The cave was dark
Repeated hits of metal against stone echoed throughout it
All the slaves were digging non-stop
Huge grunts came with each swing
Multiple slaves dug in each section, but Leo had a section of his own
The hole he dug was way deeper than the others
His face was covered with dirt marks that turned into mud when mixed with his sweat
Clenching his teeth angrily with each swing
Just as he took another swing
CLANG
Something crystalline rang out
Even the pickaxe broke from the force
Leo didn't stop to think
He began digging through the dirt with both hands
Then
He felt it
Sharp at the edges yet smooth on the surface
Glass?
He didn't dig anymore. He just pulled.
He could feel it slicing at his palms
He gritted his teeth
The earth gave out, rupturing upward
A crystal
The top half was blue, the bottom half a deep crimson.
Leo gazed at the object, eyes low and
heavy
"E-ember," he muttered slowly
Then his eyes widened
"Ember!" he shouted
He didn't climb out of the hole he dug
He jumped
"Ember!" he shouted again
The cave was huge, multiple holes where the workers dug were everywhere
Some of the slaves even came out to look at who was shouting
"What? He's only been here two days," one muttered
"Impossible!" another shouted
Leo sighed briefly. He clutched the crystal tight.
Before he could walk, another slave approached him
He was bald-headed but had a long goatee, at least ten inches
"Hey, surely you can work another day or two," he said
The man sneakily kept getting closer
"Help a brother out, will ya?" he asked
Leo glared at him, not blinking even once
"Back the fuck up," he ordered
The man hesitated, teeth clenched, eyes unfocused
"You're a piece of shit, you know that!?" he shouted
Leo didn't answer
He was busy finding the entrance
There he saw light and felt the faint trace of wind
He ran toward the entrance
A man was perched on the wall at the entrance of the cave
He stared out at the snow, which fell heavily, almost like a storm
His blue hair blowing along with the snowy wind
He had a snowball weaving between the spaces of his fingers
"I got one," Leo said as he approached
The man turned, looking at the crystal
"Not bad for a flint," the man said
"I'm not one of those assholes," Leo answered
The man stared at him for a bit before his face lightened with recognition
"Oh, shit! You're the alien," he said. "Marty already left with that batch"
The man tapped his chin repeatedly
"Tell you what, run along and catch him up. He went straight ahead"
Leo didn't need to hear more
He ran off through the snow
Inside the cave was hot, but outside already felt like ice
The environmental whiplash kept hitting him. He could feel the liquid cooling and sliding along his chest
His breath hitched, heart pounding a little faster
The road was straight and narrow
Ice had already covered it.
The edges of the road had ice railings
Suddenly-
Leo's heart spasmed
He fell and slid instantly. He landed on his knees
Staring downward into the icy road
Heart beating fast with rhythmic heavy thuds
Slowly getting slower though
The liquid felt as cold as his environment. Too bad his heart was used to the warm cave
It didn't take long for his heart to return to normal
Leo stood up
He picked up the crystal that had fallen from him
He was about to run again
When-
A loud scream rang out from the left.
He recognized it instantly
Autumn
He went off track immediately, jumping over the railing
He followed the sound
"Let me go!" she shouted
Leo ran harder, rushing through the snow
He reached a section with multiple abandoned house
They were all wrecked
There he saw Autumn, twisting on her back while clutching her chest
A basket lay on the ground with metal scattered about it
The guard above her flicked his fingers continuously
"You little freak," he said
"Stop!" Leo shouted
The man didn't listen
He watched as Autumn twisted violently on the ground, eyes wide
That's when Leo moved
He dashed forward, closing the distance quickly
He shoved the man with his momentum
The man got pushed, slamming head-first through a wrecked house
Leo breathed heavily, icy air flowing through his lungs
He turned and crouched toward Autumn
She was coughing
"I've been... looking all over for you," she said, her breathing rasped
"I-I've been fine, how are you?" Leo asked
"C-cold." She said before wrapping her arms around Leo
She was shivering, her skin felt like ice compared to Leo's skin
"This Marquez guy, he's insane," she said, her voice getting soft
"What? What did he do to you?" he asked
Autumn didn't answer
She briefly raised her shirt and showed Leo her back
Scars that stretched from one end to the opposite were all over her.
"Did he whip you?" Leo asked, eyes scanning the scars
"Why? What did you do?" he asked
Autumn lowered her shirt
"I-I tried finding you guys..."
Leo remained silent.
