Diamond Bonds (16 page)

Jem makes little effort to move with stealth.  She barges into each room, looks around with the light, and moves on to the next.  After exhausting their search, they find themselves back at the stairs.

“Nothing,” Jem huffs in frustration.

“No sign of anything that crashed, either,” Era adds.  “I don’t think anyone broke in down here.  Should we check upstairs, or… didn’t you say there was a basement?”

“Sure, but there’s no window down there.”

“Worth a check,” Era offers.  Jem shrugs and heads toward the stairwell she had found in her earlier exploration. She opens the door, and the group is met with a dank odor emanating from within.  Jem’s light reveals hundreds of cobwebs littering the path downstairs.  Waving a hand out front, she takes the lead and heads in.

Di crouches her head as she cowers behind Era, silently wondering how Jem had mustered the courage to descend into these depths on her own.  Finding the bottom of the stairs, Di’s bare feet find a half-inch of standing water.  The rock floor is covered with a slimy substance, and she almost slips the moment she steps on it.  She snags Era’s arm to hold herself up.

“Careful there,” Era offers a bit too late.  “Good thing I slept in my boots.”

“Guess I could have warned you about the slime,” Jem comments.

Holding tightly to Era, Di trudges through the water, wondering how the liquid managed to get down here.  Basements themselves are rare, limited only to large manors such as this one, so she has no way of knowing if this is a common problem.  She knows her father would never have stood for this if they’d had one.

The basement is one large room, consisting of brick and mortar walls on top of large slabs of rock.  Wet furniture litters the place, an indication the flooding may be a recent development.  Jem swings the rune around, finding nothing of interest until her light reveals a small opening in the corner.  “Didn’t notice that before,” she mutters as she offers Era the rune.  “Go be a man.”

Trapped by her words, Era takes a deep breath and plunges into the tunnel, using his earthen sword to brush the cobwebs aside until the makeshift hallway opens into a hidden room.  He shines the light inside, finding wine racks toppled over and bottles strewn about.  As he wonders if this was the source of the crash, he notices a slithering track straight through the center of the room, from one cracked corner to another.

Suddenly, he hears a loud rumble, followed by Di letting loose a shriek that echoes through the small tunnel.  He dashes back out to the main basement, his heart pounding, but when he gets back he sees nothing.  Di and Jem are both gone, and in their place is a large hole through which the water is draining.

Era shines the light down, and he’s relieved to find the two on a rock slab not far below the basement floor.  “Are you alright?  What happened?”

Jem brushes herself off.  “The floor just collapsed on us!  Give me the light!”  Era drops the rune.  She catches it and uses it to reveal a cavern as the water rains down around her.  “Too bad we just took a bath,” Jem complains, her voice echoing.  “We could have waited for the shower!”

Di gives her a terrified look, again in awe of Jem’s ability to remain calm.  “W-Where are we?  How do we get back up!?”

She looks up to Era.  “Hey, can you stretch your sword down here?  Maybe make us a little ladder or something?”

Era looks at the sword in his hand. “Not enough dirt.”

“Then go outside and get some more!”

“Can I have the light back?”

Jem stomps her foot and shouts, “You want to leave two defenseless girls in a cave by themselves without a light?”

Era sighs and stands, annoyed by the attitude.  The basement is pitch black without the light rune, so locating the stairs is a guessing game.  Hoping he doesn’t find another sinkhole, he tiptoes across the floor, carefully placing his weight down with each step.

Meanwhile, Jem continues to explore.  The cavern stretches up to the house’s foundation, exposing the bedrock used for the basement floor. “Great, they just
had
to build this house on top of a big hole.  How is it we’re the first ones to fall in!?”

Di steps out from under the dripping water and shivers as a cold breeze passes by.  “This house really
is
haunted.”

“No, Di, if this is what killed those people then the hole would’ve already been there.  This is pure coincidence.”

Di nods, her teeth chattering, and Jem starts to notice how cold she is herself.  She tosses her soaked jacket aside and rubs her hands.  “You couldn’t have been a fire user, huh?” she teases Di.

“Air is so much better!” Di argues, taking the comment too seriously.

“Hey, chill out there,” Jem puns with a smirk as she turns the light and points it straight at Di.  “I was just saying-” Jem cuts herself off with a gasp.  “Di, watch out!”

