n

n

nDaryn took a deep breath. Those were some things he had to deal with.

"Well, I am practically an immortal and I don't know how things will unfold. Maybe we will change our place of living. But father had stayed here for long. So I don't know what his secret is.

" He didn't say that most neotides lived for no more than two hundred years. The thought was frightening. He shuddered.

nDawn leaned back against him and gripped him hard. 'Why are you feeling nervous?' she asked mentally. 'Isn't it wonderful? We are going to stay together forever!' she said.

n

"It is darling,

" he said and kissed over the top of her head. It was a lovely thought.

nAs they moved further, they noticed a herd of wild ponies roaming away from them. The last pony in the herd stopped and looked at them. She flicked her ears and glanced at Izar who raised his head and walked taller showing off his graceful height. The pony joined her herd and Izar grunted.

nThe ground had become more uneven. There were bogs around and puddles of water were gleaming under the morning sun. A little far thick fog meandered across the rolling hills as if draping it with a white cloth, hiding its chastity.

nSuddenly, they jolted forward. Izar's front leg fell inside a puddle and it sunk deep. Daryn jumped off along with Dawn. Izar neighed. Daryn caught hold of his horse and tried to yank it out but something tight had wrapped around his leg.

"It seems that there's something around his leg. I need to go inside.

"

n

"No!

" Dawn said.

"We should pull his leash and help him.

"

nBut Daryn took a dagger out of his boots and stepped into the puddle. He went knee deep in the water. Something slithered past him. He gripped the slimy thing that had wounded around Izar's leg and slashed it.

"Now hold his leash and pull him out,

" he shouted. He pushed Izar's head in order to goad him to back up.

nDawn did as asked.

nThe slimy, slithery thing wriggled and then attacked Daryn's leg. It must have sunk its sharp teeth in his boots because there was a tickle of pain on his skin. He gripped it from behind and once again sliced it. He didn't know what he was fighting but the thing went still. He pulled himself out of the puddle, panting as he looked at his pants and boots that were muddy and the puddle where that 'thing' was lying dead.

n

"Let's walk,

" Dawn said in a breathy voice.

"You never know how many more such puddles we may encounter.

"

nThey started going ahead on foot. However as they went ahead it became obvious that the ground was wetter than usual. Dawn stared at the grassy, marshy land and the fog in front of them. Thin veils of mist blew towards them along with the gusty winds, shivering her to the core. In distance, she noticed a small creek that gurgled as the water flowed through it around the small, embedded rocks. Even though they carefully tread on the grass, they realized that there were many puddles and bogs hidden beneath it. At one point of time, Dawn slid into a water hole that was hidden beneath a thick overgrowth of tall grass and was in until her waist. Daryn lunged and pulled her out.

n

"This is not going to work,

" she said after coming out. Her clothes were muddy and the mud on Daryn's cloth had started to cake.

"Besides I am wary of entering that thick mist out there.

" She pointed at the veil of mist.

n

"Yes, we can avoid that,

" Daryn replied.

n

"Or, we can fly over it and give a cursory inspection. This is a moor. I think we will be able to spot the temple,

" said Dawn as winds slapped her cheeks. She called Quetz, who came down immediately as if he was nearby and waiting for her command.

nAs soon as he landed, his claws skidded. He stopped with his wings half-spread. 'The ground is a horrible mess,' he said and belched.

nDawn mounted him. 'We have to fly over the mist,' Dawn conveyed.

n'Do we need to carry Izar with us?' he asked. The horse wasn't happy when gripped in his claws and glared at him with his large brown eyes reproachfully every time he picked him up. 'We can leave him here.'

nDawn wasn't sure how Daryn would feel about leaving his horse behind, so she conveyed Quetz's thoughts to him.

"I hope he doesn't stray,

" Daryn replied. On the other hand it was a better idea to leave Izar behind. All they had to do was inspect the area covered in fog and return. He hoped that the Temple of Annubalis wasn't present anywhere inside.

