Chapter 15

Fifteen

The woods were uncomfortably quiet.

Miranda hurried to keep up with Govek's quick pace, but the crunching of leaves and twigs under their feet was the only thing that broke the eerie silence. She'd grown accustomed to the constant chatter of birds and her ears ached to hear them again. They'd clearly sensed the descent of the deadly storm charging the air and gone off to hide.

Much like she and Govek should be doing now.

"How far is the spring? We're not going all the way back to the one from yesterday are we?" she asked,

"No, but the closest is still fairly far." Govek didn't break his stride though he did glance back to ensure she was keeping up. "Further than I would like, but there's no game about other than the rabbit I found, so I must try to catch fish. And we need water."

"How long will the blizzard last?" she asked as Govek turned to help her over a huge log he'd just hopped like it was nothing. She took his warm hand in hers, letting it soothe her icy fingers.

"Hard to say. We'll get as much as we can." He helped her to the ground before releasing her. She hurried after him, watching his back become more tense.

She was disquieted at how worried he was, how uncertain. She wished they could go back to last night and forget about the troubles of today. Of yesterday. Everything.

They would be trapped in that cave until the blizzard passed. Her skin broke out into prickling goosebumps and her stomach twisted so hard she thought she might vomit.

"Fades willing, we'll be able to gather enough to last us," he said.

Desperate for a reprieve from her own turmoil, she said, "Tell me about them. The Fades."

Govek glanced at her again, searching her face. "Are you well?"

She gulped hard and forced a nod.

He let out a hum laced with irritation before stopping to hold out his hand. She took it gladly and even though hiking through the woods like this slowed their pace, he didn't complain or let her go.

She gave his hand a thankful squeeze and he let out a contented huff before saying. "There are many legends about the Fades. Most prominently, it is believed that they now sleep deep beneath the surface of our world."

"They're asleep?"

"Supposedly. There is a sylph legend that the Fades have gone,that they abandoned this world long ago to seek new ones, but most do not believe so. Most say they grew tired. That they gave their powers to the sentinels, created humans so we could maintain our numbers without their aid, and fell into slumber."

"They created humans to maintain your numbers? So, like... to be breeders for you?"

"In a way. It is said that when sentinels were created, we were made to be completely individual. The Fades gave us each a specific task, and we did not speak to or work among one another. We had no community. No help other than from the Fades themselves. And when we grew sick or wounded, we perished, and the Fades would create another to replace us."

"Wow, that... sounds like a pretty bleak existence." Almost like they were robots.

"Perhaps, but there are no legends about sentinels being discontent with their work or communion. The only mention of it was in a sylph tale that describes the celebration held when humans were finally born. That the sentinels rejoiced upon hearing that the humans would be the ones to maintain our races while we maintained the planet."

Maintain their races? "That makes it sound like humans are supposed to be subservient to the sentinels."

He cast her a dark look. "That is one opinion that sparks the Waking Order's hate of us."

Miranda's throat went tight. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just trying to understand."

"I know," he said, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand. "I try to understand as well. I often wonder why humans hold the belief that maintaining our communities is less valued than maintaining Faeda."

"It's not that," Miranda looked up to meet his eyes. "It's being told that we have to maintain the community. That we can't help with the planet instead, even if that's what we prefer. It's not about value, it's about being forced."

Govek hummed in thought, looking up at the colorful canopy. "I hadn't considered this. As I said, sentinels were created with one purpose, and none have questioned that purpose."

"Huh, I can see where there would be a breakdown between the societies then." Miranda gave his hand a squeeze. "A huge misunderstanding where one side wants freedom, and the other does not understand why they would."

Govek paused in his stride to search her face before finally saying, "You make it sound so simple. And yet I cannot see any solution. Humans cannot commune with the Fades. They were not created with the ability to do so. And no amount of slaughter and war is going to change that fact."

Miranda swallowed hard.

Govek looked away. "The disconnect between our races only becomes greater with every passing season. Because humans reject the role the Fades have given, nature itself is rejected. It causes the blight that you saw on the saber cat. It causes the plants to wither. Harvests are less plentiful. Winter comes on too soon and stays too long."

His bitter tone sent a spiral of dread down Miranda's spine. "What are you going to do?"

"There is nothing sentinels can do. The members of the Waking Order are the ones who do not see that the rejection of their purpose is the cause of our world's demise. In order to end the blight, they must end the war. At the very least, they must cease the slaughter of sentinel kind and allow us to return to the task of maintaining Faeda in peace." He looked back into her eyes, the resignation heavy in his face. "But I do not see that happening fast enough. It may already be too late. I often wonder if the Fades must wake to make this world whole again."