Di spins to find a large blade about to descend on her.  She screams in fright as she extends her palms upward, forming a barrier just in time to intercept the mysterious blade before it slices her in two.  The force sends her to the ground, but she maintains the hold on her shield.  The blade continues to press against the small girl’s wall as she struggles to maintain her protection.

Jem unsheathes her dagger and races to Di’s rescue, but her entire body freezes in terror when she realizes there isn’t some
one
attacking Di, but some
thing
.  A monstrous blob of water is looming over the poor girl, held aloft by a column of water extending to the floor.  A tentacle is protruding from the main body, its tip formed into the blade trying to cut the girl in half.  Even as Jem watches, a new limb slowly forms from the mass and extends outward, another blade at its tip.  This one strikes against Di’s main shield repeatedly while the other one holds her down, leaving her with no options for escape.

Shaking off the fear, Jem dashes around Di and tries to intercept the blade that beats repeatedly against the girl.  She holds her dagger out in an attempt to parry the strike, but the watery blade slices cleanly through the metal, as if it weren’t even there.  The strike narrowly misses her fingers, and Jem stares at her broken dagger in disbelief.

The blob forms a third tentacle and strikes at Jem, but she jumps backward to avoid the blow.  Sheathing her broken dagger, she tugs on the small girl, hoping to dislodge her from the pressure of the blade holding her down.  “Di, angle it!” she yells in desperation.

Di tilts the shield, allowing the pressuring blade to slide along until it hits the ground.  Jem yanks Di out of the way before the other blades can strike and drags her along in a mad dash to escape, clutching the small rune as she relies on it to light the way.

Chapter 10

Era stumbles along in the darkness, using his weapon as a cane to make sure he doesn’t trip on anything.  He locates the stairs and makes his way up, and he’s surprised to find the door at the top of the stairs is closed.  Not giving it a second thought, he swings the door open, only to be met with a foot that connects with his chest.  Off balance, he panics and releases his weapon as he reaches for something to grasp, but he finds nothing.  He succumbs to gravity and tumbles back down the stairs to the floor below.

His unknown assailant rushes after him.  Disarmed and in serious pain from the fall, he turns and runs away as best he can on the slick stone.  Di’s shriek pierces the room, and he glances over to the hole to see the light faltering around from down below, accompanied by bizarre noises.

He stops and turns to his pursuer, intent on going on the offensive, and the flickering light is enough for Era to make out the face of his opponent.  “F-Fire!?”

She doesn’t slow her charge, and he meets her head-on as they punch and kick each other.  However, the light from Jem’s rune fades away, no longer providing ambient light.  The adversaries each take a few steps back, not wanting to make a mistake as their eyes strain to adjust to near-total darkness.

“What’s the deal, Fire?” Era barks.  “What did you do to Jem and Di!?”  Noting he’s been taking blows from two fists, he realizes Fire’s arm must not be as broken as he thought.

In response, she rushes at him and tackles him.  Era grabs her wrists and, gaining leverage, rolls over on top of her.  “Fire!  The hole!” he warns in vain as she grabs him and rolls over one more time, and his body hits the edge.  As he slides in, Era flails for the ledge, but he finds Fire’s legs instead.

Fire desperately grips the floor and kicks to dislodge Era, but his grip holds tight.  Her fingers slip from the slimy floor, and the two tumble into the cavern below.

Era manages to land on his feet and do a diving roll to absorb the momentum, but Fire’s landing is less graceful.  As she picks herself up, Era shoves his arms through her armpits and pulls up on her shoulders from behind.  She struggles against him, but Era holds her tight. 

“Tell me what happened to Jem and Di,” he demands.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fire says as she kicks at him.

“Liar!” he yells as he pulls harder on her bad arm.  She winces in pain and succumbs to her captor.  “Tell me what you know!”

Fire remains silent, and Era jostles her one more time for good measure.  “Jem and Di fell down here just before I ran into you, and they disappeared right after we started fighting.  You’re telling me you aren’t involved?”  Facing more silence, Era forces her forward.  “Fine, we’re going for a walk until we find them.”

*              *              *

Jem stops running and doubles over, gasping for air.  Di collapses, her legs burning and her entire body trembling.  Jem coughs and pants, “I think… we lost it.”  Di rolls to her back, praying Jem is right. 

