In the morning, as Silvenar was reading from his spell crystals, and Amara was cooking breakfast, the rest of the group slowly awakened.  Shaile climbed out of the tent and got an old piece of parchment from her saddlebags.  Holding it in both hands, she slowly and carefully opened the scroll.  Calling into the tent, “Bryon, I figure we should get to the cliff entrance later on today.  So we should keep an eye out for it.”
     “Good”, came the reply from the tent.
     “Is the food done yet, Amara”, Hasnafar asked plaintively.
     All of a sudden, there was a commotion to the north, and a group of armed horsemen rode into the campsite.  They fanned out into a professional looking front line.  Bryon rolled out of his tent with a sword in either hand, and looked towards the riders.
     “Hello.  Can I help you?”, he asked as he surveyed the group.
     A human wearing what seemed to be black scale armor, sat upon his massive black war-horse.  He had long black hair, and gray eyes.  He seemed to be looking at everyone at once, and Bryon got the feeling that from the one look, he knew the strengths and weaknesses of them all.  To his right, was a cloaked figure sitting casually upon what seemed a brother to the first horse, except this one snorted now and again, as if he was laughing at what he saw.  Bryon did a quick count, and stopped after thirty.
     “Well, it all depends, do you have need of a mercenary group?”, the lead human asked.
     “Tobias, I doubt they could even afford us.  Stop wasting our time, and lets go to Duke Ranar, and see if he still has need of us.”, said the heavily cloaked figure to his right.
     “You never know, remember that person who looked like the peasant, and turned out to be Baron Nathan?  Just remember, looks can be deceiving, Aravahas.” Tobias replied.
     “Sure I believe you. Maybe you will be telling me that cows can learn to milk themselves next.”, Aravahas snickered.
     “Sorry to interrupt, but I don’t think your services will be required sirs.  Good day, and travel well.”, Bryon stated.
     Aravahas snorted at that, and motioned to the people behind him and started to ride across the clearing.  Bryon noticed that most of the figures behind Aravahas waited till they received a nod from Tobias to embark after the retreating figure.  With a nod of his head, Tobias rode ahead and caught up with Aravahas.
     “Sorry to disturb you”, another cloaked figure said with a slight bow, that looked weird from the saddle of a horse.
     “Stop wasting time Terathon, keep up or be stuck behind.  You know I will not wait for fools.  And it seems this morning you might be in that group.”, Aravahas called back over his shoulder.
     With a quick nod, Terathon rode quickly through the clearing.

* * * * * * * * *
      After everyone had settled down from the intrusion, breakfast was served.  When Hasnafar had just finished washing the pans, from out of the forest a loud scream resounded about the area.  For the next few moments everyone had problems controlling their horses, except for Sir Hudak.
     “Come…. Control you mounts my friends, we are needed.”, Scott proclaimed.
     “We’re needed he says..”, mumbled Hasnafar to himself, as he finally got his horse under control, “I’ll tell you what’s needed you big lump of ..”
     “Ok, is anyone hurt?”, interrupted Bryon, with a quick look around.
    Just then, from behind the group, there was a loud thump and a muttered curse.  Bryon quickly looked behind him, and he saw Dolan lying on the ground glaring up at his pony.  “Scott and Shaile, go up front and see if anyone is there.  Amara, please help Dolan.  Hasnafar, check the left, and I’ll check the right.  Everyone else keeps their eyes open, and guards the campsite.”, Bryon commanded.  After a quick search that found nothing out of the ordinary, Bryon returned to the campsite.  Hasnafar was there waiting, and a moment later, Scott and Shaile rode back into camp.
     “You’ve got to see this”, Shaile said, “Come forward everyone, we found the cliff entrance.”
     With a quick glance around, Bryon and Shaile led the group forward.  As they broke out from the trees they entered a new clearing.  Bryon rode his horse over next to Shaile’s and grinned at her.  Together they looked at the spectacle in front of them.
     “Does anyone here think that the scream could of come from over there”, pointing to the cliff.  “Or does anyone have any better ideas”, Bryon asked the group.
