Chapter 18-1

Chapter 18-1

The Tweed family and Drealin running down the corridors of the underground passageway; in the distance, they could hear large timber sounds of crackling noise above them as if the earth above them was shaking, breaking apart. They ran further and darker in the underground passage.

Pa in the lead with his little family at his side, everyone held hands as they made their way through the tunnels. Their eyes soon adjusted rather well unlike sir Drealin he was blind as a bat when it came to darkness. Wood elves could see great distances and are really good at hunting in the dark. 

“There should be up ahead a large cavern if I remember right its up ahead. It hasn’t been used in years.” Drealin trying to get his bearings, “I think we should be safe there for awhile providing everyone else got out in time.”

“In time for what?” Lily asked turns her head around to face him.

“ If I  knew that, we wouldn’t be running now would we. I just know it was bad that’s all, very bad. Didn’t you feel it?” He asked.

“Of course we did Drealin,” Ma said looked at her boy on Pa shoulders not having a clue what’s going on. “It’s just I was hoping you knew what it was that’s all.” The Tweeds entered the cavern finding it not completely empty as people started to set up little camps around the place. Some more people came in with reports more horrifying then theirs with nearly close escapes with their lives.

Richard, Aunty M and Mary still missing as the boys try to find them among the group of survivors. Drealin found a blanket for their son, placing his coat for a pillow for his head. “Best I can do my Lady.”

Lily takes his hand looked into his gentle eyes. “Thank you Drealin. You have done your job, now please go find your family and be with them.”

Without another word spoken he looked far away. “Mrs. Tweed you are part of my family and I too made a promise so did my wife over there and my children sitting over there with her. That we would not leave your side when there is danger around you so you better plan on making room or moving over there because I am not going nowhere!”

Lily and Arken laugh. “Well if you put that way. I am in no mood to argue, boys make some room for our extend family.”

“Yes, Pa.”

Outside their little cavern on the mountain, you could say all hell was breaking loose down below them. The noise was so loud at times it shook the ground and the walls around them. People huddled in corners with their families for comfort, covering their children from the debris of dirt and rocks that fell around them. Finally, a light at one of the tunnels with a group of children entered the cavern, Ned, and Richard behind them.

People were ecstatic to see their lost children as they run into their waiting arms. Richard and Ned made their way over to their group counting heads with their eyes. Richard was so happy seeing EJ again almost shouted his name to the world. Looking at all the people in the cavern and his brothers was the hardest thing as tears form in his eyes and knelt by the sleeping boy to see if he was real.

They nod with tears with no words as they surround the boy and watched him sleep. Not looking away for fear he may leave and it would all be just a dream. They spoke in Elvin tongue whispering among-st themselves. It was just as Jaydan feared he was being followed by someone, but not who they expected. He waited until he had the boy before making his move.

A soft light filled the cavern as everyone turns seeing Derrick standing in the middle of the cavern. “People of Springfield, my friends the hour has come where your journey must begin. I can not make this journey with you, for mine has already started and I must leave you to yours. I do not leave you wandering in the dark my friends without a guide. He has walked with me and you many miles on the same path as a friend, comrade, and companion.”

Derrick takes his staff blasting opening a light into the cavern as it shines down on his friend entering with last of the survivors lagging behind with a child in his arms. Jaydan coughed the dust out of his lungs shaking the dirt out of his hair, looked around the room at all the people staring at him and Mary. “What, did I miss something?” Jaydan asked handing a grateful mother her child.

Derrick laughed pats him on the back. “Come, my friend, we have lots to talk about why there’s still time.”

Jaydan looked at Derrick as he missed something. “Time for what?”

“About you taking my place that’s all.”

The cavern was all abuzz about the news looked over at Jaydan and Derrick in the corner by themselves in a closed off corner. Mary ran over to where Richard is seeing the small boy sleeping under a borrowed blanket. “Is he?” As Richard nods watching tears fall down their cheeks. Lily holding one hand Pa holding the other watching his little chest rise and fall.

Mary not looking away tells them all what’s it like outside of the cavern. “All trees are dead and homes are destroyed or mostly anyway by great big giant rocks and lightning bolts from the sky, pounding the ground. Fields of crops torn from the roots blackened, there was hardly any greenery left as they quickly dived into an open passageway behind the houses. Jaydan sealed it shut as we made our way here. Aunty M is still out there looking for survivors says there’s another cavern about 15 miles due south and 30 miles due east.”

Jaydan slowly made his way over here looked at the boy trying not to pay any more attention to him than necessary. “Arken see if you can find your men in this bunch and see if we can get things a little bit more organized.” Then whispered, “he’ll be fine.” walks away to another group of men in the corner.

Lily looked at her husband with wanting eyes, but knowing to keep them all safe from harm, he must do what is asked no matter how hard it is. She softly whispers to him as he bends down brushing his son's face. “He not going anywhere right now, besides I’m not moving from this spot.” She said picking him up in her arms leaning against the wall his head on her shoulders. “So go do what you need to do dear. I’ll do what I need to do,” wrapped the blanket around him.

Derrick took one last glace of all the families in the cavern as he wiped a tear from his eye. This was not how he planned on saying goodbye as he looked at a small boy in a mother’s arms that was half wood elf, human mostly just missing the basic qualities, but close enough. Now the true journey begins for all of them as they struggle to find there way like he did, so many centuries’ ago as a simple boy tilling the lands. Those were simpler times then.... or were they….? We all had our Morgan’s to fight. Now it’s Jaydan and his group of friends at his side as he turns and dissipates into the air.

* * * *

 

Bowden met him at the gate as before, Derrick looking back on old memories, Bowden smiles putting his arm around him. “Its time,” he said closing the door.

Derrick turned as the door begins to close he hears laughter. “Bowden, how could you brother?”

Morgan laughed. “Easy brother.” Laughing as he removed his mask. “You forget the shadow and light are one and the same.”

Derrick only paused for a moment. “Then I guess you are too late Morgan for the cycle has already begun.” Morgan watched Derrick blow away into dust in front him into a ball of brilliant light as his world around him turned to darkness. For the light of truth can not live in the land of lies, darkness and hate toward all living things such as Morgan’s.

Morgan screamed in an outrage down to the dungeon cell where Jeff and Bowden are held in chains of his making with the boy, finding neither Jeff nor Bowden. Just the boy sleeping as before. He screams rattling the chains with anger in his voice that shakes the foundation of the prison cell.

The mountain rocks fell from above into the courtyard the lands and earth shook around them. He knows the boy is the key to unlocking the power of what was lost. He cares so little for the boy himself as he passes his cell. Yet felt something, as he looked down upon his sleeping face. Morgan walks away up the staircase sees one of the guards falling asleep at his post. He smiles as he snaps his neck as a warning to the other guards as the guard fell down the stairs. Shouts, “I want that boy cleaned up and dressed in one hour and in my quarters awake or not.”

“Yes my Lord.”