The Piercing Flames

Etham Bannecath

“Light.” Finally, I can feel the power flow gently from me again. In front of me a small blue and purple flame sparks. It immediately bathes the corridor in a detached light. It took a lot longer this time than usual. Usual being a relative term though, since I lack both a sense of time and I have only managed it three times.

I look back at the four other flames in the corridor. It has taken a while to get that many, even if I try to space them out as far as possible. I managed to get my first consciously conjured flame using this method awhile back. An interesting thing I discovered then was when I succeeded in conjuring another one further into the corridor, and not that I did it because I think I may be getting a feel for it. No, rather that when I did do it, the cold I felt from after the previous flame got worse and it was like the dread would consume and drain me.

I don’t remember what happened then, but I must have fallen in a fitful sleep or something likewise. Anyway, when I came back to, I felt a lot better. I did meditate a bit more to get totally rid of it before I continued with more flames.

And that’s where I am now. Also, I don’t know precisely when I decided it, but I think I am going to the security centre. They ought to have some way to contact the surface. Maybe there is even an emergency exit going up to the surface. It’s improbable given how confidential and paranoid the company was on the escape or misuse of any of the knowledge or arcanium we have here but since it’s next to the lift, it is worth a try.

I don’t have much else to do but wait for the rescue team otherwise. Well, I can try my hand at magic a bit more, I especially have a feeling about what can happen when I call for something other than light. I can do that when I am back home though. Ha, like I would tell CARC about this. They’ll be more concerned about the damage here and what caused it. And I will be able to let the blame rest sorely on Errhart’s shoulders. Hm, if he already escaped then he might have given me the blame…

I might have to show them the magic in order to win them over. Power can always be found in desire and they will want this. Who wouldn’t? Though if I do have to tell them, they’ll probably lock me up. Then I won’t have the time or privacy to do what I myself want. But in comparison of what they could do if they give me the blame… It would still be necessary.

If I am going on the assumption that Errhart, the bastard, made it out alive then I should make full use of my time here while I try to find the rescue team. Being able to create a flame is pretty cool but how useful is it really? Especially with phone lights, normal lighting and even just the sun. Quite useless, even without the time it takes to make one. If I manage to make one at all.

But if I discover if possible and how to do more things, things that can’t be achieved by the mundane, then that would further my career a lot. Hells, I doubt I care about my career anymore. If I get away from CARC then I might as well hide myself away and profit of my power. Maybe even get a secret cult. How would normal people be able to resist clear evidence of majesty among them?

How special can I consider this magic to be actually? I mean, it allows for independency from technology and a providing society but in this age is that seriously a bother? As anyone nowadays probably would have come in contact with popular belief of magic, be it games, books or movies. I myself played a few games and read a few books. No good movies with pure fantasy magic themes though. I guess you could count the Harry Potter franchise but eh. Not how I think of high fiction magic.

Anyway, elemental magic can be technologically imitated, or the other way around depending what side you're on. So that isn't too interesting even though magic might be easier. To be fair I wouldn't know that either. I just feel that I shouldn't limit my imagination to what technology can already do. That would be just so boring. But I guess it also can't be too obvious it's unnatural. Might as well tell the organisation it myself then.

But some things would simply be so useful. And hard to be noticed. For example Illusions? Mind magic? Again, no clue how I would do anything like that but thats not the point. I'll maybe figure something out if it is possible. Or I won't, but I'll get something like it anyway. What point is magic if you don't pursue the impossible? How would you go about with mind magic actually?

You know what, I’ll think about all that another time. For now, going to the security centre is as good a plan as any. I doubt that they got burned down. The security of the security centre is better than the rest of the facility, with an exception of the guest suites, the control room and perhaps the central laboratory as well. Normally you would expect the security to be roughly equal all over the facility, but this isn’t your normal underground facility. The people who run and designed this place where paranoid to the point of betrayal of the researchers.

This also means that they should be untouched by anything that passed through here, among other the fire. And like I said before, they might have a second exit there. All in all, quite worth it. Hopefully the door isn’t locked or if it is that the people inside will let me in. It’s the security centre though so unless everyone left in a hurry and forgot to close the door, it’s probably locked. And if there were people there you’d imagine they would have come out looking for help like I did. But then again, I do have light. Who knows

Anyway, I should continue on. My legs do feel a bit stiff as I get up but that is all. Maybe next time I should try to get into the trance while standing. How I see it is that challenge makes strength. It would be really useful if I could practice magic without wasting all this time. Something to remember for later.

I refer the experience of touching my source to a dream. At the beginning I'm still one foot in and one foot out of reality but then one of them slowly slips and falls into the other. I am not quite sure why that happens. Who am I kidding, I barely know what happens let alone why.

I wander on in the darkness, each step taking me further from the light. Maybe if I try I can see that dream like state. Similar to how people train their ability for lucid dreams. Maybe. Who knows if it actually is a dream or even worth remembering? I wonder where I will find the time for it, as I want to leave this abyss as soon as possible. That all depends on the rescue team and maybe the security staff at the centre.

