Summoned Again?

Chapter 73: Following The Breadcrumbs Part One

Nat didn't take long drawing out the different stages of events. Like I had thought when I first saw them, they were both crude and accurate drawings. Whoever had done them had plenty of time, apparently.

I didn't want to say how... appropriate it was... that we were given a record of what happened, when that was what we were looking for. I did my best to not bring any thoughts of divine beings into my mind, because now I had a very good idea as to why my Divine Sight wasn't working. It was being intentionally interfered with and I couldn't rely exclusively on it. Not that I was, anyway. The brief flashes I had been getting were only for things that didn't interfere with the mission.

I looked back at Nat as she put some finishing touches on the last drawing. Case in point, getting the information to help make Nat happy. It had no bearing on the mission to find the source of all this madness and I had a flash of what she needed to hear to accept where she was. I didn't get anything about the other two or about anything that happened when they crossed the wall and met with Bonika. Everything they told me was completely new information for me.

I was really glad that I had the foresight, my normal one and not Divine Sight, when I told her to be very forgiving in their cases. That could have gone very bad for them and they had no clue the things they could do to people that pissed them off. There was a reason the means to get up the wall was inside the research facility. Some of the strongest people were there to protect it.

All right, I think I got it. Nat said and went through the pictures and held them up to each of the ones on the cave wall. Yep, that's it.

Great. I said and looked at the blacksmith bear. Wreck that. I said and pointed.

WHAT?!? Nat and the bear yelled at the same time.

Unless you have some explosives tucked into your inventory to blow the place up? I asked Nat and she shook her head as she stored the pictures and gave me back the paper and colored pencils. This information is only useful to the heroes that have been summoned here.

But... my mother's stories... The blacksmith bear whispered.

No one would have found this cave anyway. I said and put my hand on his large pawed hand. I'll have Nat make a copy of the last image for her if you want, just so she has proof that the tales were true and we actually found it.

The bear looked at me and saw my face was pleading, so he nodded and took two steps forward and activated his Rending skill as he swiped his large claws across the rock face. Nat and I were silent as the bear proved to us that he chose not to fight, not that he couldn't. After only a minute, the entire rock face was rubble on the ground.

Let's go. I said and stored the table and one of the lamps, then we left the cave and met up with the others. The bear quickly filled in where he had dug it up for me. I asked Nat to store one of the larger rocks that were nearby and had her create the illusion ten times the size, then drop it from about fifty feet up.

I... never thought... Nat stared at the huge boulder that had just packed down tons of dirt in a second.

How's the headache? I asked with a smile.

Nat chuckled and the illusion faded, then she dropped the large rock back where she got it. I can use a smaller one, thanks.

I smiled. I didn't want you to strain yourself by making an illusion a couple hundred times the size.

Okay, that's a good point. Nat smiled back and nodded her thanks.

So, what's the deal? Lionel asked. Did you find it, whatever it was?

No, it's a complete bust and we need to go back to the bears and become their slaves. I joked and his face lost all its color.

Damon! Nat smacked my arm. Don't tease him like that.

I just grinned at her and she shook her head.

Yes, we found it. Nat said and made a poster sized version of the images around us, about ten feet away. That's the first one and they progress to that one. She said and pointed to the one with the shifting portal and then swept her arm around in a circle to the one beside it.

Why don't you make them in a line? Lionel asked.

Do you want to walk about fifty feet to look at them all or just turn around in a circle? Nat asked.

Lionel looked at the pictures and then shrugged.

Great argument. I said and pointed to the portal. If the three of you don't know what this is...

It's a portal. Angel said. It looks wrong.

Yeah, because it hurts like a son of a bitch to go through it. I said and the three of them looked at me. It's a shifting portal. It's not like a door you step through, like the ones we took to get here. It sucks you in like quicksand and swallows you, then it shoves you where you need to go.

How do you know that? Lionel asked.

I don't want to let that secret out, in case someone is listening. I said and the three of them stared at me. What? You don't think someone can hear us? I asked. What did I tell you about My Favorite's hearing?

Is there someone else around? Lionel asked and ducked under the images floating around us to look.

