A Nagas tale

Indiana Jones? More like Velma

The next morning, Yuri stands at the back gate waiting for Audrey as they agreed. He noticed Kogen's aura shrink within the barrier. "So we are going with Miss Audrey today?" Sienna asks. Yuri nods "We will need to follow her instructions to get her trust." He tells her. Sienna peeks into the crack in the gate just then the gate opens. Kogen steps out with Audrey in his arms. Audrey looks tired resting against Kogen's shoulder. "I will show you two the way." Audrey rubs her face on his shoulder "MM I can open a rift." she murmurs. He frowns "No, you need to reserve your aura." He scolds. She sighs "Is everything alright?" Sienna asks. Audrey nods "Oh sweet little Sienna! I hope you had a good rest last night." Audrey greets. Sienna nods "I did mother." she whispers shyly. Audrey smiles "I'm alright sweet pea just a couple of rowdy babies last night." She explains. "Oh, are they still testing out their surroundings?" Sienna asks as Kogen walks towards the cave mouth. Audrey nods "Yeah, they seem to think I am just their host." she grumbles. Sienna giggles "I'm sure they just like to feel your aura mother." Sienna assures. Audrey nods with a soft smile ruffling Sienna's hair. Audrey and Kogen spent the walk talking about what they would have for dinner and the time Audrey would be home. Kogen sets her down at the cavemouth "I will come with you today, I don't like how little sleep you got last night." He tells her. She nods "Okay, sure." she holds out her arms. He chuckles "I have spoiled you." Audrey smiles as he picks her back up and turns to Yuri and Sienna. "I am giving Yuri and Sienna access to the cave," Audrey states. Yuri bows his head followed by Sienna as a show of respect. "Come we have a lot to get done." Audrey invites. Kogen starts leading them into the dark cave. The little light orange wisp floats up to them. "Good morning Iris." Audrey greets her as the little wisp circles them. "A will-o-wisp," Sienna murmurs curiously. Audrey turns to them seeing their figures so well in the dark. She smiles before casting a light spell. The path is illuminated for them to walk more carefully. "This is Iris," Audrey introduces. Sienna holds her hand out to the wisp it looks at Sienna before looking at Audrey. She giggles "It's okay Iris Sienna is a friend." Audrey encouriges. The wisp floats over Sienna's palm flaring its aura in greeting. Sienna giggles "So the wisps have names?" She asks. Audrey nods "Yes, Iris is my first baby." she informs Sienna. Her violet eyes seem shocked as she looks at Audrey. "Y... your first," she whispers. Audrey nods "I buried her in our family grave. I learned that all Nagas that die cannot rest in the void like the others." she sighed. "So your tribe is the wisps that hide on this Island," Yuri speaks up. Audrey nods "They are alive only in aura form, unable to rest in the void due to their unnatural auras." She tells him. "Unnatural?" He asks. Audrey rests her head on Kogen's shoulder before answering. "We Naga are not supposed to have an aura of our own. My ancestor gifted us the ability to have an aura but in turn created a curse of unrest," she murmurs. Yuri looks at the wisp as it quickly tucks itself between Audrey's head and Kogen's neck. He looks at Sienna 'How cruel to only meet your child after death.' He turns away from his daughter. They walk down the decorated walls silently until Kogen stops. "Before we continue, I want you two to understand, what you are about to see," Audrey speaks up. "Is what keeps this Island flourishing and could also be the reason it dies," she turns to Yuri. "This is Ashthoren, my ancestor." Kogen steps out of their way. Yuri and Sienna step into the room their bodies going stiff in utter shock. Laying before their eyes is a large Naga head. It breathes out creating a breeze in the cave. "T...those legends our fathers used to tell." Yuri turns to Kogen. Kogen nods "It's hard to remain skeptical when you are slapped with the proof." Kogen chuckles. Yuri looks at Audrey before looking back at the Titan sleeping before him. "Oh! my sweet child." Ashthoren takes form with his aura quickly walking to Audrey. He touches her face "You look pale!" he points out worried. Audrey smiles "I'm alright Grandpa Ash." She assures. He frowns "Kogen! Why have you allowed her to come if she is feeling unwell!?" He scolds. Audrey sighs "With how things are going right now Grandpa I can't sit back and wait." she frowns. He looks at her wanting to argue but he is already very well aware of the dangers that are about to come crashing into their home. He turns away from Kogen and Audrey. "Are these the two you said you wanted to ask for help?" he asks. Audrey nods "Yes, This is Yuri a bear tribe member and scientist." Ash turns to Yuri his eyes examining him closely. "This is Seinna his daughter who is also a part of his team." She adds. Ash nods "I see, I will allow them in as trusted aids to Audrey." He starts leading the way. Kogen follows after Ash unhappy with the scolding he got. "Don't listen to Ash, Honey." Audrey whispers resting her head on his shoulder again. "He is just worried like you are." she huffs struggling to keep herself awake. "I want you to know that once the children start to take a toll on your body I won't let you come here." He warns her. She giggles putting her hand on her belly "Yes, I understand." she did not argue with Kogen already feeling very exhausted. "I just need to find that spell." she whispers tiredly. Kogen follows Ash who had been listening to their conversation. He takes a peek at Kogen and Audrey worried about the strain he was putting on Audrey. He turns his attention to the path ahead. 