Hrumph!

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Season 1, The Staff of Light Episode 4, Hrumph

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Each step left the screams, explosions and falling stone further behind while ahead of

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_00]: me lay tomb-like silence.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_00]: The stillness of the descent reminded me of how alone I was now in the world.

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I had always dreamed of being free and on my own in Manhattan, but it was a bitter thought

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_00]: now.

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_00]: My parents were gone, and now my grandfather was gone too.

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I had only one memory of my parents.

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Waking up on Christmas morning and finding a rocking horse under the tree.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I ran to them both and hugged them tight.

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_00]: My father patted my back.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: My mom kissed my cheek.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: After they died, there were many times when the memory of those hugs kept me going.

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I grasped at that memory, at the warm hugs of my departed parents.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_00]: But the other thing that kept me going was now missing, the towering and yet comforting

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: presence of my grandfather.

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt empty and numb and scared at the thought that he too was now nothing more than a

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_00]: comfort from my past.

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Even with the bright light of the cane in my hand illuminating our way, I felt the walls

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_00]: pressing against me.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Our steps echoed slightly and that only made things worse as it was the only sound I could

[00:01:36] [SPEAKER_00]: hear.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: The presence of the cane, the rough outline of the runes against my hand, the tingling

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_00]: of energy I could sense, even if I couldn't understand it, was calming but also frustrating.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I had performed some kind of magic, but it was no different than carrying a torch.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I once again felt useless and step after step of bare stone and quiet wore on me.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali didn't speak and I couldn't bring myself to break the painful silence.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't know how I would have reacted if he had mentioned my grandfather somewhere

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: in the broken building above me.

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_00]: The staircase was broad and circular.

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I tried to distract myself and focus on details, but each stone step looked like every other one.

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_00]: A hewn from rock and smooth from years of use or erosion.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Eventually my arm tired and I lowered the cane and tapped it on the ground with each step.

[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_00]: At the second tap Mr. Ali stopped and turned.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00]: What are you doing?

[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_00]: His tone was curious, not accusatory.

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_00]: My arm was getting tired.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_00]: He nodded and replied,

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Your grandfather loved the sound of the staff.

[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_00]: He would tap the ground with it constantly.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Memories flooded into me.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Afternoon walks with my grandfather, his cane tapping the cobblestones,

[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_00]: alerting the entire neighborhood to his approach.

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_00]: This school play that started without him in the theater, and me devastated at his absence.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Only for me to hear a tap, tap, tap down a theater aisle in the middle of the first act.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I smiled on stage knowing he was there.

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I know, I answered, excited that Mr. Ali and I had shared at least one memory of my grandfather.

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt a little less alone.

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali sighed and sat down on a step.

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: We should rest for a bit.

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked up the staircase as I sat down.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Will they follow us?

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: The elementals.

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali laughed.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Goodness no, they know where this staircase leads.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I was sitting next to Mr. Ali, the cane resting on its point between us,

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_00]: the light shining down and lighting our faces from above.

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali smiled and padded me on the knee.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't worry, Master Thomas.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I smiled my bravest smile and decided that the time was right to ask some questions.

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think grandfather is alive?

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: He stared at me, the light glinting off his eyes.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt like he was sizing me up, wondering whether I could handle a hard truth.

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, he eventually replied.

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_00]: A surge of happiness filled me.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00]: If grandfather was alive, that meant he could be saved.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I clenched the cane.

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I will save him then.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_00]: We will save him, but first we must get to safety.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked down into the shadows where the staircase led.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Will the river at the bottom take us directly to the ocean?

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Or will it lead us to deeper rivers underground?

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_00]: This is not that kind of river, Master Thomas.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_00]: It is a deep magic from within the earth,

[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_00]: a spirit of reckless impudence that plays games on those that dare to travel upon it.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_00]: It's alive.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: It is alive in the sense that everything around us is alive,

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_00]: including magic.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Your staff is alive, which you will discover in time.

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked at the staff as I ran my fingers over some of the runes.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I could feel the power and sense the complexity.

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_00]: It didn't feel alive, but it certainly felt natural in my hand.

