Chapter 24: Dilemma

Eris

Eris blew the hair out of her face, aggravated by Kith and Ren. She juggles the bags and looks at the table of ravenous children. She huffs and leaves to meet at their rendezvous point. She walks as quickly as she can. The streets are crowded, barely seeing atop the items she's carrying. She finally makes it to the others.

"We have trouble," she says, winded.

Kosh rubs his temples. "What trouble has Kith gotten into now?"

"It is Ren that's causing the trouble." Eris rolls her eyes, "but Kith is with him, so…"

They look at her with surprise. Aluuna grabs some of the bags and looks at Kosh. "Eris, Flig, and I will go get the horses and saddlebags. You two go knock some sense into them before we get into trouble that makes it hard to get out of."

Kosh and Harrin nod and make their way back into the city's center.

Eris and the others make their way to the stables. No sooner did they get there than an explosion sounds off in the distance, followed by smoke and warning bells.

Aluuna and Eris look at each other, then quickly make their purchases with a stout stable dwarf. Given the last few days with Kessindra, Ren was wound tight. She isn't all that surprised he is acting out. Still, did he have to bring Kith into? That is like throwing fuel on an already explosive fire. They quickly fill their bags with the items and ride the horses and ponies to the other side. Most of the guards are frantic and order the citizens to get to safety.


It's a long minute before they can get to the other side, and Eris shoots several flames in the air, hoping they get her idiot companions' attention. The clanking of metal can be heard getting closer to their location. Dust from the explosion clouds their ability to see down this part of the street. Finally, Kosh breaks through first, followed by Harrin then Kosh.

Flig lures the horses and ponies closer to the men.

"Are they smiling?!" Eris exclaims.

Aluuna studies her nails. "I say we leave them." She looks back at Eris, the picture of calm. "Would serve them right."

Eris is halfway tempted. What the hell are they thinking.

The party regroups, making a break for the border of town and away from the catapults of fireballs, arrows, and other dangers being hurled their way. Several of the guards are mounted and galloping to catch up. As Kosh and Flig are on ponies, the guards catch up to them quickly.

Okami rushes back to one of the horses, barking and snapping at its feet, causing it to rear up and throw the rider.

Ren turns to daze the rider closest to Flig. The rider is knocked off the horse. Alive but battered.

Aluuna turns to do the same thing to the other rider nearest Kosh.

A giant cannonball is catapulted into the ground in front of Eris. She is forced to jump over it. The horse barely makes it to the other side, neighing its disapproval. "Extra oats for you, love." She says with a quick rub to its neck.

After 20 minutes of hard riding, the guards taper off and turn towards the city.

Once they felt they were well out of danger, they stop. The sun is harsher now that it is midday. They have on their desert clothes but need to put goggles on. The sun is blinding, and Eris' eyes start to strain, causing a headache.

She dismounts and walks over to Ren. Slapping him upside the head. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Ren rubs his head, and Kith laughs. Eris cuts him a look that could have sliced him apart. "You want to start too?"

Kith sobers quickly. "No." He goes about splitting up their items between them all.

"And you?" Aluuna asks Harrin and Kosh. "We sent you there to talk sense in them and prevent all of this from happening," Aluuna says, hands flailing about.

The two start jabbering.

"When we got there…." Kosh says.

"They had already started…." Harrin finishes.

Ren clears his throat. "How did I know the chemicals he had in his shop would cause that big an explosion?"

"What made you go there and start something, to begin with, Ren? This isn't like you." Eris says, going from aggravation to concern.

"They beat up a girl. She "… Ren stops, snatches his googles, and mounts his horse. "Let's just get back to it. We have over a week to make up for."

He remained silent for the rest of their riding time, and Eris wondered at his thoughts. They'd been through so much. It was getting hard to remain objective, and hearts were starting to get tangled. The first tome is said to be at this location. They have to come up with a way to destroy it or at the very least keep it out of Arix's grasp. When it comes time, she hopes Ren doesn't offer resistance. She didn't know if she had the heart to kill her companion. Especially one she has come to think of as a dear friend.


Kith

The winds began to pick up, and the sun was fading. The air grows cold as the minutes pass.

"Let's camp here for the night," Kosh announces, taking the words from Kith's mouth.

Everyone looks hungry and tired. Harrin climbs down from his mount and removes the googles. Dirt mars his face save where the goggles were. They could all use a good wash as well. Harrin and Kosh prop up the yurt. Inside, it's the perfect temperature with a dozen sleeping bags and a roaring fire.

"Think I saw some cactus fig outside," Eris says. She walks out, and he follows. Kith knew she was concerned for Ren.

"You still talking to me," Kith whispers as he grabs her to a stop.

She slowly turns to face him. She shakes her head. "I'm scared, Kith." She wraps her arms around him and rests her head against his chest. Softly, he brushes his hands through her hair, messy from the high winds of the desert. He had no pretty words to offer her. He is worried too. Shit was now getting more real by the minute. The uncertainty of what Ren was going to do isn't make things any better. Kith couldn't wait to see what Ren was thinking. He urges Eris to pick up the fruit quickly, and they go back to the tent.

"What are you planning to do with the tome, Ren?"

They all look at him with surprise, even Ren, catching him off guard.

Ren relaxes, easing back down on his sleeping bag. "What makes you think I'm planning to do something with it?"

"Cut the shit," Kosh says, pausing from sharpening his blades.

"If I said I was going to take it?" Ren chuckles a little.

