Soren found his way back to the hole without too much issue. He simply made his way to the drop off point, which hadn’t changed for the past week, and then set off in the heading he had intentionally remembered when he had fallen down before.

Soon enough, the trio came across the hole in the ground and edged their way slowly down the slope and into the cavernous space.

“Well this is cool”, said Finn.

“Cold I think you mean”, said Alissa, folding her arms.

“The stairs are this way”, said Soren as he led his friends over to them. Interestingly, and somewhat disappointingly, Soren felt nothing. No fuzzy feeling in his chest. “Odd…” he mumbled.

“What is?”, asked Alissa, as he and Finn peered down the staircase into the depths.

“Oh, nothing. It’s not important”

“These must be the symbols you were talking about”, said Finn, crouching to take a closer look.

“Yep, either of you recognise them?”

They both shook their heads.

“Well then, are we doing this?” asked Finn.

“...Now I'm here, I'm not so sure”, said Alissa.

“Oh come on, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“You really don’t want me to answer that”

“Finn’s right, I doubt there’s anything dangerous down there. It's just a dark staircase, and we brought torches”, said Soren.

He pulled the torch out of his bag and then stopped, “umm, did either of you bring something to light this with…?”

“Really?” said Finn, chuckling slightly. “Maybe you hit that head of yours harder than you thought”

Finn handed Soren a flint and steel which he used to light his torch. Alissa pulled another out of her bag and used his to light hers.

“Right then, let's do this”, said Soren.

Slowly, Soren edged his way down the stairs. They were narrow and smooth as ice so he stepped carefully and slowly. Alissa followed close behind, with Finn coming up the rear.

They were edging downwards for what felt like an age but had probably only been two or three minutes. The rock underfoot had changed from a smooth to a rough dry stone. Glancing down, Soren could still make out the flame circle symbols inscribed on each step. “The symbols are still here”, he said.

“Yeah!” said Finn, “this is awesome”.

“Come on, let’s keep moving” said Alissa.

They were deep underground now, the light of day no longer visible in the staircase above. The light of their torches was the only source of light. Soren realised with a start that if they lost the torches, they would be walking blind.

“Yeah, we best hurry”, he said.

It was another five minutes of descending before the stairs came to an abrupt end and the stone levelled out into a narrow corridor, wide and tall enough for single file walking only.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Up ahead Soren could just make out the outline of a door. “There’s a door” he said.

“Does it open?”, asked Finn.

Soren approached the door. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just a simple wooden door, it looked to be made out of oak, with a black latch handle.

Soren tried the latch and after a few hard shoves with his shoulder, the door edged open. Soren stepped through, holding his torch high to light the way, into a circular room about five yards across in each direction.

Against one wall lay a wooden bed with a straw mattress on top. The tattered remnants of a sheet lay atop a dusty looking pillow. There was a strong putrid smell in the air, which Soren guessed was coming from the bucket against the wall that was furthest from the bed.

Also in the room was a small wooden writing desk with a stool. There were candle holders lining the wall, the wax long since melted, and, glancing up, Soren realised the same symbol that adorned the stairs was ringed around the walls, just below the ceiling. Apart from that, the room was bare.

“Is this… someone's house?” asked Alissa.

“It looks like it was”, replied Soren. “But given how stiff the door was and the smell coming from that bucket, I don’t think anyone has been down here for a while”.

“Hey, look at this”, said Finn, who had stepped over to the desk. “There’s writing on this paper, looks like a letter of some sort”

Soren walked over and took up the note to read.

My queen,

If you are reading this, know that I have done all that I can to ensure the eggs remain safe.

I did not make it as far as I had hoped, the caverns were a maze that I was unable to navigate, however I have hidden them deep. I have not left any clues as to their location, however I am confident that they will reveal themselves to a rider when the time comes, as has always been the way. I will move them if needed, but be assured that they are safe, for now.

I have taken lodgings in a small cavern I located weeks after I departed. I intend to remain here for a time, until it is safe for me to surface.

I know that I write this knowing you may not survive, however I cannot give up hope. You are strong. Vaeloren is strong. If anyone can survive what has come, it is you.

I hope this message reaches you safely and that, in time, we shall meet again.

Forever your faithful servant and friend,

Seraphel

“Eggs?” asked Alissa. “What eggs?”

“I don’t see any eggs” said Finn, looking around the cavern.

“Do you think… the stories. And my queen? Do you think this, Serphel, was writing to queen Kaida?”, asked Soren.

“Soren… as much as I know you would love that, it seems a little unlikely. Queen Kaida died, what, twenty five years ago?”, said Alissa.

“But who else could it be? This place is old Alissa. And the Aviori don’t have a queen, they never have”

“Hmm that is true…”, she replied.

“And, more to the point”, Soren gestured to one word on the letter. “Valorian, that was the name of her dragon!”

“Okay you’ve got me there”, replied Alissa, considering.

Finn looked up, “So, these eggs, dragon eggs?”

“Exactly” replied Soren, a grin spreading across his face.

“But they aren’t here”, said Alissa, “this place is empty”

“She said in her letter she buried them deep underground, somewhere hard to find”, said Soren.

“Well that narrows it down”, said Finn.

“But it does mean they could still be out there somewhere”, said Soren.

“Yeah, somewhere, being everywhere”, said Alissa. “Well, we’ve seen what's down the staircase now, and I’m worried we’ll never make it back up if these torches run out”

“Yeah you’re probably right”, replied Soren, tucking the letter into his bag.

Glancing around one more time just to make sure, Soren gestured towards the door and they filed out, Soren following out last this time.

As he stepped through the door and turned to close it behind him, a familiar sensation overcame him. This time the dizziness wasn’t as extreme, where before it had felt like a sledgehammer to his head, this was more the brush of a feather. The warm fuzzy feeling embraced his chest and he let out an involuntary sigh.

Closing the door and turning to the others, he asked ”Do you feel that?”

They both stopped and turned, “feel what?”, asked Finn.

“Nothing”, said Soren. “Come on, let’s get home”.