Clouds rolled over the mirror's surface before parting to reveal Renata leading the group through the obsidian tunnel. The walls glinted as they wove their way through the twists and turns. Nathan held his beau's free hand as his siblings murmured behind him.
"So, when do you think my elements will return?" Niaomi asked, retying her hair into a neater ponytail.
Nicholas shrugged, straightening his tunic after the motion wrinkled it. "The whole concept of their absence is speculation already, so I would be taking a complete stab in the dark at saying when they will return. Hours? Days? I truly have no clue."
"It must be something about this place," she thought aloud, glancing around their dim surroundings. The cavern's roof was still only a foot above their heads, and the light from Ren's orb battled feebly against the darkness. "I mean, the elements being drained or cancelled would be like a ward against the gods."
The blonde up front quietly mused, "This all seems like a trial of sorts: Nia's god-given powers must be put to use, and Rose had to demonstrate her courage. It's like a test to see if we are worthy of earning the dragon eggs."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the floor began quivering slightly. All of them halted, and Nick stepped forwards to grab Renata's free hand and wryly say, "It's official - that phrase is no longer allowed to be stated."
"Damn," she cursed as the vibrations became more violent. Dirt began trickling from the ceiling as cracking sounds began. "I think that's our cue to run - again."
Everyone took her advice and dashed onwards, weaving in between the falling rocks as the earthquake jostled them. The tunnel began widening before it suddenly opened into another large chamber. Ren made it a few steps forwards until Nate hauled her back, just before a stalactite double her size crashed into the ground where she'd only stood moments ago.
"This orb isn't enough to illuminate the dangers!" she yelled breathlessly after thanking her godbrother and huddling with the others under the cave's archway. Rocks and spires tumbled down from above, casting imposing shadows across the dimly lit area.
The orb soon flicked out of existence, and Nia's voice rose above the rumbling to shout a single word: "Garjzla!"
A light with an intensity that could rival the sun sprung forth high above them, illuminating the gigantic space. The stone roof had cracks running through it, and pieces splintered off at irregular intervals to slam into the ground. It was made of a thick obsidian layer that remained undamaged even as stalactites the size of boulders smashed onto it. Yet somehow the pattern of the falling debris left room enough that the treacherous length could still be traversed.
The tunnel began to crack further, sprinkling them all in a fine layer of dirt. Coughing, Niaomi shouted, "I can't sustain the light forever; we need to move, now!"
The five charged out into the large room, struggling to maintain their balance on the rolling ground and dodge the dangerous rocks falling from above. Renata was a quite a few paces in front of them all when the obsidian beneath their feet began to splinter as well. A large crevice began forming a few yards in front of the blonde, just as a creaking groan was heard.
Nicholas looked up and spotted a massive spike hanging by a thread above the widening crack in the ground. It was about to fall - and his beau was going to be caught underneath. "Ren!"
She did not hear his call over the noise, deaf to his warning shouts. "Ren, watch out! Ren! Renata!"
The girl turned, her blonde hair swinging out around her face, gray eyes wide at the fear in his voice. Her lips were just beginning to form words when the ground cracked further apart, making her trip backwards. Ren managed to land none too gently with her rear wedged in between the gap. She struggled to get free, panicking as she too finally took note of the danger that was positioned directly above her.
"RENATA!" Nick screamed, sprinting harder, trying to close the distance between them. But he was too far away, and could only look on with horror as the stalactite was freed from the ceiling.
"Nick," she whispered, tears leaving tracks across the smudges on her cheeks.
Renata reached out to her beau as he raced towards her, his scream echoing through the cavern as the rock landed and she disappeared beneath it.
YOU ARE READING
Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar)
FanfictionEragon was once an orphan who lived on a farm, didn't know who his father was, and had never stepped foot outside of Palancar Valley. But when a blue stone appeared before him in the Spine, hatching a baby dragon, everything changed. Now, he is know...
