ã€ŠDownfall of Mevobakã€‹


 Chapter One

    Heavy and resolute the block of granite blocked the tunnel leading further into the tomb. Hyernan examined the large and ornately engraved block of stone in his way. He pulled out a yellowed parchment map of the tomb and examined it again.

    The map of the tomb wasn¡¯t clearly defined. It was more guideline and artistic endeavor than something one of the cartographers of Joonva would draw. From what he could interpret the ancient Mevobak writing showed the corridor he was in leading almost directly to the final resting place of the third ruler of the Mevobak Empire.

    Soft white light disappeared as theeluminenspell faded. Hyernan puffed his lips and let out a sigh of annoyance. He pulled a carved stave of wood from his sash and holding it cast theeluminenspell, focusing his will into the stave. With a soft warm feeling, he felt the magic from his core leave and channel through the wood. The engraved runes glowed briefly and three balls of the soft white light manifested into existence.

    With a wave of his hand and another small focus of his will, the luminescent balls of light separated, lighting the dark tunnel.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± he said softly as the light caught a carving near the base of the granite. It wasn¡¯t in Mevobak, instead, it was the ancient magical language of the Fulneen. While he could read a few of the characters he knew that the engraving was beyond his ability to translate. With another thoughtful sigh, he reached into the leather satchel slung at his side.

    He had only two Scrolls of Understanding left and while he hated to waste such an expensive scroll, he felt that understanding what was carved in the ancient Fulneen runes was important. The scroll holders in the side of the satchel each had a rune engraved into the leather. When touched they each gave a different feeling. Warmth, cold, a prickling sensation as if soft thing twigs were digging into the skin. When his fingers felt wet to the touch, he slid the scroll out of the holder.

    Holding it up to the light he placed a thumb on one corner and infused some of his magic into the scroll. The text glowed softly and then with a push of his will power flowed and the script on the scroll disappeared. He felt a warmth in his head as understanding and knowledge flowed into him.

    As Hyernan looked at the stone in the underground tunnel he could see the differences between the various types. Scuffs and wear marks on the floor showed where other feet had walked before. Cuts and scratches on the stone walls alluded to the tools that had carved this tunnel out. The soft breath of air on his skin told him of the direction behind him leading to the surface and that there was probably rain later in the day from the slight hint of moisture.

    With a snort, he closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. This was a familiar process. It was easy to drift off into the knowledge pouring into all five senses and become so consumed with the small details that the small amount of time the scroll was activated would be used up and disappear.

    Eyes slowly opened and he focused on the Fulneen runes once again. A small pull of his will brought the soft light from the floating balls of light closer to granite block.

    Light is the burden that blocks the way. The weight of the answer is what opens the path. When a burden is lifted a flood will wash it away.

    Hyernan closed his eyes again and let the words fill his mind and then before the time of the scroll ran out, he opened his eyes once more and focused on the block. With understanding filling his being he could see the soft shift in how the large stone block moved in tiny movements. His skin could feel the moisture seeping from the tiny cracks in the ground and faintly from below the sound of rushing water reached his ears.

    Before his understanding of the runes faded he pulled out a bound notebook and opened it up. He had enchanted the notebook long ago to be full of never-ending parchment. On a blank page, he wrote the translation of the Fulneen runes and below that what his senses were telling him about the environment around the granite block.

    As he finished, he felt the magic from the scroll fade. It felt like a woolen blanket fell over his senses. He could still feel and see the same, but without the same understanding. He shuddered as the last little bit slipped away. In some ways, the sheer amount of information pouring into his senses was more intoxicating than the finest Galba Fire Wines or even the Ja¡¯De¡¯xa Ice Spice.

    Looking at the parchment Hyernan thought about what the runes said.Light is the burden that blocks the way.He continued to roll the sentence around trying to find its meaning. A careful examination of the carved stone did show it moving ever so slightly. With a grunt, he gave it a shove and felt a small movement, but then it stopped.

    The granite block appeared to be slotted into a groove in both the floor and ceiling. If this was the case then pushing it would not move it out of the way. Hyernan¡¯s next thought was to see if the stone moved up or down.

    Perhaps it needed to move down. He slid his stave out if his stash again and held it. With a push of magic, he muttered¡± Densitas¡±.The runes on the stave seemed to flex imperceptibly as they shrunk and grew before returning to their original shape.

    Hyernan felt magic flow from the stave and into the granite. As it did so he willed the density of the stone to decrease slowly. While holding the stave with his left hand he gestured upward with his right hand and the stone block started moving up.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Without warning, water started gushing into the tunnel. Hyernan paused as the frigid water lapped against his boots. Very carefully he tried to lower the large block of granite only to have it pushed upward again by a surge of water.

    Now with the water up to his ankles and climbing he felt a moment of panic. Not knowing what else to do he reversed the effect of thedensitasspell, increasing the mass and weight of the stone. With a woosh, the stone block dropped forcing a wave of water down the tunnel.

    Hyernan jumped back fearing he had increased the density too much. The stone block settled in place and now sat even with the floor. Water drained down the sloping ground and past the new opening into several cracks in the floor.

    ¡°Steira,¡± he said, ¡°come to me. We have found a way through¡±. Responding to his call and following the path he traveled not long ago, a shadow flew out of the darkness, revealing a miniature black dragon about the size of a man¡¯s head. Eyes gleaming in the magic light, she landed upon Hyernan¡¯s right shoulder where extra padding resisted her scythe like talons while two enchantments countered the dragon¡¯s growing weight.

    Steira was his constant companion through his travels. She had been hatched from an egg he had won in an Itankel game with a couple of Joonvian guards. At the time he thought he would simply sell the egg off, but once she had hatched, he realized that would be something that would never happen. He hadn¡¯t known at the time but the diminutive dragon species were empaths. She could sense emotions, and when she bonded with him at hatch, he felt her emotions as well.

    Even now he could feel her curiosity as she gazed down the newly opened corridor. ¡°Yes Steira,¡± he said, ¡°we are going to continue now that we¡¯ve solved the first puzzle to the tomb.¡± He could feel it, the item he had been searching for the last twelve years.

    Hyernan grabbed the pack he had set down and with a wave of his hand pushed the magical lights further into the darkness. Anothereluminen, and the shadows were pushed even further back. He was surprised at how close he had come to drowning when levitating the granite block. The Fulneen were clever in their traps. Almost anyone who had managed to move the granite block all the way up would have drowned in the onrush of water. Only his panicked increase in the granite¡¯s weight had solved that puzzle.

    ¡°Of course!¡± he said to himself, ¡°The weight of the answer is what opens the path. Weight meet answer, answer meet weight¡±. Steira cocked her head and looked at him. He could almost feel her roll her eyes at the fact it took him this long to find the answer.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, I rushed this one. We¡¯ll take our time on the next one.¡± He said as their walk brought them near a carved stone door.

    A careful examination of the door revealed... nothing. There were no runes, no sigils, not even the scratches of a carving tool. Hyernan placed a hand on the door and gave it a soft push. The only thing that happened is the door swung open without any noise. He was surprised at how quiet the door was. The hinges were freshly oiled and the door itself was so balanced that even a light touched opened it.

    Even with the luminescent lights moving around the room in front of him was shadowed. A strong gust of air pushed against him, ruffling his clothing.

    "Eluminmen Maxus," he cast and a large ball of light appeared and slowly moved toward the center of the room, dispelling the darkness. What he saw gave him pause. A deep pit, lined with stone spikes jutting out from the bottom and sides at different angles blocked his way forward. The ceiling above was almost a mirror image with a large indentation full of razor-sharp stone spikes. As he continued to examine the spikes, he realized that not only were they carved to a point, but that the sides had barbed spikes as well. If one of those spikes were to impale a person it would be very difficult to remove.

    ¡°Steira,¡± he said, ¡°Can you fly out there and see if you can make it to the other side of the room?¡±

    With a small chirp, she flexed her wings and launched from his shoulder. As she flew over the spikes a blast of air shoved her aside and directly toward the ceiling. He watched as she tried to correct and dive down away from the impending impalement. Her wings beat frantically as she flew side to side desperately attempting to move out of the fierce wind blowing her. As she neared one of the stone tips the wind finally relented and she was able to slip out of its grasp. With a shriek of frustration, she flew back toward Hyernan and landed on his shoulder.

    Well, that settled his idea of levitating over to the other side. He had originally thought that he would fly over the spikes by making his body and gear light. With how the wind was gusting around though that would be almost impossible.

    With a thought, he reached back into his satchel and pulled out his notebook. Carefully he tore a piece of parchment from the notebook. Sliding the notebook back into the leather bag he held the loose parchment in one hand and with the other held his stave.

    "Endr," he said, channeling his magic and his will into the parchment. As the stave focused his will he saw the parchment duplicate in his hand and then duplicated again. He continued to pour magic into the spell until he held a small stack of the parchment.

    "Densitas ventus," he said, as he again focused his will into the parchment. With a gust of wind, the parchment flew from his hand and into the room. As he watched the pieces of parchment were caught by various breezes and gusts and several were impaled by the stone spikes. However, near the center of the roof of the cavern, the parchment would flutter up and then fall back down, only to be caught again by another gust.

    That was it then, there was a safe passage through the errant winds, but it would take careful concentration and even a fair bit of courage to make it across.

