In the gloom of the cave, Tom shuffled forwards, trying to use all of his senses to find a way out. Water dripped from stalactite to stalagmite and there was a faint sound of rushing water deeper in the darkness. The air was humid to the point that Tom started to sweat as he made his way past the rock formations. He could only see the faint light of his pendant glinting off of the wet walls, so he decided to try a small illumination spell. Tom moved his hands and muttered the words as he'd done a thousand times, but this time the spell fizzled. Frowning, Tom tried again with the same result, it was like an anti-aether field had been set up. If that was the case, however, it would be the biggest he'd ever heard of. With nothing else to do, Tom ploughed on and after what seemed like hours he came to a cavern with a bright spot of light on the floor.
There was a hole in the ceiling, but it was too high to reach. The spot of light was from the dull grey clouds, underscoring how pitch black the cave was. The sunlight reflected slightly off the wet stone, creating a diffuse glow in the chamber. As Tom looked around, he spotted a figure standing behind him, at the back of the cave.
'H-hello?' The only response was an echo.
He cautiously approached, getting to within a few yards before realising it was a statue. Relaxing, Tom moved closer and peered at the stone woman. The statue was remarkably well preserved given its location and depicted a toga-clad woman with an outstretched finger pointing in to the cavern. There was no pedestal or plaque and Tom reached out to touch her, before a loud voice reverberated around him.
'Do not touch her, heathen!' An old man appeared from the entrance Tom had used. His beard was long and unkempt, matted in to his hair. The rags he wore as clothes were filthy and rotten, and there was a mad stare to his eye.
'Get down on your knees and beg forgiveness for your trespass!'
'Who are you?' Tom countered. 'Who's she?' He gestured at the statue.
'You are not worthy to be in her presence!' The man yelled, advancing on Tom.
'Woah, woah, woah, wait a second.' Tom held his hands up. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be here.'
He backed away, towards one of the other passageways.
'It is not that easy, sinner.' The man said. 'You must pay a sacrament for your transgression.'
'A sacrament? Like what?' Tom was confuse.
'That light.' The old man pointed. 'Leave it and you may go.'
'My firefly pendant? No. I'm going to need it to get out of this slimy mudhole.'
'Hey.' The man looked hurt. 'I live here.'
'I'm sorry.' Tom replied. 'But I can't give you this pendant. How about some gold.'
'You dare try to buy your way out of this situation?' The man was even more angry than before.
'But you just said...' Tom looked confused.
'You abomination.' The old man cried and swung is walking stick at Tom, missing by inched but over-balancing the man, who fell to the floor.
'Take it easy.' Tom went to help the man up.
'Take it easy? Take it easy? You come in here uninvited with your sorcerers ways and attack. Attack! The statue of Therina herself. Then expect me to take it easy?!?'
Tom was taken aback.
'That's Therina?' He asked. 'The Therina?'
'You are not worthy to speak her name, mage-scum.' The old man said, bitterly. He struggled to his feet and brushed off some of the grime. 'Begone, there is none of your power here.'
'No, wait, please?' Tom called after the retreating man. 'I want to know about her.'
'A mage wants to know about Therina?' The man was surprised. 'You lot usually just use here power as if it was your own and don't give a hoot where it came from.'
'I care.' Tom said. 'Will you please tell me about her?'
The hatred in the old man's eyes subsided to a general irritation.
'If you must know, then I need to be sitting somewhere warm and drinking tea.' He beckoned Tom to follow him.
They traipsed through the cave system until the came to a small cavern that had a fire in its centre. The smoke exited through a hole in the ceiling, but there was no sign of daylight – Tom assumed it was a twisting chimney. Furs adorned some of the wall and had been made in to a rough matress in one corner. There were some battered old pots hanging from a stalagmite, one of which the old man took down and filled with water from a barrel beneath a stalactite. Then he added some dried leaves from a pouch around his neck and balanced it on the rickety framework over the fire.
'So who are you?' Tom enquired, when they were seated and the old man was sipping on his tea.
'I'm Pelenes.' The man stated. 'Last priest of Therina.'
'What?' Tom was confused. 'What does she need a priest for? She's dead, or imprisoned, or something isn't she?'
'I don't know.' Pelenes shook his head sadly. 'The kids of today; no interest in history - It shapes the world around you, you know!'
'I'm sorry.' Tom said, for what felt like the umpteenth time. 'I'll listen. Please tell me about her.'
'Well for starters she's not dead - she can hear all that I pray to her.' Said Pelenes, adding proudly. 'I keep her company.'
Tom nodded encouragingly.
'She was wronged, terribly, by a mage who wanted power without having to ask the gods.' Pelenes continued. 'Now she's stuck in that statue. She's been there for Three thousand years.'
'Why's she in this cave?' Tom asked.
'This is where she manifested.' Pelenes explained. 'She didn't want to cause a fuss.'
Tom shrugged.
'A god? Manifesting? In ancient times that would cause quite a stir. It's not like it's go un-noticed today. Then you've got all the attention and the complainers. No, better to be out of the way.' Pelenes talked to Tom like he was a simpleton.
They chatted for a short while about Therina, then Tom remembered his situation.
'Is there a way out of the cave?' He asked. 'I need to get back to my friends and magic doesn't work here.'
'That's the statue.' Explained Pelenes. 'Think of it like being in the eye of the storm. There is an entrance not far from here, but the day is getting shorter, I wouldn't recommend going out at this time.'
Tom worried about his companions and barely slept a wink on the stone floor. Pelenes practically raised the roof with his snoring.
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