So that was it, Lenik thought. Does that mean I'll start losing my mind too?
"You're wrong," Mandel replied.
"You're insane," Morely whispered.
Mandel's eyes went dark.
Afraid that Mandel was going to kill Morely and leave them without access to whatever the old man knew, Lenik stepped forward. "Fahd—"
Mandel turned toward Lenik and his eyes instantly softened.
"Don't be afraid, Lenik. I know what I'm talking about. I had an epiphany last night. The second fountain will come to us. Watch."
He mustered his attention, then drew a sigil in the air. As soon as he completed it, the sigil burst into green flames and burned hot enough that Lenik took a step back to get away from it.
The magical design spun like a child's top for a moment, obviously fighting Mandel's control. Then it flew through the air and disappeared into one of the passageways.
Lenik watched the burning sigil for a moment as it flamed down the throat of the passage. Finally, even the glow disappeared, leaving only the near-impenetrable darkness in its wake.
A low moan suddenly belched up from within the passage. A silver-blue glow filled the tunnel.
Lenik tightened the grip on his broadsword and readied himself.
A thin blue tendril, as fluid as a gossamer strand, twisted up through the passageway and moved tentatively toward Mandel's outstretched hand.
"Do you see, Lenik?" Mandel whispered in awe. "Once you have the power of the first fountain, the second fountain comes to you."
The silvery-blue tendril twisted and seemed to scent the air, though Lenik knew that should have been impossible. The thing acted as if it had a mind of its own, then it spun through the air and stretched out till it touched Mandel's open fingers.
The silvery-blue incandescence glowed more strongly till it chased nearly all the shadows from the main cavern as it coiled around Mandel's hand like an affectionate pet.
Mandel smiled madly. "I can feel it, Lenik. The power is there! It's calling out to me!"
He started into the tunnel.
"Come, this will guide us to the second fountain!"