Regal |Fantasy Ryden AU| DISCONTINUED

-20-

The next day brought bright sunlight and tepid temperatures.  Wispy clouds decorated the cerulean sky.  Nearby creeks gushed and trickled over slippery rocks and filled the air with the gentle sounds of nature.  In the distance, the mountains seemed to rise higher and higher, but instead of casting ominous shadows on the ground, their presence almost seemed serene.  It was another exquisite morning in Morhollow.  Once again, things were starting to look up.

As promised, Ryan had spent the early morning hours in the hot spring to soothe his aching muscles while the others packed up for the day's trip.  He hadn't stayed for very long, but a little went a long way.  He'd hopped out of the balmy water feeling like a new person.  All of their moods had skyrocketed, and for the first time since their journey began, there was hope in the air.  Hope for the relationships they were building.  Hope for the success of their interminable journey.  Hope for the future they were marching toward together.

That was certainly a wonderful feeling.

By the time midday rolled around, the four reached another ravine, but this time, it cut straight across the path and left a gaping slit in the rocky earth.  In their way stood a rickety, seemingly mile-long wooden bridge, and a raging river churned thousands and thousands of feet below.

So much for that fleeting euphoria.

The ramshackle bridge swayed in the wind and groaned with every subtle movement.  The ropes holding it up were frayed and weathered, looking like they could snap at any given moment.  Some of the dilapidated boards were even missing, leaving precarious gaps throughout the entire length of the bridge.  They could see the end from where they stood, but just barely.  The ravine seemed to stretch on forever, and peering down into the endless gorge only made that nauseating sensation of vertigo worse.

"Fantastic,"  Brendon scoffed, but he couldn't keep the fearful tremor out of his voice.  "What are we to do now?  That bridge will disintegrate the moment we step foot on it."

There was an old sign near the entrance to the bridge, a faint black arrow pointing upwards.

Ampleforth - 88 miles.

"This is the only path forward, as much as it worries me to say,"  Spencer replied, nodding at the sign.  "I will go first to test the integrity.  We might be able to make it across by going one at a time."

"Hell no,"  Jon intervened.  He dismissed Spencer's offer with a wave of his hand and pushed past the royal adviser to face the rickety bridge.  "One wrong step, and it's an instant plummet to death.  I'll throw something onto it, something that doesn't have a life to lose."  He cast a displeased look over his shoulder.  "If the bridge breaks, we'll figure something else out.  If it doesn't, then we'll try your one at a time plan.  Capiche?"

The mage didn't give the others a say in the matter before he materialized a small ball into his hands, one that swirled and glowed with spectral energy.  He gave it a quick inspection, brows furrowed, and then he tossed it onto the decaying wood.

It was a lot heavier than it initially appeared.  With a hollow thunk, the spectral ball rolled along the bridge, jumped over the gaps, kept going until it disappeared into the thin mist at the end of the ravine.  Still, and miraculously, the bridge remained intact.

"Looks okay, just extremely frightening,"  Jon remarked, turning back to face the wide-eyed group.  "I'll go first in case the ball missed something.  If things go awry, I might be able to fix it before you three come along."

Spencer didn't seem convinced, but he knew better than to argue with the mage when he had his mind set on something.  Instead, he exchanged an apprehensive glance with Ryan and heaved a trembling sigh.  "If you're certain.  I can bring up the rear and watch out for danger while you all cross the bridge."