In My True Element

Chapter 15

About one hour later one of the teams contacts us saying they've found the stone. We adjust our direction and soon enough meet one of the soldiers who was left behind to direct us to the cave.

"We've located the stone. It's this way." He points his head at the thick bushes with dark green leaves and quickly dives in. Stepping carefully in his footprints in the mushy dirt and trying hard not to get smacked by any of the branches, we slowly progress forward to the monster that terrified me as a child. The memory must have been so unpleasant that I repressed it.

Soon we step into a wide clearing surrounded by tall trees with the darkest shade of green I've ever seen. Ilana appears from behind me and calls the warlock.

"Davidson, what do you have there?"

The three men turn to us and the biggest one waves, inviting us to come closer.

"We believe we've found the stone. Look at this." All three men take a step to the side, revealing a huge grey stone lying in the middle of the clearing. In the center there's a faded image of a sun. This is the stone Fire told us about.

"Okay, it means that we need to move north. We're almost there." Ilana takes out a compass and makes sure we move in the right direction. "Get the other team here. We'll need their help."

Davidson takes out his radio and starts talking to someone on the other end. After a short conversation he turns to the man who met us in front of the thick bushes.

"Nick, go back there and wait for the guys."

Nick, the guy with the overly blond hair, disappears and we start moving forward.

"We're almost there. Keep your eyes peeled," Ilana orders after a thirty-minute walk and slows down as we enter another clearing.

I scan the area, but nothing jumps out at me. There are some trees, more dense bushes, a hill. Nothing that would indicate a deep and scary cave.

Ilana apparently thinks differently. Without any sign of hesitation she strides towards the rocky hill that looks like a giant anthill from aside and carefully examines it. Touching every little stone, she moves to the left, making sure that nothing escapes her careful examination.

"Fire said that the entrance is really difficult to spot. Davidson, take your men and explore the west side of the hill. "Air," she turns to me, "make yourself useful."

Only because I feel rather restless, I do as I'm told and make myself useful. I touch the rock heated by the sun and suddenly images from my childhood are resurrected in my mind. My mother and father stood almost in the exactly same place and tried to convince me that it was safe to go inside. Their voices were gentle with a hint of smile in them. I remember my mother pointing inside the cave at my brothers who were playing chase.

"What is it?" Ilana must have noticed that I stopped moving. Even without opening my eyes I know she's standing no more than two steps away from me.

With some regret I let the vision of my parents disappear as I open my eyes. "Here," I point at the seemingly solid surface of the hill a few inches away from Ilana.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent. Davidson?" Ilana takes a step back, allowing him to get to work.

He takes a confident step towards the indicated place, puts his huge hands on the rock and closes his eyes. His face is very concentrated and a shadow crosses his hard features making his bronze skin appear almost black. His lips start moving as he whispers an incantation and for a second everything is absolutely still. But when he opens his golden eyes, I can swear I see forks of flame dancing in them. Charmed, I watch him take a step back and move his hands to the sides. The hard, unmoving rock that's been here for centuries bends to his indisputable will. At first it is a small rock that separates from the wall and falls to Davidson's feet, then it's the whole wall. It shakes and in defeat crumbles at his feet.