The Quest

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

After an uncomfortable night sleeping on the cave floor, they ventured out again at first light.

Faith’s back and neck hurt from sleeping on rock but she didn’t complain. She had considered trying to conjure a bed but felt that sleeping too soundly in this alien landscape could be unwise.

The night air had continued to ring with cries, moans, growls and other awful noises, which didn’t help her get a restful night’s sleep.

At the mouth of the cave, Loki conjured Sleipnir’s tack and mounted him.

“We must be careful today,” he said as he offered his hand to pull Faith up behind him. “Keep your eyes open for creatures.”

“I thought you said they were nocturnal?” Faith asked as she settled herself behind him in the saddle.

“They are, mostly, but the daylight here is not strong and unlike the planes we travelled on the first day, we will be travelling through the mountains and valleys from here on, and there is much shade and crevices for creatures to hide in.”

“This just gets better and better,” Faith muttered.

“Where is your sense of adventure?” Loki asked, turning to her with a wry smile.

“I forgot to pack it when I was kidnapped.”

“You were not-”

“Shut up, Loki. Let’s go.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly, still feeling unsafe in a saddle.

“As my Lady wishes.” He was far too chipper about this, Faith decided.

With a slight squeeze of his heels, Sleipnir took off at a gentle canter, following the closest thing to a path.

“Are you sure he’ll be all right over these rocks?” Faith asked Loki, worried that Sleipnir might fall and break a leg.

She could have sworn she heard a laugh in his answering neigh. ‘You think my extra legs are for decoration?’

“Sleipnir is the most surefooted horse you will ever find,” Loki assured her. “He will get us through these mountains with speed and without incident. It is the other creatures we must worry about so-”

“So keep my eyes open, got it.”

“Good. Now, I want you to practice your magic as we ride.”

“How?”

“Hold your palm out and picture issuing a blast of energy, only don’t aim at any rocks up ahead, or too close to us, we don’t want to destabilise the path.”

“Won’t the ruckus attract these creatures?”

“They know we’re here regardless; if anything, the show of force will make them think twice.”

“Okay.”

“And hold tightly with your free hand,” he advised. “The rules of your physics still apply and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

“You’re quoting Newton’s Third Law at me?” she sounded surprised.

“Who is Newton.”

“Never mind. Basically you’re saying that there will be a recoil, like with firing a gun?”

“Yes.”

“All right, here goes nothing.”

The energy pulse was actually far easier than conjuring, except that her blasts were about as strong as a summer breeze.