waist to prevent him slipping over.
They hiked until midday, a sad, sorry line that had to make frequent stops so the injured
could rest. Both Azhure and Raum spent much of their time wandering up and down the line,
giving encouragement, occasionally helping support one of the wounded. When StarDrifter
finally called a halt at midday Azhure breathed in relief. At least now they would have time to
brew some analgesic tea for the injured.
After Azhure and Raum had passed about the tea, Azhure took a cup of herbed tea and sat
down to one side of the group. SpikeFeather TrueSong, the Wing-Leader, came and sat next to
her after checking both forest and sky for danger.
Azhure smiled shyly at him. He was a handsome birdman, not as beautiful as some, but
he had striking, brilliant dark-red plumage and kind, dark eyes.
―I saw what you did in the Grove,‖ he remarked. ―You harbour great courage and
resourcefulness within you.‖
―I could have moved sooner.‖
―As could we all,‖ SpikeFeather said dryly. ―But you moved first. Azhure, have you ever
had any military training?‖
Her fingers tightened about her cup. ―No.‖
―Then perhaps you would consider training with my Wing when we return to Talon
Spike.‖
Azhure felt sick to her stomach. ―Oh no, I couldn‘t possibly—‖
―Azhure,‖ SpikeFeather‘s eyes were grave. ―I know the Avar regard you with some
concern. They are sometimes a strange people. But you have my admiration and the admiration
of many of the Icarii. Think about it. The Avar may dislike your talents, but the Icarii will value
them.‖ His eyes crinkled in amusement. ―I have some skill with the bow, Azhure, and I would
enjoy teaching you the proper use of an arrow.‖
As Azhure hesitated the birdman stood up. ―Think about it,‖ he repeated, then moved off.
As he walked off Azhure noticed GoldFeather, who winked, and Azhure coloured and
looked away, wondering about SpikeFeather‘s words.
For some time the group sat silently, listening to the birds and the sounds of the Nordra.
StarDrifter finished his, checking the position of the sun. Not too much further ahead the paths
became dangerous, and he did not want to risk the wounded any more than he had to.
Handing his empty cup back to GoldFeather, StarDrifter summoned SpikeFeather to his
side.
―Wing-Leader,‖ StarDrifter said, shifting uncomfortably and hoping the tea would have
some effect soon. ―From this point the undergrowth begins to crowd the banks of the Nordra. If
we continue to scout on foot we could easily miss the entrance to the UnderWorld. It would be
best if you take some of your Wing scout ahead by air.‖
SpikeFeather nodded. ―Enchanter, what is it we look for?‖
StarDrifter grimaced as pain bit deeply into his chest and had to wait for a few heartbeats
before he had the breath to answer. GoldFeather exchanged a worried glance with SpikeFeather.
―A feeder stream, Wing-Leader,‖ StarDrifter finally replied. ―One that enters the Nordra
from a cavern, most like. The entrance to the UnderWorld should not be too far away. A league
from here the Nordra is hemmed in by the steep cliff faces of the Alps. GoldFeather, you have
not seen anything like a stream issuing forth from the path by the Nordra as it flows through the
Alps, have you?‖
GoldFeather shook her head. ―No. There is nothing like that in the Alps themselves. This
section of the river I do not know well, I usually strike off to the east as soon as I get out of the
Alps.‖
―Then fly, Wing-Leader. The entrance cannot be too far. Fly.‖
As the Icarii lifted off StarDrifter leaned back against GoldFeather and closed his eyes,
relishing the chance to rest.
He did not get to rest long. SpikeFeather dropped down beside them not ten minutes after
he had left.
―We‘ve found a narrow channel of still water that runs between the river and a wide
cavern mouth, fortunately on this side of the riverbank. You were right, Enchanter. None of us
would have spotted it from the ground. There is a heavy growth of oldenberry bushes that lies
across the channel‘s path as it curves into the Nordra. The cavern entrance is hidden by the
undergrowth.‖
―Will it take us long to walk there, SpikeFeather?‖
The Wing-Leader shook his head. ―Not more than half an hour, StarDrifter.‖
―Good,‖ StarDrifter grunted as GoldFeather helped him to his feet.
