I don't own TUC only my OC's.

Chapter 11

Simon

Little Ripred woke us up just before sunrise and we made our way quickly to where we entered. I was correct when the first rays that entered the cavern were directed there.

We waited for the first few hours silently. While we waited I thought. What if the lights and mirrors weren't only a path, but a map, a map that led to the new city? I shared my idea with Little Ripred about half an hour before we were going to enter the palace.

"Interesting thought Simon." He murmured, "Do you have anything to write on and with?" I nodded, "Good, I want you to go up on Artemis and draw the path of the light. It would make sense for these people to do that. They were obviously more advanced back then than we were. Did you notice the light system they had for food? Absolutely amazing, and also for lighting the city, yes it would make perfect sense."

I nodded and went to tell Artemis of the plan. "Very intriguing." She purred, "I am glad you have thought of it." I smiled as Ripred told us to go ahead and start circling the city while the others made their way inside the building. I got a piece of parchment and a pencil I had taken from the museum out of my satchel and prepared myself to sketch the light patterns quickly.

After a minute of flying Aren came out and joined us. I looked at him quizzically, "I am going to fly to where the light ends so we may not loose it." He said softly. I nodded, and suddenly we heard a whistle. I assumed that was the signal for the three of us to get ready and in the next moment the whole cavern was filled with light.

I was startled by the beauty of the city when it looked like this, but then I remembered quickly my job and I began to draw. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aren fly off as fast as his wings would carry him to the end of the light, but I didn't let it distract me. My hand followed my eyes as if flew across the page trying to get every single slant and turn. I finished just as the light began to fade and the city was plunged once more into the soft light. I looked down at my handy work, and prayed I had drawn it right because if I hadn't who knows what sort of trouble we would be facing.

The group was already halfway to Aren by the time we joined them. As I predicted the tunnel was at the other end of the city, it was also the same tunnel that Little Ripred and Cleves had discovered on there last venture here.

Artemis and I joined Aren at the tunnel and waited the short minute it took for the others to arrive.

"Did you get it?" Little Ripred asked. I nodded and showed him the paper. "Good. Ok everyone this is probably going to be one of the most perilous parts of our journey. None of us knows what's ahead. We have already figured out that there were two escape tunnels, one that Silvia, Demetrius, and their bonds found and this one. Try to stay as quiet as possible. We think we have a map and we'll follow it to the best of our abilities. Mount up."

We did as Little Ripred said and began to fly down the tunnel. For a while it was strait then we came to an intersection. I looked at the map I had drawn, "Go left," I said pointing. They group did as they were told. After a few hours of flying we stopped in a small cave not too far from the path to break for the night.

Peter

After two hours I woke everyone up and began a small fire for breakfast. Guard duty had been relatively boring, so I was glad when my time was up. We ate quickly and took to the air breaking aging after about four hours for the bats to rest and for everyone to eat.

The next time we stopped wasn't until Simon's map seemed to end. "We're lost." I said folding my arms across my chest.

"No, we're not." Simon retorted glaring at me.

"Yes we are!" Silvia told her brother joining the argument. "How do you not get lost in the Uncharted Lands? That's kind of why it's called that!"

"We have a map." Simon said harshly.

"No. we have a useless piece of parchment that you tried to turn into a map." she yelled at him throwing her hands up. We continued to argue while Demetrius and Little Ripred began to watch for intruders. As we continued to argue, are yelling escalated so much so that not even Little Ripred, because he was distracted by our bickering, heard or smelled the girl until she appeared in front of us.

We stopped bickering and stared at her. "Thy fools!" she whisper yelled, "Thou hast attracted half the land here! Come quickly or thou shall perish." We looked at each other then mounted our bonds. Demetrius grabbed Little Ripred, and we began to follow the mysterious girl through a tunnel not marked on Simon's stupid map.

The girl ran quickly and seemed never to tire. The bats had little trouble keeping up with her. Soon she stopped in a cave and signaled for us to land.

The cave, I assumed, was the girl's home. There were piles of torches, flashlights, and batteries. A small bundle of clothes and an assortment of weapons occupied one corner of the cave and a mat in the other.

"Who are you?" Demetrius whispered stepping off Hestia and slowly reaching for his sword.