    ¡°Well Steira, there is no time like the present eh?¡± he said as he carefully tightened his gear. Before locking the clasp of his satchel, he reached in again, and on the side opposite the scroll holders were loops to hold vials of potions. He pulled out one of the regenerative potions and pulled the stopper out. With this much focus, he didn¡¯t want his magic core to deplete halfway across the room. Quickly downing the purple liquid, he placed the stopper back into the vial and slipped it back into its holder.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± he said, as he reached up and loosened a strap on his shoulder pad. Steira cocked her head and then with a small huff she crouched down as he pulled the strap over her back and secured it in the metal clasp on the opposite side. He could feel her annoyance through their mental link at having to be secured, but this wasn¡¯t the first time they both had been in difficult situations. Although this was one of the more unique ones.

    With a firm grip on his stave, Hynernan whispered, ¡°Densitas ventus¡±. He felt a lightness fill his body and then he felt the brush of air from the wind he had summoned push him off the edge of the platform and into the room of stone spikes.Here goes nothing he thought.With a focus of will, he moved upward and forward to the path he had charted.

 Chapter Two

    Weightlessness took a little to become used to. Small gusts of air, even a slight breeze would move and change the direction of where he wanted to go. Somewhat draining, but useful was the ability to control the flow of air and therefore his direction.

    Hyernan floated above the spikes and as he willed the breeze behind him he started to follow the path he had charted out. Steira wrapped her tail around his neck as the winds in the cavern started to buffet the two of them around. As he neared the first quarter of the way across a stronger gust shoved Hyernan up toward the spikes and away from his safe path.

    He focused on controlling his errant path and pushed forward again through the gale of wind. He could see the far side getting closer and pushed harder. As he crossed over the sharp stone spikes he could start to feel his magic core depleting. To run out now would result in probable impalement. He continued to focus, hoping that the potion he had downed before starting this crossing would help sustain his core.

    The distance shrunk as he neared the opposite platform. He carefully kept near the roof of the cavern, far enough from the spikes to avoid injury, but close enough to avoid the motion of the air roiling beneath his body. When the far platform was within a few body lengths from his location a sudden blast of air shoved his body upward.

    Pain lanced through his leg as the gust of air shoved him onto the stone spoke. Though his leg was on fire and he wasn¡¯t sure how badly the injury was he again drew on his core and used the air to his advantage, forcing a strong breeze against his body and then over onto the platform.

    "Inrita," he murmured. The magic keeping his body aloft ended and he collapsed onto the granite floor. Without looking at the injury his leg had sustained he fumbled with the catch on his satchel. After a failed attempt he managed to open it up and pulled another vial of red-hued potion out. With a quick twist the stopper came out and he swallowed the contents in one swift motion.

    Warmth flooded his body and he felt his leg go numb. With the health potion starting its work he unlatched Steria from his shoulder and sat up, stretching his injured leg out and examining the damage the spike had caused.

    ¡°Well Steira,¡± he said, ¡°It could have been worse I suppose¡±. The spike had pierced the cloth on his leg and punctured the flesh beneath. Blood flowed from the wound, but even as he watched the potion was slowing the flow of blood and the flesh was starting to reform. Grimacing he picked up his stave where it had fallen on the floor. ¡°Renovo novus," he said and with a flow of magic the cloth on his pant leg repaired itself, even cleaning the blood that had stained it off.

    ¡°Much better. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± he asked Steira as he sat there. As he rested and let his leg continue to heal, he noticed a lever recessed in the wall. Standing up he hobbled over to the lever and saw the ancient glyphs that the Fulneen had used to indicate complete or stop and the opposite of start or begin. The glyphs were flexible in what they could mean. Currently, the lever rested in the begin or start position.

    Steira cocked her head and looked at Hyernan. She chirped as he reached up for the lever. ¡°What? I think this is for the winds in this room. Don¡¯t you think it would be much easier to get back across if the air was a bit calmer?¡±

    He decided it was worth the risk and pulled the lever down. A rumble filled the cavern and then a large thunking racket could be heard. Dust and small rocks fell from the ceiling as a barely noticeable crack expanded. With a clank of chains, a long stone bridge lowered from the roof and settled into grooved slots on either side of the room. The gusting of the air stilled to a soft breeze and then silence engulfed the room.

    ¡°Ha! See I told you,¡± he said with a smug grin. Steria shrugged her wings as if to say maybe this time. With a flex of her wings she surged aloft and flew around in the chamber. She liked the open area now that she knew she wasn¡¯t going to be pushed into the spikes. Underground was not her ideal environment.

    Hyernan could feel her happiness as she flew about. He rotated his leg and gave a few experimental stomps and was happy to not even feel a twinge of pain. His stomach gave a rumble and smacked his hand on his forehead. While the potion was good at healing the loss of blood and regenerated tissue used up his body¡¯s energy reserves.

    One of the side pockets of his satchel contained some preserved foods. He pulled out a bar of pressed grains mixed with the luja fruit, kleden nuts, and sweet thick quiie syrup. It was a calorie-dense food that was perfect for restoring his energy. He also pulled out a strip of smoked blue rotan meat for Steria.

    With a mental call to the dragon, he flicked the meat up into the air. Steria gave a shriek and flew by, unerringly catching the meat in her mouth. She circled a few times and then landed on the floor. Growling she tore into her meal. Hyernan grinned at the dragon¡¯s antics and bit into his own dinner. Washing it down with a sip from the canteen attached to his belt.

    He poured some water into a cup and offered it to the miniature dragon. Steria looked up from her meal when she felt the offering emotion through their link. With one final growl, she swallowed the last of the rotan meat and accepted the offered water.

    Hunger and thirst satisfied and injuries all healed Hyernan felt like it was time to continue on, deeper into the tomb. He gestured to Steria and she flew by him, banked with her wings and after circling around landed back on his shoulder. He was glad the enchantment on the pad to lighten her weight was holding up.

    The exit to the air cavern was another carved door. This door had intricate engravings on one side. Hyernan pulled out his map of the tomb and compared it to the carvings on the door. With the Fulneen gone for centuries understanding of their glyphs had disappeared. He could only guess at some of the meanings. One emblem he did recognize was the glyph for fire. That one concerned him after the last two enigmas both came close to killing, or at least seriously injuring, him. As a precaution, he pulled out his stave and muttered, ¡°ignis prohibeo¡°.

    To stop flames from harming something the fire needed to be commanded. By prohibiting fire around his body, he could prevent being burned. The downside to that spell was the constant minor drain on his magical core. If fire did flare up it would stop before consuming him, but that would use more of his core and would not prevent the air from being depleted.

    Soft light from the magical orbs of light continued to illuminate the carved granite tunnel. As he hiked deeper into tomb, he could feel a growing warmth. The tunnel started to smooth out and looked less carved and more... melted. Steira lifted her head and gave an inquisitive sniff. Through their empathic link, he felt her sense of recognition and a hint of concern. The white light cast by the magical spheres started to be replaced with a dull orange-red glow.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Cold cavern air was soon replaced by a warm draft of air from deeper within the tunnel. As Hyneran continued to walk forward he saw the carved stone open up again, only instead of a cavern full of sharp stone spikes, this cavern was full of molten rock.

    Streams of melted rock poured out of the walls and fell, forming lava falls and pooling below. Carved towers of basalt rose from the cavern floor forming steps that could be traversed carefully to cross the magma surging below.

    ¡°Would you look at that Steria,¡± Hyneran said, ¡°The floor really is lava.¡±

    Steria rolled her eyes at Hyneran and with a flex of her wings lifted herself airborne. She flapped a few times and then carefully started to explore this new room of puzzles. Hyneran sat down on the stone floor and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the link he shared with the miniature dragon. If he focused hard enough, he could see what she was seeing through her eyes.

    Darkness was all he could see at first and with a feeling of vertigo he could see. Dragon eyes were not like human eyes, and the first few moments were always a bit queasy feeling as the colors shifted and his inner ear rebelled at the fact that he was sitting still and yet seemed to be moving.

    Dark stone streamed pass and he could see orange and yellow light dance around as molten rock swept by underneath. Steria pumped her wings, gaining altitude. As she neared the center of the cavern a warm updraft of air carried her further up and he could now see the entire cavern laid out.

    Uplifted basalt stone created paths that a careful, and daring, adventurer could leap from step to step. As the dragon circled above Hyneran could see a pattern within the stone paths. While it looked like a clear path could be taken through the streams of lava, there were several traps as well. A step in the wrong direction would lead to a stone pillar that was lower than the rest, trapping whoever landed on it. Other paths looked unstable or seemed to have only thin layers of rock.

    Concentrating Hyneran severed the vision through the dragon¡¯s view and opened his own eyes. Quickly, before what he had seen disappeared from memory, he sketched out the cavern and the routes through the maze of stone pillars and paths. While he knew he could use the dragon¡¯s vision again while out in the cavern as he traversed the complicated labyrinth time was of the essence. Even from here the heat from the roiling lava could be felt. Sulfur gases vented from cracks in the walls and some of the pillars would fade in and out of view as clouds of noxious gasses concentrated briefly before sweeping away again.

    Looking up he saw Steria still circling above and through their link he could feel her encouragement. There was nothing else to do but move on. Hyneran gripped his stave and muttered, ¡±Kyro ventus¡°. A coolness filled the air around him and the oppressive heat faded. There was a limit to the time that the air chilling spell would last, but in the meantime, it meant he could navigate his way through the stone paths without feeling like a fresh rotan steak grilling in an oven.

