by Kyle West
When the fire went out, complete darkness returned. It was a heavy feeling, just knowing there were kilometers of rock and dirt above him. Save for random drops of water, it was dead quiet. If any of them so much as snored, it might be heard for hundreds of meters. Then again, it would make it that much easier to detect someone’s approach.
“Ward is set,” Fergus said.
That reminded Lucian to set the group’s Psionic ward. Even if he was gaining more distance from the Queen, or whoever had been attacking him, he didn’t want to take unnecessary risks.
As soon as he shut his eyes, he was out.
He was shaken awake by someone.
“Time to move,” Serah said.
A light came on, so bright that it hurt his eyes. Once his eyes adjusted, he realized the light sphere wasn’t bright at all. It was simply so dark that even a match would have been blinding. Fergus lowered the intensity of the sphere and allowed Serah to lead the way into the darkness. Lucian got the feeling that she was guessing the direction as much as any of them. Everything looked the same down here.
Cleon apparently had the same thought. “Do you know where we’re going?”
“Down,” she said.
“And how do you know this way is down?”
Serah stopped, causing the rest of them to pause. “You hear that?”
Lucian strained his ears. He didn’t hear anything at first, but then he heard something like static. No, not static. Running water.
“Where you can hear water, it’s heading down,” Serah said. “Almost all streams eventually reach the Moon Sea.”
“The Moon Sea must be what, tens of kilometers below us?”
“Thereabouts. But that’s where Slave’s Run is. The place you asked me to lead you to in case you need reminding.”
“I didn’t ask. If it were up to me, we’d be out of the Blue Rift by now.”
“Quiet,” Fergus said. “I’ve had it up to here with the both of you.”
It was another couple of minutes before anyone spoke.
“Lucian’s been quiet,” Cleon said. “How’re you holding up back there, pal?”
“Just ready to get out of here.”
Cleon had a laugh at that. “It’ll be a while, my friend. Get used to the darkness. Might be you never see the sun again.”
“It won’t be dark forever,” Serah said. “The Moon Sea is the most beautiful site on Psyche, and few have ever seen it.”
“Few live to see it,” Cleon corrected. “And nothing’s more beautiful than the sight of home after a long journey, and nothing shines as bright as the smile of your girl.”
At those words, Lucian thought of Emma. He knew he shouldn’t think of her as his girl in any way. They had never been together. And yet he couldn’t help but think of her. Even if it wasn’t possible to see her again, it was nice to dream.
They at last reached the stream. As good as Serah’s word, it led steadily downward into the darkness. Whether it got them to where they wanted to go was another question entirely.
Serah broke the silence. “My hope is this stream will reconnect with another lake at a lower elevation. From there, we should be able to pick up the trail again. Hopefully with those men far behind us.”
What followed was hours of mindless walking. Even if there was an entire underworld around them, it might as well have not existed because of the darkness. The only world was the one revealed by Fergus’s sphere. And Lucian had to say the Captain was not looking his usual, healthy self. His face was coated with sweat, and he breathed heavily despite the downslope walk.
“Let’s take a break,” Lucian said. “Maybe I can light the way for a while.”
“Maybe you can relax the ward a bit, Fergus,” Serah suggested. “I doubt we’re anywhere near them now.”
“I won’t risk it,” Fergus said, sitting on a nearby rock and wiping his brow. “A bit of water and food and I’ll be good to go.”
They stopped to eat, but even after the rest, Fergus wasn’t doing much better.
“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Lucian said. “I know you’re a Radiant, but you can’t stream that ward nonstop.”
“That is why we must get moving now, Lucian,” he said. “It’s my job to get you to the Orb of Psionics safely. And yes, that might require sacrifice on my end.” His gaze took in the rest of them. “Just as it will take sacrifice for all of us.”
The other two were quiet at that. Serah looked off into the darkness, while Cleon kicked a rock.
