A/N: What's this? Update already? I know, I know, this is not the norm for me, but hey, I'm getting something done while I have this project still fresh on my mind. So, without any ado, here is chapter 14

Link N Ivy: If I tied the sequel into this story, then it's not a sequel, just an extension...

Destiny's Warriors

Chapter Fourteen: Of All The Things

Days had passed since the group's deliberation to spring the trap set by the Defias, most of which uneventful. One thing in particular had happened, though. The Defias had actually contacted Simonee in a note, reading:

Meet in the Deadmines of Westfall. Do not bring friends. Come unarmed.

-Your 'special' friend

Of course, at that point, Simonee definitely knew it was a trap. And so, there he was, sitting in the Deadmines, waiting for this correspondent to show himself.

Outside was a cacophony of color; the sky was a beautiful combination of oranges, yellows, purples, blues, and reds. The ground was still covered in snow, which reflected the bright sun, and the trees were still struggling to shed every leaf. The atmosphere was pleasant, and although it was a mid-winter evening, the temperature was moderately warm.

Inside the mines, however, not everything was so perfect. The cavern walls were still roughly hewn from the eager miners' picks, and had taken a layer of grime in the week-long absence of the Brotherhood. Looking back at that last week, Simonee realized just how bare and expansive everything was without all of the human presence.

Simonee had been inside the mines, wandering, since afternoon, and it was now hours later. He had taken up a seat on a lone, grime-less stone, and resumed waiting. Minutes upon minutes crawled by restlessly in the darkness. By the time anything truly interesting happened, it was night outside, the darkness joining with that inside the cavern. It was at dusk when Simonee heard a shuffling of feet. 'One person, from the sound of it.' And so it was, a single person shifting along the slimy walls. He almost immediately recognized it as the poor spellcaster, blinded by Dagerly's attack. The flames in the lanterns on the floor flickered, as wind blew ceaselessly into the mines.

Before Simonee knew it, the flames extinguished, and the shuffling transformed into running. A sharp pain erupted in the back of Simonee's head. 'Too bad the Defias didn't check everything out…' he thought, as he fell to the rapidly enclosing ground.

"There's the signal," remarked Dince, quietly. There, at the mine entrance, was, in fact, a signal. "Hah, Simonee's a genius."

The mechanism was small; a circular object the size of a grown man's hand, and not three inches tall. Inside ware mechanisms and a bottle. Before entering the cave, Simonee had made it a point to have Aubs, the group's engineer, create it according to specifications in his mind. After the curious thing was made, Simonee encapsulated a small amount of his fire magic inside the bottle and set the mechanism. After closing the small machine, he had given the hiding group succinct directions.

"After this thing goes off," he began, motioning to the machine. "Wait three seconds. I will be captured by then. When the three seconds is up, follow me into the caves. Now, one of you has to be posted at the rear entrance. I don't care who, just figure it out. That person will make sure that whoever abducts me doesn't escape from that way, while the others are following through the caves. DO NOT kill whoever it is. We need them."

And so, following their leader's direction, they waited, counting.

"One… two… three… GO!" Aeriah shouted.

Three of the remaining five members rushed past the still-flaring mechanism, while the last two had already been posted at the rear of the cave. The climb had definitely been a long one, although necessary. Krionoso stood vigilantly alongside Dagerly, as they waited. They didn't have the pleasure of Simonee's homemade signal to alert them, so they had no clue when whoever this was would pass them by. Instead, however, one slept while the other kept an eye and an ear on this side of the cavern. The sky darkened relatively quickly after the long twilight period, which Krionoso accredited to the anticipation of battle.

Back inside the cave, Aeriah led the rush in, through the network of stone walls, in the search for Simonee. He had each of the two make sure to check each branching cave, in case the Defias had a hidden cavern for just them, or if the attackers were hiding. Soon, the three of them entered the main pathway and began searching through. The now-familiar tingle made Aeriah shiver, but he kept moving. They searched for hours, and yet, found nothing. It was a quandary. Where could these people have gone? Did they know of something the group didn't? The group, however stymied, didn't give up the search.

It was Krionoso's watch once more, as he looked into the cave. The sun had risen just minutes ago, and the light radiated into the small opening. It was serene, although the feeling was not. Instead, the almost palpable desperation was made apparent by everything. Deep lines shadowed the mage's rather young face. He hadn't seen the abductors or his own group for hours, and from what Dagerly let on, he didn't either. He had absolutely no way of knowing what had happened to the group, and if they'd found whoever it was or not.

Krionoso began to pace back and forth on the perilously small landing, and surveyed the gentle curves of the land, the back end of the Dagger Hills, in an attempt to calm his nerves. The sun painted everything a deep shade of yellow, accentuating the look of perpetual autumn in Westfall. Rocks and stones jutted from the ground in an obstinate fashion, as though teeth in the great maw of a beast. Each one broke the subtle downgrade; while at the bottom, trees took the place of stones. It was more than a beautiful scene. It was magnificent.

Behind Krionoso, was a shuffling. He turned and saw Dagerly getting up, scratching his head.

"See anything?" he asked.

"Not yet. It doesn't seem as though we will, either."

Dagerly grunted, obviously disappointed. He rose from the cold stone landing, and looked into the cave. "I'm going to check in here… follow me in."

Krionoso walked in after Dagerly, and the two moved quickly into the short, winding tunnel. Soon after, they found themselves looking out at the old, still ship.

"That sight will never become old," remarked Krionoso, marveling at the underground boat. A realization hit him like a dragon whelp flying its fastest. "Check the ship. Maybe that's where Sim is!"

Dagerly's eyes shot open immediately. "You're right! I didn't even think of that possibility."

Krionoso led the two of them down into the great cavern, towards the shipyard. The harbor sat still, as the lack of wind underground could not disturb it. Krionoso hurried to the giant boat, but slowed down as he approached the wooden bridge spanning the gap between grotto and stone. He held up a hand, and Dagerly slowed as well. "We don't want them finding out we're back here, especially not with the noise of heavy steps on wood. Tread lightly here," he whispered.

With that advice, Krionoso continued on the way to the wooden mammoth, carefully measuring the pressure of each step he took. As soon as they passed the gangplank, they started gradually speeding up, taking measures as to not alert anyone to their presence. It was still a rather slow and arduous task, and every precious moment counted against them, but they still made their way to the front of the boat. As soon as they rounded the aft of the boat, Krionoso held a hand up again. "Checking for patrols," was the explanation.

He surveyed the dim grotto, and noticed no movement. He called forth all of his insight, perceiving every little detail. Satisfied with the search's results, Krionoso and Dagerly pushed forth, foot by excruciatingly slow foot. 'This type of thing should be left to rogues and rogues alone,' Krionoso thought inwardly, being used to the ability to blast apart anything and everything. He relished that, now.

Krionoso held back the strong desire to sigh explosively, for the sake of what they were trying to achieve. The two of them worked their way up the extensive wooden ramp, only halting to check for any patrols nearby. They soon reached the top, after at least a half-hour sneaking around. Krionoso's legs burned with the effort of inhibition required to walk as slowly as he did. And so, at the deck of the boat, he stretched silently, desperately wanting to groan with relief. There, right in front of him, lied the cabin of the boat.

If Simonee was anywhere in this cave, Krionoso knew, it had to be here.