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: So is the river dangerous?

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_00]: You said it was evil.

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I did not say it was evil, Master Thomas.

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I said it was impudent.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: That makes it even more dangerous.

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Those that enter the river never know where or when they will end up.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: It is the whim of the river itself that guides us,

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: and it is a spirit with a devious sense of humor.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I tried to understand a river that could play tricks on those that floated upon it.

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_00]: After a short while, I spoke again.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: What do you mean when?

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Can the river take us to other times?

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It can, but it will not with us.

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The staff can exist in only one time, and even the river cannot change that.

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_00]: We will end up somewhere in our time, Master Thomas.

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_00]: But whether it is in the midst of our enemies or 4,000 miles away, I cannot say.

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I loved the idea of time travel, which I had marveled at in H. G. Wells' novel,

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_00]: The Time Machine, and had dreamt about ever since.

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_00]: But for those without the staff, they could travel through time?

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Dismiss such thoughts.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley stated emphatically,

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Such a journey leads only to madness or worse.

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Standing up, his face looked troubled.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_00]: The smile gone.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: We should continue, he added,

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Taking a step downward while I scrambled to my feet.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley walked ahead while I followed.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I couldn't see his face, but I was horrified that I had made him angry.

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't want to be alone and already missed our conversation.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: We walked long enough that Mr. Alley's torch began to sputter.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00]: After countless turns, I had no idea if we were descending for 10 minutes or 60.

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The only noticeable change was the awful smell getting stronger.

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: It was not just the smell of stale air.

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Everything smelled of age and decay and lack of movement.

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_00]: The air, the water, even the stone.

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_00]: After a few more minutes, Mr. Alley stopped in front of me and tossed his torch to the ground.

[00:07:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Let me rest for a bit, Master Thomas.

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I am strong, but I am still old.

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_00]: He laughed and sat on a step.

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_00]: His previous anger at me apparently gone.

[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I sat down and dropped the tip of the cane on the floor.

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_00]: The sharp sound of the brass tip hitting the stone couldn't help but make me smile.

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt a surge of emotion for Mr. Alley.

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: He was my grandfather's friend.

[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_00]: He saved me from the collapse of the restaurant.

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_00]: He could train me in the use of the cane.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_00]: And perhaps more than anything, he seemed kind and genuinely concerned about me.

[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Even his anger over my question felt more protective than petty in hindsight.

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Can you please call me Tommy, Mr. Alley?

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: He looked at me and smiled.

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Of course.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Declan, your grandfather, always hated titles too.

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_00]: I believe I cuffed him around the head a few times when we first met,

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and he didn't call me Archmage.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_00]: But I finally gave up.

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley laughed again, the laughs breaking the deathly silence with a welcome joy.

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Archmage?

[00:08:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Ah, Tommy!

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_00]: He smiled as he said my name.

[00:08:38] [SPEAKER_00]: It is a title for those that have borne the staff.

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, come to think of it, I have been rude.

[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I've been calling you Master Thomas when it should now be Archmage Thomas.

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_00]: He paused but then added, But I like Tommy better.

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_00]: He stood, then stretched.

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_00]: But enough lounging around, we must be off.

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_00]: His torch was dead, but the light of the cane was easily bright enough to light his way,

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_00]: even with me a step behind.

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I stood up and as Mr. Alley started again, I asked another question.

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_00]: You had the cane before my grandfather?

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_00]: As we walked, his answers echoed lightly off the walls.

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_00]: For but a short time, his father, Mr. Alley paused.

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Well let me put it this way.

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_00]: His father's talents with the staff were not what the world needed at the time,

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_00]: and he agreed that it would be better that Declan wheeled it.

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_00]: It was my duty to take it to your grandfather.

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_00]: It was an honor and a burden.

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not meant to bear the staff, and its magic is useless in my hands.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_00]: He paused, turned and nodded toward the cane.

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_00]: It's light filling the staircase all the way to the turns above and below us.

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I was about to ask more questions when I heard what sounded like the lapping of water.

[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley paused and then whispered, We are close Tommy.

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_00]: He increased his pace, and after a few more twists of the staircase,

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: we arrived at a stone landing.

