• Roughly twenty miles later, the company entered into the ruins of a once great city. The sky was a gloomy gray and a massive mountain towered thirty-five miles over them. Voran climbed over a fallen column and looked around, “What on earth happened here?” he wondered.

    “I am not sure.” Graybeard answered, “Apparently, there was a great apocalypse that struck this land.”

    “Frankly, I prefer not to know what that apocalypse was.” Ashlar commented.

    “Over here!” Graybeard heard Denethir call.

    The rest of the company joined Denethir at the mouth of a dark cavern that led into the mountain. “Okay,” Voran said, “Who wants to go into the creepy cavern inside the mountain first?”

    Graybeard smirked and walked inside, his staff lighting the way. The others followed and they slowly made their way through the dark and winding tunnels until they reached a large, oval shaped room with some sort of strange writing on the far wall. Graybeard walked up to the writing and examined them closely in the dim light of the torches and his staff. “What does it say?” Ashlar asked.

    “I am not sure.” Graybeard replied, “The writing is in a very old and primitive dialect, if I am not mistaken.”

    Voran peered at the wall, “It is in the ancient language of the Zolar civilization.” He realized, “I recognize it from my history lessons from when I was Graybeard’s apprentice.”

    Graybeard slapped himself on the forehead, “Of course! I must be getting old, my memory is failing me again.” He laughed, “Can you translate it, Voran?”

    “I believe so.” Voran answered. He looked at the writing for several moments before saying, “It mostly tells of the history of the Zolar and of the great plague that befell them. Here,” Voran pointed to a separate column of writing, “it makes mention of a powerful artifact that was brought here by their allies and hidden away in a temple called ‘The Tomb of the Great Stone’”

    “The Voliun Stone.” Denethir said, “What else does it say?”

    Voran continued to read the text, “It says that the entrance to the temple is hidden in a secret cove to the South, guarded by many traps and puzzles to determine those who are worthy. Should any man pass the tests and reach the artifact, they must pass the final challenge.”

    “What final challenge?” Ashlar questioned nervously.

    Voran shook his head, “It does not say. However, I am pretty sure that it will not be easy.”

    “I agree.” Graybeard said, “Well done, Voran. I did not fully expect you to translate it that well.”

    Voran grinned, “I did learn from the best.”

    Graybeard laughed, “Indeed. Come, let us return to the ship and find the Voliun Stone’s final resting place. We are short on time.”