I release a deep sigh, shockingly loud for a place where sound has no name. It really is quite empty here. I should be nearing the security centre sometime about now. The end of the hallway is pitch black, but I can’t be bothered to set up another flame. It’s still quite exhausting to conjure it. Maybe I can mess around with that as well. When I’m at the security centre I’ll let my imagination loose

Though how long it will take until I get there is anyone’s guess. I might need to conjure another flame after all if it’s way too far from the last one. Maybe I can start to try out a few things, time is time no matter when you spend it. Can I afford the exhaustion? Who am I kidding, I have just about all the time in the world. If need be I can rest a bit immediately after, or if I can see the entrance to the security centre, rest up over there.

Hm, this seems as good a place as any to call up another light. Actually, it is better than most other places since its far enough from the last flame to warrant another and… well it could be my brain playing tricks on me since it’s pitch dark, but it seems like this spot here isn’t as dirty because of the fire than the rest. Also, another unanswered question is how did the fire even reach all the way up to here? There isn’t anything burnable in the corridor, at least anymore but all that was shouldn’t have made it burn so fiercely to scorch the whole place.

Regardless, I sit down on the spot that looks less dirty. I only have this set of clothes and while there are already cuts and tears, it’s better than going naked. I shift into my makeshift meditation stance. Legs crossed and my head resting on my hands keeping it up. Oh wait. Luckily, I remember this before I actually started since it’s hard to do, speaking from the little experience I have. I get up and instead stand straight with my hand interlocked in front of me.

I keep standing there stoically as time presses on but sadly the enlightenment doesn’t come. Yep. Standing still, trying to relax and access magic must hate each other all viciously. I barely touch the meditation as, I don’t know when, my sense of time erodes slightly at the edges. But I am quickly thrown out of it as I nearly fall over and lose my balance.

“Aaah.” This is not the first time I lost the trance while in or nearly in the trance. But it is still very unpleasant, and it feels worse the deeper in the trance I am. I’ll try to do it standing another time. As is, I can barely do it while standing.

And again, bit by bit the passage of time slows and once more becomes incomprehensible. It’s hard to think like this but I prefer it. Everything seems logical and serene while also having the haze of a dream weaved through it.

I know, from a feeling somewhere within me, that this is influenced but not yet in touch with my source. And it’s very clear when it does connect. Suddenly a blue hue shifts over my mind, near indescribable other than that. The blue itself moves in its own rhythm, teasing me with its lure. “Over fifty nights the moon did shine. You left and took the moon with you. I stutter in utter dark. Nothing left to compare to your shine. Even the sun took after you. In the abyss I sink, calling for your radiance to save. You returned to a sunken ship.”

Then the moment comes where my mind is at its clearest and I have the command I will utter at the tip of my tongue. But before it leaves its home, a stray thought takes hold of it. I change it but then I let it go. “Light. Sight!” Lo and behold, the fire sparks alight from the power of the magic. But this time, different of the other flames, it defies the logic of what it shows. The actual light reaches only 10 metres until it’s too faint to make the floor out with it. Yet when I stand in its light, I feel as if everything has become clearer and more distinct.

“Ha! It works!” Or rather, something happened. It’s not like I expected this to occur. I only had this sudden insight as to what would happen if I said something different or added something to it. Then, as if thrown in a pool while sleeping, a deep cold dreadful exhaustion fills the space left by my power. It is roughly the same to the feeling the normal flames give me, but this feels a bit greater. Hahahaha, take a look at me here calling conjuring flames with magic and will, sitting in a dark underground facility, normal!

I keep chuckling as I gently try to stand up. My muscles ache as I do so, together with that feeling of losing heat when you haven’t moved in a while. Perhaps I will continue sitting for a while.

After a few minutes I feel a bit better. Yep, it is still clearly there but I can easily accustom to it. Slowly I stand up and I… Wait what is that? I hope that isn’t… No… I break into a quick run towards the end of the corridor. A different end to the corridor than I expected.

“Gods be damned…” The whole bloody way forward to the security centre is blocked by a pile of rubble. Or rather, the security centre is a pile of rubble. Well, this facility is now officially screwed. What in the hells happened? How in the hells did it happen? I doubt anything short from a bomb within the centre could have done this. And suddenly my whole perspective on this whole incident shift a bit to the left.

That bastard Errhart did this. All of this. I am sure he burned the whole facility down and sabotaged the centre. How stupid can a man be! The centre was of critical importance to the facility! It was meant to be the last place standing in extreme cases and communicate with the world above. Maybe it even had a secret passage to the surface, who knows how paranoid the designers were. It should have had provisions for months, maybe years, and big enough barracks for a few dozen men. And all of it gone! “Errhart!” I cry with fury.

The corridor echoes but nothing responds. I sigh, and I let the anger go, but I won’t forget this. I will take Errhart down with me even if it costs me my job. This… what happened here shouldn’t happen again. Nor would I like to share this power.

