The Fallen Throne

Chapter 14.2 ✦ Starting Line

From the tower, they now have a much clearer view over the land below them. Ugly marks of abandoned construction work are obvious, but the land below is far more than what meets the eye. The uneven land tells them there are underground tunnels below, hidden amidst the supposed barren land.

"Down there," Alaina whispers, hardly believing her own eyes.

"We can only find out if we go down there ourselves," Lloyd states the obvious. His fingers brush the old letters of 'Deep Fire Within' on the wall gently. "So, this is your clue?"

"I believe so," Lancaster says, unsure himself. That is the only thing Clyde left him with, but he isn't even sure if it's a clue or some sort. It does seem like one, though; with all their discoveries so far, this is bound to lead them somewhere. "We should head down."

The sun is hanging proudly over them, sending its brilliance over the entire place, casting bright rays on their skin.

As Lancaster hurries over to the nearest uneven grounding he spots to examine it, searching for a passageway, with Alaina and Lloyd following along very briskly.

With a hand shading him from the blazing sunlight overhead, Kai squints his eyes for a clearer view of the land ahead. Sweat trickles down the back of his neck, soaking his shirt, and he isn't very happy that they're about to indulge in another self imagined search.

As he wipes sweat off his forehead, he finds Rose right beside him, not searching like the others. Instead, she just stands there, looking deep in thought.

"I guess that makes us the only normal ones," Kai states happily, but Rose turns to cast him a look.

"I found the tower that led us as we are now, you know; and I'm searching -- just effortlessly."

"By overlooking the area from a different perspective to get a better view of things?"

She smiles, and something about her smile tells Kai she is up to something. "Exactly."

And immediately after she has uttered the word, she glows green without warning. The moment she does so, the ground below them shakes, and the shaking stretches as far and as wide as the entire area goes; Alaina reaches for something to support her for the sudden quake as Lancaster struggles to balance himself, and Lloyd trips over.

The non-natural quake lasts only several seconds, as it stops when Kai shakes Rose frantically. "What are you doing?"

"We're searching for underground stuff, aren't we? There are plenty of mosses growing underneath -- all over rocks and shattered bricks... from the feeling of it, it really does feel like something's under our feet." She closes her eyes, trying to regain the focus lost.

But before she can glow green and attempt to activate her powers again, Kai grabs her arm. "And you're going to do what now?"

"I'm going to make the mosses grow rapidly, and from there we can find whatever we are looking for."

"You mean you're going to make the mosses grow out the entire whatever's underground for you."

Rose rests her hand on her hips, turning to look at Kai. "What's wrong with that? It saves time and effort."

The way she states it so innocently and nonchalantly makes Kai boil; if his powers were very entwined with his emotions, he'd be a human torch. "Are you serious?"

The others seem to sense the tension forming between the two, or are just curious where had the sudden, momentary unnatural quake originated from, wondering if it'll occur again -- because the three of them rush towards where Rose and Kai stand.