A dark thought crossed Miranda's mind. "But... what if the sylph's were right? What if the Fades aren't on this planet anymore?"

What if they had gone to Earth? Put humans on her planet too?

And humans destroyed Earth, just a little faster than they were destroying Faeda.

She shook her head. The Fades might not even be real.

Glancing up into Govek's face had her instantly regretting her words. He looked stricken and defeated. Pale and shaky. Throat tight, teeth tucked high.

She reached up to stroke at his firm jaw, forcing it down again.

He took a deep breath, relaxing. "It is unlikely that the Fades abandoned us, otherwise how would communion still work? Besides, sylph seers often divined elaborate, impossible things that hold no true bearing on our world."

"Seers? Like people who can see the future?" she asked as he began to walk again, pulling her along quickly. She tried to ignore how dark the sky was becoming. An icy breeze was starting up.

"That is one of their gifts, yes." Govek's warm hand was firm and bracing as she kept the brisk pace. "A few seers are born to every generation of each sentinel race. They can communicate directly with the Fades and the Fades tell them of the future, warn them of calamities so that they can advise our leaders."

"I see." She was out of breath already.

"The orcs have many seers. They work directly under our overlord, our overarching leader, whose keep is located at the far other end of our world. Very few seers ever come to this side of the mountains. The only one I know of works under my cousin, Warlord Karthoc."

"I... see," Miranda said, wondering where exactly he was going with this.

"He... may be able to divine why you were brought to our world."

She lost her battle with maintaining pace and forced him to stop so she could search his face. "Really? He could really tell me that?"

Govek nodded. "The seer knows many things. His knowledge comes directly from the Fades themselves. And I believe... I believe they brought you here for a reason."

"For a reason? What reason?" Her stomach twisted painfully.

"You've shed more light on your kind in this one conversation than I have learned in an entire lifetime, Miranda," Govek said slowly.

She lost all her breath. "You... you think I can do something to mend things between your race and the humans? You think I could stop the war?" This was inconceivable. It was all she could do to fight the war going on in her mind.

"No, Miranda," Govek said swiftly. "You are but a single being. I only meant that if there was a purpose for you being brought to our world, perhaps the seer in my cousin's clan could divine it."

Miranda let this sink in for a long moment as they continued onward. She watched the muscles in Govek's back contract in a sure rhythm, felt the stinging chill from the ever-growing wind. The growing dim as the clouds grew thicker pulled her thoughts inward, reflecting.

She had not been able to save Earth, hadn't even been given the chance to try.

But... what if she could try to save this one? What if she could save Faeda? At least in some small way. Even the thought was overwhelming, threatening to suck her down into the murky depths where reality was distorted by hope.

"Miranda?"

Govek's sharp tone dragged her out of her thoughts, and she managed to gain back her composure. "I'm fine, just... thinking. About the seer. What else could he tell me?"

"The seer's power is immeasurable. If the Fades will it, he will know."

She sucked a breath in through her teeth. "How far do we have to travel to reach him?"

"Too far." Govek said slowly and her heart sank. "The lands through which we must travel to reach my cousin at Baelrok Forge are war torn and ravaged."

"Oh." Who was she kidding? They might not even survive the incoming blizzard.

"We... will have to stop for supplies at my former clan."

She blinked. "Stop for supplies at your... you mean the Rove one you mentioned?"

"Yes," he said firmly, picking up the pace, making it obvious he didn't want to give more details.

But she wanted them. "That's your clan? That's where you are from?"

Silence bloomed between them, broken only by the sound of their feet crunching in the leaves and the tension rising at the back of Miranda's throat.

"It is not my clan any longer. My original plan was to join Warlord Karthoc at his forge."

His original plan. Miranda felt sick.

"You mean to war?"

God, was she going to lose him, too?

Govek tightened his grip on her hand. "My cousin's forge has many positions. I will try to convince him to put me in one that does not see much battle."

That was not reassuring. "Govek, couldn't we just talk to the seer and then leave? Go somewhere that isn't in the middle of the war? Or send him a message to meet us somewhere safe?"

She felt him gulp as his lower jaw began to tuck up, but he didn't speak.

"What about Rove Wood Clan? Are they at war too?" How long did she have to brace herself before being thrust into turmoil all over again?

"We are not staying at Rove Wood Clan," Govek said with such vehemence that she felt a zing of anxiety spike down her spine. "We will not even interact with any of them."

Miranda gulped hard. "Are they cruel? Would they hurt us? Me?"

"I would not allow them to harm you." His tone was adamant enough that she relaxed. His pace slowed. "And they wouldn't wish too. Human women are precious."