He clenched his fist against the ground, clutching the snow tight
Face hardening
But it softened when he met Autumn's gaze
"I'm sorry, Autumn," he whispered
She held the stare, her eyes piercing through Leo
"I'm sorry too,"
It wasn't Autumn that said it, though
Autumn looked behind Leo, eyes widening
Leo turned quickly.
But to no avail. Both of them hit the ground.
A burning, icy ache around their chest. They gasped for air
But no air came
Even the snow itself began to look blurry
"Man, if only you didn't try to escape." It was the same guy who sent Leo out
Their vision plummeted
Darkness.
THOMAS POV
Just like at Leo's side, a snowstorm reigned over here too
Thomas was inside the same building from before, just in another section
He was seated on a tall shelf while peeking through a small window which was just inches above the ground
The crown rested directly on his lap
He watched as 12 guards moved cautiously, far out in the distance
They were searching for something
Or someone
It didn't take long for them all to gather around a certain spot
Forming a circle
They remained there for minutes
Until-
An explosion happened, flames and smoke erupting
Surprisingly, none of the guards were hurt
But they backed away from where they gathered
A family ran out of a hole in the ground where the guards first gathered
The family didn't fight
They ran
While two men attacked the twelve ice men
Flames igniting through the snow
Three women ran, a baby in one of their hands
It didn't take long for the men to fall. They caught the females also
Soon, they were wrapped in chains
"Thomas," a voice called
Thomas didn't look. He watched as they dragged the people away while some went inside the bunker
"Thomas," the voice called again
It felt so distant yet so close
"Thomas!" it shouted
Thomas jumped
He turned toward the voice
It was Kado, a cup in his hand
"What?" he asked
"You should stay away from the window," Kado said
Thomas didn't listen. He turned back and watched as they dragged the chained men through the snow
"Why do they slave your people?" he asked
"Jealousy," he blurted out quickly, he didn't even need to think
"Icies have always been scared of us," Kado added, before sipping from his cup. "Until Marquez came around."
"Oh," Thomas replied
He turned from the small window, head low
"I wonder what Leo and Autumn are up to."
He raised his head, looking at Kado
"If it were me that got caught, they would have been searching for me already," Thomas said
"Your friends are loyal," Kado muttered while nodding to himself
Thomas hissed
"You guys are wasting my time."
Thomas began walking away
"You can't do this alone, Thomas," Kado said
Thomas never stopped
His hand reached the doorknob
When-
"We are already ready," Kado said
Thomas stopped
Hands hovering shakily at the door knob
"I came here to tell you that..." Kado said before trailing off
"We have a plan," he finished
Thomas lowered his hand from the door knob, back still turned.
His silhouette looked like a shadow in the dark room
He didn't move as Kado got closer
"We are to meet up with the others."
Silence
"Then let's go."
They opened the door and began walking.
Kado took the lead
The bunker was filled with many different passageways and sections.
In the hallway, Thomas watched a man trying to leak the last bit of water from a jug
The halls were filled with many closed doors
Almost like it was a dorm
Instinctively, Thomas turned a corner
Kado didn't
"Hey, isn't this the way?" Thomas asked
It was the path that led them to the room where Thomas first met them
But
Kado shook his head
"We don't meet there today."
Thomas nodded slowly before following Kado
Then, they reached the end of the hall.
A single door at the end
The lamps were dim, but the pale red paint could be seen on the door
"I've never seen this before," Thomas said as they got closer
Kado didn't answer. He twisted the knob and opened the door
Inside the room was dark
Very dark.
"What the-" Thomas didn't get to finish
He got shoved into the empty room
He recovered quickly, spinning to the exit.
But
Kado didn't even have to shut it
The door closed by itself
"Kado!" he shouted as he banged his fist into the wooden door
"I'm sorry, Thomas. It's the only way," he replied from the other side
"Fuck you!" Thomas shouted
He banged into the heavy door relentlessly
His hand ignited with flames as he punched
The door didn't break
Nor burn
"What the hell?" he asked himself while panting for air
He turned, looking deeper into the dark room
Hands ignited so he could see
He picked up his crown that had fallen to the floor
It was vibrating, but it didn't glow this time
Something else did
Yellow eyes piercing through the darkness as it stared at him
He could hear growling
Instantly, Thomas's flames died
"Shit!" The words escaped his lips
He flashed his hands, but they never ignited again
Just a few sparks that flickered
Then
It charged forward quickly, pouncing onto Thomas
"Aaaagh!" he shouted while falling to the ground
Darkness reigned once more
End