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_00]: When Mr. Alley had said underground river, I had expected us to come along the banks of raging waters,

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_00]: flowing through stalagmites and stalactites, but the reality was far different.

[00:10:23] [SPEAKER_00]: We emerged in a large room whose floor slanted down to a pool of water

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_00]: that flowed into a large tunnel in the far wall.

[00:10:31] [SPEAKER_00]: There was a wooden boat sitting in the water, its prow resting on the slanted floor.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_00]: It was attached to a stone post by an iron chain.

[00:10:40] [SPEAKER_00]: The fetted smell was overpowering.

[00:10:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I couldn't make sense of where the smell could be coming from.

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_00]: The pool in front of us was moving gently and lapping against the stone,

[00:10:51] [SPEAKER_00]: as if the water was flowing into the room from another source,

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_00]: but the smell was of stagnation and decay.

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I covered my mouth and Mr. Alley noticed.

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes Tommy, the water hasn't left this room in many many years.

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_00]: We walked further along the landing.

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I guess you could call it a landing, but it really seemed more like the room was flooded on the other side.

[00:11:16] [SPEAKER_00]: With the dank smell, I couldn't imagine where the river was.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps it was blocked further down the tunnel, fouling the water.

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_00]: As we walked toward the boat, I got a better sense of the room.

[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_00]: The floor was solid rock, smooth but uneven, stretching 20 feet beyond the base of the staircase.

[00:11:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And it had the appearance of what you would see at the bottom of an ancient natural cavern,

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_00]: worn down not by human hands, but rather water erosion over many years.

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00]: The ceiling was perhaps 20 feet above my head and also smooth.

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Everything appeared normal, but it all felt strange in some way.

[00:11:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I shivered when my foot touched the water.

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Our feet got wet as we walked down the slanted rock and approached the boat.

[00:12:03] [SPEAKER_00]: The boat and chain were the only things in the room that looked like they were made by human hands.

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Even that perception proved false, as the stone post the chain was connected to

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: appeared to be an odd shaped stalagmite on closer inspection.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_00]: The chain looked like it had been melted into the stone during a volcanic eruption eons ago.

[00:12:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked down, expecting to see scummy and brown water staining my khaki pants,

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_00]: but to my surprise, the water was crystal clear.

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Despite the smell and Mr. Ali's comment about the water not having moved in many years,

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_00]: it looked clear and refreshing. Mr. Ali climbed into the boat and then took my hand to help me in.

[00:12:45] [SPEAKER_00]: It looked like a large rowboat, although there were no oars.

[00:12:49] [SPEAKER_00]: The wood was old but in fine shape. There wasn't a drop of water inside.

[00:12:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I sat down on a wooden plank near the back that acted as a seat, facing Mr. Ali,

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_00]: who sat on a similar plank near the center of the boat.

[00:13:04] [SPEAKER_00]: The boat was larger than it first appeared and could have fit two or three more men easily.

[00:13:09] [SPEAKER_00]: As I twisted on my seat to make myself more comfortable,

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I noticed that the boat barely rocked as I moved.

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I watched as Mr. Ali turned his back to me and started fiddling with the chain.

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_00]: He cursed in farsi using a word I didn't understand and then turned and sat down with a frump.

[00:13:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Tommy, I was going to discuss the staff with you later,

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_00]: but I'm afraid you must free us, he said. He didn't sound happy.

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_00]: So let this be an exception, otherwise the staff is too powerful and you too young to use it.

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_00]: He held out his hand and helped me forward. I felt both hurt and annoyed at Mr. Ali's comment.

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_00]: After all, hadn't I used the cane to light our way and hadn't my grandfather given it to me

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_00]: for a reason? But these thoughts were fleeting as the challenge of the chain awaited me.

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_00]: The chain attaching the boat to the post was connected to an iron ring on the top

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_00]: of the prow. It was a solid chain with no visible way of removing it.

[00:14:10] [SPEAKER_00]: A quick glance showed that it was similarly attached to the post.

[00:14:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Without some kind of saw, I couldn't think of any way to free us.

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Use the staff Tommy, Mr. Ali directed.

