The Gifted

Chapter Thirteen: The Base

A soft knock on the door woke me from my sleep. I laid there for a bit, not quite sure where I was in the moments of just waking up. Getting up, I made my way over to the door that was now emitting harsher knocking sounds.

"One moment, James!", I called from the other side of the door and the knocking ceased. I looked down at myself, I was pretty gross now that I thought about it. I hadn't had a proper wash in days and, not sure where we were going or who we were meeting, I wanted to be as presentable as possible. Not to mention, I can rough it as much as any man but, if the option is available, I'll take clean over dirt-covered any day. Who wouldn't?

Lighting a lantern, I looked around the room that I hadn't paid any attention to last night. I noticed a pitcher with some water and, finding a cloth, washed my face and hands. It wasn't much, but it did make me feel a little better.

Walking over to the door I flung it open, a question already spilling from my lips. "Sorry, James but is there anywhere I can get cleaned up? I feel like I-. Oh."

A very interested looking Flint was leaning against the wall across from the door. He raised an eyebrow, "You feel like what?"

I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway, "I feel like my brother should be here and not you."

"Well James called a council meeting, so he asked me to show you around in his place." He walked over to me and leaned in. What was he doing? He crinkled his nose and I immediately shoved him away. "You smell like a wild animal." He covered his nose and waved a hand in the air as if to dispell the scent. A little theatrical today, are we?

"Yes, well, I suppose that's because I've been traveling with a pack of them for the past few weeks."

He laughed, "Alright. That's fair. I'll show you where you can get cleaned up later, deal?"

I smiled, "Deal."

"Great! First stop is the dining hall because I'm starving and I know you are too. I think the crew will meet us there, minus Kane of course."

I closed the door to James' room and we started down the hall. "Do you do everything together? Everyone seems pretty close."

"We should be. Most of us trust each other with our lives, it's only natural for us to be close. Groups normally stick together, train together, eat together. Everything really. For some of us, that's the only family we have." Was that the only family he had? I wanted to know but thought it a little early to be asking such a personal question. I let it go for now.

We walked down stairwells and back into the large hallway. Finding the familiar archway, we entered the dining hall, Enoch already waving us down at a table. Joining them, we ate breakfast and discussed plans for the day. Sir Devon was training Enoch, who begged me to join them but I politely refused. I did miss training, especially the water, but I was still playing at being a normal castle maid.

After eating breakfast, Flint showed me around a little. The place was far greater than I had ever imagined. It practically ran through the entire mountain, so much so I doubted I would be able to see everything in a single day. When I asked Flint how all of this was possible, he simply shrugged and said when the rebellion was originally organized there was a Gifted with the ability to move earth. Another elemental.

I quickly committed one route to memory that led to what had to be the most amazing thing I had ever seen. Not even the castle had anything to compare to this.

We were walking through yet another enlarged hallway lined with torches when I noticed natural light ahead. Sunlight. I quickly dismissed it as a trick since we were inside a mountain, but when we reached the end of the hallway I had to shield my eyes from the very thing I thought impossible. We walked into a very large circular room alight with sunlight. Looking up, I realized there was a giant hole in the top of the mountain that was allowing for the high sun to shine in.