The Midnight: Dark Horizon

Chapter 11: At Death's Gate

     During the brief minutes that Shani and Kei rested, the rain and winds had receded, showing the starry blanket with its one bright eye high in the sky. The surrounding vortexes and water sprouts depleted their energy for the lake to reclaim back its calm nature, leaving only the chilling crystal Shani had created to float leisurely. Planks drifted away from the wreckage where the group rode on as the alternative side of the boat sank with a trail of bubbles, blooping as they popped on the surface. On the other half, Shani sat up and leaned her back against the gunwale next to Nia and Sebastian, who were still holding onto Aiden's unconscious body with their free hands. Camila's back rested on a splintered seat while she strained her drenched hair.

     Feeling herself regain some of her stamina, Shani sighed through her nose as she placed the swords back into the sheaths, "A-Alright -" Unsure of how to start, her eyes darted around, trying to come up with an explanation.

     "You said I was right, so I'm guessing you mean about the book?" Nia shifted in her place to get a better grip on Aiden with one of her eyebrows raised.

     "Yeah... it's not an easy thing to explain for m-me and before I do, you all need to promise me that you will tell nobody about this. From what I have seen, the people of Nuria don't know about this and it could be dangerous information in the w-wrong hands, okay?" With Shani petting Kei's head, she glanced at the three who were staring at her intently and nodded in unison, "Alright, well to begin with; what you read is true, Nia, and it has a name; Flow. Flow d-depends on Obliriumite to work since the energy flows from the stone through your body. As the book said, you need to have a great deal of knowledge on elements, but also runes, otherwise, i-it doesn't work." Shani pulled her hand up with the bracelet still tied to her to show them, "Flow depletes the stones similar to buildings, so once its power is gone, it turns to dust just like normal. The bigger the Flow, the m-more energy it uses from the rock."

     True to her word, two of the large beads on her bracelet were gone, leaving six left. Nia pondered about the possibilities of what Flow could be used for with excitement, "So all I need to know for Flow is how the elements work and have Obliriumite on me?"

     "It's a bit more complicated than t-that, but that is the gist of it." Shani lowered her hand. Slouched, she put her fingers on the bridge of her nose, "I can't believe I let this happen." Knowing it would not matter anymore if they saw, she raised one of her hands at the group, "Well, you already know about Flow so, let me dry us up." In a bright flash from her bracelet, warm steam rose from their bodies, clothes, and Kei's feathers, instantly drying everyone up, "T-There, that should help us from the cold."

     With amazement, Nia watched the steam drift away into the air, "Thank you! This feels a lot better than being drenched."

     The water swayed the wreck as Aiden's mind came back from the realm of sleep. Nia and Sebastian helped him up so he would not fall into the lake with the rest of the debris. He let out weak grunts as he sat with a hand on his head, still feeling a bit dazed by the hit he took. A purple bump the size of a knuckle had formed on his forehead, hindering him from holding it for too long from the pain.

     "Ugh, mah head, whit happened? Am ah dead?" Placing his head on the bump again, he groaned from the stinging sensation, "Nope, still alive ah suppose."

     "You got bonked on the head by a plank, -" Sebastian let go of his arm, seeing as he could sit by himself now, "- are you okay? What do you last remember?"

     Recollecting his thoughts, Aiden reclined himself on the other side of Nia and Sebastian, "Ah remember th' boat getting destroyed 'n' -" Upon remembering what Sebastian did, he turned to him quickly with enthusiasm, "- 'n' how ye pushed that beast back wi' a single swing! I've seen many things in mah life but that wis impressive! Is that katana enchanted?"