Slowly I start walking back to the sleeping chamber. Indeed, the pile of rubble absolutely closes off any kind of passage and it didn’t seem worth it to try and remove all the concrete rubble. It doesn’t look so good either, the cracks in the ceiling and walls the most evident.

I continue walking back to the chamber. I don’t currently have many options. I suppose it’s worth a try to take a look at the elevator but that is something Errhart had to destroy or close off when he left. Surely, they would send a rescue team down nonetheless right? Though it might take a while longer then. But I can be patient. Sure, I can. Well, I can’t stand being bored but luckily, I have a solution to that. After checking out the elevator I can go to my office and gather my notes. Then I can really start. I feel giddy despite the bleak looks of my survival when I think about what I can entertain myself with until I am rescued. Magic.

Surface

A man runs past a broken home, holding a crying girl in his hand. Behind him a family of four follows and ends with another young woman. “Arnell! I think we lost them. Damnit, slow down man.” The young woman calls forward. Arnell, the man holding the girl, doesn’t look back or gives any other sign of having heard her. While exhausted, the woman nonetheless runs past the family to him.

The road they are walking on is abandoned by cars, trucks or even horses. They are currently walking past a forest on one side and a small field on the other. The group had a few bags with them but nothing too big or well prepared. They had just quickly left an empty town and perhaps for some lurking reason. The next town is still a while away and the groups is only on foot. It doesn’t help that it is getting late

She grabs his shoulder and spun him to face her. “What!” Arnell shouts at her. The family is only a bit behind as the woman stops Arnell and they can clearly see the look in her face, the surprise of Arnell’s anger. “I said that we have lost the beasts. We are tired and need some rest. It’s getting darker and we have nowhere to sleep.” She replied condescendingly and with some anger.

“Ha sleep. I have given up on sleep. No, I’d rather make some more distance between my girl, me and the monsters.” He hastily answers. He lets out a sigh and tries to calm some more. “I get what you mean. It doesn’t matter how far we get if we starve or something along the way. But if you think I will let my girl get in danger because your generation is soft, then you better get accustomed to falling behind.”

The young woman is clearly startled and possibly even offended. “Okay, you have to calm down. My generation? Do you have a clue of what nonsense you’re spewing? Just because we had it a little better than you did doesn’t mean we are to blame for every of your problems or even of this gods forsaken world. This is ridiculous, you are bloody ridiculous.” She throws her arms in the air for emphasis and then walks off, back down the road.

“Katia! Come back. We can decide what we will do like adults should. You are setting a bad example for the kids.” The only other man in their group, the husband from the family, calls out. He looks especially tired and perhaps even fragile but in his eyes, you can see that glint. It isn’t hard to recognise nowadays, that desperate glimmer of hope together with that horrid energetic frenzy that plagues them. The group would have noticed it if everyone wasn’t suffering from it, more or less.

“Hush Rob, she’s right. This madman is running us haggard. You think of surviving but you can’t see Timothy or Annie wasting away before your eyes. When was the last time we had a night of good rest Robert? Ever since we fled from Amsterdam it’s been running from one thing to the other. Can you understand what that is doing to us, Robert!” The wife is clearly loving of her children and while she loves her husband no less she can only barely cope with all that had happened these last few years.

Katia, the young woman, is getting further down the road while the husband and wife argue. “Ellen, now is not the time. We have to stay together. Katia! Gods be damned. I’m going after her. And Arnell, I swear that if you leave my family behind I will find you. Not even monsters will stop me.” With that Robert takes off after Katia in a run. Katia takes a glance back at the group but seeing a lack of action from Arnell, she furiously turns back and disappears around the bend.

“Robert!” The wife shouts after Robert. As the man shows no sign of letting Katia just leave, the wife sits down dejectedly and brings her two children into a hug who thus far were half asleep and look confused. Robert quickly reaches the bend as well and disappears behind it. “It will be fine. Daddy will be back soon.” The wife barely holds back tears.

Arnell sighs and sets his daughter back on the ground. Most of his previous frantic energy seems to have seeped out of him. He takes a long look at his daughter, who was still wiping away tears. “Hey there darling. It’s fine, everything is going to be all right. No need to cry, daddy is here.” A hopeless look crosses his face as he searches for a reaction from his daughter. “Don’t cry.”

He then pulls his daughter in his arms and waits for her to calm down. He is starting to have to do this every night now, and sometimes after nerve racking moments as well. He isn’t sure how much it’s helping his daughter but at least he feels like he is doing something.

They don’t have to wait for long, though it is in silence, until Robert reappears from around the bend in the road with Katia in tow. She doesn’t look very happy, or anything else positive actually. They also remain silent until they near the small group. “First I want to know if Arnell has come to his senses. I think I can survive just fine by myself otherwise.” Katia tells the group, arms crossed and staring at Arnell.

“Ha, I am sure you can. So, there is no need for you to come with us then, is there?” Arnell lets go of his daughter and stands up to look Katia straight in the eyes. Katia looks slightly uncomfortable and unsure about Arnell’s reaction but only for a second. Then the anger visibly resurfaces.

