Daki held his brother's hand. Not so tight as to make Silas think he was afraid, but firm enough so he could have the confidence to keep moving forward. The city was big. He had never seen anything like it before and couldn't take his eyes from the giant skyscrapers and air vehicles moving swiftly through the clouds. Enormous elevators decorated the exterior of most buildings and Daki could see the blue, electrical currents beneath them that made them move.
"Silas," Daki said. "What makes that electricity?" he pointed to the elevators. He had always thought electric currents moved through special wires that were connected to things and made with either water or coal. These didn't seem to be like that though and he couldn't see wires anywhere. Just the electric currents.
Silas followed his finger to the elevators. "That electricity?" he asked.
Daki nodded.
"Warlocks."
"War… locks?" Daki asked, trying out the word for the first time.
"Yeah," Silas said. "You know… ? Magic users! Those elevators are powered by one of the most advanced forms of magic there is! And so are most of the things in Ifrit." Silas smiled and pointed a finger toward the many air vehicles moving swiftly passed them, above and below. "Those aren't directly powered by a warlock, but rather by special stones infused by their power."
His eyes went wide as the wonder of it all, left him awestruck. Daki had heard they used magic in their society for everyday things, but he didn't think it was to this extent. A loud, melodious noise caused him to look up.
The enormous animal swam gracefully above them between two large skyscrapers. Its tail moved up and down, seemingly to propel it forward but this left Daki confused. How could it swim without water? The whale veered to the left, around another tall building and slowly vanished as it swam further and further away.
"Come on," Silas said with a bit of a chuckle. "It's this way." he walked forward along the glass bridge, pulling Daki behind him.
The pace quickened as they neared the halfway point. Silas began to jog out of excitement and soon the both of them were in a full on sprint. Though Daki couldn't run as fast as his big brother, he did his best to keep up. By the time they reached their own elevator, they were both panting and laughing so hard that neither could properly breath. Daki bent over clutching his stomach and Silas had fallen to his knees.
"Okay… okay…" Silas said, attempting to recover. "W-we should get on!" he stood up and stepped onto the awaiting platform.
Daki took the biggest breath he could and stepped onto it after his brother. There was a pause and then the elevator rumbled to life. Daki nearly fell over as it jerked up slightly, before starting to make its descent down. He put his hand out, but was met by an invisible wall. Daki glanced up at Silas for confirmation.
"It's a barrier," Silas said. "Put there to prevent people from jumping off… or walking"
"Why would anyone want to do that?"
Silas shrugged. "Dunno."
Daki removed his hand from the invisible wall and peered out over the edge. The undercity was just as fantastic as the overcity they were currently coming from. It was a place shrouded in shadow, which Daki guessed was because of everything else built over top of it. As he continued to gaze into the depths, he noticed the glittering fire lights. From as high as they were, those lights almost looked like stars shining brightly in the night sky.
"Silas?"
"What is it?"
"Is that magic too?" Daki asked.
Silas smiled and nodded. "It is," he said. "And those lights mean we're getting close."
"Close to what?" Daki asked.
"Close to the person who can find our father," Silas said.
Excitement rushed through him as he continued to stare into the dark undercity. He had always thought they had no parents and that Silas was just there to look after him. Now though, Silas was telling him they had a father? As they descended lower and lower, looking at all the flickering lights, he couldn't help but wonder what that man might be like. Was he tall or short? Courageous?
Daki's thoughts were interrupted when the elevator jerked slightly. He stumbled to the side and into his brother who caught him. "What was that?" he asked.
"I don't know," Silas said. "Maybe they're having trouble with the elevator?"
As if on cue, the elevator jerked violently this time, sending both of them sprawling on the platform. He could feel it as his arm fell to the side. Or rather… it was what he didn't feel that bothered him. The platform underneath. When Daki opened his eyes and looked, he could see that his arm had fallen over the edge. He promptly stood up and scrambled away. Where had the barrier gone?
Daki clutched his brother's arm tightly with both hands as the elevator jerked once again. "Silas!" he said.
Silas took hold of Daki's hand, but was now staring at something out there, in the distance. It seemed like he was entranced, trapped in a hypnotic state, unable to pull his eyes away from what he was looking at. So mesmerized was he, that Silas didn't even notice when the platform jerked again.
Daki followed his brother's gaze and was horrified at what he saw. The city was on fire. He stepped back, maybe a little too far as his foot went off the edge.
"Watch it you fool!" Silas said as he yanked him back. "Don't want you falling off."
"W-what's happening?" Daki asked.
The elevator jerked again. This time however, it tilted to the side, unable to stay stable any longer. Daki began sliding down the slanted surface and scrambled to try and keep himself from falling off entirely, but there was nothing to hold onto. When he looked down, he could see that the city was closer than before. Maybe if they fell, they would make it? He shook his head, banishing the thought.
Yes the city was closer, but it was still too far to fall and be able to survive. The platform went vertical and Daki felt himself falling faster and faster. Now, there was no way. He was too far from the edge to grab on. His heart raced as he neared the bottom of their elevator and then it skipped a beat.
Again the platform shifted, righting itself. A wave of hot relief moved through Daki. It seemed their lives wouldn't be over just yet. Beside him, Silas was on his knees, panting. This was not like before, however. There was panic in his brother's eyes and cold sweat dripping from his temples.
"Are… you okay?" Silas asked as he regained his composure and stood up. He dusted himself off, even though there was no dirt or dust.
One thing Daki had noticed upon entering this city, was that it was completely immaculate. Everything was clean. Everything was pristine. A quiet thump caused the platform to shake slightly. He glanced up to see what it was and was surprised to see a man.
