Moon Chasers: Into the storm [Finished]

Chapter fifteen: Midnight espionage

The next morning they all continued their way up the mountain, the three adventurers and the cloaked stranger alike. It soon appeared that the stranger had stopped only to rest and that their goal was still far, so, after a good breakfast the three chasers valiantly followed.

It took them around a day to "regroup" with the cloaked stranger. They could see them from where they had stopped for the night, they were also getting into their own camp. The camp was located on one of the highest pool, next to a majestic waterfall which fell several meters under, Jory theorized it to be well above eight meters high. The pool in which it ran must be pretty darn deep. Now they were more or less at the summit. When they came to the island they could see from afar a giant waterfall that fell from the summit of the smallest of the two peaks the mountain had, they had passed that peak a long time ago now they were getting closer to the tallest peak, once they find a clear place they could see the island at their feet and that can only be breath taking.

The stranger was looking through their stuff without sparing even a glance to the scenery or to survey the area to make sure they were alone. And when the night was already well in they turned on a strange lamp to continue their work. The lamp was glowing a dull blue, it gave everything around an eery atmosphere.  Unable to sleep Jory had gotten closer to spy on them and maybe find out more intelligence. He hoped that the stranger would reveal something about themselves or what they were doing here, and the halfling was determined to find out, he was not going to sleep at all! As he was getting comfortable for his little midnight spying, from behind him, came the sound of moving leave. Passed the second of fear he grabbed his sword and got ready to attack.

"Calm down it's just me" whispered Eleon while getting out of the bush and sitting next to the halfling

"What are you doing here?!"

"I had trouble meditating so I followed you here, what's new?"

"You left Qa alone?!"

"I don't think he'll be in trouble"

"He could be..."

"Anyway, have you found out something? Who they are or what they are doing here?"

"From this distance it's hard!"

"What the hell are you two doing?!"

"Qa?!"

"Move your ass aside Eleon I'm trying to sit!"

" What do you see Qa?"

"Absolutely nothing! I have a bush in front of my good eye!"

"Oh too bad I see them looking through their stuff right now"

"Can we switch place?"

"Yeah alright" Eleon rolled away letting the man take his place behind the rock and then sat in his old spot

The person looked through their papers and then picked up a map and started marking things on it, it was all the spots they had already checked. They read the old papyrus once more trying to find if they had missed something. The light of the lamp distorted most of the colors making them appear darker than they really were. They were putting each paper against it maybe because it could reveal hidden details. They were sure they had missed something, at least they hoped they weren't missing something and were actually just unable to find them in all they already had. Because if so it was just a little temporary set back but if they had incomplete data...extrapolating was a no go, you don't wing the saving of the world as we know it. That's not something to be taken lightly. But if they fail...well that wouldn't be their problem anymore, they'd be dead and since they don't believe in an after life they had no worry. But living was nice and this world was not perfect but home is home. They had to succeed.

While they seemed fully concentrated on the problem in their hands the cheery trio tried to get closer. There was a number of good hiding spots but not many of them could welcome the three of them in their shades. They located one and went to hide behind it. The advantage was that they were much closer and the disadvantage were that they were both closer to the waterfall and also that they probably were within hearing range of the stranger, especially if they really were an elf. The waterfall was very loud and covered much of the jungle noises but somehow not everything the other was saying.

"By Antrès !" they swear by the name of one of the old gods "This is so difficult! Am I at the right place or not! why are these papyrus so cryptic!" they took off their cloak, the night was suffocating, hot and damp worse than ever, insects were not to thrilled by the lamp and very few of them were flying around it. "I need to find it's location and fast!"

When the heavy fabric shifted from their head it revealed long silky white hair clashing with the dark fabric, they left the cloak on a tree branch and started to took off parts of their armor too, never leaving the papers on the table, to be able to roll up their sleeves revealing to the three adventurers hidden nearby, what looked like inky black skin. They continued their erratic work, while drinking and eating.

"A dark elf?!" said simultaneously Qa and Jory

"A woman?!" said Eleon whose eyes and ears were better than his companions but whose voice was louder the dark elf turned around and looked in their general direction trying to find the source of that voice.

"Oh shit!" Eleon lowered his head but his light blond hair clashed with the lush and very green environment.

Qa kicked him and the elf lost his balance, he fell without a word, the noise his body made by hitting the water several meters down was covered by the tumultuous waterfall. Qa followed down, with more grace  and so did Jory after wondering what kind of nut head would think of that as a good escape plan.