Chapter Text
The guards surrounded the company and they were reluctantly escorted behind Haru through the rocked tunnel and into a large, cavernous area. The ceiling extended farther than their eyes could perceive, even with their dark vision. It was so high that looking up for too long presented a sense of vertigo. Stalactites clung to the ceiling, large and thick showing the cavern’s age. In the walls of the cavern, there were hollowed out and carved homes and living quarters. Wooden structures, some long and thin shaped like barracks and others tall and built into the wall, lined the cavern. Another feature which seemed to line the entrance of the cavern was a large stone and wood wall reinforced with metal hinges and thick bolts. The wall and gate seemed to lead to another part of the cavern and, from what the company could discern, into a larger part of the cavern lit by torch and controlled flame. All around, the company saw dozens of guards clad in the same armor and colored arms as Haru. The tap of water droplets falling against damp stone floor was barely discernable over the company’s footsteps.
They were led from the militarized social area of the cavern toward doors in the rock and stone. They ascended a small set of stairs and entered through the door into a long, dimly lit hallway. To the left and right, there were light colored doors spread evenly against the wall, undoubtedly leading into other rooms. The air was slightly warmer in this confined area. At the end of the hall, there was a curtain of a golden and deep blue cloth with flecks of silver woven into the fabric. There was a warm light just lining the curtain, but they were not led behind it. Instead, the company was led down the hall and to a door on the left into what looked like a room of gathering and planning. A dark table carved with the tongues and languages of the land graced the center of the room. Shelves, made from the cavern stone and similar wood to the table, lined the walls and were filled the brim with thick texts bound in leather. The air was warm and filled with the smell of flecks of parchment. Haru took a seat at the end of the table and gestured for the others to do the same. Many of the company still stood, hesitant at trusting this individual.
“Well,” said Haru, his keen eyes picking up every micro-expression on the faces of those in the company. “Though I have not had much time to think about it, allow me to summarize the transpired events. All of you, collectively, had not met or, at the very least, did not know each other well enough to be acquaintances. You woke up in the tunnels behind bars in cells and so forth and managed to get out through trial and error until you arrived at our gate.” Haru paused to take a breath and surveyed the group.
“After arriving at the gate, you attempted and partially succeeded in deceiving some of our rooks before slipping past our defenses and came face to face with my team and me,” said Haru.
“We weren’t trying to deceive you. We just wanted to get out and they wouldn’t let us through,” interjected Bo.
“No?” asked Haru. “I certainly believe some element of deception was involved as there is no volcano currently erupting and you were found slipping through the bars to our restricted entrance. Do you know the Capitol’s sentence for trespassing on militarized ground and lying to an officer?” Before Bo could escalate, Haru raised his hand to calm her.
“I understand the strange circumstances and I am willing to negotiate the terms,” said Haru.
“You’re willing to bend the rules as long as it benefits you?” asked Panora as she leaned against the wall.
“I’m willing to commute your sentence and refrain from official charges to save you a lot of time and hardship in exchange for your assistance. The maze of tunnels has presented a unique challenge. It was fortuitous you were not attacked while negotiating the darkness. At any rate, if you were to assist and cooperate in navigating myself and a small team through the tunnels you went through, we could call our current situation, how would you say, even,” said Haru. The company sat in silence while absorbing the proposal in front of them.
“You certainly make an excellent case,” said Milo finally.
“Thank you,” replied Haru.
“Why do you need our help? You’re all soldiers, warriors. You want a rag-tag group of people you don’t know helping you? What exactly are you fighting?” asked Lily, her soft voice pointed and suspicious. She tucked a strand of hair behind her partially pointed ear and readjusted her hood to survey her surroundings.
“As I said, we’ve had trouble fighting the creatures which, based on your description, you also encountered. They have recently demonstrated organized efforts and attacks on our soldiers, a characteristic which they seldomly demonstrate. We have reason to believe that someone or something is organizing their efforts for them and are helping them coordinate against us,” replied Haru firmly. “Having a basic layout of the interior would help immensely. Of course, you’re more than welcome to accept the charges, which would leave me no choice but to arrest you here and now and that will be the end of it.” The group glanced at one another, unsure of what to do.
“That certainly is a generous offer,” said Milo, piping up after a few minutes. “Personally, the tunnels do make me uncomfortable but I am willing to help negotiate the tunnels if it means we are pardoned and may go free once we are done.” Haru’s face cracked into a slight smile at Milo’s apparent cooperation. Aster, Bo, Gar, and Lily also agreed to enter the tunnels. Panora stood quietly as she lit her pipe.
