B2-6
Kaelid:
The first pale light of dawn filtered through the forest canopy as Kaelid stumbled out of the trees behind the others. His legs felt like jelly, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Everyone looked terrible. Marta had dirt streaked across her face, and Theron kept rubbing his eyes like he couldn't believe they'd made it through the night.
But they had. Somehow. They'd escaped from that awful place where the Praxis had been hurting people.
Brannic was trying to act like he was fine, but Kaelid could tell he wasn't. The dragonkin kept moving carefully, like every step hurt. When he thought nobody was looking, he'd press his hand against his side where that scary Praxis agent had hit him. The golden scales on his face had little cracks in them that caught the morning light.
The people they'd rescued huddled together in the middle of the clearing. They looked so scared and hurt that it made Kaelid's stomach twist up in knots. The delver gremlins kept making those chittering sounds and looking around like they expected more bad guys to jump out of the bushes any second. Their big eyes were so wide and frightened that he wanted to tell them everything would be okay, but he wasn't sure if that was true. Their small bodies were covered in marks from whatever the Praxis had done to them, and some of them were shaking even though it wasn't cold.
The young Petrakahrn were really quiet, just sitting there like statues with their crystal parts catching the sunlight and throwing little rainbows on the ground. But even though they looked calm, Kaelid could tell they were hurting inside. It was like they were trying so hard to be brave that they'd forgotten how to show they were scared. One of them, who couldn't have been much older than Kaelid himself, had a crack running through the crystal on his forehead that looked painful.
The worst part was the grown-up humans. There were three of them, and they just stared at nothing with empty eyes. When Marta tried to help one of them sit down, the woman just stood there until Marta moved her legs for her. It was like the Praxis had stolen something important from inside their heads.
He pulled Lexicon out of his bag and set the journal down on a fallen tree. The mimic stayed in his book shape because there were too many strangers around, but Kaelid could feel him being alert and ready to help.
But then Kaelid remembered something that made his heart skip a beat. Curio was still back at the clearing near town. What if the Praxis found the clearing? What if they hurt Curio or captured him for their experiments?
The thought made him feel sick with worry. Curio had been so kind to him and Rannek, helping them understand their new abilities and keeping them safe. He couldn't just leave his friend behind.
Kaelid closed his eyes and let his special ability spread out like ripples in a pond. It was getting easier to do now, and he could feel all the trees and rocks and little animals around them.
Then he felt something that made his heart start beating really fast.
There were things moving through the forest that didn't feel right. They weren't like normal people or animals. They felt cold and empty, like people but less. They were moving in straight lines, going back and forth like they were looking for something.
Looking for them.
The signals he sensed were maybe a mile away, but they were getting closer. They moved in a pattern like they were searching every single tree and rock and hiding place.
"We have to go," Kaelid said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "There are bad things coming. I think Praxis agents or something their pattern feels almost simple compared to a normal person, they are looking for us."
Kael was next to him so fast it made him jump. "How many? How far away?"
"I think maybe twelve of them. They're moving in lines, searching everything. They'll be here really soon."
Before anyone could respond, one of the delver gremlins stepped forward. She was smaller than the others and moved quick and nervous, like a scared mouse. But her big eyes looked smart.
"Surface friends," she said in her funny accent. "Know safe path. Old Ways still hidden. Rust-claw tribe keep secrets of deep tunnels."
Kael looked confused. "What is she talking about?"
The little delver gremlin, who'd told them her name was Skitter, came closer to their group. She pointed at the ground under their feet, then at the mountains far away.
"Ancient paths," she said slowly. "Made by first delvers, before we became small. Tunnels that grow alongside Petrakahrn places but stay hidden on edges. Connect far territories through deep passages."
Theron's eyes got wide. "You're talking about tunnels? How big are they?"
"Very big. Cross whole land. But dangerous. Old builders put guardians, traps, things that test if you're worthy."
Marta looked up from helping one of the hurt people. "And you think we should trust our lives to tunnels full of traps and monsters?"
"Better than trust lives to Praxis hunters," Skitter replied firmly. "Surface world has no hiding places from their eyes. Underground, they cannot see so far."
Kael studied the small delver gremlin. "How far to this entrance?"
"Two miles, maybe little more. Hidden entrance under rock formation that looks natural."
Kaelid could feel those robot things getting closer, and his stomach felt sick with worry. They couldn't stay here. They couldn't run fast enough with all the hurt people.
