The Admin's Reign: A Spark of Hope

Chapter 11

A gentle mist rained from the early morning sky, finding nothing to greet but empty streets and silent homes. The sun was not yet out to wake the sleeping, leaving the streets to be faintly lit by lanterns with small dancing flames within. Not far from the palace, early risers loaded a line of carts with food, weapons, and other supplies in preparation to head for the border. Hushed yet stern orders were given to the men by a blonde-headed woman in a purple pin-stripe suit who held an umbrella in one hand, and a clipboard in another. She occasionally looked up and snapped at one of the workers, telling them to be careful with the weapons.

Two guards as her side watched over the workers, occasionally glancing across the empty streets to ensure that no one was lurking about.

The last of the supplies were loaded right as the clock tower rang, signaling the fifth hour or the morning. The worker swiftly climbed aboard their carts and whipped the horses to movement. As the last cart pulled forward, the woman and her guards turned and headed back to the palace.

Laying wait for the supply carts were eight hooded figures, shrouded in a dark alleyway not far from the cobbled street. One of them counted, waiting for the last cart to pass before they each stepped out into the street. Two of them kept watch as they silently climbed onto the rear cart, disappearing one by one behind the protective fabric of the wagon. The final two then made their way on as well, vanishing from any form of view that could behold them.

The eight stowaways remained quieter than the grave, communicating with looks and hand motions. Still under the influence of early morning head fog, a few of them fell back to sleep, leaving the others to keep watch.

Soon the sun began to wake, stretching it's rays up from behind its dark blanket. The light began to evidently show through the thick fabric, arousing the drowsy few from their short sleep. The sound of the wagons riding through rocky terrain gave them enough cover sound to whisper to one another.

"Radar, did you know you drool in your sleep?" Nikki asked, pulling back her hood to look at the boy next to her, who smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." He replied, scratching the back of his head.

Ivor, who was sitting across from them, smacked his lips quietly and pulled his hood further over his face in hopes of going back to sleep. He had soon snoozed off again, snoring just loudly enough for them to hear.

After a bit, Jack reminded Nerm to show the group the maps that he had gotten ahold of. He laid them out as wide as he could in the packed wagon, pointing out the best path.

"So we have over ten days to travel on horseback to get there?" Petra asked. Term nodded and said something reply. Jack translated.

"Only if we take that path. Any other rather with take us over two weeks to get there."

"Hmmm..." Petra huffed in thought, trying to think of a fast mode of transportation should they get diverted from the fastest path. She knew of a railway system near the border, but it went east not north. Then something struck her.

"What if we went through the Nether?" She offered.

Jack seemed to like the idea, but Nerm shook his head. "Nerm says that mapping the Nether is almost impossible and one can get easily turned around.

We could end up traveling the opposite direction of where we need to go. And it's very, very dangerous."

Lukas though for a moment before speaking up. "Maybe not rule out the idea entirely,"

They all looked at him.

"We can use the Nether as a last resort, a life or death escape should we come to one." He said.