     “Well, we could go over to that portcullis, or that darker area to the left of it, which looks like the cave entrance we have been looking for, or we could stay here and discuss things.”, Ebon said.
     With a snort and shake of his head, Bryon started his stallion moving towards the cliffside.  Behind his back Shaile gave Ebon a small grin, and a soft chuckle.  Pretending to ignore her for the moment, Ebon started off after Bryon, as he got to Shaile, he gave her a small nod, and a quick smile.  As Bryon approached the cave entrance he noticed the glimmer of steel off to the left, about 75 feet or so. About 50 feet away, to the right, a growth of bushed and small trees grew, it seemed out of the side of the cliff.  The cliffside soared up easily 300 feet or so.  It looked like this might have been a small mountain at once long ago, but time and the elements had eroded away much of it’s original magnificence.  A small waterfall ran off from somewhere above and landed in the center of the growth to the right.  Looking up he noticed some strange discoloration above the cave entrance.  Raising his hand, he looked closer at the area trying to find any other strangeness, upon the ground he also saw the same marks.  He thought for a moment, and figured out they must be some sort of fire, or char marks.
     “Shaile”, Bryon said pointing to the ground, “have you ever seen marks like this before?”
     As she bent over to look at the strange marks on the ground, she paused to grin at Bryon, “I knew you needed me.”
     Just then, a gout of flame erupted from the entrance, and the flames seemed to wash over Shaile’s kneeling form.  With a cry of despair, Bryon dove towards Shaile and pushed her out of the flames.  A flying figure, which looked like a small red dragon, shot out of the entrance with a shrill cry, and four others followed it.
     With a startled exclamation, Scott drew his bastard sword, and jumped forward to attack the creatures, while Ebon and Silvenar started casting.  All four of the creatures, targeted a person just then, and attacked.  One on Bryon and Shaile, one going after Scott, another going towards Ebon and Silvenar, and the last one diving at Hasnafar.  As if Scott’s battle cry was a cue, the creatures took a deep breath, and each one of them, breathed fire at their targets.  Scott’s armored form seemed to wade upstream through the gout of flame, until he reached the creature.  Reversing his sword, he stuck at the monster with all his strength, piercing its tough hide.  Scott looked on in amazement, as the creature’s blood started to run down his blade, the blood started to flame, and it was turning his sword into a pillar of fire.
     “WARE, the very blood of these monsters, catches aflame”, Scott yelled to the group.
    The creature attacking Ebon and Silvenar, fared much, much worse.  When it started to draw back, and breath fire upon then, both Ebon and Silvenar finished their spells.  Six bolts of pure gold light, flew from Ebon’s outstretched hand, three striking the creature in front of them, and the other three flew across the battle and stabbed home into the creature about to attack Bryon and the burning Shaile.  Without even a chance for a startled shriek, both creatures seemed to explode as the magical energy struck them. Silvenar’s spell was less offensive in nature, suddenly the remaining two creatures, froze in mid-air, and dropped to the ground with a resounding thud.  Dolan leaped forward and chopped one of the creatures in twain, with a mighty overhand swing.  Dolan’s double bladed axe caught fire along the edge where it was covered with the beast’s blood.  Almost immediately both halves of the creature started to burn, like the sun itself was trying to cleanse it from the earth, now that it was dead.  Scott simply stabbed his flaming sword into the creature again, and it too started to flame as it died.  Bryon having succeeding in extinguishing the flames that were consuming Shaile, waited breathlessly while Amara called upon her god, Fallon Truthbringer, to heal her injured companion.  Before their very eyes, Shaile’s wounds started to close, and her skin took on a more natural reddish color, more like a newborn’s skin.  Shaile took a ragged breath and opened her eyes, and then she smiled and held her hand out to Amara in thanks.  Amara simply nodded, and grinned at Shaile.
     “Better?”, Amara asked, “Do you think you need more healing, or are you all set?”
     “Yes, to both questions.  It’s not every day one is light on fire like a torch at night.”, Shaile responded with a small smile, and chuckle.
