"He's old enough," said the wizard, "to be thrice an adult in your reckoning! Yes, why indeed."
They were on their way now through, along path they had chosen. It was much like the first tunnel they had passed through, but for some reason the lanterns would not shine as bright as the ones they saw first at the stairs, but instead their lights lingered as if reluctant or afraid to burst into full light. The sound of the stream that went through the hall behind them was soon gone and there was a silence around them that not even their marching feet seemed to break.
Ofnir thrust his staff forward and walked thus, illuminating more of their path. He hoped his light would last, for he was sure they would find themselves in utter dark if it went out, and he thought it would be a waste to use their torches so early on their journey, especially knowing that their descend into the caverns was no more than a side quest, however peculiar it may be.
"Poor Calariel!" he said, turning his head around to make sure the company was fine. "I sure hope your eyes can deal with this murk."
Suddenly, a light exploded before them. It came from a lantern hanging from roof, and beyond it Ofnir could glimpse a widening hall larger than any he had seen. But the greatest surprise came once he had hurried through the falling light: the grand subterranean cave-hall was a harbour.
A crystal-clear lake, or a lake it seemed, lay still and endless before them reflecting countless gems of many colours set into the roof of the cavern that must have been fashioned to resemble the starry sky. A set of well-made but worn with age stairs was leading down just to the right of them towards a beautiful pavillon near the wall of the cave, and within it benches were placed in a circle around a massive flat table of marble. The shore itself was flickering silver where the water touched it, and a stone pier with small boats set with runes went into the water all from the pavillon. On the far side, in the direction in front of them, stood ruins of a tower.
"It looks like we have got ourselves a new mystery," he said.
