Due to the huge amount of accumulated snow, it took a few hours to Drake and Shaareim reach the watchtower. The remaining two men felt relieved to see they arrive, safe.
-¿You are fine?- Asked Nathan to have them around.
- Perfectly- Sam said.
- I'm too old for this shit- Edna leaned against one of the legs of the tower.
- ¿You need to rest?- He asked.
- Just a moment... I'm getting this crap pain again... By the way, Nate, you, who take over all food ¿Can you give me something to eat?
- And me- Seconded Samuel- We ate a couple of chocolats last night, but nothing more.
- I warned you- Nathan began to search his backpack- Let each take equal shares. But all agreed on that. Luckily you found shelter, Sully has the tent...
- It's more practical- Said Victor- So each one know who has what.
- In Part…
After eating a few snacks and relax slightly, the whole group the task to keep walking the slope of the mountain, practically turning it and down very slightly. They knew that the cave would be somewhere above a lake, but he had few other indications.
After walking almost all day, they could glimpse the lake down the mountain. They were in the area. But all they saw was snow, where they could see.
- ¿And now?- Samuel asked.
- It should be here...- Nate looked everywhere- Somewhere.
- If it is an area so little visited- Thought Victor- The entry can be under any snowdrift... Be careful when stepping.
- And we must hurry- Edna looked at the sky- It is nightfalling.
But say it was much easier to do. The slope was full of snowdrifts in a white and soft sea, everything seemed important, but all were buried stones. Worse, the light began to dwindle.
Shaareim began to feel a peculiar aroma that she began to follow slowly, downslope. As she felt the strongest smell, she suddenly buried up to the shoulders, staying with his arms raised.
- Shit- She mumbled, before raising his voice, trying to move- ¿Guys? ¿Sam?
But no one answered, which frightened her.
- ¡Sam!- She screamed.
- ¡Edna! - Samuel rang in the growing darkness.
- ¡Here!
Little by little, between indications, Samuel found her.
- ¿Princess?- He looked at her, buried, approaching- ¿You're good?
- Stay away- She stopped him- You will sink. I think I found the cave.
- Good way to find it- He smiled before looking to others.
The three men began to dig, discovering that really was the entrance to the cave that they were looking for. Place that seemed naturally occurring, but whose entry there were a couple of pillars carved into the rock.
- ¿How the hell you gave to the entrance?- Victor asked.
- It stinks of sulfur- She said- ¿Do you smell anything?
- No... Terrier...
- True…
- Hey- Called Nathan, from the bottom of the cave, with a flashlight- Come see this.
In the end, there was a small corridor leading to a stone room, with fairly smooth walls, full of Chinese words placed everywhere.
- Wow- Edna murmured.
- Another clue- Samuel smiled- We're doing well.
- This…- Coughed Sullivan- ¿Does anyone here read Chinese?
- Ou... - Nathan muttered.
- ¿Edna?- Victor looked at her.
- I know how to read Thai, and very little- She started to check his backpack- No Chinese.
- Shit- Sam whispered.
Shaareim pulled out a cell phone, lit it, and after searching for something, she began to focus on each word with the camera.
- ¿What do you do?- Asked the young Drake.
- I appeal to technology- She said- I congratulate my past myself, who came up and download a translation program imaging to his phone.
- You are a genious- He patted his shoulder.
- Thank you. And if you leave the still light in the symbols it would be really fantastic.
- Oh- He pointed- I am sorry.
- Good…- She looked at the phone.
- ¿What does it say?- Victor was quick to take note.
- White.
- ¿White?
- It is the word White. Which is over I recognize it, is lucky. The below too, is lotus.
- ¿Was not that you did not know read Chinese?- Samuel asked.
- I don't know read Chinese- She kept staring at the walls and scanned drawings- But I practice meditation, and they are quite common words.
- ¿Do you meditate?
- Sam... I lived in Thailand. It is almost bound to know meditate. It is also an excellent resource... Now, focus ¿You want?
- Okay, relax.
- We are in a claustraphobic gloomy cave, smelling like underworld, in a land of ghosts... I will relax when we leave.
- Ghosts again please not- He sigh.
- Two more- She looked at Sullivan- Listen... Sort...
- This makes no sense- Victor snorted.
- Hey- Nathan thought- We've been walking all day. We are tired, frozen, hungry, and it's late. I propose sleep, rest our minds and analyze all this in the morning.
- I have the same opinion- Sullivan said.
- Yes… good idea- She murmured.
The four decided to stop for the day. Some food, a good campfire and sleep possibly they bring the solution to a riddle somewhat strange stuck on the wall.