Rina opened her eyes and blinked. Oddly, she felt tired. Her limbs were still heavy from the night before. The sleep was not at all refreshing. She sat up. The air was heavy and hard to breathe. She didn't know how or why, but somehow she sensed tension. Slightly confused, she dragged her feet to the window and threw open the shutters. She braced herself to receive the rays of warmth that came with the morning sunlight. However, she got a blast of cold night air. Flabbergasted, Rina placed her hands on the window sill and leaned out as far as she could. She peered at the sight around her.
The sky was dark. The moon was as bright as ever. It was not even dawn. Down below, she could still see a few bright specks, the remainder of the candles that had been lit for the festival. The stalls were empty.
She pulled herself back into the room and staggered to her bed. Why had she woken up at this insane hour?
Suddenly, she heard a loud cry of pain followed by several others. She heard screaming that was stopped abruptly. She hurriedly poked her head out of the window. Suddenly, a flood of arrows flew through the sky, one hitting slightly below her window. Frighten, she stumbled inside. It took her a moment to analyze the incident. Suddenly, she understood what had happened and came tearing out of her room.
"Phil! Keith! Tristan!" she wailed, pounding on doors. People came out and stared at her as if she had gone mad. Phil came up to her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Arrow in window. Screams. Dark." She muttered incoherently. Keith and Tristan rushed to her side.
"RINA! Rina. Calm down. Tell us what happened." Keith urged.
Rina took a deep breath and bellowed, "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
The people were stunned for a moment, and then panicked. Complete chaos broke out in the inn. People ran and screamed. Some tried to look outside of their windows. Others tried to run downstairs and pushed and shoved each other in an effort to go first. Babies, frightened by the noise, wailed. Young children, not knowing exactly what had happened but afraid of the stampeding adults clung to their mothers. Pale adolescents backed into corners. Men scavenged the rooms for potential weapons.
"What do you mean?" Keith cried.
"I woke up spontaneously and I had this funny gut feeling. I opened the window and this arrow comes flying at me. I panicked. I guess it wasn't a good idea to run out screaming." Rina said.
"Probably not. But you had good reason to." Tristan reassured her.
"This is bad. And so close to the base too." Keith muttered. He shouted above the screams, "STOP! QUIET! Everyone, please calm down. You'll draw attention to the inn. Now I want you to sneak out using the back door of inn. Do not grab your belongings and do not try to hide. Grab your herrks and ride into the forest. Be as inconspicuous as possible. Go!"
Everybody murmured to amongst themselves and then left in haste. Keith turned to Tristan, Rina, and Phil. "Tristan," he beckoned. "Go as silently as you can to the town hall and ring the bell hung in the courtyard. Leave for the base immediately." Tristan nodded and left.
Keith turned to Rina and Phil, "Rina, take Elmer and head to the base. It's in the mountains. Follow the trail behind the inn that says "Riff trail". When you get to a big rock the shape of a chicken's head turn left and walk until you reach a cliff face. Walk down the mountain until you see a mess of vines. Find your way up the cliff and walk directly east from the mess of vines. When you hit two straight trees, walk directly up the mountain until you hit a wall. Don't forget Elmer. I can't stress how important that is. Phil, go with her and keep her safe. Gather your most important possessions and go, now."
Keith turned away from them. Phil turned to Rina and said, "Go get your stuff. I meet you here as soon as possible." He escorted her to her room and then left. Rina grabbed her carpet bag and emptied its contents onto her bed. She dashed about her room, grabbing this and that. She threw Keith's medallion into the carpet bag and covered it with one of her dresses.
Phil appeared at her entryway. He had a small knapsack slung over his shoulder. "Come." He beckoned. Rina closed her carpet bag and snatched it up. She rushed out of the room.
"Let's go." Phil whispered. He was on one of the bay herrks. Rina was beside him, riding Elmer. Elmer pranced nervously, but stayed silent. The bay herrk observed his surroundings calmly. Kirby had hooked his claws to the mane of the bay herrk and had fallen asleep.
Phil and Rina stole silently into the grove of trees behind the inn. Right away, they noticed a sign labeled "Riff". However, it looked worn down and unused. Beside it, slightly concealed was a trail through the undergrowth. It didn't look as if it was used often, but it was clearly used. They headed down the trail.
