After passing through the east gate of Iscesa, Theo and I found ourselves following through a narrow, dirt path with many older gents and very few women. I knew this route would take us to the port. Before continuing the way I know best, many elves in front of me turned into the Howling Woods. There wasn't any sort of tangible path. It was narrower, branches stuck out, rocks still lying in the middle. Tension between the wood's creatures were growing in the air. The low rumble of a grounded beast. The high pitch songs from the aerial creatures. Their movements were overpowering the rustling of the leaves.
The path was so tight that it formed into a single line. My uncle moved to the back of me and tapped me to move faster. "Although we are right outside the city, we can never be too careful."
"Theo, who exactly are we fighting against? If we are allying with the Union, who are we fighting against? Who are the Castaways?"
His response: simple, "We will discuss that on the warship."
I moved my rucksack closer to my chest and sighed heavily. I had initially prepared my bag, but my children ended up finishing it, and it was much heavier than what I had brought.
I've been out of the city before, but I've also never seen this entrance to the trail. "Where are we going Uncle?"
"We are going to use the Condemned Pass and reach the opposing side of Wailing Pinnacle.
I quickly turned around to face him and walked backwards. "The condemned pass? The mountain pass that goes directly underneath the mountain?" I stopped and pushed him into the woods. "The same path that ordinaries can't get through. The same one that allows a quick death at the start but gives an intricate demise when you're directly underneath the peak." I grabbed both his wrist and lifted my head, "that's where they send our enemies."
He glanced at the trail and spoke harsher to me, "Speak lighter Sapphire. Everyone is already on edge. Fear brings gossip and mistakes."
Walking back into the line, I stopped and slightly moved my ear toward the woods.
"We're about to reach the pass, within the hour."
He turned back to me, "are you listening?"
"The creatures stopped moving with us." I dug my feet into the ground. "I don't hear it."
"What?"
"I don't feel the wind."
Chuckling, he started to annoy me. "Oh, that means were much closer than I thought. Have you ever been to the Pinnacle?"
I rubbed my temples and grunted, "Uncle, when would I have been to this mountain? You do understand that it's restricted. The pass is for enemies.
"I'll have to reassess my thinking about you. Restrictions are for the inadequate.
He pulled me back into the line. We were moved to the near back. Many of the elves back here were chattering away.
I skipped closer to him. Theo was loud enough for our conversation, but low enough for others to not here.
"You are right, Sapphire. We do send criminals to the Condemned Pass, but we never send elven traitors."
There was a reflection off the mountain into my eyes. I squinted, "What do you mean?" I covered my eyes, "what is that?" I felt the heat on my wrists.
"Iscesa is nearly surrounded by mountains for a reason. The pass –"
I peeked towards the front of the line and noticed that the elves we were with earlier disappeared. Trying to peek through the other side, I annoyingly rushed inside the forest to get closer to the front. Theo tried to grab my hand, but I waved him away. "Sapphire, you need to stay close –."
I moved enough away from him to miss what he was going to say. The branches released a sap as I ran against them. I turned around, and no one followed me. Waves of burning sensation ran down my recent wounds. Rubbing my arm, I felt the stickiness latched to my hand and the heat it came with. These trees are most likely the reasons why the critters are wary. Clenching my fists a few times, I slightly gawked. I felt the sap melt of my open skin.
I finally reached the edge of the mountain. I touched the rocks and looked on both sides. To my right was the forest. To my left was the line entering a dark cave-like space. Sudden red patches started to form on my arm and quickly rose toward my center. Wave of lightheadedness and nausea quickly took over. I started moving back toward the line. I felt sharp pains in my ears and limbs. Tugging on my ears, I felt dryness in my mouth and swelling. I scoffed. Seriously, why would we ever go this way?
I saw Theo run along the base of the mountain, keeping his body towards the forest. I held onto my neck and fell to my knees. I blacked out when Theo was close enough.