Wrought Iron, Book 1 of Merlin's Message

Chapter 9 - Past, Present, Perfect

Gavin blinked in total darkness. Something was tugging at his foot. He remembered that he was trapped in the tunnel's mouth. One of his friends must have gotten to him from the other end. He flexed his foot to let them know he was alive and aware. Unseen hands dug dirt and rocks from Gavin's legs, then his lower body. Suddenly he was sliding down the rubble like sledding down a snow-covered hill, except with more bumps and bruises.

"Hey, Gavin!" Mike's voice echoed loud in the chamber.

"Here! I'm okay!" Gavin called, getting his headlamp back on.

A bobbing light came down the slope, becoming Mike and his headlamp. Then, other lights appeared and came down. Soon they were all on the floor of the cavern. Dafydd carried a small duffel. He brought out lanterns and placed them around. Soon the entire space was visible. They all stared around in awe.

"Bloody hell," Dafydd murmured.

A cluster of brass-bound wooden chests of various sizes sat to one side. A black lake stretched out past their sight and light. Swords, bows, mail shirts, helmets, and other fighting tools sat against a far wall.

"Whoa!" Mike blurted as his headlamp spotlighted a human figure seated at a bench with both hands on a stone table.

The body was as stiff and still. Everyone clustered around to inspect it.

"Is it a statue?" Hannah squeaked.

Dafydd reached out and felt the fabric of the man's grey robes. Then, tentatively, he touched the long white hair.

"No," Dafydd answered. "I don't think so."

Taeko merely stood there silent, holding her bandaged hand.

"Oh. Poor thing," Hannah mourned.

A long white beard fell to the man's beltline. One hand held a quill, and the other was palm down on what looked like a piece of parchment.

"Creepy, man," Mike spoke. "The dude's eyes are still open."

Dafydd reached towards the parchment.

"Hold up a sec," Gavin ordered.

Dafydd froze. "What's wrong?"

"Uh. Everything."

Everyone looked at Gavin.

"Look. I mean, look. All of this stuff is like it's new, or just put here."

Dafydd beamed his light around.

"There's no rust, rot, mold, or decay on anything. There's not even a layer of dust! And this guy," Gavin gestured at the sitting figure. "He looks like he could get up and walk around any second!"

Mike bent over and looked at the sitting man, right in front face-to-face.

"Creepy," Mike observed.

"You said that already," Taeko snarked.

"Think of a better word," Mike quipped.

"I don't think we should touch anything else until we know some more," Gavin suggested.

"Too right," Dafydd agreed. "And I'm forgetting myself. We need to take pics of everything as it is before we do anything else.

Everyone grabbed at pockets to get their phones out, glad for something to do.

"Whoa. Check out this boat!" Mike called out from the lakeside.