I should tell you to use your Search spell; but, sometimes they have skills that stop them from registering, just like some have skills to not be identified.

How long have they been listening, whoever they are? Angel asked.

If I knew that, I would know if they were actually listening. I said with a laugh. It's just easier to assume that someone is listening and act accordingly.

That's very paranoid of you. Lionel said and stood up to glare at me for making him look for someone that might not be there.

Are you paranoid if someone really is after you? I asked.

What do we do now? Angel asked.

I waved at the pictures. We follow the trail. I said and pointed at the very last picture. Is that a half pointed mountain or two trees?

Mountain. Nat said. One with a nice chunk out of it to give it a jagged edge.

No... it... it's a volcano. Lionel whispered and the bear jumped slightly at the English word.

Oh, damn. Nat said. How the hell do we find a volcano that's a hundred years old?

The same way we found everything else. We ask. I said and looked at the blacksmith bear. How far do we need to go to leave the leader's lands?

Fifty miles that way. The bear said and pointed. You have until tonight to search for the... that. He pointed to the picture.

That's not a lot of time. I said. Have you heard of or seen a mountain that rumbles and shakes?

You mean Bear Laugh Mountain? The bear asked. It doesn't look like that picture.

Can you take us there anyway? I asked.

It's on the way to leaving, so yes. The bear said.

Everyone, study the pictures for a few minutes. If you think you recognize anything from them as we're travelling, speak up. Even if you're not sure, we need to check it. I cautioned them.

Everyone nodded and we all studied the backgrounds of the pictures.

All right, let's go. I said and Nat dismissed the illusions.

We loaded up into the carts and took off at our best speed over the rough terrain. No one complained about the harsh ride, not even Lionel, even though we all knew he was thinking it. Maybe that was why he didn't say anything. No one saw anything along the way, until we travelled a good thirty miles and Nat gasped.

I think that's it! Nat said and pointed off to the right as the carts stopped. The top's not as jagged, though.

That's Bear Laugh Mountain. The bear said. We must go around the dead area to reach it.

Why? I asked.

It's poisoned. The bear said.

I exchanged looks with the other three heroes. We can send the others around and travel through.

NO! The cat women, the Freemartin, Selene the young wolf woman, Sugarlick, George, and the blacksmith bear all said as one.

I don't have enough mana to cast healing that many times. Lionel said and looked at everyone. Even maxed magic and my skills boosting it, I can't handle thirteen people every time the poison starts making people sick.

We. Go. Around. My Favorite said with a cute growl.

I was tempted to say I could handle some of the healing, then the Freemartin's soft hand rubbed the back of my neck. I turned to look at her and she gave me a quick kiss.

All right, we go around. I said.

You know, you can't be making decisions with your dick all the time. Lionel said.

Says the guy that won't let any other male touch Angel, friendly or otherwise. Nat responded.

That's a matter of the heart, not sex. Lionel said. I care about her having unwanted touching...

I am standing right here. Angel said, which was oddly reminiscent of what Lisa said at her wedding reception when I was talking to her husband.

I'd like to say 'majority rules'; but, Lionel's right. We can't handle healing everyone for the time it would take to get there and everyone else is right that we shouldn't split up. I said. Let's follow the bear that's been here and stay safe.

The others agreed and we took extra time travelling around the poisoned area, where we suspected it was sulfur gas or something else that was toxic coming out of the volcano. There was a light rumbling sound and we all looked over to Bear Laugh Mountain and saw several plumes of smoke.

Correction. The active volcano. I thought. Yeah, this was going to be fun.

We had to slow down when the ground became rough and heavily overgrown. The soil was super rich around a volcano, once it settled down, and crops could be grown if you were crazy enough to chance it.

I wonder if this will count as going into battle and will give me bonus experience for risking my life? I asked myself as we finally passed around the very large toxic area and approached the still slightly rumbling volcano. I guess I'll be finding out soon enough.

I had been tempted to skip this part and just try to find the third to last picture, except the picture between it and the volcano was clearly a dark tunnel entrance... which meant only one thing.

We would have to go inside the volcano to find it.