Tsarek emerged from his storeroom with a bundle of small firesticks. "Are these satisfactory, Cor-Van?"

For the first time, Corvan liked that Tsarek pronounced his name as the title for a leader. It fit with his newfound sense of power and purpose. "That should be fine. Let's get going."

The lizard hurried away down the tunnel and by the time Corvan arrived at the opening, Tsarek was already inside the first labyrinth cavern. He held up his bandaged paw. " I would step through quickly if I were you. This portal appears to be changing and becoming more tricky.”

Corvan stepped over the glowing rim of rock and glanced back into the passages under the castle rock. He was finally on his way back to the Cor to confront the Rakash leader and rescue his father. He took a deep breath and felt the muscles expanding in tight bands across his chest. He felt ready. With the lumien power in his veins, he had a chance to defeat all four of the thin white creatures—single-handed.

Flickers of light continued to roll around the circumference of the glassy blue rock.

"No use to watch." Tsarek said. “It will close after we leave." Lighting one of their small firesticks he passed it to Corvan and walked away. Corvan followed, deep in thought about the upcoming journey and all it might hold.

The pool at the end of the cave wasn’t flowing now that winter had frozen everything above ground. Corvan put his hand into the water. Ice cold. He pushed his hand up under the cloak, but it didn't get warm. This new cloak would not be as effective as the one now in the possession of the Rakash leader. If he went under the water now, he'd get hypothermia in minutes.

"The water is colder up here," Tsarek said as he waded into the pool, "but it will become warm as we go farther down."

Corvan’s heart thumped against his hand. It might be possible to use the power from the lumien to keep his body warm. Letting a bit of energy out of his heart, he focused on sending it to his cold hand. Immediately his fingers warmed.

Sticking his hand back in the water he could feel the water's pressure against his skin, but it was like he had a rubber glove on, insulating him from the cold. If the lumien power could keep his all his skin this warm, he could stay submerged in the cold water, but what if the power ran out while they were still underwater?

Tsarek moved to the side of the pool. "It is good we have the larger fire sticks we left behind when the water creature grabbed you the last time.”

Corvan nodded and Tsarek retrieved two of the long sticks. He didn't like thinking of what had happened the last time they were here. The intense sensation of knowing without a doubt you were about to pull water into your lungs, and die, was horrible. He pushed the thought away.

Tsarek returned and crouched beside him, trimming up the small fire sticks they would use to breath under the water. "I think you will need more of these than me," he said, handing a bundle to Corvan. "We will need to look for places where we can surface when the water slows down, so we don't use them as quickly. You must keep your breathing slow and remember you can use air from the bubbles coming off a big firestick. Just look for a silver pocket when the water is still. It’s enough to keep you alive for a little while."

Corvan nodded, then stuck the bundle of small firesticks into the front pocket of his new hooded tunic. The pocket wasn’t as deep as those in his dad’s raincoat. It would be better to hold them in his hand in case one clogged and he needed another right away.

Tsarek uncapped his large fire stick and the bright glow lit up the cavern. He lifted the long stick in a salute. "Here we go to nothing," he said cheerfully.

Corvan snorted. "I hope not."

Tsarek’s face fell. "Did I say it wrong?"

"No, I just hope you're not right."

Tsarek squinted and Corvan chuckled. "Never mind. It's good to be back together again. I’ve missed having you around."

Tsarek beamed and the blue markings on his cheeks flushed.

Corvan stepped to the water's edge, concentrating on letting a measured amount of the lumien power into his bloodstream. His body grew warmer, and he tentatively stuck a foot into the pool. The water was cool on the band of bare skin between the tops of the slippers and the pants, but it was bearable. Wading in, he felt along the bottom with his toes until he reached the drop off leading to the underwater river that would take them down to the Cor. Uncapping the small fire stick in his mouth he sucked in and coughed. These ones were a little stronger tasting than he remembered.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"These are a little old," Tsarek said with a frown. "I hope they don't clog up."

Corvan stared at the lizard, his lumien-activated mind ticking through all the things that could go wrong with his plan. He was about to ask how to fix a clogged firestick when the lizard gave a quick nod and slipped away under the water. The cavern went dark as the water bloomed into a bubbling pool of light.

Uncapping his own large stick, Corvan crouched low to ease himself below the surface. Blinking past the stream of bubbles coming off the end, he caught sight of the glow from Tsarek descending below him. Corvan followed, half swimming, half sinking downward, the water pressure popping in his ears. He was relieved that his beathing firestick was working well. In through the porous tube and out through his nose, just as he had learned on his last trip to the Cor.