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I shrugged and tapped the chain with the bottom of the cane.

[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Nothing happened. I turned back to look at Mr. Ali, not knowing what else to do.

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Tommy, think of how you brought forth the light.

[00:14:34] [SPEAKER_00]: You didn't provide the light, the staff did. You cannot hack at the chain as if the staff is

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_00]: a garden tool. You must guide the staff, not simply wield it.

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali smiled and waved at the chain again. I closed my eyes and gripped the

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_00]: cane tight in my right hand. I sensed the power inside and tried to connect it to the chain.

[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt the rough shapes of the runes under my fingers as I imagined the chain falling away at a

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_00]: single touch. Something about what I did was close to the solution, but the actual key

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_00]: was just beyond my grasp. I tried to focus on what I was missing when Mr. Ali interrupted.

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Tommy, you must communicate with the staff. Find a way to tell it what you want and it

[00:15:22] [SPEAKER_00]: will happen. He smiled an encouraging smile.

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Keep at it. You can do it. I paused. I didn't know what to say.

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Ali was wrong. I knew it instinctively. The entire concept of telling the staff what

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted made no sense. The connection wasn't like that. I didn't know what to say, however,

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_00]: so I looked at Mr. Ali and gave him a nod. He smiled and slapped me on the back.

[00:15:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I turned back to the chain. What was the key?

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I knew that I couldn't request or command the staff to do my bidding. It wasn't communication.

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_00]: It was something more primal, yet every thought that filled my mind not only didn't offer a solution

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_00]: but came up completely empty as if there was no connection to the staff at all.

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Dissolving the chain, turning it into a mist, breaking a link,

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_00]: breaking the ring connected to the boat, I felt like I was doing little more than daydreaming.

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_00]: But I knew there was a solution. It was achingly similar to how I brought forth the light,

[00:16:29] [SPEAKER_00]: and yet different enough that I couldn't grasp it. I lowered the staff and just thought about

[00:16:35] [SPEAKER_00]: needing to be off and onto the river so I could save grandfather, and with that thought I felt

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_00]: it. It was so obvious. How could I have not realized it? It was like the time a few years earlier when

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I was playing baseball with my friends. I was a horrible hitter. Nothing I did improved my batting

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and my friends mocked me endlessly. One time I was at bat and I missed a pitch.

[00:17:00] [SPEAKER_00]: My friend Travis, who is pitching, asked me if he should throw underhanded.

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I angrily swung the bat back in the opposite direction to get in position for the next pitch

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_00]: and experienced an epiphany. Swinging the bat from the other direction felt natural.

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I moved to the other side of the plate and hit left-handed from then on.

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I became one of the best hitters on my street, solely due to my no longer holding the bat,

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_00]: how everyone else did, but rather holding it the way that felt natural to me.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_00]: I moved the cane to my right hand. Not because that was the correct thing to do,

[00:17:37] [SPEAKER_00]: but because it simply felt more comfortable. I then raised the cane above my head, and without any

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_00]: additional movement, the chain disappeared. I can't even recall if I thought about it at all.

[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe not thinking about it was part of the solution. It was still quite confusing to me.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_00]: All I knew was that something felt right. The chain didn't collapse into a pile as if

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I broke a link. It didn't change into a mist. It didn't even make a sound. The chain was

[00:18:06] [SPEAKER_00]: there one moment and the next it was gone. I looked at the empty ring for a moment, stunned at what I

[00:18:13] [SPEAKER_00]: saw, and then turned to sit back down. I could now free a specific boat and create light. I smiled.

[00:18:21] [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't a lot, but it was something. I looked on the face of a stunned Mr. Ali.

[00:18:28] [SPEAKER_00]: How did you do that? he whispered. I smiled.