“Another thing,” Fergus said. “It’s a miracle we’ve made it this far with all this conflict and bickering among us. That’s something I’ve been meaning to say for quite a while. We must work together as a team or we’ll never make it to the Burning Sands, much less Dara or even Slave’s Run. We have strength together. We cover each other’s weaknesses well. But if we each have our own goals and ambitions, then this mission has already failed.”
It probably wasn’t what anyone wanted to hear, but it had the ring of truth. Lucian felt the others’ eyes going to him, as if he needed to say something. He supposed that made sense. It was because of him that anyone was here at all.
“I know coming down here is not anything you guys had in mind,” Lucian began, somewhat awkwardly. “It’s definitely not what I had in mind. None of us asked to be mages. It’s just . . . something we’re stuck with, I guess.” To his surprise, they seemed to be listening to him. “As for me, I have no choice but to keep going. There’s no home for me to go to. I have no friends or family left. This stupid mission is the only thing I’ve got. I could refuse to do it. I’ve thought about that countless times. But if I do, where does that leave everyone else? Or even me? If I had another choice, I’d have taken it already. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry all of you are caught up in this. You’re victims just as much as I am.” He lowered his head. “I hope none of you have to die for this. That . . . wouldn’t be fair.”
There was a long silence following that. He had overshared. Why would they care about his own misgivings, or even accept his apology? It was too late for that now.
Fergus broke the silence. “I underestimated you, Lucian. I apologize for that. You carry an incredible burden. A burden that will be impossible for you to see through without help.”
Everything wanted to spill out of Lucian. Here in the darkness, what he said didn’t seem to matter. All of them were probably going to die, anyway. What was the harm in being honest?
“That’s my problem,” Lucian said. “Accepting help. Always has been. I was a problem child. Grew up without a dad. My mom was always off fighting some war or another. I had to raise myself, mostly. I’m sure my life was easier than everyone else’s here, so I probably have no excuse. But I had no one to help me, so I had to help myself. I still work that way. Even now, it hurts to ever need help. I’d do this on my own if I could. Take on the whole world if it meant no one else had to suffer.” He sighed. “I can’t, though. I tried to do it all on my own at the Academy, and they exiled me. Maybe I should just stop fighting the tide.”
He looked up at the others, who were all watching and listening. He wanted to stop talking, but he might as well complete his thoughts since he’d come this far.
“It’s not fair to ask you for anything. But you’re already here, voluntarily or not. The truth is, I need your help. We need to get to Dara, first. And after Dara, we need to reach the Burning Sands and the Orb of Psionics. I don’t know how that’s going to happen, but we’re out of options. For some reason, I’m the one the Oracle entrusted with the Orb of Binding. If I die, one of you will have to finish what I started. I’ve already told you everything I know about it.”
“I wouldn’t take that thing if my life depended on it,” Cleon said.
“If you were there, listening to the Oracle as I did, you might change your mind,” Lucian said. “Wars were fought over a single one of these back in the times of Starsea. Everyone wants to live forever. Everyone wants the power to change the u
niverse. Right?”
“I don’t know what I’d do with an Orb,” Cleon said. “Not save the rotting universe, I’ll tell you that much.”
“I’d run far away,” Serah said. “Find a way off this moon somehow. See the Worlds I hear off-worlders talking about. Has to be a way of doing that with an Orb.”
“What about you, Fergus?” Cleon asked. “You’re awfully quiet.”
The Captain’s eyes were closed. “I’d use it to make the Riftlands safe. And I would keep the Queen and her soldiers far away.”
“That’s a Fergus answer if I ever heard one,” Serah said. She frowned in thought. “Speaking of Starsea, there’s a city of ruins on an island in the middle of the Moon Sea. I’ve never been there before, but I’ve seen it from a distance. I’ve always known that old city is theirs.”
“Wait,” Cleon said. “You’re saying there’s a city down there, and you’re just now telling us?”