“You don’t even have a goal, do you? No, you just like running and commanding people while you do it. No wonder people already left. You know what, I tried but…” Katia starts off again, but Robert manages to cut her off. “Katia! And you too Arnell. This isn’t helpful in the slightest bit and we are burning precious sunlight. Get a grip on yourselves and do something, gods damnit. You two have a death wish, though you would even argue over that.” Katia doesn’t look Robert in the eyes and Arnell didn’t rebuke Robert, they are clearly both at least somewhat ashamed.

“Fine. We may have escaped the beasts. But we will carry on until we find a good place to stop. And get as far ahead as possible while doing so.” Arnell concedes. Barely. Robert prods Katia to respond. “But we will then also stop at the first place we see. No exceptions.” Arnell doesn’t look like he has anything more to say, but instead just turns around, picks up his young daughter and walks on. “Can’t your daughter walk herself?” She calls after him. He doesn’t respond. She sighs and follows him. Robert picks up Timothy and then their family goes as well.

It seems luck is with them. It hasn’t yet gotten fully dark, but they soon find a crossroad. A good place to sleep, especially since it has a few houses nearby. But that isn’t really lucky since they would have found it anyway. No, what truly lifts up their spirits as they see it, are the few hundred people there. They even have tents, fire and from the smell of it food as well. Even though the small group is exhausted, the adults all run up to the camp. Though the children have to be carried.

“Hahaha! People!” Katia shouts as she runs to the lights. Arnell stands there, quite unsure whether it is a trap or not. He has seen what a type 2 monster can do and though it didn’t use illusions, he doesn’t think it impossible. “Katia wait!” He shouts after her.

“Hahaha. You are just being paranoid.” Robert gently chuckles behind him. Robert does seem to have calmed down a great deal and with the sight of all these people, that desperateness from before starts to recede.

Robert’s children wring themselves out of their parents’ grasp and rush over towards Katia. “Katia, wait for me!” Timothy shouts, the older of the two, and little Annie, who just turned six last month, runs silently along with her big brother. Even Arnell can’t stop a smile coming through. He looks down as he feels someone tugging on his shirt.

He looks down to his daughter in his arms. “Can I go as well?” She asks timidly. Arnell smiles gently and strokes his little girl’s head. “Of course, darling. But only if you feel up for it.” His daughter, only nine might I add, nods furiously. With another laugh, he sets her down and sees her running off towards Timothy, Annie and Katia.

“I think that is the first time you have let her go that far away from you.” Robert says out loud. Arnell’s eyes never leave his girl though, even as he replies. “I would do the same for your children were I you. This isn’t the same world it was a few years ago. And it isn’t something we can easily fix.” With that Arnell leaves Robert and his wife still standing there somewhat dumbfounded and calmly walks toward the bustling camp. He hears some grumbling behind him and soon another two pair of feet can be heard.

When Arnell reaches the campsite, he can easily see Katia waiting there at the edge for him. As he reaches hearing distance, she immediately begins talking. “Cecilia is with Timothy and Annie over there, trying to make some new friends.” Katia tells him little more than what he was looking at himself. “I know.” He replies.

Katia lets out a suffering sigh. “Well, anyway, I have tried to talk to a few people while you took your time getting here. The people here going to the German border where they expect help is coming from. The leaders who are trying to keep all these people together and are taking care of the planning should be in one of the houses there.”

Arnell nods, seemingly in thought. “Cecilia!” He shouts at his daughter. She looks up from where she is playing with some other kids, and runs back to her father. Timothy unexpectedly follows her as well. “Timothy, why don’t you stay here with and continue playing with those kids?” Timothy looks a bit confused and innocently replies. “But Cecilia is going. Why can’t she play with us?”

Arnell lets out a quiet chuckle. “Don’t worry we’ll be back soon enough. You won’t even notice she is gone.” Timothy looks a bit doubtful at that, but Katia takes his hand and brings him back to the other children. “I’ll see you there. As soon as Robert and Ellen catch up I will go. Can’t leave their kids here alone.” Arnell nods at that, grasps Cecelia’s hand and starts walking to one of the houses.

They enter the first house they got to and from the looks of it, it is still habited by the original owner. Some people thought they were safe just because they were far away from the coasts and any rivers and the rampant beasts and monsters that resulted from the attacks. Most didn’t realise that there was also the danger of looters, normal and the new type, and that the highways were all blocked off or otherwise too dangerous to use.

While this was, or is actually since the radio towers are still intact as well as a few minor television stations, broadcasted to the populace some still haven’t realised what this means. Every time Arnell met one of those people while they were fleeing the coast and rivers, he couldn’t help but wonder what they will eat in a few weeks’ time. If they were particularly unfortunate, then they’ll be food themselves for the beasts.

In the house there were currently around a dozen people, some resting while others were checking their packs or looking at the maps. “Hello, how can I help you?” A tall but thin man walks over to them. “Are you new? We are getting quite a lot of additions these days. Is it only you and your daughter?”

“We just saw your camp. My daughter, me and five others. We would be grateful if we are allowed to overnight here.” Arnell respectfully asks. The door then opens behind them and Katia walks in.

