Runaway Angel

16. Waterboy to the rescue, I think.

YUKITARO

I sunk into the armchair beside Inoya at Ishimi's. She slipped into a deep sleep in no time.

Ishimi burst through the door, breathless. He was shouldering our bags, inside them were thick, oversized books and scrolls. "Get Inoya. We need to get away from here, now. Go!" He panicked as he blocked the doorway with stones.

I grasped Inoya's arm and took her on a piggyback. She was damn light weighed.

I mind-controlled some water from my glass satchel to materialize under my feet and rode it. "Keep going straight," Ishimi yelled at me. "I'll catch up."

I rode as fast as my mind worked, which is pretty fast if I say so myself, and kept Inoya from falling. Her wings were pulling me down. Her loose bandages slapped my face.

We got to the market circle and finally crossed the border. Something zoomed past and crashed in front of me creating a massive crater that lead deep into the earth. I abruptly stopped, which was a bad idea, and Inoya slipped and plopped to the floor and lay in a black heap. I dispersed the water disc and ran to her side.

She was still asleep and not injured. How did she manage to land on her head without any problem, I do not know.

From the crater, Ishimi called my name. I peeked into the cavity he created. A bottomless hole that extended beyond what I could see. I took Inoya and lifted her with one arm under her knees and one arm behind her back, under her wing. This was a more convenient way to lift her.

"I'll raise a platform. Just jump when I tell you." Ishimi shouted out. 

"Jump now." He signaled after a while. I blindly trusted him and hopped without a second thought. As expected I landed on a piece of stone which hovered down till I reached Ishimi's level.

It was probably more than 100 meters down (about 328 feet). The heat was unbearable and the humid air burned my lungs. The pressure bothered my ears and left a screeching sound the deeper I went. Inoya seems to sleep through all of it just fine.

"You don't look too good, Yukitaro. We can elevate higher." His concerned tone brought peace to this dark hole. The ground shifted and we rose a few meters. "I can't go any higher right now, its a danger zone here." He inspected the sky from here and blocked the top.

We stood in a pitch-black cavity about 40 meters (131 feet) below ground. Ishimi lighted a match and set a candle alight. Something shifted all around us, but I couldn't quite tell what. The ground below us dissolved and metal floors appeared. The walls and ceiling changed to silver too. 

"Now," Ishimi faced me, his face looking evil in the golden fire. "I will tell you about Inoya now." He unwrapped a green sheet, spread it on the floor and sat down, cross-legged, and placed a cushion for Inoya. I set Inoya down on the pillow. She curled into a ball as soon as she lay down. I sat opposite him.

"We are in a cavity no one can see, feel or hear. I'll inform you about certain things you may need to know. You may ask doubts."

Ishimi clapped once and the metal compartment started to move.

"I do have a few questions," I burst out. "Firstly, why did we run away from your mom?" "Straight to the point I see. Ah yes, we had to evacuate because my mother took the king's side. The king demands to exterminate Inoya, for she is a threat to him. Once mother took sides, she moved her pieces and tried to corner her. But you are the Queen who rescued the king of the chessboard." Ishimi sketched on the metal floor, carving and making marks like hot iron. "Ironic."