"Why are we going to Tower Five? According to my map and my exceptional math skills, we should be heading to Tower Four," Haden protested. 

"Tower Four sits inland, closer to Home Tower along the southeastern branch of the lava river. It would mean we'd stop circling around Home Tower and head inland. Trust me, I know what I'm doing," Drue explained with as much patience as he could muster. The day had already been long, and he was growing tired of zargos. "My mother is a vegetarian; I'm beginning to see the allure!" he said at our last meal. 

They had been up since dawn, crossing the southeastern branch of the lava river. Talik cast small pebbles into the river and grew them into boulders big enough to touch the riverbed, providing stepping stones. Alster provided a healing shield to protect them from the emanating heat as they cautiously stepped on each stone. As they stopped for lunch, chewing on the last of the dried zargos legs, they made plans for the final steps to Tower Five. "If we walk along the coast around this rocky outcrop, we'll come to the offshore islands in the bay, and Tower Five is on the largest of those islands," Drue explained.

Then something caught your eye. To your right, a fully upright figure seemed to move from one dark rock to the next, sliding without moving its body. "What was that?" you bleated out, surprised by what your eyes could no longer see. "What was what?" Haden responded. "I’m sure I saw movement over by the rocks," you explained. "It could be a hexafin, a gemrat, or if it was big, a sabremaw," said Alster in a calm voice, trying to ease the obvious apprehension you were expressing.

 "No, I know what those critters look like, and this was none of them. It was dark, large, and it didn't move as it moved—it disappeared into the rocks." 

"How much zargo did you eat exactly?" asked Haden. 

You continued to stare at the rocks where you were sure the dark figure had been. "We should be on alert," said Drue. "We’re getting close to Home Tower, and since we’re going to protect the Mega Crystal, we have to assume the best place to stop us would be before we arrive there," he continued. You all agreed and decided to walk in a guard formation, with someone on point and a tail, rotating until you arrived at Tower Five. 

"Someone should be replaced for these ridiculous names," Alster said, breaking the tension again. "I mean, how hard is it to come up with Rocky Cape or Kelp Point? I mean, really, Tower Four and Tower Five!" You all laughed and got up, ready for the final push, though you were not fully at ease after your experience.

When you reached the coast and began to follow it east and back in again, the walking became more difficult. Volcanic rock is jagged and pointy, sometimes sharp or brittle. A sure step became a wobble, and your balance was continually challenged as you all stepped large, then small, then jumped to the next rock. Waves occasionally splashed onto the black, obsidian-like rocks, adding slipperiness to your hike. Then Talik, who was on point, yelled, "Alarm!" and pointed to the water. A dark figure wobbled under the waves along the edge of the rocks, indiscernible against the deep dark water apart from its obvious motion. 

Just then, as you all froze, squinting, placing hands on weapons and looking toward each other, a column of water as wide as an Etheria Tree and as tall as a tower shot up in seconds. Fish caught in the upward motion of the water splashed onto the rocks, and some swam in the column, unaware of their elevation. The tower of water moved onto the rocks and lifted rock and man as if fed by a river, enveloping Alster, who immediately gulped for air in response. "It’s the witch!" Haden screamed, as if the realization would help the situation. Haden was the first to act, plunging her hand into the torrent, attempting to grab Alster's hand, but it was too late. The flow of water had pushed him up several meters by the time her hand entered the column. "He’s drowning!" you protested. 

Drue looked at Haden determinedly. "Hand me that shield crystal," he commanded, and she did so almost instantly, processing his request. Drue told Talik to chant Cashto, the incantation for warmth and heat, onto the suddenly appearing shield. Drue threw the spinning blue and crystal-encrusted shield into the base of the column, and the water instantly collapsed, allowing Alster to drop down, soaked and gasping for breath, onto the still-spinning shield. You rushed to Alster and stood alert in a circle around him. Talik, on bended knee, asked if Alster was alright and helped him to his feet. 

"That was close," said Drue.

 "It came out of nowhere," you stated. 

"No, I saw signs just before it happened—anomalies in the water. I can learn from this," Alster sputtered out. You gathered yourselves, and Drue said, "Alright—double time to the tower." 

You couldn’t help thinking about the dream. Was that it? Is it over now? Or is greater danger, and even death, waiting for you ahead? 

You reflect on your journey to this point. Using your experiences so far, order the symbolic images of the episodes for Episode 8, Quest 2 in Thy Quests to move on.