“I know,” he replies in anguish. “I’m sorry.”
“What do you plan to do now?” he asks.
Fifer rolls up Jiron’s pants and inspects the leg. “Looks like it is broken,” he says. He glances to Qyrll and says, “Come with me.” With Qyrll behind him, they return back to the cavern and the others can hear them walking off into the distance. Before they get too far, the sound of a flint stone making sparks is heard and another of Qyrll’s candles springs to life.
James sits there in silence for a moment and Jiron says, “You haven’t answered my question.”
“I think the first thing we need to do is figure a way out,” he says.
“No, I mean about your friend,” he clarifies. “He took off with a very important item.”
Sighing, James says, “I know. After we get out, we go and get it back.”
“And Dave?” he asks.
Turning sad eyes onto Jiron, he opens his mouth and then closes it again without uttering a sound. Finally he just shakes his head and says, “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about Dave anymore.”
“Why?” Jiron asks, surprised by his answer.
“Remember back when we got the Fire?” he asks. When Jiron nods yes, he says, “The guardian spirits said that ‘Only a son of this world may touch it. All others must surely perish.’ The Star is similar in nature to the Fire.”
“You think he’s going to die?” Jorry asks from where he’s been listening in.
Nodding he replies, “I don’t know what else that could mean.”
Smashing sounds can be heard from far off and soon, Fifer and Qyrll come back with several long wooden pieces they broke off from the chest which had contained the Star. Using them for splints, they tear off strips of cloth from their shirts and bind the broken leg tight.
“That should hold for now,” Fifer says. “A priest could do a better job, but we’re lacking one just now.”
“You could do it,” Jiron says.
James turns his attention back to Jiron and sees him staring at him. “I’m no priest,” he protests.
“Didn’t you say that the spirit of the long dead priest of Morcyth called you one?” he asks.
“Well, yes he did,” he replies. “But he was mistaken.”
“I don’t think so,” he says. “You’re in good with Morcyth, after all you bear the medallion with his Star. And it has sprung to life for you before.”
“I know, but I don’t understand how that happened,” he counters. “I don’t even know if I can heal. Frankly it scares me to death. I just don’t know enough about cell structure and vein integrity or anything.” He looks at Jiron and finally says, “I could wind up doing more harm than good.”
“Very well,” he says.
“So, how are we to get out of here?” the miner asks. “I don’t know much about what you all are mixed up in but I do know we’ll never move that stone without more falling down on our heads.”
“Any ideas?” asks James as he glances around the assembled group.
“Blast it out,” Miko says. “Use your magic and clear it away.”
“Even if I could, there’s no guarantee that I wouldn’t bring down more on top of us,” he says. “Remember, we’re under a mountain, a really big mountain.” When he sees the lack of hope in Miko’s face, he adds, “If all else fails, I’ll try.”
They pick up Jiron and aid him in moving to the large cavern, finally stopping next to the stream. James bends over and takes a long drink as he considers the next step. He doesn’t have that long to dink around, the Star is most likely on the move toward the Empire. He’s not sure exactly what would happen should it reach Dmon-Li’s priests, but it can’t be good.
Almost absentmindedly his eyes follow the stream to where it leaves the cavern through the hole in the wall. Sudden realization hits him, the hole is large enough for them to make it through. Coming to his feet, all eyes are drawn to him as he indicates the outflow of the stream and says, “Maybe we could make it through there?”
They turn to see where he’s pointing, Uther jumps up and says, “Might work.”
“Yeah,” adds Jorry, “the lake out there has to be fed from somewhere. There was water flowing out of it so there must be water flowing in as well.”
“What about Jiron?” Fifer asks. “His leg is in no condition to be climbing around in caves.”
“Fifer,” Jiron says. “What other choice do I have other than staying here?”
“We can help him,” says James. To Jiron he asks, “Did you bring that rope with you?” The last time they traveled to Saragon, he had brought a coil of thin rope for emergencies.
Lifting his shirt, he grins as he shows them the rope coiled about his waist. “You know it,” he says.
“Alright then,” announces James. He motions for Jorry and Uther to come over and he hands the orb to Uther. “Take this and try to find a way through. We’ll be right behind you.”
Taking the orb, Uther is about to ask if he’ll need the light when another orb materializes upon his hand. Nodding to Jiron he says, “You just take care of him and we’ll find a way out.” To Jorry he says, “Come on,” and they head toward the hole in the wall.
Fifer and Miko help Jiron to his feet and they make their way to the opening. When James nears he sees the light from the orb Uther holds already yards away. He’s hunched over as he works his way along the narrow passageway.
James enters the opening and finds the footing extremely uneven and treacherous, algae covers many of the rocks and most are not stable. Stepping carefully, he works his way along.
“Easy now,” he hears Fifer say to Jiron as they begin entering through the opening. The splint on his leg allows him to put some weight upon it but not nearly enough to enable him to walk on his own.
“James!” Uther hollers to him from up ahead.
“What?” he replies. Slipping and almost falling, he catches himself on a small rock protruding from the side. Looking ahead, he sees them stopped.
“We got problems,” he says.
Moving as quickly as he can, he makes his way to where Uther is standing with the orb. When he draws close he sees what Uther is talking about. The stream they’ve been following suddenly goes over a drop-off and flows down a steep, uneven incline further than the light from the orb illuminates.
The sides of the passage end there as well so there’s no way to go around. Down is the only way to go. Shortly everyone makes it there and understands what is before them.
“How far down do you think it is?” the miner asks.
“Could be another five feet or five hundred for all we know,” Qyrll states.
“This rope is only fifty feet,” Jiron says. “Let’s hope it isn’t much further than that.”
“Maybe there’s another way?” Fifer asks.
“The only other one I can think of would be the chasm surrounding the area where we found the Star,” James explains. “I doubt if we’ll have any better luck with that.”
Looking over the side, he sees that it’s not a sheer vertical drop, rather a steep narrow incline. With luck they could possible make it. Jiron though will have a hard time, but like he said, what choice has he?
Turning to Uther and Jorry he asks, “Think you can make it?”
“Possibly,” admits Uther.
Stepping forward, Qyrll says, “Allow me to lead here.” Everyone turns his way as he continues. “Back where I come from we have many instances where we must scale cliffs and overhangs such as these. I would have little trouble with this.”
Glancing to Uther, he sees him give a nod in agreement and then says, “Alright. Uther, hand him the orb.” After Qyrll has the orb and begins to descend over the side he adds, “We’ll stay here, let us know if this way is feasible.”
“I will, worry not,” and with that he begins to descend in earnest.
James comes over to where Jiron is propped up against a rock. “You doing okay?” he asks.
Shrugging he replies, “As best as can be I suppose. I’m alive at least.” He shifts his broken leg and grimaces.
“How’s he doing?” James hollers over to where Fifer is keeping an eye on Qyrll’s progress.
“Better than I would have,” answers Uther. “He’s moving fast.”
They wait there for another five or ten minutes before Fifer turns from the drop-off and says, “He’s waving
