The Disillusion Mountains

Chapter 19

    The staircase passageway had rock blocking the exit. There was another Dragonlilly on the center of the rock that started to pulse once they arrived at the bottom. Nimma touched it, felt the familiar prick that drew a small amount of blood and the rock before them shifted enough allowing them to leave. Just as before the tunnel sealed itself behind them. It had taken them about a day and a half to get through.

    "This isn't good," Grant said in dismay.

    Nimma couldn't argue. The rain had been troublesome for a while now and while it was no longer a torrential downpour, steady streams of water poured down the canyon walls from above. They angled down to the center of the canyon creating a rushing creek that could fast become a river. It wasn't just this stream they had to worry about.

    The river they had taken a detour to avoid must have swelled with all the rainfall and there was a chance it had swelled enough that it could spill into the canyon any minute. Until they got to the branching off points that would allow them to exit this place they had effectively trapped themselves in a bowl edged by sharp and hard rocks. 

    "We don't have another choice," Nimma reminded him.

    "I know. I've never seen flooding this bad up here. We need to move fast or as fast as we can anyway with my damn ankle. This is a good spot to be though. There's an overhang we can walk under almost the entire way so we can stay dry." He pointed to the left where the ledge they were under continued. "That's the way." 

    "Hold on." Nimma leaned Grant up against the rocks walked to the very edge of the ledge and peered across to the other side of the canyon. "Give me your backpack." 

    Nimma took hers off and started to empty it. She stuffed as much into Grant's pack as she could and left what couldn't be transferred in the smaller pockets of the backpack and some in the main compartment. It would have to be enough room.  

    "What are you doing?"

    "Look on the other side. Those are apple trees, peach trees, and it looks like some other fruit bearing plants. We could use the food. I don't know about you but I'm sick of choking down that powder."

    "Yeah but nothing will be growing over there. It's too early."

    "Not for me." She walked into the cold rain down the gentle slope and across the knee deep creek. It was a strong current. If it grew enough that it overtook their path they would be swept away. Shivering Nimma made it to the other side. 

    She'd never done this before on so large a scale. According to Alexa the witches of this day were more powerful than their ancestors and could store more magic inside them. Nimma never had training but if there was one thing she knew she could do it was make plants grow. How hard could it be to make plants that were already here bear their fruit out of season?  

    She started with the apple tree. Nimma put both her hands on it and closed her eyes. She reached deep within herself and touched that well of magic inside her. Her eyes closed and the golden light passed from her hands and into the rough bark. When she opened her eyes the tree bore apples ripe for picking. Every branch was heavy laden and she picked all she could reach.  

    For the rest instead of making the fruit appear all over, Nimma tried to make just one section bloom which she could easily reach. It produced varying results. Once her pack was heavy with extra food she made her way back to Grant.  

    "That was impressive," Grant told her. 

    "Thanks. We should switch. The food is lighter." Nimma bent to grab Grant's backpack and a pictograph caught her eye.  "'Pack of falsehoods act as guide–truth alone by self will stand–far apart from rest of band.'"