Chapter 7: Underworld

   “Aaaaaaaaaugh!”
   Ewa’s vision was blurred and dark as the darkness inside her felt as if it would explode out of her chest. Ewa tried to scream, but no sounds came from her mouth anymore. All she felt was burning pain inside of her  and the never-ending sensation of falling. Falling fast, down into endless blackness. Her thoughts whisked past her until every sensation left her body.


   “Ewa, wake up!” shouted Realms in a hushed voice, shaking Ewa.
   “I’m awake, I’m awake,” she muttered, sitting up and holding her palm to her forehead.
   “Look around you,” Realms whispered. Ewa opened her eyes, and there was nothing but a fiery, desolate cavern surrounding her. She couldn’t see Realms facial features, only a faint outline of his figure. There was a lake of fire in the middle of the huge endless labyrinth that they had woken up in. Flecks of ashes and sparks of fire flew around in the suffocating air - if you could even call it air.
   “Welcome to the Underworld,” Realms breathed in horror. Ewa ignored him and smirked as she quietly remembered what her mother had told her.
   “Feels like home, back in the desert plains, surrounded by dry rock. ’Sept here, there’s the lava, o’ course,” she said. “By the way... Ye do know I’m also a child of the Sixth Spirit?”
   Ewa couldn’t see him, but she swore that she felt something hot radiating off of Realms that told her that his face was turning bright red. She vaguely saw a crooked, embarrassed smile spread across his face.
   “Um, ah,” he stuttered, his voice cracking. “Let’s not speak of this, okay?”
   Ewa laughed, but she pressed her hand on her forehead and stood up. She had a wicked headache from landing on the hard black terrain; Ewa cringed as the heat from the distant flame-engulfed walls made her feel faint and dizzy.
   “We should try to find our way to the Darkness’ lair,” Realms said. Ewa stared at him, confused.
   “What?” she retorted. “Ye want to just waltz in there and expect the Darkest One to give up and hand us his power on a silver platter? We ain’t prepared at all!”
   Her knowledge of the Darkness was still vague, and she didn’t exactly know what the whole point of this was; the Spirits had just come out of nowhere and cast out Realms and herself to burn in the Underworld.
   You’ll understand when Realms and you enter the Underworld, her mother's words echoed through her head. Well, when would she understand? They were already there.

   “Well, I don't mean go to the Darkness’ Lair directly,” Realms said, nervous that Ewa would blow up if he said the wrong thing. “I mean just to find its location.”
   “Realms, what are we even doing here?” Ewa muttered, flicking some loose ash laying on the ground. “What’s the point? We aren’t even prepared.”
   Realms gasped.
   “Ewa, I think I get it now,” he said, breathlessly. “We’re here to retrieve a lost Bender. One of them is trapped down here! This is what we have to do to save the Spirits. I understand what we’re supposed to do, now!”
   “Is this heat already givin’ ye problems?” Ewa said. Realms shook his head and took her hand in his; she looked at him like he was crazy.
   “Let’s go.”
   Ewa ran along side of Realms over the ashy, hot ground. They hopped over small floating slabs of rock suspended above the lake of bubbling magma. After they came to a large black rock formation, Realms finally stopped running.
   “What is it?” Ewa asked, panting with her hands on her knees. “Why did we stop?”
   “We need to find a place to camp. We’ll be here as long as it takes to find the lost Bender.”
   Ewa groaned and collapsed on her back. She felt the scalding ground burn her back flesh from under her torn shirt. She cringed and thrashed about until she was standing again, a hot tear streaming down her cheek.
   “Ye... Expect me to... Stay here?” Ewa panted, tearing off the rest of her over-shirt, which left only a bikini top made of cheap cloth that tied around her neck. She ripped off the bottoms of her pant legs, leaving them tiny shorts. Ewa tied the extra cloth around her feet to keep her boots from burning off.
   “Well, I guess I’ll make due,” she snickered with a wide grin. Realms watched her adjust her clothing, and did the same.
   “How about... There?” he said, looking around and pointing to a high cave in a area away from any streaming lava or flaming walls. Ewa sweated uncontrollably, but knew she would get used to the heat after a while.
   “Whatever floats yer boat,” she sighed, tying up her long hair. “Let’s get some rocks and make that cave into a home.”

   Realms and Ewa worked for hours, carrying rocks and giant stones back and forth from collapsed rock piles back to their cave. They used smaller, sharper stones to shape, shave and soften the large boulders. Soon, they had a decent shack with shelves, resting places, a kitchen (at least a fireplace and a pot) and a place to keep Realm's potions and sorcerer’s items.
   “Eh, we’re finished!” Ewa exclaimed, sweat beading down her forehead. “So, how’s about we get some shut-eye ’fore we go after the Darkness?”
   After a while, Realms had discovered a spell to slightly adjust the heat of a surrounding area in a book he had conveniently brought with in his cloak, and Ewa had taught herself how to draw water out of the thinnest and hottest air.
   “I see we won't have a lack of water with you around,” Realms said with a smile. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head, his muscles rippling across his shirtless chest. Ewa stared at him, but quickly looked away.
   He’s yer brother, stupid. Stop starin’ at him, she thought, her ears burning.
   “Let’s get as much sleep as possible while we can,” Realms said sleepily.
   Ewa nodded and they both walked into the cave, exhausted. She collapsed on the rock bed, still sweating from the terrible heat, and quickly fell into dreamless slumber.

Reviews

[Wicahpi]

well, maybe this will turn out like a soap opera and they
will find out the they are not related after all! lol

[Darruesh Eetraydes]

Yea that must suck having a pretty half sibling. Who knows they might not care :p