Finding the source of the smoke was harder than Ada anticipated. The walk was quick - only three hours. But the terrain was tough. Ditches and roots slowed down their feets and bushes snagged their clothes. Rotting leaves on the forest floor softened the walk but the constant weaving tired out Ada quickly. Aegar took this all in his stride, strutting through the forest proudly. Pointing out all the plants and their names, and talking to the birds and the trees like old friends. Fritz was eagar as ever, bounding ahead to keep up with Aegar and bombarding Ada with questions which she glady answered. 

Thanks to Fritz's chatter Ada learnt the man's name again: Fimion. And throughout the walk he was happy to walk calmly next to her. As they stopped outside the cave - out of which smoke softly bellowed- Ada sat down with a heavy huff and began to massage her swollen and sore ankles. "I'm getting old Fimion. This body has had it too comfortable. I have become an old fat librarian, I'm no longer the woman I used to be" she talked to him out of ear-shot of Aegar. The imp was behaving strangely. Surely the incident with the slave trader did not disturb him that much? 

While assessing her swollen ankles Adaa came to the conclusion that Fritz should learn how to make a poultice. He mentioned something from his home-world, a poultice that would stop a wound from festering and getting sick. The work of medicinal magic Ada suspected. 

After their brief break, they entered the cavern. Dark-plants adorned the cave walls, she sighed contently as her favourite flower caame into view: a bright blue flower embedded in a bed of delicate red petals. Ada loved the plant for it's rarity, and beauty. The flower inside a flower intrigued her as they were each seperate plants. The red petals were round and crumpled and your touch, while the blue petals were more detailed with faint scales that reflected the light when rotated. 

Pushing on, deeper into the cavern, the party quickly found the source of the smoke. In the center of the cave stood four silver sphere's. As high as Aegar's waist as perfectly round. Their shiny, smooth surfaces reflected the interior of the cavern. As big as a hall, the paty was rather small in the reflection off these baubles. 
(To be finished tomorrow)