Kapitel 597: The Chasm Between Us
Aurora and the others managed to stay at the edge of the dessert for another two weeks. It was a longer journey, but after seeing the dunes along the horizon shift restlessly more than once, the group knew they had made the right call.
Elxan was a very competent guide, and Nurlan and he found a rhythm for scouting ahead for danger without slowing down the progress of the group.
It all was going well. That is, until they finally ran into trouble that brought them to a stop: a bottomless chasm.
Nurlan and Dervim stood surveying the rift. It was wide, much farther than a horse could reasonably jump.
"If I didn't know better, I would say the gnomes had been here." The General scratched the scruff of his chin.
He had lost his razor in the fight with the sand wolves and did not decide to get a replacement from the Dunesmen. The whiskers growing in were salted with grey.
Devrim gave a small smile. "I don't think they are responsible this time. What do you think, Gandr?"
At the mention of his name, the halfling ambled up beside them. He considered the Emperor a friend, but did not want to insert himself in an official conversation.
"Your Majesty?" he asked politely.
"Nurlan was wondering if gnomes could have done this. Which made me wonder if you had any insight." Devrim waved his hand along the length of the chasm. "We spoke to Elxan and he says although he has not been this way, he is positive that this was not here before."
Gandr had been looking at the strange valley for a long time. Something about it bothered him.
"It wasn't made by gnomes. It is doubtful even if they had their magic that anyone could keep this kind of rift open for so long. It would take an army of gnomes to maintain it for the length of time we have been here." The halfling pursed his lips.
Squinting, Gandr peered so far over the edge that Devrim was a little worried that his friend might fall into the chasm. But the halfling was partially made of stone himself, which meant he had an unnatural affinity for keeping grounded even at odd angles. It seemed that ability was not lost with his magic.
"Water didn't cause this either, as is the case with many ravines," Gandr spoke slowly. "I know that seems obvious since we are so close to the desert, but there is usually water somewhere deep below the surface no matter where you are. If there had been an underground river that dried up, then the earth could have sunken into its place."
"If it wasn't water or gnomic tomfoolery," Nurlan said the last part with the ghost of a smile, "then what exactly caused it?"
"I don't think you are going to like my answer..." Gandr winced.
"Have we made any progress?" A feminine voice interrupted. The males all turned and bowed. They had been so wrapped up in their talk that they hadn't even noticed the Empress's approach.
"Gandr was about to tell us what caused this valley to appear without being on any of our maps," Devrim lifted his wife's hand and kissed it.
"Please continue," Aurora's hopeful look hurt Gandr's heart.
"I will tell you but I do not think it will help anything. I think it was caused by the earth itself." Gandr rubbed the back of his neck.
"An earthquake?" Aurora caught his meaning as her eyebrows shot upward. While she had heard of the earth rumbling and moving from some of her subjects, she had never witnessed the phenomena herself. "I just assumed that those were all caused by gnomes."
With a pale smile, Gandr shook his head. "I am flattered you think us so powerful and widespread. While we can certainly trigger the ground to shake and shatter, the earth also has a mind of its own. There are countless unseen cracks below the surface which constantly move and shift. Most of the time you just don't notice."
The Empress suddenly felt like she was sinking. While she didn't doubt Gandr's words, the idea of solid ground not actually being solid was sending her mind spinning.
Aurora had been pulled into the depths of the earth once before when she met the former gnome king. She had no desire to return there ever again. Darkness clouded the Empress's vision.
Shaking her head, Aurora dismissed the useless thoughts. "I suppose it doesn't matter what caused it. We just need to get across it."
"I don't suppose you have any news on that front?" Devrim asked his wife.
"Not yet. Reyan has not returned from his scouting, and last I saw, Brinn was picking her way into the depths to see if there was a usable path." Aurora had left the she-elf hanging from a rope as Alvar lowered her into the deep.
"We could attempt a rope bridge or even a real bridge," Gandr suggested. "There is enough dead wood around here that we could make planks and create our own path."
"I am not sure how the horses would feel about that, but if nothing else works out, it may be our only way." Devrim looked at their steeds.
He knew the warhorses from Valiant would comply reluctantly, but was not sure about the animals from the desert. In addition to their speed, most seemed to have more free-spirited temperaments.
Devrim's brow furrowed. "If we do it, we will need to find a more narrow section. It is far too wide here for that, I think."
"In any case, maybe we should start collecting some of the wood. If we end up here longer than anticipated, we will have to make camp tonight anyway. I don't think we will make it to the village like we planned either way." Aurora looked across the chasm at the horizon.
They had plotted this course to stay in as many towns as they could on their way southward without taking too much time out of their quest. This was both to give Aurora a chance to survey the places her people lived and give the group a chance to resupply as often as possible.
This setback would make for one less stop on their journey. If and when they got across it, they would need to head straight into the desert to make up time.
Despite the other's objections, Aurora joined in the search for usable wood. There was actually a large amount of it littered on the ground here along the ridge, unlike the surrounding arid land.
The Empress ended up gathering wood next to Exlan. Seeing that Aurora's hands were full, the expedition's guide offered to take some of it off of her hands as they walked back together.
"Thank you for all your help," Aurora indicated the wood then looked at the skyline. "I don't think we would have made it this far so quickly without your guidance."
"I am only sorry I did not know about this obstacle. I checked my maps again. Just like I remembered, this is supposed to be the Strange Jungle." Exlan was puzzled by the change in scenery.
"What what strange about it? Other than that a jungle has no place in the middle of nowhere." Aurora furrowed her brow.
"As you said, it is strange to have a random swath of land so different from what is around it. Beyond that, the jungle was purported to have healing properties. We have people that would come to the jungle to harvest it for our own use as well as to sell. But we never took too much. Now I am wondering if we should have taken more." Exlan sighed.
"Healing properties? I wonder if the jungle had magic..." Aurora's question was rhetorical, but the guide answered anyway.
"The story went that when the world was young, a huge magical rabbit with horns came to live there. Its droppings fertilized the soil and made the flowers grow in a beautiful array. When it died, the jungle formed around it to protect its body. Over time, it grew up and outwards, creating a long thin line of shelter for anyone in need of shade." Exlan told the story of old with a bit of reverence.
Fortunately, Aurora did not laugh at him. "I've seen a smaller version of such creatures. It is very possible that story is true."
If the jungle was magic, then it would have suffered greatly when the falls stopped coming from the Mystic Spires. Perhaps the loss had resulted in an earthquake which swallowed the jungle whole. The dead wood they were gathering were the remains of that fall-out.
'The very earth is reacting to what we have done,' Aurora lamented.
Reaching the meeting point, Aurora immediately spotted Brinn and Alvar. She dumped her wood in the ever-growing pile and rushed over to see them.
"There's no bottom," Brinn said before the Empress could ask. "At least none that I could reasonably reach. I couldn't get to the other side to look for a way up."
"Thank you for trying," Aurora saw no reason to question her friend further. Brinn was very determined. She would not come back without an answer unless there was none to be found.
A short while later, Reyan flew back to the camp. "The chasm goes on forever in both directions without any bridge to be seen. It snakes into the desert with sand falling into its depths."
The fairy paused.
"What?" The Empress asked hesitantly.
"I found a way across, maybe...But...I am not sure if it is a good idea."
"It never is..." Brinn smirked. "I'm in!"
Aurora rolled her eyes at her friend. "Perhaps we should see it first. We will follow you, Reyan. Lead on."
"Very good," the fairy spread his wings. "And bring the wood. We are going to need it!"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein