Chapter 33: Into the Underpassage
All the birds were still roaring in victory, for they had successfully driven back the Emberwing forces that had attacked them, including one of Terrin's main inner circle members.
During the cheering, Blu and Jewel hugged Megeslav at the same time.
"Thank you, Meg." Jewel said with some sobs in her voice. "Thank you for saving our girls."
"We will forever be in your debt, Megeslav." Blu said with a heavy sigh.
"Ah, guys, please, I just don't want that your daughters might get hurt in any way." Megeslav said.
Then, Bia and Carla came up to Megeslav and hugged him tightly as Blu and Jewel let him go.
"We shall never forget this moment, Megeslav." Carla said sobbing, still frightened of the near-death experience.
"Yes, like dad said, we're forever in your debt." Bia said sobbing.
Megeslav hugged Bia and Carla tightly, as if they were his little Svetlana and Lillian. Blu and Jewel smiled at the sight.
As everyone settled down, however, Andor spoke up.
"Alright, everyone, we might have won this battle without losing any birds, but we have to remember that there's a lot more Emberwings down there somewhere in the Underpassage." Andor said while pointing down with his wing.
"So, what are your plans, chief?" Willfried asked.
"I say we enter the Underpassage from Peaks 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12, to strengthen our positions against the Emberwings in most of the halls." Andor replied.
"But what about Peaks 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, Andor?" Blu asked.
"Although I hate to say it, but we must not set foot in those temples for the moment, for who knows how many Emberwings might be coming out of those temples from the Underpassage." Andor replied to Blu. "And it is essential we face them in the Underpassage, for there we'll not only outnumber them, but we'll also trap them there."
"Alright, everyone, let's hop into it! Move your tails!" Mia yelled.
Everyone went to the temples that Andor had marked to be reclaimed, and it went smoothly. Not a single Emberwing was found within Peak 1, 2, 3, 4 10, 11 and 12.
Blu, Jewel, Bia, Carla, Tiago, Sapphire, Eduardo, Mimi, Roberto, Thomas, Jasmine, Amalia, Andor, Willfried, Mia, Arturo, Megeslav, Felipe, Henrik, Astrid, Bruno, Renaldo, Miguel, Skye, Rafael, Nico, Pedro and some other birds all reentered Peak 1 and after flying downwards, they saw a passage that leads to the Underpassage below.
Some Azuls were carrying big wooden sticks and some flintstones in case they need to lit the way, but most of it wasn't necessary, since many tunnels of the Underpassage were already lit by many fireflies.
During the journey into the depts, Thomas and Jasmine couldn't help but almost tear up as they once again saw the tunnels of the place they called home for 13 years, but always remembered how in the 13th year these tunnels became a battleground between Azuls, Emberwings and Svaken.
"Are you having memories, Auntie Jassie and Uncle Tommy?" Carla asked her uncle and aunt.
"Yes, Carla." Jasmine said. "Mainly good memories, but also the ones where conflict would rage between birds of different colors and verminous rats."
At one point, all the birds reached a gigantic hall that connected many underground passages with each other, all of the passage lit by torches and many fireflies.
"Azuls and friends." Andor spoke. "Behold, the glory of the Underpassage."
Many birds were in awe by the sheer wonder they saw, the runic scripts that were ingraved into many pillars and the walls, it was a sight to behold.
"Wow." Tiago said. "I never thought that the Underpassage would look this cool to look at."
"I too must admit that this is a marvel to behold." Bia said with much wonder in her voice. "How the Incas were able to build such a place, both above ground and below it. And that all in the middle of the Amazon jungle? Astonishing…"
After some more flying and securing some more passages within the Underpassage, Blu and the gang stumbled across an entrance that was pretty dark.
"What's this place?" Roberto asked.
Jasmine, Thomas, Willfried, Amalia and Andor gasped. For they instantly knew what hall lies behind this entrance.
"This…" Amalia began but was continued by her best friend.
Jasmine: "This, guys, is the entrance to the Sal Hinna Föllnu."
"You mean that hall with a lake where you would give the dead a burial by burning them on a leaf?" Jewel asked.
"Exactly, Jewel. You remembered our story well." Thomas commented.
"We cannot enter it now, however, it looks like it hasn't been used for ages and we must focus ourselves on battling the Emberwings." Willfried said.
"Will is right. We must prepare ourselves for the upcoming battle or even battles." Andor said.
And with that, they took off further into the Underpassage.
At one point, however, Nico and Pedro saw something odd. It was another small but wide passage filled with many plants.
"Hold up, guys!" Pedro said. "I see something over there (points at the passage)."
As Blu and the gang arrived at the passage Pedro led them to, the eyes of the Azuls widened.
"Well, this will come in handy. It's ripe for our taking." Jasmine said happily.
"What are these plants?" Arturo asked.
"These, Arturo, are the toxin plants we told you about back at the sanctuary." Thomas replied.
"You mean those plants that appear like sacks or balls with a fiery yellow sap in it?" Sapphire asked.
"Exactly." Willfried said.
"Oh, cool! I'll be taking one of those balls to practice." Tiago said, readying himself to take one of the Toxin plant balls.
"Uh-uh." Thomas said, while holding Taigo's tail, who was trying to fly to the plants. "You're not gonna play with those plants so long you don't have any training, T-bird."
Tiago groaned at this.
The Azuls that were close to the plants, eagerly grabbed as many toxin plants as possible, both sacks and balls, for this could be used against the Emberwings.
Eventually, all the spix macaws, Azuls and scarlets (except the ones still in the temples themselves, who guarded those against a possible Emberwing attack) came together and they arrived at a hall which had 2 passages leading somewhere. The tribes decided that it would be time to get some rest, since they had spent most of the day fighting.
"Alright, everyone, we set camp here. Good job in securing so many tunnels and most of the temples." Andor said.
Everyone settled down, some of them exhausted by the fighting and the flying.
As everyone settled down, however, Andor couldn't help but stare at the 2 passages that lead southwards.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Astrid asked.
Andor snapped out of his stance and said: "Oh, nothing, sweety."
"Are you certain, about that, honey?" Amalia asked, seeing her husband's concerns.
"I too see you have concerns, Andor, what's wrong?" Jasmine asked.
"It's just that… that we have settled here, but I'm kinda worried an Emberwing strike force might come out of one of those two tunnels, if not both." Andor replied.
"Hhm, how about we send some patrols into both of the tunnels?" Amalia suggested.
"Good, idea. However, they must be careful and also swift to retreat in order to alert us. Who knows how many Emberwings may be hiding in those tunnels, or worse, Terrin's inner circle members…" Andor said.
After Andor made the suggestion clear to everyone, there was a lot of discussion over who would go, but after a long time of discussing, 2 teams were made. One was full of male macaws and the other was fully made out of females, each of them having someone who knows the tunnels of Twelve Peaks well. The male group consisted out of: Thomas, Blu, Roberto, Eduardo and Arturo. The female group consisted out of: Jasmine, Jewel, Sapphire, Mia and Mimi.
Jewel and Blu said to their kids that they have to stay with the rest of the tribe and promised them that they would return.
The females, led by Jasmine, went into the entrance of the left tunnel, whilst the males, led by Thomas, went into the right tunnel. Blu and Jewel were the last ones to enter their respective tunnel, and they shared one look of love but also concern towards each other.
And so, the two groups went into the tunnels that lead even deeper into the Underpassage, unbeknownst what dangers may lie ahead.
To be continued…