The Elementals | Book 1. The Cliffs of Immensi

Chapter 11

"I don't like the desert," Cascade complained, something Andrea would never have expected her to do. "It's got no water. It's empty. It goes on forever. And there's so. Much. Sand." Cascade collapsed onto the sand once more and lay there. "It's dry, annoying, and there's so much of it everywhere." Cascade groaned.

Andrea trudged on. She grabbed Cascade's arm and pulled her back up. "Come on! We need to continue until we reach where the vision's taking us. You've never given up before! Don't give up now!"

Cascade groaned and wearily complied. "How are you not dying of heat? You're wearing black."

"I'm not wearing black anymore, Cascade. We both bought white outfits from that caravan of traders that we passed earlier because we were in the desert, remember? Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"No. I'm not sure."

"Really?"

"What? No. I was speaking rhetorically."

"Oh."

"Do you know what 'rhetorically' means?"

"No, not really."
"Why didn't you ask?"

"I figured it would come up at some point. What does it..." Andrea trailed off.

"What is it?" Cascade straightened wearily.

"Steep drop." Was all Andrea had to say.

Cascade was puzzled. She stepped forward and looked over the top of the dune they were standing on top of. She quickly backed away once more. "Whoa."

"Now the pull is coming from below us." Andrea said. "From there. That pit of darkness, or whatever it is."

"I don't feel like jumping in that pit right now."

"Me neither."

"I won't ever feel like jumping in that pit, in fact. No matter what crazy vision said I should."

Andrea stifled a laugh, though not very successfully. "Then what do we do now? Go back the way we came?"

Cascade realized that Andrea had a good point. There's almost no way that we could return to where we came from. It would take forever. We also wouldn't know how.

Cascade looked around for a path that they could take down. She slowly scanned the edge-

"HELLO?" Andrea shouted into the pit.

Cascade jumped. "Could you be a little quieter, maybe?"

Andrea ignored her. "ANYBODY THERE?"

Andrea has a very loud voice sometimes.

"HELLO?" The shouting continued.

"Andrea, I don't think there's anybody-"

"Hello!" A boy suddenly appeared in front of them. He was standing on a piece of earth that appeared to be floating in the air.

"Hello?" Cascade asked. Then she got distracted. "Are you controlling that piece of earth?"

"Yes. I am. Have you seen the vision?"

Wow. So direct. "Yes. We both have."

"What was it?"

"Dunes. With some letters on top that say 'Denecay Dunes.'" Andrea told Concord.

"All right. Hop aboard."

Cascade raised an eyebrow, but Andrea jumped right on. Cascade sighed and joined them on the slab of earth. "So, when are we going to leaAAAAAAAAA..." Cascade didn't get to finish her sentence as the slab suddenly shot down towards the ground. Cascade and Andrea were nearly left behind as the slab shot downwards.