He has no difficulty with the calculation itself, but his attempts to make the numbers make sense yield nothing. He doesn't know what numbers to use for the calculations.
Jednook waddles along beside his master, starting to whimper. He is bored, becoming agitated. He nudges the pebble his master is holding, accidentally knocking it to the ground.
Goatie tries to concentrate on the time. He bends down and picks up the pebble. Yet again, he fails to establish a number to account for the scratches on the pebble. Giving up, he flips the pebble over to Jednook for him to play with.
"How much longer can these tunnels go on?" Lucas murmurs quietly.
Jednook waddles along beside his master, starting to whimper. He is bored, becoming agitated. He nudges the pebble his master is holding, accidentally knocking it to the ground.
Goatie tries to concentrate on the time. He bends down and picks up the pebble. Yet again, he fails to establish a number to account for the scratches on the pebble. Giving up, he flips the pebble over to Jednook for him to play with.
"How much longer can these tunnels go on?" Lucas murmurs quietly.
They continue walking, stopping as Alinor sees that a series of runes is inscribed in a thin ring along the floor, ceiling, and walls just ahead of them. Once again, Visnja steps forward, and, after a tense moment, waves them onward. "Some kind of warding spell. It's been deactivated."
The expedition passes the runes without any effect, but are soon stopped again as the tunnel reaches another split. One branch continues forward, and one goes to the left.
"How much longer can these tunnels go on?" Lucas murmurs quietly.
They continue walking, stopping as Alinor sees that a series of runes is inscribed in a thin ring along the floor, ceiling, and walls just ahead of them. Once again, Visnja steps forward, and, after a tense moment, waves them onward. "Some kind of warding spell. It's been deactivated."
The expedition passes the runes without any effect, but are soon stopped again as the tunnel reaches another split. One branch continues forward, and one goes to the left.
Goatie is so spaced out from the monotony of the underground journey that he obliviously keeps walking when his companions stop. Staring at the ground as he continues to tramp forwards, he is only halted by the bit of wall between the two tunnels.
They continue walking, stopping as Alinor sees that a series of runes is inscribed in a thin ring along the floor, ceiling, and walls just ahead of them. Once again, Visnja steps forward, and, after a tense moment, waves them onward. "Some kind of warding spell. It's been deactivated."
The expedition passes the runes without any effect, but are soon stopped again as the tunnel reaches another split. One branch continues forward, and one goes to the left.
Goatie is so spaced out from the monotony of the underground journey that he obliviously keeps walking when his companions stop. Staring at the ground as he continues to tramp forwards, he is only halted by the bit of wall between the two tunnels.
'Oh,' he says, realizing.
Despite his inattention, there is one thing that Goatie notices immediately. The awful stench he smelled earlier, all the way back at the tunnel entrances, has returned, drifting in faintly from the left-hand tunnel.
Goatie is so spaced out from the monotony of the underground journey that he obliviously keeps walking when his companions stop. Staring at the ground as he continues to tramp forwards, he is only halted by the bit of wall between the two tunnels.
'Oh,' he says, realizing.
Despite his inattention, there is one thing that Goatie notices immediately. The awful stench he smelled earlier, all the way back at the tunnel entrances, has returned, drifting in faintly from the left-hand tunnel.
Lucas makes a face against the odor. "Are there any spells placed here, Visnja?"
Despite his inattention, there is one thing that Goatie notices immediately. The awful stench he smelled earlier, all the way back at the tunnel entrances, has returned, drifting in faintly from the left-hand tunnel.
Lucas makes a face against the odor. "Are there any spells placed here, Visnja?"
"There's something to the left, but I'm not sure what. Something in these tunnels, some powerful spell, is interfering."
Goatie is so spaced out from the monotony of the underground journey that he obliviously keeps walking when his companions stop. Staring at the ground as he continues to tramp forwards, he is only halted by the bit of wall between the two tunnels.
'Oh,' he says, realizing.
