Engraved - The Hunted Warrior

Chapter 29.4 - Tunnels

After ten minutes or so of descending into the mountain the tunnel formed a Y intersection, with one of the passages heading back upwards, and the other continuing to go down. Alam and Tajar followed the downward passage. As they jogged along they encountered nothing other than occasional gusts of wind that threatened to extinguish their remaining torch.

"Alam, look," said Tajar after what felt like a half an hour had passed. "There's light ahead."

A blue glow in front of them bounced faintly on the rough granite walls. Alam and Tajar stopped moving and listened.

Nothing. All was silent.

"The torch?" asked Tajar.

"Let's leave it lit. We may need it for a quick retreat."

"There is no 'quick retreat'. If we need to escape we are in trouble."

Alam knew Tajar was right. They pressed forward, but with senses alert for any sign of danger. The blue light ahead became stronger. It had a cool feel to it. When they were ten paces away from the end of the passage they could tell that the blue light was coming from some kind of chamber.

We're going to reach it!

They pushed forward to the end of the passage. The tunnel entered a circular chamber at the height of six men above the floor. Looking down, they both gaped silently in wonder. In the centre of the chamber below them was a large piece of raw, unshaped, angular ice with someone frozen inside it.

"Could that be her inside?" asked Alam.

"If it is she's been dead a long time," answered Tajar.

The ice was suspended off the ground. Four thick chains were embedded near the top of it. The chains radiated out and were connected to the walls high above, thus raising the ice off the ground. Around the chamber strange symbols were etched deeply into the wall. Other than the blue ice, the chamber was completely empty. A narrow staircase carved into the wall of the chamber circled upwards into darkness. The blue glow radiating from the ice faintly illumined the ceiling above them, and showed that the staircase led to another, larger, chamber that looked down upon them.

"We made it!" Tajar clapped Alam on the back.

"And we were faster than the sorcerer and warriors," smiled Alam.

"Now we just need to get down without breaking our necks." Tajar knelt down and careful examined of the passage they stood in. He found some cracks in the stone floor.

"This one will do," said Tajar kneeling beside a crack that was a little wider and deeper than the others.

"Will do for what?"

"Watch and learn."

Tajar pulled out his hunting knife and forcefully blunted its edge on the lip of the passage by rubbing it back and forth. He then took Alam's axe, and using the flat of its blade as a hammer, carefully pounded it into the crack. He then tied his last length of rope around its handle and crossguard and tossed the free end into the chamber.

"Is that going to hold?" Alam asked skeptically.

"Do you want to find out? After all, you said you would rather die than see me die," Tajar smiled.

"I'm not sure anymore," Alam replied. He dropped the torch down into the room below and picked up the rope. He carefully lowered himself down. The rope and knife held. In moments Alam had reached the floor. Tajar then wrapped the rope around his leg and descended into the chamber.