Exactly half an hour later they stood in the cavern by the still water that led to the Nordra.
Although the cavern was relatively close, the Icarii warriors had been forced to cut a path for the
others through the dense growth of oldenberry bushes that hid the cavern mouth from the river
bank. SpikeFeather had been right, no-one wandering along the banks of the Nordra could
possibly guess that this cavern existed.
The channel of water leading to the Nordra was no ordinary stream. Its regular banks
were carefully lined with stone, and it was a uniform five paces wide its entire length. Once in
the cavern the channel widened into a large rectangular pool, lined with massive slabs of grey
stone that seemed to have been quarried from the nearby cliff face. The cavern, its entrance only
some fifteen paces across, widened and deepened into a spacious chamber, its arching roof at
least twenty paces high, and stretching back until the rear of the cavern was lost in darkness.
―Yes,‖ StarDrifter said as he looked about him. ―Yes. I think this is one of the entrances
to the UnderWorld. Look!‖ he suddenly said, excited. Two small flat-bottomed boats were drawn
up on a low shelf to one side of the cavern.
GoldFeather walked back a little further into the cavern, then turned to StarDrifter, her
handsome face puzzled. ―StarDrifter? The pool ends here. The water does not continue any
further. How can this be the entrance to the UnderWorld?‖
StarDrifter smiled and hobbled over to her as gracefully as his injuries would allow. ―My
love. The UnderWorld exists far below us. Not even the Charonites, magical sprites that they are,
can make water flow upwards. They build stairs to the OverWorld which they climb whenever
they feel the urge to feel once more the night air on their faces. Let us look.‖
SpikeFeather found several brands on the low shelf that held the boats. He lit them from
his tinderbox and handed them to his command as they walked into the darkness of the cavern.
The even stone floor continued smooth and surprisingly dustless for some fifty paces, then ended
abruptly in a flat stone wall. Azhure, walking with Raum, turned and looked at him anxiously,
but he only smiled and took her arm. ―It is not for nothing that StarDrifter is accounted one of the
strongest Enchanters the Icarii have bred for generations. Watch.‖
StarDrifter motioned the group to stay well behind him and then moved stiffly over to the
stone wall, holding a flaming brand in one hand for light. For some time he moved slowly down
its length, running his hand over the wall, his face frowning in concentration; he even extended
the wing closest to the wall, running the tips of its feathers gently over the surface of the rock,
the sound almost like the rustle of a silken gown.
Slightly to one side of the centre of the wall he stopped, tapped the wall gently with his
fingers, then turned his head to smile at the group watching him. In the leaping shadows thrown
by the brand his face had a slightly rakish look about it, almost mischievous, like a small boy
about to play a particularly satisfying prank.
―Here, I think. The Charonites hide their handiwork well, but not so well as to fool this
Icarii Enchanter.‖
He turned back to the wall, humming softly, his fingers tapping in time against the stone.
―Yes, yes, yes,‖ he whispered suddenly, excitedly, ―that‘s it, that‘s it!‖ StarDrifter‘s voice
became louder, stronger, and now he added the occasional word into the music he was humming.
It was a strange tune, compelling, the tune whirling round and round the cavern.
Abruptly StarDrifter stopped singing, closed his fist and struck the stone wall as hard as
he could.
― Ecrez dontai Charon!‖ he cried, and the entire wall shattered beneath his fist. He leapt
out of the way, his wings fluttering uselessly, but he was caught in a shower of stone fragments.
GoldFeather and SpikeFeather rushed to his aid. He was covered from head to toe in fine
grey dust, the only colour the pale but intense blue of his eyes and the small trails of blood that
seeped from his wounds where he had torn them in the fall to the floor. But StarDrifter shook
himself free from GoldFeather and SpikeFeather‘s hands, still grinning as excitedly as a small
boy. ―Look!‖ he cried, turning back to what the crumbling wall revealed.
Instead of a bare grey stone wall there now stood a screen carved out of translucent white