Frowning, Arthur could only sigh in slight disappointment. "Unfortunately, not even I can't even tell what's happening around in the outside world. Dawn is breaking and you shall awake soon. This goes without saying, but don't mention our meetings during this space out on the outside."
Seeing Elijah listen closely, Arthur softly smirked as he muttered:
"Until then, we shall meet in the waking world."
—••••••••••—
BEYOND THE VEIL:
THE GREAT SHIFT
CHAPTER 34:
ROAD TO VORGAS PART II
—••••••••••—
As dawn broke, a man sat softly on the back of the stone cave. His icy blue eyes were closed with his blonde hair swaying gently in the morning breeze.
Next to him, a silver and steel double-ended ax was found along the cave wall. Suddenly, the breeze picked up quickly as the blonde-haired man by the name of Níels awoke.
Níels muttered softly as he looked forward, "What do you want, warrior?" Next to him, leaning on the wall while standing up was Atlas Zephyr.
Atlas could only smirk softly as he muttered enough so his voice wouldn't carry through the cave walls.
"We haven't formally met. My name is Atlas Zephyr. I'm from England during the late 16th century." Níels looked up at the man named Atlas with a raised eyebrow.
Níels replied in a deep and raspy voice, "Níels, the Son of some Drunken Sailor and Whore. I hail from Norway."
Atlas remained frozen for a while before laughing softly. "No need to get personal friend. I am simply greeting you as a small gesture. A way of saying thanks for saving my life!"
Níels looked at Atlas deeply before standing up without saying another word or gesture. Seeing no point in following, Atlas merely left to cave to go out hunting for food.
…
…
…
[September 25th, 1475 A.Y. Five Days after the events of Eldritch Morr.]
[I remember those days vividly. After the night ended, and once we awoke, we all packed up and decided to leave for one of the smallest, yet most populated towns in the Amos Realm. The Town of Vorgas. Also known as the Capital of Gambling in the entire world.]
[None of that was really necessary to remember as finite food, water, and sleep were our main concerns during those days.]
[It is a shame I can't relive those memories.]
…
…
…
"Are we there yet, Miss?" Eddward Aurelius muttered in Godiva's ear. The raven-haired woman only smiled softly.
"In a while, little Eddward." Feeling his hair being ruffled, Eddward softly poured his checks but begrudgingly nodded as he walked with the group.
The roads were mainly dirt and two lines of stones on each side indicated the end boundaries of the road and forest.
The group was formed like it was during the Eldritch incident. Atlas took point with Yves taking the side. However, this time, Níels took the other side while Augustus took the back.
This was a diamond formation that protected all sides.
All seventeen pairs of feet walked in disfigured matters and someone casually bumped into each other.
All sixteen pairs of feet walked in disfigured fashion with Selena accidentally bumping into Elijah.
Wait… sixteen? Atlas hearing the slight disturbance stopped which halted the entire group. This caused Selena to fall face-first into Elijah's back. The older half-brother could only groan at his sister.
Looking behind, everyone instinctively looked behind along with Atlas. They saw Augustus Black standing still in the road, ten feet behind.
He had his eyes closed as if he was focusing on something. "What is he doing…?" Eddward asked softly as Godiva could not give him a small pat on the head.
"Augustus! What the hell are you doing!?" Elijah, his fellow 'Black' gentleman, yelled out. In response to his fellow 'Black' man, Augustus raised his hand and muttered softly.
"Don't you hear that…?" Atlas' nerves immediately tensed up as he extended his hearing through the powers of his 'Veil'.
…
I don't hear anything. I've heard from Matthew that Augustus evolved similarly to me during that night. Could his abilities be more focused on perception than my abilities? That's a possibility, I'll have to consult Mister Arthur later about Augustus' abilities.
Hearing nothing, Atlas shook his head.
Turning to Cecil, Yves asked cautiously, yet hurriedly: "Which forest are we near!?" Cecil quickly responded based on the time, distance, and location they'd taken during those five days.
"Near the Slumbering Forest near the North Coast." Yves hastily looked around but he saw nothing in the woods.
Trees, bushes, animals, but there were none… before he could finish, Yves saw a silhouette hidden behind the trees.
