The Other Tide

Chapter XV

They gathered around, looking at the dark abyss that awaited them. Wind blew through their hair as the door opened, making a loud bang sound. Sariah looked up at them, waiting for whoever to go first. "Not me." Arien stepped back, raising his hands up defensively. Sariah turned her head at Cassian. "Don't look at me, ladies first." He threw her under the bus. "Such a gentlemen." She rolled her eyes, walking inside. Cassian followed in after her. As they all walked in, the door slammed behind them. It was pitch black. Just then, torches started to light. Cascading the walls, creating light again. It was dusty and sandy everywhere. Sariah looked around, a smile forming on her face. "This is something I always imagined." They proceeded down the halls, watching out for spiderwebs of course.

Soon their journey stopped when they were met with a dead end. Pictures flooded the walls, showing a scene. "What is this now?" Asked Arien, crossing his arms. "It's creating a story." Informed Akira. "A story? How is that going to help us." Arien rested his hands on his hips. Akira rolled his eyes. "What? We're at a dead end, remember?" Arien sighed. "Would you quit it?" Oxi smacked the back of his head. "Ow! What was that for?" Arien rubbed the spot on his head. "There should be a door around here." Sariah said, her hands gliding on the walls. She was mesmerized. Mohan leaned against a wall, pressing into a pressure plate. All of the sudden, part of the floor opened up. Taking Sariah,Oxi, and Akira. Mohan stepped away from the wall, closing the floor back up. "What did you do?!" Asked Cassian, stomping his foot where the door was.

The three slide down a very steep slope. Sariah was in the front, screaming. Akira yelled, while Oxi was panicking. Sariah neared the edge, falling into a pool of water. Akira splashing in right behind her. Oxi slid, catching himself on the ledge. He pulled himself up, looking down at the water. It glowed just like the water in the cave from before. Sariah emerged, gasping for air. Akira swam up, gasping for air as well. "Are you two alright down there?" Shouted Oxi. Sariah looked up at him. "Aren't you just so clever." She said sarcastically. Oxi chuckled, a smirk forming. "You know me, I'm like a cat. Allergic to water." He winked. She rolled her eyes. Akira was making his way to a shallow area. "I think I found a door." Akira called out, taking one of the torches off the wall. Sariah swam to the end, climbing up the side. Oxi swung onto another ledge, jumping down in the shallow end. His boots splashed water as he landed. "It has those markings again." Exclaimed Akira, lifting the torch closer so they could see. Oxi stood beside Sariah, water dripping off all three of them. Sariah stepped closer to the door, pressing on it. "We need to push it." She said, leaning her arm on it. She pushed as the others joined. The door slowly opened, revealing another corridor. They stood at the entrance of the door, the fire framing their faces. Oxi and Akir both looked down at Sariah who was standing in between them. Sariah looked up, turning her head both ways. She huffed, walking in first. "Cowards." She muttered under her breath.

With the other three, Cassian had found another entrance. They walked down a hallway, finding themselves stopped at a ridge. A waterfall ran in between, a tree providing vines for them. "We'll have to swing across." Mohan grabbed a vine, swinging across to the other side. Cassian raised an eyebrow, looking over at Arien. Arien did the same look, but grabbing a vine. He swung across, a loud cracking noise echoed. Cassian grabbed a vine, hesitantly looking across. Just then sounds of footsteps made his head jerk. It was the Crimson crew. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Alya crossed her arms, entering with her men. Cassian quickly swung across, landing safely on the other side. A tree branch that held the vines, snapped. Falling into the small ravine. The three men stepped back to head more into the pyramid. Alya watched as they fled, her eyes narrowing. Their steps echoed through the hall. The sand disappeared, surprisingly. Mohan held a torch, guiding the way. They stopped at the end, noticing a big platform. It was only held up by a pointed rock in the middle. Cassian climbed down, the platform tilting to his side. He quickly walked to the middle, leveling it out. "We have to be smart about this." He said, keeping it balanced.

In several rooms over, were the other three. Sariah walked through a hall, bones of dead men lined the floor. Sand covered the ground. "What do you suppose happened to these men?" Sariah asked, being careful not to step on one. "They were probably royal guards or servants that lived here." Suggested Akira, holding the torch high. "Seems they were murdered if their bones lay here." Oxi spoke, crouching down in front of one of the skeletons. He picked up a gold coin, holding it up. Sariah turned just as the skeleton's hand grabbed Oxi's wrist. Oxi, jerked away, stumbling onto the floor. Akira turned, the light making the skeleton shriek. "It doesn't like the light." Sariah observed, helping Oxi up. They looked down the hall where they were just at, seeing as the skeletons' bones formed back together. Their eyes widened. Oxi gripped Sariah's hand. "Run!" Sariah shouted, following behind Akira as he ran. They ran down corridors, like it was a maze. Bones clattered behind them, running after them. Oxi grabbed another torch as they ran by, just in case. Sariah pointed to a door. "There!" The door slowly started to close. Akira went first, bending down. "You next!" Oxi insisted, scorching one of the skeletons that tried lunging at him. Sariah slid under the door, turning to wait for Oxi. "Come on!" She yelled. Oxi threw the torch at the horde, quickly running to the door. The door was about to close, just a small space. Oxi rolled under the door, just as the door closed. He was panting, his chest heaving up and down. Sariah quickly hugged him, sitting on her knees. Oxi wrapped his arms around her, patting her on the back. "I'm alright." He said, sitting up as she let go. "I just hope the Captain and the others are having a blast as we are." He said sarcastically.