Chapter 11

After a half hour of stalking we saw the two armed men walked into a rather small unnoticed cave beneath a high cliff. I'm surprised they didn't notice two robed people following them. But maybe this was the kind of thing Malik was good at: deception. Was this because of her Jedi magic? Maybe. Normally that kind of talk would be insane, but after experiencing what she did to me yesterday, there's just little to no doubt about it now. But there's no denying I could subdue her. My only weakness is my mind. And I won't let her exploit that again.

"We're here," she said stepping out of her hiding place. She began to walk head straight into the cave. Just what exactly was she even thinking.

"Are you insane? You're just going to walk in?"

"What do you propose we do? We know nothing of another entrance and even if we did, we don't have time to waste."

"But you don't even have a weapon."

"No. But you do. Now let's go"

The only argument I had against walking right into this suicide mission was the fact that we don't even know if the tribe is even in there to begin with. But where else could we look. And most of all, would Marcus have found this cave as well?

Malik and I stood at the small entrance of the cave. There was only one straight path wide enough for three people to fit in. There was nobody in sight.

"This cave must really go far in," I said. Malik looked over to me placing her index finger on her lips. I complied and began to follow her lead into the long path. As we walked deeper I noticed mechanical lights used to lighten the path further in where light couldn't reach. It seems this cave is often visited. So much that we heard the firing of a loud blaster echo throughout the cave.

"ANSWER ME!"

Malik stopped immediately. I guess I wasn't the only one who heard all of that just now. Malik then resumed her investigation by walking faster. I was eager was well, standing so closely behind her.

At the end of the path we came to a sudden cliff. The walls of the cave spread even further and deepened down vertically onto a flooring where several men were standing armed with weapons and surrounded by cargo and supplies. Malik laid flat on the ground poking her head against the edge of the cliff.

"Jason!" She snarled. I dropped down laying beside her poking my head out the cliff as well. Below us among those men was one familiar face. It was Marcus. He was standing on his knees with his hands tied surrounded by two men.

"You're not going to talk are you?" said one of the gunmen leaning forward to Marcus, trying to intimate him. What he didn't know was that Marcus was always hard headed, and it was only inevitable that he would spit onto the man trying to coerce him. But that gunman wasn't having it. He fired two shots right into Marcus's chest. Marcus fell flat on the ground with smoke and blood leaking from his body.

"Bring in another one," said the gunman.

At that point I was ready to burst out yelling for revenge, for blood. After all that, after everything we've been through, he disappears just like that, with nothing to show for it.

But somehow, I was refused the right to speak. I don't know how, but I could feel that familiar comforting darkness again. It's nothingness was a warm welcome from fear and anxiety. Was this Malik's doing?

I looked over to her to get an answer. She was standing on one knee with her arm stretched towards the ceiling. I looked over at what she was trying to grab ahold of. She was reaching for the stalactites far above, attached to the ceiling. What was she trying to accomplish?

But I saw soon enough with my very own eyes. Somehow, by some strange miracle of the impossible. The stalactites began to shake. Every single one of them were shaking trying to break free from the ceiling.

"Jason," Malik said softly. "What you're feeling now, is very powerful. Whatever you do, don't let that be your reason for fighting. It'll consume you, and turn you into the very thing you hate. So... Don't cry Jason. Whatever you do, don't cry for that man and his son."

Was I... crying?

Soon enough the stalactites broke free from their prison and began to fall in unison. Malik grabbed my spear and jumped off the cliff at that exact moment.

The stalactites fell on to men piercing and cracking their flesh and bones. And Malik of all else fell on top of Marcus's shooter. She forced Gilos' spear into the back of his neck and passed it through his stomach. She then grabbed his blaster and proceeded to take care of the rest of the men who were all still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

It lasted only a few seconds. Every single foe never even knew what was going to happen. She never gave them a chance. But they lost that right. After what they did to Marcus. I'm glad. I'm glad that they all died horribly. It was well deserve, beautiful in fact. I can leave this place satisfied that vengeance was carried today. So why... why was I crying?

Was I... crying? For Marcus?

"Jason, what did I just tell you?"

Was that... Malik? How can she speak to me so calm and softly? She so far away from me. I wouldn't be able to hear her like this.

"Jason, this is the way things are now. You need to accept it."