Theocriles

Chapter 6 ~ Trapped

Talos and I supported each other whilst walking in the cave. We talked a lot about the events that had past. How my wound had healed unusually quickly and how the light of the Illumium domes went out faster than expected. My brother and I were good company for each other. We talked hours on end without either of us getting bored. Tristan would occasionally join in with our folly as Jairus and Moriah lead the way. We saw many wonders on our way; the green mushrooms grew at each stream and pools of liquid Illumium lighted our path. The solid Illumium fingered its way up the endless cold black rock. At long last we came to the rainforest which irradiated the light of the Illumium Rivers snaking through the plants and trees. There were many creatures in the forest, from the beautiful violet Glow birds to the strange bright eyed tigers whose fur was tipped with an alluring blue radiance. There were also small green bugs which circled our head in a soft glow.

We came across a circle of a network of pools capped with sheets of Illumium. They were each linked by a thin stream. There was one opening which Jairus stepped through and advanced hesitantly to the centre pool, which was the largest of them all. He knelt down by it and gently lifted something from around his neck, the pendant. It was a memorising Illumium blue that shone like the stars of old. He gently placed it in the middle of the centre pool and stood, waiting. The centre of the pools gradually began to melt away to the edges. The pendant slowly slipped into the shining abyss and soon it faded until we could no longer see it and slowly emerging from the water, a white wave ascended from the depths of the Illumium. As it rose above the water I saw that it was a woman, with hair as white as burning light. Her face was as radiant as Illumium itself and her eyes were the deepest shade of blue. She held the pendant in her slender elegant hand. She spoke in a voice as resonant as the roots of the oldest trees.

"Welcome, travellers. You have journeyed far. Please, follow me."

Around us, emerging from the pools came more women of equal beauty. One I noticed had kind brown eyes and hair the colour of the rich soil beneath my feet. At once her eyes met Talos' and she hid a smile as her eyes shone. Talos was seemingly in a trance as she followed the woman who had spoken to us. We followed her further into the forest and came across a village of small huts. We walked strait past them and none of my companions paid any attention to them. I glanced inside one and saw a group of small children, all looking terrified at something in the centre of the hut. It was another of the pools. Two women were in there with them. I stepped closer to the entrance to the hut and peered inside. One of the women took a child and slowly stepped into the pool, disappearing without a trace. I felt a gentle pull on my arm as Talos lead me on. Where were they going? I looked questioningly at my brother in but he took my free hand and led me away. We came to one such hut at the head of a hill. This hut had no pool in it but a table. The woman and two others joined us in the hut, one of them the woman that captivated Tristan. We stood around the table that was filled with maps and sheets with blocked out words.

"How much does she remember?" she asked Jairus. Her face would have been creased with concern if she was capable of it.

"Not enough. Talos couldn't get her out in time." What was he saying? Did Talos know who these people were? How could he? He said he only remembered a little. Exactly how much is a little? The woman looked at me and began to explain.

"Astra, we are the Venator. We are dimension jumpers and can come and go from world to world. My name is Immitis and I am their leader. This is Hanne and this is Diligite," she said pointing to the two women. The girl called Hanne had long fair hair, far longer than anything that I had ever seen. The other was the girl that Tristan so obviously liked, Diligite. I eagerly listened to what Immitis was saying and for now, worried about nothing more, forgetting about the children, about Talos and about everything. I was captivated, and nothing, nothing could interrupt me. I was consumed.