Shattered Line

Chapter 8: Kidnappers Lair

Squirt had called their destination the dark alleys, but worldly knowledge defined them as slums. The place reeked of sewage waste and garbage coated the streets in sogging dumps. Forget stealth, the place had eyes and ears sewn throughout, and outsiders were prime targets.

Stopping several streets from the hideout's upper-level entrance, Isla dropped the ore onto a wooden crate, a squeak scurrying at their feet. She kicked the base, pausing further.

"Sure does stink," Rydin voiced.

"To be expected. The place reminds me of Maron," Isla mentioned, partitioning her cloak and retrieving a chalk piece from her inner pocket.

"Maron? Heard it was bad there. A lot of people living in Bartez left that place because of the landslides."

"Well, Detra doesn't have much land. I don't think people have many choices," she added while sketching four straight but slanted white lines upon their acquired medium. With a full circle to enshroud the connected wave, she created the first symbol depicting metal.

"What's that?" Rydin questioned.

"Its metal, the medium. We could add another for the rock, but let's not increase the potency too much."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

Isla looked up after finishing the next two rings for location and spell effects. "Is your aura capacity capable of such?"

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "If the spell included all the materials within the object, your aura would need to be contained within a greater area. Understand?"

"Makes sense. Is that why you picked an impure medium?"

"Yeah. Larger and weaker, but fewer chances for errors within the writing. It's a simple spell. Quick and functional."

"Read inner to outer, correct?"

She returned the chalk to her inside pocket and blew the stray dust clear. "That's right." After double-checking her written enchantment for any symbol imperfections, she handed the ore before Rydin. "Here. Infuse your aura into the medium. Just stop when the symbols become bright."

Rydin grabbed the outstretched ore. "Okay. I get what you say, but you may need to tell me when to stop."

"Fine." She crossed her arms, watching Rydin's eyes close to focus. The symbols etched upon the ore dimmed to life. With each pulsation, the glow shined brighter. "That's good. The next time you add any amount of aura, the spell will activate. Let's go."

"Wait." Rydin broke, interrupting her head-start. "Shouldn't we wait longer? Would the information have spread by now?"

She paused mid-stride, glimpsing his puzzled grimace. "No. We can't wait any longer," Isla voiced, tugging her hood lower and regarding the slumber of Detra's star across the rooftops. "Night is here."

He bobbed his hooded head and followed her alongside the mountain's edge to the hideout. Reaching the building's rear, Isla threw a hand up and halted. She glanced at Rydin, placing a finger to her lips then pointed at him and forward. They needed to split.

While Rydin covered the direct alleyway, she squeezed through the building's narrow backside. Her deft footsteps carried her through shadows with silence and a required covertness. She peeked around the corner, assessing the area. No movement or unplanned interlopers, good, she could continue.

She lurked down the adjacent alleyway, mindful of the loose garbage and wooden barrels lining her path. With each broken window, she spared a look, the upper floor deserted. Candlelight flickered inside, casting sight upon the worn-down interior and cracked walls.