The Tunnel

Songs in the dark

Twisting and turning through the Teeth, the Throat is a narrow mountain pass that stretches between the countries of Serukis and Kaien. Four miles of this pass are underground, through a long, pitch black tunnel that travels below a mountain. This tunnel is considered by some to be the most difficult part of the journey, despite the shelter from the unrelenting wind and frequent blizzards of the Throat.
The tunnel itself is rumoured to be haunted by the spirits of the fifty-five men, women, and children who died during the Seruic people's Crossing and who went without the proper funeral rites. It is believed that the spirits converged on the tunnel seeking protection from the cold, as they are unaware that they are no longer alive. Over the years, as more people have died on the journey, the number of the spirits in the tunnel has swelled. Whilst this myth originated in Serukis, it has spread throughout Caia, and even the most sceptical of travellers are wary.
There have been many reports of strange occurances over the years. Even though there is only a single path, travellers have found themselves turned around, emerging from the same side of the tunnel that they entered. Some people have told stories of the walls and ceiling closing in on them until they were forced to crawl on their hands and knees. Others claim to have seen strange, flickering lights ahead of them in the darkness. Other common stories involve random temperature changes or distant unintelligable whispering.
For travellers from Serukis, it is traditional to sing as they are walking through the tunnel. They believe that the sound of their voices will bring the spirits of their ancestors comfort and, as a result, they will be left alone to pass safely. Travellers from most anywhere else, however, do their best to traverse the tunnel in complete silence, so as not to draw the ire of anything lurking in the darkness.

by Tony L