The figure was tall and mysterious. On his head he wore a wide brimmed hat. He also sported a brown, leather long coat. The man touched the rim as he turned to glance at Daki. "Are you both alright?" he asked. There was concern in his voice and his eyes were the eyes of someone who truly cared. But why? This man was a stranger to them.
Daki nodded. He was still shaky from the previous event, but he somehow managed to stand up anyway. "Who are… ?" he began.
The man sighed. "The one who has come to save you kids." he let go of his hat and turned to the fiery blaze in the distance. "We warned them, but they didn't listen." he raised both of his hands and blue streams of electricity fell from them. Small sparks, like rain in slow motion but more beautiful. The streams and the blue sparks fell into the platform.
It began to move. Descending as it should have, to the city below. Daki looked up at the man, his eyes so wide he thought they might pop out of his skull. This man, he was a… "Warlock…" Daki whispered.
The man smiled. "Yes," he said.
Silas stepped up beside him. "You can save us, right?" he asked. Though he didn't sound convinced. His voice was hollow, void of any enthusiasm.
"I can," the man replied. "But it will take some effort on your part."
They were descending below subterranean skyscrapers now, that fiery blaze brighter in the distance. Daki watched as those flames grew ever larger, engulfing everything they came across. It was closer. There was a mild thump as the platform came into contact with the ground. They weren't supposed to do that, were they?
There was no time to ponder such things, as behind them there was a thunderous roar and a loud thump. Before Daki could react or even turn his head to see what had made the noise, he was shoved off the platform. Silas on the other hand, was thrown off because he was almost petrified from fear. Daki figured that maybe he just needed a little jolt. Something to shock him out of his stupor and that was why the man had thrown him. Whatever the reason, it worked.
Silas took Daki's hand and in turn, Daki squeezed as tightly as he could. He didn't know what was happening here, but they had to survive it.
"Move!" the man shouted as another thunderous roar sounded from behind.
An anxious tug on Daki's shirt sleeve told him what they should be doing. With Silas once again, pulling him behind, he ran. As they created distance between themselves and the platform, those roars intensified. The thump… thumping on the ground became louder as well, as whatever was causing those noises, chased them from behind. The ground began to rumble and shake.
Through all that was going on around him, he almost didn't notice himself falling. He hit the pavement and everything else became a blur.
Another roar in the distance, but closer than before. The hot, burning flames eating everything in its way. The suffocating air. A loud thump, thump. Nails against concrete. A low and angry growl.
"Daki!" it was Silas' shout. "Get up, we've got to move!"
Daki felt himself being pulled to his feet.
Another roar caused him to look and what he saw, rooted him to the spot. The beast was big. Like one of those tall skyscrapers, but much, much thicker than one. Its canine maw was wide open, showing all of its dagger teeth. Long, pointed horns extended from its forehead and many frills from the back of its head, down to the nape of its neck. This gave it the appearance of having a mohawk. The beast had an arched back like a hyena, but the rest of it was more doglike.
"What are you standing around there for?" the man shouted. "You see the Behemoth, don't you? Run!"
He continued to stare at the beast. Even if they ran now, they still wouldn't make it. It was impossible to outrun such a monstrosity. Daki shook his head.
"Daki!" Silas again. He was further away than before.
Daki turned to look.
Silas had run, unaware that his brother was not with him.
The ground rumbled again, more violently than before. Daki fell over and stared at the thin crevice in the earth that was now between them. It was so thin that if he had been able to move, he was sure he could have stepped over it.
The Behemoth roared.
Daki peered over his shoulder to see the creature as it began to leap.
"Shit!" the man said. He ran in the direction of the beast and as it became airborne, leapt up and took hold of its fur. The Behemoth carried him all the way over the thin crevice, landing between Silas and Daki.
The crevice was larger now and deeper than before.
Daki continued to stare on in disbelief. This was it. His life might soon be over and so might Silas and that man.
The man jumped off the Behemoth, landing in a roll before coming back to his feet between it and Silas. He furrowed his brow in anger. "I will not let you have them!" he said. "Be gone!" he raised a hand.
At first, nothing happened. But as Daki continued to watch and that crevice grew ever larger, electricity moved through the air. It entered the beast's chest.
It roared in pain and agony.
"Back to the depths where you belong," the man said, though his voice was strangely calm.
The Behemoth stood on its hind legs as it tried to avoid the lightning, but it was no use. It stepped back and back. Its foot went over the edge and then it was plummeting down.
Daki scrambled to the edge and watched in horror and shock as the Behemoth vanished in darkness. He looked up when it was gone.
The crevice in the earth was so wide now, that no amount of engineering could get him to where his brother stood. And the distance kept increasing. Slower than before, but they were still being forced apart.
"Daki!"
He blinked. It was the man who had spoken this time, not his brother. But when had they told him their names?
"We will find a way to reach you," the man's voice was calm. "Hold tight on that side until we do." he lifted the hat off his head and threw it like a frisbee, over the crevice. With a subtle flick of a finger, electricity streamed towards the hat, bumping into it, helping it on its way. The hat never fell. It kept floating in the air, being pushed by a gentle breeze and lightning.
Daki reached up as the hat approached him. Having run out of power and energy, the blue stream of electricity fizzled out. It didn't matter. The hat was now in Daki's hands. He looked up to where that man and his brother were. He wanted to say thank you, but they were gone and the other side was shrouded in a thick mist. With a big breath, Daki forced himself to his feet. He would say those words anyway, in the hopes that they would hear.
"Thank you!" Daki yelled out into the abyss.
Nothing but the echoes of his own voice, returned to greet him.