“Well,” interjected Zatryme. “I see no need for all of us to go.” It was then, for the first time, that the company noticed that Zatryme was actually pregnant, and heavily so. Milo nodded in agreement.
“Yes, I suppose there’s no need for all of us to attend. If you have some parchment, Captain, I will draw out the pathway I attended,” said Milo, who needed to stand in the chair to be seen. About an hour passed as the company recuperated and while Milo constructed a map for the Captain. Panora, unmoving like a statue except for the puffs of smoke rising from the end of her curved pipe, silently observed the company members. Zatryme also sat quietly, breathing deeply and rubbing her sides and her hips. Gar managed to push several seats together to better hold his weight while Aster meditated in the corner of the room. Bo simply stared at the other company members, her eyes calculating and desperate to size up the room. Lily watched Milo while playing with knives she kept on her belt and Areal continuously offered his opinion to Milo’s sketch of the tunnels and distances between each passageway.
After they rested and copied the map, the group elected to separate and meet back in the meeting room once the job was done. A few other soldiers joined them. One of them, a human with dark undercut black-brown hair and piercing dark blue eyes, pulled Haru off to the side, whispering something the others could not hear. Haru then turned to the group.
“This is Levi, second in command. He’ll be joining us with his team,” said Haru as he gestured to the dark-haired man who had folded his arms across his chest. Unlike the other soldiers, he wore flexible leathers and carried a short sword and a dagger on his side. Zatryme stared long and hard at the man, as if trying to recall something she had forgotten.
“Let’s go,” said Levi as he turned and headed for the barrier. With a few acknowledging nods in farewell, the company parted. The first group followed Haru and Levi back the way they came past the barracks and up into the tunnels. The gates were unlocked and, carrying torches which were barely embers, vanished into the misty maze. The unsyncopated rhythm of their steps echoing against the stone were like ripples in still water. Though they were careful to step softly, the sounds of their equipment rustling and occasionally scraping against the walls compounded over time and was hardly noiseless. The lefts and rights blended together in the darkness, but keen eyes and minds tracked their movements with precision.
While the first group attempted to move quietly in the darkness, the second sat or stood waiting in the meeting chamber. Panora stood smoking her pipe, leaning against the wall. Areal pulled an ancient tome from a side satchel and was pouring over the pages. Zatryme sat in a chair near the door. She rubbed her sides and protruding belly for comfort. While the other two pondered about their next move and the events that transpired, Zatryme could not help herself from thinking about the young man called Levi. Something about the way he stood, the way he moved, the color of his hair and eyes, even the tune of his voice, seemed familiar. She felt a sharp kick when the thought occurred of where she had seen him before. It was a memory she tried to suppress as the person led to her current predicament. The silhouetted shape of a face leaning over hers as they kissed. The sound of his voice as he whispered sweet nothings to her as their bodies pressed together in the darkness. That time together, harshly brief and ripped from them one dark night when they absconded from the cells of the temple. He managed to get away. She was not so fortunate.
Suddenly, a rage ripped through her mind, body, and soul. An intense, burning penetrating every thought and desire. Forget sitting and stretching. It was personal. A new directive presented itself to Zatryme. Find Levi and make him pay for what he did. With that, Zatryme stood and stomped as fast as she could after the group who went into the tunnels. Her one-track mind was settled, and nothing was going to stop her. She pushed past the guards and entered the tunnels with little convincing necessary and began maneuvering through the darkness, the low light not hindering her elvan eyes. Her mind raced with insults and questions, all of which she would demand an explanation for once she found them. How could he look at me and not even flinch? Didn’t he see what he did to me? Maybe he didn’t know, but he could at least acknowledge my existence! She thought angrily. The more she thought, the more she was certain Levi was the culprit, the one who left her trapped and pregnant. Her thoughts compounded and fueled her rage. There was no doubt by the time she almost reached the first group.
The first group had just made it past the unmapped area when they heard something deeper into the tunnel. It was a low, rumbling sound like distant thunder, yet softer and less synchronous. The sound sent chills down everyone’s spines. They walked further into the tunnel and, just ahead, they could see a luminous light. It was a green-tinted white, unnaturally cold, and it seemed to be coming from a crack in the side of the wall just ahead of them. The group steeled their nerves. Sword in hand, Haru turned to the others.
“Myself, Levi, and you five will scout the hole. Remain here as a defense. If I should shout, retreat and brace the gates,” commanded Haru. Lily, Bo, Gar, Milo, and Aster looked taken aback.
“Why us?” demanded Bo, her eyes burning with frustration. Haru gestured for Bo to keep her voice to a whisper.