“Ah, hello I am Katia. I see you met Arnell. Don’t let his face scare you off, he is bearable when you get to know him.” She said with a smile. “A pleasure to meet you three. I’m Brian and that person over there is Charissa. If you need a tent for tonight, feel free to ask her to find you one. If you have anything to trade for it, you can keep it when you leave.” Brian tells them confidently.

“Leave? I wouldn’t mind going with you. If you don’t mind that is.” Katia responds. She squints her eyes and looks at Arnell. “If you want to go then that’s fine Arnell, but I think it’s safer for us here. And these people also seem to have a plan and food. Though I don’t know if that matters to you anymore.”

“Well, anyhow, you are always free to join. This has been the most devastating moment in our recent history and I’ll be damned if I let one man die because of simple greed. You know what. If we have spare tents, you can keep them. I am sure we can find more in the next town we cross.” Brain then leaves them and goes over to talk to someone else who just came in the house.

“I’ll go and talk to Charissa about those tents. However, don’t think I won’t want a word with you later.” She then walks over to the woman Brian pointed at. “Come darling, we’ll go back to the others and wait for Katia there.” Arnell gently pulls Cecelia along with him towards the door.

“Can I go play with Timmy?” She immediately asks him, before they even moved one step. “Of course, but only when we get there together.” As soon the eight-year-old boy and the other kids were back in sight, she rushes over to join them after she slips through her father’s strong arms. A slight smile dawns on Arnell’s face.

It only takes some ten minutes before Katia and another guy come back with three tents. “Two small ones and a big one. Last big one in fact. If you don’t have any food with you then you can come to the red house over there. We’ll be serving food when it’s ready.” The lad puts down his big bag on the ground. “If you need help setting up your tent just ask the people around you. Most people should be able to help you.” He nods to Katia and then leaves. Katia keeps looking at the lad until he disappears behind a big tent.

Arnell turns around to where the children were still playing. “Cecilia do you want to help setting up our tent? We have to hurry if we want to set it up before it gets too dark.” With an excited Cecelia helping it might be taking longer to set it up than it would have with Arnell alone but from the smile on his face it doesn’t seem like he cares.

The following morning, the camp starts to wake as the sun rises. Everyone wants to leave this place as soon as possible, so they get up without too much grumbling. Luckily, most people are finally getting used to this new rhythm so it’s getting faster every morning.

Arnell is currently pondering whether or not to join with the group. Initially he wanted to stay away from such a big target, but if he did join then many problems would be solved. Including having food and a plan. All Arnell can do is sigh.

“You know it will be safer for Cecelia here, right? Not to mention if you will now also go to the border, they would sooner give aid to a big group than a single man and his daughter. I still listen to the radio on my phone whenever I have connection. We aren’t the only ones that have been hit. Germany is struggling to keep its provinces together. They might choose the small groups over the larger ones, but I doubt it.” Robert says and sits down with his breakfast.

“Perhaps. But I care most for that she will get there in the first place. A bigger group is a bigger target.” Arnell responds and further contemplates the choice. “I just can’t bring myself to endanger her. Not again, especially after all that destruction she saw. Thank the gods I prevented her seeing any of the deaths.” Robert nods at that and continues on eating.

Katia joins in with small bowl in hand. “Aren’t we a team Arnell? I understand that you care for your daughter and understand I love her too, so believe me when I say this might actually be better for her. But you are her father and I have realised that’s the only thing you care about. If it matters to you at all, know that we are all joining. You can always still come.”

“I don’t know. I’ll do what’s best for Cecilia as always. That’s what is important.” Arnell’s voice is the end of the conversation. Of any talk actually. They just sit silently, either eating or thinking.

The people slowly pack up the camp and everyone gets ready to leave. Timothy and Cecilia run together towards Robert and Ellen, who were leaving with the new group. Robert gets a pained expression on his face as he sees Cecilia about to walk with them. “Cecilia, where is your dad? Timothy will still be here when you come back.” Robert looks through the crowd for Arnell. “Ah there he is. Get going you. You are losing play time.” Timothy looks unhappy to lose his friend but stays with Robert as Cecilia runs off to her father.

“Daddy! We are going! We have to hurry, or Timmy will get too far ahead, and you’ll have to carry me, and you’ll have to say sorry and…” Arnell picks her up in a hug and swirls her about. “Ha ha ha!” Arnell can’t help but smile at the still innocent laugh of his daughter.

“Now that you have that out of your system, I’ve got to tell you something darling.” Arnell reluctantly puts her down again. Cecilia’s squirming evidently works. “We won’t be going with them. We’ll be safer this way.” He holds out his hand for Cecilia, but she just looks at him shocked. Then she immediately looks back at where Robert’s family is.

“No. I want to stay with Timmy… and Annie!” Cecilia’s previous smile is vanishing to the wind and tears start to shine in her eyes. “He is my friend. He promised that we’ll stay together!”

