Chapter Thirty-Four
"We don't belong here…"
"We need to leave… now…"
"Where… are we…?"
"How do we get out?"
"We have to get out!"
Cynn rocked forward and back, tightly compressed into a fetal position, as the voices; her voice and her friends, kept floating over the dead, stagnant air around her.
Mhenlo obviously couldn't hear the voices… thus why she was toning him out, barely aware of his hand on her shoulder as he tried to coax her out of her makeshift shell. He couldn't understand… what she had seen… what she had heard… their future… what was going to happen… she got nothing but a glimpse, but that glimpse was enough.
But even as the sight had faded, the voices had not. Through them, Cynn could hear the increasing panic and creeping fear. This was all going to end badly… so badly… she knew it now…
Oh, the irony of her arrogance… how certain she had been that there was nothing in this world that would be too much to handle. Clearly, she didn't know the world as she had thought. Nothing was right in this sickening place. The insanity that seeped from every intake of breath made the Gate of Madness pale in comparison.
"Thank the gods you're here." Mhenlo then said, his voice turned away from her. "Cynn… as far as I can tell, she saw something… now she's completely withdrawn. I can't even get her to speak to me. I managed to get something about voices, but…"
Another hand fell upon her shoulder, and Coran's voice followed, "Lady Cynn, when did you start hearing these voices? It is vitally important that I know precisely what happened and when."
At that point, Cynn heard a thump then Coran grunt in discomfort and retreat. The next voice was Devona's, softly chiding, "Coran dear, she is terrified in case you hadn't noticed. Could you possibly be more thoughtless?"
To be honest, it didn't bother Cynn much at all… it was much preferred to what had been filling her mind and ears. But she found she preferred Devona's calming presence even more. "So… you heard the voices too?"
Cynn blinked, and looked up in astonishment. "You…?"
"You heard us, didn't you? We're lost and frightened… it's our future, isn't it?"
"Wait, you were…" Coran began.
Devona hushed him with a sharp hiss. "Did you think I took a swing at you with a sound mind? I don't know how you can't hear us. We get trapped in here, growing increasingly mad in this hellish chaos."
Coran boggled at this, "Why… didn't you say anything?"
"I thought it was simple madness overtaking me." The warrior replied even as she kept her eyes locked on Cynn. "But, to hear Cynn talk, it's more than just insanity. You even said yourself that time isn't behaving as it should in this place."
Cynn timidly admitted, "I did more than hear… I saw us… only for a moment… that's when I heard the voices…"
Vekk suddenly piped up with perfectly scientific curiosity, "Did you see yourself?"
"Vekk, if you do not be silent this instant, you will be vomiting my greaves for the next five days." Devona snarled in warning, and for the first time she could remember, the Asura did as requested without retort.
"That settles it." Coran said with a deep breath. "Our newest course of action is to find the remainder of our party and withdraw. As much as I dislike leaving without finding out the source of this mystery, I cannot rightfully foray further without a better knowledge and understanding of these environs."
Cynn was grateful that the headmaster was willing to make such a concession, but also knew the promise to be rather hollow. Their intentions mattered little… the grip of this sinister den of insanity willed everything. It would only release them when it wanted to… if it ever did at all. But if the others were willing to put up a brave front of the sake of everyone else, so could she.
It wouldn't matter, but it would feel like it did.