    Standing on the edge of the walkway leading from the previous cavern Hyneran eyed the first basalt pillar. The dark, black stone looked sturdy enough and with a sigh, he ran forward and leaped from the edge. With a thud, he landed on the pillar, barely stopping before falling over the edge. This... was going to be more difficult then he had originally anticipated. ¡±Statera amplio¡±, he muttered, forcing more of his magic into his stave. As the spell took affect he could feel his balance and agility improve. The magical core within his body was starting to deplete faster than it was being restored. At this rate, he knew he would need to hurry through the cavern.

    With another leap, he landed on the next pillar. This time the landing was light with no wasted effort. Another bounding jump landed him on one of the larger bunch of rocks. He carefully pulled out the parchment map that he had sketched earlier and examined it. From here there were two paths that he could take. Both involved moving downward toward the lava and then back up. The easier path didn¡¯t dip quite so close to the heat of the lava below.

    Sliding the parchment back into his jacket pocket he made his decision and started to climb down the rough stone. As he neared the bottom he could see a pillar of basalt that had fallen and formed a bridge between where he now stood and another upthrust of rock closer to the center of the room.

    Hot air washed over him as he started to cross the horizontal pillar. Even with the cooling effect of the spell, the warmth from the molten rock could not be denied. Carefully he navigated across the rounded stone. This may have been an easier way, but it wasn¡¯t faster. Sliding one foot in front of the other his leather boots kept his feet protected from what he was sure was a stone hot enough to fry an ailern egg on.

    Jumping off the end of the stone walkway Hyernan felt quite grateful to be away from the treacherous crossing. He started the upward climb toward the center island of stone. Within his body, he could feel the magical core continue to dip down. Hurrying he flung one of his arms up and managed to find a thin crack to slip his hand into. Pulling up he continued to search for crevices and small jutting rocks to continue climbing on.

    As he placed a booted foot on one of the small ledges and pushed upward only to find a smooth surface with nothing to grip. Further up the rock face, he could see a wider crack in the rock beyond what he could reach. Grunting with effort Hyernan flexed his knees, and with a heave pushed hard and lept upward. Fingers desperately grasped and flailed trying to find the crack he had seen. Gravity had started to re-assert its dominance and started tugging him back down to the boiling lava below when his fingers found the crack. It was wide enough that he was able to shove his entire arm inside it and lock his body into place.

    Lungs heaving he paused for a moment before continuing his journey up the rock face. The last leap had helped carry him closer to the top. A few more minutes of pulling, grunting, and shoving and he rolled over the edge of the top and onto a flat surface.

    Steria swooped down and with a flare of her wings landed next to Hyernan where he lay exhausted. She lowered her head and nuzzled his chest while softly crooning and sending encouragement through their link. Hyernan reached up and scratched under her chin. A soft rumble came from her chest as she enjoyed the attention.

    With a sigh and a small grunt, Hyernan stood up. From here he could see the three paths leading in the direction he wanted to travel. Careful consideration needed to be applied though to choosing the correct path. One of the paths was quick and led almost directly to the exit, but was more complicated and quite dangerous. Another path was safer and slower, which at the rate his magic was draining would not work for him. The third path he remembered looked safe and fast but contained traps designed to lure the unwary.

    ¡°Well Steria, quick and fast it is. Wish me luck girl, I¡¯m going to need it.¡± And with that being said Hyernan started to leap from pillar to pillar, barely pausing in between jumps. Lava fell from the ceiling and added to the danger of the path he was traversing. Steria flew near him, avoiding the falling melted rock, as she followed along.

    Two-thirds of the way across Hyernan had to navigate a narrow stone walkway between to pillars too far apart to leap across. Slowly, and with as much caution as time allowed he balanced his way forward. At the midpoint, he realized this was one of the traps that had been laid on the path as the middle of the stone walkway crumbled. Both ends of the stone slipped off the pillars of basalt toward the waiting lava below.

    Steria felt the spike of tension and then fear through her link and banked hard with her wings, angling her small body toward Hyernan. Drops of molten rock splashed on her wings and she hissed in pain as she continued to dive toward where she had seen her companion last. As she neared him she watched as he frantically jumped toward the far pillar, hands outstretched as the walkway fell beneath him.

 Chapter Three

    Stone dropped below him and he felt his feet start to lose their grip. He shoved hard with what purchase he had left he pushed forward and at the same time shouting, ¡±Ventus maxus!"

    Time slowed and then with a surge of hot air he felt his body lifted and pushed just enough to grasp the edge of the pillar he had been aiming for. ¡±Inrita!¡± he cried out, stopping the onrush of air that threatened to tear his fragile grip from the rock. He pulled his body up onto the pillar, careful to not roll off the opposite side. Great shuddering breaths filled his lungs as they attempted to fill his blood with oxygen. That last spell had severely depleted his core. As he stood there he became aware of the pain filling his connection with his dragon companion. She was circling around him, anxious for his safety and happy that he had survived that final leap.

    He could see the dragon was favoring one of her wings and as she lifted the wing up to bank around the pillar again he could see a hole where molten rock had burned through the wing¡¯s membrane. ¡°Steria, Steria, girl we will fix that, but first I need to get to the exit. Fly over there and wait for me.¡±

    She gave a chirp of acknowledgment and flew off, pushing support through their shared bond. Hyernan shook his head and prepared to finish the final few pillars remaining. With a few careful leaps, he landed on the platform with the exit to the cavern. ¡±Inrita," he said to cancel the magic flowing out from him. Without the coolness of the spell, he could feel the heat from the room wash over him once again.

    The magical core that was deep within him felt almost empty. Crossing through that much space with two draining spells was difficult enough. The final push at the end saved his life but nearly depleted his core.

    Steria lay on the ground, her small chest moving up and down and she keened a soft cry. Her left wing was held out and Hyernan could see two holes burned through the membrane. He could feel her pain through their connection and sent back a feeling of support and comfort.

    Exhausted as he was he knew he couldn¡¯t leave the miniature dragon suffering. With a quick snap of the clasps on his satchel, he reached into and fumbled around until his hand closed on a small container of ointment he had bartered for in the southern city of Uwahan. He opened up it and carefully spooned a bit out with a finger and slathered it on the dragon¡¯s wounds.

    Steria¡¯s keen changed from pain-filled to a rumble of contentment as the ointment dulled the pain and started to heal the burned flesh. The ointment was infused with an enchantment that was supposed to help heal and restore wounds specifically for dragon kind.

    Hyernan stroked the dragon¡¯s head, scratching between the rows of spikes. He lay there on the ground with the dragon resting her head on his chest. As he rested he could see the holes slowly closing on her wing while a faint blue glow emanated from the salve. Despite the heat and not knowing what was past where he lay he felt his eyes grow heavy. Both of them were physically exhausted, and while he could feel his magical core slowly filling, it was still far too empty. With a final thought about what he should do next his eyes closed and both he and the dragon were fast asleep.

    <hr>

    Waking up was painful. The several hours it had taken to traverse the various caverns had worn both of them out and both had suffered injuries in the process. Several hours of sleep helped with the exhaustion, but sore muscles took longer. Steria¡¯s wing had fully healed and with the salve not even a scar remained. Hyernan believed that it was worth every kroon he had paid for it.

    He stretched a bit where he lay and then with a grunt stood up. Steria lay on the ground watching him and he could sense her hunger through the link. Feeling her hunger made his own stomach rumble. He placed his satchel on the ground and undid the clasps on the side. Lifting the loose flap up out of his way he reached into the now open compartment.

    Enchantments were common in the Republic. There were many people with magic cores who could ply various trades. Fewer were strong enough to cast spells, and even fewer were able to sustain any kind of magical output very long. One of the more common enchantments though was increasing the interior size of bags and containers. The magic user would carve runes into the object that was worked on and then the enchanter would will some of their magic into each rune. It was a simple way of allowing anyone with a little magic to make it go much further and provided a valued service.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Hyernan¡¯s satchel had been enchanted by himself, and one of the additions he had added was a side pocket that was both larger on the inside, but also preserved fresh foods for long periods of time. While dried rotan meat and bars of pressed grains were good in a rush, he wasn¡¯t in a huge hurry to live off them forever.

    First to come out was a small cooking set, followed by a crusty loaf of fresh lanken bread. Two blocks of yellow menlen cheese, a cured ham of blue rotan meat, and fresh luja fruit.

    ¡°Well Steria, luckily for us we don¡¯t even have to start a fire¡±, he gestured to the lava behind them. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of heat to go around.¡±

    With that being said Hyernan quickly got to work on the meal for the two of them. While Steria liked fresh meat, she also enjoyed well-cured rotan with spicy klonan peppers mixed into it. Slicing the meat and cheese he layered it between the bread and added some klonan peppers he pulled from the satchel.

    ¡°Densitas ventus," he muttered and the newly created sandwich floated toward the molten rock below the jutting rock he was resting on. He watched it carefully as the bread started to toast and the cheese melted. The smell of sizzling rotan meat started to permeate the air. With a quick gesture the now toasted sandwich floated back and landed on the wooden board he had set out. A quick, inrita, canceled the spell''s effect and he sliced the sandwich into sections.

