When last I wrote I had just fought three beasts and, surprisingly, I had been victorious. With my food ruined from falling when the bridge collapsed I wondered if I should try to get some meat off the dead animals, but I decided against it - I have no experience in taking fercac meat from the bones and I wasn't even sure if any meat I did manage to take from these cave-fercacs would even be safe to eat. Instead I focused my efforts on finding a way to get outside. I had had enough of this mountain. There were no answers to be found regarding the disappearance of the Dwarves; at least not by me.
I could still hear the sound of water from somewhere in the caves. I had been able to hear it since I woke up on my ledge two days ago. Even though, when I had been heading towards it and I fell into the chasm, I was forced to travel away from the sound, after some time I heard the stream clearer than I had done before. It spurred me on.
Eventually I came to a huge cavern. The closer I had come to it the more noises I could hear coming from there and the more I was prepared to find much more than a simple stream. Still, seeing it in the eerie red light - well, I could not have imagined such a beautiful and mystical sight. It was as if I was looking into the very heart of the Goddess of nature herself. Words cannot describe the pool of perfectly clear water, nor the waterfalls. I felt reluctant to taint the pool with my dirty, sweaty body, but I was too tempted to swim in the turbulent water near the falls and wash away the grime that I had accumulated recently. It would also do some good to clean my wounds. I left my bag, my sword, my armour and the staff at the edge of the cavern and waded into the pool in my underclothes.
The Teeluwin people rarely have the opportunity to swim. There are ponds and small lakes in the forest and we are taught to swim in them at an early age, but visits to the forest floor are rare and never for recreation. Now, to be free to float on top of the water or to dive below it as I should choose was incredible.
I swam for hours. It was a relief to be able to take the weight off my sore leg without having to sit on the hard floor of the caves. I only got out when my muscles were almost too fatigued to keep me afloat.
This morning I went straight back into the pool. Unlike yesterday, however, it was not for fun. I wanted to find a way out of the mountain. All the water must have come from somewhere outside and I wanted to find its source. From the top of the largest waterfall there was a channel carrying water down a gentle incline to the left. The slope was mild enough for me to climb it and so I did. It was not easy with the water flowing against me, but I managed it in the end.
I was at the top of the highest waterfall and as I had hoped, I could see where the water was coming into the cavern. Furthermore I was able to get over to the stream that brought the water in - and from there I could see outside.
The hole in the ceiling from where the water came was big enough for me to get through with all of my equipment. I was so excited to get back to breathing fresh air. I dived from the top of the waterfall into the large pool below and gathered my things as quickly as I could.
It was much more difficult to get back to the top of the waterfall with armour, a bag and only one free hand (the other held the staff; I was unable to fasten it to anything securely enough not to have to keep hold of it) but I was able to eventually. With everything I had I jumped into the small pool at the top of the waterfall and swam against the current to the opening. I took a deep breath and pulled my way through the small tunnel until, finally, I could come up for air. Air from outside the mountain.
The pool.
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