Free The Shards by Gary Alan Wassner Page B

the temperature to rise so?” Maringar asked. “The waters flow from both within and without Silandre. Are all the well springs affected?” he asked, as he squinted his black eyes and gazed upward toward the towering peak.
    “What comes to us from the melting snow is still cool and fresh. But, once it merges with the floes from the heart of the mountain, it quickly rises in temperature. Clearly, the warm water is the stronger of the two,” Bristar commented.
    Maringar turned wide eyes to Beolan. A concerned look overcame the Elfin Prince’s features, causing him to appear tiels older than he did just moments before. He took a deep breath and began to speak.
    “I entered the cavern just above the falls over there,” he said, pointing to a massive spout of water that seemed to burst straight out of the side of the cliff before it crashed into a large pool of blue liquid about two hundred yards beneath it. “You can see the small opening if you look closely,” Beolan continued.
    Maringar’s eyes were not nearly as sharp as Beolan’s in the daylight, and he squinted and strained them in an effort to locate the area that the elf was referring to.
    “At first, I thought it was the earth itself that was preparing to erupt as I ventured deeper, even though Silandre was never alive in that way before. But now I have other suspicions. The heat is not constant. There were moments when it seemed not to be in evidence, but as I walked further into the cave entrance, it reached me in vapid spurts that cascaded outward. I had to take shelter behind whatever outcropping of rock I could find in order not to be overwhelmed. But, just as quickly, the bursts of heat passed and I was able to proceed, though not very far. Then the noise began…”
    Bristar gasped audibly as Beolan spoke, but his voice remained silent.
    “We know that Colton’s hand is upon this activity. We just do not know what manner of abomination he has unleashed against your city. He is capable of manipulating the physical world as easily as he does the spirit world,” Maringar replied.
    “As I walked, I could have sworn that the walls of the cavern were expanding and contracting. They seemed to be alive, as if the mountain was breathing,” Beolan remarked. “The air wreaked with the odor of death and decay. I could barely breathe it in. In addition, all the surfaces were coated with a vile slime that burned the skin upon contact. I even found it difficult to maintain my footing. Bones littered the area, some quite large in size, and all of them were picked perfectly clean as if the flesh had been boiled off of them.”
    “Great temperatures can cause such things to occur,” Maringar said.
    “Aye, they could at that. And I am sure that much of the destruction within the caves was caused by the fires and heat,” he agreed.
    “I have witnessed a sundering of the bowels of the earth by quakes within my own land, and in some cases liquid fire has erupted from the cracks and crevices. It can be so intense that it melts the rock itself!” Maringar said.
    “It is no mere quake that disturbs the foundation of Silandre,” Beolan said. “Quakes do not howl and quakes do not screech,” he said gravely. “Quakes do not leave a putrid residue behind. Whatever is threatening our land is alive, I am afraid. Something horrendous has taken up residence in the bowels of our beloved mountain!”
    Bristar took a deep breath and expanded his chest. He raised his head high and cleared his throat, causing the other two to cease their conversation.
    “He has awoken the beast!” Bristar whispered. The old King’s eyes were now focused and bright.
    Both Beolan and Maringar stared at him keenly.
    “The beast, father? What beast do you speak of?” Beolan asked incredulously. “Why have you never mentioned this to me before?”
    “I dared not mention it. Those who are old enough would sleep ne’er more if they suspected. We have not spoken of it in tiels,” he