I've gone into more detail(I think) so I split this chapter into two. Hope it's not bad.
Amberle remembers her grandfather telling her how when facing death, your whole life flashes before your eyes – the good and the bad, everything that makes you who you are. Her favourite of his war stories was of his close encounter with a Gnome. The yellowish, slimy hand was holding the sword, the blade pushing into her grandfather's chest. As the Gnome was lifting the sword to deliver the final blow, her grandfather told her he saw the faces of everyone he ever loved. They helped him snap and fight back against all odds. And now, as Amberle is falling into the abyss, she expects to see something, anything of her, as of recently, very eventful life. She looks to her left. Through the blazing wind, she sees Wil and Eretria. She closes her eyes and surrenders.
The strangely comforting feeling of weightlessness is interrupted by the shattering against something hard. Amberle soon realizes it is water. The tide is strong pushing and pulling. She is trying to get herself upward, the water is filling her lungs. It's cold and sharp and it's cutting her from the inside. One strong jolt lurches her against a jagged rock. She can feel her skin ripping she doesn't scream just lets tears mix with the water. Once she stops fighting back, she realizes she should have done it from the start. Just go with the flow. She's recently accepted that philosophy in almost all aspects of her life.
She is stumbling over the water, refusing to let the sword on her hip wear her down. She cannot give up. They are not dead, they cannot die for her. Not them as well.
The faint sound of talking is not far and Amberle lets the silver of hope grow in her heart. Taught by previous experience, she moves slowly, sneaking behind the bushes. She spots the pair of humans and as she is trying to discern what they are talking about she realizes they would do anything but help. They say something about an Elf falling from the sky. It's Wil. It's got to be. Before she can step closer to investigate, a hand is over her lips, pulling her back.
"Shhhh..." Eretria's eyes are steady, focused on hers. It makes her almost not afraid.
"They've done something to Wil. We need to question-"
"Those aren't just any humans. They are elf hunters."
Amberle's not sure what to do so she lets Eretria pull her away, into the woods. She is walking behind the Rover who doesn't seem to have any intention to stop. But they have to. Who knows what is happening to Wil.
She calls for her but to no avail. "We have to go back!" she shouts.
"You're not safe there."
"So, we leave Wil?" she knew the Rover is all about surviving but this is too much, "I thought you at least cared about him a bit?"
That stops her in her tracks. She turns to Ameble. "Why do you think I'm keeping you safe? Listen… we'll find cover and then go look for him once the night falls."
She wants to point out the flaws in the plan, mainly that they do not know if Wil has until nightfall but the shower of arrows is being flung in their direction. They are running, Amberle soon starts to feel burning in her joints. It is almost like the Gauntlet, only she doesn't know the path by heart. She doesn't know where to look first, if she falls that's it for her. And she does. A branch appears from nowhere, she trips. Eretria helps her up. For a long moment she contemplates going back for the sword, the family heirloom. 'Life is more precious' she realizes and pushes Eretria out of the arrow's way. They keep running and running until she starts to feel dizzy. She doesn't look back even when the whooshing sound stops. When they eventually slow down, she fights the urge to vomit. But there is nothing in her stomach but the remnants of poison from their Pykon host. No, she will not think about that, about the life disappearing from his eyes. She will think about something good, like escaping again against all odds.
"Sometimes I feel there's someone watching over us. Call it magic or fate…." the cracking sound silences her. The girls look at each other and again they are falling. Amberle thinks that she's summoning bad luck somehow. This time the fall is short but it hurts almost as bad. It knocked the air out of her lungs and filled it with duct. Tingling spreads over her body.
She feels Eretria's hand on her leg. That is good, the fall didn't hurt her beyond repair.
"Are you all right?"
She confirms shakily. "Where are we?"
She looks at Eretria's puzzled expression than at the scene in front of them. Chairs and tables with once beautiful floral arrangements on them are pushed to one side of a large room. The two of them are in the center, elevated on a podium. She's heard of place like these. Yet it feels more familiar than just a story. It is like she can see it, the way it used to be, "Buildings from the age of man, buried during the Great War."
"You can't seriously believe that."
Oh, but she does. Like a time capsule, frozen in time, a hidden reminder of how things were. And how they are supposed to be. She sees what it was to be a party. Eretria sees something bad, creepy. They are just too different, two ends of a spectrum, collided by an awful mistake. It's no time for sentimentality. She takes Eretria's hand. "We need to get out of here."
And the girl starts working on it immediately.
Amberle couldn't help it. After what felt like eternity trying to find a way to climb up (she admires Eretria's persistency) she looked around and found a book called yearbook. There were pictures of all the people who attended this school. She remembered her own studies, friends, Lorin… "They had no idea their world was about to end. They look happy." she said the last part more loudly, hoping Eretria would contribute the conversation.
"They look dead to me."
She sighs. Of course Eretria would say something like that. They are stuck in the hole in the ground, Wil is nowhere to be seen, probably in danger and she can't even make an effort… It's making her blood boil. And she thought they were past that. "You can drop the whole tough girl act."
"What do you mean?"
She snorts. Damn it, she is infuriating. "You helped us. Multiple times. You came back for us at Pykon. You saved my life. So 'I don't care' act is not working anymore."
"Don't overthink it, princess." she turns and looks at her for the first time. A look of complete indifference is in her eyes, "I need the coins you promised."
Oh, she almost pulls it off. But Eretria doesn't know how stubborn Amberle can be. Yes, actions do speak louder than words but it would be nice to hear them. She decides to get out her confession. "I don't believe you."
"I don't care." she snaps at her. Amberle doesn't say a word, she lets the silence do the work. A small, knowing smile is on her lips. The Rover girl holds the gaze for a while but ultimately looks away, "Fine, I do care…"
She is taking steps towards her and this time what Amberle fells is not dread but anticipation. This time she is not thinking of an exit strategy.
The Rover fools her again jabbing at her girly ideas (she will never learn) and Amberle's had it. "Let's just find a way out of here."
"Fine."
"Fine."