The uniformity of these tunnels makes it extremely clear that they are not natural. They are smoother and more perfectly made than any structure Lucas has ever seen.
Focused on the walls, Lucas does not notice at first that someone is calling out to him. His attention is only caught at Ivor's gentle nudge. "Sir, they're saying we need to turn back."
He turns to look at Visnja. "A magic barrier? A spell?"
"Not sure. There's too much else going on down here to tell. But it's not good."
He surveys their surroundings again, as if he could detect the magic for himself. "All right... I suppose we've covered enough ground for now, anyway." He gives a signal to the group to start heading back.
"Not sure. There's too much else going on down here to tell. But it's not good."
He surveys their surroundings again, as if he could detect the magic for himself. "All right... I suppose we've covered enough ground for now, anyway." He gives a signal to the group to start heading back.
The group reconvenes in the library. "So," Alinor says, "We have a few options. The forward tunnel is likely a place we want to avoid; Visnja felt something similar to the two other magical auras she felt before, though something about this place is clouding her senses. I would like to explore the right-hand tunnel before we return to the castle or attempt the path that Goatie and Jednook traveled before, but the question is: Are we ready to do that now? I have no idea how long we've been down here, but I'm tired. It may be in our best interest to rest before continuing."
He surveys their surroundings again, as if he could detect the magic for himself. "All right... I suppose we've covered enough ground for now, anyway." He gives a signal to the group to start heading back.
The group reconvenes in the library. "So," Alinor says, "We have a few options. The forward tunnel is likely a place we want to avoid; Visnja felt something similar to the two other magical auras she felt before, though something about this place is clouding her senses. I would like to explore the right-hand tunnel before we return to the castle or attempt the path that Goatie and Jednook traveled before, but the question is: Are we ready to do that now? I have no idea how long we've been down here, but I'm tired. It may be in our best interest to rest before continuing."
"I vote we keep exploring," Daniel chimes in. Lucas shoots him a mildly-irritated look. "After resting, however--we've been walking for a while, and we'll need our full strength to face whatever might be down in those tunnels." Daniel looks annoyed but nods in acquiesce.
The group reconvenes in the library. "So," Alinor says, "We have a few options. The forward tunnel is likely a place we want to avoid; Visnja felt something similar to the two other magical auras she felt before, though something about this place is clouding her senses. I would like to explore the right-hand tunnel before we return to the castle or attempt the path that Goatie and Jednook traveled before, but the question is: Are we ready to do that now? I have no idea how long we've been down here, but I'm tired. It may be in our best interest to rest before continuing."
"I vote we keep exploring," Daniel chimes in. Lucas shoots him a mildly-irritated look. "After resting, however--we've been walking for a while, and we'll need our full strength to face whatever might be down in those tunnels." Daniel looks annoyed but nods in acquiesce.
"Very good. We will stay here until we feel ready to move on. Everyone is free to rest, but I want someone guarding each entrance at all times."
"I vote we keep exploring," Daniel chimes in. Lucas shoots him a mildly-irritated look. "After resting, however--we've been walking for a while, and we'll need our full strength to face whatever might be down in those tunnels." Daniel looks annoyed but nods in acquiesce.
"Very good. We will stay here until we feel ready to move on. Everyone is free to rest, but I want someone guarding each entrance at all times."
Azril volunteers to be a guard for one of the entrances. Daniel finds a place to sit in the middle of the room while Lucas lingers on his feet, surveying their surroundings.
"Very good. We will stay here until we feel ready to move on. Everyone is free to rest, but I want someone guarding each entrance at all times."
Azril volunteers to be a guard for one of the entrances. Daniel finds a place to sit in the middle of the room while Lucas lingers on his feet, surveying their surroundings.
Looking over the shelves, Lucas notices something odd in the way the books are placed on many of them.
Azril volunteers to be a guard for one of the entrances. Daniel finds a place to sit in the middle of the room while Lucas lingers on his feet, surveying their surroundings.
Looking over the shelves, Lucas notices something odd in the way the books are placed on many of them.
Frowning, he steps up to the shelves and scrutinizes how the books are set up.
Looking over the shelves, Lucas notices something odd in the way the books are placed on many of them.
Frowning, he steps up to the shelves and scrutinizes how the books are set up.
The books appear to be placed with just a little space in between each one, as if someone took a large number of books from the shelves and didn't want anyone to know they were missing. It is small enough that the difference might be unnoticeable from a distance, but up close it is visible.
"Very good. We will stay here until we feel ready to move on. Everyone is free to rest, but I want someone guarding each entrance at all times."
Azril volunteers to be a guard for one of the entrances. Daniel finds a place to sit in the middle of the room while Lucas lingers on his feet, surveying their surroundings.
Goatie sits down by another entrance, tapping the floor with a preoccupied air.
Jednook patters after him and plonks himself down by his master's feet. The wingless griffin is much more calm now, although there is a glimmer of wistfulness in his single eye as he thinks about the world above ground.
Frowning, he steps up to the shelves and scrutinizes how the books are set up.
The books appear to be placed with just a little space in between each one, as if someone took a large number of books from the shelves and didn't want anyone to know they were missing. It is small enough that the difference might be unnoticeable from a distance, but up close it is visible.
He murmurs wryly, "Looks like someone's been making some library visits." Curious, he takes one of the books and inspects whatever writing may be on the cover.
The books appear to be placed with just a little space in between each one, as if someone took a large number of books from the shelves and didn't want anyone to know they were missing. It is small enough that the difference might be unnoticeable from a distance, but up close it is visible.
He murmurs wryly, "Looks like someone's been making some library visits." Curious, he takes one of the books and inspects whatever writing may be on the cover.
The dialect is an unfamiliar one, seemingly ancient, but he is mostly able to read the language. As best he can tell, it is a book of magic concerning pastries and light refreshments.
He murmurs wryly, "Looks like someone's been making some library visits." Curious, he takes one of the books and inspects whatever writing may be on the cover.
The dialect is an unfamiliar one, seemingly ancient, but he is mostly able to read the language. As best he can tell, it is a book of magic concerning pastries and light refreshments.
