Iceblade Ascendant

6: FALLEN STAR

They made their way downward through the facility. Each new room and corridor greeted them with further signs of conflict, their way lit by the green-white glow of Thalleron's staff.

"What I don't understand," Jaewyn said confusedly, "is why nothing's been taken. Look." She pointed at some busted shelving. Gems, coins and other magical paraphernalia had been spilled out across the floor.

"Whatever hit this place obviously had another agenda," Kalethe murmured.

"Where are the bodies," Thalleron added.

"What about the harpies?" Zephyrle inquired. "Maybe..."

"No." Jaewyn shook her head. "The Harpies could not be responsible for this. They're fliers: they only attack cities, they wouldn't bother attacking a subterranean facility like this. Besides, the energy shield protecting the facility..."

"Unless there was something here they wanted other than jewels, riches, magical stuff..."

Jaewyn looked at her friend. Zephyrle was gazing around at the gear spread around, much of it glinting in the soft staff-glow. The light of thievery was in her eye and Jaewyn knew it.

"I know what you're thinking, mate. Zephyrle, if I find you've pinched any of this stuff..."

"I haven't," Zephyrle huffed, subtly moving her hand around to her back pocket. Jaewyn caught the movement and grasped her friend's wrist, wrenching it around to reveal what she had taken. A shining sapphire winked back at her. She took the blue jewel and secured it somewhere about her person, frowning at Zephyrle.

"If you'd been with another team, you'd be in serious trouble, my friend. We're talking punishment." She put her hand on Zephyrle's shoulder. "I know its been hard, but you need to keep it together. Focus on the mission Zeph."

"Ok, I get it," Zephyrle replied. "I just thought..." She paused, glancing down at her tracker. "I'm on it."

They continued through the chamber into the next passage.

"The harpies don't attack ground targets," Thalleron explained as they continued through the deserted corridors. "It's well known they're after Esmeraedyn."

"Saved the queen in four hundred and eight, right?" Jaewyn lifted her chin at the mystic. "Must've been quite the honour? I heard that the attack was one of the worst in history."

Thalleron smiled and looked away momentarily, clearly embarrassed.

"One doesn't often get the chance to save our illustrious queen from corruption," he chuckled. "But the harpies had mustered quite a force, yes. Three whole legions came at us from multiple fronts. Their plan was to stage a diversion, drawing our forces away from the capital. Of course we'd already learned of this and their invasion failed. In a combination of strategy, firepower and science we defeated the harpies and saved the queen. Nothing can beat good Beltharin teamwork."

"Except, maybe, a threat from another world..." Kalethe muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Kal?" Jaewyn turned to face him, searching out his cold eyes with her emeralds.

"Nothing, Jaewyn," Kalethe responded with his usual tone of ice. "Just contemplating possibilities."

They arrived at a large, round chamber dominated by a circle of tall, marble pillars.

"This is the digsite lobby," Thalleron confirmed. "By Loriell, what..."

"The shit happened here?" Zephyrle rushed forward to investigate the large, circular bronze door. The door lay broken and ruined, torn away from the doorway, gears, cogs and other machinery strewn across the bronze floor tiles. Stepping around the hot jet of steam leaking from a severed pipe, she pulled her goggles down over her eyes. "Night eye engaged," she giggled, pressing a rune on her goggles.