Act IX

by Alexander Gordon

  “What’s happening?” Kroanette cried out.

  “Turn left!” Clover called out. Kroanette looked ahead to see the tunnel collapsing into smoke and flames further away, with dust blowing out from a passageway to the side that was fast approaching. The centaur skidded on her hooves as she struggled to slow down enough while Clover snapped on Lucky’s reins while pulling them to the side. Kroanette screamed as she just made it through the turn, bouncing against the wall briefly before racing ahead in a panic. Behind her Lucky managed to turn into the corridor while the carriage was not so lucky. The wagon slid along the ground behind the horse and missed the opening, sliding past it and banging into the tunnel wall while the straps holding Lucky yanked him back with a yelp. The horse stumbled about neighing in a panic while Clover was reeling from the impact of the carriage hitting the wall and her head banging into the ride in the process.

  “Clover!” Kroanette yelled as she skidded to a halt and turned around.

  Clover shook her head to regain her senses then watched in horror as the tunnel ahead of her was collapsing down. Looking behind she saw the ceiling caving in and reaching closer to her then frantically started snapping the reins.

  “Run, Lucky!”

  Before the horse could move another loud bang echoed out followed by the floor below them literally dropping down another level, slamming onto the bottom of yet another tunnel that had small torches lit along it. Having no time to question where she was or why there were lights set up there Clover screamed and snapped the reins again, prompting Lucky to take off into the new tunnel while debris crashed down behind them. Looking back Clover saw the tunnel collapsing as if attempting to swallow the carriage whole, the enchanted horse pulling the ride just fast enough to avoid being crushed by the raining rubble. The tunnel veered one way and then another, the lit passageway seeming to be going all over the place while the sounds of Eden collapsing right above them kept Clover focused on getting the hell out of there rather than questioning where she was going.

  “Just run, Lucky! Keep running!”

  The pathway ahead blasted apart from side to side, violent explosions erupting from unknown sources while everything appeared to be falling apart around the ride. Clover watched as a side of the tunnel collapsed to reveal glimpses of flames before being buried under rock, then saw the ground cracking apart with stone slabs tilting about that the carriage and Lucky just barely managed to get across before they ruptured upward, then ducked her head just in time to avoid a large stone that banged against the carriage and took part of the wooden top off, and then looking to the side she saw something that simply baffled her.

  “What the fuck?” she said, seeing a set of steel tracks running alongside her in an adjacent tunnel that was lit with torches, and a mine cart that was rolling along the tracks right next to the carriage that had two others staring back at Clover in equal surprise. They were ant girls, dressed in red tunics with black boots and gloves, with hair that was crimson and messy and insect abdomens that had a reddish tint to them. The two monsters watched Clover with curious eyes while their antennae twitched slightly, the three girls staring at each other in stunned silence before a loud rumble echoed behind them. The ant girls looked towards the sound, seeing the tunnels behind them quickly collapsing, then back to Clover while squeaking at her and shaking their heads as they pointed ahead. Their cart vanished behind a wall into another tunnel, with Clover looking back with bewilderment then forward again.

  “Did I just imagine that?”

  Lucky ran along the tunnel with the carriage in tow as the ceiling began to cave in closer towards them. Before they could get crushed by the rubble they exited the tunnel with dust and smoke blasting out behind them. Clover stared in awe at seeing the horse running along a thin stone bridge that was set over a vast underground chasm. Looking around she was able to see the cavern illuminated by torches and pockets of fire blasting out from dozens of other tunnels that connected to it. Bridges and mine cart tracks were extended over the dark pit in every direction, with a few carts rolling around having ant girls riding them.

  “What the fuck is this place?” Clover wondered. Looking up she saw the ceiling of the underground hall having countless crimson glitters sparkling like stars. A few trails of fire were seen creeping up towards them before they all began exploding violently. Clover watched as the entire ceiling of the underground chamber was detonated with a fiery blast then noticed most of the other tunnels that connected to the hall were blowing up as well.