     “Oh, Mighty Lord Fallon, who’s light shows truths, and burns the unfaithful with its power.  Please heal my boon companion, so she can help your faithful servant show the world your light, and wisdom.  Heal her of her wounds, and exhaustion so she may kill thine enemies, and bring forth the truth.”, Amara chanted as she called forth the healing power of her god.  Bryon looked on with amazement, no matter how many times he saw it, he was always surprised at what magic could accomplish.  It’s always easy to destroy, but it takes real power to heal, he thought as he saw the rest of Shaile’s wounds close, and disappear without a scar.  With a genuine smile of delight, he turned to Amara, “Thank you Priestess.”, Bryon said as he stood and bowed to Amara, “and thank Fallon, for healing my love.”, with that statement, he also offered up a small prayer to his god.
     “Of course, Bryon, it’s the least I could do for her.  Just remember to offer your thanks in prayer to our god.”, Amara said as she stood and dusted herself off.  “Now, don’t make me a liar, go and bring truth and vanquish evil, for our god Fallon, Bryon.”
     “Are you ok, Shaile?”, Scott asked.
     “Yes, now that I have bee…..”, Shaile started.
     “Ok, now you remove some of that armor, so I can take a look at you Scott.  Now, let’s go, those wounds aren’t healing themselves.”, Amara interrupted.
     Bryon and Shaile exchanged glances, and started to snicker.  Upon hearing that, Scott glowered at them, but dutifully started to remove parts of his plate armor.  When Bryon heard Scott hiss in pain, he immediately stood, and went to assist Scott in removing his armor, but Dolan appeared as if almost by magic, and started to gently remove the armor for Scott. With a shrug, Bryon turned back to Shaile, confident that the dwarf would not allow Scott to stay injured, and be as gentle as possible with him.
     After Scott received healing, and clambered back into his armor, Bryon got the group moving again.  Motioning Hasnafar to enter the cave first to scout, he waited until Hasnafar returned.  With a shake of his head, Hasnafar indicated the cave was empty, and a dead end.
     “Something is bugging me about that growth, why don’t we check it out.”, Bryon stated as he turned and started to walk towards it.  “Ok, everyone stay with their partner, and check out the area.”
     A few minutes later, Silvenar said, “I found a secret door over here, it’s very nicely disguised, so it took me a couple of moments to find it.  Hasnafar, my friend, if you would be so kind as to make sure this good door of mine, won’t bite us for opening it.  I would be most appreciative.”
    Hasnafar grinned at Silvenar, “No problem, I’ll go and take a look at your door, my friend.”  With that, he turned and crouched near the concealed door, and started to check for traps or pitfalls.  After searching the door, and it’s surrounding area for a couple of minutes, he stood, “Ok, do you want the good news, or the REALLY bad news first?”
     “If we have a choice, I will choose the REALLY bad news”, Bryon said with a straight face.
     “I’ll take the good”, Amara stated.
     “Me personally, I like the good also”, Silvenar said.
     “Well, I’ll have the REALLY bad, I like to know what it is first, so I can be in a better mood, when I hear the good”, said Ebon.
     “Bad”, Shaile simply said.
     “Grmmppphh…”, stated Dolan.
     “Enough of this foolery, just tell us Hasnafar”, Scott exclaimed.
     Sticking his tongue out at Sir Hudak, Hasnafar grinned at the rest of the group.  “Well, the good news, is that I should be able to open this door no problem.  The REALLY bad news, is that if I do it wrong, it looks like this part of the cliff will fall off, and bury everyone standing anywhere near the door. Why doesn’t everyone back up about… hmmm… to the cave entrance.”, he said as he removed his pack and started to get his tools out.
     “Brother, be careful”, Bryon said to him.
     Hasnafar looked up from what he was doing, “What, your still here?  Get out of here brother.  Mother would kill me if anything happened to you.”
     “Yes, she would, which is the same thing she’d do to me if anything happened to you.”, Bryon said, as he thought back to how upset his mother had gotten when she had found out them with wrists bleeding after completing the ritual of becoming blood brothers.  And how happy he was, that she had taken Hasnafar, who was orphaned, in and treated him like her own.  “Don’t you dare make a mistake Has, remember you still owe me five gold.”
