Chapter 10
The following day Marissa began to make her way back north to Ducann. With the bottle delivered, this portion of her mission was over. There was no other reason to stay in Takait. The young woman gathered her belongings, packed up her horse, and headed out of the church grounds. With Faerun by her side, she then left the great desert city.
Tracing the same path as before, they headed for the hidden canyon towards the west. The earthen walls helped to shade them as they traveled on the long journey. The sky was also full of large clouds today, which helped to keep the heat to a minimum. Since it was cooler, she felt she could push her horse a little bit harder. She kicked her leather boots into Faerun's sides and the duo sped across the dusty land in a quick trot.
The young mage had decided to bypass the desert oasis she had visited earlier in the week. She did not feel like meeting with her friends again quite so soon. She particularly did not want to see Botrun right now. Instead the traveling duo of a girl and her horse made their way towards a settlement she had been told was stationed near the Great Vein. They were also heading to the exact spot where the Fontail Elevator had once climbed the great wall.
She could easily see the rocky face of the great chasm as they drew closer. The breadth of its enormous wall stretched across the entire horizon. The giant flat wall simply could not be ignored. One could not head north across the desert and not see its great height.
They reached the edge of the cliff by the early afternoon. The actual waterfall and settlement were still several miles to the east, but one could see the giant misty bottom of the falls in the distance. The large cloud masked the actual distance that they would have to travel. They followed the cliff's edge until they reached the settlement.
As they got closer, the telltale signs of the ancient elevator were still present. Hanging loosely off of the cliff's edge were the giant iron chains that had once lifted the mighty platform. Their broken and rusted links hung lifelessly in midair. The massive chains shifted ever so slightly back and forth with the wind.
Clouds of thick mist fluttered through the air from the great falls. The great roar of the falling water echoed through the entire area. The mist made the air both cool and moist. The traveling duo could also feel small droplets falling from high upon the upper face down onto their skin below.
The small town that had been located beneath the elevator was now in ruins. Where a large hotel had once stood there was nothing but rubble. The restaurant called Isaac's Tavern was nothing but broken wood planks. In their place were a few hobbled together homes made from bits and pieces of scrap. Windows and doors had both been boarded up across the town, and in other spots the structures had been reopened by enterprising settlers. Broken windows dotted across the town and trash littered the ground beneath.
The few people who were mingling outside their residences quickly ran inside when they saw the mage and her steed approach. They were a cautious bunch, fearful of much of world. They stayed away from any possible confrontations, even if they might be friendly.
Strong winds had always traced the great cliff's edge, and its invisible form whistled through the defunct village. Wooden signs flapped in the wind and open windows howled as it passed. With no one in sight, the entire town felt as though it was full of nothing but ghosts.
The spot where the massive wooden platform had come crushing down was immediately apparent. The guard tower and the accompanying control room had been obliterated by the large wooden scaffold on its fall. In additional, boulders and large chunks of rock that had ripped from the wall during its descent also littered the ground. The great timber beams were now rotten and splintered. Mold and decay covered what remnants were left.
Even after all of these years, no one had attempted to resurrect the great Fontail Elevator. The damage done had been far too great for some. In addition the expense of rebuilding it was out of reach for even the Church. It was simply too daunting a task to bring the elevator back to life. So the remains of the once great achievement lay in ruin with no chance of repair.
The only new construction that had been created since its destruction was a memorial built directly to the west of the ruined elevator. A large pyramid made from hundreds of river rocks had been erected at the scene of the disaster. Polished stones from the base of the falls had been stacked up on top of each other to create the structure. It was presumable that it held the bodies of those lost in the accident. She also assumed that inside of the monument were the remains of her fallen mother and father.
Marissa dismounted from Faerun, and she walked slowly over to the memorial. As she took each step closer, feelings of sadness and remorse filled her being. The young woman was determined to keep her resolve. She knelt down and put her right hand upon the pile of stones.
Marissa remained kneeling there in that single spot for almost an hour. She did not cry. She did not say a word. She simply reflected on the past.
The young mage rose to her feet. She tilted her head and looked towards the sky. Marissa squinted as she scanned the rocky cliff face and the open air. A gust of wind blew down the passage and the dark bangs draping over her face fluttered.
It was there standing at the scene of the accident, the very place where her entire life had changed, that she made a promise.
Marissa bent down and took one of the small river stones from the memorial pyramid. The mage then walked over her to horse and climbed back into the saddle. She situated herself within her seat and prepared to leave. She tugged at the reins and the duo was off again for their home in Ducann.
As they rode, she rolled the smooth stone which she had taken within the grasp of her right hand. She let her fingertips gently touch its glossy exterior. The rock was both cool and soothing. She continued to play with the stone as they made their way back northwest. Back to the trail leading to Ducann, and back to her home.
