Adventurers Wanted, Volume 2 by M. L. Forman

Author:M. L. Forman [Forman, M. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2011-04-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The First Gate

It didn’t take long for Alex and the others to learn why it was called the frozen waste. The ground was rock hard, but some spots were slick with a thin layer of moss, which often hid glass-smooth ice that was slightly melted by the sun. The path they followed was a poor one, hardly more than an animal trail, but it led directly toward the Mountains of the Moon. Alex thought he could see a spot of green far off in the distance that might be the enchanted woods, but when he blinked, it was gone.

“Two weeks of slipping and sliding across this,” Halfdan grumbled. “We’ll all be lucky not to fall and break our heads.”

Halfdan’s prediction was all too correct. The first day of walking everyone except for Sindar fell several times. There was no talking as they traveled because all of their attention was focused on the next few steps they would take.

Sindar was light on his feet and would seldom slip, even on the smoothest ice, so he often moved ahead of the company and then stood looking across the waste until they caught up with him.

The frozen ground was uncomfortable enough to walk on, and almost impossible to find a level spot to lie down on to sleep.

Five days into the frozen waste, Alex received another message from Whalen, which cheered him up considerably and took his mind off his sore feet and body.

Dear Alex,

As you are now approaching your goal, I need to tell you a few things. First of all, be prepared for a sphinx and at least one griffin to be guarding the road to the tower.

The sphinx will ask a riddle before letting you pass, and it might help to know that the riddle will often have something to do with the person being asked. Also, don’t try to make the riddle harder than it is. Sphinx riddles are often simple—so simple that people can miss an obvious answer—and thinking about the riddle too much will only confuse your mind.

It is most important to remember that griffins are proud creatures. Do not give them any reason to think that you are insulting them. Griffins seem to have a soft spot for wizards, however, so that might be a great help to you and your friends. Griffins can also see what kind of person you are, so if any of your friends have any evil intentions, the griffins will likely bar your path. That shouldn’t really be a problem, but you never know.

Once you reach the tower, if you have to go that far, there are two libraries you should know about. The upper library contains a great deal of knowledge and would be a wonderful addition for your future learning and worth far more than any treasure you might find. If possible, you should try to store the upper library in your magic bag.

The lower library is dangerous and full of dark, evil magic. You should avoid the lower library if you can.

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