The Brotherhood of The Black Rats

4.35 The Dragons Den

Footsteps echoed through the hollow. Kai watched as Isabelle’s skin healed from the dirt she was carefully rubbing around her burns. The footsteps grew louder.

            “We need to get out of here,” he tried to say through a voice strained from the steam that had brought them to the crypt.

            His vision ebbed with blurriness as he searched the cards in his hand for the lone Three of Hearts that remained to him. Light poured over his shoulder illuminating the dust and dirt, and particles of bone hanging in the air of the tunnel. First one lone ray, then another, and then another as the sounds of footsteps turned into a steady thunder rolling towards them.

            “You can’t go anywhere,” said Isabelle watching the shaken Gutter Mage franticly search through his cards.

            In what light they had Kai’s exhaustion was all too apparent. Fighting off the Grey Guard and a swarm of Bison’s Shadows had taken its toll on the young Fortune Teller. Even as he shuffled his cards with the practiced ease that came to him so naturally, he could not hide the tremble in his hands.

            “The others, can you contact them?” asked Isabelle “Tell them where we are?”

            It was easy enough to find The King of Diamonds and The King of Clubs. Thompkins would be their best bet for aid, assuming he was still in the city. Simon was probably muddling mint leaves over a glass of Mana and Absinthe in the comfort of The Crimson Breech. The twins could have been anywhere, and Gabriel, was probably drunk.

            There came no answer. Kai focused on the names of his friends as he held their cards in his hand, yet still there was nothing. They were alone.

            More light filled the space before the altar, carrying voices with it as the trembling found them at last. Kai stumbled in his steps, moving closer to Isabelle. She caught him by the arm, holding him steady as the first cave dwellers came upon them.

            The same eerie glow wrought from the healing dirt passed over him at the Fairy’s command. At first it hit like a tide of nausea rising in his stomach. He still felt dizzy, yet his vision cleared as the faint glowing sensation returned to the corners of his eyes connecting him to the world of magic as though he had just downed a pint of raw Mana in one large gulp. Only the white turned blue as a powerful sensation filled him. This was the wild magic of the Fae, and it was like nothing he had ever felt before. 

            The Three of Hearts was in his hand. He had it separate from the rest as shouts of “Who is it?” and “What’s going on?” grew from the newcomers. Along with cries of “How dare you.” and “The penalty is death!” among others. The Teleportation spell flared to life with enough energy to get them above ground and one step closer to home and safety.

            Then a voice called out from the darkness of the tunnel.    

              “Kai,” it said stepping into the light. “Is that you?”

            Kai let the card in his hand go cool. “Hello Misty,” he said.

            “What is this?” asked the leader of the Dragonflies. She was dressed differently than from when they had last crossed paths. The outline of her ball gown and hoop skirt were clearly visible through the darkness. The dress was an old thing, yet well kept. Its bottom half was tiered with ruffles of crinoline and silk that shined in the dim light. It was a dress for a princess, Kai noticed others wearing similar outfits as well.