“There hasn’t been much time to talk,” Serah said. “Besides, there was no point in mentioning the Moon City. I never honestly believed we might make it this far. I only caught a glimpse of it.” Her blue eyes found Lucian’s. “It was beautiful, but sad. Towers, broken bridges, all rising like ghosts above the still surface of the water. When you told me about Miami, Lucian, I thought of the Moon City.”
Lucian knew the two probably couldn’t be more different, but didn’t bother mentioning it. “I hope we see it soon.”
“We should continue,” Fergus said. “I have a couple of hours left in me. I think.”
“Are you sure, Captain?”
“I wouldn’t say I was good if I wasn’t, Serah. Lead the way.”
“Actually, you would say that.”
Fergus grunted. “Lucian can stream the sphere.”
Lucian took over the lighting and fell in behind Serah while Cleon and Fergus brought up the rear.
They walked far longer than two hours, and every bit of distance put between them and their pursuers made Lucian feel better. The terrain sloped down even more, to the point where sometimes they had to climb hand over hand.
“I can’t help but feel we’re descending into an abyss,” Fergus said.
Some rock broke under Lucian’s right foot. It fell into the darkness, and he didn’t hear so much as an impact. That wasn’t a good sign.
“This is the way we need to go,” Serah said. “There’s a bottom somewhere.”
Soon, the slope was so steep that they couldn’t proceed any farther. They found a ledge just large enough to accommodate the four of them.
“This will have to do for now,” Fergus said. “We can figure things out when we wake up.”
It felt dangerous to sleep so close to the edge, but Lucian saw no other option. After streaming his ward, he slept.
The next day, they descended into “the abyss,” as Cleon had called it. It took the greater part of the day. At various points, Serah was forced to use her magic. Even with the lower gravity of Psyche, the climb was terribly draining. Lucian and Cleon shared the responsibility of providing light, Lucian with light spheres, and Cleon with fire orbs held together with Gravitonic Magic. The flickering fire made shadows dance in every nook and crevice, making it difficult to find handholds.
“How much longer?” Cleon asked. “Fergus could just focus a light beam and see how much farther we have to go.”
“As I said before,” Fergus said, between breaths, “doing such a thing would be supremely idiotic. Anyone, or anything, down in this abyss would see us coming.”
“Which begs the question. Why are we climbing down this rotting thing, anyway?”
“Because,” Fergus said, dropping to a lower ledge, “we need to go down.”
Lucian peered into the darkness. “I think I see something.”
Everyone stared into the dark abyss. A single light shone in the distance, like an eye staring.
“Nope,” Cleon said. “Don’t like that.”
“The way is down,” Serah said. “A single light won’t bite you.”
“Are you sure about that?”
They continued to work their way down until the rock walls of the abyss simply . . . fell away. Below them spread a giant cavern. The abyss was more of a deep hole in the ceiling of this entire cavern below. And what was more, Lucian could see that the single light now had separated into multiple lights.
“Looks like our friends are down there,” Lucian said.
“Impossible,” Serah said. “How could they get there before us?”
“The lights are static,” Fergus said. “Looks like they’ve set up camp.”
“Whatever the case, isn’t that good news?” Cleon asked. “It must be a half a kilometer drop to get down there, if not more. No way they could get to us now, even if they could see us.”
Lucian allowed his sphere to wink out. It probably wasn’t bright enough to be seen, but it was better to be careful.
“Maybe it’s not the Queen’s men at all,” Serah said. “More likely it’s a group of frays. An outpost, maybe. In fact, I seem to remember there being one in this huge cavern, where the frays like to forage and fish.”
“Will it get us closer to Slave’s Run?” Fergus asked.
“For sure,” Serah said. “It’s a risk, but if this is the place I’m thinking of, it’ll only take a couple more days to get to the Moon Sea.”
“Are you kidding me?” Cleon asked. “Meeting a group of frays could be worse than Mage-Lord Kiani and his men. What if they’re Burners?”
“Burners don’t live in communities,” Serah said. “Burners survive alone and will attack anyone they don’t have a strong personal connection with.”