Despite his inattention, there is one thing that Goatie notices immediately. The awful stench he smelled earlier, all the way back at the tunnel entrances, has returned, drifting in faintly from the left-hand tunnel.
''Well!'' says Goatie. ''I would bet my breakfast that there are trolls or some such down there!'' He gestures towards the left tunnel.
Despite his inattention, there is one thing that Goatie notices immediately. The awful stench he smelled earlier, all the way back at the tunnel entrances, has returned, drifting in faintly from the left-hand tunnel.
''Well!'' says Goatie. ''I would bet my breakfast that there are trolls or some such down there!'' He gestures towards the left tunnel.
"Trolls and magic. Probably not a good combination," Lucas remarks.
''Well!'' says Goatie. ''I would bet my breakfast that there are trolls or some such down there!'' He gestures towards the left tunnel.
"Trolls and magic. Probably not a good combination," Lucas remarks.
"Agreed," says Alinor. "We'll go straight." They continue onward, passing through another ring of deactivated runes. After a while, they come across the skeleton of some enormous, misshapen quadruped. None of them recognize it.
"Trolls and magic. Probably not a good combination," Lucas remarks.
"Agreed," says Alinor. "We'll go straight." They continue onward, passing through another ring of deactivated runes. After a while, they come across the skeleton of some enormous, misshapen quadruped. None of them recognize it.
Azril regards the skeleton nervously and mutters to the other soldiers, "What'll we do if we come across a animal like that? --A live one?"
"Agreed," says Alinor. "We'll go straight." They continue onward, passing through another ring of deactivated runes. After a while, they come across the skeleton of some enormous, misshapen quadruped. None of them recognize it.
Azril regards the skeleton nervously and mutters to the other soldiers, "What'll we do if we come across a animal like that? --A live one?"
Ivor shrugs. "Protect Lord Daniel. Try to smash it before it smashes us."
Ivor shrugs. "Protect Lord Daniel. Try to smash it before it smashes us."
"Right. Seems simple enough." His tone of voice says otherwise.
"Simple? Sure. Easy? Never." Ivor replies.
Only a handful of paces after passing the skeleton, they arrive at an open doorway. For the first time while exploring these tunnels, they are obliged to walk in single file to enter. And as they do, they find -- of all things -- a library. Ancient-looking tomes and scrolls line every wall. Others are piled up neatly in corners or on the single desk in the middle of the room. In addition to the way they entered, there are two other exits from the room -- one directly ahead of them and the other to the right.
"Right. Seems simple enough." His tone of voice says otherwise.
"Simple? Sure. Easy? Never." Ivor replies.
Only a handful of paces after passing the skeleton, they arrive at an open doorway. For the first time while exploring these tunnels, they are obliged to walk in single file to enter. And as they do, they find -- of all things -- a library. Ancient-looking tomes and scrolls line every wall. Others are piled up neatly in corners or on the single desk in the middle of the room. In addition to the way they entered, there are two other exits from the room -- one directly ahead of them and the other to the right.
Goatie's back is sore from having Jednook's beak prod him in the back as the griffin walked behind him through the narrow doorway; the creature seems keen to get somewhere, standing quivering next-to his master.
Goatie taps the pebble in his hand in anxious boredom.
Jednook snaps - he is done with the underground monotony, the endless tunnels. He longs for the outdoors and open sky. He starts to squawk loudly, his single eye narrow.
"Right. Seems simple enough." His tone of voice says otherwise.
"Simple? Sure. Easy? Never." Ivor replies.
Only a handful of paces after passing the skeleton, they arrive at an open doorway. For the first time while exploring these tunnels, they are obliged to walk in single file to enter. And as they do, they find -- of all things -- a library. Ancient-looking tomes and scrolls line every wall. Others are piled up neatly in corners or on the single desk in the middle of the room. In addition to the way they entered, there are two other exits from the room -- one directly ahead of them and the other to the right.
