The Unified Soul

Don't Cry... I'm Here

Deeper in the tunnels of the caves, a bright light shone in the shadows near the exit. From that light came Captain Toby of the Guardian Forces, Aphmau and Daniel, all still in shock from what happened.

Aphmau's daughter, Airis, had just helped them escape from Ein's grasp, but she didn't save herself. Aphmau couldn't contain her fear and agony, thinking that her daughter was lost to them.

"Airis!" She screamed and stood up to run back into the caves, "I have to go back for her!"

She was about to run, but Daniel stopped her before she could get too far.

"Aphmau, we can't go back there! Ein will be waiting for us!" He said.

"But my daughter is back there! I won't let that monster hurt her again!"

"The werewolf's right, we can't go back that way. It's too dangerous to try." Toby added and Aphmau glared at him with all the hatred she could muster.

"You would sacrifice my little girl just like that?!" She screamed at him, "Airis has been through Hell and back more times than she can care to remember! I won't let her go through that alone! Not again."

"And what would she say if you went all the way there when she risked her own life to get us out of the cave to safety?" Toby asked and Aphmau looked puzzled.

"I don't know your daughter very well, but the fact that she cared more about you and your friend... even about me, so much that she risked her own life to send us here with whatever that was, shows me that she's strong. You say that she's been through hell and back and survived? Then trust her to make it back through the fire again."

Aphmau didn't want to admit it, but Toby was right. Airis had the power of a Goddess as well as being an Ultima werewolf and a Mage from Livana's bloodline. Her daughter was the strongest person she had ever known, and Aphmau knew better than to not trust her strength.

She pulled back from Daniel and took a deep breath, calming herself and focusing on the task as hand: getting help and making it back to save Airis from Ein.

Daniel looked around and recognized the surroundings.

"Back cave." He muttered.

"Bat cave?" Toby repeated.

"I said, back cave. We can't get out through here."

Toby and Aphmau looked out at the water that pooled in the back cave.

"Then we'll swim." Toby said.

"And Airis? What will we do about her?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know what her plan was, but perhaps she could've come up with a better one if you never came back to the cave. It was a stupid decision." 

"I.... It wasn't my plan." Daniel admitted.

"Daniel, what are you talking about?" Aphmau asked.

"I don't know how, but Airis talked to me through my mind. She told me to run and find help from you and Aaron, Aphmau. She wanted me to run. To escape. She must've been planning something from the beginning."

Toby and Aphmau were surprised to hear this, Toby more than Aphmau.

He sighed, "Well then, we should follow her desire and get help right away."

"Get help?" Daniel questioned and then glared at Toby, "I heard what Ein said. Captain of the Guardian Forces. You just want to get help you can lock me, them, Aphmau and Airis up just like everyone else."

Toby looked down in shame, "It was the only way we could make sure that the Ultima didn't escape."

"By imprisoning werewolves? We're just normal people." Aphmau argued