Chills went down Yves' spin, he did the most logical thing he could do. Grabbing Eddward's and Godiva's hand. "Let's leave!!" Yelling out, everyone quickly followed suit with Augustus falling slightly behind, but still making it with them.
The trees of the slumbering forest quaked a little as the wind began to pick up, this only served to make everyone pick up the pace.
Before long, the trees and dirt path ended as large amounts of rocks and dirt covered the dirt path leading toward Vorgas. Grunting loudly, Yves quickly moved towards the right, entering part of the forest.
The forest was compacted and full of bushes, thorns, and of course, trees. For no one to lose each other, they held hands. The only exception to this was Níels as he surveyed the area for anyone, but his gaze failed to see anything.
The forest was steep with each step taking great amounts of stamina to get up, this caused the children like Eddward and Cedric to be picked up by their respective guardians.
Before they realized it, the dark and dim forest made way for light and warmth to shine through. This caused them all to pick up the pace.
Yves was first to reach the light as he immediately stopped. Beneath him was a sheep downhill filled with flowers and tall grass.
Yves' sudden stop was thankfully noticed by the others, all but one. Selena accidentally bumped into her brother which caused a domino effect to unfold.
Yves fell first with Godiva quickly following, thankfully, she managed to push young Eddward out of the way before he could follow suit and fall.
Cecil fell with Jean and Audrey following. Atlas naturally fell down the hill and caught Audrey who was slipping for Jean's hand.
Hana also fell, but like Godiva, she pushed her little boy out of the way. Both Matthew and Elijah fell with Elijah falling the hardest.
The married Eggers couple fell as well. Daemon quickly grabbed his miss and protected her.
The only ones that didn't fall were Eddward, Cedric, Níels, and Selena.
…
…
…
Yves felt his head ringing slightly as he groaned. On top of him, he felt some weight on his chest, but nothing too heavy.
Groggily opening his eyes, he saw someone familiar with him. Chuckling softly, he muttered: "Not how I'd imagined my early birthday gift would be. But I'll take it."
Godiva could only lightly groan as she softly slapped his chest. "Isn't your birthday in December?" Lifting her upper body, she looked down at him who ached in pain.
"Hence why I said early birthday! Unless you don't consider three months to be early." Godiva leaned in closer as Yves still ached in pain.
"You're right. I don't consider three months to be early! That's prehistoric!" Before they had only their banter, someone came from the tall grass.
It was Atlas and Audrey! Atlas looked at them for a moment before turning around and waving his hand.
"Sorry if I'd ruined the moment!" Running off through the grass, Atlas left. Audrey remained and said: "I know nothing happening between you two. But that doesn't change the way you're both positioned!"
Running off as well, both Yves and Godiva looked at each other with a questioning gaze. It quickly clicked, from an outside point of view, she was on top of him with small holes on their clothes.
Quickly standing up, they cleaned up and left to find the other.
…
…
…
Both Yves and Godiva made their way through the tall grass and regrouped with them all. Oddly enough, Atlas avoided their gaze and continued to move forward.
Eventually, the tall glass subsided and they made it towards this space filled with flowers and short grass.
Going down one more sheep hill, they made it to see someone who brought many of them immense relief.
Ahead of them, and as far as the eye can see, they saw this massive complex of homes, buildings, and town squares. Surrounding this complex were these thin eyes guarded with shoulders, many of them having arrows.
Slightly below that, there was this massive mental and brick gate guarding the civilians. On the gate was this insignia.
It was an emblem featuring a central spade suit from a deck of playing cards, elegantly intertwined with golden vines reminiscent of Victorian design. Above the spade, a top hat and a pair of dice could be cleverly incorporated.
Sighing softly, they realized one thing. They've fully escaped Eldritch Morr and entered the town of Vorgas.
Before Yves could continue, he was stopped by Godiva as she pointed downward. Because they were on the cliffside, watching the city walls of Vorgas. Yves could easily look down.
Beneath him, there were hundreds, if not thousands of bodies. The majority of them were of those barbarians in Eldritch Morr, however, sparkled into the mesh of bodies were regular civilians ranging from all ages.
This caused Yves to feel nauseous, remembering the events of Donar Street.
Looking closely at the city walls. They all saw small holes being filled by workers as guards watched intently.
"Just what the hell happened…!?"