They stopped a few hours later, Regula calling back to inform Dravidan that
– since they were no longer in the populated regions – he could come out.
The half giant did so hesitantly, but despite his anxiety, he appeared a
truly formidable foe, for those who might cross his path. The two
scimitars in an X across his back only added to his formidable appearance,
mused the mage.
As the mage mumbled to himself, the Geltor proudly walked ahead of the wagon, as if to look as the owner, or leader of the group. Shortly after, Queraska returned, a jovial look cast on her features. "Master Regula! Master Regula! I found the mine you were talking about! It's a mile farther up the road, and then half a off to the east. It's at that rock formation over there!", she said, pointing north-east of their position. Manset scowled, casting a wary glance towards Dravidan, before looking back towards his apprentice. "Is the iron rod in the place?", he inquired. She nodded lazily, "Of course, of course! Now let's get the wagon through to the mine! I want to find a new quartz! Imagine what I could do! I could make ugly over there look like a little girl for the rest of his life if I found one strong enough!", she said, nodding over at Dravidan. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind either, I'd even put little bows in his hair, and make him look real pretty. Of course, it's only an illusion, but it would be interesting to see a little girl using a sword longer than she is tall..." The Gem Knight scowled, "Oh, quite you daft girl, you're making my head hurt. Just, find the malachite, and err, no...you can use the lodestone, I'll use the malachite. Dravidan, get under the wagon canvas. Girl, sit up top with me, after you cover the horses' eyes, they're not going to like this." She nodded, and diligently covered the eyes of the horses with strips of cloth, before going back to the wagon to sit next to her mentor. "Okay, now, don't distract me when I get into the malachite, and only concentrate on the iron rod, when you activate the lodestone." he said, going into the levitation power of the striped green stone in his hand. Mere seconds later, the wagon and the horses seemed to get lighter, and ever so gently, they all left the security of the ground. Strenuously long seconds passed before the wagon was high enough for their intentions, and then, with the trees below the wagon, Queraska concentrated on the pitch- colored stone in her hand. As she locked onto the iron rod, the basic magnetic force of the lodestone was increased a hundred fold. The wagon slowly pulled itself across the air, towards the iron rod. In the back, Dravidan casually glanced out for under the canvas, before blanching in horror, and hastily going back under the canvas. Short moments later, the wagon stopped moving, and Regula slowly started to lower it back to the ground in a clearing adjacent to the mine. As the wheels of the wagon, and the hooves of the horses touched the ground, Dravidan jumped out. "What the hell was that, wizard? Were you trying to kill us?" Regula Manset laughed, "No, no! I just didn't want to be followed. It's hard to be tracked, when there aren't any tracks, right? In any case, I suppose I should tell you why we're here. The thing is, these gems that I have lose their power after a while. So, we're going to be here to...replenish them." He finished with another laugh, turning away for the mining preparations.
As the mage mumbled to himself, the Geltor proudly walked ahead of the wagon, as if to look as the owner, or leader of the group. Shortly after, Queraska returned, a jovial look cast on her features. "Master Regula! Master Regula! I found the mine you were talking about! It's a mile farther up the road, and then half a off to the east. It's at that rock formation over there!", she said, pointing north-east of their position. Manset scowled, casting a wary glance towards Dravidan, before looking back towards his apprentice. "Is the iron rod in the place?", he inquired. She nodded lazily, "Of course, of course! Now let's get the wagon through to the mine! I want to find a new quartz! Imagine what I could do! I could make ugly over there look like a little girl for the rest of his life if I found one strong enough!", she said, nodding over at Dravidan. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind either, I'd even put little bows in his hair, and make him look real pretty. Of course, it's only an illusion, but it would be interesting to see a little girl using a sword longer than she is tall..." The Gem Knight scowled, "Oh, quite you daft girl, you're making my head hurt. Just, find the malachite, and err, no...you can use the lodestone, I'll use the malachite. Dravidan, get under the wagon canvas. Girl, sit up top with me, after you cover the horses' eyes, they're not going to like this." She nodded, and diligently covered the eyes of the horses with strips of cloth, before going back to the wagon to sit next to her mentor. "Okay, now, don't distract me when I get into the malachite, and only concentrate on the iron rod, when you activate the lodestone." he said, going into the levitation power of the striped green stone in his hand. Mere seconds later, the wagon and the horses seemed to get lighter, and ever so gently, they all left the security of the ground. Strenuously long seconds passed before the wagon was high enough for their intentions, and then, with the trees below the wagon, Queraska concentrated on the pitch- colored stone in her hand. As she locked onto the iron rod, the basic magnetic force of the lodestone was increased a hundred fold. The wagon slowly pulled itself across the air, towards the iron rod. In the back, Dravidan casually glanced out for under the canvas, before blanching in horror, and hastily going back under the canvas. Short moments later, the wagon stopped moving, and Regula slowly started to lower it back to the ground in a clearing adjacent to the mine. As the wheels of the wagon, and the hooves of the horses touched the ground, Dravidan jumped out. "What the hell was that, wizard? Were you trying to kill us?" Regula Manset laughed, "No, no! I just didn't want to be followed. It's hard to be tracked, when there aren't any tracks, right? In any case, I suppose I should tell you why we're here. The thing is, these gems that I have lose their power after a while. So, we're going to be here to...replenish them." He finished with another laugh, turning away for the mining preparations.