    "Here you are beautiful," he said and handed the toasted section of the sandwich to Steria. He could feel her anticipation as she tore into the offered food. Grinning he grabbed his own piece and bit into it. Melted cheese oozed from the bread, and the klonan peppers filled his mouth with heat. The rotan meat was a perfect combination with the rest of the ingredients.

    "Now this is how you travel Steria! None of those traveler''s rations all the time and boring flavors," he said, "No, I like my food to taste good." Steria lifted her head at his comment and cocked it. She dipped her head twice in agreement and then went back to her own food.

    While the sandwich was delicious, he felt that the meal could use a couple more things. Reaching into the satchel compartment again he pulled out a barnoko puff pastry filled with cream sweetened with quiie syrup. He set that aside and then reached in and pulled out a bottle of Grendlen purple wine. As he sat the additional items down Steria had stopped eating and eyed the pastry and bottle.

    Hyernan could feel her interest and said, "No, you can''t have any of the wine. Remember last time? You got the hiccups and ended up setting the governor''s curtains on fire."

    With an annoyed snort, she flicked her tail and knocked the bottle over. It started rolling toward the edge of the ledge. Hyernan lunged for the bottle and managed to grab it before it disappeared forever into the depths of the lava below. As he turned back to reprimand the naughty dragon he saw that she had taken flight, and that his pastry was no longer where he had left it.

    "Steria! That pastry is mine!" he yelled after the fleeing dragon. Amusement flooded their shared link as Steria banked around, the barnoko puff pastry clutched in her forelegs. She swooped down and with a flair of her wings landed next to him, the pastry still safely clutched in her forelegs.

    With a grumble, Hyernan took the pastry from her and tore off a piece. "Here you sneaky stinker," he said as he bit into his piece. Steria flicked her tail as if to show indifference to Hyernan''s complaint and with a hiss of pleasure bit into the pastry, letting the cream cover her face. He grinned at the sight of the miniature black dragon covered in pastry cream.

    Steria flicked out her tongue and started to lick the cream off her snout after finishing the last of the pastry. Her forelegs helped with the cleaning effort and before long all evidence of the pastry had disappeared. Hyernan had sat and slowly ate his pastry while drinking the bottle of the Grendlen purple wine. She glanced around and saw the remnants of his pastry. "No, you already had your share, this is mine and I''m not going to let you distract me this time."

    Mild annoyance emanated from her and then with another flick of her tail she turned her back toward him, indicating that she accepted his decision this time, but future acceptance was up in the air.

    He snorted and popped the last of the pastry in his mouth and finished the bottle of wine. Cleaning up took little time and with bellies full and several hours of rest behind them, it was time to continue their journey deeper into the maze-like tomb.

    Flicking her wings the dragon launched herself into the air as he slipped his satchel over his shoulder and bent down to grab his stave. A glance over his shoulder gave him one last sight of the cavern that had come close to injuring or killing them. He wasn''t sure what lay ahead, but each challenge had been more difficult than the previous one. The ancient, and highly suspect map he had acquired made it look like the end was near, but with ancient enchanters who were both tricky, and complex in their designs, who really knew.

    Striding forward the orange and red glow of the lava started to recede as he moved deeper into the tunnel and further into the ancient chambers protecting the ruler within. He and Steria had overcome every challenge and puzzle presented so far and he intended to finish what had been started.

 Chapter Four

    Hyernan continued down the carved tunnel with three balls of luminous white light keeping the darkness at bay. Steria would fly around him as his journey continued, and at times would rest on his shoulder. They had stopped three times so far to eat and twice to sleep. He had started to become concerned about the length of the tunnel. None of the other chambers had been this far apart before. His research into the tomb had seemed to indicate that there would be at least one more cavern to puzzle through before the final resting place of the Mevobak Emperor.

    As he pondered stopping for another meal break he noticed that the light in the tunnel was brighter than what the three orbs could provide. He paused and as he did so Steria poked her head up from where she had been napping on his shoulder. The last hour or so she had been sleeping with her tail coiled around his neck and talons embedded in the enchanted shoulder pad. Curiosity flowed from her and with a cry, she pushed herself off his shoulder.

    Launched from a resting position she dropped down close to the air before her wings scooped through the air and propelled her down the tunnel. Her cries of anticipation echoed back to where he was standing and then faded away. He would have been concerned if he hadn¡¯t felt a spike of wonderment fill their shared link. Now he too was curious as to what the dragon had discovered. The wonderment emanating from her also contained traces of bafflement.

    Hyernan tightened the strap of his satchel and took off at a jog. Light continued to flood the tunnel, pushing the darkness even further back and as he rounded a curve bright sunlight blinded his vision. He stopped and blinked, confused. Sunlight this deep underground?

    Pupils contracted and his vision cleared as he gazed upon a sight he had never expected to see. He stood on a bluff overlooking a verdant jungle. The air was filled with sounds of birds singing and the cries of animals. A broad river flowed between the far distant walls of the largest cavern he had ever seen. Bright light flowed from above bathing everything in its light.

    A waterfall fell from the edge of the cavern, and even from this far off he could see that the amount of water pouring out rivaled anything he knew of on the surface. His gaze shifted further and he could see that the river filled a large lake, and in the center of the lake were three vegetation-covered islands.

    Up in the air, Steria swooped and banked as she flew for the first time in several days without having to worry about hitting something or have something injure her. Even from where he stood he could hear her cries of joy and with a sudden, steep swoop she grazed the waters of the river, snatching a fish for herself. She flew back toward where he stood and with a graceful back flare of her wings landed on her hindlegs, the fish grasped in her forelegs. He could tell it was one of the scaled Imdunan fish that he had once seen in the Joonva palace gardens. They were extremely rare and considered a delicacy worth their weight in gold.

    Food did not seem like it would be an issue down in this underground paradise. He began the climb down from the plateau he was standing on. While it gave an amazing view, it abruptly ended a few feet from the tunnel¡¯s exit. Carved into the stone was a steep series of stairs. Narrow steps twisted and wound their way down toward the jungle below. He carefully started his descent while Steria continued to bask in her freedom and took flight again, her fishy snack gone.

    While tiring and slow, the climb down wasn¡¯t difficult. Before long Hyernan stood on a rocky outcrop at the base of the cliff. The light above continued unabated and the shadows were still in the same position despite the hour or more it had taken him to descend from the clifftop. He yawned and decided that light, or no light, it was time to make camp and get some rest.

    Wide open space had been a luxury so far on this journey. Most of the sleeping and cooking had been done within cramped tunnels. He felt that there was finally enough room to set up the tent he normally liked to sleep in. Hyernan unsnapped his satchel and set it on the ground. He then proceeded to reach into the open satchel until his entire arm was deep inside the opening. Rummaging around he finally felt the tent he was looking for and pulled it out and placed the bundle on the rocky ground.

    A focus of magic and the uttered word, ¡°gera¡°, saw the tent unfold itself and then with a whoosh of displaced air the tent put itself together. The cords snapped out straight and as metal stakes fused themselves into the rock the cords wrapped around the eyelets and tied into a complex knot. An enchanted cloth rolled out from the entrance and formed a square. The cloth had been enchanted to repel water, dirt, grime, and small insects and creatures from entering the tent.

    Hyernan grinned, this was more like it. He could tolerate hard surfaces and awkward sleeping positions for awhile while on a quest, but there was nothing quite like having a tent to rest in.

    A mental call to Steria resulted in the dragon swooping down and landing on his shoulder. She chirped excitedly as she saw the tent had been set up and gave his cheek a nuzzle with her head.

    Walking toward the tent resulted in the divided fabric at the entrance moving apart and Hyernan ducked inside with the dragon wrapped around his neck. Inside he stood back up and grinned again. The apex of the tent stretched twenty feet into the air. Dark wooden beams supported the expansion of canvas, as wooden floors stretched off thirty feet to the far end of the tent. To his left stood a fully equipped kitchen with a wooden table, running water, and a cooking fireplace already lit.

    To his right was his normal work area. Benches lined the wall and various pieces of armor, weapons, tools, and pieces of leather crowded each other. Bins of metals, various machined parts, and even pieces of a Gluuma field cannon filled the floor. Dividers made up of wood and cloth divided the kitchen and work areas from the back half of the tent.

    Hyernan walked forward and passed the dividers revealing a loft where the bed was located. Beneath the loft was another fireplace with a warm fire crackling merrily away. Shelves filled with books, scrolls, parchment pieces, and even clay tablets lined the loft area. In the middle was a pair of comfortable leather chairs and a neatly organized wooden writing desk.

    Across from the loft was another cloth screened area. This was where Hyernan was headed. It had been far too long since he had felt the warmth of a decent shower. Enchantments could do a lot to ease the burden of travel, and having his own cast iron enameled tub with attached shower and a charmed water warmer was one of the first things he had installed in his travel tent.

    Steria dropped off his shoulder and with a flap of her wings took to the air. Her favorite perch was at the edge of the loft. Hyernan had built a wooden nest on top of the railing and filled it with soft cloth. She loved to curl up in it and watch what was happening below.

    A wave of Hyernan¡¯s hand near one of the dividers activated the skylights built into the sides of the tent and rectangles of canvas became semi-translucent, letting in the light from outside. Another flick of his wrist and water started to pour the tub. As much as he liked his traveling outfit, even with freshening enchantments, after several days of hard use the smell was not... pleasant.