“Darling, hush. Come here.” Arnell gets on his knees and hugs his daughter. “He must be a very good friend, isn’t he?” Cecilia nods ferociously. “And Annie too?” Here she nods slowly to Arnell’s amusement. “Ha ha ha.” Cecilia thinks her father is making fun of her, as all children are liable to do. “Daddy!”

Arnell slowly stops laughing and looks his daughter in the eye with a serious gaze. “Do you really want to go with Timothy?” His daughter is slightly scared and uncomfortable because of the intensity, but then she nods again. Arnell lets out a long and suffering sigh. “Well then. I think we have some catching up to do.” And he can’t help but smile as his daughter’s face changes expression once again. That a child can change so quickly is really a wonder. Cecilia runs back to Robert’s family. Arnell picks up his bag which now includes the tent and tries to leisurely catch up as well.

In the afternoon, they stop at a small town called Zieuwent. Apparently, it wasn’t too far off from the border. There were closer border points, but they were just as unlikely to have the Germans lending aid or transportation as they were likely to be attacked by the sea monsters while crossing some of those rivers.

Nothing happened on the way there nor do they find any clear danger in the mostly empty town. Luckily, this town seems to have evacuated instead of having been slaughtered.

A few people were already tired, but the leaders made the ones that contributed the least supply wise to go looting and foraging in the town and any of the people who lived there and wanted to join to share half with the group. Suffice it to say but nearly everyone is exhausted, including Arnell’s old group, when they set up their tents. Some people go to sleep in the houses, but they have no heating and only a few beds. Also, most people wish to stay close by, so they set up their tents close together to where the leadership sleeps. The houses nearby aren’t packed either since they still value their privacy.

The first night, nothing happens.

“I can’t believe we have to do this another time. Didn’t we get enough stuff yesterday?” Katia is full of complains. But she seems a bit happier now than before. “Can’t you ask Charissa if we can just rest a bit today Joe?” It’s largely due to her new boyfriend. Joe, the person who brought the tents together with Katia to them, is also a friend of Charissa, one of the leaders here. So far that hasn’t given Katia any benefits, so she is slightly annoyed about that.

“Nah, she’ll roast my ass if I try. Asked too many times before and now I think she sees it as a personal insult. I’ll bring you to her and invite you to try though. You’ll not be the only one who just joined and had very little supplies to ask that. Though there is a small chance she might make an exception for you. Everyone talked about that young woman who was so excited when she arrived at camp two days ago.” Arnell has to chuckle at that, but he still can’t help but dislike the kid. But that impression is also from how he saw Cecilia react to Joe. But he can’t deny it is useful to know someone friends with one of the leaders.

“I think you should just go and search. Remember that we can keep a bit of the food we find and anything else they didn’t write down. Not too bad for a day’s rest. And it also means we won’t have to search next time, since we will then have supplies ourselves.” Arnell tells Katia.

Katia just ignores him. Instead she waits until Joe finishes his breakfast. Then she drags him off somewhere. “Come Joe, we’ll go a bit more south now. We’ll let them loot to their hearts content.” Joe nods and goes with her. Arnell just shrugs.

“Come Cecilia, we’ll go west today.” Cecilia is having her breakfast in bed, brought to her by her father. When she hears her dad though, she sticks out her head. “Can I please stay here and play daddy?” Arnell grins and jokingly answers. “Of course, you can stay here and play with Timothy.”

“Daddy!” Cecilia shyly hides herself in the tent, but she can still hear her father’s laughter through it. “Stop it!” Arnell at least tries to stop laughing so loud. He is even getting a few stares of the surrounding people, including Robert and Ellen. “Something the matter Rob?” Robert can’t help but smile. “If it’s fine with you, we’ll take care of Cecilia. I have asked and it’s fine if families with small children stay. They aren’t that heartless yet.”

“You heard the lady. Cecilia, I’m going. Won’t you give your old dad a good-bye kiss?” Cecilia reluctantly comes out of the tent and quickly gives him a kiss before rushing back in. Arnell can’t help but chuckle. “I’ll be back towards evening or if I can’t carry more. Till then.” Hopefully he’ll be back soon. Arnell doesn’t like to leave his daughter alone. At least he can trust Robert. Soon he leaves the camp and wanders through the empty streets, taking guesses at what houses would be the easiest to get in.

Quickly, at least it seems so for Arnell, it gets dark again and everyone gets back into their tents and beds. Tomorrow they will continue again. A few of them actually. This is the second night they’re there in Zieuwent. But this is the first night for someone else.

Arnell, Robert, Ellen and their kids sit at the small campfire they manage to make. The kids are all asleep or about to, but the adults are still talking about their lives before and after the enlightenment. Though they try to keep it separate from the rise of the monsters of the depths, else they would get too emotional. Whenever one of them makes it a step too personal or reminds them of something or someone they lost, it is followed by a remorseful silence. Funnily enough, Robert or Ellen always try to bring back the conversation.

