Chapter 39 Azahara
Azahara
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Her voice was a whisper in the wake of her situation. A tendril of fear ran down her spine at the thought of being here, in this place, alone.
Suddenly, there were hands on her back, and with a speed she didn’t realize she had, she grabbed onto them.
Her shoulder aided in hoisting the large mass up and over her shoulder, straight into the running river.
A hand was already on her dagger, ready to continue the fight when honey-gold hair, now soaked, caught her attention.
His emerald green eyes stared up at her. Pure shock laced his expression, and for a brief second, she swore she saw fear.
“Oh, gods, Kaed.” Putting her dagger back into its holster, she moved to help him up.
“I wasn’t expecting that reaction.” His tone mirrored his shock. “Why are you on edge?” He began standing, his hand taking hers as she assisted in pulling him from the running river.
“Look around you. We aren’t where we’re supposed to be.” She took his tunic into her hand and began wringing it out.
Kaed muttered a few words, voiced only through murmurs and in Elvish. They seemed more like expletives that mirrored her feelings about the situation, so she didn’t request him to repeat them.
He put his hand on hers and pulled her close. The feeling that he had been scared or mad at her completely disappeared, and she sighed in relief.
“Let’s go back through the wether.” He was turning them to go, but Azahara stopped him.
“We can’t.” She moved them both away from the portal; if Zhal or Illyan came through, they wouldn’t have the same fate as Kaed.
“If we go through when they are coming, we could bump into each other and send us in different directions. You could end up anywhere.” The thought of being sent back to Howl sent a chill down her spine.
“The other reason for similar problems is that Illyan is concentrating on us going in one direction. If we manage to get through without running into them, it’s possible that only parts of us would make it. ”
That made them both shiver.
“Duly noted.” Kaed turned from her then, looking around again. “Helgum. I’ve been here before.”
It may have surprised Kaed, but Azahara wasn’t shocked that he had. This was routinely kept in check by the king and his armies. As the primary sector to do it, the Order would examine all reports coming out of this place.
Moments later, both Illyan and Zhal came through the portal, which immediately closed behind them.
Illyan fell to their knees, and Azahara made her way over to them quickly. They were out of breath, and she could only assume that bringing four people through had wiped them out.
Her hand was on their shoulder. “I know you’re exhausted, but I need you to get up. You wethered us to the wrong location.” They just shook their heads, breathing heavily and trembling. “Please, we are in Helgum, Illy.”
They continued to shake their head.
Azahara stood quickly and cursed. Her arms crossed under her chest as she stepped away from Illyan. She hated to admit it, but she was angry with them. I know you’re young, Illyan, but good gods, how could you mess this up so badly?
At that moment, she was taken aback at herself. How had she become this person? Commanding? Being hateful? That wasn’t the type of person she had ever been. She was always free-spirited and typically happy. Now she was always upset, crying, or angry every day.
What was most frustrating was her body felt perfectly fine. Nothing externally showed the internal battle she was having.
“I hate to break up whatever is happening right now,” Zhal called out to the group.
Azahara looked at her and saw that her gaze was down toward the Giant’s skull that was front and center, the entrance to the cave of Hel.
“Someone is going inside. On a boat.” Something in Zhal’s tone caught her attention.
As if none of this surprised her and that she had anticipated what was happening.
She looked from Zhal, to Kaed, and then over at Illyan. “I need the truth.”
The three of them looked at her simultaneously.
“Please tell me this wasn’t the plan all along.
” Her heart was beating so hard against her chest it hurt.
Fear that she had been played was sending a million lightning bolts through her body, straight to the tips of her fingers and toes.
A numbness quickly overrode her strong body, threatening to take her down.
The air in her lungs felt depleted, and she struggled to find more to compensate.
She didn’t want to hyperventilate, but she felt the thread of a panic attack stringing together, ready to commence.
Kaed crossed the space between them, his arms wrapping around her neck and pulling her into his chest. “Hey, hey—take a deep breath. No, this wasn’t the plan.”
Her eyes closed as she listened to his heart. It was as steady as it always was. He had always been upfront and honest when she asked, so there was no need to distrust him now.
