*POV* Randall Franklin 2nd
Stefon had the pilot take us halfway up to the red mountains which took us all night and when we landed Coral gave Stefon a hug telling him to give a small box to Lexus. Then Stefon clasped hands with me and smiled.
"I wish you the best." I nodded. I shifted my backpack and took Coral's hand and we walked away from the jet. It took off in a large cloud of dust.
Coral didn't speak for the first hour that we walked in the direction of where she had first been found. Her bright colored scarf blew around her face in the soft breeze.
Lula clung to my shirt tightly, her eyes wide, as she took in the miles and miles of golden sand. She was shielded from the sunlight with a wide brimmed hat that Lexus had bought, Samuel sat in Coral's arms with even wider eyes wearing a hat just like Lula.
"What are we looking for?" I inquired, she sighed. Moving closer to me. "I'm not sure.. All I remember was falling in an earthquake." She sounded lost and I too started to wonder if we would end up prey to a large beast, like the centipede.
We walked for a while longer before we stopped to take a drink and eat before continuing on. The sun started to set and I knew we had been walking all day. My feet started to hurt.
"Maybe we should stop and rest for a bit?" My arms ached from switching Lula between them. "Yeah.." Coral answered and layed out a blanket before sitting down.
I sat beside her and we ate lightly, I hadn't noticed when Coral had stopped giving the twins milk and switched to solids. Coral continued to be quiet and I started to wonder about her.
"Do you wish to go back?" She glanced up at me then back to her hands. "No.." I knew the fort was a couple days walk from where we were, I could get us there if she wished.
I layed back on the blanket and covered my face from the setting sun. I realized, with mounting dread, that it would be more dangerous out at night, and there was no use building a fire when there wasn't any wood.
The twins started to giggle as they played in the sand, Coral was still quiet. "What have I gotten myself into?" I thought with a dry chuckle. "What are you laughing for?" I heard her say softly, beside my face.
"Nothing." She sighed, and shifted. "I have been thinking of how I will find it. I will do a messenger spell and it will lead the way." I propped myself up on my elbow. "A spell?" Her face lit up.
Her hands moved in a waving motion as she spoke clean words in that mysterious language. I wondered if that was her true language. My powers didn't need a 'spell' they just flowed with no physical will power.
A small blue bird that looked like a blue jay formed and chirped inaudibly before taking a small rolled up piece of paper into its beak.
"Now we just watch where it goes." She got up and tossed it into the air and then scrambled to get the blanket and children up before it disappeared.
We quickly walked a couple passes behind the bird, for a while before I started to wonder if we were going in a circle when the spot we had rested at came up in the distance.
Just when I was about to say something the bird shot off in a random direction, Coral grabbed my hand and we jogged after it for a minute before we started to walk again.
A small hill about 4 feet tall soon rose up in the dim light, Coral hurried me along. I watched stunned as the bird reached the hill and hit something, only to fall from the sky.
We came up just as the bird turned to snowflakes and drifted away in the breeze. "That's it?" I questioned. The small cave no bigger than a crawl space wasn't what I had been imagining.
"Seems so." Coral got to her knees and set Samuel on the ground. Then she began to crawl forward. "Are you really just going in?" She turned back at me with a smile then crawled forward.
A loud streak followed and then all was silent, I shared a look with Lula before I got on my knees and thought of the best way to send the twins through.
Deciding I should probably carry them I reached for Samuel then I scooted forward my bottom, all of a sudden the ground disappeared from under me and I let out a surprised shout.
I floated downwards into a void of dark purple and black, I looked around in the silence, a soft glow coming from my chest had me curiously pulling at the left side of my shirt with my free hand.
Lula clung tightly to me, the glow was surprising, I pulled the fabric away to find an interesting glowing white mark on my chest over my heart. It was a rope in an infinity symbol.
I looked and saw both Lula and Samuel's marks were glowing too. The largest deer I had ever seen materialized in front of us and I pulled back. But stopped as it lifted its antler and touched my forehead.
My eyes flew up, I stared up at the yellowing leaves of the trees, sunlight drifted through the canopy and dappled the ground with light. I groaned and shifted, pulling myself into a sitting position.
Birds chipped in the trees and other sounds I had never heard. "CORAL?" I shouted as I gathered up the groggy twins. There was no answer and I started to panic.
My heart swelled with happiness and I caught sight of her running towards us, her baby blue skirts wrapped around her ankles, she had a grin on her face, her chestnut hair loose falling around her shoulders.
"We did it!" She laughed coming over to dance around me. I got to my feet and couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips. "Oh Randall, I am so happy to be back." She took Lula from me and kissed her forehead before leaning in to kiss Samuel then she turned her face up to me.
"Are you ready to explore a whole new life with me?" She questioned softly, pushing forward to press her lips to mine. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Of course, I would follow you anyway." I said with a tired smile.