The Mountain Dancer

Chapter 45: Sila & Dreff

By the time they had made their way back through the forest and mountain passes, the area was swarming with authorities. They had taken a wide arc to avoid the main road; sometimes Dreff led the way through the trickier terrain. She didn’t dare use any significant Artwork beyond basic Cropforth and Wayfaring, lest the inevitable patrol probes pick up on her. The Falsesparker’s natural ranging and woodscouting talents were most certainly appreciated in helping to keep off the common trails.

Four days of cold suncycles and even colder nights had been blessedly free of much conversation, another one of Dreff’s redeeming qualities.

The forest came right up to the banks of the Steelwash River – close enough that they could look upon the rush without risking breaking cover. As they peered out, he broke the silence.

“What now?”

They were significantly upriver from the academy. The roiling water moved west into a rocky valley. Further west, that valley would get steeper and steeper until it resembled a huge crack in the grass-topped rocks. Evetually, the span was bridged by the acamedy’s famous stone arch.

“Now, we go for a little swim.”

“I knew you were going to say that.”

A little further down the river, they found a tiny tributary that was well shrouded by the evergreens. On Sila’s instruction, they waited until just before High Sun before slipping into the frigid water. Dreff bared his teeth and muttered under his breath. It was probably going to be less comfortable than the Deep Flashstep – this time for both of them.

Sila took a moment to reflect on how ridiculous they would look if one of the ranging patrols happened upon them. Dreff had rearranged most of his belts to strap their meager belongings to their bodies. His hat was crushed against his back, and Sila had several belts cinched around her body to keep her cloak in place and the book tight against her stomach. A lifeline of three belts connected them hip-to-hip.

“Ready?” she said, as the sun cleared a mass of clouds overhead.

“No. Let’s go.”

She gripped his hand and they dove. Kicking underwater, they got themselves into the main current and she upcycled some more complex Artwork at last. Keeping her balance under the waves and bringing down air into both their lungs was going to take nearly all her concentration. She relied on the sun’s reflection on the surface above to hide the glow from her three crystals. The water and rocky surroundings should be enough to mask the Artwork cycles. She used Dreff to help her steer... and as a source of energy.

The shock of the cold helped her focus. She just hoped it wouldn’t start to numb them too badly.

They went deep, the red-white light of her crystals helping to outline the woodland debris that churned along with them in the river. They took turns kicking, though the current was generally enough to keep them moving. Sila assumed that the patrols would have their eyes on all major access points to and from the whole area, but she was hoping that this particular mode of entry was just a bit too unorthodox to consider. Plus, they were supposed to be dead.

The journey was realtively smooth. There was an alarming moment when her focus slipped and the air she was channeling came off point – her lungs began to burn and the water beside them frothed in a sudden flurry of bubbles. She stopped kicking and regrouped, hoping Dreff wouldn’t start to panic. She felt his grasp tighten – possibly in fear, possibly in encouragement, and then the air was back, forming in her throat in little spurts. Dreff gave a quick double squeeze – the signal for “good.”

There was another moment when their belt line snagged on the branches of some ancient, sunken tree. The jolt interrupted her Artwork again, but having survived the first scare, it was easy to bring it back. Dreff fished out his dagger and cut them loose, and that was the end of the issue.

The numbness did start to set in, and she was facing the difficult choice of cutting back on the air supply in exchange for some warming Bodyanchor when she saw the caves to her left. Normally, they’d be quite easy to miss, even if one was using proper diving Artwork and equipment. But she had marked the area several months ago with a series of smooth white rocks. She tugged at Dreff and pointed. They kicked hard, angling out of the main current and towards the recessed cracks.

Sila guided them into one. Thick plant life obscured an opening; they plunged through and into a cramped tunnel. The water was calm inside the submerged passageway, her dimming lights only punching a few feet ahead in the murky gloom. Even with Dreff as an energy source, she was getting quite tired. His strength, fearsome as it was, was flagging as well. But they were almost there.

The shaft angled up, and she inhaled in shock when her face broke the surface. Her light had been too dim and her focus too wavery to notice it. Dreff popped up, breathing in great, whooping gasps.

Sila brought a small Softshadow down. They were in a low cave. As she floated the light further away, they could see that it opened up into something of a flooded hallway. They made their way over to a thin ledge that ran partway down the path.

She heaved herself up, and helped Dreff clamber up as well. She snuffed out the orb and put some of her remaining energy into a warming Bodyanchor, pushing a bit into her dripping companion.

“Wh-when I get my st-strength up, I’ll w-warm us m-more,” she said, shivering. There was a scuff as he drew his legs up to his knees. Sila supposed that if he wanted to stick her with his blade right now, there’d be little she could do to stop him. Of course, then he’d be stranded down here, so she was probably safe for now.

“Got everything?” his voice called out from the dark.

She patted the lump of the book on her stomach. Now that she was out of the river, she loosened the belt that held it in place and took it out, just to feel its reassuring weight.

It was completely dry.

“Everything t-that matters,” she said, running her fingers along the leather… or whatever it was that passed for leather.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“An old meltwater vein. It should connect up with an abandoned mining complex. From there, we can access the catacombs in the s-spire, assuming my information is correct.”

“Great. ‘Should.’ ‘Assuming.’ How’d you find this path?”

“Over four years of patience, research, and… persuasion,” she said.

He snorted. Then he coughed and shivered so violently that she heard the little spatters as droplets flew from his body.

“Arrrgh. I’m freezing. This better be worth it. You know my terms.”

“You’ll get your Luminary.”

“And if we can’t get out of here?”

“Then you can stab me, and try your hand at digging yourself out. I technically would count, no?”

He barked a laugh, and said no more. She tried to rest and ignore the biting air. Slowly, she felt herself cycling back up. As she did, she increased the Bodyanchor and worked on flowing the water out of their clothes.

When they were at least dry again (if not entirely cozy), they ate a quick meal, untangled the lifeline belts and started off again. They skulked along the ledge, guided by some Softshadow, until it became too small to stand on. It was back into the water then, but in the hallway it only came up to their knees.

All these years, Sila thought as she sloshed through the claustrophobic tunnel. The book was back in her robes, pressing against her side. She put her hand over it, feeling its edges through the fabric. All these years, and it’s going to come down to a boy with a foolish heart.