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_00]: You told me to free us. I felt pleased that I did it, but Mr. Ali's response started to make

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER_00]: me feel a little uncomfortable that it was so easy. What was I missing? Was Mr. Ali alarmed at what

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I did? What was Mr. Ali trying to tell me that I didn't know? Could I end up hurting us by

[00:18:53] [SPEAKER_00]: taking shortcuts? Despite my success, I considered what I had just done and promised myself to

[00:19:00] [SPEAKER_00]: listen to Mr. Ali more and my instincts less. Mr. Ali shook his head. His voice was full of awe,

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_00]: as he replied. I expected you to labor over the runes for hours and even then I expected

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER_00]: us to struggle with nothing more than partially opened links or even a damaged boat. He helped

[00:19:22] [SPEAKER_00]: me back to my seat and I heard him whisper. I haven't seen such a keen connection to the

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_00]: staff since. Mr. Ali stopped. I had the feeling he wanted to continue, but perhaps felt it unwise.

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Impressing Mr. Ali erased my earlier hesitation. I was unnatural. I sat down facing the front of

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_00]: the boat, my back to the tunnel wondering what else I could do with the staff. Mr.

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Ali faced me from his seat on the plank in the middle. He was quiet so I asked,

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_00]: what do we do next? We wait, he said. A moment later with us both sitting still in the boat

[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_00]: in the sound of nothing but lapping water, the boat moved. There was a slight tug as the boat broke

[00:20:08] [SPEAKER_00]: free from the stone landing. It slowly gained speed and headed toward the tunnel that led

[00:20:13] [SPEAKER_00]: out of the room. The boat didn't turn, but floated rear first toward the tunnel. I looked

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_00]: over my shoulder and squinted into the darkness. I heard a whooshing sound and then the sound of

[00:20:25] [SPEAKER_00]: creaking iron as if a gate was being raised or a heavy door was being opened. A rush of air hit

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_00]: my face. It felt wet and smelled fresh and clean. After being surrounded by the stale air of the room,

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt myself drawn to wherever the breeze came from. We glided into the tunnel and the boat

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_00]: sped up. The light from the cane illuminated everything, but the tunnel curved and I could not

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER_00]: see very far ahead. The room behind us fell into darkness as we moved further and further down the

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_00]: tunnel. The tunnel itself did not appear to be man-made. The water went right up against the

[00:21:03] [SPEAKER_00]: walls which were rough and dry. Whatever watery erosion had formed them millennia ago

[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_00]: had not touched the walls or roof again. The roof was low enough that Mr. Alley could have

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_00]: touched it with his hands if he were standing. The river flowed gently, but our boat moved

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_00]: faster and faster. Mr. Alley remained silent as I looked around. He had a calm look on his face,

[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_00]: but he was tapping his foot. Is there a problem Mr. Alley? I asked. No Tommy,

[00:21:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I am just preparing myself for the river. This isn't the river? I looked at the water.

[00:21:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure it was probably too small to be considered a river, but we were underground and I assumed new

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_00]: rules applied. I looked at Mr. Alley. This is, he paused as if looking for the right words,

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_00]: an entrance to the river. He nodded to himself. This water exists solely to bring someone to

[00:22:03] [SPEAKER_00]: the river. It has no other function and that is why it smelled the way it did. It is not a spring,

[00:22:09] [SPEAKER_00]: a tributary or a stream. I couldn't quite understand what Mr. Alley was saying,

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_00]: but by now I had learned to just file away his explanations and move on. If I asked about everything

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't understand we would be buried under stone in the restaurant far above.

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked over my shoulder to see the tunnel the boat was backing its way into.

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_00]: The light from the cane glinted off of something ahead. I noticed the water getting a bit more

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_00]: choppy. Still, the boat didn't jostle at all as it glided forward. I see something Mr. Alley.

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_00]: The light reflected off something near that turn ahead.

[00:22:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley squinted and then nodded. It is the gateway to Nar Maratham,

[00:22:55] [SPEAKER_00]: the Bitter River, which will bear us on our journey. I was about to ask why he called the river Bitter,

[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_00]: but we were moving quite fast by now and I focused on the approaching gate.

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Beyond it, the tunnel straightened and continued as far as I could see. The gate

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00]: was a large iron portcullis. The bottom spikes hung from the ceiling

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and I could see deep grooves down each side of the tunnel which were worn by the raising

[00:23:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and lowering of the gate. We were just past the gate when a screech of iron grinding filled my ears.