  “This whole place is going down,” Clover realized. Turning her head upward she screamed as it became apparent her words were gravely accurate, what with the entire ceiling now collapsing with flames and burning rubble towards her.

  “Run, Lucky!” she screamed snapping the reins. Lucky neighed and ran along the thin pathway across the dark pit as fast as he could go. Flaming debris and large chunks of stone rained down around the carriage, decimating many other bridges and tracks with loud crashes. A massive chunk of debris slammed down through the pathway behind them, causing Clover to scream with eyes shut tight as the floor they were riding on rumbled violently. The carriage rocked about on its wheels while racing towards the exit ahead, with Clover steering the terrified horse the best she could as she feared this was where everyone would meet their demise.

  “MOVE IT!” she yelled snapping the reins again. Lucky whinnied and galloped across the floor that began to fall apart below them. With a frightened scream Clover watched as the ceiling quickly dropped down towards her, only to then just make it into the tunnel at the end of the bridge. Looking back she saw the rubble and debris crash down and cover the opening, the loud thunderous roar it gave off showing just how much death Clover and Lucky had narrowly avoided.

  Traveling down the tunnel she eventually passed where the line of torches ended, horse galloping deeper into the darkness while the rumbling sounds still echoed throughout the corridor from all the explosions along with shaking it constantly. After a while the trembling finally subsided, with Clover slowly coming back to her senses and then yanking back on Lucky’s reins.

  “Whoa, Lucky! Stop, stop here!”

  The horse slowed to a trot and then halted, grunting and bucking about anxiously still while Clover was able to catch her breath at last. The distant rumbling of more terrain falling underground continued on as the elf slowly calmed down the best she could. Even though it was dark in the tunnel she was able to see perfectly, although all there was to see was a darkened passageway that led further into the unknown before her.

  “Okay, get a grip, Clover. Get a grip- what the fuck was all that shit?” she cried out shaking her head. “What the hell was all that? Fuck, that did not just happen! The one time I get to drive the carriage by myself and I wind up who the fuck knows how far underground! This is bullshit!”

  Struggling to hold in her voice she quickly looked around, seeing only the collapsed tunnel further behind her and the darkened one stretched out in front.

  “Shit, I gotta find Kroanette! She’s back there somewhere… or above me… or… fuck, where am I even? Oh fuck, fuck, FUCK! This can’t be happening to me, this can’t be happening!” Grabbing her head she screamed loudly then promptly punched herself in the jaw to snap back to her senses. “Get a grip, Clover! First thing’s first, find Kroanette. Hopefully she didn’t get crushed in all that. Then, get the fuck out of here before Dan finds out I got the carriage stuck under the fucking ground! Goddammit, how does this shit keep happening to me anyway?”

  She snapped the reins to get Lucky moving, the horse bucking about and whinnying however not moving a step further into the dark tunnel. Clover growled and snapped the ropes again, only getting the same reaction from the animal along with it shaking its head and grunting.

  “What are you waiting for, Lucky? Get going! We have to get the hell out of here!”

  Lucky snorted and backed up a bit, refusing to run any further despite her orders. Clover looked at the horse co
nfusedly then ahead to seeing nothing that she considered scary or threatening despite being lost underground with explosions and cave-ins being heard all around. After a moment she blinked then stared at the horse in frustration as she finally understood why he wasn’t going forward anymore.

  “Seriously?” she growled through bared teeth. “Now you’re choosing to be scared of the dark? After all that bullshit we just went through and given we have no fucking choice but to go forward, you’re afraid of the fucking dark?”

  Lucky merely grunted and nodded while choosing not to run headfirst into the passageway that had no lighting whatsoever. Clover screamed and thrashed around in a fit before holding her head and struggling to hold in her snarls.

  “For the love of- just go, Lucky! I can see in the dark just fine, I’ll point you in the right direction! C’mon, we have to fucking move here!”

  Again Lucky refused to move forward, the horse whinnying and bucking about while Clover growled furiously in growing aggravation.