After a couple steps, Elmer stepped on and broke a twig. A few more steps and the bay herrk trampled a pile of crunching leaves. Phil stopped the herrks and tied rags to their hooves. This time, as they started once again, the noises could barely be heard.
At daybreak, Phil stopped the exhausted herrks under a leafy tree. They arranged the fronds so that they concealed the humans and part of the herrks. Then, they secured the herrks and covered themselves with fronds. They were instantly asleep.
They were up at dusk, refreshed and ready to travel. As she nibbled on some dried berries found in Phil's pack, Rina said, "I wish Keith could give us more exact directions, like distances."
"Don't worry," Phil assured her. "Keith said it was in the mountains and we're practically right next to them. Besides, we've a guide."
Rina looked up. "A guide."
"Yup."
"Who?"
"This lovely fellow here." Phil slapped the rump of the bay herrk laying down beside him. The herrk eyed him reproachfully.
"Him?" Rina was doubtful.
"Yes, him. I've been watching him. I'm sure he's gone down this road before. He seems to know the surroundings well."
"Well, OK. I just don't completely trust a herrk."
"Do you trust Elmer?"
"With my life!"
"Than the bay is no different. Don't worry."
"Well, alright."
About mid morning, the trail turned ragged and uneven. Massive landslides had effected the trail, even turning some places into cliffs. During a particularly rocky and narrow section, when one side of the trail was unstable soil, Phil and Rina dismounted and led the herrks up the trail on foot.
Suddenly, Rina stumbled and fell on her side, onto the unstable portion of the trail. Immediately, the rocks began to roll down the hill. Phil reached down and tried to grab her hand, but the rocks underneath him crumbled and he too slid down the mountain. Frantic, the herrks galloped after their masters as the rock slide carried them farther and farther from the trail.
Phil woke up to find his head aching. Rina besides him was stirring. Besides minor bruises, they were not seriously hurt from the landslide. The herrks, who had followed their masters, were standing nearby.
The miniature rockslide had deposited them in a clearing. On one side was a large cliff face. The area looked undisturbed for years.
"Where are we?" Rina asked when she was fully awake.
"I have no clue. I don't see any trail or chicken shaped rock either." Phil replied. "That's alright though, we'll just head down the mountain and . . ."
Rina had held up a finger for silence. "What's this?" she said. She walked over to the cliff face and traced a groove in the rock. She pulled vines growing from the cliff face out of the way to expose a deep cut that formed a doorway like rectangle on the cliff.
"I bet this is some sort of entry way." Phil mused, coming to stand beside her.
"But Keith mentioned a wall, not a cliff.' Rina contradicted.
"We might as well check it out anyway. It'll possibly take us days to find the trail again if we can and an extra few hours here won't hurt."
"Do you really think it'll take us hours to open this?"
"First of all we don't know how to open it."
"But I bet the key is hidden somewhere around here. All we have to do is look."
Phil and Rina dismounted and searched their surroundings. Half an hour later, they did not find any trace of a key of any kind. They had given up and was about to move on when Rina called. "Try this." She squatted beside a large rock. Phil walked over to her. "There's a freaky-looking shape here."
On the back of the rock was a round freeform shape carved directly onto the rock face and about ΒΌ of an inch in hight.
"I bet that's how we get in." Phil said. "But what do we do with it."
"Maybe this rock moves." Rina sugguested. Phil tried to heave the rock, but it wouldn't budge. "Let me try." Rina said. She too failed to move the stone.
"Does it turn?" asked Phil.
Rina pushed it. "Nope."
"Then I don't know what it does."
Rina said, "Maybe it needs a key of some kind?"
"Like what? What do we have that's special?"
Phil and Rina were quiet for a moment. "The medallion!" They shouted at the same time.
"Do you still have it with you?" Phil asked Rina.
"Of course!" She exclaimed. She opened her pack and pulled it out from a hidden pocket. "Here it is." She held up gold medallion.
"Try to put it in the shape?" Phil instructed.
"Alright."
"It's a perfect fit!" She exclaimed a minute later. She slipped the back of the medallion into the small hole. It fit perfectly. She turned the medallion clockwise. She heard a click and a then a rumble. The vines over by the hidden entrance rattled.
