The Lost Knight (Volume III) The Lost World

Chapter 9: Sliding Through the Dark

When we get to a clearing in the trees, I look up and count at least nine different waterfall sections piercing the side of the mountain. Each one falls several hundred feet into pools of silvery water before continuing down the mountain. The water from the final one falls several hundred yards before it pools into the considerably undersized pond in front of us.

"Where does the water go?" I ask.

"Huh?" Solara responds.

"That's a lot of water falling into the pond, but it's so small."

"There's other falls over there," Jonah says when he comes up behind us. He's pointing to the far side of the pond toward a little whirlpool.

"Water flows through a hole in the bottom," Solara explains. "Then out the other side. That waterfall is a lot rockier."

"Okay, well, I guess we get climbing," Trelix says as he digs through his pack for his gear. "Dathid, why don't you fly up there and throw the ropes down? Make this a lot easier on everyone."

"I won't be able to get that close," Dathid says. "As soon as the water from the large fall hits my wings, I'm done. Hopefully, I can get most of the way before I need to climb the rest."

"What are we climbing?" I ask.

"That," Solara says, pointing to the waterfall.

"How do you climb water?"

"Not that one," she explains. "There's another falls behind it. Come here." She pulls my arm and we step a few feet to the side of the massive waterfall and see a smaller one closer to the mountainside. It flows out of a cave about eighty feet up and looks like it's frozen solid.

"How do you climb water?" I repeat.

"It's pretty simple," she explains. "And much easier than climbing the cliff. The water is soft. But you have to be quick because it's moving in the wrong direction."

Every time Dathid's wings expand it takes me by surprise. He doesn't fly a lot so I usually think of his wings as an oversized backpack. Although he should show them off more often. They're two sets of black shiny wings, very pretty, like dragonfly wings; translucent but for the intricate pattern of swirls and dots. When he flutters them they have a hint of metallic green before they become invisible because they're moving so fast.

He flies over the pool, keeping the waterfall a good distance away. When he's higher than the opening in the cave by at least twenty feet, he dives for the smaller waterfall. I press my lips together. He's at least a hundred feet up; if he falls from that height he'll definitely be injured.

The instant the spray from the larger fall hits his wings they collapse and he plummets. Everyone on the ground does a collective gasp, but his momentum carries him safely to the solid waterfall. He catches himself about halfway up, but he easily free climbs the rest of the way and sets up the ropes for our climb.

"I don't think my nerves can handle having a flying friend," I mumble.

"Yeah, me either," Solara mumbles back.

Trelix helps with my rigging, and then Solara and I start climbing. I'm able to hold on to the water using my dagger to pull myself up. The water is the consistency of a gummy bear, so I'm able to pierce it with little effort, but we have to climb quickly because every time I pause, the water carries me downward toward the pond.

By the time we reach the top, I'm out of breath. "That's a lot harder than climbing a rope," I say.

The cave is dark, and there's nowhere to stand except on the spongy water that's flowing toward the opening. I use my wand to throw a light overhead so I can examine the cave, and a smile crosses my face.