The Cave

It was getting colder, so for the next three days we barely talked and stopped just when it was necessary, but I knew we were getting closer, however something has changed. It seemed like getting to the entrance of the cave got a bit easier than it used to be. And there were guards there, and that just ensured me that my feelings were right. It was all about that place. When I discovered it for the first time it was already part of the plan, but the elves must have needed much more time than they assumed then. Having Ned as a king they didn’t even have to hide, however just in case they had soldiers here and there, so nothing would interfere with the execution.

I was thinking how to get inside, and found out what was going on there. Rob patted me on the shoulder and pulled down a scarf, which covered his face.

“What is this place?”

“The source of the mud.” I answered, observing his reaction. When he realized what I meant his pupils extended with shock and fear.

“What do you mean?”

“An underground lake. Only mud. Monsters just coming from there. I still have no idea how it works with cores, but yeah, not the place I would like to show you around.” My apologetic smile didn’t convince him not to worry.

No surprise it probably wouldn’t work on me either. We didn't have conditions to look for another entrance to the cave, so I decided that a more direct approach would be better. So I asked Rob if he wanted to be a decoy, no enthusiasm, but as his father was a known persona, I suggested that he might lie about him sending his dear son there, because a healer is needed. The plan was simple: half-elf should focus guards’s attention on himself and I would put those two to sleep, silently and quickly, however I had a problem that my plans sometimes were too simple. This time maybe I just wanted to stop freezing, instead we were having a discussion about what to do with two unconscious bodies.

“I am sure someone would notice if they were not watching like they should be,” Rob was getting stubborn. “And we just can’t leave them here.

“So what do you suggest?” I started getting nervous. “We are not having dinner together. I wanted to take their clothes so we could use it as camouflage.”

“And contribute to their death.” Half-elf was thinking for a moment, too long in my opinion. “Let’s lean them, so it would look like they were still on the watch.”

I knew there was no way to make him just go my way, so I did as he said, and I have really tried to do it correctly. Then all we could do was to count on our luck to get to the lake without anyone asking questions. Surprisingly we had it, so maybe they felt a bit too confident after all or assumed that no one would come here deliberately and those two left at the entrance were just to make sure lost ones just go away. Rob tried to hide his nerves, as we were getting closer and fortunately we were able to find a rock formation which could hide us both and give us a good view on what was going on.

There are some things I remembered from the first time I found this place, but everything seemed different. The corridor we were walking till our hideout was dark and scary, not lightened with torches also wider and more structured. I felt the rawness of the rock when I was there before, but the plan must get complicated so they had to invest in that place to execute it perfectly. At the same time I was amazed by the work invested, it could be something far more interesting as something more peace concentrated, if there was a normal lake of course, but also it scared me as I saw what scale it became.

Then there was just a group of people waiting for the monsters to be born and trying to control it right away. That was just the easiest and the least problematic part. The cave was filled with all kinds of growls and other hard to distinguish sounds made by all kinds of monsters. Not dozens, not hundreds but thousands of them in cages filling every inch of free space. Among them next to the lake there was a full scale research part, where the elves were creating the monsters. Rob's face got pale, when we realised that their experiments got so far, that they did elaborate the core itself and learn to manipulate the mud somehow.

My legs were shaking, but I tried to stay cool just to help Rob get through this, however I was barely holding myself. All that courage and confidence I tried to regain by taking a new symbol and calling myself a hero again just gone. There is no way I could handle this? Why did I put myself into this mess again? My mind was working looking for the solutions and answers, while fighting with eagerness to come back to my despair state. Everything was simpler there, I didn’t have to care about anything else that my basic needs. I was no one and I felt fine about it, no people around meant no problems. Being pathetic suited me, just like that moment, when I was heading into a panic attack. My breath quickened becoming more shallow and my chest suddenly felt tight while my mind went blank. You had your chance as a hero! You can not stop this, everyone will die because of your incompetence. What were you doing over one hundred years, while your enemies worked so hard? Why are you back, you are nothing more than a fallen hero, who can’t even use his name? Pathetic..

I didn’t realise that I covered my ears, but it couldn’t silence the voices in my head, until Rob took them and asked me to focus on his face. With every heart beat I saw before me a person who was worth trying to stop the plan, even if I would die in the process, even if it would be just the beginning. Svenir’s and Ma’er descendants, little Ma’ob tightening his little fist on my finger, people who helped me and I helped them as Alan… and Rob, the half-elf who never doubted me.

“I am a hero,” I reminded myself silently.

“Yes, you are.” Rob confirmed squizzing my hand, which gave me strength I needed, at least until we left this place.

“We had seen enough.”