The Lost Element

Chapter 23

Illya and Belynta were the last to come through the portal, finding Ember leaning over Ardiel, telling her to hold on while Kiara paced back and forth.

"Did you inform the elders?"

Kiara nodded, staring at Belynta.

"I'm Kiara.. you must be Belynta."

"Yes, hi Kiara."

Belynta still had her hand over her eyes like the beak of a hat.

"Why are you covering your eyes? We're in a cave." Kiara typed into her tablet.

"If you saw the aetherworld, you'd understand."

Behind them, Illya put her hand on the portal, attempting to remove the stone in the center of it. She yelped in pain as it only seared her hand.

"What happened? Can't you shut the portal?" Ember looked concerned.

"I don't know, I thought I could"

"Who opened the portal?" A deep mans voice echoed in the cave as Bernard slipped into the crevice.

"Ardiel opened it, using Ember's stone." Illya looked down at Ardiel, unconscious on the hard ground, beaten and scarred, "She won't be awake anytime soon. What do we do?" Illya looked at her father, pleading.

"Everyone, outta the cave. Best we can do is seal it off 'n hope for the best. Everyone's been sent off to the village arready, just us left. I got us a sled to get us out of here for now., it's just outside the forest."

"We can't just leave the portal open!" Ember said.

"Don't have a choice, boy, now get out so we can have a chance at sealin' it up."

They all left the cave, one at a time. Bernard was the last one to leave the cave, turning to face it as he slipped out.

"Okay, let's see if these ol' hands still got it."

He put his hands up, palms facing the cave, shut his eyes and took a deep breath. It was silent for a brief moment before a stream of earth erupted from his palms, slapping against the stone wall. He guided the dirt bursting from his palms over the opening, closing it over slowly.

"This won't hold em for long once they realize they can get through that portal. Get Ardiel to safety along with yourselves."

"What's going on?"

Everyone except Bernard turned to see Jacob standing there, dumbfounded.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kiara scolded him.

"I was looking for you this whole time, and when I saw that man going to the forest I had a funny feeling you'd be here. Where have you been?"

"Now's not the time, we're all in danger, we have to leave."

"Not until you answer me."

"Leave, now, Jacob." Illya commanded, "We all must leave now. Dad, please don't be long. We'll be waiting."

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Darios' lifted his head, heavy as a boulder. The room shifted and twirled about him as his thoughts organized themselves. Realizing what had just happened, he jumped to his feet. He was about to howl in anger, when just as his voice was about to shout, the portal caught his eye, catching the words in his throat as well.

"Nefalus! Nefalus! Up, get up! Sound the alarm, gather all of our people at the front of the castle, the portal is open!"

Nefalus wearily got himself up, stumbling once before standing tall. He looked down at himself, brushing off the dirt before looking up at Darios.