King Of The Skies

Chapter 18

Kage, Root Roost, Sector Periit, 11:28 pm

Kage was impressed that he wasn't panicking at this point. Considering the current circumstances and the situations he's previously been in, it's a miracle he hasn't had any coffee yet. And it's a miracle he's still sober.

It was pure luck that the code and coordinates for the Root Roost were still in that drawer. Kage felt guilty for breaking into Fyn Trizo's apartment, he hoped that the note he left would make her not kill him on sight. He also managed to grab a few other useful things there as well, he prayed that Fyn would forgive him.

The Root Roost was something between a haven and a hideout. When it was winter break, Fyn had taken Kage and some other fourth year cadets to her little hideout. Although it was underground and there were no windows, it was a place where Kage felt safe. He hoped his cadets would too.

The Root Roost was a lot smaller than he remembered, and it didn't smell like dirt and old wood, it smelled newer. Maybe Fyn refurbished it, it was pretty dank before.

Kage made sure everyone was asleep before taking up guard. The Root Roost had one massive room that was filled with low and flat couches that were piled up with pillows and thick blankets. The walls were decorated with electric string lights that would turn blue or purple. Fyn loved decorating.

His cadets were all curled up around the room, the girls had formed some sort of pile and were happily sleeping under heavy blankets. The boys were as far from each other as they could get. Kage didn't expect anything less.

Kage walked into a room just off the side, in total, there were four other rooms that connected to the main room plus one that led down to the water source. Fyn had told Kage that she and her grandfather had built this hideout years ago, now Fyn used it as a getaway nest.

Kage hated how small the rooms were, his wings kept hitting the small walls. The store room looked exactly like it sounded, a room filled top to bottom with all sorts of supplies crammed onto hand dug dirt shelves. He scanned the walls and absently took in all of the names of all the canned food. They all looked new and fresh, like they were bought weeks ago. It set Kage on edge.

What set Kage on edge even more was the missing ammunition and weapons. He knew Fyn had kept this place stocked with firearms because she loved the thought of an apocalypse, he was surprised that the firearms were no where in sight. Kage closed the store room door and left. Fyn, you better have a good reason for this.

He looked the main door and tucked the key into his boot, he wasn't going to let anyone near his cadets. The knife he managed to slip off Lyn he waded between his teeth as he climbed the tree. He knew if anyone with a sky view looked down at the beech tree they wouldn't seem him. He hoped the dark coat he wore also helped camouflage him.

Kage nestled himself in-between two thick branches, his wings curled around the wood to keep him steady. He flicked the sturdy blade in his hands and let his mind wander as his senses reached out into the dark.

He was alone in the Far Lands of Avianetta, he knew there wouldn't be avians for miles, excluding the city. But why wasn't his pulse going down? Why was his guard up? Why did he have dread settling in hi stomach.

"Breathe it out Kage, take it slow," he mumbled to himself, eyes straining in the dark.

The events of the day flowed through his mind. He hated himself for the fact he brought all of his cadets to a Mafia Boss' front perch, and he hated that they were danger because of his reckless thinking. The pain of the stab wound still throbbed, Doctor Funer was able to take out the stitches before she left, but it was still in danger of ripping open and bleeding.