Brian Pratt - The unsuspecting mage

“Pretty impressive isn’t it?” James asks, coming up behind him.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” he replies. “How did all this get to be here?”

James indicates one of the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, “Water drips through cracks in the ceiling and runs down one of those stalactites.”

Miko looks at him, confused.

“Stalactites are what the ones from the ceiling are called and stalagmites are the ones rising up from the floor,” he explains. “Over a very long time, hundreds and thousands of years, the continual passage of water leaves minerals behind. Over time, they harden to form the structures you see here.”

“Amazing,” Miko says as he rubs one, “it’s as hard as rock.”

“It is rock,” James explains. “Over time the minerals come together and form the rock.”

“Hard to believe,” Miko says in wonder. “Wouldn’t have if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

“Come on, we need to get going.” James hurries Miko along and they make their way further through the cavern.

In pools and scurrying among the rock formation they encounter many strange animals in this subterranean world, most being pale in color. In one large pool of water, Miko notices little dots of light moving below the surface.

“James,” he hollers, “come here, you gotta see this.”

James comes over to where Miko has again stopped and kneels down, looking into the water. Seeing the little dots moving around, he says, “It’s probably just small fish.”

“Fish?” Miko asks incredulously. “With lights?”

Feeling like a school teacher out on a field trip, James explains, “When there is a total absence of light, fish and other animals will often produce their own.”

“How?” Miko asks.

“That I don’t know,” he admits. “I just know they do.”

“That is so weird,” Miko says, continuing to watch the dots flitter around.

“Yes it is,” James says. “Now, can we please hurry through here without all the stops?” He gets up and continues on, making Miko rush to catch up or be left behind in the dark.

The cavern continues on for another several hundred feet before they reach an open chasm cleaving the cavern in two. It looks as if the mountain had pulled apart some time in the past, leaving a rift over a hundred feet wide. A wooden bridge in poor repair spans the gap, some of the boards are missing and others are badly cracked, altogether looking as if it wouldn’t support their weight.

James checks his compass which indicates that their path continues across the chasm. He shows it to Miko.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Miko exclaims. “There’s no way that’s going to hold when we cross. We’ll be dropped into whatever is down there.” He moves to the edge and looks down, but only sees blackness within the chasm. “We’ll die!”

“There’s no other way to go,” James tells him. “We can’t go back, so we have to go forward. Besides, I haven’t seen any other passages we could possibly have taken.”

Miko gives him a defiant look and stands his ground.

“Okay scardy pants,” James says mockingly, “I’ll try it first. If it will hold up for me it should hold up for you.”

“But what will I do if you fall and die?” Miko asks. With a wild look on his face he shouts, “I’ll be trapped here!”

Coming over to where he’s standing, shaking slightly in fear at being alone here, James tries to calm him. “Look, I won’t ever leave you like that, but someone has to go first and see if it is safe.”

Miko gives him a look that could only be called pitiful, but nods his head. “Alright,” he says in barely a whisper.

James casts a short spell and the orb floats up and hovers above and a little behind his left shoulder, following him as he moves. He walks over to the bridge and takes hold of the single rope handrail on the right, the one on the left had long since fallen off. He places his left foot gingerly on the first board as far to the edge as he can and slowly eases his weight onto it. When the board is supporting his entire weight, he turns and looks over at Miko and says, “See, it’s going to hold.” Then he takes his right foot and places it on the next board.

Slowly, he repeats the process, board by board, until he gets about mid span. Suddenly, a board breaks in two from his weight, causing him to lose his balance as his foot goes through.

“James!” Miko screams from where he’s watching.

He catches himself on the handrail and is able to prevent himself from falling. Turning slightly, he waves back to Miko letting him know he’s fine.

Once his nerves settle down and his heart stops racing, he steps over the broken board and then tests the next board before trusting it with his weight. He’s relieved when the board holds firm and then continues on as he tests each and every board until finally making it to the other side.

Once safely on the cavern floor, he hollers over to Miko, “I made it!” made it…made it…made it, his voice echoes throughout the cavern. “I’m sending the orb back so you can use it during your crossing.” crossing…crossing…crossing… Concentrating, he makes the orb float across the chasm to Miko. He has the orb settle over Miko’s left shoulder and keeps it there.

“Okay, now it’s your turn,” turn…turn…turn… he hollers over to Miko. “Just keep your feet to the edge of the boards and they will hold your weight better.” better…better…better…

He watches as Miko approaches the edge of the bridge and hesitantly sets his foot on the first board. When he realizes it will hold his weight, he moves his other foot cautiously to the next, making sure to keep his feet as far to the edge of the board as possible. Both hands clutch the handrail in a grip only fear of imminent death could produce.

Slowly, board by board he makes his way across the bridge. Upon reaching a board that doesn’t look as if it will hold his weight, he steps over it and places his foot on the following board. It’s a stretch, but he makes it with no problem.

When he’s about a third of the way across, he places his foot on a board and hears a loud cracking noise as soon as his weight settles upon it. Realizing the board is about to break, he takes his foot off the board and pauses on the bridge. The board after the one that was cracking is broken as well, only half of it remains. Now he’s faced with a gap of two boards, he looks at it wide-eyed, paralyzed with fear.

Seeing Miko stop, James hollers out to him, “Come on Miko, it’s not much further.” further…further…further…

“The next board is cracking,” he hollers over to James, “and the one after that is broken in two. I can’t make it!” it…it…it…

“Yes you can, just calm down,” James says trying to reassure him. “Put your feet on the side beneath the handrail and scoot your way down to the next board!” board…board…board…

Working up his nerve, Miko does what James advises and places one of his feet on the side, then the other. Sliding slowly, he makes his way past the board that’s cracking and then past where the next one is broken in two. When he’s close enough to the next good board, he cautiously sets a foot on it and sighs with relief when it holds his weight. Once again he slowly makes his way across the bridge, one board at a time.

It seems an agonizingly slow time, but he eventually makes it to the other side where James stretches out his hand, helping him the last few feet.

“Great job,” he says, patting Miko on the back. “I knew you could do it!”

Miko’s knees begin to shake and he all but collapses on the ground before falling over.

“I guess now would be a good time for a rest break,” James says as he opens a bag searching for food. When the bag containing the food comes up empty, he realizes they gave all their food to the families last night. “Uh, oh,” he groans.