Read Online Princess of Amathar by Wesley Allison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wesley Allison
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
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"Maybe they are saying something about it, like
'can you believe how hard it was to swim in through that door.' Maybe they are not talking about a real door at all. Maybe this is a burial sight and they are marking the 'great door to the afterlife'."
"I believe there is a hidden door here somewhere," interjected Norar Remontar. "As I recall, the Orlons were somewhat famous for leaving secret passages and hidden entryways in their constructions. Let's start looking around the cavern. Look for anything which does not look completely at home or entirely natural."
The three of us divided up and began to move around the chamber, examining the floors and walls. I focused on the walls to the left of the inscription and pushed every tiny outcropping and stuck my finger in every tiny hole. Suddenly the chamber resounded with a squealing sound that echoed around the room. It was my stomach. I was hungry.
"It has been a long time since we have eaten," said Malagor.
"Why don't the two of you go hunting,” suggested the Amatharian. "I will study this cavern until your return. If I haven't found the door, we will continue on our way."
"Fine," I replied. "We'll get something to eat and meet you outside by the pool." Malagor and I made our way out through the underwater passage, and into the noon day sunlight streaming into the small clearing formed by the high and forbidding mountain and the thick forest. Through all of our adventures, Malagor and I had both managed to keep our fur skin bundles with us. Each one contained a number of furs suitable for bedding. We also still had the Amatharian light rifles.
"Why didn't you use the rifle when we were fighting the Pell?" I asked him. After all, I had my swords, but he had only his knife and his claws.
"I did not think about it."
With little desire to expend our energy in stealth and forest craft, we drew our rifles and decided to blast the first thing we saw which looked edible. Off into the forest we went. It took us only a short while to discover a group of small forest-dwelling herbivores. These looked something like a small deer with white fur and a horn on the end of their noses. Unfortunately for us, the little creatures were very skittish and easily frightened. I missed my first shot, which sent them running off into the distant woods with Malagor and myself in hot pursuit.
When my alien friend and I had at last made a kill, skinned the animal, and cut off several select portions of meat, we found ourselves some distance from the cave where we had left Norar Remontar. We walked back, toting our food with us and stopped at the edge of the small pool.
"I will begin making a fire to cook the food," said Malagor. "You swim into the chamber and tell Norar Remontar that we have returned."
I did just as Malagor had suggested, but when I reached the chamber, I found it almost completely dark and very, very quiet. When I called out to Norar Remontar, there was no answer. Chapter Nine: The Mountains of the Ancient Orlons
I swam back outside and reported the mystery to Malagor. He did not seem pleased. We left the meat cooking, and wrapped up a burning ember, some kindling and a couple of large sticks in a piece of fur, and swam back into the hidden room. Once inside, we climbed out of the water and onto the dry ground. The room was lit only by a dim glow from the watery passage. Malagor and I used the ember and kindling to start a small fire in the hidden chamber. I had my doubts about doing so, since there was a limited amount of oxygen in the room, and I had no great desire to die of asphyxiation. However once we had the little fire burning, we noticed a small flicker of flame leaping in the direction of the wall. From there it was only a small step to the realization that there was a secret door right by where we had chosen to build the fire. Even with this knowledge at our command, it took some time for us to figure out how to open the portal. In the end, Malagor and I had to
'can you believe how hard it was to swim in through that door.' Maybe they are not talking about a real door at all. Maybe this is a burial sight and they are marking the 'great door to the afterlife'."
"I believe there is a hidden door here somewhere," interjected Norar Remontar. "As I recall, the Orlons were somewhat famous for leaving secret passages and hidden entryways in their constructions. Let's start looking around the cavern. Look for anything which does not look completely at home or entirely natural."
The three of us divided up and began to move around the chamber, examining the floors and walls. I focused on the walls to the left of the inscription and pushed every tiny outcropping and stuck my finger in every tiny hole. Suddenly the chamber resounded with a squealing sound that echoed around the room. It was my stomach. I was hungry.
"It has been a long time since we have eaten," said Malagor.
"Why don't the two of you go hunting,” suggested the Amatharian. "I will study this cavern until your return. If I haven't found the door, we will continue on our way."
"Fine," I replied. "We'll get something to eat and meet you outside by the pool." Malagor and I made our way out through the underwater passage, and into the noon day sunlight streaming into the small clearing formed by the high and forbidding mountain and the thick forest. Through all of our adventures, Malagor and I had both managed to keep our fur skin bundles with us. Each one contained a number of furs suitable for bedding. We also still had the Amatharian light rifles.
"Why didn't you use the rifle when we were fighting the Pell?" I asked him. After all, I had my swords, but he had only his knife and his claws.
"I did not think about it."
With little desire to expend our energy in stealth and forest craft, we drew our rifles and decided to blast the first thing we saw which looked edible. Off into the forest we went. It took us only a short while to discover a group of small forest-dwelling herbivores. These looked something like a small deer with white fur and a horn on the end of their noses. Unfortunately for us, the little creatures were very skittish and easily frightened. I missed my first shot, which sent them running off into the distant woods with Malagor and myself in hot pursuit.
When my alien friend and I had at last made a kill, skinned the animal, and cut off several select portions of meat, we found ourselves some distance from the cave where we had left Norar Remontar. We walked back, toting our food with us and stopped at the edge of the small pool.
"I will begin making a fire to cook the food," said Malagor. "You swim into the chamber and tell Norar Remontar that we have returned."
I did just as Malagor had suggested, but when I reached the chamber, I found it almost completely dark and very, very quiet. When I called out to Norar Remontar, there was no answer. Chapter Nine: The Mountains of the Ancient Orlons
I swam back outside and reported the mystery to Malagor. He did not seem pleased. We left the meat cooking, and wrapped up a burning ember, some kindling and a couple of large sticks in a piece of fur, and swam back into the hidden room. Once inside, we climbed out of the water and onto the dry ground. The room was lit only by a dim glow from the watery passage. Malagor and I used the ember and kindling to start a small fire in the hidden chamber. I had my doubts about doing so, since there was a limited amount of oxygen in the room, and I had no great desire to die of asphyxiation. However once we had the little fire burning, we noticed a small flicker of flame leaping in the direction of the wall. From there it was only a small step to the realization that there was a secret door right by where we had chosen to build the fire. Even with this knowledge at our command, it took some time for us to figure out how to open the portal. In the end, Malagor and I had to
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