As the Xirxus heirs got over their shock, Kaara led them over to Gornax, who assisted them in sinking underground. Deeper and deeper into the earth. As deep as they could go. Kaara felt like she was being buried alive, but she quelled that fear. She trusted Gornax. A cavernous bubble opened up under the earth, air filling the cavity for them to breathe. The light of Anitus’s flame illuminated the walls.
Kaara summoned healing water, “Are any of you injured?”
“Tend to Raktus’s eyes. They’ve been cut.” Anitus said, clutching his torso.
“You’re injured as well, let me-”
“Focus on him first! I’m fine. This is nothing.”
A warm wind circled through the cavity, “I’ll help with recovery,” Rixam said.
Anitus clicked his tongue, “You have our gratitude, Noxa. Don’t expect anything more.”
“I don’t.” Rixam said darkly.
“Enough.” Kaara said, holding healing water over Raktus’s eyes, “I don’t know if I can heal his eyes, but I’ll give it my best shot. An injury like this is Shiira’s territory.”
“Or Sancta’s. Have you found her?” Amaro asked.
Kaara shook her head, “I haven’t. Have either of you seen Tadios, Arik, or Rorik?”
“Rorik, yes. He had been defending our party up until a few minutes ago, but he ran to draw a portion of the Malaki away. I don’t know what happened to him after that.” Amaro said.
“What about Lu-Lilith?” Rixam asked, looking to Tulos.
“The Nephilim girl came through atop that drake. Quite the helpful one. She’s with Rorik right now.”
Kaara felt some relief. At least Rorik was neither alone, nor in danger of being outsped by the Oskuutor, “Then we don’t have much time to waste here.” she said, “Once I’m finished healing you all, we’re going back out to regroup. But first.” She turned to Tulos, “I need your help. Can you make a bronze bell?”
“Quite the strange request. Bronze is going to be difficult since it is an alloy.”
“What do you mean?”
Tulos sighed, “A water user might not understand this, but there are different types of metal. It’s difficult to materialize alloys because they require a level of forging to appear. I could summon tin and copper, but they would be raw ore and it would be difficult for even myself to form it into a bell at my current level. If it were simple iron, I could make something sharp and refined, but steel would be a different story just as an example. Of course, if I had the smelted materials on hand it would be a different story.”
“How long do you think it would take to make one if you had the materials?”
“I have to ask, why would we make one in the first place?”
“It might be the key to killing the Oskuutor- er those Malaki you were fighting. You’ve probably seen it by now. They can’t be killed by magic or dismemberment.”
“That’s true. They just kept getting stronger the more we fought them. It felt like they were just letting us hit them at a certain point.”
“That’s because Oskuutor absorb magical power. If you guys had fought them for any longer they might have become unstoppable.”
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Anitus huffed, “If the Tibur knew that, then Rorik should have warned us about it.”
Kaara shook her head, “You’re wrong. Rorik doesn’t know about it because he didn’t want to hear the stories. It reminded him too much about his past. Don’t blame him.”
“Weak of will and mind. At the very least, he’s brave enough to run and have them follow.”
Anger boiled in Kaara’s gut, her fist clenched. Even now, after everything that happened, Anitus still could not help but insult the people she cared about. Before Kaara could launch at him, however, Amaro stepped in, and thrashed his brother, “I’ve had enough of your fucking mouth, Anitus!” he shouted, “How long are you going to let your pride make you an enemy among your allies? Look around you! The noxa you tore the wing from is healing you. Rorik, a warrior you humiliated is risking his life to save us. Show some fucking gratitude for once in your miserable life, or I will personally drag you out of this earth and feed you to those hideous monsters.” He tossed him to the ground, Anitus weakly sitting up, “What have you done? What have you risked? Look at you, bleeding from your stomach, acting as if you’re above it all. I’m tired of your attitude, and so is everyone else. You want to live? You want to survive? Then learn some respect! There is no shame in accepting help.”
Kaara had not seen Amaro so angry before. His voice was shrill and violent, the smell of ozone circling through the cavity.
“Amaro is right, Anitus.” Raktus said, “I know you find it humiliating to be healed by others, but you will die if you do not get proper help. My eyes are fine. I can still fight with my hearing alone. You are the one who taught me that.”
“The strong do not need help-” Anitus started only for Amaro to kick him in his wound.
“You are weak. Get it through your fucking head. We are all weak. But the ones who are a lot weaker than us are also the ones who have been doing the most. You are not noble for pretending to be strong.”
Kaara pushed her healing water over Anitus’s wound, “I’ll heal him whether he likes it or not, no need to hurt him more.”
Amaro sighed, stepping off, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just don’t know any other way to get it through this one’s head.”
Anitus spat, “Fine.”
“Apologize.” Amaro said.
“I’m not-”
“Apologize.” An aura of malice poured from Amaro’s frame.
Anitus relented, “What I said was out of line, and uncalled for.” He said, glancing at Kaara, “Please accept my most sincere apologies.”
“Who else do you need to apologize to?” Amaro said.
“You chose now of all times to act as my older brother?” He clicked his tongue, looking to Rixam, “I discussed this with my family in private. My actions before this ceremony were unkind and uncalled for. It was my intent to repay you by offering you moderate protection during this ceremony, but after being separated that was not possible. So if we survive this, you have my word that I will repay you for the damages I’ve caused.”
Rixam crossed his arms, “I guess that’s the best I’m going to get from you. I don’t want nothin’ from you nor do I need it. If you want to pay me back, then the next time you see a Noxa in danger, you save them. I don’t care who, when, or where.”
Anitus’s jaw flickered in anger, “To deny the favor of-”
Amaro smacked the back of his head, “I’ll make sure he keeps that promise. I’ll even take you up on that as well. I share as much blame for not stopping my brother, in the end. Not to mention, what happened to that Nephilim girl before the ceremony is something I deeply regret.” He bowed his head as deep as he possibly could, “Please accept my apology as well. I’m tired of standing by and letting others suffer because of my own cowardice.”
Gornax laughed, “What do ya know? Miracles really can happen.”
Rixam crossed his arms, “I’m sure Lillith will have things she wants from the two of you. Finish healing, so we can make sure she lives through tonight. Rorik too.”
Kaara breathed a sigh of relief, “With that out of the way,” she said, shifting her magic over to Tulos and Amaro, “Tulos, what if you had one of the materials you needed for an alloy? What then?”
“I would be able to craft the bell you want a lot quicker.”
Kaara pulled Argo’s copper knife from her hip, “Can you make due with this?”
“I can. Give me ten minutes and you will have your bell.”
“I hope this method of yours works, Tibur.” Anitus said, “Those things must pay for the lives they’ve taken.”
“Then we’re on the same page. Start meditating. When we get out of here, we’re going to be taking the fight to them.”