Chapter 9

 

 

For some hours Dom and Lore followed the winding narrow tunnel. Glimmer still shed enough light for them to see a few yards ahead and behind. But thick shadows lay beyond, making them edgy. And Lore’s footsteps echoing loudly in the narrow space didn’t help either.

 

Dom figured they must be on the far side of the mountains. They were in Morg country now and if they came into the tunnel they would be in trouble. Their only weapons were Lore’s axe and his small dagger, which wouldn’t do much against one.

 

But none appeared and three or four hours after leaving the lake they saw a brightening ahead. They hurried forward, the unmistakable glow of daylight beckoning them. They emerged from the tunnel into mid-afternoon sunlight. They found themselves below high cliffs with a broad forest spreading out before them. A trail headed away into the trees.

 

‘We made it!’ Dom exclaimed. ‘I was worried we’d never see daylight again.’

 

‘Me too!’ Lore agreed. ‘Let’s see where this trail goes.’

 

They followed the trail and after about an hour came to a low hill. They climbed it and when they reached the top, Lore suddenly stopped. Here the forest ended and before then lay the ancient city of Rethan.  It sat in a broad valley with a river to the west. Below the hill were grassy fields and Lore figured they might have once been farmland.

 

‘Good dwarves!’ he exclaimed. ‘It’s huge!’

 

Neither of them had seen anything like it of course. Lore thought that a hundred Dwarf Gate’s could fit inside.

 

‘I hope Eldor knows where to look for the Stardust Fountain,’ Dom said. ‘It would take weeks to search such a huge place.’

 

‘I’m sure he will,’ Lore said. ‘But what do we do now, Dom? Do we head north to Silverwolf Pass and home or will we have a closer look at the city.’

 

Dom frowned in thought for a few moments. They should head home he guessed. But then something caught his eye. A large ring of trees stood in the fields about a mile to the east. It seemed out of place and he suddenly wanted to see it.

 

‘Let’s go a little closer,’ he said. ‘That ring of trees looks interesting.’

 

Lore grinned, eager himself for a close look.

 

‘Okay, but then we leave. Agreed?’

 

‘Agreed.’

 

They headed down the hill and at the bottom came across a small stream. Its clear tumbling water flowed across a field toward the ring of trees. Dom thought someone had planted them on purpose in the past. They didn’t look natural.

 

They followed the stream and reached the trees. But as they slipped through them they discovered something else inside. The stream flowed into a huge grotto and flowed down a series of rock ledges. They formed small waterfalls that glimmered in the sunlight. They flowed into a broad pool at the bottom. There was also some kind of birdbath in the middle of the pool.

 

‘What an amazing place,’ Lore remarked. ‘It almost looks like a meeting place of some kind. There are stone benches and seats around the pool.’

 

‘There are steps over there,’ Dom said. ‘Let’s have a closer look.’

 

They walked over to the steps and headed down them. They reached the pool where stone steps jumped across it to the birdbath. It was a solid object, made out of a cream coloured marble and quite large.

 

‘This is a strange place to have a birdbath,’ Lore said. ‘You would think it would be on the ground above nearer the trees for birds to use.’

 

‘It looks empty to me,’ Dom said.

 

Lore crossed the steps to the birdbath. Its large basin came up to his chest. There was a hole in the bottom where any water could drain out. He lifted Dom off his shoulder so he could sit on an edge.

 

‘Now why would anyone build a birdbath with a drain in it?’ he frowned. ‘Any water is just going to disappear.’

 

‘It would be a nice place to have picnic though,’ Dom said.

 

‘Yeah… the waterfalls would just sparkle when the sun is overhead,’ Lore nodded.

 

Dom eyed the waterfalls, watching the water flowing over the rock ledges in thin curtains. There was no wind to disturb them and they reflected the walls of the cave in a startling way. And then he suddenly realized something.

 

‘Lore!’ he said excitedly. ‘I think this is the place!’

 

‘What do you mean?’ Lore asked.

 

‘Look at the reflections in the waterfalls! I think this is the place of mirrors Queen Erin was talking about… and the birdbath is the Stardust Fountain!’

 

Lore looked at the waterfalls and then back at the birdbath. Realization dawned on his face.

 

‘Good dwarves, I think you’re right! If it was noon the reflections would be even brighter.’

 

‘But if this is the fountain, where’s the Stardust?’ Dom asked in confusion.

 

‘I don’t know,’ Lore replied. ‘But I do know one thing. Eldor won’t be looking for it here. He’ll be searching the city! We’ve got to let him know somehow.’

 

‘What shall we do?’ Dom asked.

 

‘Let’s have a look around and see if we can find the Stardust first. Maybe it’s stored somewhere else.’

 

They did a thorough search of the grotto, looking for any door in the walls that might lead to a room. Lore even scrambled up onto the ledges and looked behind the waterfalls. But there were no doors anywhere and the grotto gave them no clues.

 

They eventually sat down on one of the benches, confused as to where the Stardust could be. It was very late now, the shadows thick and only a gleam of sunlight in the sky.

 

‘We’ve got to let Eldor know of what we’ve found,’ Lore said again. ‘We might not be able to find the Stardust, but he might.’

 

‘But how?’ Dom asked. ‘We can’t go looking for him.’

 

‘I know. Maybe I could light a fire…’ and then he snapped his fingers. ‘Dwarf-fire! I have some dwarf-fire in my pack!’

 

Dom knew what he was so excited about. Dwarf-fire was a mineral dwarves mined in the mountains. When added to the flames of a fire, it would shoot a column of light high into the air. It came in a variety of colours… red, blue, green and yellow to name a few. It was mainly used at parties and celebrations because it looked so spectacular.

 

‘Eldor will see it for sure!’ he said as Lore opened his pack.

 

‘Not if all that water we went through has spoiled it,’ Lore said. ‘I just hope the waterproof bag and bottle I keep it in did the trick.’

 

He took the bag out and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a small glass bottle sealed with a cork.

 

‘It looks all right,’ he said, then eyed Dom.

 

‘If we do this, we’ll attract morgs here… or worse,’ he said grimly. ‘The Shiver is in the city.’

 

‘I know, but without it Eldor will just search the city in vain,’ Dom replied. ‘I don’t think the fairies have long, Lore. This might be their only chance.’

 

‘Right… you wait here whilst I go up to the trees above and collect some wood.’

 

He headed up the steps to the trees and began to collect some fallen branches. Above the night sky was clear and bright and the stars had come out in their thousands. He was on his way down the steps again with a load of wood when he noticed the strangest thing.

 

A faint glimmering was forming in the grotto, a little like mist, but winking with bright motes of silver light. It seemed to be gathering around the fountain and he quickly hurried down the steps. Dom was on his feet and pointing at the fountain.

 

‘The Stardust, Lore!’ he whispered in awe.

 

They both stood there in wonder, watching the brightening dust collect in the fountain’s basin. It quickly filled it up and overflowed down its sides. It then floated above the surface of the pool.

 

‘It’s night that the Stardust appears!’ Lore said. ‘Now we have to let Eldor know about it. Let’s get this fire lit!’