That reminded Lucian of Ramore. From Serah’s stoic expression, it was clear she was doing her best to put that out of her mind.
“So, it’s either the Queen or frays,” Fergus said. “I don’t have a mind to climb all this again. What took two days before will take a week or more going up.”
“You’re right,” Serah said. “Once we’re down there, I can investigate and see what we’re dealing with. Or we can try to go around them.”
“I don’t understand,” Lucian said. “How are we even going to get down there?”
“We could do it like the mountain,” Serah said. “That’s the only way I see happening.”
Fergus nodded. “We have no choice but to be seen. Both the light I stream and Lucian’s tethers will be highly visible.”
“So we’re doing the same thing?” Lucian asked.
“Fergus will have to set up a beacon again,” Serah said. “I know you’re drained, Fergus, but we really have no other choice.”
“I’ll have to let this ward dissolve to be sure I can do it,” Fergus said. “If those men are anywhere close to us, I’m afraid any fluctuations we make in the ethereal field will draw them right to us.”
“They are still two days away from this place, if they’re heading here at all,” Serah said. “I’ve walked that trail before. Even if they are hoofing it, I don’t think they could make it before us.”
“I’ll have to trust your judgment,” Fergus said.
“We need to do this quickly,” Serah said.
“Four at the same time would be too draining, even with the Orb of Binding,” Lucian said. “It was overwhelming last time, and this distance is much farther than across Snake Rift.” He peered down into the darkness. “I can probably tether two at a time safely, if it’s about as far as the mountain.”
“I admit, I’ve never seen anyone create a tether like you,” Fergus said. “Very well. Let me know when you’re ready. Cleon and I can go first, like on the mountain, then you and Serah can follow.”
“I’m ready,” Lucian said. “Make sure your stuff is secured.”
“Here we go again,” Cleon said.
Fergus nodded, and almost immediately became wrapped in an aura of green light. Not a moment later, a spot shone in the distance.
“Now,” he said.
Lucian stre
amed, creating the focal point on that shining beacon, what appeared to be a flat rock rising several meters. Binding Magic rushed out of him in a torrent. He streamed two anchor points on Fergus and Cleon.
As soon as the action was done, the magic ripped out of him so quickly that it took his breath away. It took a few seconds for the tethers to be infused with enough magic, and once the tension was sufficient, both men shot off the ledge with yelps, their screams echoing as they blitzed into the cavern. A corona of blue fire surrounded Lucian, his arms extended.
He could sense Fergus and Cleon now, halfway toward the goal, even if he couldn’t see them. His Focus slipped as they gained more distance. The tether flickered a moment before Lucian could reform the Focus, streaming even more magic. The tether burned brighter, illuminating the cavern with a brilliant blue glow. The distance was much farther than he had originally thought, but the Orb only drew more ether, matching exactly what he needed. There seemed to be some strange reticence from the Orb, however, but Lucian was still able to stream without issue.
The stream dissipated as soon as Cleon and Fergus connected with the ground far below.
“You okay?” Serah asked.
Lucian nodded. “I think. The Orb felt a bit . . . strange. It was more draining than I expected.”
“Do you have enough to get us both down there?”
Lucian looked at where Fergus’s waypoint was still shining. He needed to get them both down there before Fergus’s reserves exhausted. “It’s just the distance that makes it hard. I can manage it.”
He reached for the Orb of Binding again. He could no longer hold his Focus as strongly, but he had to. If he didn’t, he and Serah would be stuck up here while Fergus and Cleon would have to fend for themselves below.
That thought alone gave Lucian the strength to firm his hold. This time, though, the Orb didn’t seem to want to supply its magic as willingly. Lucian didn’t understand how he knew that, but he certainly felt it, as if it were a living thing. Lucian didn’t understand why he was thinking of the Orb as a sentient being with its own wants. It wasn’t a sentient being; it was a thing, and he was its master. And as its master, he had to make it work for him.
