The World Outside The Shell

Chapter 7

The climb to higher ground continued through mid-day.

Lady Ri stopped at the crest of a hill and surveyed the marsh lands. The ancient lake was returning. The rocky cliffs and steep tree lined hills surrounding the lake contained the water as the rain poured down.

I shouted over the rumble of the storm, “I will translate the map.”

“The map cannot be read in the rain,” said Lady Ri. “I think we should climb to higher ground then follow the ridge line to the cliffs on the northside. I noticed caves in the area when we first arrived.”

The ground shook as thunder split the damp air and a landslide cascaded into the lake below.

“And what if the map is wrong?” I shouted, and continued with a long list of reasons to stay.

Lady Ri said, “I cannot hear you turtle.”

I looked up and tried to warn her, but it was too late as the landslide pulled the ground out from under her feet. I remember Lady Ri holding me close as she found traction, jumped free of the unstable ground, and climbed deeper in the forest, eventually stopping at the base of the sheer cliff.

Lady Ri said, “I remember seeing the cliff in our search for the map. I think the cliff marks the edge of the ancient lake, so we can rest later.”

“And if we fall?”

Lady Ri said, “Ha! Danger is nothing to me. I will simply continue the search for a cave.”

“Please bring me with you.”

“Of course, I need a translator to read the map,” said Lady Ri as she grabbed hold of the shell.

“Wait, I need to see the map to start translating the map!”

Lady Ri tucked me into a small travel bag tied to her waist. “I feel the strength of your shell, I could drop you without consequence.”

I said, “What!?”

Lady Ri said, “Can turtles actually travel in the air like a bird, or was there magic playing tricks on me in a dream?”

I fainted into a deep sleep when she closed the travel bag, and suspected the sleep was caused by magic as my consciousness drifted into nothingness.

The crack of thunder woke me from the nothingness as Lady Ri stood at the peak of the cliff watching the lake form in the basin of the marshlands. She nearly stumbled off the cliff into the rising water at the sight of her companion. “Rog!”

I looked down at the rising waters and marveled at seeing Rog, the weakest member of the party casually scaling the cliff with relative ease, despite the pouring rain. He was alone.

Lady Ri leaned over to pull Rog to safety. She said, “Where did you go?”

Rog said, “The ancient temple revealed another secret, a drawing of a turtle with same markings. I have sad news, the companions were lost in the flood.”

Lady Ri said, “I still have you Rog, the last hero to save the world. And now we must stay together to survive.”

Rog noticed my efforts to crawl to freedom.

I caught his attention and said, “Is there any chance you can reason with the Lady RI?”

He shook his head.

Lady Ri said, “I must learn to accept the advice of others. I have been the all powerful leader of nations for too long.”

I said, “Leader of nations?” I shrunk back worried about the true identity of Lady Ri and her companion.

Lady Ri said, “Do you have a memory of your escape attempts? I heard reports from Venn and Romm about the challenges they faced trying to save you.

I said, “I was captured, not rescued.”

Lady Ri said, “The coiled snake wanted to eat you turtle. He tracked our group into the woods to seek revenge, because I continued to save you from his attempted…”

I said, “I wanted a simple life, Tamm wanted a simple life.”

Lady Ri said, “The marshlands are gone and we all want something we cannot have. I lost the staff because I tried to hold too much power. The same fate is yours should you decide to refuse the guidance of the others. I request your help, please.”

I said, “The companions must have known the rains would start when the great turtle was found. I get the impression we need each other.”

Lady Ri said, “The companions asked me to save the world. I refused and laughed at the truth of the prophecy and died three times. I was returned to this world with a better understanding of the prophecy.”

I said, “What? You died?”

Lady Ri said, “I fear you are the key to locking the door to another world.”

I said, “Oh?”

Lady Ri said, “The flood began when a door was left open. I am the youngest of the guardians and failed to close the door in time. The balance of worlds has turned to chaos…storms of unimaginable size. Do you remember the man in the white robes climbing around the temple?

I said, “Yes.”

Lady Ri said, “The Lake of the Lost Kingdom once hid the temple from unwanted visitors. The man achieved his dream as I watched him step through a door to enter another world. Are you the cause of the storms?”

I said, “The sound of a waterfall is my first memory. I was Tamm in another world similar to this one, but the rain was not so cold.”

Lady Ri said, “Are you ignoring me?”

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