Tyranny (The Key)✔

Chapter 36- A New Mission

The grey glimmering cave proves high roofed and wide, a clean floor carrying pools strategically made, a ceiling decorated meticulously with steadily dripping hangings. It echoes with unreachable sounds, waves bouncing throughout its mystic air, bats sometimes striking by or merely hanging in shadows to observe us in curious silence.

All sides starts to thin, closing on to make an entrance narrow and cool, mist flowing smoothly from it as swirling silver smoke. Light from the pale sun somehow continues to reach in and glint on hued minerals all about. I follow Aegis with Genesis, stepping through smoothly to be acquainted to a space of erupting gems and welcoming mist.

Phoenix smiles that wide toothy grin, waving loudly at me, Aphrodite nods her head with a curtain of acknowledgement to our entrance. Her green hairs hue has adjusted to the shades around us.

"Thank you Aegis, and why have escorted also Blaze and Dagwood?" Aphrodite asks inquisitively with a rippling voice.

"It was a pleasure, and as for these two, it seems they've got something important to share with you, it should come directly from them. Catch you later." He gives a grin accompanied with a swift and firm wave before turning silently to exit.

"Yeah" I mutter wistfully wishing he could stay, wondering why he must leave, courtesy? Or is it something more unknown?

"Hold on, I wish you were to stay, unless you are needed elsewhere?" To my relief Aphrodite summons him once more to return, Genesis apparently feels the trickle of my feelings and glances at me with interest.

"I can stay." Aegis steps back into the echoing cavern of silvers and glittering stone.

"Right, so get on with it you two!" She commands, it would seem she's in charge of the Lookout inhabitants as a mountain over its trees.

"Well, we were out in the main Lookout Redwood tree, I sat calmly watching when Blaze jumped about hollering about a beast of some sort, a dragon he reckons!" Again Dagwood proceeds first breaking the cliche of eldest first.

"Now listen here and listen well brother, I was also gazing about when a fiery gleam from leagues away caught my eyes, navy scales flashed through leaves in tree below, I swear on our brotherhood it 'twas a dragon! You've gotta believe me!" Blaze sputters angrily again in his harsher voice with irritation.

I can understand his frustration with everyone putting him off as a blinded fool, even his own brother. They seem to hold siblinghood as important as a Hunter of the Sacred* considers relics. Aphrodite stands unblinkingly, holding a soft glowing face, wisdom comes about as a cloud in her eyes, thought and consideration hold her as rock.

"We shall inspect it right away, we do not want to pay gravely for inconsiderate behaviour or distrust, far more beneficial for us to check it out. Remember last time he saw a creature we didn't trust him enough and we had to vacate while the dragon hibernated here. We do not harm any creature no matter what." The last statement meant for me, Blaze and Dagwood nod in agreement politely, Blaze's face relaxing to a fitted and defined form.

"I will gather some others and set constant surveillance, also I'll set up two patrol teams, and multiple as well as constant shifts." Blaze takes the heavy responsibilities of his claim.

"No, I'd like you to also stay here for now, the both of you." She stops them too.

Now I'm very curious why I was summoned here to this coloured cave.

"Alright, now, Caire, I want to be filled in better of your quest and reasons to it, Phoenix has told me all after he joined you. Also I'd enjoy being better informed of you and Genesis?"

"Okay, well....I'm from a city on the skirts of Salem Forest called Tethys. The rulers from that country, that Rich Ring, the Big Man we call him, sent me to retrieve, master and bring the sword to him, for him. Now, I'm not sure I'll allow him to get it, frankly I'm tired of being his tool for sick and underground jobs. He's greedy and dangerous, having threatened my family to force me into it. However, they do not, or more accurately, cannot track me, so I have considered and wished to never give him the sword but also save my family, and to end this cruel and unfair government."

"Rin delivered Genesis to the house I was staying in when I requested such, she insisted to come, I denied her, having not known she was related to anyone in the Rich Ring, I'm still unaware of such. The messenger who passes the missions from him to me is named Steeven and he was who I had to call to get Genesis with me. I hadn't seen her in two years. Everyone who is a child from the group must have their own assigned messenger, he's mine. So I went with Genesis, after two days heading for Galsuenda Sea, Genesis caught Rin tailing. Clearly it was impossible to prevent her from coming, so here we are together. We stayed a day at the Sea, I had already for multiple days been seeing shadows racing by in the forest and was suspicious, also I had dreams of a man in a red cloak encased often with fire and a dangerous aura. The dreams seemed to be warnings so I distrusted Phoenix at first. We went and stayed at an abandoned shelter then came to the pass and met Phoenix." I explain roughly, despite the soothing presences, leaving out the key and Oswald.

"I can tell there's far more to tell, however, it is none of my business and this is all I must know it seems, for now." She glances at the key, shame fills me like an empty bottle, staring into the ground not able to meet eyes.

"Genesis and I have been buddies since I can remember, we trained together, were scared together, fight together, all of it." I finish.

"Alright. Phoenix bears me with the idea you must be skilled, so, you will go out and search for this dragon as well with Phoenix, we will take care of Rin." Her smile is warm and fulfilling, comforted I feel, my shame melting away as heated iron.

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*A Hunter of the Sacred is one who travels the world for someone to collect rare relics, often from legend or story. Most are sponsored by a Rich Ring.