Tunnels

Druid watched Brit out of the corner of her eye. No, it was more accurate to say that she was watching Brit watch her. Druid smiled bittersweetly.

This isn't going to be fun. Not at all.

Bryson was staring at Brit suspiciously. Whereas Statson was a little ways ahead, leading the way. The reason why? Because he's Statson, Brit didn't seem to mind. However, Brit would speak up if they were heading the wrong way.

"Something is blocking our path," Statson called up. "Damn, there's a lot of roots." When Statson brought out a knife.

"Don't touch them!" Brit called out, running over. "They're not ordinary roots; they're Wasteland roots. They'll attack anyone if threatened."

Statson pointed his knife at the roots. "Okay, fine. Show us the way. Otherwise, slice and dice."

Brit just sighed and shook her head. "Men always think that force is the only way."

Bryson tempted. "Don't lump me in with this fool. If they're that reactive, they'll respond with the right incentive. Correct?"

"You're right." Brit walked to the side and splashed water onto the dirt wall.

Statson folded his arms. "Nothing happening."

"Just wait." Suddenly, some of the roots moved to try to soak up the water, leaving a gap big enough for even Statson's big body to squeeze through. "There." Brit smiled, satisfied, pouring the rest of her water onto the drinking roots. "Better hurry; we'll have a window, but only just."

"Yeah," Statson looked closer and whistled. "Damn, that will be tight, and it seemed to go on forever."

"Scared," Bryson smirked.

"No," Statson quickly denied. "No, I do it. Give me a minute."

"We don't have a minute." Bryson sounded irritated.

"But…"

Bryson pushed Statson forward. "Come, let's go already." He turned back, eyeing Druid. "Are you coming?"

"You go ahead," Druid answered, shaking her head.

Bryson moved his eyes toward Brit. "Are you sure?"

Druid smiled lovingly at Bryson. "Trust me, okay?"

"Fine, but I don't like this," he grumbled.

"Noted."

As he and Statson disappeared into the roots, Druid turned to Brit to find her pointing a gun at her. However, instead of shooting at Druid, she shot at the roots. They went wild, and Druid could hear Statson and Bryson calling out.

They were trapped.

"Bryson..," Druid whispered, but she straightened and faced her opponent, pulling her flames into her hands.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Brit smirked. "That'll just burn up all the oxygen."

"How…"

"Did I know?" Brit interrupted with a smirk. "I  put two and two together. You guys weren't exactly subtle before we met." But how did she know  I was a Fire Elemental? Druid reached for the mask. But Brit just laughed. "those are defective."

"I thought as much." Druid sighed. She and Bryson would probably be okay. But Statson, he'll be a sitting duck. "Why are you doing this? Are you responsible for the disappearances?" Druid stepped closer.

"Don't move any closer. I know what you are." Brit quickly backs off. "And I have nothing to do with those disgusting people. No, all I wanted was you. Are you going to ask me why?"

As Druid kept silent, her eyes watchful.

Brit pulled at her neckline and revealed burns that had gone halfway up her neck. She tugged at the clothes further. Druid could see that the burns went further down, much further down. "Do you remember me that night in Trentville? I certainly remember you, Drucilla. You're hard to forget." Brit looked her over. "Beautiful as ever, not a mark on you. This is funny since you're the one who threw everything to the ground and did this to me. Killed all those people," Her voice choked up. "Killed my little sister."

Druid stepped back as her mind flashed to a girl's face no more than eleven years old. She was smiling, holding out her hand. "Emma." A tear ran down Druid's cheek.

"No, no, no. You have no right to shed anything for my sister." Brit raised the gun. "Unless it's blood, then I'm all for it. So tell me everything. Remember, there's more than you are on the line."

Druid could feel the air swirling behind her as the roots moved frantically.

***

Shadow and Andres moved swiftly down the tunnel. They heard shouting up ahead, and then someone called out from behind.

"In here!" Andres whispered, running over to a door. "Damn, it's locked."

"We could take them, but…." Shadow's eyes looked regretful.

"Yes, more will come for sure," Andres confirmed with a sigh.

