"I don't know why it was built. My grandparents never told me, but it leads straight out of New Angeles." Natalie explained, as all four of them stared into the dark passage in the ground.
The passage were so long that they couldn't see it's end from where they stood, and the long dark passage was lit by torches countable by fingers.
"Um, I don't think my horse has a name," Wilhelm said.
"Uhhhh, yeahhhh," Thomas added.
"You?" Natalie turned to Alexander.
"Carl."
"Didn't you come here by my mom's horse?" Thomas asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, and his name is Carl."
Thomas shrugged it off.
"Ok... Then for you two," Natalie gestured to Thomas and Wilhelm, "I guess you'll just have to hope your horses remember your names."
She began loading the box of books onto her horse. Just then, three colorful birds fluttered above her, chirping.
"Tell them your names," she said to both Thomas and Wilhelm, pointing at the birds, their airborne messengers.
"Thomas Soon."
"Wilhelm Grimmer."
"And Carl." She added, "Go get them.", and the birds zipped away.
But her smile faded as she watched the birds flew out the window.
The window was open from the outside. Vines that once covered it were cleanly cut. A footprint dirtied the frame.
Natalie's pupils shrank. Her breath caught. She looked around her own house, scanning frantically, shaking more and more.
Every window had been stripped of its vines. Every entrance was exposed.
"Yo."
Wilhelm jolted, the cats and dogs that were on him fled. Thomas turned to the voice. So did Alexander, albeit more cautiously.
Nick sat backward on a chair, arms draped lazily over the backrest. He wore a crooked, tired smile.
"Who the fuck are you?" Thomas spat.
Natalie's eyes continued darting around the room. She was trembling, sweating profusely.
Every window, cut. The sun has set, it was already dark outside, only torches and lanterns in the house lit their vision. There's no telling what's lurking in the darkness outside those windows.
Animals growled. Tigers, bears, wolves glaring with their sharp teeth exposed. But the intruder didn't budge.
"You! You!" Nick called, pointing at Natalie until she looked. "Yeah, you. You see, I'm not here for you. I'm only paid for those three." He jabbed his index finger toward Thomas, Alexander, and Wilhelm, like they're objects for sale.
"Oh fuck," Wilhelm whispered. "We're fucked…" His shaky eyes darted to the underground tunnel, his limbs inching towards it subtly.
Nick noticing the lack of response from Natalie, started again, "What's your name, lady?"
Natalie still didn't respond. Her jaw were dropped and trembling from fear, and fear didn't allow words.
"Okay. Look, I don't like trouble. You can leave with all your furry pals." Nick gestured to the door, which is missing its lock.
Thomas drew and slammed his axe into the floor. "Fuck off."
"Woah. Woah. You don't even know who I am. Why are we getting hostile already?" Nick smirked, then turned to Natalie. "Seriously, I don't want to kill you. Or everything else breathing in this room."
The growls grew louder. The beasts were ready to pounce and to make Nick their dinner.
"It's a fight," Alexander murmured to the others. "Plant your feet."
Thomas readied his stance, axe tight in one hand, the other in his pocket, grasping what's within. Natalie summoned an eagle to her shoulder, her gaze slowly sharpening. Wilhelm pressed his back against the wall, whispering, "I'm so fucked..." he's still inching towards the tunnel.
Alexander drew his diamond sword. Its gleam danced in the firelight of the torches and lanterns. He pointed it at the intruder, his eyes cold, silent, lethal.
"That's one very bright sword," Nick grinned. He stood, stretched, and lazily kicked his legs to loosen up. "Two can play that game."
He reached for his own sword over his shoulder behind him. As it drew from its sheath, the friction screamed so loudly that Natalie held her ears. Sparks flew. And when it was fully out, it was ablaze, set on flames just from friction alone. Fire licked the blade from tip to hilt as he rotated it in his hand elegantly.
He raised his other hand, conjuring a tall and majestic flame in his palm.
Behind the flickering firelight... Nick's confident, even arrogant smirk.
Thomas's eyes widened.
———
"This is a great opportunity, Tyler!"
Tyler's parents were trying to persuade him to accept Schwartz's offer and become the vice president.
The three stood in a small circle, quietly debating. Schwartz had respectfully stepped back to give them privacy, but he remained within sight, waiting with confident composure.
"But..." Tyler frowned, "I don't agree with any of his—"
"Once you're vice president, you'll have the platform to challenge his views," Tyler's father interrupted. "And it pays well. You wouldn't have to work in the dangerous mines anymore."
"Take it, Tyler," his mother added. "I know you don't share his beliefs—"
"I don't. That's exactly the problem." Frustration was apparent in Tyler's voice.
"But think of it this way, this is just the first election. If you're vice president during his term, that's good publicity. You'll have a better shot at winning the next one." Tyler's mother gave a good argument.
Tyler pressed his lips together. He glanced toward Schwartz, who was deep in conversation with Felix and another man, illuminated faintly by lanterns.
Then he turned back to his parents, his voice quieter. "I guess… if I take it, I'll have more power to enforce my ideas."
His parents smiled, relieved.
Tyler turned once again toward Schwartz. Night had fallen. All he saw now were silhouettes, three dark figures against the flickering lantern light.
Behind the charisma, there was something eerie about Schwartz. Tyler watched him with his brown eyes full of unease.
———
Thomas's blue eyes reflected unease too, lit by the tall orange flame burning, and dancing in Nick's palm.
"Forger of Fire?" He muttered.
Nick only looked more beamed after being recognised, as his smirk widened eerily.