Kiran stopped walking in the sewer as everyone stood around at what looked like a dead end ahead of them. Zorge held onto a torch lighting their way through. The torchlight exposed the slick black stone walls enclosed around them along with the black cobbled stones beneath their feet.
As Zorge held up the torch, they began to knock on the wall blocking them from going any further. The wall began to motion upward revealing light on the other side.
“We were starting to think you weren’t going to make it back.”
“You should’ve had more faith in us,” Zorge muttered aloud to them.
Everyone began walking through the newly made opening. After Kiran walked past the opening, he heard it go back down to seal off the path behind.
Thankfully the sewers served more functions than their intended purpose. They were in fact designed all of those years ago to allow for people to traverse the city and reach certain destinations without doing so above ground. Thankfully, the coalition uncovered this allowing them to make use of it as well.
“We’re almost there now,” Juna said aloud as she walked right ahead of him. “After all of that fighting back there, I’m about ready to pass out. Thankfully, we’re almost there, I promise!”
Silvy let out a long drawn-out sigh as she walked beside him. “What a relief. I was beginning to think this sewer wasn’t ever going to end.”
“No kidding,” he said. I’m about ready to collapse myself. The last day or two had been quite overwhelming for him. He had taken a nasty stab in the back only to then get captured by banespawn, tossed into an arena, and forced to use some strange power he didn’t understand even a little bit just to survive. With all of that said and done, he was having to put in some effort to stay awake and not merely allow them to carry him for the rest of the way. Now that Lar appears to be back in good health, mayhaps she would carry me the rest of the way. Surely she’d be up for it and not at all scowl towards me if asked to do so.
Another false dead end appeared up ahead. They gained further passage through and a long staircase leading up to a chamber full of light appeared to them.
He grew more tired and exhausted with each step. At least there was an end to the stairs as they all found themselves standing in the immensely large spacious chamber making up the bottom floor of some giant tower somewhere near the center of this city.
Kiran looked up taking note of how high the ceiling went. The faraway interior walls of the tower were black with silver runic designs etched into them. Even the columns had silver runic etchings on them as well. To their right, one large entryway existed on one side of the tower with a closed thick black metal reinforced door that prevented any undesired entry from getting into here. And thanks to there being no windows at least on this floor of the tower, getting in required either breaking through that reinforced black metal door or finding a way to reach them through the hidden tunnels in the sewer.
Zorge turned around to face them all. “I’ll go let everyone know that we’ve made it back. Help them get settled in Juna if you can.”
“Sure thing!” she said as Zorge walked off.
In many ways, the inside of this tower reminded him of the tower in Liall. Unlike that tower, this tower was much darker. The tower in Liall was made up of white marble and a light atmospheric warmth while this one was entirely the opposite. Also unlike that tower in Liall, he could not sense any magical energy inside this one.
Different groups of people settled on this floor of the tower. Many chose to sleep on the black marbled floor, particularly some children with their parents. Blankets covered several of them as they slept soundly asleep beside some wooden carts that managed to make it inside.
A few dim braziers were strewn around to provide enough light so that they weren’t entirely plunged into darkness. Some candles were also lit illuminating brilliantly made statues showcasing robed women and men as they wielded staffs and wands. Near the closed entrance to this tower, many pairs of armed individuals stood around.
Quite a few people gathered inside of here and many weren’t part of the Human Familiar Coalition. Many of them were comprised of survivors that crossed from the fifth domain.
“Ma!” The young lad named Henry rushed over towards a woman who looked over towards them. He wrapped his arms around her as she ran her hand down the back of his head. A man that must’ve been his father embraced them with a loving hug as well as the three of them reunited.
Seeing Henry reunited with his parents pleased him. He was to be sacrificed in the arena but thankfully that hadn’t been the case. Even in this unforgiving dark domain, there could still be glimmers of light that dwelled within it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone approaching them. Though the light inside the tower was quite dim, it lit up the sides of their face just enough for him to make out their face.
Laphy began to clap towards them briefly until their hands went back to their sides. “So you made it back after all.” Laphy avoided even looking at Kiran directly in the eye. Instead, he made sure to keep his eyes on everyone else but himself. He half expected to see Aini by his side but she was not in attendance with her husband at this time. “Tell me Juna, was it worth it?”
