The Swords of Memory: Second Chances

Chapter 35

Zara and Eli swam up to one of the tunnels. It was pitch black inside. The water wasn't misty anymore but no light from the sun went far into the tunnel. They would be blind within seconds if they decided to go in. "How are we supposed to navigate the tunnels without any light?" Zara asked.

"Well we were supposed to have that glowing seaweed. Without it I don't know how we could have any light. "

"So we are stuck here until Daphne gets here. She has the energy crystals and there was a fire one right?"

"We can't afford to wait. Plus, fire doesn't really work under water. We will have to just go it blind."

"Eli, that is more dangerous than the misty water. We will be blind, surrounded by rock. We might never find our way out."

"And if we wait we may never find our way in. It's our only chance. We will just keep one hand on the wall at all times to make sure we don't get lost." Zara grudgingly agreed to his plan and they swam into one of the tunnels. Eli took the lead and Zara followed close behind, keeping one hand on the wall and one hand on Eli's shoulder. They continued like that for ten minutes and then the small tunnel seemed to end. They couldn't see, but they sensed the semi-open water in front of them. They ventured a few feet and found that their tunnel ended and was now a part of another rock wall similar to the one they had seen on the outside.

"Eli, this tunnel ended. If we go on we will not be able to find it again. We should go back and try another tunnel." Zara said.

"No, don't you see that light down there?" Eli pointed but wasn't seen. Zara looked down and saw a dim glow off to the side in front of them. The glow looked to be the same color as the seaweed glow but not as bright.

"I see it. But didn't the ancestral sea teach us anything? Following the light isn't really the safe option. There is a reason why people say don't go into the light. We should go back."

"It's our only lead Zara. Come on. Have a little faith." Eli started swimming towards the light, leaving the wall of the tunnel. Zara mentally wrestled with herself for a few seconds. If she stayed she could guide Eli back with her voice. Then she swam after him, towards the light. She had learned it was dangerous to follow the light in the ancestral sea, but Eli swimming ahead had reminded her of how much she really didn't want to be alone.

Zara reached the source of the glow. It was a brick path. The bricks glowed just like the seaweed had. The glow was not as intense as the seaweed, but it was enough to see by. Zara could now locate Eli by sight and that was much more comforting than having to trust that they wouldn't get separated by accident in the dark. Thinking that it might come in handy later, Zara reached down and tried to pull one of the bricks out. They were attached to the ground well and all she was able to get was a small pebble that broke off one of the bricks. She put it into her bag next to the power core and followed Eli through the now illuminated tunnel.

The tunnel continued a few yards and then dropped off in a vertical drop. The glowing bricks continued down the tunnel so Eli started to swim down it, forcing Zara to follow. She realized she had done a similar thing to Eli in the ancestral sea but she did not appreciate it being done to her. She rushed to keep up as they came to the bottom and the tunnel leveled off to a horizontal path again. Zara took the lead from Eli and rushed down the tunnel. The tunnel ended in a large circular room. The bottom was illuminated by more bricks but the upper portion was shrouded in darkness. In the center of the room was a mermaid. Her long brown hair flowed in the water as if there was a current. She was sitting on a mound of sand and seemed to be gazing into a mirror.