    Water continued to fill the enameled tub as he pulled off the travel stained clothing and tossed the cloths into an enchanted refresher. After fifteen minutes or so any garments placed inside the round, metallic, contraption would be thoroughly washed, dried, and then softened. Small rips and tears would be mended and any items in the pockets would be neatly sorted into a drawer under the round tub. The cast iron tub and refresher were still two of his better purchases he thought as he eased his body into the warm liquid.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    His normally light olive skin lightened as the water swirled around his body lifting the dirt and grime away as it circulated through the screened holes on the sides of the tub. The water was magically cleansed, warmed, and pushed back out, creating a unending supply of perfectly clean warm bliss.

    Traveling with such luxuries had not always been something he was used to. This tent represented several years of investment, but in his line of work, it was quite nice to have. Inns and hostels could be few and far between near the ruins that he frequented.

    Soft bell tones sounded as the garment refresher finished cleaning his clothing. With a sigh, he pulled himself out of the warm water and stepped out of the tub. Water dripped off his skin and drained away in the slats covering the floor around the tub. A soft towel hung on a hook attached to the dark wooden divider providing some privacy for this section of the tent. A quick toweling off and a muttered drying spell, ¡±tr¨¦na¡°, finished removing the rest of the water.

    He slipped on his pants and shirt then fashioned the sash around his waist. The sash held his stave and contained a couple of pockets that were enchanted to be larger on the inside and to negate some of the weight of their contents. He had also managed to sew in some runes deterred theft by making it difficult to concentrate on the pockets themselves. He finished dressing and beckoned to Steria who had been relaxing the entire time up in her perch.

    ¡°Steria, I think it¡¯s time for a bath and oiling. You¡¯ve been neglected too long,¡± he said as he opened a chest of drawers and started pulling out various bottles. The dragon walked to the edge of her perch used her back legs to launch off. A flare of her wings let her glide directly over the water in the tub. While still several feet up she craned her neck around to look at Hyernan standing next to the tub and with a chirp folded her wings and dove straight down.

    "Ausa!¡± Hyernan shouted as he realized what the dragon had in mind. He had caught her burst of mischief in their empathic link and knew she intended on splashing water out of the tub directly on to him. Steria hit the water and a wave of water sloshed out of the tub. He had managed to get the water controlling spell off just in time and with a twist of his hands and a push from his magic the water stopped halfway to him and slid back into the tub.

    Steria bobbed to the surface her eyes sparkling with mischief as she eyed her handiwork. With a disappointed puff of air from her mouth she saw Hyernan dry and unaffected. A flick of her tail though managed to splash a small amount of water around his control and onto his jacket. He rolled his eyes as she dove back under the surface, her tail and wings letting her glide smoothly and almost without effort through the water.

    He chuckled as he watched the dragon frolic and splash in the water. He then pulled the stopper from one of the bottles and poured a few drops of the liquid into the water. As soon as the drops splashed into the water bubbles began to form. Soon the tub was crowded with both small and large bubbles that soon started to spill over the side. Steria trilled happily and started to play a game of hide and seek by diving water and reappearing between the clouds of foam and bubbles.

    With the knowledge that the dragon would be content for awhile enjoying her bath, he walked back to the kitchen area. One entire corner of the tent was devoted to preparing food. He may be off for months at a time exploring ancient ruins and delving into the mysteries of the past, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to eat traveler¡¯s rations the entire time.

    A plank of dark, patterned wood made up the counter along one of the walls. Cut into the wood were openings for the enameled cast iron sink and for the enchanted rubbish disposal container. The enchantments of the rubbish disposal had been tricky. He had layered a charm to increase the weight of the sliding lid that would compress the contents of the bin. Another enchantment reinforced the sides of the container. The final enchantment he had carved into the rim of the bin himself filtered the air coming from within and purified it. The only difficulty he had now was emptying it when it became full. He usually had to use a spell to lighten the density and a powerful air purifying spell afterward.

    The sink had pipes running to a barrel secured above the sink and then to another barrel below. A third pipe looped back from the bottom barrel to the top one. Both barrels and the third pipe had water purification runes carved into them. Along with simple water replenishment enchantment he never ran out of water.

    Filling a kettle with water from the sink he placed it into the fire that was burning in the fireplace built into the other counter. The smoke was magically removed from the vent pipe and a few other charms kept the fire safely contained. One of his favorite teas was grown in the northern Grenda region. Grenda was more renowned for the purple wine grown from round, spiked fruit than for its teas, but even this tea had become well known.

    The tea came from a simple bush that was harvested several times a summer. It was popular in many places from the rejuvenating energy it gave the drinker after it was consumed. Since he wanted to rest that evening he reluctantly put it aside and instead opted for a milder Alkmenate tea that was known for helping with relaxation and improving one¡¯s rest.

    With water heating, Hyernan made his way back to the bath and a gesture with one of his hands started the water draining. Steria popped up out the bubbles and gave a sad trill as the water quickly ran down the drain. He bent down and let the now clean dragon climb up his arm. With a few steps, he was at the table built just for Steria. The dragon knew what to do and hopped off his arm and onto the padded surface of the table.

    One side of the raised table was full of jars, vials, and small canisters. He selected a canister and a small ceramic jar. Opening the jar filled the air with a pungent musk. He poured out some of the dark liquid inside onto the miniature dragon and started to rub the Inulo oil onto her scales. As he worked the oil in between different scales Steria lay contentedly with her eyes closed. Soon a rumble could be heard from within her chest as she basked in the attention.

    Dragons, in general, could take care of themselves. They were after all almost sentient creatures. The oils he was applying to her scales though helped keep parasites and disease away. It also helped as the scales fell off and new ones grew to replace the old. Steria continued her contented rumbling, sounding not too dissimilar to a Loguu feline. He switched to the canister and started to apply a cream that had been infused with Pyrne nut oil. The mixture would help heal any wounds the dragon had received.

    Finished he closed up both of the containers and replaced them on the shelf. Steria lay on the table and as he watched fell asleep. Resting was not a bad idea as he could feel exhaustion clawing at the back of his mind. The kettle on the fire started to whistle as it finished heating. He walked back to the kitchen and poured the boiling water into a cup along with a silk sachet of the Alkmenate tea. Carefully holding the steaming mug he went back to the study area.

    Over the years he had acquired five different maps of the Mevobak tomb. Each one was different, and each one was... incomplete. It was almost as if the various explorers had found tombs that were completely distinct from each other. He continued to sip on his tea as he studied the parchments and explorer journals. One thing all the documents had in common was that each individual had turned back before finding the end of the tomb.

    Ulanta Kyberian was famous for her discoveries over the years. Even she had attempted to explore the Mevobak tomb and wasn''t able to find the end. The copy of her journal talked about caverns full of ice and snow and days spent in the bitter cold as she tried over and over to navigate through the tunnels and ice caverns. No matter what she did her path always led back to the first cavern.

    Greror Indamo had actually written a book about his foray into the tomb. He mentioned briefly about entering a cavern full of plants and animals. Greror had gone into the cavern with a full party of twenty and only himself and three others had made it out. Tales of men disappearing in the night as they slept, voices from the deep within the forest. More than anything though was the repetition within the book about a danger from below.

    Sleep could no longer be put off. Even with the notes spread before him Hyernan could feel the heaviness behind his eyes. Stacking the documents up on the small desk he stood up from the chair and climb the stairs to the loft where his bed was. A wave of his hand closed the skylights and the lamps within the tent dampened down. Darkness filled the interior and the only sounds were soon the sound of a sleeping dragon and the crackling of the fires. As he laid down and entered the warm embrace of sleep his last thought was the journey the next day, and of the warning in Greror''s book. Danger from below.

 Chapter Five

    Waking up after a full eight hours of sleep is normally quite refreshing. Most times, when he had a chance, Hyernan loved to lay in bed and simply enjoy the feeling of relaxation. However, when a dragon wakes up and is hungry she doesn¡¯t wait for her companion to take their time getting out of bed. Instead what he work up to was the feeling of a hot, wet, raspy tongue licking his face. Along with that pleasant feeling was the strong impression of hunger emanating from Steria.

    Grumbling under his breath about undeserving dragons and their appetites Hyernan stood up out of bed. It had been a nice change to sleep in a comfortable bed for once on this expedition. With his hand, he drew a circle in the air and then closed and opened his fist. Instead of having to utter spells and focus his magical core through his stave to do simple tasks in his tent he had instead engraved runes throughout the separate parts of the tent that responded to specific hand movements. This particular one increased the flame in the fireplaces, lit the lamps, and turned the skylights from opaque to a semi-transparent, letting in outside light.

    Rubbing sleep from his eyes he stumbled down the stairs from the loft and toward the kitchen. One corner of the kitchen area contained a metal contraption he had acquired down in the southern mountains from the Illanota tribes. In the distant past, the Illanota used to travel about with their herds of Rotan beasts and Omyyn birds, they had since then settled down into towns that had grown into cities. The mountains were rich with ores and gemstones and as a result, the Illanota had turned from being herdsmen to craftmanship.

    His metal box was divided into two compartments, the top was enchanted to keep foods cold and preserve them almost indefinitely. By contrast, the lower section could warm food up, and based on the runes selected with a sliding metal piece the heat contained within would increase or decrease.