"But what about you? Would they try to hurt you?"

A tremor passed through him. Rippling over his skin and darkening his eyes.

Her heart skittered to a halt. What horrors were haunting his past? What secrets about this Rove Wood Clan was he keeping from her?

Before she could start quizzing him, he said, "We will stay away from them. We need only stay long enough to gather enough supplies for the journey to Baelrok Forge. Ideally, they will not even realize we are there."

"Uh... how are we going to get supplies from them without talking to them?"

Govek shot her a tense look, and that was all she needed.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. We are about to sneak into a clan of orcs who don't like you, steal from them, and then head off to another clan that's in the middle of a war?" Miranda's stomach felt like a pit. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry.

"That is . . . basically it."

"That's a really bad plan, Govek," Miranda said, head spinning. "We're not doing that."

"There is no other option, Miranda."

"There's always another option. What about another clan?"

"The other clans are also at war and are not nearly as fortified as Baelrok Forge."

"How about just in the woods, then? We've been doing fine so far."

"You will not survive, Miranda. The winter is too harsh."

"I've survived worse, believe me."

"Miranda."

"Govek."

He sighed raggedly, releasing her to rake a hand through his hair. Stepping away. Closing off.

She'd pushed him too far, and she'd about reached her limit too. Her head was pounding, and the chilly wind was growing oppressive. It matched the storm brewing behind Govek's brooding eyes.

She bridged the small gap between them and wrapped herself around his arm, forcing him to relax under her again. "Let's talk about this later. We'll have plenty of time while we're trapped in the blizzard."

Her words made him tense further, so she rushed in. "For that and a lot of other much more fun things." She stroked a hand down his chest, along his stomach, and he let out a low groan when she stopped. "I guess we can't, though, can we?"

"What?" His voice was strained.

She tried to hide a grin at his telling expression, like a child who'd just gotten his new toy swiped. "You said having sex twice would get me pregnant. Obviously, we can do other things."

Her mind was swimming with all the delicious ideas rolling around in her head.

"It has to be twice in succession. Within the same quarter of the day." He stepped a little closer. "What are these other things?"

She cast him a mischievous look. "So, you mean to say there's a time limit on it? How does that work?"

"It is the Fades design, Miranda. That is all I know," he said quietly, drawing her near. She could feel his warmth as he loomed above her, his eyes sparkling. "Now, tell me what other things you want to do."

"Aw..." she said, walking her fingers back up his chest. His breath left him in a rush, and she could feel his heartbeat thumping hard and fast against her fingertips. "But if I tell you, then that ruins the fun of exploring on your own."

His low growl hummed delicious pleasure up her spine and her hands made it up to his shoulder, pulling him down for a kiss.

Only to be blasted by a harsh, bitter wind.

And not just wind, sticks and leaves, too. They smacked her cheeks, and yanked at her hair. The trees whistled with the force and branches bowed around them. Swirling.

They both looked to the sky and found the clouds rippling in odd patterns. The coloring was strange too, casting the forest in an eerie glow.

"We have to go back." Govek tugged her in the direction of the cave. "Hurry."

He set a punishing pace, but Miranda did not utter a word of complaint. The electric feel to the air was growing thick. The wind was picking up, and a distant thud radiated through the trees sounding far too much like the thud of Govek knocking over the tree.

Then there was another. And another.

"G-Govek," Miranda barely managed. Her lungs were burning, and her legs screamed from the effort of hiking at such a fast clip.

The wind bellowed and howled, bending the trees all around them. She watched them sway and go still.

But the roaring sound of the wind didn't stop.

"Hurry!" Govek demanded, but she couldn't keep up. Her knees threatened to give way and her lungs burned, ready to explode, and she tripped on a root.

Govek snatched her up, gripped her wrists tight and yanked her into his body as they were pelted with more leaves and twigs. They stung as they scraped her skin and ruthlessly yanked at her hair, spiraling around them like a cyclone.

"G-Govek, this wind is . . ."

She broke off as he yanked her up into his arms and sprinted, hurtling through the woods at a speed that was unimaginable.

The sky was so dark it felt like night. She had no idea how Govek was able to see. She clung about his neck, chest pressed into his so she could not tell the difference between her hammering heart and his. The booming sound of trees falling made her bones quake.

"What is going on?" she screamed over the roaring of the wind and the crashing limbs. One landed directly in front of them, making her shriek, and Govek leaped over it without pause. For a moment, all she could do was stare in awe at the destruction. The forest bending to the sudden storm's mighty force.

"It's just there!" Govek bellowed, and she craned her neck to see that the cave was close already. Damn, he was fast.

And shelter was right there.

