Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 84
Nearly three weeks passed them by, with Finyat once again leading the way. The massive tunnel crept by as slowly as the time did. Every day (or night, they could not tell), seemed the same as the day before.
At the end of the third week of traveling through the never-ending tunnel, it abruptly stopped, giving them the choice of turning to the right or to the left. Finyat whispered to them quietly, as if there were hostiles within the range of his voice.
“I fear the way to the left. I don’t know what it is, but that way has a bad air to it.” He shuddered as he stared into the darkness, then nervously looked to Sekali.
Uther thumbed the edge of his axe and sneered silently as he peered that way. Sekali chuckled as he began making his way through the right tunnel. “It does not matter the way we go; it matters that we choose the correct path.”
Uther grinned. “Sekali, I’d say that was a feeble attempt at a joke.” Then, without another breath, Uther followed Sekali, loudly exclaiming, “You know, these grand halls could be shaped and crafted. There is good stone here.” He noticed the surprised look on their faces and snorted, “Hrmph!”
Aria smiled, almost laughing. “No doubt, sir, you could create the most beautiful city within these mountains. I doubt you not.”
Finyat cut in, “I’m glad we head this way. I tell you, I feel dread creep over me when I look the that way,” he pointed behind him without looking, “I feel . . . death.”
Uther snorted loudly, startling Finyat. “Mighty dragon slayer!”
The Shallant shrugged, openly annoyed. “Uther, I will admit that was a bit of luck. But that was an overgrown lizard, not a fire-breathing dragon – I tell you, something waits that way.”
Uther stopped for a moment and peered hard down the cave, swallowing, suddenly nervous. “Well, you’ve got that uncanny sense; no disputing that. I’ve been with you long enough to trust you on this. In silence, both Sekali and Aria agreed.