cascade | kotlc

14. The Compass of Camaraderie

 "Step aside," Sandor ordered, pushing past them as he drew his curved black sword. June's saber was fully extended too. It glinted in the faint light as it stretched halfway across the gate. "Everyone stay behind me."

He threw open the gate and started down the narrow zigzagging stairway that cut a path down the steep cliff to the sandy cove below. June descended in midair, scanning the waves for any potential threats. For some reason Sandor respected June as a fighter. He believed she could take care of herself.

Unlike Sophie.

Her legs still didn't want to cooperate. She was surprised June could use her Gusting at all. Her Telepathy was going awry, flashing images of her kidnapping and the people standing above her, ready to kill Dex and June.

Dex's didn't seem to be working either.

They reached the largest cave. June pointed her saber at the cavern, flipping over a loose rock that collapsed, spraying them with loose sand. She dispelled it with her air.

"Come on, guys," Keefe said, nudging his way between them and hooking his arms through theirs. "Gigantor and June's got us covered."

Sophie tried to believe him. Dex dropped his arm and backed up. "I'm sorry -- I can't. I..."

Hey, Sophie said, waiting for him to look at her. "It's okay. You don't have to. Just wait here."

June pulled out her three elemental crystals and set them on the ground near Dex. "Whatever you do, do not touch these. They will maintain a hurricane that will act as a wall. If you touch them..." she mimiced an explosion.

He nodded, looking paler than before.

"The wall will protect us," she said. "But I'm going to set it so nothing can get in, or out. Do not, in any circumstances, approach the wall, unless both Sandor and I have given you direct, verbal permission. You will see the wall as a shimmer in the air. It appears harmless, but if you touch it... let's hope you're launched towards the ocean, or else... splat." She waited until everyone nodded before she touched the top crystal.

Nothing seemed to happen. Suddenly there was a whoosh and the air seemed to lift up like a curtain, and the ocean distorted as they looked through the warped air.

Sandor raised his sword and pointed it into the cave. "You may enter."

"This is for Alden," Sophie whispered as she took a step forward. Then another. Sandor and Keefe started to follow but she held out her arms. "I'd rather do this one with only my sister, if that's okay? I'll call if I need you." June nodded and came over, staring into the cave. It was eerily dark, half-lit by the sun outside. The hurricane wall didn't help matters. The light that passed through was bent and deformed, projecting intersecting lines of light onto the walls.

She didn't know what was waiting for her in there, but she wanted to face it on her own. She was tired of being afraid.

Her heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the roar of the ocean, but the sharp whistling of June's saber echoed throughout the cave. Shadow danced along the walls and across the packed sandy floor, criss-crossing with the beams of diffracted light. Her eyes were drawn to the spot where she'd collapsed to cry. Right before the arms had reached out and-

She was dimly aware of the thump, thump, thump, beating, beating, so fast. Her muscles tensed and refused to move as the shadows blurred and formed into a person, and she screamed, trembled and the cave started to spin-

"Hey, you're fine," June said gently, shaking her face. "You're fine. You have me. We'll be fine."

She jerked out of her panic attack, breathing heavily in June's arms. The shadowy figure disappeared and June set her down against a rock.