Continue reading onto Chapter 11
Tracing the same path as before, they headed for the hidden canyon towards the west. The earthen walls helped to shade them as they traveled on the long journey. The sky was also full of large clouds today, which helped to keep the heat to a minimum. Since it was cooler, she felt she could push her horse a little bit harder. She kicked her leather boots into Faerun's sides and the duo sped across the dusty land in a quick trot.
The young mage had decided to bypass the desert oasis she had visited earlier in the week. She did not feel like meeting with her friends again quite so soon. She particularly did not want to see Botrun right now. Instead the traveling duo of a girl and her horse made their way towards a settlement she had been told was stationed near the Great Vein. They were also heading to the exact spot where the Fontail Elevator had once climbed the great wall.
She could easily see the rocky face of the great chasm as they drew closer. The breadth of its enormous wall stretched across the entire horizon. The giant flat wall simply could not be ignored. One could not head north across the desert and not see its great height.
They reached the edge of the cliff by the early afternoon. The actual waterfall and settlement were still several miles to the east, but one could see the giant misty bottom of the falls in the distance. The large cloud masked the actual distance that they would have to travel. They followed the cliff's edge until they reached the settlement.
As they got closer, the telltale signs of the ancient elevator were still present. Hanging loosely off of the cliff's edge were the giant iron chains that had once lifted the mighty platform. Their broken and rusted links hung lifelessly in midair. The massive chains shifted ever so slightly back and forth with the wind.
Clouds of thick mist fluttered through the air from the great falls. The great roar of the falling water echoed through the entire area. The mist made the air both cool and moist. The traveling duo could also feel small droplets falling from high upon the upper face down onto their skin below.
The small town that had been located beneath the elevator was now in ruins. Where a large hotel had once stood there was nothing but rubble. The restaurant called Isaac's Tavern was nothing but broken wood planks. In their place were a few hobbled together homes made from bits and pieces of scrap. Windows and doors had both been boarded up across the town, and in other spots the structures had been reopened by enterprising settlers. Broken windows dotted across the town and trash littered the ground beneath.
The few people who were mingling outside their residences quickly ran inside when they saw the mage and her steed approach. They were a cautious bunch, fearful of much of world. They stayed away from any possible confrontations, even if they might be friendly.
Strong winds had always traced the great cliff's edge, and its invisible form whistled through the defunct village. Wooden signs flapped in the wind and open windows howled as it passed. With no one in sight, the entire town felt as though it was full of nothing but ghosts.
The spot where the massive wooden platform had come crushing down was immediately apparent. The guard tower and the accompanying control room had been obliterated by the large wooden scaffold on its fall. In additional, boulders and large chunks of rock that had ripped from the wall during its descent also littered the ground. The great timber beams were now rotten and splintered. Mold and decay covered what remnants were left.
Even after all of these years, no one had attempted to resurrect the great Fontail Elevator. The damage done had been far too great for some. In addition the expense of rebuilding it was out of reach for even the Church. It was simply too daunting a task to bring the elevator back to life. So the remains of the once great achievement lay in ruin with no chance of repair.
The only new construction that had been created since its destruction was a memorial built directly to the west of the ruined elevator. A large pyramid made from hundreds of river rocks had been erected at the scene of the disaster. Polished stones from the base of the falls had been stacked up on top of each other to create the structure. It was presumable that it held the bodies of those lost in the accident. She also assumed that inside of the monument were the remains of her fallen mother and father.
Marissa dismounted from Faerun, and she walked slowly over to the memorial. As she took each step closer, feelings of sadness and remorse filled her being. The young woman was determined to keep her resolve. She knelt down and put her right hand upon the pile of stones.
Marissa remained kneeling there in that single spot for almost an hour. She did not cry. She did not say a word. She simply reflected on the past.
The young mage rose to her feet. She tilted her head and looked towards the sky. Marissa squinted as she scanned the rocky cliff face and the open air. A gust of wind blew down the passage and the dark bangs draping over her face fluttered.
It was there standing at the scene of the accident, the very place where her entire life had changed, that she made a promise.
Marissa bent down and took one of the small river stones from the memorial pyramid. The mage then walked over her to horse and climbed back into the saddle. She situated herself within her seat and prepared to leave. She tugged at the reins and the duo was off again for their home in Ducann.
As they rode, she rolled the smooth stone which she had taken within the grasp of her right hand. She let her fingertips gently touch its glossy exterior. The rock was both cool and soothing. She continued to play with the stone as they made their way back northwest. Back to the trail leading to Ducann, and back to her home.
Continue reading onto Chapter 11
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