Regions of Saleen

Regions of Saleen - Ch. 6 - Part 1

< I'm done with school so hopefully I will be able to write much more often. I'm currently aiming to release a new part every 3-4 days, so we'll see if I can manage to keep up with that>

I opened my eyes to darkness. I could hear a loud sigh to my left followed by a soft thud. As my eyes adjusted to the dim firelight I'm stricken with fear. 

Stone. 

The ceiling above me is made of rough, jagged stone. I'm back in my room under the church. I looked over to my right expecting to see the iron door but instead I saw the back of a head. Illias. He came back. Tears filled my eyes and I sniffled quietly. He turned his head back over to me, and his blue eyes shone in the firelight.

"I was so worried about you. I saw you in the water and then you started to sink. I tried to pull you up but something was dragging you down. I thought you were dead you were under water so long." His eyes glistened at the memory. I had caused him this pain.

"I couldn't find you...I was so scared. I was waiting for them to catch me. I tried to hide but everything just got so hot and I couldn't breathe." I kept rambling on and I could tell I was turning into a mess. The memory of what happened flooded into my mind and the fear came back in an overwhelming tidal wave.

"It's okay. It's my fault, I left you. What kind of protector am I? Running away from the danger. I'm a failure."

The fear turned into anger. He was right. It was his fault I almost died. He left me. Abandoned  me. I stood up and started walking for the entrance to the cave. I wasn't safe with him. I couldn't stay beside him. I had to leave on my own. I stepped out into the forest. I looked behind me. Illias sat in the cave, head low.

"I know why you're leaving." He looked up at me, his face was all red and looked like he wanted to cry. I wanted to run back inside the cave--desperately wanted to-- but it was too late. I walked out and looked for a different place to find shelter.

The forest was thicker here, like it was at the entrance. I looked up through the tree's canopy and saw stars shining back down at me. Wispy clouds danced in front of the moon and the bugs hiding the foliage chirped happily. It was a strange feeling, walking among the trees and animals in the dead of night. I let my hands float out from my sides and brush against the leaves, dew clinging onto my skin.

I eventually came across another cave, this one small, and damp. It would have to do. The ceiling was low and I had to walk on my knees in order to go inside. After crawling for a few feet it opened up into a large chamber. I walked over to the far corner and rested my back against the wall. The cold slime that covered the wall clung to my shirt. It was cold; I missed the fire in the other cave. I was to tired to care. I let sleep take me away into a blissful peace.