Each step Luna took towards Cloudreach made her more anxious about what she might find when they arrived. With the city under Bohlkovian control, entering through the front gates wasn’t an option, not if they enjoyed having their heads attached to their bodies.
Luckily for the company of elves, Luna had been sneaking in and out of Cloudreach since she was just a child. They hid their horses near a mountain hot spring before Luna guided them to the secret mining tunnels that would take them into the Undercity.
Right as they got to the entrance of the long abandoned tunnel system the sound of thunder boomed through the mountain pass. Luna motioned for them to follow her into the mountain and rain suddenly began to pour down from the dark clouds. The elves looked uneasy as they descended down the passageway into the darkness.
As the only one among them who knew the way, Luna led the company at Tyriel’s side. After the light from the entrance faded, Luna cracked her knuckles then lit her torch. The deeper they moved into the tunnels the more narrow they became. One day it’d be nice to be able to enter through the bloody gates like a civilized being.
Luna tilted her head, noticing that none of the elves had lit torches and she stopped for a second. With a glance in Tyriel’s direction she mentioned the peculiarity, “How can your people see where they’re going when it’s pitch black like this?”
“Our eyes have adapted over the ages. They allow us to see nearly as well in the dark as the sunlight.” He smirked at her and kept on marching forward. “Pretty neat, eh?” Tyriel called back over his shoulder.
“Elves…” Luna whispered under her breath before rolling her eyes and dashing forward to catch up to Tyriel.
“I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s your plan when we get to the city?”
“That’s the question that’s kept me awake at night lately.” Luna said while wiping a spider web from her cloak.
“Are you trying to tell me we’ve come all this way and the plan is to simply play it fast and loose? That’s so incredibly human.”
Luna shot him a glare. “It’s just not that simple. I have no idea what’s been going on in the city since I left. Believe me, I’ve tried to think about every possibility. It’s left me exhausted and turned my emotions to slag.”
“I understand there’s tremendous difficulty in planning for the unknown.” He said ducking under a low hanging splintered support beam. “I think the best we can do at this point is plan for the most likely circumstances. What do you think that circumstance looks like?”
“I suspect that the gangs of the Undercity have most likely been imprisoned or worse. All I can do for now is fortify my belief that they draw breath still.”
Tyriel nodded. “In the event that your people have been taken prisoner. Our first move is freeing them?”
“The course of action I suggest is guided by my heart. But I honestly believe that if we can free the gangs of the Undercity we stand the best chance at defeating the Bohlkovians.”
“You truly believe these gangs will join us in our mission? My experience with criminal organizations and humanity leads me to believe they will almost always act selfishly in the face of danger. Have you not considered this possibility?”
Narrowing her eyes, Luna paused to ponder the ominous yet reasonable concern. “I wish I could assuage your concerns. I wish I could guarantee that they will see reason. In good faith, I cannot guarantee that. But you forget, I’ve spent most of my life dealing with these gangs. If anyone has a shot at getting them to work together, it’s me.”
“Given the bleak nature of our situation, I can accept that. Thank you for your candor, young one.” Tyriel’s stoic expression softened and he offered a tenuous smirk. “Then our course is decided. We break the chains of your people and hope they can overcome their egos for the greater good.”
Luna brushed a spider web from her face, looked him in the eyes and nodded. I can do this. I can do what no one in the Undercity has ever been able to do. Everything depends on it. I can’t be afraid, I have the power to shape my reality.
In time the tunnels had the same psychological effect they always did—the elves began to grow increasingly restless in the claustrophobic corridors. After marching through the winding and cramped passageways for what felt like an eternity, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel.
With her home just a few steps away, Luna stopped in her tracks. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she tried to prepare herself for what she might find when she opened them. With a deep breath she stepped up to the mouth of the tunnel and looked out at her home.
Her heart shattered like a glass vial dropped from the tallest spire. The Undercity was a maelstrom of destruction. Entire districts in the massive cavern had been reduced to rubble. In some parts of the city buildings were being swallowed up by flames. Ash fell from the skies while thick smoke billowed up towards the Topside and mountains beyond. The streets were void of life and an eerie silence hung over the Undercity. Luna fell to her knees and her tears spilled to the ground.
Tyriel appeared at her side and placed his hand gently on her back. “Don’t lose hope yet, young one. I know things appear dismal, but you need to hold on to the hope that your people live still.”
