They walked for what seemed like hours through the dark tunnels, but the disorientation from the darkness made time meaningless, a word describing a different state of existence. Lavender’s wings naturally emitted sparks, but they only illuminated the immediate area, which was a dark, narrow tunnel of solid rock.
“Can you weave a portal here?” he asked.
She moved her hands rapidly in front of her. “No,” she said. “We must still be under the palace.”
They continued through the tunnel. Osric hoped the tunnel would lead them out, but with no visual cues, they could be walking in a circle and never realize it. He kept his fingers against each side of the tunnel as he walked, and he noticed that the tunnel was growing wider. He reached up and could no longer touch the top.
“The tunnel is getting bigger,” he told her.
“I see light ahead,” she said. Osric stopped to look. The light was faint, but he could see a faint gray corona along the edges of an immense boulder. They moved toward the light, their speed increasing as their hope of escape grew.
When they reached the source of the light, their hopes dimmed, as the huge object blocked the illuminated passage. Lavender flew all around, looking for a space large enough to fit through, but she could find no exit.
“We can’t get out unless we move this thing,” she said.
“That’s the least of our worries,” Osric said. “This thing is alive.”
Comments