When he caught up with Tsarek, the lizard had wrapped his short legs around a knob of rock. He gestured to the rock and then to Corvan's head. Corvan nodded. He remembered too well smacking his head on an underwater boulder when he escaped from Molakar.

Tsarek pointed forward, then nodded for Corvan to go first. Corvan put his hand into the darker water, and it almost pulled the bundle of small fire sticks from his hand. The main underground river was moving much faster. Once inside the swift current, there would be no turning back.

Tsarek moved into position beside him, the fire stick bubbling merrily between his lips, thin jets of air shooting out his nostrils. The lizard pointed downstream, the pushed off to vanish in the rush of black water.

Ignoring the nagging fears that were jumping about in his mind, Corvan let go and pushed out, feet first. A strong current grabbed his legs and yanked him inside. The cavern walls spun and zipped past him as he dropped rapidly down a long shaft.

There was no point in looking for rocks that might jut out from the walls. Everything was a blur. He would break his legs if there were any rocks in the way. His large firestick jerked in his hand, caught on the wall and was gone, a powerful surge of water shooting him along even faster. The stick had broken and exploded behind him. Tucking his arms in close to his body, he let the water carry him along in the darkness.

After what seemed like an incredibly steep ride, the shaft leveled out and the speed of the water slowed as the tunnel walls around him opened up. Pockets of air shimmered overhead and trails of bubbles from Tsarek’s stick up ahead streaked the water.

Corvan raised his head above the water level and took a tentative breath. The air was good and just up ahead, Tsarek was sitting up on a ledge and dangling his feet in the water. The lizard's face broke into a wide grin as Corvan heaved himself out onto the rock shelf.

"That was the fastest ride ever," Tsarek said. "We must be well below the labyrinth and already getting close to the Cor." He raised his fire stick and cried out over the water, "The speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty 'Hi-ho Silver.'"

Tsarek's fixation with the Lone Ranger brought a smile to Corvan’s face. Encouraged, the lizard pointed to himself. "With his faithful companion, Tsarek -" he paused and pointed at Corvan, "the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains will lead the fight for law and order. The Cor-Van rides again to save the Cor!"

Tsarek's voice echoed off the water in triumph, and Corvan turned his face away. He didn't think the people of the Cor would welcome a leader who, even now, wanted to eat more of their precious lumien seeds.

“What happened to your long firestick?” Tsarek asked with an anxious note.

“It got caught on the wall and exploded. It was good we were moving so fast.”

"Then we need to keep riding the current before this one burns out.” Tsarek pushed back into the water and grasped the ledge with one paw to keep from drifting away in the current. “It is better if we can see where we are going." He floated off down the cavern, his light throwing splintered shadows across the ceiling.

Corvan dropped back into the water and the sudden cold drove the air from his lungs. Gasping, he rushed lumien power from his heart throughout his body. Too much. His heart cramped and he worked to push some of the energy back in place.

Up ahead the ceiling slanted down to meet the water. Tsarek glanced back then disappeared in a fresh burst of bubbles.

Corvan’s body temperature came up just in time for him to duck under the water and avoid being struck by the low-hanging rocks. The water swirled around his face, and he reached for one of the small breathing fire sticks. Panic gripped him. He had had left his entire bundle back on the ledge!

Twisting around, Corvan swam hard against the current, but it was too strong. Frantic, he rolled over and looked overhead, but the water was flowing too fast to allow bubbles from his large fire stick to gather. His heartbeat surged erratically as lumien power shot out into his veins and around his lungs.

Immediately, his desire for fresh air dissipated. Could lumien energy create oxygen? He tried to sense what was happening in his body as he floated along and found the urge to breathe was slowly mounting again. When he let a bit more of the lumien energy flow around his lungs, the need for fresh air fell away.

In his mind the began flicking through pages from his encyclopedias until he found the article he recalled. Pearl divers could hold their breath for up to twenty minutes. That must be what the energy from the seeds was doing for him, but would it be enough to make it through to the next pocket of air? How much lumien power did he even have left?

A wave of fear throttled up his heart rate. He needed to calm down. If he would relax and let the water move him toward the next place he could surface, he would use less energy and be able to hold his breath longer.

Corvan thought about resting under the maple tree back home. He let his mind wander to his childhood exploring the coulees around the farm or pretending he was a superhero up on the Castle Rocks. His thoughts ran on ahead to the discovery of the hammer, the end of his childhood fantasies and his immersion into a complicated, grown-up world. The simple days of make believe were long gone.

A circle of light shimmered overhead, and he swam toward it, his head breaking the water's surface in a high open space.

Gulping in air, he heard Tsarek calling to him from the far side of the pool.

Corvan shook his head to clear his ears.

"Get out of the water—now!" Tsarek shouted.