The Ancients

Chapter 12

They were woken early, before the sun had even started to rise. Liam was getting himself ready for watch when Oasid told them to get on their feet and that they were leaving. So, they brushed the snow off of themselves and rubbed the sleep out of their eyes.

Ryland emerged from the shadows as Liam threw snow onto the remains of the fire. He stood up next to Vipin and stared down the elf who he used to consider his friend, now a stranger in his eyes. He had never been particularly close to the Nixan Elf, by any means, but he didn't know him to be this cruel. How quickly two decades could change someone. Ryland fidgeted with the strap to his quiver with his stormy eyes on the ground.

Good. Vipin thought, she didn't have the energy to fight him. The hunger gnawing inside her was exhausting enough. Oasid lit his pipe and they followed him in silence, Ryland following behind them at a distance. The hunger gnawing at their insides made their legs feel like bricks that were tied to their ankles. A hollow feeling feeding their irritation, their patience finding new lows. The sky was just starting to glow a faint orange when they started to approach the base of the first mountain of a group of three.

Liam and Vipin had noticed they'd been getting closer to the mountains, but it made no sense for this to be their destination. A few mountains on the edge of the continent had no importance to them or their self-appointed mission. Yet, here they were standing at the foot of the first mountain in silence as the first slivers of the sun crawled its way over the horizon.

What were they to do now?

The pair exchanged a confused look and Vipin rubbed her gloved hands together. Oasid looked to the east, taking a long drag off of his pipe and looked back at the mountain. "No questions now that we're here?" He asked.

"And where is here exactly?" Liam retorted; his eyebrow raised at the mage.

"Now, Prince Ivalo, I know you've been taught the continent's map and that these are the Draconedis Mountains."

"And what are we supposed to do? Liam can't climb," Vipin added, her left ear twitching, irritation slipping into her voice. Ryland chuckled under his breath, and she glared at him from the side of her eye.

"No one is climbing Ser Vipin," Oasid responded reaching forward and clearing a section of snow off the mountain in front of him. "Now where is... Oh there!" He mumbled to himself, pressing his hand against a perfectly spherical rock and pushing it. The mountain gave a small grumble, but rocks scrapped together as a large piece of the mountainside shifted off to the left giving way to a large tunnel into the mountain.

Vipin looked up at Liam and they exchanged a perplexed look. It almost reminded them of their castle in the Kairne mountain back in Aurum. Except their castle mountain had large wooden doors and well-lit hallways, not a secret entrance and eerily dark tunnels. Oasid stepped inside, barely lit by the sunlight behind him. Oasid took a deep breath clapping his hands together, upon his exhale he extended his arms, and lanterns that were mounted to the columns holding up the massive tunnels came to life.

"Much better," Oasid said with a satisfied smile placing his hands on his hips. He did not look back as he advanced down the massive tunnel, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Ryland followed him silently, but the pair stood outside the entrance uncertainly.

Liam couldn't place it, but something felt wrong. It started in the pit of his stomach, the unsettling feeling refusing to waiver even for his hunger. There was no room for anything else in his abdomen, starting to make his chest flutter. Something was going to go awry; he could feel it. Almost like the wind was whispering, begging him to turn back.

Vipin grabbed his hand, "Where you go, I go."

The corner of Liam's mouth turned upwards, "Always." Then, after taking a steadying breath, Vipin led them into the mountain following Oasid down the tunnels. The door closed almost immediately after they stepped over the threshold, making them jump from surprise.