“A shame Katia isn’t here. She usually has good stories to tell, especially for her age. That kid Joe doesn’t seem too bad, even though it seems a bit artificial.” Robert tries to rekindle the conversation again. In the background they can hear an animal howling. Arnell looks to from where he heard it. “A dog I’d guess. Awfully close though. Quite shocking actually that people would leave their pets behind when they evacuate or flee.”

“We wouldn’t have done that if we had a pet. Can you imagine such a poor animal, suddenly having to fend for itself?” Ellen exclaims. “But anyway, it’s late and the children are exhausted from all that playing around. They certainly won’t be a pleasure to be around tomorrow morning.” With that she ushers the children to their tents.

Then we hear a howl again. “It seems to be getting closer. Or is it from a different direction?” Robert remarks. Arnell frowns. “I am not sure. I’ll go to the leaders just to be safe. Please stay here near Cecilia.” He stands up and looks Robert the eyes. Rob seems to be very serious as he responds. “I’ll protect the kids with my life.” Arnell just nods at that.

He takes off at a brisk walk towards the only house from which light still shines. Most cars were already taken by the former residents as they fled the moment they heard the news. But this group has managed to find a car and its key, but since it’s one of the few they have, they always have to drive slowly as to now lose the ones walking. Anyway, they use one of those cars to carry with them a generator. Thus, they have some electricity in there.

In the end, it only makes them a target. Suddenly from all over the camp, dogs start barking and people scream. Some screams are immediately cut short. At the building, a big shadow smashes through a window and is followed by a few smaller ones. Arnell stands still for a second, unbelieving and in shock. Then he immediately leaves behind him the main house, even as people and screams escape to the outside, and sprints back to his tent. The only thing on his frantic mind is his daughter.

The camp quickly tries to fight back but most were already sleeping. It all results into unnecessary casualties. “Cecilia!” Arnell shouts her name the moment he nears their tents. A man steps out of his tent right in front of Arnell and they collide into each other. “Get out of my way!” Arnell pushes himself off of the other man and continues running. Soon after screams and growls come from behind him but Arnell not so much as glances back, much less thinking of actually going to help him.

“Cecilia! Damn, how many of these bloody dogs are there.” Arnell shakes with rage as he kicks a dog that sprang in front of him away. With a painful yip, the dog runs off for an easier target.

“Daddy! Help!” Arnell’s heart wrenches in his chest from both relief and fear. He tramples through a random tent, straight towards where his daughter’s voice came from. “I am coming!” He shouts with all he can muster. Once every so often a gun fires and even if anyone managed to sleep through the screams and the barking, they would have been woken by that.

He finally comes back to their small campsite only to see Robert launch himself at a dog. The dog came within a centimetre of Cecilia and Timothy. As Robert wrestles with the dog, a slightly bigger dog joins the attack on Robert. Soon his screams slowly gurgle out. Arnell rushes over to Robert and kicks one of the dogs off him with a powerful shout. “Aaaagh!” The dog goes flying.

Sadly enough the dog quickly stands back up again. The last dog lets go of Robert and starts to circle around Arnell. Hopefully there is still a chance for Rob. One of the dogs runs at Arnell and he has no choice but to take it full on. He can barely see the dogs in the faint flickers of the fire. He didn’t forget the other dog though. “Cecilia run!”

Timothy tries to drag her away, but she just stands there in shock. “Celli! We have to go!” The is in tears and truly afraid. But he doesn’t let go of Cecilia when she doesn’t move, even as a dog rushes at them.

Then, suddenly it’s like a blazing bonfire has lit. Flames pour out of Cecilia and her eyes turn to bright embers. All Timothy can do is duck as the wave of fire expands and moves outwards. The fire consumes the two nearby dogs, though it singes Arnell, but still it continues on rapidly. Soon, many tents are ablaze, along with a few people and dogs, and everyone can finally clearly see the beasts and animals they are fighting.

A howl reaches everyone’s ear, but many can’t afford to pay attention as they manage to get out their knifes and defend themselves from the cursed dogs. Cecilia isn’t the only one there who has somehow obtained mana. In great strides a great black dog leaves the main house. It’s the size of a pony and blood stains its pelt, though whose it’s hard to tell.

It licks its teeth as its gaze falls upon Cecilia. The monster clearly anticipated the power of her. “Gods be damned… A monster. Cecilia, I said run!” Arnell is injured but he shouts to his daughter nonetheless. His daughter, however, doesn’t seem to have heard him.

Instead, she turns to stare at the monster, embers still blazing in her eyes. Balls of fire flash into being around her. Then these balls shoot themselves at the monster. The monster charges at Cecilia and evades all the fireballs. Every last one of them. Fear still doesn’t show itself on Cecilia’s blank face, even when the monster is no less than ten metres away.

The monster committed itself to the charge and whether intentional or not, that is what saves Cecilia. A wall of fire springs up before her and then takes off towards the beast. The monster still tries to dodge but it goes through the wall anyway. Its fur is singed and in other places clearly burned to the flesh. But it’s very much still alive. A shot rings out and one of the monster’s legs collapses.