     “Don’t worry, if I die Bryon, you can have all my stuff.”, said Hasnafar with a grin.  As he watched his blood brother walk away, he put everything out of his mind, and focused his mind on the task at hand.  Ok, if I were going to trap this door, I would have a cable over here…. Yup, there it is.  Ok, resin it down, then carefully cut it.  Now slowly open the door…. I’d have a backup, and there it is.  Follow the cord back to the edge of the…door  and resin that down, and open the door, he thought as he worked.  His hands moving swiftly and surely, doing what he’d trained them to do.  “Ok, I think it’s all set.  Amara, get ready to heal me.”, he said with a grin, as he opened the door fully.  “There, no problem.”, with those words he waved for everyone to come on over.  While he waited for them to arrive, he took a step forward, and with a cry, he disappeared from the group’s sight.
     “HAS”, Bryon cried out, as he ran over to the no-longer hidden entrance.  Everyone else was slightly stunned by Hasnafar’s disappearance, and stood for a moment not moving.  When Bryon reached the entrance, he also took a step forward, and disappeared.
     “Aaaahhhhhh”, came echoing out of the doorway.  When Bryon disappeared also, it seemed to galvanize the group into movement again.  With a shout, they surged forward, and started to enter the cave.
     “Go easy, it’s slick here”, Shaile said looking down, “Bryon and Hasnafar seemed to have just slipped on the wet floor.”, Shaile continued as she started to carefully start into the entrance.  She immediately noticed that the floor here was uneven, wet, and sloping downwards.  She heard the sounds of combat coming up from the bottom.  Going as quickly as she could, Shaile hurried over the wet floor.  Down at the bottom, before she entered the room, she noticed either Bryon or Hasnafar had removed the bronze continual light coin everyone in the group carried.  “Bryon, are you hurt?”, Shaile yelled down.
     “Nope, not yet.  Although, I believe this large worm thingie, wants to change that quickly.  I think we look like breakfast to it.”, shouted up Bryon.
    When Shaile heard that, she simply dropped her legs out from under her, and slid down the rest of the way, like a cannonball, she shot out of the tunnel, and flew into the pool about 5 feet away.  She stood up quickly and wiped the water and slime from her face, then she noticed the worm.  It was easily 40 feet long if it was an inch, and wider then a good-sized oak tree.  The worm’s scales were glistening from the water, and were a dark blue, with patches of brown and green randomly over it’s body.  It didn’t seem to have eyes, but it’s mouth more then made up for it.  Its maw looked capable of swallowing a war-horse easily and still have room for more.  Bryon stood waist deep in the slimy water fighting it, his swords seemed to blur as he fought to keep the worm from getting to Hasnafar, who was lying at the edge of the pool, dripping blood into the water.  It looked like Hasnafar, flying from the tunnel, had cracked his head against the edge.  With a scream of pure anger, Shaile ripped her sword from its sheath and dove at the worm, striking it in the side, before it knew she was there.  With a flexing of it’s side muscles the worm sent it’s flank into Shaile, knocking her under the water, and one of the other folds of the worm trapped her under water.  When Bryon noticed that Shaile didn’t come up from the slap, he tried with all his might, to force the creature back, but suddenly the worm exploded in motion as it’s head shot forward to attack Bryon.  Bryon stood his ground knowing if he moved the worm could simply swallow Hasnafar, who still wasn’t moving, whole.  At the last possible moment, Bryon dove forward, and landed on his knees in the worm’s maw, and struck with all his might at the roof of the mouth.  With a gigantic lurch that sent Bryon flying into the wall with a sickening thud.  Just then Scott exited the tunnel and saw Bryon hit the wall, Hasanfar lying on the edge of the pool, and there was no sign of Shaile.  He uttered his battle cry and stepped into the pool, and struck the thrashing worm with his bastard sword, it was a mighty swing, one that sent the shock of the hit back up to Scott’s arms and made his drop his sword in the water.  The effect on the already injured worm was greater though, the blow knocked the beast sideways about ten feet, and it fell to the ground in an explosive burst of water.  Scott started to search for Shaile, but couldn’t find her body anywhere, it seemed to have completely disappeared.  Fearing the worst, Scott started the ugly job of cutting the worm open to see if it had swallowed her.  Amara, Silvenar, and Ebon came out of the tunnel, one right after the other.  Amara ran alongside the edge of the pool to Hasnafar, and started to pray to her god for healing, while Silvenar rushed over to Bryon to check on him.  Ebon walked over to the edge of the pool, and watched Scott slice the beast open.  Noticing a glimmer of red just then, from the belly of the beast, Ebon stepped into the water, and approached the carcass to retrieve it.  Ignoring Scott’s look, Ebon gingerly reached into the belly and pulled out a ruby the size of his fist.  Everyone looked to the tunnel, when they heard a loud scream, a moment later, Dolan shot out of the end and flew headfirst into the pool.  With a chuckle, Ebon walked over and assisted the dwarf out of the water.