“What do you mean?” she said.
“You know what I mean. You and a few others thought it wise to conduct a mission just to save a few on a mere whim. And if I count correctly, it appears not everyone made it back making this entire mission a failure in my mind. So I’ll ask you again, was it worth it?”
“Rinas approved of us carrying it out.”
Laphy clicked his tongue. “Don’t avoid answering my question. Was it, as I’ve already asked before, worth losing several of our people just to save them?” His eye briefly met Kiran’s for the first time in a long while.
“I don’t know how to answer that question,” Juna said with a stern look on her face.
“Is that so?” Laphy said tilting his head slightly. “I suppose I can’t be surprised that someone so selfish would gladly sacrifice a few of our people so that they could save their friends.”
“We’re supposed to save each other, are we not?”
“Only when it makes rational sense. What you did was not rational. It was in fact, irrational. It doesn’t make rational sense to save five people if it means losing five. Do you understand me? I sure hope you do. There’s also the fact that if you had all died, our chances of survival would’ve dramatically become lessened. These actions of yours affect everyone else. I shouldn’t have to tell you that.”
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Juna frowned, crossed her arms, and shook her head. “Why don’t you bring this up with the actual leadership rather than me, huh?”
“The leadership often act in accordance with the suggestions given to them by those beneath them. You know this as well as I do.” He began to sigh and cross his arms. “But, I do know that you and everyone else can do whatever it is that you like if your fruitless endeavors are approved of. But I think it is fair of me to criticize you when warranted. Your actions were reckless and frankly afoul of our goals. If we are to survive in this domain, we cannot act by our own selfish desires.”
Selfish, huh? Why it’s not at all possible that you’re the one who’s being selfish. Kiran had wanted to avoid Laphy and not confront them considering their rocky past, but they were just starting to irk him beyond belief right as he managed to find safety and return to the coalition. Even Lar looked about ready to jab him in the face with her fauchard.
Rather than stay silent any longer only to hear him berate Juna, Kiran walked forward to stand beside her. “Can the same not be said of us saving you back in Liall? By your own logic, we should’ve not taken such a risk in saving you or Aini. We devoted a lot of resources and took on a lot of risks that could’ve had dramatically negative effects had we not succeeded.”
“I wasn’t speaking to you.”
“You are now.”
The increasingly tense moment being shared by them and Laphy caused many others nearby them to listen intently in on their conversation. This wasn’t what I had in mind for what I would have to deal with. But I’m just not going to let him talk to Juna like that and let him get off without receiving some pushback.
It appeared as if all focus went towards them. While neither of them immediately replied and simply stared at each other, somebody began to walk into view. “Laphy,” Yorais said cutting through the tension. “Try not to be a bother the moment everyone has returned after what I imagine was quite a difficult mission.”
She came to stand near Laphy towards his right. She had her hair thrown up into a ponytail and kept up a dignified stance.
“Yes Yorais. I apologize.” His demeanor quickly changed. It appeared even someone like him respected those who had a higher place in the coalition’s hierarchy. He walked away leaving them in much deserved peace.
“Sorry about that,” Yorais said on his behalf. “I wish I had gotten here sooner. Alas, I have only just heard of your return.”
“It’s alright,” Juna said. “It’s nothing we can’t all handle, especially now that we’re all together again.”
“I believe that to be true,” Yorais said with a delightful smile. “Congratulations on finding and retrieving our miraculously missing members along with a few other people who I am not all that familiar with. Who are you sir, if I may have your name?”
The one who had fought in the arena with Kiran unclasped their hands. “Tye.” So that’s your name.
“Tye. I am very pleased to meet you. And as for you Kiran.” She came closer to him standing just a foot away. She put out her hand desiring a good stern shake. He accepted it and found her to grasp onto his hand even tighter than he might expect from a lady such as herself. “I am quite curious to know how and why you appeared here of all places. I must profess my skepticism when Lar said the other day that they could sense you being here in the city. I am, however, glad to have been wrong in thinking it impossible. But if I may Kiran, If it is at all possible, may we speak privately? We needn’t do it right now of course. I imagine you would like to settle in first and get reacquainted with everyone first.”
