“Where are you taking us?” Natalie asked as they started down the crystalline passage, back towards where they’d come from and down one of the turns they’d passed.

Victoria walked in front of all of them, facing forward, but sounding relaxed as she answered, “There is a cottage a few hours walk from here. It is likely unoccupied, but if there is anyone there, you can trust that they are an ally.”

“How?” Corey asked, frowning at the woman’s back, “You just said that anyone could be enslaved by the Dunvirin, so how do we know for certain?”

“It is true, anyone you meet while out in the open is suspect, and should be treated with caution until you are certain they are not an enemy, but the cottage, and those like it, are very special. They are created and maintained by a man named Thomas, whose Soul gifted power is to not only bring them into being, but choose who is able to gain entry. If you are not branded by the Dunvirin, or expelled by Thomas personally, then you will always find them open to you.”

Dominic frowned, sounding unhappy as he commented, “That doesn’t seem like a very powerful gift to be given.”

The woman shrugged, “It’s not as flashy as some would prefer, perhaps, but Thomas has saved many lives through its use. You will never find a safer place to stay. Furthermore, they are not as basic as you might be thinking.”

Still frowning, the mousy boy asked, “What do you mean?”

“You will see. While we walk, however, I think it is my turn to ask some questions of the world above.”

The trio of friends spent the next hour answering Victoria’s questions, of which there seemed to be no end, the woman seeming starved for information on the state of things. One after another, her questions seemed to be endless, but it was the reactions to even the simplest things from their daily lives that interested Corey as he lagged a few feet behind the others, a contemplative frown still furrowing his brows. Something about this woman still didn't add up, and he was starting to think that it was in those little things, the way she didn't understand things that had been normal in even poorer regions for decades, and Victoria didn't look older than his mother, maybe even a few years younger.

Yet things she should know about and understand, she… simply didn't, and that made Corey uncomfortable, for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Even Natalie seemed uncomfortable, he noted, as the younger female twitched and flicked her hair over her shoulder, glancing back at him with irritation. Not for the first time, either, she'd been fidgeting for the last few minutes, letting Dominic answer most of Victoria's endless questions. A chill of prophecy ran up his spine, making Corey glance back over his shoulder. The empty corridor and silence behind him did nothing to comfort the growing sense of unease building in his gut, especially as his eyes turned forward again to see Nat smoothing a hand over her neck again.

With a quick double step forward, Corey caught up to his friend, lightly grabbing her hand and giving it a short squeeze before falling back again, with the red head giving him a look of irritation again as she lagged behind, allowing Victoria and Damien to pull out of range as she hissed, "What do you want?"

"Why do you keep messing with your hair?" Corey asked quietly, leaning in close, "Are you getting one of your… feelings? Like there's someone dangerous around?"

His eyes flicked towards Victoria as he asked the question, something that Nat missed as she rolled hers. "No, the only dangerous person around here is you and your immaturity. Pulling my hair, really? What are you, ten?"

Corey's frown deepened, rivets creasing his forehead as he told her softly but firmly, "I haven't been messing with your hair, Nat. I swear."

Natalie came to a quick stop, looking at him as she insisted, "That's a lie, I've felt you touching me for the last few minutes. Tugging at my hair and shirt, I mean if you were bored you could have just changed the subject."

"Natalie, listen to me, I haven't been doing anything to you! But maybe you're feeling the same thing I'm thinking, there's something that isn't adding up about this Victoria lady. It's all too convenient, isn't it? We've been down here for days, not another person in sight then suddenly she comes along, saves Dominic from something that may or may not have actually been a threat and then tells all of us that there's some great war going on and finally that were all doomed to spend the rest of our lives trapped by… ghosts! Ghosts that decide when and where does open up doorways!"

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Natalie gaped at him in shocked disbelief at the tirade, the likes of which she'd never heard from him. She inhaled, ready to ask if he thought they should part ways with Victoria when her stomach did a backflip. Then a somersault that ended with Natalie hunched and retching, only an empty stomach keeping her from vomiting all over the fine dust at her feet.

"Natalie!" Corey shouted, grabbing her shoulders, "What-"

His question was cut off as the world exploded around them.

