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"Watch your step," he called to his friends behind.

After glancing at the droppings, Gunggari stated, "They are no more than thirty minutes ahead of us, if that."

Marrec nodded and they were off again. When he got his hands on Fallon… Well, he hoped that he would have the luxury of just tossing the elf into the surrounding void. Of course, running the traitor through with Justlance wouldn't be out of the question, just so long as Ash was safe. Lurue's legacy had been entrusted him, and he'd squandered that trust. He tried not to think about it. He'd get her back. Failing was not an option.

"What's that smell?" inquired Elowen from behind.

He paused and sniffed. He caught the barest tang of salt, like the sea, but the briny smell was not alone. Mixed with it was a smell of corruption, like spoiled fish.

"More relics come to haunt us?" asked Marrec, looking back to catch Ususi's eye.

"Perhaps," she answered, uncertain.

The advancing light brought into view a branch in the path. The main stone lane they had followed for so long appeared to continue on straight into the darkness, but a narrower way gave off to the left. Rather than stone, it appeared to be organic, not unlike a huge exposed root.

The tips of the root were entangled with the stone lane, piercing and growing through it, while the thicker portion of the root angled out and slightly up, leading toward to some unseen larger stem. The stone bridge was stained a dirty green, as the root itself seemed to ooze flaccid sap. It was also the source of the smell, which had become strong enough to wrinkle Marrec's nose.

Gunggari moved to the edge of the root, kneeled, and ran his fingers lightly over the surface of the stone and root. Bringing his fingers up, slightly stained with dark green, he sniffed.

He said, "They took this side way."

They walked on that thing?" asked Marrec.

"It may have been grown expressly for that purpose," said Ususi. "Having held the Keystone, even for short a time, I have gained a slight sensitivity to the paths that pierce this place. This 'root' is not part of the system, yet Fallon, with the help of the Keystone, has allowed an outside influence into the Nadir, a powerful influence. This 'root path' may only be temporary. If we want to find Fallon, we should take it before it disengages."

Marrec steeled himself, then carefully set a foot out on the root. He expected it to be slippery but was surprised when the green ooze caught and held his foot in place. However, when he removed his foot, the ooze gave up its grasp without complaint.

He said, "The path seems to be ensorcelled to prevent slipping."

He stepped back out and moved a little way along the root, avoiding looking down; it really was noticeably narrower than the stone path had been. The root path had a slight but noticeable slope upward. The others tentatively moved out onto the root after him. Because the root was more round than flat, there was only room for them to travel single file.

Before he commenced walking along the sticky conduit, he pulled Justlance out. He felt better immediately.

And so they continued along the strange green path. The smell worsened.

After less than a minute, the stone lane bridging the void was no longer visible behind them. Marrec hoped they weren't making a stupid error. What if the root was pulled away? He tried to quicken his pace.

"The smell… it's familiar. I just placed it," said Elowen. "I smelled the same thing when we faced Gameliel in the glade of the Mucklestones."

Marrec nodded, but he realized Elowen might not be able to see him. He said, "I thought the same. My hope is that we are gaining, and that whoever is aiding Fallon's passage doesn't know we are following behind."

A mumbling voice spoke from ahead of him, "We know now."

Earthy giggling broke out. A concentration of ooze at the edge of the light shifted, and Marrec saw that it was actually a creature; a loathsome, miniature human composed of muck and filth. The smell worsened,