  “Goddammit, just go, you stupid motherfu-” she started to yell before a familiar cry was heard echoing in the tunnel ahead.

  “WAAAH!”

  “Kroanette?”

  “WAAAH!”

  “Kroanette!” Clover called out with a smile.

  “WAAAH!”

  “Kroanette!” Clover shouted out more loudly.

  “WAAAH! This sucks!”

  “Shut the fuck up and get over here, Kroanette!”

  “Clover?” Kroanette called out. “Is that you?”

  “Who else would be calling your name down here?” Clover cried out.

  “…Triska?”

  “We do not sound alike!” Clover barked out. “Just come this way, hurry!”

  The sound of hooves galloping down the tunnel started to pick up along with a warm light that began to brighten the corridor and draw closer. Kroanette rounded a corner holding torch and ran towards Lucky and Clover, a relieved smile coming across her face as she saw her friend and the carriage once again.

  “Clover, you’re alright!”

  “Just barely,” Clover said shaking her head as the centaur ran over next to her. “You wouldn’t believe what I went through back there. What happened to you? Are you alright?”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” Kroanette simply replied. Clover stared at her in disbelief as the centaur looked over Lucky and the carriage with a curious eye and a slowly wagging tail.

  “You’re… fine?” Clover repeated.

  “Well I’ve been freaking out over what’s been happening, but otherwise I’m okay. After you disappeared in that cave-in I was so worried. I tried to find a way around to you and-”

  “Hold on,” Clover interrupted holding out a hand. “You’re fine? Did nothing at all happen to you? Walls trying to crush you? Ceiling dropping on top of you? All of Eden literally exploding around you? Nothing at all was trying to fucking murder you down here?”

  “Um, no,” Kroanette answered shaking her head. “I mean I’ve been hearing all sorts of sounds around me, but nothing has been trying to kill me ever since you disappeared. What happened to you on your way here?”

  “What didn’t happen to me?” Clover snapped. The tunnel shook about violently as another loud eruption was felt nearby. “Dammit, we need to get out of here before this whole place falls apart. The way behind me is blocked. Looks like we’re going back the way you came.”

  “Oh dear, um, alright,” Kroanette nervously said looking behind her. “I suppose we could try that. There were other passageways back there, though there’s no telling where they lead to.”

  “Then we’re just going to have to pick one and hope for the best,” Clover reasoned as she snapped the reins. This time Lucky proceeded to run forward with Kroanette by their side, the corridor illuminated enough to show where they were going even though they had no idea where that was. As they raced off into the unknown with another world-shaking explosion sounding off close by Clover was struggling to hold onto hope she could get her mate and all her friends out alive.

  ‘I hope they’re having a good time in there. It may just come to a very abrupt end any second now.’

  *****

  Inside the library many of the girls had gathered together towards the back where Specca was reading them a story. The nixie sat on a couch set against the wall while seated before her on the floor the girls were listening with varied levels of interest. She told them a tale about a human wizard who set out on a quest to rescue the woman of his dreams, a story about how a weak, meager caster managed to find the courage and inner strength to fight all manner of lustful monsters and demons to win back the only one his heart yearned for. It was a story of adventure, suspense, and drama, all conveyed with feeling and heart as Specca read page after page with such refinement.

  Glancing up from the book she saw Cindy was indeed enthralled by the tale, her eyes wide with wonder and fixated solely on the nixie, complete attention hinging on every word the girl spoke, and arms tightly holding Squeak close as if cuddling a teddy bear in excitement. Squeak however was showing less interest in the story, a first since she normally was just as captivated by Specca’s reading under normal circumstances. This time though her focus was on Cindy who was holding her close to her side with both arms, squeezing the ant girl with a grip that was extremely powerful even compared to her own strength.

  “Cindy,” Specca said as she broke from her story. “I don’t think Squeak is comfortable with you hugging her so tightly.”

  “Oh,” Cindy replied looking to Squeak, the ant girl forcing a smile at her while struggling to pry free from the wraith’s hold. “What should I do then?”