“What
was
that thing!?” Jem screams, her voice echoing off the cave walls.  “Was it… Was it made of water!?”

“I… have no idea… what that was!” the girl pants.

“Aren’t you smart or something?” Jem snaps.  “To think it sliced right through my dagger.  My
expensive
dagger!”

“It’s an elemental blade,” Di answers, catching her breath. “Remember what I said?  Those things can be sharper than metal!”

Jem draws her broken weapon.  “Yeah, but… Era’s is like a noodle compared to that monster’s.”

“Era is good, but not
that
good!” Di explains.  “The best contortionists can shape a blade sharper than any metal sword, though I’ve never seen one slice through so cleanly.”  Dumbstruck, she exclaims in wonder, “That thing is a better shaper than the experts at the Academy!”

Jem grits her teeth at the thought, wondering how to fight such a creature.  They wait in silence, listening for any indication that the monster is still slithering its way after them.  Content it’s not immediately behind them, Jem swings around with the light to explore their new surroundings.  “This is such a strange place,” she mutters.  “It’s almost like it’s an underground cavern, but there’s no flowing water.”

Di ponders this for a moment and exclaims, “It’s not possible that… that
thing
made all this?”

“Not possible.  It’d need to be slithering around for years.”

“Try
hundreds
of years,” Di argues.

“Then that makes me
more
right,” Jem mutters to herself as she finds a wall in their path.  “Di, I think this might be the end of the road.”

“What!?” Di gasps.

“Come on,” Jem beckons as she begins walking.  “Let’s make sure of it before we panic.”  They head over to the wall, the tension in the air building with each step.

Di starts to tear up.  “This is it.  This is it.”

“You want to survive?  Then shut up!” Jem barks as she scans along the wall, finding a crack just big enough to fit a finger.  She shines her light in, revealing empty space behind it.  “Di!  There’s a passage here!”

Though initially excited, her hopes are dashed by the size of the small slit.  “What’s the point of that?”

Jem looks for another entrance, but she finds nothing.  As she moves her light along the wall, she catches the reflection of moisture around the crack.  “Just like the floors…” she realizes.  An idea strikes her, and she hands the light rune to Di.  Placing both hands on the wet wall, she starts coating the area with an intense frost.  The exterior of the wall crystallizes, and the crackling of freezing water echoes throughout the chamber.

“Your turn,” she says to Di expectantly, wiping her brow.

Di frowns.  “To do what?”

“To bust it open!” Jem answers as she snatches the light rune back.  “You can make a wall of air, so surely you can make a giant hammer or something.  Get to it!”

Though doubtful, Di finds she lacks a better idea.  Extending her arms out as if holding a large object, she concentrates on solidifying the air.  Mustering all her strength, she winds back and hurls her entire body around, swinging the solid block of air into the iced-over crack.  She hits the icy wall hard, making a loud bang that echoes all around.  The ice shatters, taking a chunk of rock with it.

“Again!” Jem calls, excited by the success.  Di repeats her motion, slamming the wall loudly once more.  “Again!”

She complies.  Panting, Di starts to wind up again, but Jem raises her hand to stop her.  “Good work, Di!  That should be enough.”  The girl topples over, exhausted but pleased with the results.  The crack is now a more manageable size, and Jem squeezes herself through the hole.  After ensuring it’s safe, she beckons for Di to follow.

Di emerges on the other side, and her face twists into confusion at the odd sight before her.  Rusted, metal shelves are lined up throughout the small room, and crumbled rocks litter the ground.  The walls are perfectly flat and reflective, made of a different material than the rocky cavern.  “Could this be metal?” Di wonders as she runs her hand along it.

“What is this place?” Jem mumbles to herself as she continues to explore with the light rune.  A large and heavy door appears to lead into the room from the opposite wall.  Their entrance point was a crack that had somehow formed in the metallic wall.  At their feet is a trail of water leading from the room, indicative of a path the liquid creature had taken recently.  “Is this where that thing came from?”

“Jem, give me the light!” Di exclaims.  She hands it over, and the schoolgirl shines it at the rubble on the ground. “These are… runes!?”

“Not much left of them,” Jem says.  Looking closer, she notes, “Where are the symbols?”