Chaos surrounded them. Closing in. And in the distance, between the barren trees and whipping leaves she saw?—

Trees buckled and were ripped from the ground. Shrubs were stripped bare of their leaves in an instant. The leaves swirled, careening in upward circles so fast they were blurs of red and yellow.

"T-tornado?" Miranda gasped, hardly able to breathe. The air was thick with grime now. The wind was too fast, and her lungs felt as if they were going to burst.

"Fucking Fades wrath!" Govek snarled as they burst into the cave. Darkness surrounded them, and through the doorway, she could see the swirling destruction closing in, coming nearer.

"Govek, we have to—" Miranda screamed, only to have the sound cut short by a massive crack. A shattering quake. The wind spiraled around them, snuffing out the fire and sending embers flying through the air.

Govek dropped her to the ground and jerked toward the opening of the cave, clearly about to try to bar it shut with the boulder, only to freeze, eyes going wide.

Miranda looked too, barely making out the mouth of the cave now that there was so much ash and dust in the air. The sparks had all gone out, and the darkness swallowed her up.

Another crack had her eyes straining to see what was going on. Where the next threat was.

She found it in an instant.

The front wall of the cave was breaking apart.

From the entry, jagged cracks were forming, splintering like lightning through the cliff side. The rock rumbled and groaned, buckling under the force, spraying more dust into the raging air.

It was going to come down.

They would be crushed.

"We have to get out of here!" Miranda screamed at the top of her lungs and the sound was almost swallowed up. The roaring of the wind was so powerful. Her eyes streamed from the soot, her throat burned, and her tongue tasted of grime.

"We're going to be buried alive!" Miranda gripped Govek's arm, giving him a shake. He wasn't moving. Wasn't even looking at the exit. They had to run now, or they wouldn't make it.

The first rocks began to fall, booming against the howling wind.

Govek gripped her, forcing her against his chest and curled around to protect her, dragging her deeper into the cave.

Deeper into the darkness.

No! No! She couldn't!

She couldn't go back into the dark.

They would be buried alive.

Just like she had been on Earth.

"Let me go!" she wailed, but she could barely hear herself over the shattering of rock.

"Miranda!" Govek roared, managing to get her attention. He pushed her back against the cave wall and she broke into coughing sobs. He pressed his palms against it, right next to her head, caging her in.

A glow surrounded her, and she gasped. Craning her neck, she found that the cave wall had lit up, creating bright white patterns and geometric shapes.

Deliberate carvings.

"Govek, what—" She broke off in another cough. She couldn't get enough air. There was too much dust. Her lungs felt like they would explode if she took one more breath.

"Cover your mouth with your shirt!" Govek screamed, the latter half of his words cut off by more crackling pops. She looked behind him and could barely make out the crumbling wall. The light faded.

They were running out of time.

Govek gripped the shirt for her and brought it up around her mouth. "Breathe, Miranda!"

His hands went back to the wall as he roared, "You must be silent when we enter!"

"W-what?"

"It is the goblins realm." He bellowed so loud her bones shook and she could still barely make it out over the roaring of wind and cracking of rocks. "If they find we have broken in they will.. ."

Will what?

One look at his face and she knew it would not be good.

But it was either this or be crushed to death.

Govek's eyes squeezed shut in concentration, and the glowing patterns bloomed to life again.

Booms shook the cave as boulders fell. Miranda gripped Govek for support as the ground beneath her feet bucked and trembled.

She looked back and the magical glow had illuminated the darkness. Bringing the rock face into horrible focus.

It was rippling and buckling like water. It was mere seconds from crumbling down.

Right on top of them.

"Govek!" she screamed just as stale air slammed into her back.

Goosebumps broke out all along her arms.

Her stomach twisted.

Her forehead broke out into a cold sweat.

Her wide eyes glanced back, and her heart seemed to stop.

The darkness of the tunnel was pure agony to behold. It hooked its claws into her mind, dragging her out of her sanity and into the icy churning depths of dread.

"No! Govek, no!"

Her voice did not sound like her own.

"We must!" He somehow managed over the thundering booms of boulders falling all around them.

"I can't go in there! I can't!" she wailed, clawing at his hands. "God, let me go."

She would not survive this. She was going to die.

Alone.

In the dark.

He gripped her hard under the arms and dragged her into the black.

Into the vault.

Into the vent.

Where she should still be.

On Earth.

She should not have been able to escape that burning death.

She hadn't.

She was there again.

Burning alive in the vent.

She couldn't get out.

She felt herself shattering. Glittering pieces of her sanity rained down around her.

Her mind fractured apart.

She was gone.

To Be Continued. . .