Chapter 42: Burnt Children
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Chapter 42: Burnt Children
Burnt Children
The small band took a few branches from the campfire as torches and headed for the ruins. The dark hindered their progress. And they stumbled around a bit until they found the door that led down.
Light still streamed in from above as they entered the moon chamber. Without hesitation, Cheval stepped onto the sigil of the Jester. Alain joined him on the next symbol of the Warrior. All of them stared at Martel. Swallowing, he entered the beam of moonlight by taking the place of the Sage. Stone grinding stone could be heard as the door retracted.
Maximilian threw his torch as far as he could down the corridor. It landed on the ground, creating a small ring of light in the otherwise near impenetrable darkness. "That is a long hallway," he considered. "I wonder how far underground this place stretches? Martel, send your fire down."
Stepping away from the sigil, Martel conjured a bright flame in his hand. Straining his focus, he pushed the fire to move away from him and travel down the corridor. It illuminated the stonewalls, which carried the strange markings or letters unknown to him; at times, as the light went further, it disappeared to reveal unseen doorways.
"This place is a maze," Eleanor said softly.
Suddenly, Cheval pushed his way past them to cross the threshold.
"Stay back!" Eleanor reached out for him, but he simply took another step further in.
"What is the matter? Scared?" Cheval turned around to face them. Behind him lay the torch; further down, Martel's light still floated, though he struggled to maintain the connection.
An eerie sound reached them. Like a gust of wind or the snort of an animal. For a moment, Martel's magelight became reflected in something that resembled metal, or perhaps another material. Whatever it was, it moved, straight into Martel's fire, which dissipated. Once more, the farther end of the corridor lay in darkness, concealing everything.
"Cheval, get back!" Eleanor urged him.Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
The mageknight simply laughed, running his fingers over the inscriptions on the stonewalls next to him. He turned around to look down the nearly black hallway, where Maximilian's torch still lay on the ground. "Cowards, all of you."
Fifty feet ahead of him, something stomped on the torch to extinguish it, plunging the rest of the corridor into darkness once more.
"Sleep. Now!" Master Fenrick barked the command, and none dared to disobey. He was still muttering about foolish students as he stalked away in search of herbs, brandishing a sickle.
~
The next morning, mood in the camp remain low. With only a few hours of sleep, Fenrick had a sour disposition as he ordered the students to break camp and get ready for the return journey.
Placing their belongings onto the mule, Eleanor glanced at the teacher. "I cannot believe he placed us in such danger," she whispered, looking over the back of the animal at Martel.
"Well, to be precise, he let us place ourselves in danger. After he explicitly warned us and forbade us from doing so." Martel patted the mule.
"What do you mean?" Eleanor placed her hands against her hips, looking a little offended.
"I am simply saying that maybe Master Fenrick has a point. A burnt child fears the fire," Martel explained, repeating a Tyrian proverb.
Eleanor crossed her arms. "I doubt that would help him against our parents if one of us had died."
Nearby, Clarissa giggled. "I cannot imagine what your father would do if his only child had died on a school trip."
Eleanor stiffened. "I have a sister. You know that."
"Sure, but it is not like... You know what I mean."
"I do not." Turning her back demonstratively, Eleanor finished packing.
Walking past them, Cheval scoffed. "My father expects me to face such danger. He even bought a healing potion for me to carry with, costing twenty golden crowns. I came prepared."
"Let's go!" With a face as surly as his tone of voice, Master Fenrick set their small party into motion, and they began the journey back to Morcaster and the Lyceum.
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Chapter 42: Burnt Children
Burnt Children
The small band took a few branches from the campfire as torches and headed for the ruins. The dark hindered their progress. And they stumbled around a bit until they found the door that led down.
Light still streamed in from above as they entered the moon chamber. Without hesitation, Cheval stepped onto the sigil of the Jester. Alain joined him on the next symbol of the Warrior. All of them stared at Martel. Swallowing, he entered the beam of moonlight by taking the place of the Sage. Stone grinding stone could be heard as the door retracted.
Maximilian threw his torch as far as he could down the corridor. It landed on the ground, creating a small ring of light in the otherwise near impenetrable darkness. "That is a long hallway," he considered. "I wonder how far underground this place stretches? Martel, send your fire down."
Stepping away from the sigil, Martel conjured a bright flame in his hand. Straining his focus, he pushed the fire to move away from him and travel down the corridor. It illuminated the stonewalls, which carried the strange markings or letters unknown to him; at times, as the light went further, it disappeared to reveal unseen doorways.
"This place is a maze," Eleanor said softly.
Suddenly, Cheval pushed his way past them to cross the threshold.
"Stay back!" Eleanor reached out for him, but he simply took another step further in.
"What is the matter? Scared?" Cheval turned around to face them. Behind him lay the torch; further down, Martel's light still floated, though he struggled to maintain the connection.
An eerie sound reached them. Like a gust of wind or the snort of an animal. For a moment, Martel's magelight became reflected in something that resembled metal, or perhaps another material. Whatever it was, it moved, straight into Martel's fire, which dissipated. Once more, the farther end of the corridor lay in darkness, concealing everything.
