Ethan stopped at the back of the massive mausoleum. Rows of coffins lined each side of it. The academy deans from the past were buried inside, honouring their achievements in educating the nation's future leaders.
Suddenly, they could hear the stone door closing, and the little bit of light that shone through the open doors disappeared. Jeremy was nowhere to be seen as the door shut, and a clicking sound echoed through the chamber as a key turned, locking the door from the outside. Wendy and Lucy jumped into Ethan's arms like two magnets drawn to a giant, more powerful magnet. Groaning came from the ground.
"Alas, Lilly, give us light, please."
Ethan pulls Lilly out of his robe, holding her high as she floats into the air, her purple markings flaring brightly. The area suddenly illuminates in purple light. Smith groans as he pushes himself up to stand. He looks around, helping his officers.
"Bloody hell, my head feels like it wants to explode."
Smith looks at Ethan, the girls clinging to him like monkeys.
"What the fuck is Thompson's little cubs doing here. What happened to us? One minute, we are investigating; the next, we wake up with this headache and terrible taste in our mouths."
"Squee, do hear that, Ethan."
Everyone fell silent, listening to a hissing sound coming from behind a coffin on the right side of the hall. A green mist sprayed into the air. Smith tore off a piece of his shirt.
"We need water, or the girls must pee on the material and then place them over your noses. That mist smells like pesticide."
Ethan rips three pieces of material from Smith's shirt. He took his water flask from his robe, ensuring everyone had a wet piece of Smith's shirt to breathe through.
"This only gives us a few minutes before we succumb to the pesticide," Smith said as he looked at what was left of his shirt.
"Hail, is there a back door to this place."
Smith gave Wendy a withering look.
"There is no back door or windows. The only way out is through that door."
Three officers pulled on the handles, and the door did not budge.
"Squee, I do not want to die here. There are things that I still want to do to Ethan."
Smith turned to Lucy.
"Why do you think of things like that at a time like this."
Lucy sticks her tongue out at Smith. Wendy and Lucy stand near each other, holding hands as their eyes dart around, looking for a means of escape. Ethan speaks to Lilly inside his mind.
"Alas, Lilly, scan for hidden chambers."
"Alas, my love, there is a passage inside the tomb in the right corner. Open the lid, and you will find stairs leading down into a cave system below."
Ethan used his essence martial step to appear next to the coffin and grab the stone lid. His muscles bulged as he pushed the lid, which slid slowly aside. Smith ran to his side, helping him.
A breeze of fresh air flows from the base of the coffin. Ethan uses his fist to hit the bottom of the coffin. The thin stone at the base of the coffin cracked, falling down a hole, revealing stairs.
"Men to me," Smith yelled.
He waved for his men to follow him. Ethan stood aside as Smith and his men descended the stairs. Gems in the wall lit up as they neared them. Wendy looked up at Ethan, lifting her arms. He lifted Wendy over the side onto the stairs, then picked Lucy up, lowering her into the coffin.
He inhaled, holding his breath. The hole was small, and it would be a tight fit. He climbed inside the coffin, his shoulders painfully scraping the sides of the hole. Lilly followed him, hovering down beside him.
Ethan effortlessly pulled the lid back into position, cutting off the dangerous pesticide. As he descended the stairs into a hollow area, Wendy and Lucy were talking.
"Hail, we lost a golden opportunity, you know, Lucy. We could have used our panties for Ethan to use."
"Squee, now that you mention it. We did miss a golden opportunity."
Ethan sighed. How did their minds work? Smith and his men stood, mouths open, staring at the two oblivious girls. He took them by the hand and followed the glowing gems down the passage. Other passages were going down deeper underground, layered with dust. Lilly spoke in his mind.
"Alas, there seems to be a city two hundred feet below us inside the floating island. There is no sign of life except for rodents and bugs."
The passage turned to the left. Ethan could feel they were walking on an upward slope, the passage gradually turning slightly to the right. A light shone at the end, and fresh air blew through their hair. Smith stood waiting for the three to come out of the cave.
Ethan looked around. They were in the forest on the floating island. One of the officers was climbing a tree to see the academy. Sophia spoke to Ethan in his mind.
"Alas, Lilly says the academy lies five kilometres behind you."
"Alas, thank you, Lilly and Sophia."
Ethan pointed with his thumb to the back.
"Alas, the academy lies back there. Do you have any weapons?"
Smith harrumphed, pulling a wand from a holster on his hip.
"Of course we do. Do we look like amateurs? Charlie, climb down, man. We know where the academy lies."
The officers took up defensive positions as they navigated the forest. Sophia informed him that they were being watched. Ethan could see orc dung as they walked. There should be an orc village nearby, he thought. George did not stay at the academy. He should have a house in his tribal village, and that should be nearby.
Fairies and pixie dust were everywhere, yet they did not show themselves or communicate with them. They were watching them to see what they would do. This raised questions in Ethan's mind.
Ethan guessed that the orcs protect the entrances to the city on the floating island. The fairies and pixies were the scouts and eyes in the forest, like an early warning system. Orcs usually protected their areas by killing and raping intruders. They have been known for eating their enemies in his realm. Women were kept as slaves for their pleasure and their wife's pleasure.
The academy must have some treaty with them. No girls disappeared from the Academy; only George worked there, as far as he knew. Lilly, how big is this island? Could you get an estimate while you scanned it?
"Alas, I could not get a distance scan, but it seems bigger than the continent below. The east side of the island stretches over the ocean."
"Alas, if our home realm is any indication, it should connect all the continents. The city inside the island is five times the size of the city below with roads leading to other areas."
Two hours later, the academy walls loomed before the group. Smith had informed Thompson, and vehicles awaited them as they approached. Doctors checked the group, taking blood samples to test for any residual poison.
"Alas, Thompson, we should look for Jeremy. The killer might have kidnapped him."
Ethan and his ladies opted out of the treatment. Their regeneration ability would heal them tonight. Ethan felt a bit frustrated as the system remained locked.
"Alas, we will head to the dean's residence. We need answers."