“This is all my fault…” Luna gasped between heartbreaking sobs. “I shouldn’t have left them.”
“Don’t say that. You never could’ve predicted this. We need to take a closer look and assess the situation, all isn’t lost yet.”
“I never should’ve dreamed I could change things…”
Crouching down so that he was face to face with her, Tyriel looked her in the eyes. “Never blame yourself for dreaming of better days. When we dream, we hold the power in the palms of our hands to shape the world around us.”
Luna buried her face in her hands. “I failed th—”
“Don’t be foolish,” Tyriel interrupted. “It’s not too late to make your dreams come true. But first we need to take a closer look and properly assess the situation.”
Nodding, Luna wiped her face on her cloak and sniffled. Taking command of the situation, Tyriel led the company out of the tunnels down a series of rusted walkways to an abandoned windmill on the edge of the Undercity. With a gracefulness Luna had never seen he swiftly scaled the facade of the windmill. Hanging from the top of the blade, he surveyed the chaotic city with one hand shielding his eyes from the ash.
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When he returned to the small force he beamed like a lighthouse. “I think I’ve located them. On the northside of the Undercity a mass of people are gathered outside of what appears to be a mining compound. It’s hard to tell through the smoke, but they don’t appear to be soldiers.”
The color returned to Luna’s face at once and she rushed over to him. “That’s got to be them! We need to cut our way through the city and get to them as soon as possible!”
Tyriel clapped her on the back and nodded. “Agreed, we’ll move out at once. But stay alert out there everyone. Obviously things are unstable in this city.”
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From the hasty observations Luna had made while traversing the Undercity, the amethite mining complex was one of the few locations that remained untouched. In fact, it looked to be in pristine condition. As if an area had been plucked from the Topside by some divine entities well manicured hands and set down in the Undercity.
The buildings had a fresh coat of vibrant gray and orange paint. The iron grated walkways and pipes that intersected before shooting out in every direction didn’t have even a hint of rust. The state of the art facility felt like an entirely surreal juxtaposition next to the cobbled together shanty town she called home. The complex was nestled into the side of the mountain and had a sturdy wooden wall that ran along the perimeter.
As they approached the main gate into the complex, Luna recognized some of the individuals from the huge crowd that gathered inside the compound. Amongst the mob were members of the Silent Sharks, Black Widows, Builders, various smaller gangs and even members of her own gang, the Blind Alchemists. Luna’s spirit soared when she picked out Mariska’s cherry blossom colored hair in the crowd. She was standing next to Mouse, and it looked like next to him was Lane. Tears welled up in Luna’s eyes at the sight of her friends and family safe and sound.
That’s when she noticed why they were all gathered. The crowd was enamored by a man standing atop a pile of dead Bohlkovian bodies. He was waving his arms dramatically while giving an impassioned speech.
“Cyrus…” Luna sighed.
When the mob of ragged citizens and gang members noticed the company of elves approaching they spun around and looked on nervously. Murmurs of concern began to spread through the crowd. Most of them had never even seen an elf before, let alone a few hundred. The elves' orderly march came to a halt yards away from the mob with Tyriel and Luna at the head. There was a moment of tension as both sides faced off. Some among the crowd noticed Luna at the head of the foreign war host and tilted their heads, utterly bewildered.
Mariska, Lane and the rest of the blind alchemists shoved their way through the crowd all the way to Luna. Their faces lit up, overjoyed to be reunited. Little Lane led the way dashing forward to hug Luna tightly. “Sissy!” He cried out. The rest of the Blind Alchemist’s followed suit, swarming around her and cheering affectionately. Tyriel grinned at the reunion while most of the elves and the crowd still looked around trying to figure out what exactly was going on.
Catching up would have to wait. The crowd parted down the middle and Cyrus strolled at a leisurely pace towards the newcomers. Luna noticed him approaching and pushed her brother and friends behind her—taking a step forward towards the man with the hourglass tattoo on his neck. He wore a smirk but Luna knew all too well that when it came to Cyrus, everything wasn’t always as it seemed on the surface. Be ready for anything. You know how unstable he is. The crowd became uneasy as Cyrus drew closer to Luna—there weren't many in The Undercity unfamiliar with the longstanding bad blood between the two.