"I am called Raven." The girl answered lighting a torch and sticking it to the wall with some clay. Raven then took off the scarf that had been covering her hair. Her strait black hair fell to her shoulders, and she was lean and muscular. She wore black leggings and a long-sleeved black tunic that was belted at her waist, and if it were left to hang I was sure it would fall to around her mid thigh. Her skin was as pale as an Underlander's and she had eyes so dark they were almost black and they seemed to penetrate your soul. Her lips were deep red color, and looked soft and warm. She had black leather armor that covered her arms, her chest, and her legs. On her feet were shoes either made with fine, sturdy black cloth or the dead skin of some sort of reptile.

I was most captivated by her eyes. I couldn't speak, "What are you staring at?" she asked looking me up and down. Suddenly I wished I had been able to bathe recently.

"You're not speaking old English." I blurted and felt myself begin to blush.

Raven looked at me quizzically, "No," she said slowly, "I am not. Very observant you are, very observant."

"Now you speak crawler English."

Raven stared at me a moment, "Can you understand me?" she hissed.

"Yes." I hissed back.

"Do you all know many languages?" she asked looked around our group.

Little Ripred laughed, "No, no. Only Peter here is a Speaker. I helped to teach him. The others can barely learn crawler let alone hisser!" he laughed. I grinned at his praise while my cousins glared at him.

"Peter may be a Speaker, but that will not help him in battle." Silvia smirked crossing her arms across her chest. I glared at her, and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"Amusing." Raven said flatly. "Who are you and why do you disturb us?"

"I am Simon; this is my bond Artemis, my sister Silvia, her bond Apollo, my cousin Peter, his bond Aren, our friend Demetrius, his bond Hestia, and our friend, protector, and leader Little Ripred." Simon said pointing to each of us.

"Why are you here?" she asked in a steely voice.

"These," Little Ripred began pointing to me and my cousins "are the heroes from the prophecy. We were told to come save the Keepers."

"Oh!" Raven's eyes widened, "The Heroes! Oh, yes we are in grave danger. You must save us."

"Tell me Raven, what ails your people?" Simon asked concerned.

Raven smirked, "You did not actually believe we are in danger did you?" she laughed mockingly, "Prophecy's," she scoffed, "They are of no use to us. We have gone centuries without them."

Simon's face became red and I had to cover up my laughter with a cough. Silvia laughed though, and once I had regained my cool I smirked at his discomfort.

"Eat quickly and rest." She said then she was suddenly gone.

"We best do what she says. We do not know what is going to happen tomorrow, and if she is being kind we should not take her hospitality for granted." Demetrius said. We agreed and soon all my companions had eaten and all, but me were asleep on their pallets.

I watched for any sign of Raven's return while on my shift and after an hour had passed she returned. "Raven." I whispered so as not to awaken the questers.

She turned to face me, "What?"

"I was just making sure that was you." I whispered to cover up my slip.

She came over to me and squatted so she was at my level. "You can see in the dark?" she asked surprised.

"Yeah, my mother taught me when I was very young." I replied.

"Interesting, I am assuming that all your companions can see like that because when I found you, you had no light that I could tell.

"Yep, we all know echolocation." I smiled.

"That is good for things are changing." Raven thought for a moment, "What is a Speaker?"

"Someone who learns languages really easily, some of the more powerful ones can hear the flier's language. My mother could, she's the most powerful Speaker on record."

"So not all your companions have this gift." She asked.

"Correct."

"That is very interesting indeed. They will have much trouble… how do you fight?" she asked suddenly.

"Umm with a sword." I said a little confused.

"No, I mean your style."

"Oh, well I'm not a Rager if that's what you mean. The twins are. If you want to talk fighting I suggest you speak to them."

Raven nodded to herself then stood, "Goodnight then Peter." A second later she was gone.

"Goodnight." I whispered then woke Hestia for her shift.

What do you think? Oh a quick note for those who read YDW I don't know when I'll be updating next Sorry! I'm trying but as you can tell I get slight writters block before every chapter. I've got ideas it's just the matter of presenting them I'm trying though. Thanks for reading! As always please review!

~chocoyum4~