    Steria flew over the top of the dividers and with a bank of her wings landed on her corner of the table in the center of the kitchen. She cocked her head and eyed Hyernan as he opened the top section of the food preserver and pulled out a rotan and omyyn pie. The omyyn eggs had been scrambled and mixed with various vegetables and mushrooms with smoked strips of rotan meat cut up and mixed in as well. He liked the dish warm, while Steria didn¡¯t care either way. So he cut her a slice and placed it on a wooden platter and then opened the bottom of the food preserver and slid the rest of the dish inside. He selected a mid-high heat and closed the door.

    He placed the wooden platter in front of the hungry dragon and without any further hesitation, she started to satiate her hunger. He smiled as she carefully took bites out of the breakfast pie. His own breakfast would take a bit longer so he put the kettle back on to the countertop fireplace and pulled out his favorite Grenda spice tea.

    While his breakfast was heating he walked back to the study area and grabbed the book by Greror, "An Impossible Tomb: My Story of the Search for Mevobak", and slipped it into his satchel. The kettle started to whistle and the food heater chimed a soft note. He poured hot water over his spiced tea and pulled the breakfast pie out and dug in. The food preserver was truly a remarkable bit of enchantment. This particular breakfast pie he had bought in the province of Aa''neq over nine months before and it looked the same as the day he had placed it into the preserver.

    By the time he was done Steria was flying laps in the tent, ready to continue their journey outside. The taste of open spaces the day before had only whet her appetite for more exploration. He too was also ready to continue their journey deeper into this subterranean jungle. Stopping by the work area he replenished his satchel and then lifted the flap at the exit of the tent, stepping out into the eternal light outside.

    While he and Steria had spent a night recovering within the tent, outside it appeared as if nothing had changed. Light continued to beat down from the center of the cavern at the same intensity and he could hear the sounds of wildlife in the jungle. "Gera," he muttered and the tent collapsed in on itself, folding up and wrapping its cords around itself. That was one of the more useful spells he thought. It simply meant do, or perform. Based on the intent of the castor an action could be performed with a small push of magic. Many items even had runes engraved in them so that anyone could perform a selection of scripted actions on an item. One of the most famous was the city gates of Joonva. Instead of having to several animals around to help close the massive gates the officer in charge could use gera and the gates were closed within minutes. A selection of runes the officer had access to could then lock and secure the gate, preventing it from being opened again.

    He picked up the bundled tent and placed it back into his satchel. Steria took off into the air, flying above him as he walked off the patch of rock the tent had been on into the jungle. The air was filled with the sounds of wildlife. Bird cries could be heard in the trees and other animal life was present as well from the rustling of the vegetation around him.

    As he pushed his way through the vegetation he stumbled upon a game path that wound its way between the trees and bushes. Thankful to have something he could walk on Hyernan started to hike down the path. Steria flittered amongst the trees as she continued to enjoy the freedom of so much open space. Here in the jungle, the magical light that filled the cavern wasn''t as strong. It was still far warmer then he expected and it was humid. He was impressed at how much it felt like an actual jungle and not a subsurface cavern.

    Hyernan and Steria continued their journey for several hours. Here and there he would get a glimpse of some of the animals inhabiting the area. Monkeys lept between trees and colorful birds would fly past. He even saw a termite mound and a colony of nomad ants trudging past in a long line. Those he carefully avoided. The nomad ants wandered from place to place and were known for a very vicious and quite painful bite if disturbed.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    When several hours had passed Hyernan was considering a spot to set up for a lunch break when he saw a gap in the trees ahead of him. Steria was riding on his shoulder at the moment and as she sensed his curiosity about the clearing that was coming up took off and flew toward it. He continued to walk down the path with the thought of setting up a midday camp when a jolt of surprise and joy came from the miniature dragon who had flown ahead.

    Instead of the steady pace he had been using, Hyernan broke into a jog that quickly brought him to the jungle clearing. Within the open area, he saw the remains of a camp. A battered traveler''s tent was still standing and around it were scattered bits and pieces of logs, wooden crates, part of a bench, and he noted with sadness the remains of a skeleton, still covered in rusted armor.

    He could see why Steria had been surprised but wasn''t sure why he had felt the brief spike of joy from her until he looked up. Above him, Steria was flying with another miniature dragon. The other dragon was similar looking to Steria but was covered in dark purple scales. The two dragons were flying happily around each other in a complicated pattern and with great enthusiasm. While rare, miniature dragons were not uncommon in the outside world, and if there was an opportunity Steria was always ready to socialize with another of her kind. This was the first time though that he had seen one that wasn''t accompanied by a companion. As far as he knew almost every miniature dragon bonded with a companion at birth.

    The dragons had a long lifespan and would travel with their bonded companion for the rest of both of their lives. In the event, the dragon''s companion died they would sometimes bond with another person. Other times they would become lethargic and depressed and after a few weeks, the dragon would pass on.

    Steria swooped down to Hyernan and landed on his padded shoulder. Her new friend also flew down and perched on the top of the tent. The purple dragon cocked her head and watched him. Both of the dragons could communicate mentally. While he could only receive images and emotions from Steria he knew that she could communicate on a much deeper level with the other dragon. As he stood there he felt a mental nudge from Steria and images flooded into his mind.

    The unknown adventurer that lay next to the tent appeared in his mind whole, and healthy. He had been a large blonde haired man with a matching beard that was quite long. The beard had been neatly divided and braided. He wore steel scaled armor and carried an enchanted steel sword. Hyernan saw the memory of the man as he cared for the purple scaled dragon as they journeyed together. Flashes of emotion accompanied the imagery, joy, happiness, and then ultimately a profound sadness followed by a keen loneliness. He realized that the emotions were from the small purple dragon who perched on a tree branch and watched him.

    With a sense of sadness still hanging over him, Hyernan ducked into the still-standing traveling tent. While the inside was larger than it appeared to be from the outside it was only a quarter of the size of Hyernan''s own personal tent. Which was not surprising considering he had a tent that was quite expensive. Inside this tent was a single large room with a bed in one corner, a work and study area opposite the sleeping corner. The other wall contained a compact cooking area, a screened off refreshment area and a stand for armor and weapons. It was a typical setup among many travelers and was large enough for a single person or up to a small family of maybe four depending on the configuration.

    He walked over to the corner where a work bench had been wedged next to a desk, a small bookshelf, and a table. The table had several parchment pieces scattered over it and a leather-bound book sitting on top. Hyernan recognized the book for what it was, a journal. Opening it up to the first page he saw the name engraved in the leather, Byeron Tranlein. Wanting to know more about who this Byeron was and what happened to him Hyernan flipped through the journal looking for details about the present location.

    He found out that the purple dragon outside the tent was named Saria and that she and Byeron had found an old map leading to this tomb. A sketch of the map in the journal had notes below it the dangers found inside. This was indeed most interesting and he flipped a few more pages as the journal detailed the group that had entered the cavern. Byeron had recruited three others, a Joonvan Pyro Mage, a skilled mercenary, and a Thadora Scholar to accompany him on his attempt to traverse the tomb''s puzzles to the final cavern.

    At first glance, the journey seemed similar to what Hyernan and Steria had experience. The first puzzle was the same, the granite block that had to be lowered instead of lifted. After that, the journal''s entries showed a completely different set of caverns. Byeron and his group had traveled through a cavern full of ice with many different branches leading off that all seemed to go in circles. The scholar, who was versed in many ancient puzzles, runes, and traps was the one to find the solution. What that solution was Byeron did not note down, but the group continued deeper.

    Following the ice cavern maze was another cavern where magic was modified to do unexpected things. The cavern was huge and with no visible means to cross from one side to the other. Attempts to levitate a loaf of bread across caused it first to fall, then fly upward to the ceiling before it fell it again and then burst into flames. The second attempt with another loaf saw the bread spin in circles in the middle of the cavern before it disappeared from one location and reappeared into another location. After randomly teleporting around the cavern the bread froze to such a low temperature that it shattered and the pieces drifted away.

    Byeron was quite proud of the fact that while the others struggled to find a way around the bizarre magical interference he realized that there was a pattern to the teleportations that had tossed a loaf of bread around like crazy. With all four of them, they had plotted out how to cross the cavern without running into the various traps or to be slammed into the floor at terminal speed. It had been a wild and crazy ride, but they had all made it across. They had all been full of hope and encouragement as the group continued to find solutions and progress deeper into the tomb.

    It was the cavern after the teleportation puzzle that ended up claiming the life of the Pyro Mage. The entry in the journal didn''t delve too deeply into what had happened, and Hyernan could tell from the writing that it had a deep impact on Byeron. The entry for that day simply noted: "Detleen triggered a trap and died from a virulent poison that none of the potions could heal. She saved the rest of us and let us continue this journey. While I did not know her well, I have to ask myself, is this worth it?"

 Chapter Six

    Reading about the group that had come before him saddened Hyernan. One by one member¡¯s continued to fall until Byeron and his miniature dragon were the only ones remaining. Together they had continued deeper into the tomb until they had also arrived in this underground oasis of life. With a sigh, he closed the journal and slid it into his satchel. It was a wealth of information that he was loathe to leave behind, and he wanted something to carry out with him when he left the tomb as a reminder of the brave adventurer who had struggled this far before coming to an end.

    There was nothing else he wanted from the tent. It was still being used by Saria and he was not a scavenger of the dead. The journal was the only thing he was taking and when he was done here and back in Joonva he was determined to find the next of kin of each of the members of this expedition and let them know what had happened.