    “Has anyone seen any trace of Shaile?”, Scott questioned.
    “Lxu Doi Naknioeri”, chanted Ebon.  As he finished his spell, he started to look around the area, ignoring the glow of magic from his companions.  Walking slowly around, he noticed a glimmer from beneath the surface, he walked over and reached down into the water.  After feeling around for a moment, he withdrew Shaile’s sword from the depths. “This is not a good sign.  Is Bryon still unconscious?”
    Seeing Silvenar nod, Ebon continued to search.  “Scott, move that beast out of the way, let me see if there is anything that its bulk is blocking.”  After watching Scott struggle for a minute or two, Ebon motioned him away.  “Silvenar, help me move it”.  “Uhyk Olkiewq Hgnjur”, they repeated three times each and tossed something into the air, which flashed like a little fireball.  Looking at the remains of the worm, they both seemed to concentrate for a moment, then a blue shimmering started appear around it.  When the blue light surrounded it, they both lifted their hands in unison, and the carcass lifted from the water and under their direction moved over to the side of the room.
    “SHAILE!”, yelled Bryon as he awoke with a start.  A hand pushed him back down, and he looked up to see Amara’s face.
    “No, you need to rest for a moment or two.  Don’t worry, everyone else, but us, is looking for her.”, Amara said calmly.     “How about if it’s an order from your Priestess?  Will you disobey me in that”, she replied to the look of defiance in his eyes.
    “Then find her”, Bryon responded through gritted teeth.
    While everyone else was doing their best to find her, Shaile was coughing up the water she had swallowed when she was trapped under the worm.  She looked very confused, as she was sure that she should be dead.  Maybe this is the afterlife, she thought.  Looking around she saw there was 3 mirrors hanging on the southern wall.  To her right, there was a small pool, about ten feet wide, with a milky colored liquid in it.  Shaile stood up and approached the south wall, and looked closer at the mirrors on the wall.  The first had a black lacquered wooden frame, the next one had what look like a wrought iron frame.  The third one had no frame that she could see, but all three when she gazed into them, where hazy, and seemed to be drawing her closer, almost if the mirrors themselves wished her to enter one of them.
     “BRYON…..  BRYON,  WHERE ARE YOU!”, Shaile yelled out.
     Waiting a few moments to see if anyone responded, she drew a copper piece from her pouch and threw it at the third mirror, and watched it silently enter the mirror.  This could be bad, she figured, and then sat on the edge of the pool and waited for answers.
 * * * * * * * * * * *
    Once the corpse had been moved, Ebon quickly noticed a strong magical glow enimating from the center of the pool.  “Ok, I think I found something”, Ebon said, “but I’m not sure what, so spare me the questions for a moment.”  Taking a deep breath Ebon dove under the water in the direction of the magical glow. Not daring to open his eyes in this water, he had to rely on his sense of touch.  He felt the floor go down into what seemed some sort of pit under water, Ebon’s feet where briefly visible from above as he dove down, then with a huge splash, his feet disappeared.
