Of Flames and Waves | ONC 2023

Chapter 2

When Kallipso stepped through the entrance the last thing she expected was for the heavy block to slam down, shutting it close while raising a pile of dust. There wasn't even a door before!

"You can't be serious! Let me out!"

She banged her hands and feet against it until blood appeared. Only then she slid to the ground with her head in her hands and blood running cold as realization hit her. It was not going to open by force. She blinked away the panicked tears forming in her eyes. If she had let the panic take hold of her she would have been but a skeleton lying among those walls soon.

She couldn't let that happen. She was not one to wait for her fate to be sealed.

There had to be a way to open that damned thing. If not for anything else she could ask those famed templars for the way out. Yes, she was going to do it. It can't be worse than it is, right? Besides they were only dangerous around the time of selection. She stood up and looked down the corridor then back to where she came from.

Wait till they hear about it.

She followed the light of torches down the corridor. She wasn't sure where she was or where she was going, for the endless mossy corridors seemed well... endless. That was until she rounded the corner almost bumping into something. Or rather somebody.

She snatched her bow and arrow from her back aiming it forward before taking a look. As she did her breath hitched and she made a few steps back.

It was a boy. A boy with orange skin and red hair. She heard of them, of course. Evil creatures from the other side of the wall, hellbent on destroying her kind all those centuries ago before the wall had risen. And yet her kind still had to pay for those atrocities every hundred years.

The boy had also snatched a metal rod from his back and kept staring at her with wide eyes. He seemed... more afraid than aggressive.

She drew her bow and contemplated for a moment. The bow gave her an advantage over him; perhaps she should just shoot him and be done with it. On the other hand, she had never killed anyone before and the thought scared her more than the boy himself.

Their eyes stayed locked for a few moments before they slowly put their weapons aside not leaving each other's eyes. After the initial shock had passed and the fear had subsided she felt her face scrunch in disgust much as did his. They weren't going to fight but it didn't mean they wanted to have anything to do with each other. Despite everything they were still mortal enemies of the ancient war. The fire and the water did not belong together.

After glaring at each other for a few moments he finally spoke:

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for a way out that's it! The temple is closed if you haven't noticed!"

His eyes widened in what seemed like s mix of fear and disbelief.

"Impossible! It was open when I came."

She shrugged and answered coldly:

"Well, it must have closed after you. Doesn't make sense it would close on only one side."

He furrowed his brows and then pointed his finger at her.

"You! It is all your fault. When I arrived everything was normal. Your arrival must have disrupted the temple somehow," he shrieked.

She might have been of water though it didn't mean her temper was as well.

"My fault? How is the temple malfunction my fault?"

He opened his mouth then shook his head.

"No point," he mumbled before looking at her.
"Let us find the library."

Kalipso frowned. "Library? How is this going to help us?"

Atlas rolled his eyes so hard it hurt.

"Perhaps to find some information? Though I imagine someone like you might have a problem grasping the usage of reading. If you can even read."

Now it was Kalipso's turn to roll her eyes. One thing she hated more than flamer was a smartass flamer. The sooner they find a solution for this the better. She walked past him with confident strides without sparing him a glance.

"Alright, fire boy. The sooner I get rid of you the better."

She started walking forward then suddenly stopped.

"And don't you dare trying something behind my back!"

Her condescending voice and disgusted expression brought out the side he didn't know he had. Atlas sighed and followed the girl. Luck wasn't on his side today. All he wanted was to acquire some more knowledge. To learn more about the ancient war, about their enemies. The last thing he wanted was to get trapped inside with one of them. No wonder the war happened in the first place if they were all like this. She looked like she was going to shoot him anytime now. The only reason she hadn't shot him yet was because they were trapped.