    He blinked as he left the tent and stepped back outside into the bright, magical sunlight of the cavern. Saria and Steria were still sharing with each other and he could feel through his mental link that Steria wanted to stay here for a while longer. He felt the same way. Byeron needed to be laid to rest at the least and he and his dragon had already been traveling for several hours. The clearing was as good as any place to rest.

    With a quick muttered ¡°gera¡°, his tent was once again ready to be used. He ducked inside and walked to the back of the tent and through another flap. The ceiling of the rear compartment of the tent was made up of translucent panels that let in the light from outside. Light which bathed the small greenhouse in its life giving rays. Various plants from his travels around the world grew in here. Some for their medicinal or magical properties, others simply because he liked them. In his free time, he loved to putter around this indoor garden tending to the various plants.

    In one corner rested a large tub of water with various fish swimming lazily around it. The water from the garden system circulated through pipes to each plant and then back to the tub. The fish were fed through an enchanted feeding system he had bought along with the tank itself and only required nutrients to be added to it periodically. The fish fertilized the water that then fed the plants. There had been times when he had been in remote areas and food had been scarce where the plants and fish had sustained him. He slid open a door on a tall cabinet and pulled out a shovel. With that in hand, he walked back out of the garden, and through his tent to the outdoors.

    With a twist on the handle, the runes engraved in the wood and metal of the shovel glowed briefly. A quick infusion of his magical core and the shovel was ready for digging. The enchanted shovel not only dug through most dirt with almost no resistance, it also lightened whatever it was in the spade. Within half an hour he had dug a hole several feet deep and long enough to hold Byeron.

    Carefully he lowered the former adventurer into the grave. With a sigh, he leaned on the shovel and watched as Saria and Steria solemnly stood guard. Saria let out soft keening noise from her throat, the grief she still bore evident in her body. Steria crooned and nuzzled the other dragon gently, offering her support.

    "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust is what we return to," Hyernan said, looking into the grave, "However, Byeron I will make sure you are remembered for who you were and for those who accompanied you on your journey." With that being said and with the sound of dragons keening to the sky he shoveled the earth into the hole, finally bringing rest to the other man.

    Hyernan lacked the tools for a proper gravestone, but he managed to carve a wooden gravestone and on it place the runes to preserve the wood. It wouldn''t last as long as stone, but it would stand for several decades, providing a testament to the man buried there. With that done the dragons took flight arrowing up into the air. He watched them go unconcerned. Steria could take care of herself and Saria had obviously been able to be on her own.

    He had something he needed to do anyway and had been putting off for a while. Muttering under his breath he entered his tent once more and stepped into the study area. One of the wooden sides to the shelves was actually hollow and the center slid out allowing a mirror to safely contained within.

    He slid the mirror out and locked it into place. Carved into the glass runes lined the edges of the mirror and at the top in the center was a larger rune. He placed his hand on the large rune and called out, "Emberly, if you can hear me I would like to talk with you." The rune flashed an emerald green and then faded to a soft glow. He pulled out one of the books he had been studying and sat down, waiting for a response from one of his few close friends. Barely a few pages into the book the runes flashed a brilliant white and then started to switch between white and blue.

    Standing up he placed his hand on the rune and this time connected his magic core to the mirror. As he did so the mirror changed from his reflection to that of a young, dark-haired woman. Her gray eyes stared out of the mirror at him.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "What? I''m quite busy right now Hyernan. This better be good," she said in lieu of a polite greeting.

    "Emberly, good to see you again as well," he responded. "I''ve found it..."

    Before he could start his explanation she snorted. "What? You found the tomb? Again? This would be what the fourth time that you thought you found the Mevobak Tomb?"

    He frowned at the sarcastic response, but he couldn''t refute her statement. The last time he had been so sure that the tomb he had found had been the Mevobak Emperor''s tomb. It wasn''t his fault that it was from the fifth Agrana Dynasty who had been so taken with the Mevobakan culture they used the same writing style.

    "Listen to me Emberly, this is it. No other tomb I have ever been in has been like this. There are Fulneen enchantments and traps that litter each cavern. The enchantment on this place is beyond anything I have ever seen. Look I am deep underground and yet I''m in a cavern full of plants, animals, and with an artificial light that must have lasted for thousands of years!"

    She frowned but then felt her lips twitch as Hyernan continued to gush on about the discoveries in the series of caverns he had journeyed through. Maybe this time it really was the tomb for the Third Emperor of Mevobak. Some liked to call him the last Emperor due to the empire breaking up shortly after his death. In fact, the legends and stories from that time spoke of his tomb and of the treasures it contained that rivaled anything else in history.

    The one item though that the tomb was known for was a magical artifact that could change whole countries, move mountains, and create seas. That was what Hyernan had been after for all these years.

    "Fine, fine," she said, "I can see how much you think this is it. Have you found it then? Have you found the Emperor''s Sceptre?"

    Hyernan shook his head, "Not yet. I am getting close though. You wouldn''t believe what this cavern looks like. There is an entire river here and in the middle of the lake that it empties into is where I think the final tomb is located. I''ll be there by tomorrow, but I don''t know how long it will take to navigate inside."

    He paused and looked at her, "Emberly, I need you and your airship. Whatever I find, I need to get it back to Joonva before anyone else finds out. Once anyone else knows I''ve made it this far there will be a rush to get here. You and I both know there are... individuals who will stop at nothing to acquire the Scepter."

    Emberly nodded, but then frowned, her eyebrows narrowing as she thought about what he had said. "Even if I head there right now, which I can''t mind you, I wouldn''t be there for at least a week. I''m halfway across the province chasing down a pirate airship. I''ve contracted with the Republic to eliminate this particular thorn in their side before I can do anything else."

    He shrugged, "It doesn''t matter. I''m sure it''ll take at least that long to get through the tomb. Just... get here when you can. You''re the only one I would trust with this."

    "I''ll be there as soon as I can Hyernan. Meanwhile, I''ll leave you a mirror message once I can go your direction... Where are you anyway?"

    Relief filled Hyernan with the knowledge that one of his closest friends would be there soon. "Thank you Emberly. You know I''ll owe you a lot for this. I''m in the Western Reaches near the Yulan Desert. Look for the Gleena Oasis and let me know when you see it. I can direct  you from there."

    Her lips twitched up into a smile as she said, "Hyernan, you already owe me so much I don''t think you''ll ever pay it off." She laughed and with a wave of her hand severed the connection.

    The mirror in her cabin faded and then only showed her reflection. Her eyes flicked over the window in her cabin and she stared out at the ground rushing below as the airship journeyed toward the last known location of the pirates she was hunting. She stood there in thought, contemplating what she had learned.

    Hyernan''s mirror also faded back to only showing a reflection as his own connection disappeared. He grinned and slid the mirror back into its holder.

    <hr>

    Another mirror, a much smaller, and yet more complex device, also faded. The reflection showed an older man with graying hair and ice blue eyes staring back into it. The conversation had not been intended for him, but he had heard it anyway. Interception mirrors were not cheap, or easy to use, and required tuning to a mirror it was intercepting. His gamble on Emberly being involved in Hyernan''s quest had paid off and now he had an idea of where he was.

    Turning the unknown man started pulling maps from a shelf and laying them on the table muttering to himself.

    <hr>

    Hyernan left the study area and walked over to the corner dedicated to a work area. It was time to redo his satchel. The last few days had depleted some of his supplies and seeing the buildings on the island had made him think that he needed a few more potions, some additional food, and rope added to his satchel''s compartments. If there was one thing he was sure of having enough supplies was one of the things that had saved him in the past in other ruins he had explored.

 Chapter Seven

    Activity filled the control cabin on the airship Sjtarna as the crew prepared to engage a fleeing pirate ship. Ahead of them the black airship they were pursuing zigged zagged back and forth as ranging shots from the Sjtarna flew past it.

    Emberly sat in the command chair in the center of the control cabin. Her chair restraints were fastened as the airship jerked about as it dodged return fire from the fleeing ship. Mounted on gimbals, attached to the ceiling, runic mirrors relayed images from around the airship, including the forward view. The fleeing ship was slowly growing closer to her own, with the added danger of return fire also getting more accurate.

    ¡°Lieutenant Alene what is the status of our forward battery?¡± Emberly asked the young woman in charge of the forward airship cannons. A glancing shot from the pirates had damaged part of the starboard forward section and stopped the cannoneers there from returning fire.

    A red-headed woman with dusky skin glanced at the runes on the console in front of her noting that that the runes glowing red for the forward cannons had shifted to green. She slid a finger down one of the runes and the mirror shifted to the starboard forward firing bay. The mirror now displayed a room full of smoke and frantic men and women running out one of the rifled breech cannons before locking it into firing position. One of the men slapped a glowing blue rune on the side of the cannon and a flash of steam erupted out the front as the enchantment doused the hot metal and washed out any remaining embers.

    Another rune pressed dried the interior of the cannon and then a final white rune was pressed to perform a short distance teleportation of a rifled shell into the cannon. As she watched a woman aligned the cannon with the coordinates being relayed from the control cabin and pressed the red firing rune.