     With a quick shake of his head, Silvenar stepped forward, “Everyone relax for a moment.  No one enter the teleport field.  If you do, you might appear … inside of Ebon.  I imagine the explosion would be quite impressive.”
    Shaile leap to her feet and spun, with both weapons in hand, as not two feet away from her, an explosive blast of air sent her skidding over the ground.  Then she started to chuckle, as she saw Ebon upside down in the pool, “Ebon…  why are you on your head?”
     “Because I was checking out the magical glow on the bottom of the stupid pool.”, that was all he had a chance to say, as but a moment later, he disappeared again, with a loud exit.
    Silvenar stepped back as the water where Ebon had been a couple of minutes ago, exploded outwards, and Ebon came up to the surface coughing and choking on water.  Hasnafar stepped forward and grabbed Ebon by the arm, and yanked him away from the depression in the ground.
     “It’s better not to try to breathe the water, Ebon”, Hasnafar said with a chuckle.
     “Thanks… “, Ebon sputtered.  “Well, Shaile is fine, and on the other side of that teleport area”, he continued when he had gotten his breath back.
     Bryon stood slowly ignoring the look he got from Amara, “I need to stretch”, he said to her with a grin.  With that he picked up his blades, cleaned and sheathed them.  When that was done, he casually walked over to the edge of the pool
     “Bryon….  sit down, and don’t even think about entering that pool”, Amara stated.  “Scott, Silvenar, and Hasnafar go and bring Shaile back to me, so I can make sure she is fine.”
     With a chuckle Silvenar started towards the depression, followed closely by Hasnafar.  Scott bowed to Amara, “Of course, Amara”, and headed over to join his friends.
     “Ok… one at a time, and give each person to the count of five, before you enter after them.”, Silvenar instructed the others.  With that said, he stepped into the depression, and disappeared with an explosive blast of water.  Following Silvenar’s instructions, the other two soon followed.
    After but a short time, the group was complete once again, as Shaile came back through with the rest.  Giving Bryon and Shaile a moment of privacy, Amara went over and sat next to Silvenar, “So… think you should dry yourself?”, she asked.
     Shaking his head, “No, because I want to go back through the teleport area, and check out those three mirrors I saw on the other side”, he replied
     “Ok, let’s get the group moving then my friend”, Amara said as she stood up.  “Everyone, let’s get going.  The day is still young, and we’re not getting anything done just sitting here on our behinds.”, she said loudly.
     “Were you in the Guards when you were younger, Amara?”, Bryon retorted with a chuckle.
     Amara walked over next to Bryon and Shaile, gently reached out and patted Bryon on the cheek, “No… and how do you feel like taking a swim?”
     “Ah… no, that’s quite ok, Amara.”
     “Ok, then let’s go, Oh Faithful Leader.”, she replied.
     Shaking his head, Bryon disentangled himself from Shaile, and led the group to the edge of the depression, and with a grin, he stepped into it.  Following the same instructions from Silvenar, everything went well, and soon the group was gazing at the mirrors on the other side.
     Ebon and Silvenar immediately started to investigate the mirrors, leaving the rest of the group to relax and get a quick bite to eat.  Amara walked over with food for both of them, and firmly made them at least eat while they where doing their research.
     “Well, what we can tell is that all three of these mirrors are the same.  Not that they go to the same place, but they all possess the same style and types of magic.  Such as transportation, alteration, and a couple of others in a very interesting mix, that reminds me of the wa…”, Silvenar stopped as the rest of the group, besides Ebon, started to look around on their own.  With a snicker, Ebon patted Silvenar on the shoulder, and continued looking into the weave of magic.
     After about another fifteen minutes or so passed, Shaile walked over and tapped Silvenar on the shoulder, “Well?  Which one do we take?”, she asked impatiently.
     Looking sheepish, “I don’t see that it matters.  All three have the same chance, or lack thereof, to bring us safety to the other side, where ever that might be”, Silvenar answered.
     Shaking her head in disbelief, she called over her shoulder, “Let’s go.”, and with that, she entered the center mirror.