5028

Tanahen: Avan Triag

Galactic Date 00:08:479 5028

"Taken?!" Iravek's voice rang through the bowels of the tunnel as we all squeezed through. Gatha put up her hands.

"They were already gone by the time we got here!" She said, "Soulless took the lot of them and have them locked up or working their arses off below." I looked down at her.

"What do you mean, below?" I asked. She gestured ahead to the exit of the tunnel. I furrowed my brow, quietly waiting as we approached the end. Light blinded us as we passed through the exit. I squinted, my eyes adjusting, unable to believe what I was saw.

It looked like the entire center of the mountain had been hollowed out. Trees and plants lined the interior, and at the center of the cavern was a city of golden stone. In the middle of it all was a tower, a small sanctum at its peak. Soulless swarmed the streets far below the path we walked. Thankfully, there was enough seclusion from the trees that we wouldn't be noticeable, but I couldn't shake that feeling of nervousness.

We pressed ourselves against the trees as we heard an all too familiar low rumble above us. Soulless ships passed through breaks in the side of the mountain, holes they probably made themselves. I pulled myself from the wall, watching them pass us by, before turning to the other two.

"Where's the rest of the crew?"

"Just up ahead." Lux said, "They sent us to wait for you while they attempted to formulate a plan." I nodded, looking ahead of us.

"Let's keep moving then. We don't have time to be standing around." The others agreed, and we continued. I could notice Iravek fidgeting nervously, but his face told a different story. One of anger, fury even. I let myself fall back to his side.

"William." He said.

"We'll get them back." I told him.

"I worry for not only them. You have done much for us. This need not be your battle." I looked him dead in his eyes.

"It's as much our battle now as it is yours." I said, "I'm not letting you deal with this alone." He opened his mouth to try and say something, but my stare insisted.

"I see." He said. "Then we are grateful for your help beyond measure." I nodded to him, the two of us pushed forward.

"I owe you for saving my life, after all."

"Hardly. You would have healed over a great amount of time." His face turned grim once more, "Though again, I worry for you. Your wounds are still open." He looked up at me with those shadowed, glowing eyes, "Promise you will not be too rash, William Ortell." I put a hand on his shoulder.

"When have you ever known me to be rash?" I could sense a look from Gatha and Rex, and sighed. "I'll do my best to be careful, but I can't promise anything."

"I suppose that is all I can ask, then." Iravek said. "Just remember the magic I taught you."

"I will." I said. Gatha gestured for me to come over. As I did, she fluttered up by me.

"Hey kiddo, you still in one piece?" She asked. There was an almost motherly concern in her voice. I rolled out one of my shoulders, rubbing at my sore muscles.

"As much in one piece as I can be, given. Ran into the local wildlife on the way here. Gave us a bit of a run for our money." She pursed her lips as she gave me a disappointed look. "Listen, it was Luccia and me facing one of those damned things. If I could have gone any easier on myself, I would have!" I winced at the pain in my joints. "Believe me..."

"I believe ya. I just... ah, I dunno." She rubbed the back of her neck, the wrinkles on her face growing more apparent in the light. "Listen, kid, I care about you, ya know? Won't admit it to anyone else, but I worry about you from time to time." I gave her a lighthearted smile, patting her on the back.