...someday I'll get this schedule thing right, I promise.

Hey, guys! Welcome back to Into the Dark! Sorry for the wait; school was being mean again. But hey, now that I'm here, let's get right to the reviews!

Thanks so much to the lone reviewer of last chapter, Arbuzowaqueen! Though...I'm afraid I can't see what you typed...it just shows up as blank for me, oddly enough. Still, thank you anyway! And as for the rest of you, thank you for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you think!

With that said, on with the chapter!

Chapter 6: Discovery

…

…

…"-ack! Ja-"...

…"-at happened!? Ja-!"...

…

…

…"W-Wait, who-!?"...

...

…"...y-you're...imposs-!"...

Thwack.

…"-amn huma-"...

…"-at about this one…? Is he-?"...

…"-e...he is! L-"...

…"-ow could this be…?"...

..."-on't know...is he really a-"...

..."-ink so. Carefu-"...

…"-eck his pulse...does his heart bea-?"...

…

…

…"...he is alive."

()()()()

When Jack awoke, he could safely say that he had absolutely no idea where he was. Last he had known, he had been left for dead in the desert sun, enfolded by nothing but the coarse sand beneath him. However, even with his eyes still shut, he had the distinct impression that he had somehow ended up atop a bed, bundled in several ice-lined blankets.

Certainly a strange change of scenery.

Logically, his best assumption was that he had somehow been rescued from the desert, but by whom? He doubted he could have lasted more than a few hours in the stifling heat, and even if a random traveler had come across him by chance, how likely was it that they would have stopped to save a nearly-dead sprite?

Regardless, it seemed that, one way or another, help had come.

But… he thought dizzily, expression twitching into a pained grimace. By whom…? And how…?

He knew that the only way to answer his questions was to force his heavy eyelids open, but the thought of making even such a small effort in his current state turned his stomach. Despite the fact that he could sense his body temperature lowering to back to its proper frigid level, he was left both physically and mentally fatigued from the ordeal. Each of his limbs felt heavy due to his weakness, and his head continuously spun as his stomach was assaulted by waves of nausea. His only comfort was the fact that, thanks to the concoction Aster had given him, his skin was not burnt raw. Upon acknowledging this, however, his stomach twisted once more in a way that had nothing to do with his heat exhaustion.

The Guardians… The anxious thought was the first clear one that had come to his head thus far, yet it was not comforting in the slightest. They expect my return soon...but I don't know how long I've been unconscious for. It could have been days at this point...if that's the case, what will they have thought when I didn't show up…? I'd try to get back to them as quickly as possible, but I doubt I'm fit to travel in this state, especially without a cooling gem...and… He stiffened. And Zephyr...d-damn it...I hope he's okay…

Clenching his teeth together, Jack forced back the wave of apprehension and anxiety that threatened to overtake him. Cross that bridge when you get to it, Jack… he mentally chided himself. For now...getting up is the primary objective.

Such an act was easier said than done, of course. It took him no less than three minutes to merely crack open his eyelids, and half a minute longer for his blurred vision to come into focus.

As far as he could tell, he was not in any immediate danger. Upon letting his dulled eyes flick around to take in what little of his surroundings was visible, he deduced that he was in a dimly lit, windowless room with several shelves filled with books and what looked like elixirs lining walls made of...glass?

No, he realized as his vision cleared further. It's too opaque to be glass...it must be...ice…

Indeed, the walls (and allegedly the floor and ceiling as well) of the room had been formed with ice only just clear enough to reveal what lay behind them; nothing but solid rock. Which could only mean…

Jack's heart nearly stopped.

I'm...underground… he thought, panic rising in his throat. Memories of the Nightmare King's lair flooded back once more, just as they had in the tunnel leading to the bandits' hideout. He felt sweat start to break out on his forehead as his breathing began to quicken, a sense of dread filling him.

N-NO! he told himself harshly, struggling to stay still as he fought to control his respiration. Do NOT panic now! You absolute fool...this isn't the Nightmare King's lair! You're not under your old village! You don't need to be afraid of being underground! It's...it's moronic! Stop! Get a damn grip on yourself and get up!

His own harsh rhetoric helped to shake him out of his anxious thoughts, though not by any extravagant amount. His hands still shook as he forced his arms to move, then he attempted to push the rest of him into a sitting position, still fighting to move even when pain tore through his injured left hand and his vision went almost completely black.