Just a few yards away from Luna, Cyrus stopped and made a grand and exaggerated gesture of surprise. “Well, well, well if it isn’t my old apprentice! Little Luna Stone marching into town with a host of elves at her back!” He pirouetted like a dancer before curtseying. “You’ve always known exactly how to keep me on my toes, girl.”
“And you know I’ve been away. Now, why have you gathered everyone together here, Cyrus? What are you planning?”
“Does a man truly need a reason to gather three or four hundred of his closest friends at an industrial mining compound while his home burns?” Cyrus laughed hysterically before raising his hand like a visor over his eyes and peering out at the company of elves. “And what’s this? You’ve managed to convince every last pointy ear in Nisse to follow you home? You are quite the mystery, eh?”
“I’ve returned to drive the Bohlkovians from our home. Tyriel and his kin have long been at war with Bohlkov. It should be no surprise they also wish to see the Church of Embers defeated.”
“Bold words indeed. It would seem that despite our past misunderstandings, we align on this issue. The Bohlkovians seizing the city is no good for any of us in the Undercity.”
Luna’s face flushed red with rage. “There was no misunderstanding! You tricked a child into creating an addictive drug that spread like a plague across the nations and ruined countless lives! Do you understand what it’s like to have to carry the weight of that mistake everyday?”
“Oh sure, I am the villain here. And what of you, miss goodie two shoes? Am I misremembering the time when you burnt down my factories all over town? My favorite pet rat, Pickles, perished in those fires. Is his life worthless to you?”
“You’re a lunatic! Those factories were pumping out sting like candy. They needed to be destroyed, I’d raze them again in a heartbeat!”
This time Cyrus turned red as a tomato, losing his temper suddenly and shifting from a huge smile to glowering, “And what of Pickles!”
The hundreds of humans and elves watching the argument looked around at each other confused by the bizarre ebb and flow of this conversation. Tension filled the air as no one had any idea how this exchange would turn out.
“There’s just one thing I’ve never been able to understand,” Luna whispered, shaking her head. “Why unleash sting on the world? What did you have to gain?”
The silence was shattered by Cyrus roaring with laughter. He slapped his knees and laughed until tears rolled down his sunken cheeks. “Not everyone in this world is shackled by notions of gain or loss, my dear girl. I had you create the sting and then I distributed it far and wide. Why’d I do it? Just to see what would happen!”
“No…” Gasped Luna. “There had to have been a logical reason!”
Cyrus stretched his long arms high overhead before yawning. “It’s truly that simple. I grew bored and it sounded like fun! Being bound by logic is so rarely fun!”
Luna scowled, glaring daggers through Cyrus. Her hand shot to her hilt and the voice in her head urged her towards violence. He deserves to die. The world will be a better place if you cut his throat. Clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white she finally withdrew her hand from the hilt of her rapier and pointed an accusatory finger in the madman's direction. “Citizens of the Undercity, are his own words not proof that this man is insane and a threat to society?”
The crowd was silent momentarily but eventually cries of outrage echoed through the mob like lightning. Makeshift weapons waved in the air and outside of a select few Black Widows the opinion of the mob shifted overwhelmingly against Cyrus. Many amongst them knew a friend or family member who had their life ruined by the drug.
A look of disbelief contorted his face and Cyrus looked around nervously at the armed mob of angry citizens. “Oh, come on! You damn fools, think about how boring your lives will be without me!”
Memories came flooding back to her. She thought of the time when she was at her lowest point and Cyrus had been almost like a father to her. Misty eyed, she sniffled and looked him in the eyes offering him a subtle nod. “Tie him up! We’ll decide his fate later. For now, we’ve got a city to save!”
Cyrus attempted to flee but the hundreds of angry citizens were able to corner him and bind his hands and feet with thick rope. He squirmed for a while before accepting the situation and lying still. The crowd broke out into cheers, celebrating the return of their friend. Lips curling into a grin, Luna looked back at Tyriel who smirked coyly and nodded at her.
A panicked hand tapped Luna’s shoulder and she spun around. Standing behind her a young girl was hunched over hands on her knees. Her breathing was ragged, and after a few deep breaths she looked up at Luna. “Miss Luna! The Bohlkovian army just entered the Undercity, they’re on their way here now!”
Narrowing her eyes, Luna looked towards the huge wall in the distance that divided the Topside from the Undercity.