n

n

nDinner was celebratory. Cerkanst had dodged a possibly major upset, and Krow won them succor against Tamvost's accusations.

nChaparha broke out the wine.

nA passel of children trapped Krow after the plates were taken away, wanting to know what the tournament was like. It had been an hour already, embellishing details about the opponents he faced.

nHe couldn't escape impolitely; the kids were the host's grandchildren.

nMenrike stuck her head in the doorway, smirked at his predicament.

nKrow narrowed his eyes.

n'You'll owe me,' she mouthed as she gestured..

nTsk.

nKids these days.

nBut he was desperate. He nodded.

n

"Young ones,

" Menrike stood in the doorway, projecting all the maturity she didn't show at ordinary times.

"Krow still has to pack.

"

nVarious sounds of protest answered that.

n

"If he doesn't pack,

" said one genius,

"does that mean he won't be leaving tomorrow?

"

nMenrike smiled, threatening glee at the edges.

nKrow glared.

nShe relented.

"No, but he won't be able to do his work, and you all know what happens when you don't do your chores.

"

nMultiple pairs of large doleful eyes were turned on Krow.

nHe forced a smile.

"I do have to go.

"

n

"But you'll come back, right?

"

n

"We'll see.

"

n

"That means 'yes'!

" one of the older ones whispered loudly.

nNo it didn't.

nBut the children nodded, like the one had spoken gospel, and let him stand up.

n

"Bye, kids.

"

nHe speeded away from the room, doing his best to not look like he was running away.

nMenrike snickered at him.

"You owe me two favors.

"

n

"One.

"

n

"I could go back there and tell them…

"

nGah.

n

"Fine.

"

nThey were minor favors anyway.

nJamutaltei and the others cut the trip short, which had Hulach and most of the others frantically running around the town earlier, trying to get all the needed supplies together.

nThat Hulach and a couple others took the time to come by the competition field touched Krow a bit.

nThey were leaving tomorrow, instead of in two days.

nKrow waved at the gatekeeper and the group of herbalists who were on their way out for a last night on the town. Or last-minute purchases.

nHe headed away from the town proper, using double-jump to bounce from root-bridge to root-bridge.

nHis spirit-worm scout had finally found some of those weird pebbles in a place that wasn't underground.

nNot completely underground, anyway.

nHe headed north of the town, noting that the area appeared mostly residential. At least, there wasn't as much lighting and noise.

nThe cave the spirit-worm found was past the edges of the town, on another mountain.

nIt was a wet cave.

nThe drip-drip-drip of water falling from stalactites echoed in the darkness.

nKrow lit a lamp with the Firecoil spell.

nWhere the light touched, the surfaces glistened with moisture.

n

"Appear.

" The spirit-worm materialized at his side.

"Lead the way.

"

nIt dove into the wall beside them.

nEh?

nHe tapped on the wall.

nIt was solid rock.

nThis idiot ghost…did he look like he could pass through walls?

nHe dismissed the spirit-worm and brought out the spirit-snake. It should keep to the tunnels, right?

nIt slithered into the same wall.

nHe stared at the stone. Was it a wall that attracted ghosts?

nHe sighed at his thoughts.

"Nevermind.

"

nThe now familiar flutter of wings had him glancing up at the vid-owl. He did a double-take.

nThe vid-owl was clinging to a spur of rock, half behind a stalactite. That was normal. The thing lurked.

nOnly this time, it was upside-down like a feathery bat.

n

"Does the saying 'when in Rome, be as a Roman' apply to you?

"

nThe vid-owl just fluttered its wings and ignored him.

nTsk.

nThese animals…he gave up.

nKrow studied the Map. The mark, a white rock, was…before him and a bit to the right. He lifted the lamp and started into the cave.

nHalf an hour later, he stood on the edge of a large underground pool. Pretty, he supposed, with the rock crystals reflecting the light of the lamp.

nThe water was unimaginably clear. Krow saw right to the bottom of the pool.

nThe bottom where the scout-marker insisted he go.

nHah. Did the universe decide he didn't have enough of a bath this evening?

nHe walked along the edge of the pool. Looked uninhabited.

nHe stopped at a part where the edge of the pool sloped into the water.

nHe'd just pretend he was gauging his underwater skills. Krow left the lamp on a rock, shining onto the water and the crystals, and waded into the pool.

nGah!

nCold!

nHe waited for his body to adjust to the temperature, then continued in slowly until his head submerged.

nYou are underwater. a notification informed him.

nYou think he didn't know that?!

nAnother set of symbols appeared. 0:00:29:59:34

nThirty minutes.

nNice, but still not enough.

nHe jumped from the ledge he was on, to sink to the gravel-filled bottom, about ten metres below.

nThe stones of the pool were smooth. Like river stones that had been rolling around the riverbed for a long time.

nHe crouched down, scooped up a handful, looking for the 'ordinary' pebbles.

nHis timer ran out, and his HP started ticking down, Krow only found three.

nHe kicked upward, surfacing and sucking in a breath.

nHe wiped the water off his face.

nHe'd been expecting more.

nCould it be the spirit-worm marked just the pebbles similar to the one he showed it?

nTsk.

nHe called the spirit-snake, showed it the pebbles.

"Look for material like these.

"

nThe spirit-snake sunk into the water and slithered away.

nKrow exhaled.

nHe had to leave Rakaens tomorrow, but since it was less than a hundred kilometres away, could he find similar mining spots closer to Cerkanst?

nHe took a deep breath and let himself drop to the pool bed again.

nSix more times, he surfaced to take a breath, before giving up.

nA glance at his Inventory said he gathered about thirty 'ordinary' stones.

nObviously, it wasn't the mine that he was looking for.

nHe still didn't know if he could use them in enchanting, but thirty was enough to experiment for now.

nThe Map indicated his spirit-snake had found a few locations.

nShould he stay the night here, or go back to the courtyard?

nHe glanced at his clock.

nAh, it was Monday. He had work.

nHe didn't anticipate any problems, there, but still, he should get ready.

nHe pulled himself from the pool, sat at the edge to let the water run off his clothes and body.

nKrow smiled.

nThis trip to Rakaens had been eventful, definitely.

n