The Network ( Book One of the Grounders Series )

36

Dedicated to so1tgoes. Who inspired me with a great quote about loss read the Runner Series to find out what that quote is.

The tunnel is dark. But the cracks filled with lava veining the walls provided enough light that our echolocation wouldn't work correctly. I didn't know how to feel about that as we headed straight into the unknown.

I raised my hand and slipped my fingers through Cicada's as we walk down the tunnel.

The tunnel ends in a circular stone wall, engraved with lines that cross and end to form a maze. There is a line down the center of the wall.

At the base of the wall sleeps a massive creature. In the dim light I can make out feathered wings and a hairy body.

It's eyes pops open and I feel Cicada's grip tighten as it rises to its full height.

The creature is something Alaric only heard of in the myths and legends of the war when the Vonicans lived above the surface of the earth. It has the head of a bird, with a razor beak and all-knowing golden eyes. From its shoulders two massive feathered wings protrude about seven feet each, filling the entire tunnel with its wingspan. It's front legs are like a lions, thick and muscular with razor claws protruding from its toes. The rest resembles a lion.

The creature squawks angrily at Cicada and I. "How dare you enter such sacred and forbidden ground!" It bellows.

"What is this place?" I ask.

"The Prison of Ancients, where Alvus Constantine locked away all the deadly creatures who roamed the underground before humans did."

This was the right place.

"We need to get inside," I say.

"Nothing goes in or out of the Prison of the Ancients! Either you leave now or die!"

The griffin lunges, flapping its huge wings for a boost.

I hesitate. Should I run or should I fight. Either way I feel like I'm going to fail.

A piercing scream flows through the air and I am snapped back into consciousness.

The griffin has tackled Cicada to the ground, it's claws digging into her shoulder.

"No!" I scream, ripping my sword from its sheath and slicing the blade across the creatures wing.

It squawks with fury but mercifully turns its attention to me. It lunges but I'm quicker than it is. My blade flies through the air and lodges into the center of its chest.

I leap out of the way as the griffin carcass barrels down, slamming into the stone wall with an audible crack.

Then I rush to Cicada's side. I hoist her off the ground and into my lap as blood gushes from the laceration on her shoulder. I pull my shirt off and shred it into strips, tying them tightly around her wounds. I work frantically but nothing seems to stop the blood from flowing.

"Al," she says weakly but I don't stop. "Alaric."

I pause for a moment to look into her eyes, which are still powerful but I can see the life draining from them.

"Alaric, stop. Do not waste your time. The guard is dead, go defeat Arosi before he rises."

"No," I say, "I promised myself that you were the only thing I wouldn't lose. I promised myself that even if I messed up a million times, I would fight a million times harder to keep you by my side. I can't let you go now."

One of her hands, which is covered in blood, grasps my shoulder. "You need to let my go. Save our people."

"No," I say as her head begins to lull. Her eyes are distant. "No! No! No!" I scream as if my pitiful plea will change fate.

Her head falls back and her hands falls away from my shoulder.

"CICADA!" I bellow as my heart shatters within my chest, breaking into a million different fragments of obsidian. "CICADA!"

There is nothing I can do that will bring her back now, but I still hold her body close to my chest, not caring if her blood drips onto my bare chest. I sob into her shoulder, taking in the scent of her hair, which smells of dust and fire, one last time, hoping that she isn't really gone. Refusing to believe that she's really gone. She'll wake up in a moment, look at me like I'm stupid with her beautiful brown eyes and ask me why I'm crying. Won't she.

I feel as if the life has been sucked out of me. I am a shell of what I once was. I was once innocent, with friends that genuinely cared for me. So what that at one point the entire world shunned me, because upon going on this guest I learned that there's a lot more to my world than just the Network.

But now I'm nothing. Not a soldier, not a friend, not a son, not a victim, not a Grounder, not even a killer. I'm just Alaric, I'm Alaric, not Al. I'm only Al with Cicada. I'm Alaric, a name with no meaning, no purpose, no face.

I am nothing without her, and now she's gone.