A short way into the channels they took pause and considered their position. According to the High Commissioner’s instructions, they reasoned, they were to take the tunnels that led from the forbidden entrance. “Are you sure you read the paper properly Tsami?”

“Yes, it said, as plain as day, to take the tunnels from the rear of the village, the forbidden ones…”

“And…what else??”

“That’s it, then it just says that we will receive assistance along the way.”

“Is that all, I mean isn’t there something else? Give me a look at that paper, I’ll just check your interpretations, I got an A+ for Maarian II at Miramari High.” He poured over the verse, examining it from all angles,

Discern Ye

The tunnels begin

The journey within

The legends of old

Come in from the cold

A perilous journey,

One full of yearning

And patience a must,

To reward with trust

In the end his interpretation was basically identical to Tsami’s. He accepted their situation and looked to Tsami for leadership. “Well Tsami, you’re the explorer, where do these tunnels go to…I’ve heard all sorts of stories…?”

The tunnels did in fact lead from the rear of most of the caves in the black range near the village, but legend had it that they were deserted and didn’t actually lead anywhere, their channels having been formed by thousands of years of water erosion. Just the same, there had been stories spread about the village and Tsado was beginning to feel unsure of their task now which they had barely even started, and he was planting his seeds of doubt in Tsami. Tsami was a little more resolute though, “Look, do we trust the High King…or not, what about that stuff in the last line about trust being a must? Come on, let’s go.”

Without waiting for Tsado to answer, Tsami strode deeper into the tunnels with his customary bravado, not really knowing where he was going, but hoping he’d read the instructions correctly. Tsado came running up behind him crying out, “Okay okay, just slow down will you, it’s not a race.” They walked on silently for a long time, not really sure of their directions, but trusting that they would be able to find their way.

The whole thing almost seemed too simple to them, that they were to just walk along the tunnels from the village, like sure, they mused, they had been living on the edge of an adventure all these years, and now they had this guy in a fancy uniform telling them this. As if these endless tunnels would actually lead anywhere, and sure, people would be waiting down there to guide them along, “Hello? Tsado and Tsami?” he mimicked an imaginary tunnel guide, “I’ve just been waiting for you to come along, the High King stationed me here oh…ten years ago, glad you finally made it, bit confusing those tunnels eh what?” Tsami’s normally bright positive outlook began to lose some of its shine and he had to admit that he might have rushed into this, without fully working through all the implications.