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I watched as the gate steadily lowered into the water. There is no going back now, my dear Tommy.

[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_00]: We are at the river's mercy. He smiled, but there was a grimness to it rather than the

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_00]: mirth I was getting used to. The water was moving quickly and getting quite violent.

[00:23:50] [SPEAKER_00]: The boat remained as stable as if it were on dry ground and I found the contrast unsettling.

[00:23:56] [SPEAKER_00]: What if we are thrown from the boat? How would we get back in?

[00:24:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley reached forward and took my hand, a comforting smile on his face.

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_00]: You need not fear violence from the river Tommy. It is a wicked thing but it won't drown you.

[00:24:11] [SPEAKER_00]: He paused as if considering his words and then continued.

[00:24:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Let me explain it this way. The river won't hurt us but it will deliver us to a spot that very well

[00:24:23] [SPEAKER_00]: may be dangerous. As I said earlier, the river will put us where it will cause the most mischief.

[00:24:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes that is in the middle of grave danger. Sometimes it is where it will change our

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER_00]: lives in ways that perhaps death would have been preferred. And sometimes

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley paused again. I noticed that he was much more careful with his words than his son.

[00:24:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes it will put you somewhere that seems innocent enough,

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_00]: but will have a great impact on your life later, even years later.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Alley pointed over my shoulder and here it is young Tommy. The mighty Nar Maratham!

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I turned around and faced the rear of the boat which was still moving backward through

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_00]: the water after backing us out of the landing. The boat shot out of the tunnel into an immense

[00:25:16] [SPEAKER_00]: body of water. It flowed right past us from my left to my right, but I couldn't see the other

[00:25:21] [SPEAKER_00]: side of the river even in the bright light of the cane. We continued to move backward across

[00:25:27] [SPEAKER_00]: the river rather than along it. The water slammed against the boat spraying over the side and

[00:25:33] [SPEAKER_00]: into our faces. Despite the pounding, the ride remained as gentle as a leaf floating on a

[00:25:39] [SPEAKER_00]: serene lake. I looked past Mr. Alley toward the way we entered the river, but we had already traveled

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_00]: so far that the tunnel we exited was lost in the darkness. The roar of the river was overwhelming

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_00]: as it echoed within the enclosed chamber. I looked up but couldn't see the roof.

[00:25:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Are we going to the other side? I shouted toward Mr. Alley. He shook his head.

[00:26:03] [SPEAKER_00]: We will get to the center and then our travels begin.

[00:26:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I turned back toward the rear of the boat and looked into the distance.

[00:26:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I marveled at how wide this river must be. We had covered a great distance and apparently

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER_00]: weren't even halfway across yet. Mr. Alley tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to see him

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_00]: removing his many-colored robe. He handed it to me and said, cut it in half, making sawing

[00:26:30] [SPEAKER_00]: motions with his hands in case I couldn't hear him over the roar of the river. I took the robe,

[00:26:36] [SPEAKER_00]: but didn't know why I should cut it in half and, for that matter, how to cut it in half.

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_00]: As if reading my mind, Mr. Alley pointed and shouted,

[00:26:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Use the staff. I remembered my grandfather unsheathing the sword from the cane

[00:26:52] [SPEAKER_00]: and I repeated his actions. There was a slight hesitation and then the sword slid out

[00:26:58] [SPEAKER_00]: of the cane easily. I lifted the robe and began cutting it into two even parts as well as I could.

[00:27:05] [SPEAKER_00]: The robe was thick and I expected quite a bit of hacking at the material,

[00:27:10] [SPEAKER_00]: but as the sword touched the cloth, it sliced through with ease.

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER_00]: It was as if the cloth itself was parting out of respect for the blade.

[00:27:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I handed the pieces to Mr. Alley asking, What are these for?

[00:27:24] [SPEAKER_00]: He handed one half back and leaned toward my ear.

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_00]: We need to make the boat comfortable. This may be a very long journey.

[00:27:32] [SPEAKER_00]: The boat slowed and then the prow slid around, facing downstream.

