Hector and his companions stood at the edge of the lake that was home to the witch. “Hamilton, dearest,” said Hector. “You must make your way across the Lake of Promises. You are our only hope. Soon we will have what we are after.”
“But sir,” said Hamilton, “you want me to go on my own?” Hamilton’s voice was filled with a mixture of awe and pride.
“Not to worry,” said Hector. “Your thievery skills and agility will surely help you on the way.”
“I’m not so sure those are the kinds of skills this task requires,” said Hamilton.
“That is enough jabbering, Hamilton,” said Hector, firmly. “I have heard that the final chamber in the Lake of Promises corresponds to a talent that the adventurer possesses. Do you want to let down your master?”
“No, sir,” said Hamilton.
“Good,” replied Hector. “One more thing I must tell you. When you get to the whirlpools, cross through the one that looks out of the ordinary, if you catch my meaning.” Hector smiled. “Do not fear, my companions. Our goal is nearing its end.” And with that, Hamilton was off. He hopped in the only remaining boat and set sail.
Hamilton had been rowing through the green-blue waters for hours and he became impatient. It’s unfair that they sent me on my own, he thought. He wished he could have had someone to talk to, to make things go by faster. He did not like just sitting around waiting for things to happen. It was in his nature to prefer being on the move, doing something: like stealing treasure. In the back of his mind though, he felt altogether excited to see this witch he had heard so much about. In addition to treasure, he had a thing for beautiful women.
The sun began to set and Hamilton finally caught sight of the whirlpools. “Finally,” he said. “My boredom was about to kill me.” He quickly took notice to the whirlpool that was different from the others and rowed that way with an impressive determination. He was not careful enough to stay inside the boundaries of the false whirlpool however, and the boat began to get violently sucked in.
He plunged the oars through the water with all his might and broke free of the deadly circle of death. Within himself, he could feel the strength of his companions following him. All their hopes rested on him. He had never failed them before and he would not do so now. He would especially not fail Hector.
Hamilton soon reached the isle of the witch. “Here we are now,” said the thief, as he stepped onto the sand. “Good to be back on solid ground, eh?” He stretched his limbs and twirled his fingers.
Inside the dark cave he heard the sound that Ing and Alma had heard before him. “Spidree,” he murmured. Just then one fell from the ceiling; he spotted it in time, but not in time to avoid its mark. He slashed at it with his silver dagger, and was rewarded with a splash of poison onto his left hand. He grabbed his arm as the hand fell into paralysis. “Curses!” he shouted. Luckily there had not been much poison and the effect would soon wear off.
Hamilton made it through the first two rooms and was in utter awe. “Beautiful,” he said. He gazed outside the transparent walls of the first room for a very long time. When he had gotten to the second, he admired the sound of the flute. “Hector’s not gonna believe this.” He proceeded to pass through rooms three and four with ease. Room five was a sort of obstacle course.
Hector was right. An obstacle course should be second nature to me. This shouldn’t be hard, he thought to himself.
His task was thus: jumping across many gaps, shimmying along thin ledges, and swinging across ropes and such. Upon reaching sight of the door to the Lady of the Lake, he noticed one more gap to jump.
“This is a big one,” said Hamilton to himself. He peered over the edge and looked down into a pool of foul lava that he knew would scorch him in an instant. He mentally prepared himself for the jump and then sprang into the air. He went up, up...and then fell just short of the ledge on the other side. He dug his fingers into the dirt ledge, but he was rapidly slipping. With one last motion, the thief reached and grabbed the Rod fragment from the satchel—which he carried it inside--and threw it to the other side. A moment later, the dirt that held his life in its hands shook loose, leaving him to fall to the lava below. The Rod fragment rolled into a corner of the room.
“I’m alright,” said Alma. She was glad to see Ing, but she tried not to show it too much.
“I know what we must do,” said Ing. “We must go to Dharma to obtain Erdwick’s sword. But first we must go and save Ganwin.”
“And so we shall,” replied Alma.
Ing helped her up to her feet.
“I will transport you back to the surface,” said the Lady of the Lake. She spoke a series of incomprehensible words in a low whisper as before, and the next instant, Ing and Alma were back on the island in the middle of the lake. But the memory of the young woman would remain in his memory for days or years to come.
Chapter 17: The Shadow of War
“There hasn't been a war like this since the Great War in the days of Erdwick,” said Brinlee Cadence, a gloomy look upon his face. The mass of hair that covered his round face seemed to have become even greyer as of late and a shadow lay over his eyes. The village elder was dressed in brown robes that complemented his skin rather well.
“That
