Eril's Story

Day 18

Balar was already at the meeting place when I arrived the following morning, cheerfully going through bags, trying to fit too many things into a limited amount of space. He was an imposing figure, even given his advanced age, taller by a head than the small group around, presumably there to see him off. Standing beside him was a young girl, wild and fierce looking, with a club strapped loosely at her waist - from the looks of her, I had no doubt she was proficient with it. When I made my way over to the group and introduced myself, I found out her name was Cyrith.

When everything had been assembled, we were escorted by excited friends and family who helped carry our load to a lively stream, its origin, a deep tunnel carved through the mountain, winding its way through a less busy part of the city before returning to its subterranean route. Sturdy looking rafts crafted of wood were piled nearby, which I rightly assumed we would be traveling on. Together, everyone helped lash down our supplies to one of the large rafts, which then, the three of us dragged down into the water.

Once onboard, we waved to those behind on the shore, pushing off into the current. Whatever type of wood used to construct the raft, was foreign to me, very light for its size, the extra buoyancy allowing us to ride well above the water. Gently the current carried us away without any effort on our part, though it didn't stay that way for long.

Soon, we had entered a long dark tunnel where our speed picked up at an alarming rate, with the sounds of another bigger body of water, raging ahead of us - giving me plenty of time to sit in growing apprehension. It was hard to make out where the stream we were in merged with the racing river, having only the dim illumination of our lights, but we certainly felt it as the undertows grabbed a hold of our craft and slung us into the frenzy.

Roiling water splashed me from every direction as I was instructed to stow my long oar and grab onto a rope - shouted over the cacophony of water echoing off stone. Hanging onto the lashing, we picked up even more speed as I grasped with all my strength to keep from being thrown in. We faced a succession of rapids, careening forward, each more daunting than the last. All I could do was cling to my handhold and try to enjoy the exhilaration, while not thinking of the consequences of falling in.

Many times it felt as if we were on a trajectory straight into a wall or some jutting object, only at the last second for the flow to shift abruptly, launching us in a new direction. After a heart stopping plunge, we emerged through a veil of mist, into the light. Taking a moment for my eyes to adjust, I looked around. We were surrounded by towering snow capped peaks, making our way through a large gorge that ran through the mountain range, exposed striations forming the sides of the river.

Both of the other passengers were in high spirits, full of exhilaration, clearly having done it many times before. Balar with a grin, grabbed my shoulder excitedly and congratulated me on not being thrown off and dying. I was happy to oblige.

The river became deep and calm, though the speed of the current was still quite fast, being fueled by the melting spring snow. We floated on comfortably for most of the afternoon, only being interrupted by interspersed turbulence, seemingly at random. I looked back at the towering mountain that housed Adura, a fondness welling in my heart as it grew ever smaller, eventually obstructed entirely from view.

Our elevation dropped significantly during the trip, rapidly putting on many miles while descending into the pine forested foothills. At the mouth of the river, it spilled out into a modest sized lake, crystal clear and shimmering, teased by the evening winds. After being deposited into it, we used our crude oars to get us the rest of the way, paddling towards a small town on the near shore.

There was a lively sound coming from the town that was heard across the water, welcoming us as we came to a large dock jutting from a series of platforms over the water. Jovial workers helped us up, and our gear was hoisted off the vessel and onto the dock, followed by many hands dragging our raft and putting it with a stack of others. We thanked them and paid for the service, walking off the docks and into the town where we quickly secured accommodations at Balar's favorite inn.

Savoring the amenities of a cozy second story inn, with a view over the lake, we enjoyed ourselves the rest of the night - relishing each moment since we all knew it would be awhile before such things would be available again. The wilds were for tomorrow, and more adventure awaited.