Genesis

Chapter 18: Trauma

His body began to tremble as it scoured itself for the last of the reserves to keep him moving. He lifted his hands, slowing his pace, and watched them as they blurred in and out of focus and began to shake even more, the tremor it caused making them increasingly uncontrollable. He felt numb, and cold.

"Eyra?" Aeron asked questioningly as his vision continued to blur and fade in and out of blackness. He received no response, or maybe he just failed to hear it. "Eyra?" He asked again, slightly frightened and confused of his surroundings. Why was he in a tunnel? Where was he? Who was the person in front of him?

"Prince? What is wrong?" Eyra responded, drawing close and examining his face. Aeron jumped back, almost tripping over his own feet in his muddled state of mind. He felt for the sword at his side and attempted to grab at it, but his hands were too numb, and the sword to slippery for him to grip it tightly enough. It slipped through his fingers as he drew it and it dropped, tolling like a bell on the ground. The metallic sound startled him and he covered his ears and fell to his knees. Aeron closed his eyes tightly and tried to drown out his surroundings in hopes that everything would go away and leave him be.

"Aeron," a voice said softly and comfortingly. "Aeron," it said again. "Hold on my Prince, hold on."

Prince? What Prince? Was the voice referring to him? Was he the Prince? He felt the abrupt sensation of being lifted off of the ground and cradled firmly in the grip of two strong arms. His body felt weightless, but he was comfortable. He rested his head on the shoulder of the one carrying him and looked up into her golden eyes. Her black hair shimmered as it flowed out behind her. She was running, sprinting more like. He couldn't figure out why though. His consciousness faded in and out at random intervals. Sometimes his eyes were able to focus and he could clearly see the woman in golden armor that was carrying him. She felt safe and strong. She would protect him, no doubt, if danger came. At other times he felt weightless, like a feather, a feather, like a bird! Yes, like he was flying through these tunnels. Tunnels?

They were no longer tunnels, he noticed. They were at the end. It was a small apse that housed a ladder and a trap door. His consciousness drifted again as he was being lifted up the ladder. He felt small and frail, clutching for dear life to the woman carrying him. He was an infant once more, relying on the strength of another to sustain him. He didn't mind. He was safe. He was warm. Was this woman his mother? No, no, his mother was gone wasn't she. Gone.

"Where is my mother? Where is Adara?" Aeron asked the woman, a tear falling from his eye. "Did you take her away?" He asked with tears in his eyes. His mouth began to quiver and tears started to flow freely from the blue streams of his eyes.

"No, my Prince," the women said, clutching him close. "It was not I."

"Stay with me?" He asked.

"I am here. I will not leave," she consoled him as his eyes continued to tear up.

They were now in a room with a hatch on the floor. Had they not just come from the hatch? The room was small, but still seemed spacious. Dust-ridden boxes and barrels had been piled up on the far right wall, taking up the majority of the used space. The other space was being used up by objects that Aeron couldn't quite make out in the blur of his vision. Some were long and spindly, others were short and fat. Maybe they were some sort of weapons. The room lacked windows, and was only illuminated by a strange silver light that patiently floated near the room's low ceiling.

"Aeron, my Prince," the calm voice intoned once more, removing Aeron from his thoughts. "My Prince, I am going to need you to try your best and focus. Can you do this? I need your help."

"O-o-kay," He managed to stutter out.

"We are in a room," the women explained. "You told me about this room. It is a secret room within the western wall, on the cities edge. Do you remember?" the woman asked.

He racked his mind, trying to remember, but nothing was coming.

"Try and remember, young one."

"I...I am trying." No matter how hard he tried, Aeron could not focus, were they trapped?

"It is okay, child. Take your time."

She was so calm, and comforting. It brought tears to his eyes again, knowing that he may not be able to help her. His emotions were all out of place. There was nothing to focus on.

"Aeron."

It was as if she sensed it. She could feel his attention slipping even further.

"Look into my eyes, young one."

Aeron turned his head and stared into the deepness of her golden eyes. They returned the gaze welcomingly as they too delved deep into his own.

"Now think, my Prince. Think of this place, remember it," her eyes flashed blue, a split second of focus returned to him.

"One of the walls by the boxes," Aeron said instantly. "Push against the one closest to us." He fell back into his confusion as the power that kept him stable flushed away. It had only been a temporary fix. It was not meant to sustain him indefinitely, but he would need something that could soon.

She continued to hold onto him securely as she walked over to the left side of the boxes and shoved against the wall. The entrance had not been used in a very long time, maybe not since it had been built, but its builders knew what they were doing and had constructed it well. It opened smoothly; besides the initial quiet boom that sounded as it broke free of its ancient binding, its opening was silent.

"We will be safe soon, young one. Hold on until then. I will keep you close," Aeron heard the woman say as she moved out into the dusk that was quickly falling over the city. It would give them cover. Aeron's eyes blurred one final time before he closed them and fell into a deep sleep in the comforting, motherly arms of the one who held him.