~DeLacy♠️
'I don't get it. I know that was real! But how?' I contemplate for the umpteenth time.
I was pacing in front of Ra'za, who was laying on the bed. After I convinced Bak and Iras into letting me out of the infirmary I was brought to a large room with a single king sized bed. To light the room an oil fire was placed in a semi-deep cut out in the wall that ran from one side of the door around the room and disappearing back into the door on the other side.
One would think that would make the room reek, but the entire place was riddled with an intricate ventilation system. Not electric of course but the way they were crafted into each room made the air come in one way causing air flow in that direction and there would be another vent that caught the air and pulled it back out.
I stop pacing at the end of the bed and plop down making Ra'za bounce and meow her disapproval at me. Ignoring the ornery cat, I start stroking her pelt and scratching behind her ears causing her to purr happily.
I sigh as my train of thought continues to replay the feelings and sensations over again in my head. Everyone had been insistent on knowing what had happened, and I wanted to tell them, but I couldn't explain it, I couldn't get the words to come out of my mouth. Something was keeping me from telling them, like it was something only I should know.
Stella had been the most persistent in asking me question after question. Every other one was, "Are you okay? Are you sure?" ,or something to that extent.
I got up and resumed paced back and forth for I don't know how long before I heard a knock on my door. Looking to the side I call, "Come in."
The heavy stone door opened slightly and Iras' head pops in, "Dinner is ready. I will show you the way." she motions for me to follow her.
Her Arabic accent was very thick making it a bit harder to understand her than Bak but I could still manage to figure it out.
I follow her out the door, shutting it behind me and start walking after her down the corridor. I follow her around several twist and turns until we come to a large entryway with no doors that leads into a huge room. Hundreds of people were talking and laughing, milling about huge stone tables carved right out of the floor.
I stay frozen just outside the entryway but that doesn't keep people from noticing me. As a few around the room glance around and see me the rest of the group starts to notice my presence as well. A hush falls over the room. All of them are looking at me, the adults with looks of joy and awe, while the children and teenagers look confused and cautious.
Awkwardly nodding my head I duck down and scan the room for anyone I know.
Spotting Eric sitting by himself as the Anu seemed to flow around him as if some invisible force field was surrounding him forcing them away. Not knowing what else to do I walk with Iras to get my food. As I walk I can feel the stares of everyone following me like I'm a little green martian.
The food is laid out on a large table to one side of the room. Iras grabs two plates and starts putting food on one before handing it to me. Gingerly taking the offered plate I give an awkward nod of gratitude before turning to make my way to where Eric is sitting.
Stepping forward the people before me part like the Red Sea as I walk by making me feel even more uncomfortable. I almost run to Eric's side and sit with him hoping whatever repellant he's using will work for me as well.
~Stella🌘
'Dear Lucia these people are scary! It's like they watch your every move trying to see what you'll do next and it is creeping me the fuck out.'
I had a feeling they didn't like Eric or I as they kept a distance from us when we walked by. The only two Anu here that didn't seem to mind our presence were DeLacy, who was sitting next to Eric at a table as everyone in the room stared at her, 'Fuckin' creeps stop eye rapping her like a bunch of psychopaths.' ,and Valora who was standing next to me giving me a glare and motioning me over to the table with Eric and DeLacy.
As we walked over through the sea of people I go to sit across from Eric but am non too gently shoved down into the one in front of DeLacy instead. Looking at the culprit I see none-other then Valora sitting beside me in front of Eric. A look of complete innocence on her face like she did absolutely nothing.
Glaring at her I take the hint and try to act nice. Which is easier said then done when a room filled with hundreds of people are all looking at you.
Looking at the rest of the table Eric looks scared, DeLacy looks confused like she doesn't know what to do, I'm on edge and jumpy, but it's when I look over at Valora that I get a little scared myself. She looked ticked.
We all start eating our dinner of bread and what tasted like goat meat but I'm not sure despite the unnerving silence. The whole room was so quiet I could hear the collective heartbeats of the rooms occupants.
Hearing a loud exasperated huff slash snarl from beside me I look over to see a murderous looking Valora shoving to her feet so hard her chair goes flying backwards, eyes glowing an angry red.
"Can we help you with something?!" Her voice loud and angry as she addressed the room at large. "No? Then stop starring like a bunch of half wit chihuahuas and start eating!" She yells at them.
This effectively gets all of them moving, only sparing us quick glances before looking away again. If anyone stared too long they were met by a ferocious glare from Valora.
I look at DeLacy and mouth, "Well someone's on their time of the month." This elicits a bout of laughter from her witch she quickly covers up with a cough.
She looks at me, eyes dancing with amusement, as she just shakes her head as if to say, 'What am I gonna do with you?' In response I just shrug my shoulders and start tearing into my goat meat.
"Where do they get this food from if they're all hiding?" DeLacy ask out of the blue looking at her plate in confusion. 'Huh? Where do they get it?' I suddenly realize I don't know either.
"Oh! It's so cool! I'll show you after dinner. Y'all are gonna love it!" Valora pipes up excitedly.