"Cheval, get back!" Eleanor urged him.Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
The mageknight simply laughed, running his fingers over the inscriptions on the stonewalls next to him. He turned around to look down the nearly black hallway, where Maximilian's torch still lay on the ground. "Cowards, all of you."
Fifty feet ahead of him, something stomped on the torch to extinguish it, plunging the rest of the corridor into darkness once more.
"Sleep. Now!" Master Fenrick barked the command, and none dared to disobey. He was still muttering about foolish students as he stalked away in search of herbs, brandishing a sickle.
~
The next morning, mood in the camp remain low. With only a few hours of sleep, Fenrick had a sour disposition as he ordered the students to break camp and get ready for the return journey.
Placing their belongings onto the mule, Eleanor glanced at the teacher. "I cannot believe he placed us in such danger," she whispered, looking over the back of the animal at Martel.
"Well, to be precise, he let us place ourselves in danger. After he explicitly warned us and forbade us from doing so." Martel patted the mule.
"What do you mean?" Eleanor placed her hands against her hips, looking a little offended.
"I am simply saying that maybe Master Fenrick has a point. A burnt child fears the fire," Martel explained, repeating a Tyrian proverb.
Eleanor crossed her arms. "I doubt that would help him against our parents if one of us had died."
Nearby, Clarissa giggled. "I cannot imagine what your father would do if his only child had died on a school trip."
Eleanor stiffened. "I have a sister. You know that."
"Sure, but it is not like... You know what I mean."
"I do not." Turning her back demonstratively, Eleanor finished packing.
Walking past them, Cheval scoffed. "My father expects me to face such danger. He even bought a healing potion for me to carry with, costing twenty golden crowns. I came prepared."
"Let's go!" With a face as surly as his tone of voice, Master Fenrick set their small party into motion, and they began the journey back to Morcaster and the Lyceum.
Chapter 42: Burnt ChildrenBurnt ChildrenThe small band took a few branches from the campfire as torches and headed for the ruins. The dark hindered their progress. And they stumbled around a bit until they found the door that led down.Light still streamed in from above as they entered the moon chamber. Without hesitation, Cheval stepped onto the sigil of the Jester. Alain joined him on the next symbol of the Warrior. All of them stared at Martel. Swallowing, he entered the beam of moonlight by taking the place of the Sage. Stone grinding stone could be heard as the door retracted.Maximilian threw his torch as far as he could down the corridor. It landed on the ground, creating a small ring of light in the otherwise near impenetrable darkness. "That is a long hallway," he considered. "I wonder how far underground this place stretches? Martel, send your fire down."Stepping away from the sigil, Martel conjured a bright flame in his hand. Straining his focus, he pushed the fire to move away from him and travel down the corridor. It illuminated the stonewalls, which carried the strange markings or letters unknown to him; at times, as the light went further, it disappeared to reveal unseen doorways."This place is a maze," Eleanor said softly.Suddenly, Cheval pushed his way past them to cross the threshold."Stay back!" Eleanor reached out for him, but he simply took another step further in."What is the matter? Scared?" Cheval turned around to face them. Behind him lay the torch; further down, Martel's light still floated, though he struggled to maintain the connection.An eerie sound reached them. Like a gust of wind or the snort of an animal. For a moment, Martel's magelight became reflected in something that resembled metal, or perhaps another material. Whatever it was, it moved, straight into Martel's fire, which dissipated. Once more, the farther end of the corridor lay in darkness, concealing everything."Cheval, get back!" Eleanor urged him.Nvl-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.The mageknight simply laughed, running his fingers over the inscriptions on the stonewalls next to him. He turned around to look down the nearly black hallway, where Maximilian's torch still lay on the ground. "Cowards, all of you."Fifty feet ahead of him, something stomped on the torch to extinguish it, plunging the rest of the corridor into darkness once more."Sleep. Now!" Master Fenrick barked the command, and none dared to disobey. He was still muttering about foolish students as he stalked away in search of herbs, brandishing a sickle.~The next morning, mood in the camp remain low. With only a few hours of sleep, Fenrick had a sour disposition as he ordered the students to break camp and get ready for the return journey.Placing their belongings onto the mule, Eleanor glanced at the teacher. "I cannot believe he placed us in such danger," she whispered, looking over the back of the animal at Martel."Well, to be precise, he let us place ourselves in danger. After he explicitly warned us and forbade us from doing so." Martel patted the mule."What do you mean?" Eleanor placed her hands against her hips, looking a little offended."I am simply saying that maybe Master Fenrick has a point. A burnt child fears the fire," Martel explained, repeating a Tyrian proverb.Eleanor crossed her arms. "I doubt that would help him against our parents if one of us had died."Nearby, Clarissa giggled. "I cannot imagine what your father would do if his only child had died on a school trip."Eleanor stiffened. "I have a sister. You know that.""Sure, but it is not like... You know what I mean.""I do not." Turning her back demonstratively, Eleanor finished packing.Walking past them, Cheval scoffed. "My father expects me to face such danger. He even bought a healing potion for me to carry with, costing twenty golden crowns. I came prepared.""Let's go!" With a face as surly as his tone of voice, Master Fenrick set their small party into motion, and they began the journey back to Morcaster and the Lyceum.
