The Demon Sword: Sorataki

Chapter 3: Cliff's opening

Is it born from the planet or a demon? Is it hostile?

Going by its demeanor alone it did not look like it cared much for them. Good thing too since its sheer size would have proved it a taxing obstacle.

"Want to change our route?" Andrew whispered breaking the awed silence.

Natalie held hers a bit longer as she mulled it over. Just then though the mist two more moving cliff faces came into view making for a kind of heard.

"We can't keep track of the van and fight them off if they attack us," he continued.

"Then we alter our path," Natalie said eyes pointing forward. Likely keeping an eye on the van even now.

Circling around the large unknowns the two of them continued tailing the van through the mountains. They stop under the cover of a large boulder as they watch the van make a stop by a large cliff some ways ahead.

Passing though the other side of the valley of mountains laid nothing but a blank canvas of rock on all sides but behind them. Baffled by this random location in which it stopped they watch onwards in silence.

At first nothing, the van remained where it was in front of the cliff face. But suddenly the front of the walls split asunder slowly opening into a deep dark void home to the sinister. The two watched in amazement as the rock wall opened wider and wider. The ground rippled as the rock face slid across the ground to reveal its secrets.

Andrew was taken aback by the sight of it.

He knew that the people they were after were likely hidden in plain sight but this? Looking over to Natalie who also held a shocked expression to what she was looking at he gathered that this was her first time seeing something so discreet. After a full minute of gawking the van had already driven through the cliff and the face as the walls begin to make it's slow and steady pace closing.

Andrew snapping out of it stood up from his prone position. The gate was closing slowly and he knew they needed to move in order to reach it before it was too late.

"It's now or never. We doing this or what?" Andrew said expecting that to be enough to snap her back to the goal but she remained silent. With his eyes narrowed Andrew looked over at her. It was then that he noticed that it was not just awe that kept her, it was fear.

Her daved eyes clearly lost in haunted memories. Pupils lost in a swirl of pain and torment. Face paralyzed and mouth ajar as if she was not even there no more but some place else, her thousand yard stare tugged at an old wound at his chest reminding them of how feeble he was, how feeble that old reality was. Gritting his teeth he shoved that swelling feeling aside.

"Natalie?!" Andrew shouted, his voice finally reaching her.

Blinking repeatedly at him for a moment she quickly got her bearings once again. Seeing that the opening was slowly but surely closing up her eyes widened in realization. They won't make it unless they run and fast!

Likely spurred on by this notion she in an instant dug her feet into the solid earth and kicked herself into high gear.

"Let's go!" She demanded in mid sprint as she began running for the cliff.

Making tracks just behind her he soon caught up.

At full speed, they ran for the closing cliff but as they got closer so did Andrew's hope of making it. Knowing that she has come to the same conclusion and still does not attempt to fly tipped him off that she was holding back to make sure that he is not left behind and that ate at him.

He came on this journey to be of assistance to her. Not to get in her way. And now younger children lives are at stake because of him. Gritting his teeth and swallowing his pride he steels himself for what he was about to say.