Free Finding The Soul Bridge (The Soul Fire Saga Book 1) by Zax Vagen

there.”

10
     
     
    The hagget wiped its face. Its affliction would be void for ninety days as the potion worked its magic. The plan had gone well so far. The one called Kelvin had been a fortunate addition to the two would-be adventurers. It was not in an ideal situation but time was against it and it had to act. The three could not take the easy road to Fineburg, there were errands along the way and the mission would fail without them.
    “I have to make them lose that infernal horse cart.” It thought.
    The hagget could not let itself be known to the boys and staying hidden while still guiding them off track would be difficult. It would have to be resourceful and use the land and its creatures to do its bidding. It whistled a soft tune to a pride of lions nearby.
    Lions never respond to whistling or calling but this sound was a siren and the lions were like puppets to the hagget. As the lions came, the hagget felt relief for having its terrible affliction. The affliction gave it a smell that the lions would avoid. It could walk through a pride of hungry lions and they would dismiss it as inedible.

11
     
     
    Thist’s head rang like a temple gong; he held his cranium where he had just banged it on the cave entrance. He tried to curse but stuttered incoherently. Jem grabbed his arm. “Pay attention you clumsy ass.”
    Thist had become a bit of a group liability, not sleeping, daydreaming and getting distracted all the time. “What has gotten into you?”
    “I don’t know.” mumbled Thist his eyes shut tightly, his hand rubbing his head, “It’s these stupid dreams I’m having. They don't stop, the voices don’t stop screaming and if I wake up they’re still there like a thorn under your fingernail. My head hurts so much, why doesn’t it bleed, at least then you can show some sympathy?”
    “Come on, sit down and have some water.” said Jem.
    The boys sat down and enjoyed some water together. The cave they had been sheltering in was dank. It was dark to the back, as if it carried on without an end. Kelvin gazed out of the cave mouth, hands in his trouser pockets. “I love this rain, I’m going out for a rain-shower!” said Kelvin as he started to undress. It had been raining for two days. Not a light drizzle like the land was used to but an inclement downpour. It was the sort of rain that should last a couple of minutes with thunder, but this was a flood producing monsoon. Kelvin stepped out into the heavy rain. There was hardly any light despite it being the middle of the day.
    Jem and Thist had found an ancient pile of firewood under a blanket of dust. The cave was ageless as the fire they built revealed depictions of grotesque monsters on the cave walls. The crackling of the fire echoed deep into the cave, begging an answer to how deep it went.
    Jem studied the cave paintings. Many of them were painted with numerals under them. They seemed to be animals of unknown origin or just an artist’s rich imagination. The paintings stretched from the floor of the cave, up the walls to the ceiling and then carried on over to the other side.
    Jem tried to cheer up his friend. “Thist, come and looked at these drawings, what do you think they are doing? Look at where the animals are, and then look at where the people are. It looks as if they are ambushing those animals, but only to guide them into that trap over there.”
    Kelvin came over. He had dressed but his hair was still wet. “Yes look at those figures in the corner, it looks like they are the blockers.”
    “How was your rain shower Kelvin?” said Jem.
    “Revitalizing.” said Kelvin.
    Thist held his head with two hands, “Yes those are blockers, and this guy here is the leader. That one over there is the chief and…I wonder. Can you see a faded one over there?” Thist pointed to a faded patch on the wall with damp seepage.
    Kelvin and Jem stepped closer to inspect the wall. “It is faded.” said Kelvin.
    “That is a pity.” said Jem.