Lodestone Book One: The Sea of Storms

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter 23

The Fire Pits insinuated themselves on Shann’s senses like an all-enveloping beast with sinews of smoke and steam. Sulphur and soot stung her eyes, invaded her nostrils and left her with a foul taste in her mouth.

They were roped together once more, as a safeguard against the hazards of the Pits, Lyall had explained. The farther they travelled into the depths of Kharthrun, the more she could see the wisdom of that precaution. It seemed as if every step were fraught with potential danger.

In places, the ground over which they walked was little more than a thin crust of hard white residue that crunched beneath her boots. There was no way to tell how thick–or how thin–the crust was. One good reason for the ropes.

They passed along trails between pools of boiling mud in shades of pink and orange. Shann watched in fascination as the mud slowly bubbled and popped, like an overly thick soup. Lyall placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t get too close, Shann.” She nodded and they resumed their passage through this chimerical world.

Plumes of steam emanated from conical vents or fractures in the ground, drifting over the landscape like fog. Every now and then, jets of boiling water were ejected into the air from raised pools, only to die back moments later to form a bubbling, angry cauldron. It was both spectacular and frightening at the same time.

Columns of basalt rose up from the canyon floor, forming winding gaps and small twisting valleys to confound their path. Shann quickly found that after she had been turned around several times in this way, she had had no idea in which direction they were headed. It was Keris who kept them on track both by continually checking the directional lodestone she carried and by using the flying cloak to determine their bearings. After the incident two days ago, when Shann had forced the confession out of her, Keris’ position within the group had changed. Now she was out in front, leading the way, her detached arrogance replaced by settled assurance as she consulted her lodestone device and pointed confidently. “This way.” Shann was reluctantly forced to admit that without her direction, they would probably end up totally lost, condemned to wander endlessly in the ever-shifting clouds of steam. Clearly, Ernan had not been exaggerating when he said that most of those who ventured into this place never made it out again.

They were skirting an emerald green thermal pool, edged by shades of yellow and red, when Shann saw a movement out of the corner of her eye–a dark shape slipping through the water. A fish? She stopped without warning, pulling Lyall to a halt on the tether, and almost causing Alondo to bump into her.

Lyall walked back to her position. “What’s up?”

“Look,” Shann pointed into the water. She could now see sleek shapes of various sizes, all covered by what looked like thick scales. Thin wisps of steam were drifting over the glassy surface. “How do they survive in there with the water near to boiling? They would cook, surely.”

By this time Keris had doubled back to investigate the disturbance. She followed their eyes. “Fish–so what?”

“What kind are they?” Lyall asked.

“I don’t know. I’m not a fish expert–why, are you hungry?”

“No, it’s just–” Shann began.

“Then let’s move on, shall we?” Keris strode off without waiting for anyone’s agreement.

“I was just curious,” Shann protested.

Lyall offered her a smile by way of compensation. “Don’t worry about it, Shann; although she does have a point. Out here, curiosity can be fatal.”