“My soldiers are wearing plate and chain armor. As much as I respect their skill, I appreciate stealth now. All of you are wearing leathers, a much softer material. I have a feeling we will be able to scout better in silence,” replied Haru, his voice barely audible but firm and direct.
“It would also be beneficial,” added Milo, “If we were able to ascertain the information for ourselves. I personally would like to see what I may or may not be running from should the situation turn against our favor.” Bo rolled her eyes, but Haru did not see as he had turned back and began walking quietly forward. Levi kept to his right. The soldiers set up defensively, raising their shields and swords to block the tunnel and to post a lookout in case something were to come up from the rear. The scouting party approached the hair-raising light, each step closer presenting a feeling of dread. A feeling of apprehension swept over them, but they knew they had to look inside.
The hole in the wall was barely a meter wide and three meters tall. Just large enough for two of them to peer through comfortably. As they looked inside, they could see that before them was a cavernous chamber, easily one hundred meters tall. The area was dome shaped, held together by the stone which seemed to be hollowed out by monstrous claws. They could not see the opposite end of the cavern, but they did not want to. What they saw just inside of the cavern chilled them to the bone. Haru’s suspicions of organized acts were correct. The amphibious monstrosities had indeed organized; or, rather, they had been organized by something. Dozens of these creatures lay on the circular floor, unmoving and unaware of the group’s presence. A stench wafted through the door, an unbearable reek almost visible in the low light. Everyone forced themselves to keep down their previous meal and refrained from coughing. At the very edge of the group’s sight, almost beyond even the keenness of elvan eyes, they could see a large, hulking creature. Its four bug-like eyes were closed and its breath rattled within its thick outer shell. Its forearms, heavily armored, were thick and muscular and there were long, thick claws at the end of its arms made for crushing and carving away stone. What was most menacing about this creature, however, were long, jagged pinchers near the creature’s mouth large enough to snap two soldiers and hold them there in its clutches.
They stared, mortified at the sight. Easily, this number of creatures being led by the armored hulk would overpower the forces in the militarized district of The Underneath. Haru gestured for Levi to fish out some rope from his side pouch when they heard clattering. There was a sharp shout, a demand to stand aside. Suddenly, from the darkness, they watched as Zatryme emerge.
“There you are you cad!” she shouted angrily, directing herself at Levi. The group felt their hearts stop. They looked back at her, both stunned and mortified. Instantly, they moved the ensure she was quiet.
“Shhhh, keep it down. Those things…” said Levi, stepping forward and trying to escort her away.
“I don’t care about anything you have to say to me! How could you leave like that? Did you see what you did to me? And not even acknowledge me?” shouted Zatryme, now attempting to release herself from Levi’s grapple as he pulled her away from the fissure in the rocks.
“I’ve never seen you before in my life!” hissed Levi. “Now, keep it down. You’re going to wake..”
“Oh! Just like a human! Taking charge, trying to man-handle me! I let that happen once before, but not again!” said Zatryme defiantly. While Zatryme’s rantings began viciously echoing through the cave, the others began preparing themselves. Astoundingly, only a few creatures stirred at the noise, but did not wake up. They crowded around the fissure, frantically attempting to put together a game plan to kill the creatures. Haru, Milo, and Lily were at the front closest to the hole while Gar was in the back. To her frustration, Aster was left not being able to see heads or tails of what was going on. She tried to jump to peer over Gar’s back.
“What’s going on?” asked Aster. She inched forward, forcing her way between the cracks and Gar’s immense shoulders. It was then that Lily adjusted, allowing a small gap for Aster; a gap which Aster had not anticipated so quickly. One moment, she was caught between a rock and a hard place. The next moment, she was caught in a partial free fall slipping into the downward sloped cavern where all of the creatures slept undisturbed. Breathless, the group watched, mortified, as Aster had slipped and was now sliding into the chamber with the creatures. Everyone held their breath and watched helplessly as Aster miraculously managed to maneuver between the sleeping bodies of the monsters. Her training allowed her to twist and turn as she slid along the slick ground. Using the palms of her hands, she managed to slow herself before crashing into the central pillar. She stood carefully only to catch a glimpse of the horrified, silent screaming faces of her comrades. She felt a warm flutter of air on the back of her neck. A stale stench emanated from the puff of air from behind her. Aster looked and saw why her companions were distraught. She had stood up within the hulking creature’s pinchers, perfectly in the center like standing in the eye of a needle. It was then that she realized the serious danger she was in, from the precarious placement of her body to the dozens and dozens of creatures sleeping around her. Fate was on her side; but for how long?