Burned By Ashes- Dream

CHAPTER 6-AIR ALL OF THE WAY DOWN

Cinder had two of the five in her grasp, not counting her own nation she only had the Air and the Light Nations left, they were the hardest because the Air nations took orders from no one and the Light nation was all about themselves. So Cinder didn't think that it would be easy or that she would get nothing out of them, first she had to find the Stars and then get them all to the shadow Realm and defeat the shadow-hunters. But the one thing that they didn't know was where the Air nation now resigned that was the question that was on everyone's lips was where they where, they had mysteriously disappeared a few years ago saying that they were done with the whole thing and they would live by their own rules and not by the council and thus they had gone into the fog and never come back, the world had said that they would be back by the first full moon of the black year but that had come and gone and they had still not come back to see the world that they had left behind and now it was up to Cinder, Kelly and Nathan to find them all. Cinder looked around how would they get across the country fast? That's what they were all asking themselves, Nate looked to the east, they had to go on horseback. That was their only option. They all looked around there were no means of transportation anywhere, no horses or boats or cars nothing that would help them. Cinder laid the map that they had been using on the ground and looked at it, the only way that they could take was underground and no one wanted to do that. But if it was their only option then they had to do it. Underground was Nate's expertise so they would be putting their lives in Nate's hands to get them safely across to the Air Nation so that they could get in and get out to see the Light Nation and then on to the Shadow Realm. That was all that was left of their Quest the unite the five nations, this had to work it just had to the Water and Earth Nations had come along peacefully hopefully the others would as well so that this could be over with. Cinder went to her horse and got on, the others looked at her well we don't have all day, we have to get going. Kelly nodded and mounted her horse as did the others. Cinder looked ahead of them, they had three days until they would reach the Air Tower, where they lived, what if they didn't listen to her and then the mission would be for nothing, she didn't want any of that. They went through the tunnel in silence because of that things that were waiting for them on the other side. Nate looked at Cinder and said "we are almost to the end and then we will be at the Airs Territory." Cinder nodded they were making good time, soon they would all be back where they belonged and they would all say that nothing happened between the five nations, but that was all a lie, they had united the five to do something great. They went along for a while until Kelly could see some light at the end of the Earth tunnel. She smiled "Look, we are almost to the end!!!" Nate shouted Cinder nodded nervous because what if the Air Nation sent them away? Yes they could go and see the Light Nation but that would mean that they had failed with the Air Nation and what would her father think about that? More importantly what would her mother think about that? They had to go there and get the job done. Cinder nodded to say that she heard what he had said, but the real question was if they would listen to her and know that she was telling the truth. That was the problem that they had to do with, the Air Nation was all about telling the truth, and if you didn't then you would be well Cinder didn't know and she was not ready to find out, they had to get in and get out as fast as they could. They came out into the open and looked around they were far from the Earth Nation, they knew that but where they in the Air Nations territory? They had to find that out but how without getting their attention at the wrong moment. They needed a plan but how would they get in and out without detection? Cinder and Kelly looked at each other and nodded both of them had the same idea and Kelly spoke up first if they send us away then I will drowned their City and then make them come with us and tell us where the Star is and then we will take them and leave and it will be over and done. Nate shook his head and spoke for the first time since they came on the road "we have to get to the Air Nation before the sun goes down because if we are out here there is no telling what will come after us and try to kill us and then we will be useless and we are in unknown territory." Cinder nodded and knew that Nate was right but the one thing that they didn't know was that Kelly was losing control of her power, they all knew that It would happen eventually but they all thought that they would have some time before she was not with them any more. Cinder looked out at the sky and saw that they had to get out of the tunnel of earth because if Kelly did go out of control then they would be standing knee deep in mud and they would be stuck. Nate read her mind and together they grabbed Kelly and Pulled her along out of the tunnel. They did it just in time to because water erupted and filled the tunnel, they would have to find another way back but Cinder knew that there would be no going back now. They only had to go forward and see what would be waiting for them at the end of the quest. Cinder blinked in the bright sunlight and nodded at the others to get back on the horses, that was the only thing that they had to do. Nate took hold of Kelly's reigns and lead her horse along with his, it was slow but they got along, they couldn't lose one of them even if it was going to enemy territory. Cinder looked around her where could they hide? Suddenly she saw a forest ahead of them and she pulled Kelly and Nathan along with her, they had to get away from the open and get to the protection of the trees. Cinder looked around and saw that the sky had gotten darker and the air had gotten thicker and more sinister. Cinder knew what was coming her mother had told her about the shadow-hunters and what they were capable of, they would take your soul and make you do things that you wouldn't do if you were in your right mind, they could make you kill yourself. Nathan looked about and gasped and took Cinders arm and pulled her to the north. Kelly started to moan and Cinder could feel that they where taking possession of her mind, they had to find the Air Nation before it was too late, Cinder looked at the sky and saw that the shadow-hunters where following them, what if they found the Air Nation, they had to get them off the trail and as well get their and get their Star and go forward with their plans, but the one thing that they didn't know was what would be waiting for them in the shadow realm. One of the shadow-hunters looked at Cinder and assumed the form of her mother and looked her in the eyes "Cinder, come with me, I am sorry about all of the pain that I have caused you and the other Stars, you will find the Air Nation have moved on and have left. They will not let you in and help them. Beware of the Maple Star." Cinder looked and blinked and looked at her closely and gasped she was a shadow-hunters this was not her mother, It was an impostor. Cinder shook her head to clear it and grabbed her bow and strung a black arrow in the string and let fly as the Shadow-hunter was trying to get her to believe, it was not working, she had been looking for that the whole time and now she had found it. The shadow-hunter hissed and dissolved into thin air and was gone. Cinder was breathing hard when Nathan found her "Cinder are you OK?" he asked Cinder nodded not telling of the danger that they all faced and that Kelly might have been turned. Cinder looked up and saw that a rope lead high into the trees, was this the entrance had the Shadow-hunter told her what she wanted to know? Cinder looked at the Marking to the rope and nodded they were here they lived in the clouds, She looked on the tree it read USE IT.