Ruins In The End (We Three Mages, Book Two)

Chapter Twelve: Beneath the Sands

The newly formed group got up early the next morning and moved out. The Mages mostly stood around and watched, unsure on how to help out.

"Miss Lara!" Devin ran up to the woman, "is there anything I can help you with?" Devin gave her an innocent smile.

"Stay out of my way," she growled in response.

"Rude," Mari coughed to her friends.

"To her, were strangers taking advantage of Kyree for our own purposes." Calvin shrugged.

"But that is what we're doing though." Jared clarified.

"Never said she was wrong," Calvin winked.

"Shh!" Nadia placed her finger over her mouth. "Someone might hear you nitwits."

"Would love to see you talk your way out of that one," Mari chuckled.

"We're moving out," Kyree came up to the five. "I suggest you all saddle up don't fall behind."

"Thank you for the warning," Mari politely said to him. "But you wouldn't be able to get rid of us even if you tried."

"For some reason, I don't doubt that," Kyree smiled.

"Devin, take the horse, I'll walk," Jared handed the boy the reigns.

"No! I don't need to." Devin shook his head. "I'm fine walking."

"Don't be so stubborn and get on the horse," Jared placed a hand on Devin and teleported him on to the animal, which it didn't like very much.

"Gah!" Devin struggled for control as the horse tried to buck him off.

"Hang tight!" Jared was doing his best not to laugh. "Still getting used to teleporting someone without me as a navigator!"

"I'm so going to get you for this!" Devin yelled at his friend as he calmed the horse down.

"You all seem close," Kyree smiled at them. They all froze because they had forgotten he was there.

"Yeah, we've been together for a while now," Calvin slowly spoke. "If you can't trust the people you're travelling with, who can you trust?"

"Fair point my new friend," Kyree answered.  "Now, shall we head out?"

"Sounds good to me," Mari jumped up onto her horse. "Devin, did you and your stead make up yet?"

"It's Jared fault..." Devin grumbled.

The five walked alongside the outside of Kyree's group and continued to swap stories from the time spent apart from one another. The peaceful bliss didn't last long as the ground began to shake. There was no forewarning, just as the L'Agode Desert was as still as a calm sea, it roared to life as soon as disaster befell it.

"Earthquake! Come off the horses!" Lara commanded everyone. Jared helped everyone off their horses as the ground grew more violent. No one could take more than two steps without falling over themselves.

"Wertu," Balance, Jared whispered underneath his breath. He placed his feet firmly on the ground and looked to see Nadia and Mari had done the same. "The horses are getting away!" Jared shouted over the noise.

"After them!" Lara tried to run, but ended up with a twisted her ankle instead.

"Stay, I shall get them," Kyree rested a hand on her shoulder then went after the horses the best he could.

"We'll go to," Mari motioned for her brother and friend to follow, "Calvin, Devin! Make sure no one else is hurt."

"Aye Aye ma'am!" Calvin saluted her then bounced off to help everyone.