Chapter 13
Central Plaza, Cornell Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2050, Planet: Grimoire
After the series of tremors sent everyone toppling almost on top of each other, they remained in place. Once certain that no more tremors would rock the area out of proportion without warning, first Sherpa stood up and placed a hand on a wood pillar. After he sighed and frowned but nodded an all clear. Anara and the others tested their footing cautiously as well. She looked to Sherpa. "What's going on?"
"We're right above a river." Sherpa shook his head dubiously. "I'm surprised that we're even above water right now."
Murmurs of alarm and shock ran through the workers.
Ambrose held up a hand. "Easy does it. We can fix this." He spoke calmly.
Larry Biggs watched them in surprise. "So, you've come across this type of thing before?"
"Yes," Jennifer confirmed. "It hasn't happened in quite a while, but while we traveled here ten years ago." She shrugged. "There was a teleport annex that was crumbling. No one knew what caused it to fall apart."
That had been frightening as all hell.
Anara grimaced. "It turns out that someone was intentionally trying to destroy it using natural means of water boring through wood and rock." She shook her head. "Not unlike what is occurring here."
"So, what you're saying is that someone might be sabotaging this warehouse using water from the river flowing beneath it?" Larry was doing his best not to sound disbelieving.
"Uhm, I remember hearing about that incident." The woman who'd thanked Anara earlier stared at them in respect now. "My older sister watched them demonstrate how to fix the problem. She's now an engineer that travels to each teleport annex and inspects them monthly."
The siblings nodded. "Yes, we can fix this." Holly cleared her throat. "We only request that you don't spread it around so that we can do this kind of thing."
The workers nodded immediately. They realized that because the siblings wanted to remain anonymous, they could comply. Clearly, they weren't comfortable with being in the spotlight when it came to doing difficult tasks requiring difficult precision.
One of the things the siblings had done was to reinforce the foundations of the entire building, plus the pilings that were beneath it.
One of the workers checked the records while the siblings worked on the immediate problems of stabilizing the pilings.
"Huh, according to the records I found, the owners of the building had known what they were doing the entire time. So, this was done intentionally."
Much to their horrified shock, someone had constructed the building there without caring about the fact that one of the rivers ran directly beneath it!
After the majority of the work was completed, there was just one last step to do.
"Do any of you know how to communicate with spirits and elementals?"
When all of the workers raised their hands.
Sherpa was relieved. "Good, now this is the last step to make sure that you all get out of here alive if an emergency occurs."
The workers agreed to form contracts with the elementals and spirits.
Doing all that work now had the siblings rather weary. They could barely move a step and so were sitting on the boxes once more.
Anara sighed. "I'm just glad that we could help."
The others nodded soberly.
"Thank you for being open-minded enough to work with the elementals that have been trying to help you all." Amusement crinkled Sapphire's eyes when she regarded them in bemusement.
There was startled and embarrassed laughter from the workers.
Thus, the siblings had done what they could to ensure that there wouldn't be leakage or ways for enemies to drill holes and flood the warehouse in the future. Not only that but now water elementals and other spirits guarded it through contracts formed with the officers.
Sherpa shrugged. "If none of you'd been sensitive to their presence, the contracts wouldn't have worked. Now though, all you need to do is heed their warnings." He'd given them examples of what to watch out for.
The workers nodded. "We're just glad that you did the hardest part."
Now the siblings had to be on their way so that they could return to their dormitory.
As for the boxes that had been somewhat tumbled when the tremor occurred, well they were now neatly stacked on various pallets. A wagon would come for them the next morning. Unless of course, something else happened.
Right then, someone knocked on a door and entered the warehouse. Ambrose recognized him. "Leroy, what is going on?"
The Wagoneer stopped short when he saw the six of them looking very disheveled and covered in dust and dirt from head to foot. "You all look worse than you did earlier. His amusement was obvious as he took the sight of them. "I assume you survived the tremor earlier, eh?"
Anara sighed. "Yes, though I was admittedly wondering who else might've gotten caught up in it."
Leroy shook his head. "There weren't that many casualties." He shrugged. "I was sent here to pick up all the boxes and such that's yours." Leroy scratched his head with a sigh. "I'm doing this specifically on official Lamberton House orders." He grimaced when he added seriously. "It seems that something else has happened. You all best be on your way now."
In other words, no more lollygagging around. The six sisters and brothers rose to their feet without a word. "We'll see you all around." The girls waved to the workers.
The boys merely bowed as they took off after their sisters.
Leroy and the workers just laughed. "Still so full of energy." He admired their willingness to run off if it meant avoiding more trouble.
Larry frowned after them and shook his head wearily. "Ah well, they're likely going to collapse if they keep doing that."
Having watched them for the past ten years since they were teenagers, Leroy chuckled. "You know as well as I do that they won't change." He shrugged. "Let them be wild foals a bit longer." Their excess energy would become a thing of the past soon enough.