Lightning and Starlight

Through the Base

Findae stepped forward, crossing her arms. "Are you seriously questioning me, Adam? Koen and his trusted men are all gone. They all went to the meeting and rally. I have word from Koen that he wants his plaything taken downstairs to be fed and drenched in the pure water he had laid out for tonight. My orders were to do so at exactly midnight. You are making us late. If Koen is enraged by the late carry out of his orders, I will direct him to you."

The guard looked uneasy at first, but as Findae continued her speech, he paled. "Of course," he said when she finished. "I am so sorry. Go right ahead. Kian, you have your card for the elevator, right? That will be faster. I'll alert the guards there to let you by without any problems."

"Thank you, Adam," Findae said, moving her hair behind her back. She walked past him. Neera followed. Kian followed behind her.

They took a right, ducking through another hallway. Neera strained to see in front of her in the darkness.

The three escapees stopped in front of a suspended black layer in the dark wall. Electric blue swirls flashed through the layer, buzzing with energy and excitement. Kian stepped forward and tapped a card on a bright blue circle in the middle. The layer collapsed into the circle. A black cubicle appeared behind the layer.
Findae stepped through. Neera and Kian followed.

Neera gripped the walls as the elevator shifted down, pulling Neera's heart up to her head. Kian looked at her, a slight smile on his face. Neera felt her face grow hot in embarrassment and anger.

The cubicle screeched to a halt. They left the elevator, and the circle closed behind them, taking the elevator back up to another floor.

Neera gazed around the main floor of the base as Kian and Findae walked with her towards the right, away from the doors. Two guards stood on either side of the doors to freedom.

The walls were tall, higher than two stories. They were a metallic black, but sharp bolts of electric blue bounced around them, shooting from one black, square tile to another.

Paintings littered the walls, elegant and majestic. All told some tale in the color blue. Whales, waves, winter scenes, flowers, water, birds, eyes, skies, crystals, satin, jellyfish, blueberries... so much blue. All the paintings were detailed and marvelous. Neera could have stared at each for hours.

A small painting stuck out. The little canvas was positioned near one of the back walls, far away from the door. It was a detailed painting of purple lighting.

But it looked as though someone had splattered red paint all over it. Black littered the painting, mimicking holes. Pulsing electric blue shifted in the black, trapped.

Neera felt a chill run down her back.

Findae paused in front of a back door. She waited for a moment until someone crept out of the shadows of the hallway. It was a child, bright green eyes and electric red hair. His skin was pale, and his eyes looked sunken, striking out against his sharp cheekbones. Neera felt the urge to take the small boy away with them.

Findae bent down. The boy cupped his hand against her ear and whispered, handing her a dull gray band. Findae lightly kissed the top of the boy's head before standing up. He scampered away, his bare feet pattering along the cold tile floor.

Findae held the band up against the door. It clicked open. The three stepped inside. Kian wrinkled his nose at the room they had stepped into.

The walls were dark and battered, peeling paint collecting on the floor like ash. Multiple doors lined the back wall of the room. An older lady sat in a chair. She stared at them with wide eyes as they entered. She noticed Neera, and her jaw dropped.