Kile of Zumada

38. Before the Door

It took a day to get from Callan's house to the Bunker, just as she said it would. Telling time underground was a strange thing. Many people carried watches, trinkets constructed by the Metalbound that used a marked dial face and rotating arrows to tell the time. But they worked by a spring uncompressing itself, and would have to be wound frequently or they'd stop working and would become useless. Some areas had their luxite crystals enchanted to dim at night, but this was a controversial decision - the entire point of them was to help people on their travels through the dark, and turning them off defeated that purpose. The best option was to rely on the smell and sounds. In the days the sounds of mining and forging and travel could be heard, and at night those sounds would be replaced with the calls of skitterbugs, leatherwings and if you were unlucky, cave scuttlers. A mildewy smell also became much stronger at night

Callan had been a gracious guest, talking to the party and telling them the story of how the Iron Clan had made it a point to explore the world for whatever bits of tech they could, to help better the world. Unfortunately most of what they found was beyond their ability to operate, but it was how they knew about the Bunker - and until they figured it out, they wouldn't tell so it couldn't be misused. She was making a pretty dangerous exception in this case, but one she saw as worth it - and as Chaos Exemplar, anyone who found out about it would probably think twice before holding her accountable for it.

It was night now, as they approached the sealed doors of the Bunker. The area around it had been excavated, showing shining metal walls of a material unknown to any Ludian. The Bunker itself seemed to take a large circular shape, at least from here.

"We did it," Kile said. "We finally made it. This can finally be over."

Lija scoffed, "thank the moon."

Kile finally snapped, whipping around towards her, "Look, what is your problem?! I get that you're upset that I'm not a blood thirsty murderer, but you need to get over yourself."

Lija's cheeks turned red, "do I?" She said, "I wasn't the one who left my friends to die."

Callan shook her head. "It looks like you children need your space. I'll go check the perimeter, make sure there are no nasty surprises for us."

She left, following the circle of the Bunker.

"Left you to die!?" He snapped. "I never left! I was trying to stop them from killing you!"

"No, you were not," Lija spat back, "you were spouting useless words."

"Calm down, calm down, everyone," Alora said. "Lija, I think it's very clear that him not joining in the fight hurt you a lot. I think what he's trying to ask is why it hurt you so much."

Kile nodded, a bit exasperated "yes, thank you Alora."

Lija took in a breath, "I don't know how you do things here, but in my home, it is a responsibility of yours to protect the ones you love. Failing to raise arms in their defense means you abandon them, and the only reason you abandon a comrade is if you think they're a hindrance, a problem. To survive, everyone must work together - and if they're a hindrance, they're literally worth less than the dirt beneath your feet."

She raised her hand and pointed to the brand, her right pointing to the left.

"Being abandoned? Having the ones I loved reject me, think I am lesser? It is a feeling I am very familiar with."

"I had no idea..." Kile said.

Lija hung her head in shame, "I know. You couldn't possibly. Yet it still hurt...I should have told you all the way back in Coal City. I should have told you at the Imperial City."