Chapter 23 Chapter 23 What Happened?

Chapter 23 Chapter 23 What Happened?

He struggled to catch his breath, Kira working her magic on him, healing as fast as she could. 

“R-Ryan had instructed me to stay back..” his words rushed out. “...making sure no rogue Vampyrs entered behind us. I stayed my post.” he eyes were wild with horror.

“But then the ground gave way without warning.” Lyra offered him her canteen.

“One moment I was on solid stone just beyond the entrance, the next the floor buckled beneath us, and the cavern shook hard enough to knock breath from my lungs. Dust exploded into the air, thick and blinding. I heard shouting—Rryan’s voice, then a violent crack overhead.”

“King Rryan! I shouted, reaching forward, the ceiling came down.”

“Rock slabs slammed into my shoulder, my back, my leg. I was thrown sideways, my wings crushed painfully against stone as the tunnel collapsed inward. The force knocked the air from my chest. I hit the ground hard, and something snapped in my leg. I jolted.” he drank more. His eyes kept glancing deeper into the cave..

“Then everything went dark…”

“And Rryan?” I asked.

“I don’t know.  How long was I out?” he questioned.

“When I came to, I couldn’t move. Couldn't breathe..”

“My chest barely expanded. Dust filled my mouth and throat, every breath burning. Weight pressed down on my right leg, crushing it into the ground. I tried to shift, but the pain ripped through me so fast it stole my vision.”

I instructed my warriors to search for them. They moved deeper into the cavern.

He continued. “I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stay still. The cave groaned around me as loose stone settled. Somewhere deeper, I heard screams, then short, frantic cries that cut off one by one. I called to them but..” he buried his head in his hands.

“Nothing answered.”

“Panic surged, sharp and fast. I forced it down. Panic wasted air, and air was something I didn’t have much of.”

“Tell me what happened before the cave-in.” Kira was now questioning him.

“Before the collapse—before all of it—we had landed in the lower valley just as the villagers were fleeing. They weren’t running randomly. They were being driven. Men carried children. Mothers dragged the elderly. Livestock stampeded loose, eyes wild. Everyone moved toward the caves carved into the valley wall, as if drawn there.” he paused as if he had heard something, then shook his head.

“Something had terrified them beyond reason.” Kira wondered.

“I hadn’t seen it. But I felt it. A pressure in the air that made instincts scream to flee. Rogue vampyrs moved along the edges of the chaos. Not attacking. Guiding. Steering the villagers inward, deeper into the caves.”

I reached for him, touching his mind… “Show me!

I closed my eyes, willing the vision.. Rryan saw it immediately.

“They’re herding them,” he said, already moving.

He landed first and ran straight for the cave entrance, shouting for the villagers to stop, to turn back. They didn’t listen. Fear drowned out everything.

Valin was right behind them when the mountain gave way.

A voice cut through the darkness now. Pulling me out of the vision..

“Here!”

Light flared briefly as stone shifted. Fresh air rushed in, cold and sharp. Hands grabbed my shoulders.

“He’s alive,” someone said.

Relief hit me so hard my body shook.

Kira’s voice came next, close and focused. “Valin. Stay with me,” she was losing him.

Her hands pressed to my chest, then his heart. Heat spread through him as her power took hold. The pain spiked once, blinding.

He sucked in air greedily, coughing hard.

“Syla,” he rasped. “Rryan—his Father—” then he was out again..

My warriors came back, with long faces, “It's sealed tight, they are working to clear a path, but it seems to lead deeper down. How close are the caves to Xibalba?” 

I froze, “Shade!” I whispered through gritted teeth.

I turned to Kira; she was wide-eyed. She had heard his question, and it shocked her as well.

Her mind wandered. How old would he be now? Demons age definitely much like Vampyrs; when they reach a certain age, they stop growing older. He must be nine, maybe ten, too young to have planned this. Someone was helping him.. That's when she knew!

“The old Hag! Shes behind this!” Kira spoke, her eyes narrowed. Before I could say anything, Kira disappeared...