Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.39: Cavern of Moonlight

Daero's light revealed old drawings of Kathula carved into the stone walls. Warriors with spears and swords battling a mass of shadow with red eyes were spread across one side of the wall. On the other were more drawings depicting the lives of Kathula in ancient times. The gatherings of the Shaman and Shamala from different clans, the old teaching the young, scenes of childbearing, potion making, sewing, farming, every aspect of Kathula life.

"I wonder how old these are?" she whispered.

"Centuries, maybe," Daero said.

As the tunnel stretched on, gradually the drawings became sparse. Another burst of drawings appeared. The scent of chemical Human paint still lingering in the air as if recently made.

Frowning, Pinti followed the carved silhouette of a Kathula with the symbol above the head indicating it was a female handing a staff to a male child. The swirls on their bodies told her these were Cheripian. Masses of shadows over Kathula filled the walls. The male held up the staff and Pinti saw, for the first time, words underneath him in modern Kathulan.

"One day Edglings will kill Kathula. Darkness cannot be stopped," she read in a whisper. Lines and dots marking this year in the Kathulan Lunar calendar followed and then a name: "Xohr Tamido V'kuthiar."

"The bastard was here," Daero said with a growl when Pinti told him. "That's vandalization. Here, look." He pointed to another painting on the other side of the wall. It was a single Edgling holding the scepter.

"I bet he drew this, too." He hissed at the Xohr painted on the wall.

"Heizak." She scowled. "You can't stop me, feigat Cheripian."

As they continued on, the ceiling and the floor began to glow a whitish blue. Pinti bent down to touch the smooth floor, curious as to where the light came from. Her paw grazed a loose stone and she picked it up.

"Looks like a moonstone." Daero peered over her shoulder. "Like the Aurvandil stone".

As she stared at the stone, her eyes caught sight of a streak of light traveling from her feet deeper into the tunnel. Daero noticed it too and they followed the light this way and that as the tunnel curved and twisted. At last, the streaks of light disappeared under a rock face, blocking the way. Runic symbols were the only clues.

"Can you read that?" She pointed. Daero lifted the light to the ceiling.

"It says 'Lunar light, passage answers'. You need to open the door with your magick. I'm guess, runic words to match the inscriptions."

Pinti shook her head. "Never learned to do that."

"I can teach you the runic names that make up the phrase 'door open'."

It was worth a try. "Alright, what do I have to say?"

"Just repeat after me. Aufen. Reida." When he said the names, little runic symbols appeared on his paw and vanished.

"Aufen. Reida." Pinti felt the runic names on her tongue. "Now what?"

"Make your mark glow and say the words but while you say them, imagine the rock is opening up somehow. Any way is fine. Magick is all about imagination, really."

She made her mark glow and imagined the rock rolling open.

"Aufen. Reida," she said and waited for runic symbols to appear like they did for Daero, but nothing happened. Disappointed that it didn't work, she was about to turn away when the rock crumbled. Both she and Daero coughed on the dust as it blew up around them.

"Well see now! I was right." Daero smirked and coughed. "C-Congratulations, Pinti. Your first try at runic magick." He batted the air. "Contemplating wind magick, but might make it worse."