Still... She would blame the feeling of mistrust on her mental stability, or lack thereof. The one good thing she had was the people around her. She couldn’t start pushing them away. They were all she had, and trust was what she needed to place in them.
“I’m sorry.” His wet clothes muffled her words, her arms soaking as they wrapped around him and held on tight. “I just don’t know how this could have happened.”
Illyan was up on their feet when they said, “Someone must’ve tampered with my Magic. It’s the only way this could have happened, Azahara. I’m sorry.”
Azahara… She shook her head, trying to displace the active thoughts of treason and hurt she was feeling. They are my family; they wouldn’t lie to me. Stop it, stop it.
“Fae, can you portal us out of here?” Zhal asked, her tone the definition of calm.
A heavy sigh came from Illyan. “No. Not right now. Plus, it may be dangerous to try and wether out.”
She gripped tightly to Kaed, and he did the same. His lips were pressed against the top of her head, placing small kisses to soothe her.
There was no point in her overthinking what brought them there. Digging into it now would only prolong their stay in Helgum, which was not where she nor they wanted to be. So instead, she stepped away from Kaed, giving him a smile before going to Zhal.
Personally, she’d never been to Helgum, so she would be walking them around blindly. “Can’t be good that someone is going into the caves.” Her tone was apropos. “I suppose me saying ‘let’s not go find out why’ will go on deaf ears.”
Kaed let out a low chuckle, and Zhal shot him a glance.
He cleared his throat. “There are several ways out of Helgum. We can walk upstream, but that will take days, if not longer. Plus, there are the Slokk and Banshees to look out for. Hel’s caverns do have an exit.
I’m more familiar with that one.” Slokk were nasty little creatures that resembled Gremlins but thrived in darkness, delighting in feasting on the flesh of anything they could lay their hands on.
Banshees were forgotten spirits, and although Azahara had never encountered them, she feared the legends and preferred not to meet one.
Azahara let out a sigh and began walking in the direction of the skull. She heard the rushing of feet behind her.
“Let me go first.” It was Zhal that placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. “Please.”
Craning her head, she held the moment with her Mihan. She knew if they were alone, and she pressed Zhal, she would get the truth out of her. Above all else, she was her warrior, not Kaed or Illyan’s.
That felt like she was overstepping her boundaries, though. As much as she wanted to pry and beg Zhal to swear that they had no idea they were meant to be there, she dropped her gaze and nodded in agreement.
Zhal squeezed her shoulder slightly and leaned in towards her. Before she could do whatever she planned, she leaned away from Azahara.
“Thank you.” Zhal held empathy for her. The unspoken words of “I’m sorry” lingered on her tongue.
They began their trek across the river that took them to the side of the cave’s opening. Zhal kept them moving, even as they climbed over rocks and treacherous grounding. Assisting Azahara where only absolutely necessary. Zhal was always trying to allow her to be strong and independent.
Writing and art could be seen etched into the marrow as they walked around the Giant’s skull.
This Giant’s name was Xlok. It was said that he had been one of the oldest giants to roam the realms before they were eradicated sometime after the War of Ilkiz ended.
Helgum was said to be the home of these generally gentle creatures.
Now, scavengers and creatures from every corner of the realm come to make this place their home.
It is also believed to be a dwelling place for the deceased.
According to legend, the cracked ground allowed light to pour in, and the dead were cast into its depths instead of being given a proper burial.
It was even rumored that both guilty and innocent mortals were thrown in as punishment while still alive.
As they entered the cave, they were met with more limestone that reached hundreds of feet high and an unknown length below.
Thankfully, the treacherous cliffside they walked on was large enough that there was no concern about slipping and falling.
They stayed as far from the edge as possible to prevent any accidents.
The jagged formations were something out of her nightmares.
They resembled the teeth of ancient, monstrous creatures that parents told their kids stories about to deter them from going into the forest after dark.
Along the cliffside, both at their level and the levels above them, were twisted and leafless trees, their branches hanging precariously and casting a skeletal form across the inky darkness below.