White dust was flying everywhere, and Corey couldn't breathe. Every time he tried, he choked, the dust flying into his nose and mouth, down into his lungs. He could hear Natalie beside him, in the same boat, and some distance down the tunnel, Dominic was shouting their names…

Hacking and wheezing, Corey realized that he still had a death grip on Natalie's shirt and pulled her close before stumbling backwards until his back hit the hard crystal, sliding down, trying to get below the flying dust, though it didn't work as well as he'd hoped, but at least he wasn't suffocating anymore, even if he still felt like he was dying, he could at least feel that with each coughing fit, he could breathe in a little more.

Natalie was shaking in Corey's grip as she, too, gasped, growing increasingly desperate for a full breath of air, twisting and writhing, weakening his grip and making him panic. She must have got a bad inhale, if he was recovering, even through the thick haze of dust still in the air.

"Natalie! Corey!" Dominic's voice was nearby, with Victoria's following, though it wasn't as clear as Dominic's, fainter.

"You need to follow my voice!" Dominic continued to call to them, "Victoria said the dust is used as a weapon by creatures! She's fighting a couple now, but there may be more! Get out!"

Corey couldn't call back, even just to say that he heard and would try to get them both out, afraid that if he took more than the short, shallow breaths he was surviving on, he would start to choke again. To his relief, though, Natalie was starting to calm down, her breathing regulating. As soon as she was ready, he could start pulling her towards Dominic, who continued to yell for them.

Dust still filled the air, forcing Corey to keep his eyes squeezed shut while he waited impatiently for Nat to come to her senses, when he felt her tug. For a moment, he was relieved, thinking that she was ready to move, tugging back, towards Dominic's ever higher voice. Another tug in the opposite direction, though, had him tightening his grip around her shoulders, especially as the tug became a pull, constant and growing stronger. Worse was the realization that Natalie hadn't calmed down, but had, in fact, gone totally limp.

Something had a grip on her, and it was trying to drag her right out of his arms, and he couldn't do anything but hold on and try not to let whatever it was drag them both forward. The problem was that he had no leverage, the dust under his feet giving way like fresh snow, and inch by horrifying inch, they were being dragged toward some unseen monstrosity.

Helplessness turned to fury. He was blind, couldn't breathe, and for all he knew, one of his best friends was dead in his arms, and it was his fault. There was only one thing that he could think to do, as crazy as it seemed. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, a familiar sensation to him, as he'd had many an adrenaline rush while playing sports.

His body knew how to move, every motion drilled into him during practice, again and again, every movement to be made without thought. That was what happened after he lurched backward, twisting to tackle her to the ground before leaping up again and opening his eyes. They burned as the dust got into them, a burning that increased in intensity with every passing moment, but he needed to see, he needed to look…

There! Wrapped around Natalie's ankle, an appendage, ghastly green against the white dust on her clothing. Corey's eyes watered as they began to burn, but he refused to shut them again as he advanced, still breathing shallowly as he entered the thickest part of their personal storm. He couldn't make out anything anymore, and closed his eyes, because he no longer needed his sight. He could hear it, the thing that had a hold on his friend. It was so loud, he was amazed that he hadn't detected its presence sooner, sounding like it was breathing through an old gas mask. The sound came from somewhere around his knee, so that was where Corey aimed as he pulled his leg back, then launched it forward.

He felt his foot connect with something solid, heard that breathing sputter, in shock or pain, he had no way of knowing, but he wasn't about to stop, not now that he'd found a target upon which to vent all of the frustration that had built up over the last few days. Over and over, he kicked and stomped, until with a hissing growl, the creature decided that a new target had to take priority, and long, spindly fingers wrapped around Corey's leg with his next strike, and pulled, throwing off his balance and forcing a reflexive gasp from his lips as he tumbled to the ground. Just like that, he was coughing again, struggling to breathe, and this time, it was him who was being dragged to some unseen fate.

Corey's head was still reeling from the tumble, when he heard a harsh grunt, followed by metal on something solid. A moment later, there was a high, inhuman shriek and his leg was released, allowing him to scramble back until he felt Natalie's leg. Though he still wheezed and hacked, trying to clear his lungs of the dust that felt like it was drowning him, he threw himself over her, shielding the still form from further attack.