grounds a somber company, trekking single file through an old lava tube wide enough for two hunters to walk side-by-side, but I suspected everyone wanted to be alone with their thoughts.
“VELMA, what are your suspicions regarding the ikadaxl?” I said.
“As an artificial intelligence, I don’t experience emotions such as suspicion,” she said. “But I excel at activities such as data interpretation, extrapolation, and deduction.”
“Very well,” I said. “Do as you will.”
“Revisiting the digital overlay maps of the Black Mist Chamber and then scanning the area with sonar assisted by the T-sampler, I discovered a narrow fault running alongside one of the cavern walls. Based on the symptoms experienced and described by the hunters and CeCe, I deduced the Black Mist is an organic neurotoxin produced by fungi spores traveling up through that fault. The toxin attacked the aural nerve pathways into the brain producing delusional sounds.
“I deduce if you were to examine the bodies of the ikadaxl in the Black Mist Chamber, you would find them covered in burns as well. Just as Earth canaries were more susceptible to toxic air in mines, I deduce the ikadaxl, in spite of their large size, are sensitive to airborne toxins. Entering the chamber to protect their young, they were exposed to a greater amount of toxin traveling up through the new fault.
“Any ikadaxl who patrolled the chamber would have been exposed to the toxin and would have caused erratic behaviors such as flying and landing too close to the fire pools.”
“I s—”
“Additionally, scat deposits in the Black Mist Chamber suggest ikadaxl spent significant time in the chamber.”
“Ah, thank you, VELMA,” I said.
“You are welcome, Raxthezana,” she said.
“Hey.” CeCe’s voice in my comm timed with her holding my hand.
Making a pleased sound in my throat, I squeezed her hand.
“We’re retrieving the Holy Waters next, right?” she said.
“Ik. It will be the easiest part of our quest, barring the unforeseen,” I said but then cocked my head. “What nonsense. The quest has been naught but unforeseen. I withdraw my statement.”
Her low chuckle soothed me.
“A fair point,” she said.
“VELMA suggested the Black Mist was responsible for the ikadaxl’s strange behavior,” I said.
“I hope they can survive all the chaos,” she said. “Dragons are every human kid’s fantasy animal, and I killed one today.”
“Perhaps your caress gave it a moment’s comfort,” I said. “Even the fiercest predator needs a tender touch at some juncture of its life.”
“Hm,” she said, and I heard a cheeky smile in her voice. “Like you?”
“Most assuredly like me,” I said with a sage nod.
We hiked through the lava tube’s difficult terrain until it emptied us out onto a shore of black and purple sand. The pristine lake glowed from the light of a thousand water suns, and I heard more than one human gasp.
“It is a treasured place above all others on both Ikshe and Ikthe,” Naraxthel said. “Few Theraxl see it with their natural eyes, though many artists have captured its essence in breathtaking renderings. Hunters will return to Ikshe and describe this place to the best of their ability.”
“No one has sent a sight-capture from here?” Esra asked.
“As far as I am aware,” he replied. “No one has tried.”
Esra nodded. “There’s something about this place that demands reverence. I wouldn’t, either.”
“Are we allowed to touch the water?” Amity asked.
“Ik,” Natheka said. He pointed across the lake to stalagmite and stalactite formations that created circular openings or arched windows. “The Holy Waters are across the lake and sheltered within those curious cave formations.”
“Natheka,” CeCe said. “I see you’re favoring that leg still. I’d love for you to use this inflatable raft that I humped all over these damn caves.”
“I would hate for your exertion to go unappreciated,” he said with a slight bow, and Amity laughed, giving his elbow a gentle tug. He spoke again. “My heart mate is correct. I am too prideful to admit I would love to sit down.”
CeCe fiddled with protrusions studding a folded piece of gray material. In a matter of jotiks it inflated into a sizeable raft.
“How deep does the lake get?” Amity asked, wading into it while pulling the raft. It dipped ominously under Natheka’s weight, but then redistributed itself.
“It is three veltiks deep near the place where that stalactite touches the water,” I said.
“And none of you have been here before?” Joan asked, hugging Raxkarax’s arm with casual ease.
“Ik,” we said in unison to the humans’ astonishment.
“Tales of this place are shared over countless hearth fires and campfires across both planets,” I said. “Between the art and the stories, I feel I have been here before, but in truth, this is the first time. I would be remiss if I didn’t ….” I lost my voice for a rotik, and the sound of soft waves lapping the sand and the sides of the raft filled the vast stillness with the echoes of water. I looked around at the sparkling walls and majestic formations resembling giants or fortresses or creatures or Goddesses, all made visible by the strategic placement of bead lights and took in the awe-inspiring presence of Ikthe’s very soul. “I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the existence of something Divine in this place.”
I expected some lighthearted humor at my expense at my confession, but no one spoke for some time.
“It is unbelievably beautiful here,” Esra said at last. “Sacred.”
Wading into the water, I looked back at CeCe with my hand outstretched, but she shook her head.
“I’m going to hang back,” she said. “It doesn’t feel right for me to ….” She stopped and glanced at Amity. “I’m not judging you,” she said to the woman in the water.
Amity broke into a grin. “I’m way ahead of you, chiquita,” she said. “I’m ferrying his handsome ass to the other side, but I’m staying with the raft.”
CeCe looked relieved and lifted her shoulders. It was a human mannerism signifying something akin to the Theraxl proverb: If it lives on Ikthe, it cannot be explained. In other words, it was indefinable. I noticed the other humans nodding, and I turned back to the water and waded in.