“They’re… They’re all gone!” Di says in amazement.  “Obelite softens over time, after all.  But that would mean these runes are seriously old.”

Jem looks around in awe.  “So what is this?  Someone’s personal collection?”  Leaving Di to salivate over the rune fragments, she walks to the door and pulls at its handle in vain.  Pounding against it, she says, “Looks like we need to try our trick again, Di.  This door may be our best chance of escaping that thing.  Unfortunately, I don’t think my ice is going to help us with this one.”

Di groans as she forms the hammer again, hoping the creature doesn’t show up before they can escape.

*              *              *

“Ow!  Stop stepping on my feet!” Fire shouts in the darkness.

“Shut up!” Era barks, not interested in dealing with her sass.  “Just be glad that’s
all
the pain you’re feeling.”

“Oh, I’m
so scared
.”

“Keep pushing it and you will be!”

“Try it!” Fire taunts.  “You’re a spineless wimp.  If not for my arm, I’d-”

Era laughs, cutting her off.  “I’ve beaten you twice now, so get over yourself.”

“
Twice?
” she exclaims, struggling against him until Era clamps down on her bad arm.  Giving up, she grumbles, “You’re not half the fighter I am.”

“It must be so hard losing to someone like that, huh?”

“You have no idea,” she mutters.  “So how long is this going to take?”

“You tell me.  If you fill me in, it might go faster.”

“I didn’t do
anything to your friends,” Fire insists.  “Next time keep a closer eye on them yourself.”

Era grows annoyed by her sarcastic responses.  “You showed up the moment they disappeared.  It’s not like they just wandered off.  I heard Di scream, I’m sure of it.”

“Ow!” Fire yelps as Era steps on her feet yet again.  “For crying out loud, your clumsiness is worse than your threats.”  Shoving him back, she offers, “Just take the flare rune out of my pouch and light it already.  Stop making me walk in the dark, and
stop stepping on my feet!
”

“You’ve got a flare rune, and you’re just
now
telling me?”

“Shut up and use it.”

He releases his hold on the weak arm, hopeful she won’t be able to try anything with it.  He reaches to her side, looking for her pouch.

“You go any lower and you’ll never see your hand again,” Fire promises.

“Well, where
is
it?”

“Other side.”

“That’s a nice coincidence,” Era snidely remarks.  “So I’d need to free your good arm in order to access it.”

“It’s a
coincidence
that my pouch is where my good arm can reach it?  Are you
completely
inept?”

Era takes a deep breath to remain calm as he hugs the assassin tightly and reaches around Fire’s torso.  Finding the pouch, he pulls it closer and finds the flare rune.

“I knew you liked me,” Fire teases.

“Would you shut up for
one minute?
” Era growls as he fumbles around with the flare in his free hand.

“All you ever do is try to get me to talk,” Fire retorts.  “And now that I’m being conversational, you’re mad at me?”

“Shut
UP!
” Era barks as he trips the flare rune.  It fires up and hits the ceiling, lodging itself in the rocks and illuminating their surroundings: the smooth rock wall, cavern floor, and gigantic water creature standing a short distance away.

The two stare in stunned silence at the faceless mass, which seems to stare back.  Era slowly releases Fire as it extends a tentacle from its body and promptly sharpens it into a blade.  The two adversaries finally snap from their stupor and run away at full speed.

“What was
THAT?
” Era yells as he runs alongside Fire.  “Was it trying to sneak up on us!?”

“How should I know!?” she replies as she tries to outpace her rival.  The flare rune’s light fades, and the darkness swallows them up once more.  The sloshing noise of the creature continues to echo behind them.

“Enough of this!” Fire calls out as she pulls another flare rune from her pouch.  “We have to fight that thing!”

“You’re crazy!” Era screams as she activates the flare.  Fire turns to face the monster, and Era stops running as well.  Dashing back to her side, he prepares himself and says, “Okay, fine!  Let’s-”  But the sly assassin has already left him, racing back in the same direction they had been heading.

“You backstabbing
sleaze!
” Era cries as he races to catch up, kicking himself for falling for such a trick.  “Come back here!”

*              *              *

Di collapses, exhausted from slamming her hardened air club against the door so many times.  The frame hadn’t budged in spite of the forceful collisions.  Jem also leans against the wall, having aided Di as best she could by swinging with her.