  “For starters let her go,” Falla snapped from beside them. “You’re bothering her.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Cindy worried as she quickly let go. Squeak stumbled to the side and squeaked with a few deep breaths then smiled weakly at the wraith and nodded while rubbing her sides.

  “That’s alright, Cindy,” Specca assured looking back to her book. “Just sit quiet and enjoy the story. We’re coming up to a good part now, so you’ll want to pay close attention.”

  “What happens next?” Luna eagerly asked, scooting forward on her bottom then hopping up and down in front of the nixie. “Tell me, I want to know! I never heard this story before, I want to know what happens next!”

  “Me too!” Cindy squealed as she scooted closer and began bouncing about like Luna. “This is so much fun! Keep reading! Read more!”

  “Tell us what happens!” Pip cheered as she quickly flew around the two girls in a blue blur. “Tell us! Tell us! If we don’t know we’ll never be happy again!”

  A mere moment later she quickly dived down into Cindy’s bosom and started bouncing about with waving arms and a bright smile.

  “Boobies!”

  Specca smiled amusedly at the three girls then at Falla and Squeak who were sitting together behind them with similar looks at the excited trio.

  “She really is like a young child,” Falla commented. “A young, naïve, troublesome child. But you gotta love her. I know I always have.”

  “You’ve always loved Cindy?” Specca asked.

  “I was talking about Luna,” Falla replied with a smirk. Squeak giggled and nodded as they noticed some similarities between the young sand wraith and the special butterfly. Specca shook her head slightly then noticed Star sitting towards the back against a bookcase, the jinx quietly watching the girls’ antics with a blank expression on her face.

  “Star?” Specca wondered, with the girls turning to see the jinx shifting her eyes to the nixie. “Did you want to sit with them? You don’t have to keep to yourself in the back you know. Come join us.”

  Star shook her head and waved her on with a small smile. Specca slowly nodded then looked back to her book while clearing her throat. As she continued reading the story, with Cindy, Luna, and Pip listening closely to every word she spoke, Star’s thoughts drifted once more, causing the world around her to become dea
thly quiet while the smell of smoke and blood became apparent in her nose. Her hand flinched slightly at her side, the memories of her past threatening to bring a worried frown onto her face that she fought off the best she could. Apoch and Astreal’s words of warning echoed in her ears, inciting further anxiety with the jinx that she could lose Daniel entirely should he ever learn who she really was.

  Specca read a few pages more, keeping the interest of the girls sitting in front of her completely, then stopped as she noticed someone approaching them from around a bookcase. Alyssa slowly made her way over to the group, with all of them looking to her then to Doku who was floating in the air behind the witch.

  “Alyssa?” Specca said as the witch slowly waved her staff to the side. In doing so she levitated Doku down onto the couch next to the nixie where she lay perfectly still and quiet.

  “Oh, Doku,” Falla mourned with a frown.

  “Is she alright?” Luna worried.

  “Poor Doku,” Pip whimpered.

  “How is she, Alyssa?” Specca asked looking over the harpy.

  “I think she learned her lesson,” Alyssa reasoned with a shrug. “She’s out cold still, but I’m sure when she wakes up she’ll agree with that.”

  “Did you have to do that to her?” Luna frowned.

  “What happened to her?” Cindy asked curiously.

  “Alyssa punished her,” Falla answered. “Piece of advice, Cindy. Be a good girl while you’re here. Or else.”

  “Or else what?”

  “That,” Luna said pointing to Doku while lowering her head in sorrow. “She took it in the butt.”

  “Took it in the butt?” Cindy wondered. “What does that mean?”

  “It means you need to behave yourself when around Daniel or else Alyssa will be quite mean to you,” Specca explained with a careful glance to the witch.

  “I did what had to be done,” Alyssa spoke boldly, almost in an effort to convince herself. She then pointed to Cindy accusingly, the wraith jumping a bit with a nervous frown from the gesture. “Bad girls get punished in this home. Keep that in mind, Cindy.”