Chapter 14: Lost

Gelebor...

"Emelin!"

I held my hand out in the hope that she would grab it, but I never felt her hand touch mine. I stared into the crevice. There was no movement to indicate her whereabouts.

Serana touched my shoulder and I withdrew my hand. "Gelebor, we need to go."

How could I have let them take her? She was right behind me! If I had only turned around sooner, if I hadn't been preoccupied with killing the other members of the Betrayed...

"Gelebor, we need to move, now!"

At hearing the fear in her voice I whirled round with my mace in hand. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists at what greeted us. There were more of the Betrayed. We were outnumbered and we were already tired from the last encounter. Serana and I glanced between each other and the Betrayed and it seemed that we had both come to the same conclusion.

I called upon the magic I had learnt all those centuries ago and a wave of ice flowed from my hand. The Betrayed were paralysed for a few brief moments but it was enough for us to make our escape.

We dashed through the cave. We weren't sure where we were going. The betrayed cried behind us. Their arrows flew past and lodged into nearby rock and their swords scraped across the cave's walls. I turned and threw a couple of ice spikes in their direction. Some of them howled in pain; others continued their hunt.

Ahead the cave split off into two smaller tunnels and we quickly decided which way to go. Serana followed me through the mist and neither of us dared to look behind. There was a light at the end of the tunnel and it was only after a few moments that I realised that some of the cave fungus was hanging over it. It was a ledge.

I stopped in my tracks.

"What is it? We have to keep moving!" Serana yelled.

I shook my head and braced myself for what was about to come. "There is no way across. It is a dead end. We must go back."

"Back? You've got to be kidding."

"It's the only way."

I balled my fist waited for Betrayed to arrive. I could feel my energy drain as the power of my spell intensified. Once I caught the sight of one of them I pushed my hand forward. The spell charged at the Betrayed like a Sabercat at it's prey and the force threw two of them back. The other two hid behind chaurus shields. I grabbed the Betrayed's shield and pulled it back. The Betrayed lashed out but it soon stopped when the tip of the mace slashed across it's neck.

Sceolang bit into the other Betrayed's leg and Serana did the final blow to it's skull. Once they were dead and the others became conscious, we left in search of the other tunnel.

My heart battered against my chest and I found it harder to breath. My lungs were on fire and I soon grew too tired to run. I panted heavily and leant against the nearest wall.

When I looked back, I realised that the Betrayed were nowhere to be found. There was no form of movement within the dark. There was no drumming of the their feet, no screaming; nothing. Only silence.

Where had they gone?

"Do you see them anywhere?" She asked.

I shook my head and lowered my mace. "No."

"They couldn't have gone far."

If I knew anything about the Betrayed, it was that they were clever. Where ever they had gone, we were sure to find them again.

Serana sheathed her dagger and the spell in her hand disappeared. "We better move."

I frowned and grabbed her arm. "We cannot leave Emelin behind."

She tugged her arm out of my grasp and raised an eyebrow. "I don't like the idea anymore than you do, but we have no idea where she is. She could be anywhere in this cave and the Falmer were right behind us. For all we know they're still looking. The best thing to do is keep moving. If we're lucky, Emelin will meet us on the surface."

There was wisdom behind her words, but that didn't mean I agreed with her. I could have prevented Emelin's fate. If there was some hope of finding her, it was to go back into the cave.

Serana must have known what I was thinking. She crossed her arms and sighed. "There was nothing you could have done. Trust me, I feel just as guilty as you do, but she's not some common mercenary. She's a fighter. She'll be fine. All we have to worry about right now is getting to the surface."

I didn't want to admit that she was right. We couldn't help her if we were dead. I hated myself for what I was about to do.

"You are right." I said and rubbed my forehead. "We should... carry on."

She nodded.

I looked down at the dog who had the same look of dread and sorrow that I had. His ears were curled back and his head hung low. I patted his head and walked away.

It was not long before we had made it to the surface. The moon was high in the sky, the air was clear and there were no clouds to indicate a storm was coming. For the past hour I had been re-reading the journal and found that there was no mention of the Betrayed. There were a few times where the mer mentioned his people, but he never stated that they had changed, except for the few last pages when he arrived in the Forgotten Vale. The images of the Betrayed were still fresh in my mind. They weren't like the one's I knew. They still looked... mer-like, if that was possible. I couldn't help but wonder why that was.

Serana bent down and observed a strange stone carving at the corner of the mouth of the cave. The stone was another emblem, similar to the one in the village. The carvings weren't very clear, but I could translate some of the words.

"What do you think it says?" She asked as she rubbed some of the snow away.

My fingers traced some of the carvings. I paused and re-read the last few sentences. She tapped my arm and narrowed her eyes. "What does it say?"

"I..." That couldn't be right.

"What is it?"

"Beware of the beasts that dwell below. They are a reminder of what we have escaped. If you can read this then you are one of my kind, and have the sanity that the beasts do not. If you wish to join us, brother, travel through the mountain itself. There you will be welcomed son or daughter of the snow."

"So, the person who carved this-"

"Is one of my kin. One who escaped whatever happened to the Betrayed in the cave."

"Then that means that if we follow the trail then we should find the rest of your people?"

I dusted some of the snow from my armour and stood; the meaning of the emblem finally sinking in. "It appears so."

"Then we know where to go."

"And what of Emelin? Surely we cannot leave her in there."

"It's like I said, she'll find her way out. She's been in worse situations than this you know."

"Still, I suggest that we stay for the night. If not then we can leave at dawn."

"Good idea."