Eris starts to approach him, but Kith halts her. "It's not funny, Renimil," Eris says. "You're not stupid. You know what we would be forced to do."

"Forced, beautiful?" Ren scoffs. "I highly doubt anyone can 'force' your lover to do anything he didn't want to do."

"You know what will happen if the three tomes combine," Aluuna says softly. "I can't let that happen. It goes against everything I stand for."

Ren sits up swiftly. "One of those books might have the power to fully restore the souls of my family. To give them peace. "

"We don't know that for sure," Flig offers. Though Okami languidly lies at Flig's feet, she is alert, sensing the tension in the air.

Harrin looks down, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous, Ren. You'll be jeopardizing the world if you're wrong. The longer we have it, studying it, the higher the chances are Arix attacks us, taking it.

"Not to mention your friends," Eris adds.

"Friends?" Ren says, fully laughing.

Kith moves to hit him, Eris and Harrin stand to block him.

"You're ready to take me out if I make the slightest wrong move. How is that friendship?" Ren moves to lie back down once more. "How could I have ever trusted you."

"You're a bastard, Renimil Cloudsurge!" Eris says, stomping her way out the yurt.

Kith is hurt by his words, surprisingly. Damn elf arsehole. "Fuck you, Ren." Kith walks outside but gives Eris her space.

He wasn't looking forward to the next few weeks. If he was uncertain before, the conversation they all just had didn't ease it.


The following morning was rough as most of them got little to no sleep. The party cooked in silence, ate in silence, and got ready for bed... in silence. Usually, this would be fine with Kith, but Eris wasn't even talking to him. Not because she was mad at him, or at least it didn't seem that way. He knew nothing of the intricacies of his lover's mind when it pertained to their shitty little elf friend. Kosh and Kith are outside, giving water to the horses. Harrin joins them.

Kosh stops what he's doing. "I get it!" He turns to look at the rising sun, "I would give anything to see my family. To find out what happened to them. To make sure they were safe."

"How far would you go?" Harrin asks. "Would you sacrifice the world?"

Kosh shrugs, and Kith replies. "How would we know if we didn't try?"

"Saving thousands vs. millions," Kosh whispers.

"We're going to determine who lives and dies?" kith asks.

"Isn't that what we're doing either way?" Harrin rubs his face a few times. "If we help Ren take the time to figure it out, we can inadvertently aid the Tyrant. But, if we don't, we have to kill a friend while knowing we could be condemning his family to something worse than death."

No one had the answers. Kith hates the position he's in. Loyalty is important to him. He'll have to choose soon. Loyalty to the queen or his elf friend. And if Kosh is siding with the queen, could he go against his brother?

They spend the next hour cooking, eating, and packing up.

After hours of riding, they see in the distance vast buildings surrounding a giant temple.

"Do we have anything to scope out those ruins?" Kith asks, pointing.

Eris stares at him and rolls her eyes. Then looks at Ren. "We never finished shopping in Manaket."

"The ruins aren't on the map," Kosh says, looking down at the parchment.

"Judging by the size of it from back here, it would take more time to go around it," Ren adds. "Even with the horses."

"Seems kind of weird it wouldn't be on the map." Aluuna says with unease.


The group makes their way towards it; even if they went around, they would have to give it a significant birth. They were way too exposed and vulnerable to any attack sitting atop these horses. There were little trees for cover and the ones that were there weren't lush or tall enough.

"We could use the loot anyway. After buying all my items, even with the queen refilling my alchemy herbs, I'm about broke." Renimil adds.

"Same," Flig agrees.

The stone city is now in full view and eerily quiet. Aluuna's eyes shine a bright white, the wind picking up around her. Her weapon begins to pulsate and radiate.

"Rovagug," she whispers, the air dying back down and her eyes returning to normal.

Aluuna's discomfort causes Okami to growl in agitation. Her red fur, rising on her back.

The steeple of the entrance building depicts a face that has been partially collapsed. Its pieces are in a pile on the side of a massive metal door. The door is ajar, with light flickering on the inside. Four columns are lined up to support an open foyer leading to the entrance. Dissimilar plaster of various spots, indicating its multiple repairs.

Its enormity makes Kith feel like a speck. Howling winds flow from within the ruins. Pockets of whirling sand, dance across the stone floor as they continue to trudge forward.

Kosh dismounts at the door to survey it and the surrounding area. He pushes open the door, and a massive gust of wind blows through with such ferocity that Kosh stumbles backward. Ren quickly moves to stand behind him, offering him support. As soon as it starts, it ends. A deathly calm its replacement.

Aluuna's weapon continues to hum and glow. The group enters, walking beside their horses and the door shuts harshly behind them. The sound of it echoed menacingly along the open corridor. A distance laughing, deep and guttural, is heard. The light from a small torch near the doorway provides minimal light. Kith could see Aluuna splash something on the ground before hitting the cobblestone floor with her hand. A luminescent circle on the floor radiates from her. Several fiends and aberrations scream. Some disintegrating, others flee away from the circle's edge. Ren walks outside the ring. Unnatural winds pick up around Ren as his eyes become darker. Tendrils leave his fingertips to latch on to the nearest creature escaping into the darkness for safety.

Kith and Harrin ready their weapons, Okami prepares to pounce.

From behind them, Eris whispers. A ball of fire lands 50 feet in front of them, providing light and burning 4 more creatures. The explosions cause the ruins to shake and sand showers down in pockets.

They look back at her. "Thought we could use some light." She says with an innocent smile.