But he couldn't leave Curio behind.
Brannic straightened despite his obvious pain. "The decision is tactical. We cannot outrun our pursuers while carrying injured people. We cannot fight them effectively in open terrain. The tunnels offer concealment and the possibility of defensible positions."
"We go underground," Rannek decided. "Skitter, show us the way."
"Wait," Kaelid said quickly, his heart pounding. "I need to go back to our clearing first. There's... there's something important I left behind."
Kael frowned. "What could be so important that you'd risk going back?"
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Kaelid looked at Marta, hoping she'd understand. "It's our friend. The one who was helping us. He's still back there, and if the Praxis find him..."
Understanding dawned in Marta's eyes. "He's right. We can't just leave him behind."
"Kael, can you escort them?" Brannic asked of the warrior..
"No, it's better if just Marta and I go," Kaelid said quickly. "Our friend can be... skittish around strangers. Too many people might scare him."
"You should stay close by in case we need help, but let us handle this," Kaelid added.
"Make it fast," Brannic rumbled. "Those hunters won't wait for us."
Kaelid nodded and grabbed his pack. The two of them slipped away from the group, moving as quietly as they could through the forest. Kaelid's enhanced perception kept track of the approaching surveillance drones, making sure they stayed ahead of the search pattern.
The clearing the same as when they'd left it, peaceful and quiet in the morning light. The small pool reflected the sky like a mirror, and everything seemed normal. But Kaelid knew Curio was there, probably hidden beneath the water where he felt safest.
"Curio?" Kaelid called softly as they approached the pool. "It's me, Kaelid. Marta's with me. We need to talk to you."
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the surface of the pool began to ripple, and slowly, Curio's familiar blue-green form emerged from the water. His surface shimmered with concern as he looked at them both.
Young ones return, Curio said, his voice created by vibrating his surface. This one sensed disturbance in the forest.
Kaelid and Marta knelt by the edge of the pool, speaking in whispers. "The Praxis found us. They have machines searching for us. We have to leave, and we can't come back here. It's not safe for you anymore."
Curio's form rippled with what looked like sadness. This one understands. The clearing has been peaceful home, but safety of young ones is more important.
"Will you come with us?" Marta asked. "We're going into underground tunnels. It might be dangerous, but it's better than staying here where the Praxis might find you."
Curio was quiet for a long moment, his surface shifting through different colors as he thought. Then he extended a small tendril toward Kaelid. May this one touch? Communication will be clearer.
Kaelid nodded and reached out to touch the tendril. The moment their skin made contact, he felt Curio's thoughts flowing into his mind, not as words but as feelings and images.
This one agrees. The clearing is no longer safe. But traveling in full form would be difficult and draw attention. This one can split mass, leave larger portion to hibernate safely underground while smaller portion travels with young ones. Will appear as simple creature, not reveal true intelligence to others.
The mental communication was amazing, like having a conversation inside his head. Kaelid could feel Curio's wisdom and kindness, his genuine concern for their safety.
How small can you make yourself? Kaelid asked through the connection.
Small enough to fit in carrying pack. Size of melon, perhaps. Will move core stones to smaller mass, leave only one in hibernating portion deep under roots. Will be quiet, act as pet creature. Others need not know true nature.
Kaelid felt a wave of gratitude and relief. Thank you, Curio. I was so scared we'd have to leave you behind.
This one is honored by young one's concern. Friendship is precious thing, worth protecting.
Curio withdrew his tendril, breaking the mental connection. Immediately, his form began to change. The larger mass of his body sank back into the pool, but a smaller portion separated and began to compact itself. Kaelid watched in fascination as Curio's core stones, the glowing centers of his consciousness, migrated into the smaller mass. All but one, which remained in the larger portion that was now settling deep beneath the pool's surface.
The smaller Curio was indeed about the size of a melon, his blue-green surface still shimmering but much more compact. He looked almost like a large, unusual pet rather than the intelligent being he truly was.
Ready, the smaller Curio said simply, his voice much quieter now.
Kaelid carefully picked him up and placed him in his pack, making sure he was comfortable. Curio felt warm and slightly squishy, like a living cushion. "Are you okay in there?"
Comfortable enough, Curio replied softly. This one will remain quiet now. Others must not suspect.
Marta looked amazed by what she'd just witnessed. "I've never seen anything like that before. He really is incredible."
