“I don’t think so,” Uther says to him. “If anyone is going to be the sacrificial lamb, it better be someone with all their parts working properly.” To Jorry he asks, “You game?”
Shrugging in an attempt to appear nonchalant even though fear is one step away from taking over, he replies, “Sure, why not? Time for my bath anyway.”
“You got that right,” one of the others says, though who he couldn’t tell.
“Better space yourselves apart a few minutes so if it gets rough, you won’t be thrown against each other,” Qyrll suggests.
James steps toward them and says, “Once you’re through, I’ll check the lake to see if I can find you. Then I’ll start sending the rest through starting with Jiron and Fifer. Be ready to help him when he gets there if you can.”
Nodding, Uther says, “Alright.” He and Jorry begin shedding everything but their weapons and the clothes from their back. When they’re in nothing but shirts and pants Uther looks to Jorry and asks, “Odds and evens?”
“I’ll take odds,” Jorry says.
They face each other and to James it looks like they’re going to do a round of paper, rock, scissors. Bringing their hands down onto their other palm, Jorry says, “One.” The second time Uther says, “Two.”
Then just before they bring their hands down again, Jorry turns and runs toward the swirling maelstrom. With a “Yeehaaw!” he leaps away from the shore and hits the water two yards out. The water immediately grabs him and sucks him toward the center of the swirling water.
“Damn you!” cries out Uther. He had the same idea but Jorry beat him to it.
Around and around the water gradually brings Jorry to the center and then all of a sudden, his head disappears as he’s sucked beneath the water. At that, Uther follows and hits the water. A minute later, he too is sucked beneath the surface.
James moves over to the edge of the lake where he and Miko proceed to dig out an area for the water to fill. Then once it’s filled, they close it off from the lake and the water within the depression becomes calm.
Giving them a few minutes, he calls forth the magic and an image of the lake appears. He concentrates on Jorry, trying to center the view upon him. The scene shifts and all they can see is the calm surface of the lake. It’s hard to see anything in the gloom of night, only the moon above gives any light with which to see.
Suddenly Jorry breaks through the surface of the water and they can see him splash around a bit before he realizes he’s broken through. Shortly after that, Uther joins him.
“Alright,” James says as he glances to Jiron, “it’s your turn.”
“Help me up,” he says and Miko and Fifer move to comply.
They walk him over to the edge of the maelstrom and ease him into the water. Since he’s starting closer to the edge it takes him a little longer before he gets sucked under. After that the others go in two minute intervals until it’s only James, Miko and Qyrll left. They’ve been watching the scene play out on the lake and saw Jiron break the surface. Jorry and Uther immediately moved to help him. It looked like he made it alright.
“You go next,” Qyrll says to James. “They’ll need you out there if the Empire shows up.”
“Good point,” he agrees. “Be sure to send Miko next.”
Qyrll nods as James moves to the edge of the water. He stands there and looks out over the swirling, churning water. It’s just a big water slide, that’s all it is. The others made it through okay, so will you. With a quick glance back to Miko who gives him an encouraging nod, he backs up two feet and with a running jump, leaps out over the water.
Splash!
He hits the water and the iciness of it takes his breath away. Working to stay afloat, he starts treading water as the current takes him. Moving ever closer to the center of the maelstrom he tries to calm his breathing and just as he feels the current begin to pull him under, takes a deep breath.
Sucked underneath the water by the current, he’s suddenly in total blackness. Thrown this way and that, he feels as if he’s being dropped down a vertical shaft. Then all of a sudden, the current releases him and he’s freefalling. Air surrounds him and he releases the pent up air within and quickly takes another two deep breaths before slamming into more water.
Again he’s caught in a whirlpool and sucked underneath. This time he’s pulled down and then the flow of water begins turning more horizontal as it picks up speed. He scrapes against the side of the tunnel and feels some of his skin ripped off. Nothing major but enough to cause him pain.
Then when he thinks he can no longer hold his breath, the current quickly reduces speed and he realizes he’s no longer in the tunnel but in the lake. Kicking upward, he swims for the surface.
Breaking through, he gasps for air. Teeth chattering from the cold of the water, he tries to calm them but is unable to. The water has sapped all the warmth from him. He’s in serious danger of hypothermia and scans for the shore.
“Over here!” he hears someone yell. When he looks, he sees the others in the moonlight, standing on the shore waving him down. Swimming quickly, he makes his way toward them. Reaching the shore next to them, he climbs out onto the beach.
They’re all freezing and his teeth aren’t the only ones chattering. They’ve got to get a fire going and soon. “G…gather s…some wood,” he stutters.
“Already done,” Uther says as he indicates a pile nearby.
Without any warning, James releases the magic and the wood catches fire, roaring to life. Uther staggers backward in shock but then moves closer to bask in the warm glow.
“James!” he hears Miko’s panicked cry from the water.
“Over here!” he hollers back.
Miko and then finally Qyrll begin swimming toward the shore and the welcoming fire. Jorry moves to the water to help but neither needs any assistance. Jiron had survived well and his leg didn’t suffer any further trauma, much to James’ relief.
“Where are the ruins?” he asks.
They all glance around and Qyrll points off to their left and says, “It’s over there around the lake.”
“We can’t stay here long,” James tells the others. “We have to go after the Star. It can’t be allowed to reach the Empire.” He looks around at them, wet and freezing. They’re going to need to wait at least until their clothes dry before they attempt the trek around the lake.
Jorry and Uther throw more wood on the fire, building the blaze so they’ll dry all the faster. The warmth is luxurious after the bitter chill of the water, it couldn’t have been much above freezing.
They stay there by the fire for a little over half an hour before the consensus is that they’re sufficiently warm and dry. After tearing apart the fire, they head around the lake to where the ruins lie, and hopefully their horses still remain there. They have extra clothes and blankets there, if the Empire didn’t take them.
Surprisingly when they reach the ruins, they find their horses exactly where they left them. When James’ gaze falls upon the horse Dave had used, a red hot anger burns within him. Not at Dave, but at the Empire who had taken his life long friend away from him.
As they mount and are about to head out, James turns to the miner and says, “Here’s where we part ways. You don’t want to be with us when we catch them.”
“Are you sure you know the way out?” he asks.
James glances around at the others and sees both Jiron and Qyrll nod, indicating they do. “I think so. I appreciate all the help you’ve been.”
Smiling, the miner replies, “I actually had the time of my life, been too long by myself. Hate to see you all go as a matter of fact.”
James brings his horse close to the miner’s and holds out his hand. When the miner takes it, he says, “We each have a secret to keep. I think you know what I mean?”
The miner nods, “I’ll not say anything.”
“Good,” says James, releasing his hand. “Neither will we.” Turning back to the others he raises his voice and asks, “Will we?”