Darkness in the Shadows

CHAPTER 42

Alana sighed with relief as she approached Whitefall, her thoughts lingering on Aro and the rebels. Sending him away had been difficult, but she knew he needed closure about his home. After listening to his concerns all day, she had urged him to pass on a message to the rebels, offering her assistance in their travels. Hopefully, it would give him some peace about his future.

The guards at the High Powers building seemed unusually sparse as she arrived. Only two stood watch at the door, silently opening it for her. Alana raised an eyebrow at their lax security and entered cautiously. It had been a while since she entered openly, without the need for stealth. Spotting Lares in the entryway, she felt a wave of relief.

"Lares," she greeted warmly, embracing him. "What's been happening?"

He smiled back, explaining how he and Terran had returned to check on things. "Terran's been exploring," Lares chuckled lightly.

"How is he holding up?" Alana asked with concern.

"He seems to be enjoying himself," Lares replied, gesturing towards the stairs where Terran was likely wandering. "That's good, I don't know how he had managed to last so long," Alana said, looking around the stairs. Lares gave Alana a questioning look. Alana turned and explained to him the origins of Terran. The great ruler of Trate who disappeared through the gap and presumed dead.

As she finished, Larous appeared in the doorway. "Interesting," he remarked, inviting them to follow.

They entered a room Alana hadn't seen before, set up like a dining room without a table, and chairs arranged in a circle. Larous outlined his plans for Whitefall's future, and after some discussion, Terran joined them, seemingly oblivious to the others present.

"I have a proposition for you, Terran," Larous said, summarizing his offer of leadership.

"Me?" Terran looked surprised but intrigued.

"If I find a way home, you'll need someone else," Alana interjected, considering Terran returning home. Larous nodded in agreement.

Terran hesitated, surprising Alana, who had assumed he'd want to return home. Larous noticed his hesitation too, "You want to return home, no?" Larous asked. "No, I don't think I do," he confessed, expressing a commitment to Whitefall and his research, especially with Lares' support.

"I have done so much here, Huest held me back, but now I can find out so much more than I ever imagined. I feel as though I need to see this through, " Terran said, looking at Alana sadly. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Alana smiled weakly and nodded, standing up. "I wish you the best, Terran, but I do need to return, I need to know that those I care about are safe," Alana said, preparing to leave. "The rebels are seeking a new home peacefully. Consider recommending Arksa. Rhiand means well. He has just been fed much false information."

With that, Alana left, pondering her conversation with Terran and the uncertain future ahead. Walking through Whitefall, she reflected on her choices, torn between her quest to return home, being with those who she has fought so much for and helping those she had come to care for in a world she only knew little about.

Outside, she took a deep breath, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. Her encounter with Terran had dashed her hopes of returning home with a companion. Now, she was back to facing her journey alone, but the goal seemed futile without the crystal.

Heading towards her family's home, Alana noticed the town was still unusually quiet. It puzzled her that things hadn't returned to normal after recent events. She assumed that with Larous now in charge that the people, that it would return to how it was before.