    ¡°Captain, starboard forward cannons are operational again. Cannoneers are re-engaging the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Helm, continue to close, advise engineering to monitor power reserves.¡±

    Emberly continued to stare out the front viewports as well as at her mirrors watching as they drew closer. She felt a small sense of doubt though. This was too easy, they were almost within range of the fleeing airship to start striking it without missing. She reached up and pulled a mirror closer to her, adjusting the view so that she could see the ground forward of the ship.

    Frowning her gaze narrowed until she saw the distortion amongst a small patch of trees.

    ¡°Helm! Reverse port engines, full starboard engines, hard starboard!¡± She yelled and slapped a rune on the side of her chair. All hands, all hands target the trees ahead of us. There is an enemy vessel under an invisibility spell waiting to attack.¡±

    The force of the turn canted the deck as the airship swung around and away from the waiting pirate ship. If the Sjtarna had flown over the waiting ambush the other airship would have been able to launch a broadside of shells into the belly of her ship. Instead metal and wood creaked as the airship righted itself and the cannons on the port side opened up targeting the area where the other airship was hidden.

    Plumes of dirt and debris flew up into the air as shells exploded in the ground. Dust flew and within the cloud, another airship shimmered into view. The lean outline of the pirate vessel swiftly started to move as it lost the element of surprise. The other pirate ship had swung around in the meantime hoping to catch its pursuer unaware and vulnerable to crossfire from both ships.

    The Sjtarna continued to pump out shells now hitting both of the enemy ships again and again while taking fire in return.

    Emberly grasped the edges of her chair as the deck shifted and the sheer force of explosions pushed the airship about in the air. The runes along the envelope of the airship glowed as they fought to compensate against the force of the explosions. While able to strengthen and support the ship too many close calls would cause them to fail and the ship would be torn open.

    Cheers burst out among the crew as the formerly hidden pirate airship below them burst into flames as their runes failed and a shell exploded directly against the envelope. With the runes down several other shells continued to pound the wounded ship, explosions walking down the length of the ship. Barely a few hundred feet into the air the spine finally broke and the ship plunged downwards to slam into the unyielding ground.

    Taking advantage of the distraction the other ship had given it the first ship had risen above the Sjtarna and closed enough to throw boarding harpoons. The explosive launchers threw a harpoon with a head that would break open upon contact letting out a sticky substance that swiftly hardened. Runes that helped stop shell fire would prevent an actual harpoon from entering, but not from something sticking to the side.

    ¡°All hands, all hands! Prepare to repel boarders. Forward defense teams engage upon sight!¡± The Captain¡¯s voice rang from the sound runes engraved on the bulkhead of every room and along most corridors.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    A fireteam of several men and women rushed down a corridor and set up a position near an external hatch. Bright light flickered around the frame of the hatch as someone on the exterior of the airship applied a melting paste.

    Fwooom! The hatch pulled away with an explosion and figures lept into the interior. The team who had been directed to this location by the control room lifted hollow metal rods, engraved with runes, to their shoulders. Using the iron sights at the end of the rod each one of them would press on a rune in the handle.

    Red and green blasts of light streamed down the corridor hitting the boarders. Several fell to the floor and one of them desperately held up a small device that bloomed into a transparent shield. The shield slammed into the floor, ceiling, and walls of the corridor, effectively blocking the incoming fire.

    Not to be deterred one of the women stood up with a larger tube. One end was hollow and she pointed it at the shield protecting the group gathered on the other side. The other end of the tube held a white crystal with a single large rune carved into it.

    The rest of her fire team quickly moved out of her way, leaving the back of the tube safely pointed down the corridor behind them.

    ¡°Clear! Firing max!¡± she yelled as her finger pushed against the firing rune. The open end of the tube lit up with a violet glow and a jet of energy streamed out of the end. The woman braced herself as the discharge threatened to move the tube. The crystal on the back started to glow energy also started to emit from it. This balanced the output somewhat and helped the woman control her aim. Without some counterbalance to the energy rushing out the front, it was far too easy for the tube to swing around and cause friendly fire.

    Ahead of her, the shield started to distort as the energy licked at edges. Heat from the backblast quickly started to make the corridor far to hot for comfort. Three seconds of continuous output from the tube drained the runes and crystals that controlled the energy. The violet stream of energy changed to a blue, and then to red before disappearing. It had done what it needed to do though. The shield was flickering and as they watched it too faded away.

    Air, heated to levels that were almost dangerous to breathe rushed past the now depleted shield and out the hatch. Two men near the hatchway were pushed out by the rush of wind. The fire team took advantage of the shield¡¯s dropping and poured on the fire, draining the crystals attached to each of the rods with little thought to how much remained.

    Out of the two dozen men and women who had boarded the airship, only seven remained alive. Out of those three were injured. They threw down their weapons as the fire from the crew started to take them out.

    ¡°Hold fire!¡°, the fireteam commander yelled and the energy slacked off. Five pirates were left standing with their hands above their heads.

    ¡°Sergeant, you and you,¡± the commander pointed to two other crew members. ¡°Secure the prisoners and take them to holding. The rest of you come with me.¡±

    With that being said he pulled out a thin crystalline tablet and tapped a rune. The crystal shimmered and a handprint appeared. He placed his hand on it and let the tablet authenticate him. A schematic of the airship replaced the hand and three red dots glowed the image. He had taken care of one of those incursions, and the nearest one to him was only up two levels.

    He slipped the tablet back into his pocket and rushed off, the rest of the fireteam falling in behind their commander. As they jogged down the corridor several of them pulled out nearly depleted energy crystals and replaced them with fresh ones.

    A quick left turn and the ladder leading upward came into view. Sounds of battle echoed down the ladder well as the team started t ascend toward the intrusion. Halfway to the second level, the sounds of conflict above them grew quiet. The team commander hoped that meant his side had won, but until he knew for sure he was going to be cautious.

    With the second level opening directly above his head, he pulled out a small mirror on a length of metal and lifted the mirror slowly into the corridor. The sight above caused his heart to sink. Most of the bodies littering the floor wore the uniform of the crew of the airship. A gaping hole in the side of the airship let a fierce wind into the passageway. He put the mirror away and clambered up the last few rungs and into the open.

    Through the torn metal he could see several strands of steel anchoring his airship to the pirate airship. A small mechanical contraption was ferrying several individuals away toward the waiting pirate ship. Even from where he stood he could recognize the uniforms of crew from his airship. The pirates were kidnapping his crewmates for who knows what evil purpose.

    Commander Athian Welken clenched his teeth in anger before he pulled his tablet out and pressed the rune to connect to the control room. A quick conversation with the communications officer connected him directly to Captain Emberly.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯m afraid to report that the intruders have taken some of our people. I counted at least nine taken over to the pirate ship before they started to sever the harpoon lines. We did managed to take a few captives and have them back in the holding area.¡±

    ¡°Thank you commander. We¡¯re going to retrieve our crew. I want you and your people ready to go as soon as we can close back to boarding range,¡± Emberly¡¯s voice echoed from the small tablet. Sounding small compared to her true voice.

    Athian acknowledged his Captain¡¯s orders and disconnected. ¡°Lieutenant Engles take a team and head back to the armory. Secure additional weapons and supplies and prepare for boarding action.

    The woman who had fired the large energy weapon from earlier saluted and took most of the remaining crew members with her. The command meanwhile pulled some small devices from a locker further down the corridor and placed them around the gaping hole in the side of the airship. With a few taps on his tablet, the devices started to extrude metallic fingers of material toward each other, weaving back and forth until after a few minutes the hole had been sealed. It wasn''t as strong as the original material would have been, but it would help prevent additional damage.

    Damage properly taken care of Athian went aft to rejoin his team. He wanted to be ready when they took on their opponent''s airship once more. No one was left behind, or abandoned if at all possible. He was going to prepare, and the skies above help anyone who stood in his way.

 Glossary

    Spells Info

    Spells can control elements and change the physical nature of objects. Spells can also be chained together to increase, decrease, or modify the effect the first spell has. Each spell has a cost of magic and the greater or more complex the spell or spell chain, the more magic is consumed. Casting too much or at too great a pace can result in magical burnout. This may mean a magical core is permanently depleted or depending on the spell the castor may actually be consumed by the backlash.

    <hr>

    Spells

    Eluminen: Produces light. Usually in the form of small magical orbs. The color is dependent on the castor and can vary.

    Densitas: Modifies the density of an object. A lighter object can float easier, or be levitated. When increased an object can become much heavier. Useful for stopping water from flowing, or to reinforce a wall that is being attacked.

    Maxus: Increases the effect of the spell prior to it.

    Endr: Duplicates an object. While some objects may be duplicated other things cannot be. Discovering what is duplicatable is a continuous process of learning. The type of object, its density, or complexity, will

    Ventus: Changes the flow of air. Can push, pull, or lift. The direction and force of the spell are controlled by the castor. Often used to help levitate lightened objects, or to provide flight. It can be combined with other spells such as maxus to increase the effect.

    Inrita: End or cancel a spell. Some spells are continuous until canceled, other spells a single action and stop when done.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Renovo novus: A common repair spell. Used to direct an object back to its original state. Size, complexity, and other factors will determine how effective the spell is.

    Ignis prohibeo: This spell chain is a common way of taking the action of one spell, ignis, which normally creates fire, and prohibiting it.

    Kyro ventus: A spell chain that takes the power of cold and combines it with air. By causing a swirling motion in the air the castor can be cooled down. Very popular in the summer and in desert regions.

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    Scrolls

    Runes and Runic Use