Washed Away

Chapter 5 - The City Beneath the Sand

It felt like I was being pulled through water by my navel and having my head being squeezed in a vice, but luckily,the sensation didn't last for long and soon enough I felt my feet hit grass once more. Slowly, I opened my eyes. 

I was surrounded by jungle, with huge trees that towered over me and blocked out the sky. Cries from animals filled the air and rustles sounded within the undergrowth. It should have been pitch black but the dense jungle was lit up by Ky's and Lena's light. Suddenly, Ky took my and Lena's hand and the lights were extinguished. 

"Why did you do that?" I asked, my eyes straining to see in the dark. "I can't see a thing!" 

"Shadows will be attracted to the light, and we do not want to meet them in this place. Trust me." Ky answered from my right. I felt him tug me forward and I followed, treading my feet carefully. Ferns brushed against my waist and tickled me whilst small plants and stones forced me to pick my feet up more then I was used to in fear of tripping. 

"Is it always night time here?" I questioned. 

"Yes, and that is why my kind emit light. It is also used as a weapon against the Shadows." Ky replied quietly. "Shadows are weakened when they come into contact with light." 

"Then why don't you use it now?" 

"Because I do not want hundreds of Shadows to know we are here. This is where they dwell and it is also where they are at their most dangerous." 

I kept my mouth shut as we continued, just in case there was a Shadow lurking in the thicket and he heard us and alerted the others. I'd already been attacked by one Shadow and I didn't like the idea of meeting more than hundred at once. Eventually, the jungle began to thin out and suddenly, I felt my feet sink into something soft. I gasped and withdrew my foot. 

"What the hell..." I trailed off when I saw what hung in the night sky. A brilliant blue moon shone in the sky, and gently lit the pathway. I gazed ahead of me and my mouth fell open when I witnessed the desert. It stretched out far into the distance and I managed to spot many sand dunes far-off from us. 

"Jesus Christ." I whispered. 

"It is quite something, is it not?" Lena said proudly. I could just about make out her features in the dim moonlight along with Frost who stood by her side. 

"I've never seen anything like it! It's amazing!" 

"Come." Ky said, tugging on my hand. "We can not linger here for long." 

I nodded and let him pull me across the desert. However, my amazement eventually wore off when I realised how cold it was. 

"It's f-freezing!" I stuttered, pulling my hand out of Ky's and wrapping my arms around myself. "How c-can you g-guys not f-feel it?" 

"We are used to it, and I suppose our inner light also keeps us warm." Ky said, shrugging. "Come here." 

He flung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me tightly to his side. I noticed a slight glow around him, which instantly warmed my frozen skin. I nestled closer and suppressed a shiver. 

"Thanks." I mumbled. Ky grunted and strode on, keeping me close to his side. We marched further then I care to imagine and climbed many sand dunes until Ky stopped us at one particularly big one. 

"Oh God." I muttered, staring at its immenseness. "Really?" 

"No." Ky chuckled. "Aperire!" He yelled to the sand dune. I stared at him, thinking that he had gone nuts when a huge rumble sounded from within the dune. 

"What's happening?" I whispered urgently. Ky and Lena both said nothing as the sand began to course down the dune, revealing a giant golden door. Within it's centre was carved a sentence: