Brian Pratt - The star of Morcyth

They continue following the bubble for another ten minutes when a noise can be heard coming from up ahead. At first it sounds like the growl of some wild beast but then James realizes it’s the sound of water. The water of the lake is no longer placid but ripples as small waves course across its surface.

The further they go, the louder the sound becomes and the movement of the water along the shore becomes more pronounced, the waves coming with more frequency. Suddenly the source of the sound they’ve been hearing appears before them and James stops in stunned silence.

Illuminated by the light from the orb is a massive vortex at the end of the lake. Swirling and churning, the water is being sucked down as if through a giant funnel. “Oh my god,” he says as he realizes the bubble is moving to hover over the center of the maelstrom.

“You can’t be serious,” Uther says in disbelief next to him. He glances back to the others advancing toward them. “Oh Miko…” he says in voice loud enough to carry over the sound of the water being sucked into the maelstrom.

The others come close and when they can see why they’ve stopped, various expletives, not all of them polite issue forth.

Jorry glances to see Miko’s face frozen in extreme nervousness. “You ready for a bath?” he asks.

He looks at him and stiffens his backbone as he says, “No problem.” Then to James he asks, “Is that the way we have to go?”

“It looks like it,” he says.

“It must lead to the lake,” Qyrll says. “We may not survive it.”

“There is no other way,” James tells him. Glancing at the others, he says, “The bubble showed us the way out. It wouldn’t have led us here if we couldn’t survive.” He sees the doubts in everyone’s eyes, especially Jiron’s. How in the world will he be able to make it with his leg the way it is?

“So what do we do?” the miner asks.

“Get in the water and let it suck us down,” James tells him. Even though he knows it’s the only way, he’s not too keen on the idea either.

“But it’s freezing,” the miner says. “We’re not going to last too long in such cold water.”

“Anyone have a better idea?” asks James. “This is the way out whether we like it or not.” He stands there a moment while everyone digests that.

Jiron hobbles forward and says, “I’ll go first.”

“I don’t think so,” Uther says to him. “If anyone is going to be the sacrificial lamb, it better be someone with all their parts working properly.” To Jorry he asks, “You game?”

Shrugging in an attempt to appear nonchalant even though fear is one step away from taking over, he replies, “Sure, why not? Time for my bath anyway.”

“You got that right,” one of the others says, though who he couldn’t tell.

“Better space yourselves apart a few minutes so if it gets rough, you won’t be thrown against each other,” Qyrll suggests.

James steps toward them and says, “Once you’re through, I’ll check the lake to see if I can find you. Then I’ll start sending the rest through starting with Jiron and Fifer. Be ready to help him when he gets there if you can.”

Nodding, Uther says, “Alright.” He and Jorry begin shedding everything but their weapons and the clothes from their back. When they’re in nothing but shirts and pants Uther looks to Jorry and asks, “Odds and evens?”

“I’ll take odds,” Jorry says.

They face each other and to James it looks like they’re going to do a round of paper, rock, scissors. Bringing their hands down onto their other palm, Jorry says, “One.” The second time Uther says, “Two.”

Then just before they bring their hands down again, Jorry turns and runs toward the swirling maelstrom. With a “Yeehaaw!” he leaps away from the shore and hits the water two yards out. The water immediately grabs him and sucks him toward the center of the swirling water.

“Damn you!” cries out Uther. He had the same idea but Jorry beat him to it.

Around and around the water gradually brings Jorry to the center and then all of a sudden, his head disappears as he’s sucked beneath the water. At that, Uther follows and hits the water. A minute later, he too is sucked beneath the surface.

James moves over to the edge of the lake where he and Miko proceed to dig out an area for the water to fill. Then once it’s filled, they close it off from the lake and the water within the depression becomes calm.

Giving them a few minutes, he calls forth the magic and an image of the lake appears. He concentrates on Jorry, trying to center the view upon him. The scene shifts and all they can see is the calm surface of the lake. It’s hard to see anything in the gloom of night, only the moon above gives any light with which to see.

Suddenly Jorry breaks through the surface of the water and they can see him splash around a bit before he realizes he’s broken through. Shortly after that, Uther joins him.

“Alright,” James says as he glances to Jiron, “it’s your turn.”

“Help me up,” he says and Miko and Fifer move to comply.

They walk him over to the edge of the maelstrom and ease him into the water. Since he’s starting closer to the edge it takes him a little longer before he gets sucked under. After that the others go in two minute intervals until it’s only James, Miko and Qyrll left. They’ve been watching the scene play out on the lake and saw Jiron break the surface. Jorry and Uther immediately moved to help him. It looked like he made it alright.

“You go next,” Qyrll says to James. “They’ll need you out there if the Empire shows up.”

“Good point,” he agrees. “Be sure to send Miko next.”

Qyrll nods as James moves to the edge of the water. He stands there and looks out over the swirling, churning water. It’s just a big water slide, that’s all it is. The others made it through okay, so will you. With a quick glance back to Miko who gives him an encouraging nod, he backs up two feet and with a running jump, leaps out over the water.

Splash!

He hits the water and the iciness of it takes his breath away. Working to stay afloat, he starts treading water as the current takes him. Moving ever closer to the center of the maelstrom he tries to calm his breathing and just as he feels the current begin to pull him under, takes a deep breath.

Sucked underneath the water by the current, he’s suddenly in total blackness. Thrown this way and that, he feels as if he’s being dropped down a vertical shaft. Then all of a sudden, the current releases him and he’s freefalling. Air surrounds him and he releases the pent up air within and quickly takes another two deep breaths before slamming into more water.

Again he’s caught in a whirlpool and sucked underneath. This time he’s pulled down and then the flow of water begins turning more horizontal as it picks up speed. He scrapes against the side of the tunnel and feels some of his skin ripped off. Nothing major but enough to cause him pain.

Then when he thinks he can no longer hold his breath, the current quickly reduces speed and he realizes he’s no longer in the tunnel but in the lake. Kicking upward, he swims for the surface.

Breaking through, he gasps for air. Teeth chattering from the cold of the water, he tries to calm them but is unable to. The water has sapped all the warmth from him. He’s in serious danger of hypothermia and scans for the shore.

“Over here!” he hears someone yell. When he looks, he sees the others in the moonlight, standing on the shore waving him down. Swimming quickly, he makes his way toward them. Reaching the shore next to them, he climbs out onto the beach.

They’re all freezing and his teeth aren’t the only ones chattering. They’ve got to get a fire going and soon. “G…gather s…some wood,” he stutters.