Only The Beginning

Vault Twelve

Olive felt like she was being ripped apart piece by piece, she saw flashes of light and places as they traveled, but nothing to indicate where they were going. It was over almost as quickly as it had begun, almost. With a loud snap they crashed onto the rough ground, Olive sliding a bit across gravel as her landing came in sideways.

Pain.

That was all she felt as the ringing in her ear was coming to a dull hum, scrapes and scratches littered her arms and legs where rocks dug into her skin. Groaning as she tried to get her head to stop spinning, she finally opened her eyes after the nausea in her stomach settled.

She slowly sat up when she noticed the professor was speaking to her, asking if she was alright. When she didn't answer in words, but in moans and groans he shoved a small green vial in front of her face, urging her to drink it.

"Wiggenweld potion, drink quickly, you'll feel much better." He said, a little exasperated from the rough landing.

Olive grabbed at the vial, looking at him for a moment before throwing her head back and drinking the potion in one shot. The liquid was sweet and had a faint taste of apple with a bitterness at the end. She felt a warmness sweep over her as the pain soothed to barely an ache. The scratches over her body slowly started to close, leaving unmarked skin behind.

As she took a deep breath, she picked herself up off the floor while the professor was drinking his own potion. "I know I'm new to this, but something tells me that wasn't normal." She said in disbelief the events just moments ago were playing over in her head. Her thoughts immediately going to George, the sound of his bones crushing still clear in her mind, she shivered.

Professor Fig gazed at the ceiling for a moment "Oh George, I can't believe he's gone..." his sadness turned to frustration "What was wrong with that dragon!? I've never seen anything like it! Attacking a carriage in the air, this was no typical dragon." He paced around in circles and shook his head trying to make sense of it all.

Olive looked at her mentor with pity, he had just lost another person all in the span of a few months. "Professor... Where are we?" she questioned trying to distract him. They were in a cave of some sorts, stalactites hung from the ceiling like icicles dripping water into the pools below. A wind was pulling them toward the mouth of the cave not far from where they stood, almost like it was calling to her.

Fig sighed deeply "I can't say for certain, but what I do know is that key was a portkey, an item that's enchanted to drop one off at a specific location. And this one brought us here, but why?" he made his way to the entrance pulling out his wand and motioning her to follow him "Stay close, we never know what may be lurking ahead."

As they grew closer, she heard a sound that was familiar to her, ocean waves crashing on the rocks around them. The sea breeze whipped through her hair and clothes, the smell of salt in the air. Across the water were what looked to be castle ruins, long abandoned and left to crumble.

"We're somewhere in the Scottish Highlands!" Fig yelled above the wind.

"Sir, the ruins, do you think that- "she was cut off.

"Is where the portkey was meant to lead us to? I do. Quickly now, let's see if we can get closer, but be careful, the rock may be unsteady."

The pair hurried along the faded path and Olive tried not to trip over loose rocks. They climbed ledge after ledge slowly making their way around the bend of the mountain, Olive thought it would never end.

I didn't realize I would be getting a workout today; I would have worn better clothing she thought exasperatedly as she threw her body up and over yet another plateau, skirt getting caught on rock as she did so. She allowed herself to just lay there for a moment to catch her breath, Fig wouldn't admit it, but he needed some time as well, he was no spring chicken after all.