"Okay, we can leave him here,

" he said with a slight worry.

n'Good,' Quetz replied and stared at the horse with his large deep blue eyes.

nDaryn left Izar's leash and patted him on the side.

"Be a good boy and stay here. Don't go after the ponies that you just saw. We are coming back soon.

" Izar nuzzled him.

nDawn clutched his spikes tightly. Daryn held her waist. Quetz carried them into the air. They rose above the ground and when they reached a certain height, they could see the entire area that was covered with mist. It stretched for miles.

"Thank Skadi, we didn't traverse on foot. It is easy to get lost in such wilderness,

" Daryn said. Powerful gusts of winds resisted Quetz's wings and he had to beat his wings harder.

nThey must have gone a little further towards the center when the fog cleared and to their utter surprise, a dense vegetation came into view. Quetz dived down and started to circle over it. 'This is strange,' he said. 'I have never seen woods as deep as these in the midst of a moor.'

nSuddenly, Dawn noticed a grey dome that jutted out of the green.

"What's that?

" she pointed.

n

"It seems like Temple of Annubalis,

" said Daryn in an incredulous voice.

nQuetz became excited. 'I am going to see where I can land,' he said. He went near the dome. He circled over it. As soon as he found a small clearing, he landed there.

nThe couple got off the dragon. 'It will be difficult for me to walk through this place, Dawn. You are on your own. I am going to stand here for some time and then fly.'

n'Okay, try not uprooting trees and burning this place,' she warned him and along with Daryn, she walked into the woods.

nThe gnarled ash trees were so tightly woven together that sunlight couldn't find a single place of entry. There was thick growth of moss and lichen on their trunks. The whole place smelled of dampness, rotting leaving, wet soil and stale air. She stumbled over the bushes.

nDaryn used his dagger to slice the roots hanging down from the trees to make their way forward.

"What do you think we are going to find in the temple?

" he asked.

nShe ignored his question and instead said,

"I am suspecting something Daryn.

"

n'What?

" he asked, cutting another thick tendril.

n

"This forest,

" she said,

"it is growing in the middle of a moor. The vegetation is almost impenetrable. So don't you think it is strange?

"

nThe trees seemed to creak even though the place was almost still.

nDaryn stopped and raised his right eyebrow. He tilted his head.

"What are you suggesting?

"

n

"What was the main thing about the Stone of Solaris?

" she asked and walked ahead.

nDaryn's face darkened.

"Brantley had said that the jewel brought prosperity and fertility—

" he pressed his hand to his mouth.

"Fertility!

"

n

"Exactly,

" Dawn replied marveling at her theory.

"The stone imparted fertility to the place it was installed.

"

nDaryn held up a thick dried branch for her to walk beneath it.

nShe continued,

"It is highly possible that the ruby is placed in the temple or somewhere around it. Since it was a jewel for prosperity and fertility the jungle around which it had fallen, proliferated.

"

n

"In that case, how come the Shaman never mentioned it to any other traveler?

" asked Daryn with surprise.

"I am extremely sure that people must have questioned him before us.

"

nDawn became quiet and looked at the ground that was scattered with moss covered stones. She walked carefully over them and stopped to stand over a thick root of an ash tree that protruded out of the ground.

"He was talking about some prophecy,

" her voice trailed off. She looked at the heavy foliage of leaves in front of her.

"At that time the whole thing appeared ridiculous but to think of it—

"

nDaryn walked up to her. He took the leather casket out and drank water from it. Handing it to Dawn, he asked with interest,

"What?

"

nShe took a swig and gave it back to him.

"I don't think that the Shaman divulged this information to anyone else and—

" she pressed a finger on her lips.

"If I am correct, there was no prophecy. It was just an agreement between Brantley and him.

" She hopped off the root and walked ahead.

"I think the Shaman is conning the Cadvals.

"

n