Dawn's Light

Chapter 33

Celia woke with a start as the ground moaned and shook, then leaped out of bed as a symphony of cracking ice swarmed around her. Celia's knees wobbled, but she managed to stumble towards the doorway. After she forced the pelt covering the entrance aside, she looked down the hallway in both directions.

The earth and snow growled and cracked as the earthquake disturbed their seemingly eternal resting places. The roar of the ground overwhelmed the ears of all those who heard it. As suddenly as it started, the trembling stopped, though creaks and groans still came from the icy walls as they resettled.

Celia held her breath as the rumbling stopped, then released her ragged exhalation as she glanced to the pelt across the hall from her. "Xan?" Celia's voice shook slightly as the ice finally seemed to settle and the multitude of sounds from the fractured ice ceased. "Xan? Are you okay?"

Shortly after she called out to the other room, Xan emerged from the inside, seemingly unfazed by the events. "That was a doozy." He grinned as he stretched, then dusted a few shards of ice out of his hair.

Celia flinched as the ice around the two suddenly released a jarring crack, "I did not realize earthquakes could be so strong!" She exclaimed and warily glanced around at the fractures in the ice around them. "Are we sure the ice will hold?"

"It will," Xan assures with a slight wave of his hand, "the ice carvers and builders will have a boost in their business." He turned to Celia, then frowned slightly, "but if you are that worried about it, we can go ahead and head back out. You don't look like you will be able to go back to sleep anytime soon."

He reached his arms high into the air in a stretch and simultaneously released a soft yawn, then got a better look at the anxious female. "Celia, are you all right? You seem frazzled. Do you not get earthquakes back where you are from? They are semi-common here, but unless there are aftershocks we probably will be safe from any more tremors. Probably." He shrugged a bit.

"Not at this magnitude," Celia admitted slowly, "and I think I would prefer we got out here in case the tunnels collapse."

"Fine by me," Xan shrugged, "go get your bag and I'll lead us out." He turned around and reentered the room he emerged from a few moments ago.

Celia swiftly returned to her suite and retrieved her possessions, then exited and waited for Xan to come back.

He took a few more seconds than Celia, but eventually, Xan came back out. "I'll pay for the hours we used the two rooms, and I will meet you outside the inn." He nodded to her, then began to walk towards the inn's sole exit.

Celia quickly followed him out, then waited as he suggested while he haggled over the rate, but eventually gave in and reluctantly paid full price for both rooms. Once he forked over the metals, he approached Celia. "We can go now." He motioned for her to follow as he began to stroll towards the nearest exit.

"Wait, here's your blade back," She offered the borrowed item to him. "Thank you for loaning it to me, but I have my own weapons now."

Xan paused and looked back to her, then turned and walked back. "Thank you," he accepted the weapon, then quickly shoved the item into his backpack. "Now, let us get out of here and on our way." he began to walk again.

Celia nodded and wordlessly followed, eager to exit the hazardous environment. As they walked, Celia continually found herself warily glancing around and noting the severity of the damage in different parts of the town.

Many of the tunnels and hallways of the settlement seemed perfectly unaffected by the tremors. However, parts of the merchant room appeared caved in based upon the mounds of snow in place of the some of the missing support pillars.