Chapter Six: A New DayThe sun shed frail light onto the standing water. Progress had been slow across the flood plain, but without mishap. The party had stopped again, as Jacob and Anthony negotiated a safe route through a small patch of marshland. Derek was deep in conversation with Sunin, the mage from the jungle lands of Ctuma. Taryn and Tirion had begun to sing again, in an effort to raise morale. Everyone was gazing about the basin in certain awe at the scenery.
It was then that Iona spotted it. Over to one side of their path, a dammed river had produced a shallow lake that twinkled crystal clear in the light. The beauty of the shining water drew the eye, and Iona wondered over to the edge of the pool. She crouched down on the bank and dipped her hands into the cool fresh water. As d