Removing the medallion, she tucked it back into her pack and joined Phil who was investigating the hidden entrance. The door had slightly shifted inwards for about an inch. It revealed no entryway.
"Let's try pushing it." Phil said. With their combined forces, they shoved the stone door inwards as far as it would go. It creaked and groaned as if it had not been moved in years. The cliff face had been carved out. It was only about two feet thick. To one side of the entrance was a hollowed out section about one square meter large. Rina and Phil shoved the herrks into the cramped space and stepped out of the doorway and in with the herrks. They placed their hands behind the giant rock door and pulled it towards the entry leading outside. The door only needed a little push and it slid by itself back into position. Both humans and herrks were engulfed in total darkness.
Phil fumbled around in the darkness. Suddenly, there was a loud cry. Phil muttered, "Sorry Kirby. Didn't see you there." Kirby made a low noise and was silent. Rina started to walk around, and then tripped. She felt the ground for the cause of her clumsiness. She found a heap of long, dry, rough sticks. She shoved one in Phil's outstretched hands. He lit the torch. The light revealed the room. With the door gone, the entrance to a tunnel was revealed. It has large enough for two to walk side by side, but too small to ride in pairs. The ceiling was high so that a man could stand, but not ride. The tunnel walls dissolved into darkness and it was impossible to see more than a couple steps. The air was musty and dry. The heat made the dirt ground extremely dry.
Rina and Phil set off one after the other, leading the herrks behind them. Before long, they reached a dead end.
"Would someone really go through the trouble of carving a hidden doorway and keyhole just to dig out a tunnel?" Rina said.
"They might." Phil said, distractedly. "IF THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE THE TUNNEL!" He added, excitedly. "Look! There's a carving that matches your medallion. "Try it."
Rina did not need further urging. She inserted the medallion into the depression and turned it. Once again, the door rumbled and swung partly outward, leaving a gap three feet tall. Phil, Rina, and, after much ado, the herrks, managed to squeeze under. Phil pushed the door back into place.
They found themselves part of a long tunnel. On one end was flickering light. Phil and Rina led the herrks cautiously towards the light. Suddenly, they were engulfed by a large brightly lit chamber. Just as they entered the chamber, they were besieged my attackers. A dozen armed men surrounded them and held knives to their throats.
"State your names and business." One of the attackers ordered.
Phil said, "Phillip and Rina. Sent here by Keith."
"I see." The man said, "and is this Elmer with you?"
"Yup." Said Rina. "He's that herrk." She pointed to Elmer.
"I see." The man nodded to some of his men. The ones who were not preoccupied with threatening knives walked over to Elmer. They checked his teeth, coat, and brought out a strange device. They attached some of the suction cups to Elmer, looked at the machine, and nodded.
"Retreat." The man ordered. He released Rina and Phil and put away his knife. "That is the real Elmer." He bowed, "I'm sorry for the discomfort I have caused you, but we must eliminate all outsiders and surprise attacking is easier if the enemy really has come."
"I understand." Rina said. "But has the enemy ever come."
"Yes, actually. This surprise attack might have saved the base for all we know. We do it even if we're sure we know the person coming. Keith keeps saying he'll have a heart attack one day." The man replied. "I'm Sander, by the way."
"This is Phil and I'm-"
"Rina the princess we've been trying to save. It's nice to know you've turned out to be a worthy ruler. I'd hate to go through all this and then be stuck with some air-headed girl who giggles every five seconds and doesn't know the first thing about politics."
Rina blushed. "Well I'm not really that good and I don't know the first thing about ruling. I just did what Keith told me to do."
"That's what you're here to learn. Proceed. Everyone will be elated see you. They've been expecting you for quite a while. It's nice to have some solid proof to back up your plans. It's disheartening to risk your life for a girl you've never met or aren't even sure exists."
"Wow. I didn't know people cared so much."
"Well if it's you or Nargul, the choice is pretty obvious."
"If you say so."
Rina and Phil set off again. The tunnel was rocky, rugged, and had sharp turns and sudden changes in elevation. The tunnel seemed endless. Suddenly, they rounded a corner and a glaring white light temporarily blinded them. As they recovered, they stepped out of the tunnel and into the light. The sight they saw astounded them.