(321) Tournament – 6

With another curtsey, the two young ladies escorted the three of them down the canyon just a bit more, to a larger opening.  The women took two lanterns from nearby the cavern entrance and lit them using the candle set there for that purpose.  They then waved the gentlemen forward and led them into the poorly lit tunnel. 

Almost immediately, Kre could tell they were descending at a fairly steep grade, but the rough floor kept them from losing their footing.  The further they went, the more worried Kre was about the eventual climb back up.  As with every set of tunnels in Yahaestra, the constant twisting and forks were nothing but confusing to Kre.  He had long since realized that he’d never remember any of the paths, which he knew was the point of it all.  Only those that lived here every day of their lives would really know where to go, making them invaluable to visitors. 

“Wait here,” one of the young ladies said, turning to stop the three of them.  The other girl slipped around the corner and disappeared.  Kre estimated they had been walking for about ten minutes and were likely a good distance below ground.  Probably nowhere near as far as when he and Kitalia were in the Ancient’s lost city, but certainly further underground than he was comfortable with. 

A soft rumble echoed down the passage and the young lady with them smiled as she assured them, “It’s completely normal, just another moment.”

Barry shrugged as he casually looked around him, “One of Yahaestra’s special secret tunnels then?  Someday, that secret will get out, mark my word.”

“Not in this lifetime,” came the sweet voice of the other young lady from behind them.  All three of them jumped at the surprise of her unexpected arrival.  The shock of it even caused Barry to swear softly to himself.

“If you will, please continue forward,” she said, still using that sweet voice that seemed so utterly polite but was also laced with a bit of an edge.  “You would not want to be lost down here.”  Kre assumed the last part was every bit the serious threat that it sounded, and very much directed towards Barry. 

“Aye lass,” Beleg said with a smile of his own, all of it authentic.  “We certainly appreciate your guiding us.”

Kre nodded his own agreement, but didn’t trust his voice right now, nervous as he was about being down here and all of the things that were about to happen over the next several hours.  The thought that they were close to rescuing their friends was a joyous one, but he knew that there were a thousand things that needed to all go just right for it to happen without a hitch.

The ladies led them down a couple more tunnels before arriving at a thick wooden door.  “Here is where we leave you,” the lead one offered while the other knocked on the door.  If there was a pattern to her knock, Kre couldn’t tell. 

The door opened and a very pale, stooped old man waved them in.  As he passed, Beleg half-bowed to the young ladies, “My thanks for your expert guidance.”

Barry swept by without any acknowledgement whatsoever.  Determined to be more like Beleg and less like Barry, Kre paused in front of the two and gave more of a formal bow than Beleg had.  “Thank you kindly,” he uttered softly.  The walking bow, he knew, was out of his capability, and all he knew was the more ceremonial one that they had learned in school.

The two young ladies curtsied back and giggled a bit as they departed back the way they came.  Kre wondered briefly if he’d ever see them again but was quickly ushered through the door by the old man.