Chapter 24

Tom walked over to look at the plants that dotted along the edge of the stream bed.

He knelt down and touched one that still had a couple of round leaves that were a dark-green shade. The veins in the leaves were blood red, and they were covered by what looked like short, fine hairs.

“Tron, can you identify the plant I’m looking at?” Tom said. He tipped his arm over, so the screen was over the plant. He saw a flash and knew Tron had recorded a copy of the plant for his database.

Monte joined Tom, and after looking at the plant, he removed his backpack and searched for a book. He was flicking through the pages when Tron answered, “Yes, I believe it is the plant known as Rocksbane.”

“How many leaves would I need to pick to make the potion, and do they need to be fresh or is dried okay?” Tom asked.

Monte spoke first, “Actually, it’s the seed pods that would be best to gather. They are more potent than the leaves.”

Tron then replied, “For the potion that you wish to make you may need both. Tom, your entity, seems to think that you will need to gather as much of the plants here as you can, even if they are dried-out, to make enough potion for all of the people that are sick.”

“Yeah, there aren’t really that many plants here, Tom. We may not have enough, and not many of them have seed pods on them,” Monte said with worry as he flashed his light up and down the old banks of the dried stream.

“Well, we will have to do the best that we can with what we have. Let’s get the pits going again, so we have more light.”

Monte nodded in agreement, and they went over to the pit that was still warm. Tom had done linking spells with his friends when he was on Harmony so he was sure he could provide the energy and control that Monte needed.

Monte showed Tom the shaft-boring spell he had in the book that he had brought with him. When Tom read the incantation, he realised he had used a similar spell during his studies. Tom knew the shaft needed to be very small so that they could control the flow of the magma. They could widen it once it was established.

Tom also realised that he needed to form a new shield to contain the magma in the pit and in the shaft. “We need to put some fresh crystals on the bund walls, Monte.”

Monte nodded in agreement. “Can you zap one of the branches of crystals so we can use them?”

Tom looked overhead and noticed a thick bunch that was just off to the side of the pit. “Let’s get one of the blankets and spread it, Monte.”

Monte put down his book and then undid the blanket from his pack and flicked it out. Tom caught the middle of one side, and Monte grabbed the two corners of the other side to form a triangle net. They moved, so the blanket-net was under the branch.

Tom pulled his stylus and aimed at the base of the branching bunch of crystals that were some 20m over his head. He whispered the spell and a bolt of light shot from his mini-wand and struck the base with a crack.

Both men chuckled in delight as the bunch of crystals landed in the blanket. Small arcs and sparks shot between the crystals. Several of the longer branches snapped off and some shattered as the weight of the cluster hit the improvised net. The men gently lowered the blanket to the floor.

Tom picked out several smaller crystals and placed them on each corner of the bung wall and did a shield spell. He knew he didn’t need large crystals for this job. Then he and Monte stood beside the pit and directed the shaft-boring incantation down into the magma.

Once fresh lava was bubbling in the pit, they moved to the next pit, placed new crystals, and repeated the spells until all four pits were once again active. The stink of sulphur while strong, wasn’t overpowering as the mineral-rich fumes, and heated air from the cavities spiralled up towards the ceiling.

Tom and Monte then retrieved their gloves and collection bags from their packs. They then walked along each side of the small streambed and picked as much of the Rocksbane as they could identify.

Once they were happy that they had collected all that they could, the men dusted off the dais and sat down for a rest while they packed the collection bags back away.

They both retrieved food and water from their packs and had a belated lunch.

“I’ll pack the crystals into my magical box,” Tom told Monte after he had finished eating.

“Good idea. That box can hold a lot, and no one can steal them from there either,” Monte replied as he put the last of his food back into his pack.

“Tom, I think we should see if we can get that little stream flowing again and plant some of the seeds from one of the Rocksbane plants.”

Tom thought about what Monte was suggesting. “If we can make enough potion for you and the sickest people that would help. I think if I make the charms for the others, it should keep the disease at bay until we can grow some more. We will need to keep this cavern inaccessible while we are growing more of the plant.”

“I don’t think access to the crystals would be a good thing either. Traditionally, the strongest mage or wizard guarded the crystal caverns to restrict their use by the greedy,” Monte replied.

Tom grinned at Monte, “Well, that means you.”

“True, but if I’m off traipsing around through time and space with you, I won’t be able to help my people and keep them safe,” Monte replied with an arched brow.

“Hum, one mess at a time. Let’s make the potion, and I’ll make some charms for everyone. I have this idea that if I put a small crystal and a drop of the cure on the charms with healing spells, the people will get better over time, and we can cure more people.”

“I like that idea. If you teach me the spells then if I need more charms in the future, I’ll be able to make them,” Monte replied with excitement.

Tom chuckled “And then you can sell them to anyone who visits here. I would bet that the disease got off your island. If you remember when we left my home, they were having a similar problem with a flu-like virus that was spreading to different countries.”

Monte guffed. “And selling the charms would hurt my people how?”

“Hum, think of all the tourists you will have coming here? You will have to feed them and provide rooms for them to rent and clean up after them. I don’t know Monte; it will be a lot of work for your people.”

“Like that’s a problem, Tom. Half of the rooms we have here are just sitting empty, and the infusion of a bit of new blood wouldn’t do my population any harm if some of the visitors stay.”

“In the past, we have often had to turn away new people due to the lack of work. We don’t have a lot of industry on this island other than the basics. Creating a few new jobs is a good thing as far as I’m concerned.”

“Like I said earlier, this island could sustain a much larger population without causing my people any real problems. We have already lost five percent of our population in the last six months, so even if we just replace them, we are no worse off.”