• Chapter 19: The Glowing Lodestone

    Day soon dawned, and after the party had a light breakfast, they soon got a visit from the messenger of Apollo.
    “Friends,” said the messenger. “I have found where Erebus is!”
    “Where?” asked Rouvin and Zanthe.
    “On the island of Magnisi,” answered the messenger. “The place is known for its magnetic ore. But he’s cast a spell on the ore mine to cause trouble.”
    “If I remember right,” said Valerius, “one of the items for the Forbidden Ritual is a Glowing Lodestone, and that’d be as good a location as any to find one!”
    His attention returned to the messenger, and he said, “Thank you for telling us. We shall go there as soon as possible.”
    Valerius then turned to the governor, and added, “And thank you, Governor Ingotoni, for your hospitality!”
    “It is I and my people who should thank you,” replied the governor. “I shall prepare a fast boat to get you to Magnisi Island as soon as possible!”
    Some officers of the governor escorted the party to the fast boat, which was at the docks, and it soon set sail to Magnisi Island.

    Aside from the occasional forests and small mountains, Magnisi was mainly an island of open fields. The two main points of interest were Magnisi City and the Magnetic Ore Mine.
    The city was about the same size as Ingot-Menitsa City. So much so, that it was almost a sister city. It was also a center of science and technology, and in the heart of the city was a tower with a temple of Athena at the top.
    However, when trouble arose at the Magnetic Ore Mine, business soon slowed to a crawl, and the economy began to suffer because of it. The price of products and services that required magnetic material doubled.
    Soon, a depression set in.
    Valerius and his party soon arrived, and saw the effects of the depression.
    Very few business remained opened and with their prices, but otherwise, all the people felt the effects.
    “That Erebus!” Nauplius growled. “He just had to ruin things for everyone!”
    “Indeed he has,” said a voice of a person approaching.

    The man approaching was a half human, half elf government leader. He had peach-tan skin, dark brown hair that was almost black, cobalt blue eyes, and wore a fancy suit in various tones of gray and light blue.
    “Welcome, travelers,” said the man, in a somewhat saddened voice. “I am Governor Vanko Polosis. I am sorry you had to come to our city in a time of crisis.”
    “It is all right,” replied Valerius. “It is Erebus’ fault this crisis has come upon us. But we shall be the ones who shall resolve your crisis.”
    “Really?” Governor Polosis said, his voice regaining some cheer.
    “Yes,” replied Rouvin. “Just lead us to your Magnetic Ore Mine, and we’ll remove the curse Erebus put over it!”
    The governor admired the party’s courage. He then looked behind him and motioned with his hands.
    Some elf officers emerged. They were dressed in modern Greek defense force attire, similar to America’s SWAT team, but in the Grecian style.
    “Take these five to the mine,” said the governor. “They will help our island regain its prosperity!”
    The soldiers nodded and soon they all went to the mine.

    The entrance to the Magnetic Ore Mine was similar to other cave-like mine entrances, with recently-replaced timbers framing the entrance. Except there were some pieces of iron and steel sticking to the lodestones. It is because of this that either metals other than the metals that are attracted to magnets, or any metals coated with special magic, are permitted near them. Valerius had his plasma saber, and Nauplius his hammer, so they definitely would not be affected. Rouvin’s arrows were not affected, since very rarely, if ever, were they headed with any metals that magnets would pull towards them. And Zanthe and Galina’s staves were enchanted to resist magnetic pull.
    “Here we are,” said one of the island’s defense soldiers. “This is the entrance to the Magnetic Ore Mine.”
    “Thank you for the escort,” said Valerius. “We’ll take things from here.”
    The soldiers saluted the five as they entered within the cavern.
    The inside of the mine had some recently replaced and relit lanterns, despite the fact that Erebus’ presence forced it to be abandoned. The light showed that the caverns had the semblance of a rock quarry, aside from it being underground. More timbers and even some metal frames kept tunnels from collapsing. And if it was too risky to replace timbers or metal bars manually, some spells refreshed and renewed them.
    “I sense a powerful evil force,” said Galina. “No doubt it must be Erebus. Follow me.”
    The party soon followed the Air Magician down the tunnels. But soon, in a larger chamber of the cavern, four giant human-like Golems made of lodestone emerged. And because of the magic, the magnetism could be channeled into bolts of electricity, or they could form boulders of lodestone to try to crush the five.

    “I have an idea!” said Nauplius.
    After dodging one of the boulders, the dwarf then swung his hammer and the large rock rolled like a giant croquet ball. The ball then hit one of the golems, destroying it by knocking it over; the impact of the fall caused it to break apart with a large crash.
    Zanthe giggled, “Great idea, Nauplius! I’ll conjure up another!”
    Tapping the ground three times with the bottom tip of her staff, Zanthe created another lodestone boulder. Nauplius then swung his hammer again, and the boulder was lucky enough to hit the remaining three golems all at once. The combined crash was so loud, it stopped just short of causing hearing loss.
    “That takes care of those bruisers!” said Valerius, after the ringing in everyone’s ears stopped. “Now let’s go find Erebus!”
    The five soon made it to the following room of the mine, where Erebus tightly held Delphinia with one hand, and the other hand reached for the Glowing Lodestone.
    “So, you are here,” grumbled Erebus.
    “Valerius!” said Delphinia.
    “Hmph, it doesn’t matter,” said Erebus. “The golems have done their work—they stalled you long enough for me to get the Glowing Lodestone!”
    And after saying those words, the evil warlock grabbed the item in question and put it in his robe’s pocket.
    “Farewell,” laughed Erebus, “until our next meeting!”
    “Valerius! Help!” cried Delphinia as both vanished.

    “Blast it!” said Valerius. “He escaped again!”
    “We’ll catch up to him soon!” said Galina. “For now, we have made the Magnetic Ore Mine safe again.”
    “Right,” replied Rouvin. “Let’s return to the surface and tell the people.
    The party retraced their steps back to the surface. The Defense Forces saluted as they emerged.
    “The dark force has been driving from the mine,” said Valerius. “It’s safe for use again.”
    Everyone soon returned to Magnisi City and told Governor Polosis.
    “That is wonderful news!” said the governor. “At last, Magnisi City will prosper again!”
    “Erebus had fled shortly after snatching a Glowing Lodestone,” said Zanthe. “Where do you suppose he went next?”
    “I am not entirely sure,” said the governor. “But if I were to take a wild guess, he may have traveled to Zincnathos, or at least close to it. Even if he isn’t there, that place needs your help, as it has some major trouble as well and is in need of heroes!”
    “Then we shall go there next,” said Valerius. “We still have daylight left, so let’s take the fast boat to Zincnathos!”
    The people of Magnisi City bade the travelers fair winds as they left to head back to the docks.
    Zanthe used some nature friendly fuel to refuel the fast boat and they all got in to set off to the next destination—the island of Zincnathos.