"Baw-ww-k! Bawk! Bawk! Baw-www-k," Diniel chicken-mocked.

"What's your problem?" Frac asked, a bit put off.

"Heard you chickened-out from going into the Underground Pool," Diniel said, normal now, no longer mocking. Diniel was like that, could change from being a normal friend--to an idiot--and back again just like that.

"He did not chicken out!" Raziel exclaimed.

"And, how in the world did you hear that?" Frac asked, as if Raziel had not spoken.

"Forneus has been telling a load of people that you ready to come down to the Underground Pool where Forneus was waiting for you, got scared, wet your pants and chickened," Diniel said.

Raziel looked at Frac, who simultaneously turned to look at Raziel, and they both said to each other, "I didn't see Forneus come out of the Great Salty Lake!"

"There definitely must be another way out.."

"And in..."

"What are you talking about?" Diniel asked.

"Never mind," Frac said.

"Diniel, Forneus is a big liar; don't believe a word."

"Where's Forn now," Frac asked.

"Last I seen, Forneus, Olivier and Tau were telling a group of children about how you chickened out."

Raziel looked at Frac and said, "I think all of them were down there, and I know they all didn't come out--via the only known exit--into the Great Salty Lake!"

"Let's get to the Village and see if we can find them," Frac said, starting to run, Raziel aside. Diniel got left about five paces behind, trying desperately to catch up to hear and figure out what Frac and Raziel were saying.

"How do we go about finding this other way in? Covertly follow Forny?" Raziel asked.

"Maybe, or trick Forn."

"How?"

"I don't know."

Frac and Raziel reached the Village Round, a cluster of important societal buildings--The Temple Of Truth, the Court of Justice, the Grand Market, and others, where a group of Villagers, mostly children, those under thirteen years old, and the rest--young adults, noticed Frac and snickered; a few making the same chicken mocking that Dinel had. Forneus was nowhere to be seen, though Dinel had spotted Tau with Resh along side The Temple of Truth, but didn't point them out. Raziel explained, or tried to, that Frac hadn't chickened out, but in actuality was challenging Forneus. This didn't seem to work as Forneus having reached them first had persuaded their beliefs simply by painting a different picture--first!

Even a few of the older adults were giving Frac strange, indifferent looks, including a couple of the The Keepers Of The Truth, as well as Iofiel, the youngest of The Elders.

"Were you seriously considering going down that dreaded shaft?" an all too familiar voice asked. Frac, Raziel and Diniel turned and looked up--way up to view the silhouette of Frac's 1st Main Guardian--Haniel. Haniel was a well-respected member of Nuemerican society, a great mathematician and peculiarly, the tallest person in Nuemerica, though Frac was of no unusual size.

"I have to go home for dinner," Diniel sheepishly said, "Bye!"

"I thought about it," Frac answered, "But I didn't. Raziel wisely talked me out of it."

Haniel turned aside toward Raziel who said, "Well, I wouldn't nessarily say 'wise,' just that there must be a safer way to enter..." Raziel caught Frac (out of Haniel's sightline) giving "the eye"--to shut up, "...tain, our, selves." Frac relaxed.

Haniel returned glance to Frac and said, "Frac, only fools have attempted the shaft to the Underground Pool--and the one's that have succeeded have been severely scarred, and I don't mean physically either." Haniel spoke very seriously, yet oddly, very gently for one of such a stature. "Give me your word that you will NOT attempt such a foolish stunt! And, you too Raziel."

"I promise."

"You have my word."

"Alright, run along now; it's nearly dinnertime."

"Can Raziel eat with us tonight? Psisya won't be home until late." Psisya was Raziel's 2nd Main Guardian and only guardian, and often worked double assignments to make ends meet. Frac had never personally known and only knew little of Raziel's 1st Main Guardian--Forfax. Rumor had it that Psisya had met Forfax when very young. Traveling with Psisya's own Main Guardians, Psisya first encountered Forfax while encamped somewhere north of the Forest of Destruction. Forfax just seemed to appear out of nowhere; or, from The Forest of Destruction, which would have been most unlikely. Regardless, a very young Psisya was entranced by this mysterious figure and fell in love--at first sight! Psisya spent the better days of their encampment with Forfax, until Mihr and Sorush, Psisya's Main Guardians, learned of and met Forfax. Just as Psisya had a love at first sight, Mihr instantly despised Forfax, though rumor is unclear whether Forfax had done something to upset Mihr, or whether through the gift of "eye-reading," Mihr had read the essence of Forfax and condemned that essence. Sorush, never doubting Mihr's judgements, removed Forfax from their encampment, away from Psisya; and some would say, cast Forfax into the Forest of Destruction. Forfax was never known to be seen after that. Raziel never spoke of Forfax, and gossipers spoke--only in whisper.

"Sure, no problem, Raz can eat with us anytime," Haniel said, "Just leave note so that Psisya knows where Raz is."

Frac and Raziel split from Haniel, down a path toward Raziel's hut. "How come you didn't want Haniel to know that we were considering another way into the Underground Pool?" Raziel asked.

"'Cause Haniel would have made me, us, promise not to go down there--at all! As we have it though, we just promised not to go down that shaft," Frac said.

"So, what's our next step then?"

"Let's go eat."

Frac and Raziel went to Raziel's hut, left a note and Raziel straightened up the hut a bit, then they headed on the path that went directly to Frac's hut.

"What's for dinner?" Raziel asked.

"I'm not sure. Snook I think; and some veggies from Pronoia's garden. Haniel made a mango pie."

"Sweet."

Frac and Raziel were nearly to Frac's hut and Frac said, "Listen, we can either just forget about the Underground Pool, or let's meet early tomorrow and try to follow Forn to see if there's another way in."




© 2001 John Gnotek