Free Wielder's Rising by T.B. Christensen Page B

mountains known as the ‘Twin Guards’ that would lead them on their way to the ruins of Faldor’s Keep.
    The spring should be somewhere close, but he couldn’t see any sign of it.  After another long stretch of night without seeing it, he began to get really worried.  The horses had needed a lot of water thus far.  He knew that realistically their meager supply wouldn’t last another full day.  His lips were cracked and his throat was dry.  If they didn’t find water soon, they would all eventually die.  Traven tried not to panic as he continued to scan their surroundings for any sign of the spring.  He was afraid that he might miss it in the dark and wondered if it would be wiser to wait until the morning to look for it.  He once again wondered if it even existed anymore.
    Perhaps it would be wise to suggest that they should turn back.  As he considered how best to explain his thoughts to the philosopher, he noticed something different on the horizon.  He strained to see what it was but couldn’t tell.  As they got closer, he realized that the shapes were trees.  His heart leapt at the sight.  If there were trees, there was water.  He happily pointed them out to the philosopher.  Despite the man’s assurances earlier, Traven noticed a visible relief wash over him upon hearing the news.  It was not long before Traven could clearly make out the small oasis.
    There were seven trees and a spattering of bushes clumped in a small, tight circle.  The trees looked like none he had ever seen.  The trunks were tall and skinny.  The numerous green branches at the very top of the trunks fanned out in all directions and drooped slightly.
    As they rode closer, Traven searched for the spring.  As hard as he looked, he couldn’t make out any sign of water.  He hoped it was just hiding behind some of the bushes, but once they arrived at the small cluster of trees, his hopes were crushed.
    They dismounted and searched the small concentration of foliage but found nothing other than dirt.  They searched the entire area several more times but to no avail.  Traven noticed a distinct change in the philosopher’s countenance as they continued looking.  The man’s shoulders slumped and the enthusiasm with which he had faced previous obstacles was completely gone.
    “I’ve doomed us,” Studell said sadly as he collapsed to the ground at the base of one of the strange trees.  “My foolishness has led us to our deaths.  I let my excitement get in the way of my reason.  I knew that springs come and go.  Some springs last for years and then suddenly disappear. I should have planned for the possibility.  I should have . . .”
    Traven shut out Studell’s ramblings as the philosopher continued to lament about his foolishness.  It wasn’t the elderly man’s fault.  Traven had known the risk before they had begun traveling across the desert.  He cleared his mind and tried to focus on what needed to happen next.  Their water supply would run out the next day.  Perhaps they could make it back to the beach if they turned around immediately.  They would have to ration the remaining water and only travel during the night.  They would have to leave any unnecessary supplies so as not to burden their mounts anymore than was necessary.
    Even as he began planning for the return trip, he knew that they probably couldn’t make it back across the desert.  There just wasn’t enough water left.  He might be able to survive without water for a day or two, but he knew that the elderly philosopher could never make it.  Their other option was to continue following the map, hoping that they found water somewhere else.  But where would they find water in the middle of a desolate desert?  Perhaps there was a water source near the ruins of the keep, but that was still a couple days away as well.
    For all he knew there might not be water anywhere in this blasted desert.  However, he knew it wasn’t true.  He had seen