Sharpened [ On Hold Indefinitely ]

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Maple wakes me up at the crack of dawn by shaking a branch covered with dew right over my head. Startled, a sit up, then shake my hair, spraying the wetness everywhere.

Maple screams, which wakes up everyone else.

We both climb down the tree and meet the others around the charcoal remains of last night's campfire. The ash has been scattered around the circle, and the fire has almost completely died out.

"What do we have for breakfast?" Darky asks.

I wait for the response.

"This morning," Thunder replies. "Were going to skip breakfast, because we have something to show you."

Sage and Lumination both look at her in confusion, but Maple nods.

Thunder begins to lead us out of the camp, deeper into the woods. We walk silently along the riverside, me kicking up the fallen leaves, until we finally come to the end of the forest. There is a big, open wasteland expanding in front of us, and stretching so far I can't see the end. It seems almost completely barren, except for a few bumps.

"Oh, not this place," I hear Sage mutter under his breath.

"Where are we?" Darky asks.

"You'll see," Thunder replies. Then she begins to lead us further out into the dusty plain, and we follow reluctantly.

I soon realize that we are heading towards the shapes in the distance. As they come closer, I try to think of what they could be.

Are they some sort of rock? I think. Or maybe they are a palaces? I really don't know.

Finally, Thunder stops in front of a large rusty object. It looks about sixty feet high, and about twenty feet wide. I look around and notice many more buildings of about the same proportions.

I begin to wander down the paved roads, until I reach a large, grassy field. There are many buildings scattered around in it.

At one end, there is a rectangular building with a dome on top. There are ornate designs on each door and window frame, and beautifully crafted faces are implanted on the walls.

At the other stands a smaller rectangle-shaped structure, but instead of walls, there are columns holding it up.

In the middle of the lawn is a towering marble construction, capped with a pyramid shape. I crane my neck to look up, and I can see a few miniature windows overlooking the meadow.

"We call this the Dub," Thunder tells me. "It's the first place the Countless settled. That building over there - " she points to the dome-topped one. " - is the Capitol, where the Countless made most of their plans for Wolf and the Float."

"What's so amazing about this place that we have to skip breakfast for?" I hear Maple whine.

Thunder narrows her eyes. "We can figure out the secrets of the Countless here."

+ + + + +

Later that night, I toss and turn in my bunk, thinking about what Thunder had said.

So they really are plotting against the Countless, I think. I had hoped that I would never have to report to the Countless, but I now I do.

I have no choice.

Feeling terrible, I reach into my pocket and pull out the device the Countless man had given to me. I press the small black button, and a mechanical voice burbles out.

"What do you have to report."

I gulp. "They have found where you originally settled, and they know how to find your secrets," I say into the small speaker.

"Thank you for your troubles," the voice replies, and shuts off.

Troubles indeed, I think.

Then, sighing, I tuck the device under the leaves of my bed, and drop off to sleep.