Delmora: The Lost Quest

Lost in a Straight Line

Bitter strode up and down their single-file line making tentative whining noises.

She brushed against Tyler's cloak.

"Hey where's Bitter!!" A panicked shout from Morn made them all stop.

"Its okay she's right here-" Tyler pointed his torch down but whatever had brushed against him was not there now. Only the ground.

"Edith's gone too" Lance said looking around.

"Shit" Morn said.

"I have to look for her" 

Lance put a hand on his shoulder.

"No you can't I'm sorry, maybe Edith is with her"

That was all Tyler heard before everything that reached his ear was said in slow motion. His vision blurred but suddenly he was in a windswept field and was walking towards a burning horse.

The vision lasted a moment and Tyler could remember only Morn's and Lance's argument.

He was walking along close cavern walls again. The Ranger was the only presence close to him.

"Hey wait where did the others go where is everyone?" Tyler asked.

The Ranger didn't answer.

"Hey!" Tyler stopped. The ranger didn't.

"You're not actually going to leave them? There is no other way for them to have gone, this is one tunnel they can't have gone far." Tyler said.

"The tunnel lead them astray." The Ranger said.

"Then we can go back for them." Tyler said. Tyler was about to turn around but the Ranger swung around faster and grabbed him.

"Hey let go! What the hell-" Tyler said.

"Don't go back" The Ranger said.

"Look I don't know what's up with your little lone wolf thing but I don't remember you grabbing the others when they left and now their lost." Tyler said.

The Ranger's grip tightened.

"They can find their way out" The Ranger repeated.

"Well the direction you gave them wasn't really practica-" Tyler lost all words as the Ranger pulled him closer.

"what the hell is wrong with you let me go!" Tyler shouted.

The Ranger raised his head until his face was seen.

Tyler was going to shout for help but his voice was lost in the Ranger's long, glittering, mesmerizing eyes.

"If you go back you and everyone will die" The Ranger's voice changed. Tyler's vision blurred once more. He felt a panic but it seemed distant like he was looking at a memory. The Ranger's infliction was highlighted, no longer calming but firm and direct.

Tyler didn't realize the short man was practically lifting him off the ground.

When the Ranger's grip loosened Tyler had a feeling if he let go entirely he would fall backwards and feint.

He could hear the cat calls and jeers echo around the cavern wall getting louder and louder.

"You weakling."

"You'll die soon anyway" They called.

Tyler placed his feet firmly on the ground as though he had found land after a journey across the ocean.