The further they walked, the more an overpowering stench of death and decay assaulted her senses.
The air felt heavier with the scent of decaying foliage and musty dampness.
It was a putrid odor, and Azahara had to cover her nose with her shirt, fearing she might become nauseous.
It mingled with the dank earthiness, permeating the atmosphere and even blurring her vision.
She dared a glance over the edge as they began to circle around an enclave of the limestone walls.
The floor of Hel was a void, a bottomless pit of impenetrable darkness.
It felt like she would fall forever into the eternal abyss if she stepped off the path.
There would be no floor to catch her, and she would venture straight to the depths of the underworld’s den.
The silence between them, coupled with the cave itself, was oppressive and weighed heavily on her. The only sounds were their footsteps and distant drips of water, echoing like whispers from the unseen depths.
The sudden sound of a rock falling near them had Azahara’s back against the jagged rocks and her heart in her throat.
“It’s okay, just some loose rocks,” Zhal reassured her, stepping closer to Azahara and taking her hand. “I’ve got you.”
Azahara nodded and peeled herself from the wall. Kaed was by her side, but Zhal was keeping her steady. She always felt safe beside her. They could throw the world at her, but Zhal would be there to handle it all.
More than anything, she wanted to be strong like Zhal and Kaed.
They both had different forms of strength.
Zhal was powerful; she exerted force and overcame resistance.
Kaed was brave; unafraid to do what was right, and would run headlong into fear, adversity, or any challenging situation.
Combined, they were the fiercest protectors she could ever ask for.
She wanted to be that for them, just as much as they were that for her.
“Are you okay?” Zhal asked, pulling Azahara from her deep thoughts. “You are a bit paler than normal.”
Azahara smiled and let out a gentle laugh. “Thanks... I’m fine. Just thinking about how I want to get out of this place.”
Zhal adjusted her to be between her and Kaed; Illyan was in tow right behind her. They surrounded her like a queen, as if she were of that much importance. It twisted her gut to even think they would have lied to her.
Could I hate myself any more than I do now?
“We are coming up on a cavern that will lead toward the entrance, or in our case, exit.” Kaed placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and she smiled at him.
Sure enough, not more than a hundred feet away was a man-made archway that led them into yet another dark part of Hel. Two by two, they walked through, with Kaed and Zhal leading Illyan and her.
Illyan placed their hand into hers, and she smiled.
This was the most time they had ever spent together outside her home.
Most places didn’t like the Fae, and while they had the ability to fit in, Illyan didn’t want to.
She brought too much attention on herself as it was, so having a flamboyant Fae who enjoyed playful banter wouldn’t have been the best for her. Though, maybe she had missed out.
As they entered the next vast chamber of limestone, something stood out to her as different. The hall was illuminated by flickering torches that cast eerie shadows. This was the first sign of mortal meddling in a forgotten place.
She was thankful Kaed knew where he was going. The labyrinth of interconnecting passages and chambers was enough to keep someone lost or wandering for hours, if not longer. The sound of water echoing through the halls faded as they descended into the cavern.
Suddenly, the tightness of the hallway opened into a vast chamber. Illyan’s hand tightened around hers, and she immediately stopped.
There was another single corridor beside the one they had just entered through.
Dark tapestries depicting scenes of destruction and conquest, with broken and rusted weapons and armor, along with thousands, if not more, books, lined the room’s walls.
There was a desk with a candle lit on it.
However, that wasn’t what they stared at.
It wasn’t the reason they all stood frozen in fear.
A lump formed in her throat, and she swallowed hard.
Right in the center, hung by chains and stained with its owner’s blood, were beautiful blue and lavender Fae wings.
They were depicted as those of a butterfly, and their span was at least fifteen—possibly longer—feet wide.
Drained of life but still beautiful, they drew her towards them, as if calling for her help.
Her heart tightened as the pull became almost too strong to ignore.
Was it their power calling to her, or was it something else?
Noticing Kaed and Zhal whip their heads around to look at Illyan, she slowly looked at her best friend.
“How could you…?” Zhal hissed.