III - A Voice From The Past

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Noa, run, go, please go

"Huh?" exclaimed Nara, looking around her and realizing that she was standing on darkness. An impenetrable blackness surrounded her, but somehow she knew it was a dream and wasn't scared. She suddenly saw a light. It was very dim, and slowly receding in the distance.

"Who are you? Wait!" She pleaded, running to the faint illumination.

Leave, leave, or it will get you too, Noa

"I am Nara!" Yelled the girl, "Noa is my Mommy!"

Noa's child? There was wonder in the voice, and also deep distress.

Please run little one, leave this place - It hurts! Oh how it hurts!

"Who? Who is hurting you? Who are you?" Asked Nara.

I am the one who deserves this. But you don't, so run, run, and tell Noa that I love her, I've always loved her...

The light disappeared and the red-haired girl awoke with a start. "No! Wait!" she exclaimed.

Thoram also awoke and held his friend tightly, concern showing in his voice, "Nara, what's wrong?"

She told him of her dream and the desperate warning. Unable to go back to sleep, they decided to explore the main passage they saw nearby, and from there try to find a way out.

A strong breeze had started blowing in the tunnels, blowing dust that had rested on the floor for years. It made them sneeze and cover their eyes, which didn't help them to get their bearings. It also had another unfortunate effect. The dust erased their footsteps, hindering the efforts of the four adults that were looking for them.

Nara had the nagging suspicion that the tunnels were somehow moving, and luring them deeper into the pits' entrails. Several times they had tried to go back to find a barrier blocking their way, or passing a dried-up carcass that they could swear having seen several times. The illumination and the heat increased with the passage of time, and their provisions were all but exhausted. It was with relief that they heard the sound of water and hurried to it.

There was a small stream coming out of a rocky section of the tunnel and they drank from it gratefully. The water was cool and fresh and greatly lifted their spirits. Their relief was short lived though, for when they backtracked their steps, they were unable to find the passage from where they had come from. Not knowing what else to do they followed the water on its way down, going even deeper into the cave's entrails.

The sight they came to filled their hearts with terror, for the stream they had drank from fell to a river down below, which slowly moving waters had the color and consistency of blood. Something stirred again, feeling the children's nearness. It had little life left to it, but it would be enough to lure the intruders farther.

Aye, it would be enough.

It had to be enough...

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As soon as they reached the dried-up Gilium, Noa knew that something was not right. She couldn't express what it was but she felt it, as something cruel and evil lurking in the shadows. The four of them managed to follow the youngsters' footsteps for a while, until an uncanny wind blew through the tunnels scattering dust and small debris all over.

"There is something here." Announced Noa.

"This way," Said Vahn "There's a vibration in the air."

Trevor didn't feel a thing, but the fighter's assurance calmed his worries and they went down a large tunnel. After an hour or so they came to a dead-end.

Gala played his hands over the wall, and finally selected a spot, "Trevor, hack at this wall with your axe," ordered the monk, "It's thinner here and I feel that there is another tunnel behind it."

The blond giant went at the obstacle, and to his surprise he managed to open a gap in the seemingly solid surface. After a while there was an aperture big enough for them all to pass through. Trevor happened to look at his weapon to check its condition, and froze in consternation.

"There, there is blood on the blade..." Said the big man, eyes wide with shock.

Vahn remained calm, but the urgency in his demeanor was unmistakable, "I thought as much, parts of the structure are still alive. We better find the kids, fast."

There were no arguments at this and they resumed their advance, cutting through leathery barriers when needed. After a while they reached the place where Nara and Thoram had slept, and from there managed to find clues as to their destination.

They lost track of time in the greenish gloom surrounding them. After much slashing at leathery barriers, they finally got to the spring in the tunnels and then to the crimson river. The four looked for traces of the two young ones, hoping that they hadn't fallen into the gruesome waters.

"What now?" Mused Noa aloud "Did they come this way and then turned back, or did they go ahead somehow?"

Gala pondered for a short while, "Maybe we should split into two groups, and cover more surface that way."

The decision was taken out of their hands, for a loud rumbling made them turn their heads and an unexpected rush of water, coming from the tunnel with irresistible strength, made them fall into the river below. The rapidly moving stream brought them deeper into the maze with inescapable force. After a terrible journey, where they thought that they should certainly drown, Noa, Gala, and Vahn managed to swim out and help Trevor to an outcropping.

"Phew, thank you guys." Said the big man gratefully, realizing that a little further the waters rushed furiously into a vortex.

"Nothing to it," Replied Gala "We were caught in a similar river the first time we came here."

Trevor suddenly was filled with concern, "The children! That vortex, did it get them?"

"No, my friend," Came Noa's reassurance "Look, they came this way and climbed up. You can see their traces in the wall, and by the looks of it they can't be far."

The blond man really didn't see anything, but he trusted the red-haired woman's instincts. He inquired, "But how did they escape that thing?"

Gala's answer was rather gloomy, "Something obviously wants them, but not us. Had we not had the experience to get out of the river, we would be dead by now."

"I felt something too," agreed Vahn, "I think it's a remnant of our association with Ra-Serus."

"But if we can feel it," began Noa.

"It can feel us too," finished Vahn.

And thus they climbed with renewed vigor, ignoring the weariness in their muscles, for the concern for their little ones overrode all else. An aperture awaited them at the top, and more evidence of the passage of their children was to be found. They were walking though a large cavern pocked with several apertures, and found more traces of the children leading to one at the farthest part.

Suddenly, all the tunnels leading into the vast chamber closed. An ear-shattering roar was heard at their right, and a huge form detached itself from the shadows.

"You got be kidding me!" exclaimed Gala.

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End chapter 03