The Elementals | Book 1. The Cliffs of Immensi

Chapter 19

Cascade gasped as she tripped on yet another root that protruded out of the ground of the tunnel. She felt Omar's steady hand grip her arm and stop her from falling.

"Thank you," she whispered. She did not dare to speak any louder, as it would disturb the eerie silence that filled the dark tunnel.

"You're welcome," came the whisper in reply. Omar was laser-focused in the tunnel. He could feel the tunnels and the passageways, using the light breeze which he ran through them. Anytime somebody tripped, he could catch them and stop them from hitting the rocky ground.

Suddenly, Omar heard something. A soft groan coming from around a corner. Coming from a passageway. Omar stopped walking and tugged Cascade's arm lightly to inform her that he was stopping.

"Why are we stopping?" Cascade whispered quietly. Everyone else stopped.

"I heard something," Omar whispered back.

"Wh-"

"Shhh." Omar put a finger to his lips and knelt down on the ground, moving forward on his hands and knees to feel around for whatever it might be that made the sound. He strained his ears to see if he could hear the sound again. Then he heard it once more. So I really did hear it.

Omar continued forward, but all he could feel was the sandy ground, the rough rocks, and the roots that ever threatened to yank him down. Omar was beginning to lose hope that he would find whatever, or whomever, it was that had made the sound.

Omar was about to turn back when he felt something. Some kind of leather. It was in a strange shape. He wrapped his hand around it. Half of it was rough and had soil and mud on it. The other side was smooth and soft. A shoe.

Omar felt upwards, but the leather continued. It was a boot. Omar whispered, "Hello?"

A hand shot out and grabbed Omar's wrist. "Are -ou re?" came the quiet, raspy voice.

Omar was confused for a moment. Then he understood what the girl had said. "Yes, I'm real. Andrea, shine a light over here!"

A small flame appeared, carried in the palm of Andrea's hand. As she walked forward, it illuminated the face of the figure that lay on the ground.

Cascade stared at the girl in astonishment. Why is this girl in this tunnel? Cascade shook her head. We're lucky Omar heard her. She looks like she's not doing so well.

The girl had dark blonde hair, cut short just above her shoulders. It was ragged and uneven, and matted with soil. Her eyes were blue and her face was covered in freckles. She wore black all over, just like Sephtis did. She was shivering and was missing one boot. A terrified expression was set on her face.

For she was frightened. Ano'ter person who can make weird t'ings happen? she thought. I don't need this 'ight now. I need a normal 'erson who won't kill me.

"It's all right. We won't hurt you." Cascade knelt down in front of her and cleared some of the mud and dirt from the girl's face. "What's your name?"

"Ema-ai."

"Emanai?"

Emanai nodded. "I ne- wa-er."

"Oh!" Cascade pulled a goblet made of ice out of the air. Then she filled it with water. "Here. Drink this."

Emanai was frightened at first to try it. It had been made by the girl's strange powers. After all, Sephtis had used his power for destruction and killing, nothing else. But Emanai needed to drink. She would have to trust these strange people. After all, they would hardly hand her poison to make her die; she was going to die if she stayed there in the tunnel any longer anyway.