Shadow tsched. "Then we have no choice." Reaching out for Andres.

"What are you…." But before she could say anymore, Shadow dragged Andres into the shadows.

A group of guards passed, and one paused. "I thought I heard something."

"Probably the ventilation acting up again." Another punched the guy's shoulder. "Come, I want to look at that big cat outside."

Shadow and Andres reappeared much further in the tunnel, looking like they had gone through hell. Especially  Andres. Her skin was marred with scratch and bite marks, and her clothing was torn. Her frantic eyes met Shadow. "What the fucking hell was that." Then suddenly, a pair of translucent hands burst through and grabbed Andres, trying to drag her back in.

Shadow pulled out his knives, slicing at them until they let go. Both were breathing heavily. He, too, slumped by Andres. "Taking a human was even more interesting than I thought."

"Interesting isn't a word I would use." Andres glared at Shadow. "Terrifying is more accurate.

"True." Shadow had a thoughtful look. "The ghosts are more aggressive than usual, and there were many of them. I was kind of expecting that, but there's something off."

 "What."

"Cranberries and Vinegar. Torture." Shadow replied with distaste. He relished in the chase but played with his prey afterward. It also tasted like metal, clinical. It wasn't his style.

Andres slowly got up on her feet. "Horrifying, but not relevant. Our objective is still the same."

"It is relevant when one of our targets begins to smell the same way. And the other…." He closed his eyes. Blackberries and peaches. "Despair?"

"Okay, we have no time to waste," Andres commented but stopped. "Do you know which direction?"

Shadow pointed, and Andres walked ahead. "Oh, and Andres?"

"Yes?" Andres asked.

"Here." Then Shadow threw something at Adres.

Andres caught it swiftly but held it like she expected it to blow up in her hands. When nothing happened, Andres reluctantly opened her hand, and there was a small bottle of cream. Andres looked up, confusion soon on her face.

"Disinfectant cream. Courtesy of Terran. They're for your cuts," Shadow stated. "We can't have them getting infected? Now, that would be bad, wouldn't it?" Shadow strolled past her, a smile forming on his lips.

***

Ruined City

             

A panicked Lilia ducked just before the Protector crashed in her wake with its talons out. She scrambled to cover, but the bird seemed razor-focused on taking her out.

And my ankle isn't helping me. Lilia hissing in pain

Suddenly, a beak came out of nowhere, trying to swallow her whole. Finally, her leg gave way, and she fell to one knee. Lilia's eyes widened, realizing that she had no time to dodge. As soon as the Turkey Vulture came close, Lilia slung out. Luckily or unluckily, her fist connected. As pain sliced through her arm, the Protector pulled back, looking more startled than anything else.

Shaking her hand. "Crap, I need to move." But she only had a second to complete as the floor gave way again.

Lilia landed on her backside but was otherwise unharmed. She tensed, looking up, but the turkey vulture merely thrashed around. It was still searching for her. Unless the big bird would fall on her with all its thrashing….

It looked like she'd have a moment to catch her breath.

She was checking her injuries. Her hand looked cut up, but at least she hadn't lost any fingers, and Lilia could still move them around. "Well, that's not smart," Lilia mumbled. As for her ankle, nothing feels broken, and her boot seemed to stabilize it quite a bit, but… "I need to stabilize it more if I don't want to be bird food."

While taking care of her injuries, Lilia couldn't help but think something was odd. Of course, it was well known that Protector drives away or kills anyone found in their territory. But with Lilia's ears, she could hear a different story. "What got you so pissed off?"

The obvious answer was the collapsing building that knocked her off her feet. "it's a little annoying but can't be helped." All she could do was find a way to survive, meaning she needed to run away as fast as possible.

With a couple of sticks and bandages, she was done. Testing her leg, Lilia nodded, stratified. "Doesn't look pretty, but it will do."

A nipping sound interrupted her musings, and she found a grey fox staring at her. "Hello, have we met…." But then she could feel hot air above. Looking up to see the Protector looking right back. "Crap." Lilia cursed.