The Sage's Vow

12.1 || Rescue Plan

Whereas it had been a bright afternoon before the storm rolled in at Wellington, it was already well into the evening at the Sanctuary. The trees of the Sanctum threw the area in deep shadows. Very fitting of the dark uncertainty Josh was feeling.

"Good. You're finally here. I was starting to think I'd have to come get you myself."

On his first glance around, he hadn't noticed her, but Ioana leaned against a tree near Jodas. She detached from it and walked up to them. The edge of her lip curled up, but her expression was so tight that Josh couldn't tell if she was trying to lighten the mood. She jerked her chin over her shoulder.

"Come along," she said. "Xander told me to escort you when you arrived. You too, Kaitlyn. I'm sure Joel wanted you there as well."

"Are they in Xander's office?" Josh asked.

Ioana shook her head. "They're with Ezraim. As I'm sure you can imagine, he's taking all of this rather hard."

The bond crackled as Boomer stepped out from the trees. Some of the tightness eased from Josh's chest at the sight.

"You can come along as well, Boomer," Ioana said, sighing as if it was a big deal even though some of the edges in her face had softened. "You'll just look through Josh's eyes otherwise."

Boomer perked up and bounded over to them. He butted his head against Josh's shoulder. Grinning, Josh patted Boomer's snout.

The walk was too short and too long. Every step drew them ever closer to the truth Josh wanted to be a lie, but not being there meant they couldn't yet act. Boomer stayed close to him, his own worry coming through the bond, but he also offered comfort.

They found the others at a cave near the edge of the Sanctum. The cave wasn't large. It was more like a large hole carved out from a hill and the ground beneath it. Ezraim's body fit within it fully, but curled up as he was, his head hid within the shadows of the cave.

Boomer made a low sound in his throat. I've never seen him without his head poking out. He tilted his snout toward the patch of sun right in front of the cave. He likes to warm his head there.

Josh said nothing. He didn't know what to say. The sight of Cale's dragon so despondent only added acid to the bile already settling in his stomach.

Joel and Xander stood adjacent to the cave's mouth. Joel paced while Xander stared up at the sky, his eyes glazed over. Cale's parents were also there, complexions pale and postures tense. At their group's approach, though, all eyes turned to them.

"Ah, good. I was wondering what was taking you so long," Joel said.

Josh's air caught in his lungs. He glanced at Kaitlyn. She'd sworn, but people broke promises all the time. It was only now that he was looking at her that he noticed he didn't see the dagger. Strange. She couldn't just make it vanish, and he was sure she would be quick to give it to her father. Maybe she was waiting until a moment away from prying eyes.

"Got a little caught up wrapping up the mission. Sorry, Father," Kaitlyn said, bowing her head as if ashamed.

Josh struggled to keep the shock from his face. This didn't have to mean she'd stick to her current story, but still... He forced his attention off that subject.

"What's happening, Xander?" he asked.

The Paladin and Sage leaders weren't often on the same page, but they shared a look now.

Lines of worry cut across Xander's forehead. "Something went wrong with the pocket dimension."

Somehow, that left Josh colder than the initial news of his friends going missing. Xander had said missing, not dead. That couldn't be a kind way of delivering the news or miscommunication. Josh used that knowledge to will his heart to beat again.