The Species of Power [Draft 1]

Chapter 24

As they made it inside, the opening shut behind them, leaving them closed off and vulnerable in the darkness. Ethereal forces kept the water out, leaving them nothing to breathe but ancient air. It wasn't great, but it did beat drowning. Ruth put away her shadow dagger and instead pulled out a pure dagger of forgetting. The glow of the dagger was enough to light their way. Ruth turned her attention to Mark who was adjusting his glasses. Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Couldn't you have worn contact lenses?" Ruth asked.

"Can't," Mark said. "I'm allergic." 

"Of course you are." 

Before doing anything Mark and Ruth got as dry as they possibly could. Ruth then decided to remove her top layer of clothing, which concealed her gear, and her combat outfit. Everything she was wearing was black. She had a long sleeved shirt made of soft, yet durable fabric. Her pants were made out of the same material as her shirt. She wore her usual combat boots and a utility belt that carried her weapons. Since a lot of her blades were ethereal it meant that the while her skin didn't touch the weapons, only the handles existed, so it was easier to carry everything around.

"Whoa..." Mark said. Ruth suppressed the urge to grin. He had seen her when she had her gear, but he had never seen her in full mission attire... and the outfit was pretty tight. Her skin was covered but her figure wasn't. That's how Ruth liked to dress. Ruth gave Mark a moment to come back to his senses before she started talking about the mission.

"Okay," Ruth said. "Time to get to work." Ruth's entire demeanor changed, almost like a flick of a switch. Mentally she entered a place where nothing else mattered except the task at hand, a place where she was focused and strong. Emotions were non existent in this place; they couldn't be. They made you slower, vulnerable. Ruth had achieved this state of mind no problem, however she wasn't sure how long it could last with Mark nearby.

"What do you need me to do?" Mark asked, a bit taken aback by Ruth's behaviour. 

"Stay near me and do as I say when I say and do not argue with me. Got it?"

Mark nodded. "Got it." 

She appreciated how cooperative he was, but she couldn't help but fear that he wouldn't like this side of her; the side that took charge and completed her objectives. She didn't want to come off as a bitch, but in this situation Mark was unpredictable to Ruth, and she couldn't risk having him around when he was out of her control.

Ruth handed Mark one of her daggers; a dagger of control to be specific. As soon as Mark took hold of the dagger its thin layer of energy faded and it was nothing more than a steel dagger. Ruth doubted it would do much to save him if he was in trouble. If he was lucky it would buy him seconds, which could be the difference between life and death, besides, he needed something to defend himself with. 

Once they were ready they took their first steps into the cave. In front of them stood a long oval shaped tunnel made of the smooth cold marble. The darkness concealed any turns or twists that the tunnel lead to. On the floor of the cave there was a small stream of water that was more shallow than a puddle; it flowed past their feet and went deeper into the cave.

"Hm," Ruth said as she looked down at her feet.

"Hm?" Mark inquired.

"This water shouldn't be here," Ruth said. "The energy that keeps the water out of the cave is too powerful; not even a drop of water would make it through." 

"Maybe the magic wears off after  a while?" 

"Not this magic," Ruth said. "This shit is everlasting."