***
Lannon and the others followed a winding mountain path that led them across narrow ledges and steep slopes. They realized they could not have ridden their horses along this perilous route anyway. They found themselves in places where one slip would send them tumbling to their doom, with the wind and rain and lightning making things all the more deadly.
At last they came to a point in the trail that was nearly impassable. The path ended at a sheer cliff, but resumed higher up on the mountainside across a narrow divide. Lothrin had a coil of rope and a grapple hook, and he tried to snag it on rocks on the upper path, but it kept slipping back down.
"Unless we can figure out a way to fly," said Jace, "we seem to be in trouble here. By the look of things, it appears the mountain rock shifted at some point, rendering this trail useless." He pointed to where the trail climbed ever higher up the mountainside, revealed by the lightning. "I'm guessing this is the only way up to Wallrock from here, unless one has plenty of rope and other climbing gear, which we do not. We are ill equipped for this journey."
"Yet if the horses went to Wallrock," said Aldreya, "there must be an easier route."
Jace nodded. "There is, but I don't know where to find it. It has been too long since I last visited these peaks, and I don't remember."
"I think I can make the jump," said Lannon, gazing upward. "Give me your rope and hook, Lothrin." The prospect of leaping up and over a deadly divide made Lannon's stomach churn, but he had no intention of giving up. His focus was on rescuing Prince Vannas at all costs.
"We're all going to get struck by lightning," said Dallsa, who was crouching by a boulder. "This is too dangerous. We must turn back."
"We have to continue on," said Aldreya.
Lannon took the rope coil and hesitated, flooding his body with the Eye of Divinity and focusing his mind. The others stood in silence, heads bowed, not wanting to disrupt his focus. He waited for the lightning to flash, and then he raced forward and leapt high into the air. It was a magnificent leap, but he failed miserably to reach his lofty target--instead using his sorcery to raise him up the rest of the way to the path. He lay on the ground exhausted for a moment, a colossal amount of energy expended to levitate himself.
He fastened the hook to a thick black root (a dead root that looked to be from a Goblin-spawning Mother Tree) and then tossed the rope down to Lothrin. Without hesitation, the Ranger climbed up to the higher path. One by one the others climbed up, with Dallsa having the most trouble. The healer was not skilled at climbing, but Lannon seized her with his power and helped her along. By the time she reached the higher ground, Lannon was so exhausted he had to rest for several minutes before they could resume their journey. Using the Eye to move objects took a severe toll on him lately, as his power had become more focused around swordplay, strength, and quick, athletic movements (the typical style of a Dark Watchman).
As they slowly worked their way along the narrow path, lightning struck perilously close to them, causing Lannon to shove the entire group backward on instinct--and nearly causing Dallsa to stumble off the ledge to her doom. Jace seized the healer in one huge hand before she could fall.
Lannon groaned in weariness. "Couldn't there be an easier route?"
When they came to a shallow cave in the mountainside, Aldreya ordered them to halt. "We shall rest here and wait for the lightning to calm down. It's simply too dangerous to continue on right now."
"So now we decide to wait," said Dallsa, shaking her head in amusement. "What brought on that decision?"
"That last lightning blast was a bit too close," said Aldreya. "I'm certain I could feel the heat from it, and I'm surprised my hair isn't sticking up." She touched her curly silver hair that hung in wet tangles. Her youthful face had gone a bit pale. "I know every second counts, but if we get struck by lightning we won't have any chance of rescuing Prince Vannas anyway."
"I have to agree," said Jerret. "I thought we were finished right then and there. Death by lightning is a sad way for a warrior to go."
"I've been struck by lightning before," said Jace, shrugging. "It tingles."
"Were you injured?" asked Aldreya.
Jace didn't answer, his grey eyes distant.
"Were you injured?" she asked again, louder.
"What?" he replied. "Oh, not really. Just burned somewhat, from head to toe. I lost an eye too, come to think of it."
"You lost an eye?" said Lannon.
Jace nodded. "It popped out of my head and was hanging by a thread. I pushed it back in with a spoon, though. Good as new." The sorcerer nodded. "That's right, my friends. If your eye ever pops out, a spoon really comes in handy. That's why I always carry one with me--ever since that incident." He felt around in his cloak pocket and took out a wooden spoon. He grinned. "The very spoon I once used to fix my eye. It also comes in handy for soup."
The others had no idea what to make of that story.
Lannon felt restless, wondering how Galvia was faring. "I hope they don't have any trouble back at camp," he said. "Especially with Taith there. I wouldn't want anything to happen to the boy."
"They will be fine," said Jerret, with a dismissive wave. "Galvia will take care of him. Trust me, Lannon, our camp is well defended."
"Of course," said Lannon, but he remained plagued by a gnawing feeling in his stomach. He wanted to hurry and rescue the prince so they could return to camp. Yet they were stuck in a cave until the lightning slacked off.