Riley paused his yelling after a couple of minutes as a scattering of dirt fell from the ceiling.
"Hello?" Called a small voice. The light in what was now a cavern, rather than a hallway, dimmed as the sun was obscured.
"Hello! Please get a rope and help us out!" Riley called.
"I don't have a rope. I'll have to ask Mama." The light brightened as the figure disappeared.
The group exchanged worried glances. At least someone knew they were down here, even if that someone were a child. Several tense minutes passed and finally, the light dimmed again.
"Hello?" A woman called.
"Please, help us. We are trapped. Do you have a rope, or can you get someone with rope? We have news for the General and the rest of the Council!" Riley called.
"The General surely left to join the battle. I will find someone to help, please stay there." Her words faded as the light brightened again.
Again, the group exchanged glances. It had occurred to them that the booming and rumbling from this morning could have been the sounds of war, but having it confirmed was something more sobering than mere conjecture. They needed to get out more desperately than ever. Each able-bodied man would be needed to defend the city.
The group slowly found places to sit and wait; pacing was highly impractical over the uneven and unstable rubble, no matter how much nervous energy they possessed. At least now the sun's light was there to give them a marker for the passage of time.
Finn looked up in expectation as the light dimmed again, but then it brightened shortly afterward. Perhaps a cloud passing in front of the sun? She swallowed and stared at the floor, continuing to work on her ill-conceived partial plan.
It was a terrible and risky plan, but it was the quickest potential way to peace that she could think of. Titania wanted the total annihilation of Klain, so it was highly unlikely she would receive any sort of peace convoy.
What else had Roland said? He had been trying to convince his father not to go to war. Perhaps trying to seek Prince Duncan would be her best avenue to success. It could very easily get her killed.
She grimaced, but was determined to do everything she could. The point of light continued to darken, and she wondered if nightfall was approaching or if a storm was coming. Neither was a particularly pleasant thing to consider. The light was a lifeline to her sanity. To lose it now, to have the proof of fresh air and potential escape gone from her sight, would be difficult to bear.
At last, another, deeper voice was heard from above.
"Who are you?" It called.
"We were the teams assigned by the Council to search the archives underground! Please help us!" Kristoff called.
The party were forced to move as the prospective rescuer worked to widen the hole to a size that would fit a grown man. Dirt and pebbles rained from above as the earth was cut to a reasonable diameter. Finally, a rope was lowered down.
"We should send Finn first," Kristoff said. "She is a lady and has the answers needed for the war."
"No, we don't know if it is safe enough for her. What if the earth gives way, or the people at the other end of the rope lose their grip and drop her? Please let someone else go first so that he can secure the other end and make sure the rest can be brought up safely." Riley drew his eyebrows together.
The others nodded at the reasonableness. Although one or two were particularly eager to be out of the ominous darkness, to volunteer too vehemently now would be akin to admitting cowardice and an anxiousness to be the first to freedom.
"I'll go," Joe finally said. The end of the rope was handed to him.
"I tied it off! It's ready!" A voice from above said. Joe blinked a few seconds, absorbing the fact that he would be expected to climb the entire height of the rope instead of being lifted.
Sighing, he took it firmly in both hands, and fist over fist with the tail end of the rope encircled by his legs, he slowly rose higher and higher through the cave until he reached the hole. Hands appeared to help pull him through it, and he shouted his success downward.
The rope was handed to Finn, but she pushed it away.
"First of all," she said shakily, "I cannot climb a rope like that. I would certainly fall to my death. Second of all, I will not have anyone down here to potentially glance up my skirts." She had covertly untucked her hem as they had sat waiting, so her legs were fully covered once again. "I'm afraid all of you will have to go first so that I may be pulled up by all of you at the last."
Not in the mood to argue with the stubborn woman, Riley pushed the rope at Kristoff, who deftly climbed the rope and made it up shortly. One by one, the others made their way to the surface, until just Riley and Finn remained. He had whispered quickly to the last man up, but Finn was too preoccupied with nervous energy to hear.
Riley looked at Finn with a calculating eye, then tied the end of the rope into a tight loop.
"Arms up," He directed her.
"What?" She obeyed as she spoke, without thinking. When had he become so authoritative?
He slid the loop over her raised arms and down around her waist.
"Sit in the loop, and hold tightly. I'll have them lift you up." He said. "Lower the rope back down once you're safe."
"One of my reasons for going last still stands," Finn's face reddened as Riley rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Come on, I'm not going to see anything. I owe Roland my life, and if I let you fall to your death I'll owe him even more. Don't put me in that kind of a position. Someone has to be down here to catch you if you fall."
"If you're not looking, how could you catch me if I fell?" She challenged.
"I didn't say I wouldn't pay attention, just that I wouldn't see anything." He replied, yanking hard on the rope twice. "TAKE HER UP!"
She had no more time to argue, as the rope began shortening, pulled from the surface. Quickly settling the loop around her hips, she clung to the rope with one arm, Gwen's satchel with the other, and shut her eyes tightly.
"I'll get you back for this, Riley," She promised.
"Get me back for what? For saving your life? There's some gratitude for you. As long as you live to spite me, I'll be satisfied." His voice grew louder as she was lifted higher. Though her eyes were shut, the light filtering through her eyelids grew slowly brighter.
Her eyes snapped open as firm hands grasped her upper arms, pulling her the last inches to freedom. She forced a smile as she was placed on solid ground, but scrambled quickly away from the hole lest it crumble further and she fall back into the chasm.
The rope was lowered back down and she sat, shivering slightly from the emotion of being back on the surface. Looking around, the city looked... empty. Strangely deserted, save for the line of men hauling at the rope, plus one she didn't recognize, and a woman and child watching the spectacle of the earth vomiting people from a small hole.
"What happened?" She asked the woman.
"We are to remain inside until the all-clear horn sounds. My son disregarded my instruction and ran out the front door when he heard a loud noise, and found this hole. I was able to get a neighbor with a rope, but all other citizens are obeying orders to remain." She explained, looking all-too-ready to get back inside. Her compassion for those trapped was all that kept her present.
"Thank you for your help, ma'am, and yours too," She smiled at the boy.
"Of course. Is there anything else you require? A place to remain until the all clear sounds?" The woman asked kindly. The boy partially hid behind her skirts, embarrassed by Finn's attention.
"No, I... thank you. I have business to take care of." Finn watched the opening of the hole anxiously for Riley to appear before she ran off on yet another dangerous mission.
At last, he was pulled from the earth's gaping maw and gave her a lopsided grin.
"When you tell this story to Ashley, please emphasize my extreme heroism." He winked at her, earning a laugh.
"I will definitely emphasize something. Regardless, I doubt I could change her opinion of you now." Finn's mouth twisted wryly.
"What a thing to say to a hero," He shook his head at her in disappointment before switching to a businesslike tone. "Where do you need to go? I'm not sure of the state of the city, but I'll get you there."