A Witness

                  After talking things over with the Tyrns, Yerik offered some supplies, food, and an invitation to stay the night to avoid traveling in the rain. The Tyrns graciously accepted the offer, exiting the tent to set up their own shelters for the night.

                  Yerik turned to Jonas, “Alright, that seals the deal for me, Jonas. I think it best you get whatever measurements you need tomorrow morning, and then we head for home. Too many risks being up here.”

                  This surprised Jonas. After talking with the Tyrns, they had no evidence the mythical Ruundyr hunted them or even existed. The Tyrns talked mostly about their uneasy feelings being in the area. To Jonas, it all seemed like hyperactive superstition. Jonas couldn’t understand Yerik’s rationale. Jonas thought it foolish to make choices based on a gut instinct.

                  “You can’t be serious?” Jonas asked. “You’re worried over a bunch of skittish Tyrns? There’s no evidence that we are in any danger, other than they ‘feel weird’ about the valley. That doesn’t give me much to base a choice on. I came all the way up here to record some information, and that is what I intend to do.”

                  Yerik picked up an apple from their food rations and took a heavy bite after listening to Jonas. “I appreciate your passion, I really do, but we are up here with a bunch of kids. It’s not worth the risk. I knew predatory animals lived in these hills, or maybe an occasional troll, yet there seems to be more to worry about than just a few wild animals. Now I’m not one to act on random hunches, but the Tyrns, they’ve never been wrong. I learned early in my career, if a Tyrn feels uneasy, there is a reason for it.”

                  Jonas looked for any reason to get one more day out of the journey. “You can’t just abandon the job. I’m paying you for your services, I’m paying those kids, I need help to finish what I set out to do. I can’t do this alone.”

                  “Look, you don’t have to pay me. I honestly don’t care, and I’ll pay those kids for their work. They are good kids. Whether or not you come with us, I’m leaving tomorrow morning to take those kids back home. Prepare what you must tonight. I’ll give you the morning, but we need to leave early enough to return home by evening. I’ll let the others know we plan to leave tomorrow.” Yerik stood up, biting another chunk out of the apple as he looked for a cover from the rain. Jonas frantically looked for any reason to stay. Yerik was about to step out the tent door when Jonas called out.

                  “WAIT, STOP! I haven’t been entirely honest with you.” Yerik turned to face Jonas as Jonas tried to explain. “I’m not here to make maps. I don’t work for the kingdom of Hallador. I have found something I cannot explain.”

                  Yerik glared at Jonas, shocked by the deceit.

                  Jonas, seeing the immediate reaction, quickly tried to mend the distrust. “Okay, let me explain, the part about researching maps, that is partially true. Although it’s not for the kingdom, I’m trying to find out if what I’ve found is real. That’s all. I’m not looking for treasure or fame, just the truth. Please hear me out.”

                  Yerik stared at Jonas, deciding what to think of this new confession as he took a bite of his apple.

                  Jonas then told Yerik everything he knew. How he found the book, what he found as he studied it, and how it led him to Eknor. He told him about his meeting with Brynhilda and even showed him the map he pulled from the found book, and the reason he wanted to observe the land beyond the mountains.

                  Yerik listened. He seemed curious, then finally responded. “You’re telling me you believe there are remnants of an ancient civilization in these mountains? And you are hoping to find evidence to support your claim?”

                  “Yeah, well, that is the hope. Although, honestly, now that you say it out loud, I suppose it’s a bit of a stretch. I… I don’t know what to think anymore. Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s too dangerous. I thought this would be a simple journey. I was so convinced that once I got up here, it would be evident there were remains of a civilization. But it’s just more mountains. I don’t have the money to come back up here. I never intended to hire teenagers. They were my only option. I also never expected there to be anything to worry about. I honestly don’t know what to think. I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just… I just needed to see what lies beyond these mountains, that’s all.”

                  Yerik stood deep in thought as he looked over Jonas’s map, thinking about what Jonas had told him. Then looking back at Jonas, he said, “They’re going to think you’re crazy.”

                  Jonas sighed, knowing the eventual outcome of his journey.

                  Yerik took another bite of his crisp apple. “Normally, I would walk away. Not worth my time for such crazy ideas. It’s a fool’s journey to chase daydreams and speculation. But you’re not the only one that has seen something that can’t be explained.”

                  Jonas raised a brow at the sudden change in attitude from Yerik.

                  Yerik stepped towards Jonas, leaning in. “It was the time that dragon troll ambushed us on the west side of the far ridgeline. I told you about it the other day. I swear, we were in the middle of nowhere looking at the most out-of-place building, turned on its side. We were in an extremely remote location in this jungle of a forest. I remember because we were so fascinated by what we saw, the dragon troll completely surprised us, coming out of nowhere to attack. Naturally, my mind went straight into battle mode. Afterwards, we had to regroup. We diverted directly to the nearest settlement. But that vision of that random building has haunted me ever since. They called me crazy every time I tried to explain what I saw. I swear I saw a man-made structure, sitting there, in the middle of the mountains, overgrown with trees and bushes. As time passed from that moment, my mind tried to convince myself I saw a cave or a rock structure that looked like a building. I’ve tried to find out if anyone else had seen anything like this, although any time I bring it up, people question my sanity. The idea that someone would build any type of structure in the middle of the most rugged mountains was unbelievable.” Yerik looked at Jonas for a moment. “Until now.” Yerik took one more chomp on the crispy apple, then tossed the core through the tent door.

                  Jonas sat silent in shock at the evidence Yerik presented. If it were true, it would support his theory of an ancient world. They both sat in a moment of silence, thinking over the ramifications of what they might find if they traveled into the valley.

                  The excitement of a true adventure surged through Yerik’s soul. “One more day, I can keep everyone safe. We need to find one reason, one good reason, and I can help you convince others to come back up here. We could assemble a legitimate team and come back up here and explore further. But no one will believe us if we only have stories. We must find a reason to come back up here.”

                  Jonas’s eyes brightened with a smile.

                  Yerik smiled as he thought about the prospects for the next day. Yerik picked up his drink, lifting it in the air, “Here’s to adventure!”