'I apologize little ones, but right now we need to find a way to protect our home.' Iris bops his head before resting on his shoulder. "so, where are we going exactly?" Yuri speaks up. "We are going to the village of the Naga." Kogen tells him. "The Nagas village? is the village outside not theirs?" he asks. Kogen shakes his head "That village was started by the immigrants and the Government." He explains. Yuri looks at the walls decorated with glyphs and runes. "So you are saying there is a village in this mountain?" Yuri asks. Kogen nods "It's undocumented." He explains. "Audrey found traces of it a few months ago." He explains. Yuri waited for Audrey to answer or add anything but she remained silent. "She and The snake tribe leader Alma researched the city." He explains peeking at Audrey. "And where is this Alma girl?" Yuri asks. He shakes his head "Right now she is weeks away from delivering her clutch and her husband has refused to let her anywhere near the cave." Kogen explains. Yuri sighs "Sheesh it seems being pregnant is a trend these days." He scoffs. Kogen peeks at him knowing well he did not mean any ill will. "It is safer now to have children." He explains. Yrui nods "If you are trusting Audrey's words then I will not refute them." He turns to the large snake-like body the group walks past. "Kogen." Ash stops and turns to the group. Kogen looks at him curiously "What is it?" He asks. Ash looks at the sleeping Audrey and then at Kogen. "If It makes this easier for Audrey, I'd like to recruit the snake tribe to aid in taking these documents out of the cave." He offers the idea. Kogen looks at Audrey before looking at Yuri. "Would that be safe for the documents?" He asks. "I can place a spell on them to resist the passage of time." Ash tells him. Kogen looks at the walls around him and the snake's body. "won't it be lonely?" He asks. Ash nods "Lonesome? No." He answers smiling at him "The isolation ended when Audrey spoke to me." He tells Kogen. He looks at Yuri and then back at Ash. "I will ask Audrey, I have an area we can use to house these documents safely." He tells Ash. Ash frowns "I know Audrey will refuse the Idea." He murmurs turning towards the town. "She refused the idea when she learned from Don that the nearby countries are collaborating with the Leviathans." He scoffs. "what did she say?" Kogen asks. He holds his hands behind his back. "She said, She would rather keep the documents well hidden within this mountain than risk them getting lost or destroyed outside." he tells Kogen. Kogen presses his cheek to Audrey's head. "Then I will do as Audrey sees fit." Ash sighs "She's got you wrapped around her little finger." he seems displeased. Kogen nods "I have learned to trust Audrey's hunches even if they seem idiotic." He explains. Ash steps into the cave hiding the town. "I understand." He answers. Kogen walks into the volcanic mouth seeing the familiar town. He walks to the building where Audrey and Alma had taken up the research. "Audrey, we are here." He calls to her. She frowns "Five more minutes." she whines. "Get up foolish girl!" Yuri shouts in his excitement. "What is this noise!?" Thoren and Loki walk out of the building. "Oh! Audrey! Kogen! it's good to see you came!" Thoren walks over to them. "I brought some help, Grandpa." Audrey croaks out half asleep. He nods "Good! good! we need more hands since Alma was put under house rest!" He leads Yuri inside with Seinna close behind. Audrey, Sienna, Thoren, and Loki spent the day sifting through the documents in the library. While Kogen and Yuri looked at the diagram of the old barrier Audrey had found before. Kogen kept an eye on Audrey while Yuri ranted about the numbers and the specifics that did not make sense to him. Ash stepped in to explain how he saw the numbers and how it would fit but Kogen wasn't interested. He looks at the diagram on the table wondering how there would be enough aura to erect such a large barrier. 'How many people would it take to place these pillars? how many days?' This he wanted to know. Ash noticed Kogen's silence. "What is on your mind boy?" Kogen turns to them and sighs. "These pillars are large, and there are six total pillars,  how many people would it take to get these pillars erected? How many days? how far into the soil must they be put in?" He asks. Ash frowns as he listens to Kogen's questions. They look at the single sheet in front of them. "You are right, these are only the dimensions of the pillars." Yuri mutters flipping the pages front and back. "Audrey." Ash walks over to her. She looks up at Ash the dark circles under her eyes look heavy. "Is this all you found?" he asks showing her the single sheet. She nods "Yes, that's all I found, I am still looking for the rest of the instructions but," she frowns turning back to the books on the table. "I haven't found anything else." she groans leaning on the table. Kogen quickly walks over to her as the children flare their auras. Audrey gasps for air and closes her eyes. Kogen quickly uses his aura to calm the children. He offers his arm for Audrey to hold onto. He tenses his Jaw as Audrey squeezes his arm. "Audrey, you should rest a little while." Loki steps up worried. She shakes her head slowly "No... I need to find the rest of the barrier instructions." she huffs. The color on her face slowly starts to come back as the children calm down. She takes a deep breath and relaxes "I need to find the rest of the instructions. Dad can you help me look for the spell?" she asks. Loki wants to refuse but seeing the effort Audrey is putting he agrees. "Alright, I will take Sienna with me to look for the spell you and Thoren can focus on the instructions." He tells her. Audrey nods "I'll come with you two." Kogen offers. Yuri sighs "Alright, I will start looking for a good anchor for the rift." He did not want to argue with Kogen seeing how worried his friend was. The massive Library once silent and still is now filled with chattering and movement. The wisp gathered watching the living search. Audrey sat on the floor reading through books several of them already stacked beside her. Her eyes noticed the wisps watching them. "Hello, how are you all doing today?" she asks remembering they were her family. She turns to Ash who is reading over Kogens shoulder. "Ash! Do you think Theo is among the wisps?" Audrey asks. Ash turns to her and frowns before shaking his head. "I would have loved to speak with my son but he is not among them." he answers. Audrey's hope sunk into her stomach. "Oh, I see." she murmurs turning her eyes to the book on her lap. She turns to the wisps wondering how many of them were around during the time this city was relevant. She closes the book and starts wandering the library. She removes the headpiece hiding her third eye before she starts walking around. "Audrey?" Kogen follows after her. She nods "I'm alright, I just... want to see if there is anything I missed before." she murmurs. He sticks closely to Audrey in case she needs his help. She drags her fingers over the spines of each book hoping something will poke out at her.