YP – B3:QtnoWLM – Chapter 8 (Chapter 105)

191 Days Until Erasure And the Uncertain End

Evester kept his hood up as they moved closer to the city. His legs were tired and Phil had long grown silent; his complaints having disappeared on the wind as they moved closer to the city. They had to steal a car, large enough for them to sit comfortably along with insulation and supplies. Heia said it should be simple enough. It was the only thing they had to do, other than getting in and out quickly.

Everster had a hard time believing it would be that simple. What if it weren’t abandoned? What if they were caught? Evester was too tired to escape at this point.

Out of them all Zeydar was breathing the most heavy. Evester believed that it had to do with the air saturation of the LowerLand, going worse as they moved into the UnderCity, and with his withdrawal? Evester wasn’t sure he would understand how much Zeydar was suffering. Evester saw the gates to get to the under city and nearly stopped walking.

This was the worst possibility.

“You see it too?” Heia stepped up next to him.

“Whats wrong?” Phil asked.

“There is a guard.” Evester answered, watching as the guard circled the entrance to the city. 

“Aren’t they everywhere?” Zeydar asked.

“No. This is bigger than normal.” Heia answered. “There are soldiers there.”

Zeydar stepped forward and groaned. “And Military Mages. They are looking for us.”

“Of course they are. Why wouldn’t they be?” Evester groaned and rolled his shoulders back. He glanced around looking for another way into the city with people who could be trying to get in as well. There was no one. They were alone. They would be notice if they weren’t already. This was the worst possibility, truly.

“Should I magic us in?” Zeydar suggested.

“You can get us in there?” Phil asked a bit more chipper than Evester would have liked.

“I can cast a glamour. If a mage is looking for us, they will find us. If not, they won’t.” Zeydar answered. Which meant he couldn’t hide them completely. Evester was far from surprised, considering that Zeydar was gasping out the words with a hiss.

It was a risk, and based on the way that Zeydar looked at Evester, Evester knew it was a risk he was tempted to take. His heart rate spiked and his mind calmed.

“Lets do it.” Heia decided tightening her weapons at her side. “We have to get in if we want to get out and finding the car will be the hard part.”

Evester gave a nod, and Zeydar walked on ahead, casting magic around them with his Staff. The world became grey. The sound disappeared and it was as if they were walking in their own bubble.

“Stay close.” Zeydar warned them.

Nearly stepping on each other’s feet, they moved close, as a unit, trying to limit their space as much as they could. Zeydar led them closer and then through the guard that stood watching. Evester felt as if he needed to hold his breath — not that it would help any, not when they had to keep moving quickly.

They walked through the first line of defense, right through the gates and under the security’s noses. Then they were past the soldiers and into the cave where they were nearly home free. the inner part of the UnderCity revealed that it was alive, far from an abandoned hell scape like they expected. However it was not filled with civilians. They were not going to be home free. It was not until they were in city lines, a neighborhood, that they dropped the magic illusion and Evester could breathe easy. Zeydar dry heaved in a corner, trying to keep himself together.

“So we are in.” Phil reported. “Now we need to find a place to stay.”

“And a car to get out.” Zeydar caught himself against a wall, breathing evenly focusing on anything and breathing badly.

“We can go to the dump to find a car, or abandoned cars from those lost in the catastrophe.” Heia suggested. “Houses? I can get us that too.”

“What can’t you find us?” Phil asked her with a small smile. “So we can pull our weight at least.”

“Food.” Heia then looked over the houses. She was checking the time. Checking to see if the market would still be open, Evester figured. They were going to have to steal food and they needed Zeydar not dying to do that. “Let’s restock supplies first, then find a place to stay.”

In agreement, Evester let Heia lead them into the city, knowing UnderCities the best out of them all.

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