.
******************************
They had been following the tunnel for what seemed like hours. Finally they saw what appeared to be a small pinpoint of light. As the walked it became larger until they emerged into a large chamber, lit by sunlight which filtered down from somewhere above. In the center of the room a shrine had been erected, and above it floated a crystal of unseen beauty and luster. Takuya moved slowly toward it and knelt. He muttered a few words and closed his eyes. Almost immediately as he did, a beam of light shot out and struck Izumi, causing an aura of golden light to surround her and she rose into the air. Through all this Takuya was still, unmoving as if he were stone. She slowly returned to the ground, unchanged, but very uneasy. Soon after she had descended, Takuya opened his eyes and got to his feet.
"Nothing happened. Not a thing" he sounded disappointed.
'I don't think I should tell him what happened. He'll be worried about me and I don't want him to worry.'
He walked up to the shrine and bent down, examining something near its base.
"The light will show you your destiny; and your heart shall guide you to the truth which the light has shown" he read "Huh. I wonder what that means"
Izumi noticed a second tunnel and called out, "I see an exit!"
They followed the exit tunnel and emerged into the bright sun of the midday desert. Somehow the horses had found their way around the cleft, and were standing at the lip of the sandy sinkhole.
****************************************
By the time they reached the horses, they were filthy and covered in an inch thick layer of gritty sand. They mounted and began to ride.
****************************************
It was three days later. They had discovered that they had been turned around in the sprawling desert and had reached the city in which they had bought the horse. They had returned them and had been traveling through the forest for some time. Night had come and they lit a fire. As it crackled joyously, devouring the small twigs they threw into it, it cast wavy shadows across the clearing in which they had camped. It was cold and Takuya sat on a nearby log wrapped in a thick cloak, poking at the campfire with a small pointed stick as Izumi lay in the tent. Hesitantly she pushed aside the tent flap and crawled out. She sat beside Takuya.
"Is it dead yet?" she commented.
"Huh? Is what dead? Oh the fire?" he seemed preoccupied, and he was, thinking about what he should do.
She put her head on his shoulder, and he spread the cloak around her, and they sat watching the fire until she fell asleep and he carried her into the tent, yawning and falling asleep beside her as the fire died to embers.
*****************************
Takuya began moving forward, descending into the depression in the sand. Izumi stood debating with herself mentally upon whether to follow him or not.
'I ought to follow him. I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble he can't handle alone' she finally decided descending quickly behind him.
Meanwhile he'd reached the bottom of the indention and was reading aloud from a stone tablet set up not far from the mountain's base.
"Enter thee who hath achieved the sword of the wolf and the shield of the falcon by passing the trials of the Keeper. Find the Oracle of Orithine deep within and it will tell you your destiny."
"The Oracle of Orithine" he murmured slowly, almost reverently.
"What's that?" Izumi questioned.
"I don't know but it is what I must find it. It will tell me my destiny."
He moved forward, walking toward the stone rock face. He looked like he was planning to walk into the rocks. Fearing that he would hurt himself, she cried out. "Watch out for those rocks!"
He turned, smiled knowingly, and disappeared into the rocks. She stood; somewhat awed by his disappearing act, when suddenly his head appeared from the mountainside.
"You coming or what?" he asked rather casually, as if the fact that he'd just walked through an outwardly unyielding rock wall like it didn't exist was an everyday occurrence.
"Yeah.sure. I guess so" she said rather cautiously, stepping into the outcrop behind him.
She found herself in a large cavern, well decorated and elaborate. Before her was a long tunnel.
"Come on" said Takuya.
She followed him into the tunnel, which was lit only by torches held by beautifully crafted wall sconces. Takuya removed a torch and motioned to her to do the same.
******************************
They had been following the tunnel for what seemed like hours. Finally they saw what appeared to be a small pinpoint of light. As the walked it became larger until they emerged into a large chamber, lit by sunlight which filtered down from somewhere above. In the center of the room a shrine had been erected, and above it floated a crystal of unseen beauty and luster. Takuya moved slowly toward it and knelt. He muttered a few words and closed his eyes. Almost immediately as he did, a beam of light shot out and struck Izumi, causing an aura of golden light to surround her and she rose into the air. Through all this Takuya was still, unmoving as if he were stone. She slowly returned to the ground, unchanged, but very uneasy. Soon after she had descended, Takuya opened his eyes and got to his feet.
"Nothing happened. Not a thing" he sounded disappointed.
'I don't think I should tell him what happened. He'll be worried about me and I don't want him to worry.'
He walked up to the shrine and bent down, examining something near its base.
"The light will show you your destiny; and your heart shall guide you to the truth which the light has shown" he read "Huh. I wonder what that means"
Izumi noticed a second tunnel and called out, "I see an exit!"
They followed the exit tunnel and emerged into the bright sun of the midday desert. Somehow the horses had found their way around the cleft, and were standing at the lip of the sandy sinkhole.
****************************************
By the time they reached the horses, they were filthy and covered in an inch thick layer of gritty sand. They mounted and began to ride.
****************************************
It was three days later. They had discovered that they had been turned around in the sprawling desert and had reached the city in which they had bought the horse. They had returned them and had been traveling through the forest for some time. Night had come and they lit a fire. As it crackled joyously, devouring the small twigs they threw into it, it cast wavy shadows across the clearing in which they had camped. It was cold and Takuya sat on a nearby log wrapped in a thick cloak, poking at the campfire with a small pointed stick as Izumi lay in the tent. Hesitantly she pushed aside the tent flap and crawled out. She sat beside Takuya.
"Is it dead yet?" she commented.
"Huh? Is what dead? Oh the fire?" he seemed preoccupied, and he was, thinking about what he should do.
She put her head on his shoulder, and he spread the cloak around her, and they sat watching the fire until she fell asleep and he carried her into the tent, yawning and falling asleep beside her as the fire died to embers.