Immediately another ball of fire leaves Cecilia and shoots off towards the monster. Just before the ball hits it, the fireball enlarges to envelop the entire giant dog. Two more shots fire off as the monster tries to crawl out of the sphere. The barking around the camp slowly stops and dies out until only the fire can be heard. Then that suddenly vanishes together as Cecilia collapses.

Arnell runs over to his daughter to try and catch her but luckily, Timothy is still there and catches her instead. Another man with a gun in hand walks over to the big corpse of the monster and fires another round through its eye to be sure. Arnell just desperately shakes his daughter. When she doesn’t wake, Arnell just hugs her tight and cries.

Days later, Cecilia finally wakes up again. Slowly her eyes flutter open and for a while a confused look plays across her face. Then she suddenly sits straight up in a flash. And prompty crumbles down again. “Daddy!” She weakly shouts. She tries to get up slowly this time. Her heads sways and she nearly loses consciousness again. She can see that she is in a tent, but it isn’t the same one they had last time. That one was pale green and this one is dark blue.

A woman that Cecilia doesn’t recognise opens the tent and sees Cecilia sitting upright. Then she immediately leaves again. Cecilia can faintly hear voices outside and she can vaguely see shapes move on the canvas. The tent opens again and Timmy runs inside. “Cecilia!” He hugs her tightly, and sniffs as tears run down his cheek. “You are okay Timmy!” Cecilia is relieved that her best friend is safe. Timothy looks up at her with red tearful eyes.

The tent opens fully now and Arnell crawls in. Ten years flow off his face as he sees his little girl awake. “Darling. Don’t ever do that again.” He then pulls Timothy and Cecilia in a big hug as well. It nearly seems like he is about to cry as well but he manages to keep it in.

“Daddy, what happened?” Cecilia is really confused now. Arnell lets her go and strokes her head. “Nothing for you to worry about. Why don’t you try to rest. Timothy can stay here with you if you promise not to be too wild and actually sleep a bit. Okay?” Arnell tries to soothe Cecilia as much as possible, who looks frail and weak. Timothy is still clinging to her, but she nods for the both of them.

“I’ll check up on the two of you later then. Don’t forget to rest.” Arnell crawls back out of the tent and zips it up. Outside, Katia is sitting on a chair with her arm in a sling and a nasty scratch on her leg.

“How did Cecilia take it?” Katia asks him. Arnell can’t help but sigh. “I don’t know since I haven’t told her yet. But I’ll take care of Timothy either way if Robert doesn’t make it.” Katia can only nod. They lost more than half and they are still counting everyone, so it could end up more.

“I can barely bare it, but I doubt Robert will survive. It’s hard to even tell whether or not he’s even breathing and the blood loss… I hope that Timothy can survive the loss of his dad after he saw his little sister and Ellen there. Lifeless. It’s always worse to see your own family die than your home destroyed.” Katia lost most of her lustre after the attack. It’s the second time she saw her friends die. For most people it was, in fact.

Despite the last few days, Arnell could find a smile again.“I can't help but feel so relieved she's awake. The others told me not to be too hopeful, but there she is. She's my girl, she should be well and healthy in no time. Anyway, can you stay here and watch out for the kids? A new beautiful day and my girl isn't the only one that relies on me anymore. Apparently, having a wild mage as your daughter is enough to be invited to the leading circle. Of course, it helps that most of them are dead. I actually liked Brian though.” Arnell is about to walk on as he doesn’t expect a reply from Katia.

“Say hello to Charissa if you see her. Oh, and before you go, do you know what we will do after we reach the border?” Katia stops him with her good arm. “I know you all want to be positive and such after we lost so many people, but I just have this feeling we are going to be disappointed.”

Arnell can’t help but sigh again and turns around. “We are hoping that they’ll help us or simply let us through but from what we heard on the radio, Germany might actually be a worse place for us to be than here. While the rivers are a bigger danger here, Germany is in complete anarchy. Most people left Zuid Holland and Noord Holland to go to family in the east but when the beast and monster attack became increasingly dire, to the point of the slaughter of entire towns, they joined the few who went further inland towards Germany and Luxemburg.”

“Now they have an influx of people and the destruction of some cities like Hamburg was a great blow. Worse beast and monsters than those new dogs are starting to pop up and Germany is starting to fracture since their government can’t even hope to contain it. Rob's radio is broadcasting worse and worse news.”

Katia sits there contemplating all that. “Can they even spare the men to stand at the border?” Arnell shakes his head. “I’d ask the people who live there to do it themselves. By giving them some help to do that they can also defend themselves from beasts and monsters. Anyway, we have decided that if they send us away, it won’t be worth the effort to get there without any aid, so we’ll just come back here where we are more comfortable. Well, all who want to come with us will.”

Arnell nods and this time actually leaves. Katia doesn’t stop him this time. Suddenly a loud cough comes out from the tent, followed by a scream. Timothy comes running out of the tent with a pale face. "Katty! Katty!" Katia immediately rushes over and stops him from hystirically running away. Only then does she notice the blood on his shirt. "Fetch Arnell!" She shouts at him and then gets in the tent.