Ivy and Elise *REWRITING* *SLOW UPDATES*

Chapter Nineteen

Ivy groaned as she opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy and she didn't want to move. Through her hazy vision, she could just about see her friends sitting by her side. "Hey, you're finally awake," Elise said, gently guiding Ivy back into consciousness with a smile. Words were already forming on her lips when Tyran cut her off.

"What was that?" he prodded, brows furrowing in suspicion. Ivy tried to rise and look the boy in the eyes, but Elise was already replying, her voice strong and decisive. "It's a vision, sent by the Kayrix. We've had them before and I think they're getting worse." Then she added in a more worried tone, "We need to stop it before any more harm can arise."

"Harm?" Tyran replied, "How can a vision harm you?"
In response, Elise shifted the collar of her tunic revealing the scars she had received from her vision.

Ivy pulled herself up then, face twisted into one of concern. "Yeah, they're pretty bad, but that doesn't matter now. Elise, if the visions are getting worse, then it's getting stronger. We have to go. Now." She brushed at the simple fabric that clad her thighs, scattering dirt onto the dark cave floor. "Tyran, this, all of this, was great, but we can't risk any more distractions, not if we want to stop the Kayrix before it really hurts someone."

"Stop it? I know, I know we kinda have to, but-"

"Tyran, you need to think about the bigger picture," Rowan began. "Think about what this means for everyone in Korra. Think about Terra, and Salaman. You can't back out now, they haven't got anyone to protect them. There is no 'but'. The Kayrix isn't waiting for us to make up our minds. It's coming. You see what it's already doing to Ivy. We have to go, we've got to. We know the risks and sure, they may keep me up at night but I'd rather live in a world where people try and stop the dangers, rather than cower and leave it to someone else to solve. Because if we all do the latter, one day, we'll realise there is no one there for us, no one there for the people we love. We've got to stand up and fight. Not for us, but for them, and for the world."

Tyran's jaw snapped shut, and he let out a quiet sigh. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. So, what we gonna do about all this?"
Ivy shot Elise a glance before turning her gaze back to the boy.

"We're not going to wait for it to strike first. We'll hit it where it lives."

Elise nodded and shifted her weight, eyes raising to look off into the distance. "We've been told that The Dwelling of Darkness isn't far from here, we should be able to make it in one journey." She looked at them all determinedly, picking up her bow. "I want this to be over, even if that means I have to take down the Kayrix myself."

The mention of that cursed cave made Tyran physically cringe, but he made a sound of agreement nonetheless. "I'm with you. We all are."

"Good."

"Well then," Ivy said, picking up her sword, "Let's go."

*

The group traveled through the caves, carrying a sense of anticipation with them. However, the further they walked, the darker the tunnels became. Ivy was sure that the tunnels were once home to the strange, glasslike pearls that littered the walls and yet her eyes were met with empty, jagged shells of what was once light.

"This place really lives up to the whole 'dwelling of darkness' thing, huh?" Rowan said, tracing the edge of a shattered pearl.

Ivy tried to laugh but the razor studded walls were sinister and foreboding, provoking nothing more than a shaky sound that resembled anything but discomfort. Her attempt at noise dissolved into the air and eventually was lost to the silence. That was when she heard it.

Crying.

A sound composed of the utmost amount of despair. With a gasp she looked around, trying to locate the source of the bitter melody in the gloom. When nothing was detected she sighed, trying to convince herself that it was just something made up by her mind to trick her into being scared. She went back to walking, murmuring something about catching her hand on a discarded pearl to Elise who had noticed her slight discomfort. She had almost managed to banish the thought of the crying when suddenly she heard it again. This time it was louder, closer and sounded more anguished than before. The others noticed it this time and looked around. Their fear was tangible.

"What is that?" Rowan said. "Please let it be some sort of battle cry. If the Kayrix sounds like that, I don't think we've got much to worry about," she joked, but her voice was wavering.

"This way, it's coming from over there." Elise slung her bow in front of her chest, pulling it back as she led them towards the echoing laments. Her footsteps felt painfully loud, but not half as loud as the drumming of her heart. The sobs grew closer, and Elise tensed as a figure appeared before her. "You. You, show your face," she demanded.

"Yeah, turn around. Slowly," Tyran said, pulling out his mace.
The figure did as instructed although it seemed to be a great struggle. An aged woman turned to face them. As her strangely opalescent eyes travelled across their faces, she dried her eyes and let out a dry, brusque laugh.

"Either you're a bunch of angels coming to tell me I have died or my mind is playing tricks on me. Whatever it is, I ask that you leave and let me to my sorrow. I am in no need of an audience"

"Who are you?" Ivy asked, lowering the sword that she was holding.

The woman turned to her with a strange expression on her face. "Did I not just say that I am not here to entertain? All I ask of you is to withdraw your weapons and leave me to my pain."

Ivy was at a loss for words, taken aback by the woman's harsh tone. She was trying to figure out what to do when Tyran murmured something under his breath. "For the one who tried to improve the lives of their community but made it worse shall be subjected to a state of perpetual dissonance."

Everyone turned to look at him, confusion filled the air. Tyran however was fixated on the woman. "It's you, isn't it? You're the one the stories portray!" Though his words had little to no meaning to Ivy, she could see a sudden panic in the lady's eyes.

"You're the one who started this all. The reason we're here." Tyran looked around at the group, pointing to the lady. "She's the one who didn't kill the Kayrix." He looked back at the woman and added one final question to his accusation. "Its all been you, right?"

The lady sighed. "Guilty as charged."

A/n: Hi, theres something quite special about this chapter and that is that it has been co-written with a friend of mine! Unfortunately I have to take a break to catch up on some things. Hopefully I'll be back to posting soon. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Have a lovely day :)

- Love from Poppy x