Fake coughing under my breath I say, "Bipolar." Causing an outburst of laughter from Eric and DeLacy and earning me a smack on the arm from Valora.
"Meany." She pouts.
Rolling my eyes I see DeLacy trying so hard not to laugh at us. After her laughter subsides she diverts her attention back to her food, as does Eric. Starting to follow suit I feel a jab in my ribs. Look over at Valora with a furrowed brow as to why she elbowed me. She gives me a cocky look that screams, 'Told ya so.'
Shaking my head I ignore her and go back to finishing my food.
🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
After the whole dinner incident no one looked at us for more then a few seconds. 'Why are they so scared of Valora, I mean yeah she can be scary as fuck like she was when that hunter escaped, but this is insane? Most of these people are either twice her size or age or both. And they're acting like Sidonis himself was holding a serrated knife to their throats.'
Walking behind said girl DeLacy at my side and Eric behind us, we made our way through dark tunnels lit by a torch every-so-often.
We had been on a steady decline the whole way. The farther we went down the more tense I became. 'Did it have to be so far down?' I think to myself. I could practically fell the mounds of sand and rock weighing down above my head ready to collapse and bury me underground trapped and suffocating.
"You okay?" A voice whispers in my ear making me jump and turn to the speaker. "Are you okay?" DeLacy ask again, worry creasing her forehead as she looks at me.
"Fine." I force out through the lump in my through, trying to catch my breath. Turning away from her I try not to focus on the walls all around me or the fact I was hundreds of feet below the ground.
"Lier." She calls me out in a hushed whisper.
Taking a deep breath, "I'm claustrophobic." I confide, my voice sounding horse and strained.
Nodding her head she looks back down the path and without a word slides her hand into mine and softly squeezes.
Looking over at her, her face is blank of emotion. My gaze then drops to our joined hands. Her hand barely gripped mine but she was still holding my hand none the less.
I could feel my heart rate slowing down and my breathing become deeper and steadier as the panic slowly subsides and I can finally take my first full breath since climbing down that ladder into this place.
The heat between us is so faint it's barely there. I squeeze her hand for comfort and to allow my heart to slow down farther with each slow breath I take.
"Still scared?" She whispers to me in a low voice.
"Not anymore. No." I answer back just ask quiet.
Her lip twitches just the tiniest bit, so small I thought I imagined it but then I felt my hand get the slightest bit warmer.
Trying not to smile like a fool I look ahead to see a light far too bright to be a torch.
As we continue, the light gets brighter as we near the end of the long winding tunnel until I'm squinting at the mixture of blinding light and intense heat.
Shielding my eyes as we step out into a relatively large narrow cavern I look out to see a huge crack right through one of the walls. Lava covered most of the floor area with only a stone path along the wall leading to the large crack just big enough to not be narrow but not big enough to feel all too safe walking down the middle.
"Cool, no?" Valora pipes up hands on hips and a grin on her face.
"What is it?" I ask. Looking at the river of molted rock.
"It's an exposed fault line." She answers motioning to the cavern around them, "Yeah, if you get on a fault line and go down far enough you hit the magma coming up from the Earths mantel without going all the way through the crust." She explains.
"How does that affect the food we were eating?" DeLacy ask still curious where the food came from.
"Oh yeah! Follow me." Valora instructs trotting off toward the crack.
Coming into another much larger chamber this one is covered in odd reddish green plants.
"What are those?" DeLacy voices my thoughts.
"Not a clue but it's edible. See." Valora points to a small heard of goats and a few cattle grazing on the quire little plants. Well I say little these things were more like huge squash plants with three to four long stems sticking strait up like wheat grain. They're leaves were huge and heart shaped with a mostly very dark greenish/maroon base color and a brighter red around the edges of each leaf.
"We ate this?" My voice ringing with exasperation. If someone were to listen close enough they might pick up on the slight tone of panic but I would deny it to my grave.
"Yup." Valora doesn't hesitate to respond. Walking over to one plant she holds up one of its thick leaf steams. "They use these for the veggie part of our diet and these," she grabs one of the stems, its end was covered in fist sized pod looking things. "To make the bread and things of that nature. See these?" She points at the pods, "These are flower buds and when they open they let out a spray of seeds and that's what they use for wheat." Her smile never faltering through out her explanation.
"One more question." DeLacy says holding up a finger with her free hand, only then does it register that we're still holding hands.
"Shoot." Valora prompts.
"How can they grow without sunlight or water?" She ask.
"Excellent question!" Valora responds, "These fuckin' plants are very fuckin' weird b'cause they don't need water to go through photosynthesis and they get their energy from the chemicals released by the magma in the other chamber." she finishes her explanation.
Narrowing my eyes at her I ask, "How do you know all this?"
"There was this guy, said he'd be willing to show me around if I liked so I said yeah sure." She answers with a shrug. Then she wrinkled up her nose as she said, "He kept hitting on me though. Dude could not take a hint."
Laughing at the other girls misfortune we continued to mill about the field of odd plants messing with cows and running from the goats.