“I need to speak with you as well in fact,” he said.
“Good. We’ll speak soon then.”
He couldn’t help but yawn and stretch just a little to get the blood flowing. I really am tired. That conversation with Laphy had gotten his blood pumping a bit but with all of that over, his tiredness took hold once more. He really needed to get some sleep lest he wish to fall over and bump his head on the ground.
“You can come with me Kiran,” Juna said. “I’ll show you to the second floor. Although I have to warn you, there are more stairs to look forward to.”
“Just great. More stairs are exactly what I needed.”
“Now don’t you start whining about it to me.”
Alright, I won’t. He smiled and followed her along with Lar and Silvy. Everyone else ended up someplace else leaving just the three of them to be together.
She had warned him about how many steps there were. But he honestly hadn’t anticipated how many there truly were. Who thought this was a good idea? His legs began to burn and he breathed in heavily as they neared the top. This better be worth it otherwise I might end up rolling back down.
He had fallen downstairs before. It was far from an ideal experience. In fact, it was not ideal at all. The memory of it made him awaken just enough to make it safely up to the second floor. It too had a giant ceiling and no windows along the walls. Unlike the bottom floor though, it was split up into a variety of walled-off rooms.
“Here we are!” Juna said. She turned around only to find him, Lar, and Silvy quite ragged. Juna for whatever reason didn’t appear phased at all. “What’s the matter? It wasn’t that bad was it?”
“Juna, just take us to wherever we can all rest before we pass out on you. Otherwise, you’ll be dragging the three of us along the floors.”
“Oh, geeze, alright. Over here then. There’s a room full of beds. Better hurry though if what you say is true.”
The tower thankfully had desirable accommodations. He was superbly pleased by that. When they entered a room with a few candles to keep it barely lit, there were rows of beds already occupied by people. A couple weren’t occupied though allowing for them to at least be able to lay atop them with their own bodies.
“Looks like one of us is going to have to sleep on the floor,” Kiran said.
Lar gestured towards the bed her’s stood by. “Not if we share a bed together.” The way she said that sounded strange to his ears. When he gave her a brief look, she smiled back at him.
“I don’t care what we do. I just want to collapse into one.”
He pulled away the covers and threw his body down onto it. He did adjust himself on it so that Lar could sleep on it as well. Silvy took the bed across from them being able to have it for herself. Lucky. You get it all to yourself. Whatever the case, he didn’t have to wait long before sleep took him.
In an uncertain amount of time, he became conscious. Across from his bed, Silvy slept in an admittedly funny position. Her right leg was hanging off the bed with her arms spread out all over and her face shoved right up against a pillow ready to fall off at any moment.
It appeared however, that he wasn’t the only one awake judging by the tightening grasp of Lar who slept behind them. They cradled their arm over his body and pressed down slightly. She chose to whisper into his ear as he lay on his side. “You’re awake aren’t you?”
“I’m actually asleep. You’re in a dream right now and only think you’re awake.”
“You’re as hilarious as ever,” she said.
He twisted his body around to face her. Those yellow eyes of hers had the tiniest bit of glow in them.
She put her hand on his cheek. Her hand felt surprisingly cold. “I cannot begin to tell you how much I worried about you since your absence. I didn’t realize to what degree us not being together would have an effect on me, but it really affected me.”
“You need not concern yourself anymore. I’m here now.”
“What even happened to you? You came through the portal just like us didn’t you?”
“It’s a long story. Let’s just say for whatever reason my soul is not in a state that is ideal for traveling through portals right now. But I did manage to get to the other side eventually, except I reappeared far away from everyone else. It was quite the inconvenience needless to say.”
She pulled her hand back under the cover. “I’d imagine.” She let out a big yawn and readjusted herself whilst laying on her side.
“We’ll talk more about it once we’ve rested to a sufficient degree,” he said finding his comment to be favorable as she closed those eyes of hers and fell back asleep.
He didn’t care where he ended up in the future. As long as he had Lar by his side, he’d be alright.