"We need to get back," Kaelid said, shouldering his pack carefully. "The others will be worried."
They hurried back through the forest, Kaelid's enhanced perception tracking the surveillance drones that were getting closer by the minute. When they rejoined the group, Kael looked at them with concern.
"Did you find your friend?"
Kaelid patted his pack gently. "He's safe now. He's coming with us."
Kael looked confused but didn't press the issue. There were more important things to worry about.
"We need to move," Brannic said, his voice strained. "Those searchers are getting closer."
The journey to the hidden entrance was hard. They had to go through thick forest where branches grabbed at their clothes and roots tried to trip them. Skitter moved like she'd done this a million times, slipping between trees and jumping over logs like it was easy. But it wasn't easy for the rest of them.
The rescued people kept stumbling and needed help with every step. The consciousness-damaged humans were the worst, because they couldn't really think for themselves anymore. Marta and Theron had to guide them around every tree and over every rock, and they had to stop all the time to let them rest. One of the delver gremlins was limping badly, and Kaelid could see tears in his big eyes every time he had to put weight on his hurt leg. Marta moved over to offer to carry it and it ended up riding in her backpack with the top flap open.
Kaelid kept checking with his ability to see how close the Praxis were getting. They just kept coming, never stopping, never getting tired. Every time he checked, they were a little bit closer, following the search pattern exactly. The mechanical precision of their search pattern was terrifying, each one covering its assigned area with ruthless efficiency.
In his pack, Curio remained perfectly still and quiet, playing his part as a simple pet creature. Kaelid could feel the slight warmth of his friend's presence, which was comforting even during all the danger. Occasionally, he would feel a gentle pulse from Curio, like a reassuring heartbeat that reminded him he wasn't alone in this scary situation.
His hands were shaking by the time they finally reached the rocks. At first, Kaelid thought Skitter had made a mistake. The rocks looked totally normal, just a bunch of boulders piled up against a hill with moss and little plants growing on them. There was nothing that looked like a secret entrance, and for a scary moment he thought maybe Skitter had gotten confused or lost. The formation seemed so ordinary, so much like any other pile of stones that might have tumbled down from the hillside over the years.
But Skitter went right up to one of the big rocks and started feeling around on it with her small hands. She was looking for something that only she knew about, running her fingers over every bump and crack with the practiced movements of someone who had done this many times before. Kaelid could tell she was getting nervous too, because her chittering got faster and more worried-sounding. The delver gremlin's large eyes darted between the rock face and the forest behind them, clearly aware that time was running out.
After what felt like forever, she found it. A piece of the rock moved when she pushed on it, revealing that what had looked like solid stone was a cleverly disguised mechanism. Suddenly there was a gap just big enough for a person to squeeze through, dark and mysterious as a mouth opening into the earth itself.
"This way," she said, and then she disappeared into the dark hole.
Kaelid looked at the black opening and felt his stomach do flip-flops. It looked scary and dark, and he didn't know what was waiting for them down there. What if there were monsters? What if they got lost and could never find their way out? What if the tunnels collapsed and buried them alive? The entrance seemed to swallow light itself, giving no hint of what lay beyond the threshold.
But he could feel the hunters things getting closer with every passing second, their simple signatures growing closer in his enhanced perception. The search pattern was tightening like a noose, and soon there would be nowhere left to run. He knew they didn't have a choice. Sometimes you must do scary things to keep the people you care about safe. And now he had Curio with him, which made him feel a little braver. His friend's warm presence in the pack was like carrying a piece of hope with him into the darkness.
Behind them, the sounds of the forest seemed to grow quieter, as if even the birds and insects could sense the approaching danger.
"It's okay," he whispered softly to his pack, hoping Curio could hear him. "We're going to be safe."
From within the pack, he felt a gentle pulse of warmth, Curio's way of acknowledging his words without making any sound that might give away his true nature.
One by one, they all squeezed through the gap and left the sunny world behind, descending into the ancient darkness of the Old Ways. As Kaelid passed through the entrance, he felt the weight of stone above him and the cool breath of deep places on his face. Whatever lay ahead in the tunnels, it had to be better than who was hunting them in the world above.
The last thing he saw before the darkness swallowed them completely was a flash of sunlight on metal in the distance, the first of the agents finally reaching the area they had just abandoned. They had made it, but just barely.