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_00]: After a slight pause, the boat shot down the river. Mr. Alley laid his robe on the bottom

[00:27:43] [SPEAKER_00]: of the boat, rolling up one end into a small pile. He took his shoes off and placed them

[00:27:49] [SPEAKER_00]: under his seat. He sat on the robe and leaned on the rolled up part.

[00:27:53] [SPEAKER_00]: He motioned toward me, pointed toward my feet and said, Sit!

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I placed my portion of the robe on the floor of the boat and sat upon it.

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_00]: The sides of the boat shielded us from the air rushing by,

[00:28:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and the river was much quieter as we moved downstream than when we were moving across it,

[00:28:10] [SPEAKER_00]: but it was still loud. Mr. Alley didn't say anything.

[00:28:14] [SPEAKER_00]: He looked relaxed. Surrounded by the noise of the river and the tumult of the water,

[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_00]: the boat remained calm. And for the first time since I walked into the alley with my grandfather,

[00:28:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I had the time to consider what was happening. I thought of the grandfather I knew,

[00:28:30] [SPEAKER_00]: sitting in the theater with me and smiling at my delight as Errol Flynn acted the hero.

[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought of the grandfather I hadn't known existed, holding off frightening creatures of

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_00]: the dark and smiling as he destroyed others with a wave of his cane. Both of those grandfathers were

[00:28:49] [SPEAKER_00]: gone. The thought as to who would raise me entered my head, absurd as it was. Certainly,

[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I had more pressing problems than wondering where I was going to live when school was out.

[00:29:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I stifled a laugh for focusing on something so ordinary while I was sitting in a magic boat

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_00]: on a dangerous living river. But the suppressed laugh somehow came out of sob. I was embarrassed and tried

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_00]: to hide my fear and sadness. I wiped my eyes so no tears would fall while trying not to bring

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_00]: attention to myself, but Mr. Alley was looking right at me. He reached forward and put his

[00:29:26] [SPEAKER_00]: hand on my shoulder. He didn't smile and he didn't say anything. He just squeezed my

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_00]: shoulder. I turned away and gripped the staff in my fist. Wherever the river took us,

[00:29:38] [SPEAKER_00]: I would rescue my grandfather. I was an archmage as Mr. Alley said, and I could at least make light.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_00]: That had to mean something against the shadows. I turned back to face Mr. Alley,

[00:29:52] [SPEAKER_00]: hoping he could see the determination on my face but his eyes were closed.

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I considered resting, but the light from the staff reflecting off the river caught my attention.

[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_00]: It was impossible to tell if the turbulent water was clear or dark as its surface was impenetrable.

[00:30:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I squinted into the distance, but there was nothing but water as far as the light shown.

[00:30:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I couldn't see the banks of the river or a roof above us. I noticed Mr. Alley watching me.

[00:30:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Without the robe hiding his clothing and body, I could see that he was dressed for battle. The

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_00]: colorful vest that I always took as simply a costume or uniform on the staff of the restaurant

[00:30:34] [SPEAKER_00]: was actually reinforced leather, decorated with jewels and stitched with bright thread,

[00:30:40] [SPEAKER_00]: but it was still armor. His legs were in the loose-fitting clothing that reminded me of the

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_00]: sheiks I saw in the movies, but I was certain that it was hiding leather armor covering

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_00]: his legs as well. Mr. Alley also looked more impressive without the folds of his robe distracting me.

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_00]: His arms were thick with muscles, and although he was clearly old and a bit stout around the middle,

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_00]: he reminded me of my grandfather, a mighty warrior well past his prime but still a warrior.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_00]: He nodded as if reading my thoughts and leaned close.

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_00]: There is much to discuss, young Tommy. He sat up and crossed his legs. I did the same.

[00:31:22] [SPEAKER_00]: So I understand that you have no practical experience with magic.

[00:31:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I paused. At first I was not sure if I wanted to tell him anything,

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_00]: but then I remembered that grandfather himself trusted Mr. Alley, so I answered him truthfully.

[00:31:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, that depends. Mr. Alley raised an eyebrow. Depends upon what?

[00:31:44] [SPEAKER_00]: On how you define experience. Why don't you tell me and we can go from there. So I did.