Before he could accomplish his goal, however, a voice stopped him, and suddenly, there was a presence at his side.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, boy, easy!" the voice exclaimed as its owner placed his hands on both of Jack's shoulders, gently pushing him back down (Jack refused to acknowledge how little effort it took whoever it was to counteract his frantic struggling) onto the bed. "Calm yourself...you are safe, I promise."

Jack begged to differ, but did not attempt to speak, afraid that doing so would reveal the fearful tremor that had surely taken up residence in his throat. He closed his unfocused eyes tightly, hoping that he would regain the ability to use them properly before opening them again.

The unseen stranger let out a sigh of relief as the young sprite's panic seemed to ease. "Good…" he said, removing his hands from the boy's shoulders. "I wouldn't advise trying that again...you'll only hurt yourself if you move before you're ready."

Jack made a small noise of acknowledgement, but nothing more. Despite all of the questions swirling around in his mind, he was not even sure he could speak, even as he pushed as much of his panic and anxiety as he could away. His throat felt raw and parched, and he was certain that trying to talk would only bring him more pain.

The boy heard the stranger walk a few paces away, then come back a moment later. "Now that you're awake, however, you should drink some water," he said, as though having read Jack's mind. "Careful, though, I'll help you…"

Weakened and desperately thirsty, Jack had no choice but to let the man gently lift his head upright, then bring a cup to his dry lips and carefully tip some of its contents into his mouth. Though the shock of the sudden liquid stung his tender throat at first, the cool water soon soothed his pain quite effectively.

After a few slow sips of the much-needed liquid, the cup was removed from Jack's mouth, and his head was lowered back to rest on the pillow beneath it. Though he still kept his eyes closed, partly in an attempt to avoid reminding himself about his current location, he managed to mumble out a weak, "Th-Thank you…"

The man gave a slight chuckle and replied, "It's no problem. You certainly needed it." His voice grew a bit farther away as he left Jack's immediate bedside, but he continued speaking. "So...I suppose you'd like to know who I am and where you are, correct?"

"Y-Yes…" Jack answered softly, fruitlessly trying to keep his voice from shaking. He figured that he should try to acquire as much information regarding his situation as possible while he still could. He could only assume that the stranger was friendly based on his behavior towards him, but long-standing instincts from his days on the run warned him to be wary of sudden betrayal.

"Very well," the man said. By the sound of clinking glass and sloshing liquids, it seemed as though he was fiddling with a few of the potions Jack had seen before, perhaps mixing them together, but still spoke despite his apparent preoccupation. "I'll start with me; my name is Darreth Fletcher, and I'm a doctor." He chuckled slightly. "Which is why you were entrusted to me once you were found."

That makes sense… Jack mentally acknowledged. If I had not been treated right away, I likely would have died...I still don't know if I can trust this man, but...at least I'm lucky that there was a doctor present at all.

"As for where you are," Dr. Fletcher continued. "Well...I suppose that will take some explaining. We are, in fact, far below the Motorean desert, just past the point where the sand ends and the rock begins."

Jack had to physically restrain himself to keep from flinching.

Oblivious to the boy's anxiety, the doctor went on, "We are within an...underground city of sorts. A city of refuge, if you will. A veritable safe haven from the dangers and prejudices of the world above us."

At ths, Jack frowned and opened his eyes, though he still felt too weak to turn his head in the doctor's direction. The "prejudices" of the world above us? he thought slowly, puzzling over the man's phrasing. That's an...odd way to put it...I wonder what he means…

As though sensing the question the young sprite wanted to ask, Dr. Fletcher chuckled and said, "Pardon me, my boy...I've been speaking as though you know what this place is for, and who its residents are. For indeed, there are many more of us than just you and me."

Jack's frown deepened and he coughed slightly, making an attempt to speak. "M-More of…" he rasped. "O-Of 'us'...?"

"Indeed," the doctor replied, his knowing smile almost audible in his voice. "Us." Jack began to hear footsteps approaching him as Dr. Fletcher made his way into the boy's field of vision.

His eyes widened.

"As you can see…" the white-haired, blue-eyed man with elfin ears told him, smile never fading. "You and I are quite similar. And make no mistake, we are not the only ones left. Our numbers are relatively small, but there are enough of us to form a community in the city we refer to as New Iskald. Enough of us who escaped the fires and raids…" He nodded at the boy. "Enough snow sprite survivors...just like yourself."

For indeed, to Jack's endless shock and disbelief, that was what Dr. Darreth Fletcher was.

A snow sprite...just like Jack.

...see you next time. :)

'Til then, Sapphire316, out.