GRETA

We have been down here for at least several hours. I am certain a full day is close to passing. Rog and I spotted fire light down here. A passage built into the rock of the cavern. He pauses by the bank as my spyrt shines into the narrow dark cavern path cut into the rock. It looks like the slope leads upward.

"Are you going to fit in there?" I wonder out loud.

Rog makes a hissing sound while climbing smoothly over the bank. The water is nearly level with it. My Fluff senses his new movements. Waking up with a shriek, it makes its way down Rog's long scaly back, and crawls up my leg finding its place on my shoulder.

"Woah!" I huff falling onto my knees. 

My Fluff circles tightly around my neck.

In a matter of panic, I grab Rog's thick scaly neck as he carries us up the steep cavernous path ahead with sudden great speed. Torches line the walls. His body just barely fits in the space. I keep my gaze forward as Rog scales the passage. 

Eventually, the dirt ground turns into stone. No, it must be marble for it is shiny now and smooth.

I'm shocked Rog has the energy to move this quickly at such a sharp angle after swimming around for hours.

It is almost as though he has a sense of urgency.

"What is the matter? You are going too fast! I can barely hold on!" I shout with new fear.

A cold gust of air chills my back. It's then that I look over my shoulder down the incline behind us. Dark water shines back at us, but it is not just the water that is threatening. The pressure from the force of it filling the passage we came is beginning to assault the old fragile cavernous walls.

Rocks begin falling and shaking from the walls. The torches behind us get drowned out by the rage of flooding sea water we just narrowly seem to be racing ahead of.

"Never mind, hurry! I'm sorry my weight is so useless!" I shout while looking ahead again.

I cannot see anything ahead. The strong gust of air created by the rushing sea water behind us has extinguished the torches. We have only my spyrt's light now. 

Rog suddenly makes it to a landing. The wind gets knocked out of me has he hops and lands heavily on the flat expanse of marble ground. I gulp eyeing a familiar pool of water. The water behind us in the passage has slowed, and now only trickles, seeping slowly into the same pool where a shiny pile of Adler's treasures and other various trove-items reside in the center. 

We are right behind the labyrinth in the back of Adler's temple.

I had no idea this passage was here.

Now, I understand how he got water all the way up here in this strange pool.

Tiredly, I step off of Rog's back and watch him scamper into the pool. He circles the trove in the center once before disappearing back under the water. 

My stomach churns as I watch the shape of his large silvery form swim back toward the passage. He leaves the water once more and disappears into the dark flooded cavern.

"Greta!" I hear a voice call.

It is eldest sister. A few other of my sisters accompany her side. They leave their praying positions by the water of the pool. 

"Come, let us get you dried off and cleaned up! We will alert our god of your return."

"And how will you do that?"

"You will do it," eldest sister snaps back, "You will find him and tell him. Your abilities have matured. We do hope you are finished with your nonsense."

"I'm not going to find Adler!" I argue angrily. I'm not sure where this anger is coming from, but I have had enough of her attitude. "All he creates is chaos. He does not care about you or me...he is no god," I tell her, firm.

Her wrinkly eyes narrow.

"You worship what you know protects you-"

"Greta, stop this treasonous speech. I order you to return to the palace with me. We will use Brommy's fona, so you do not need to use your powers to retrieve my husband. We will simply call him!" Ren offers from the crowd of women.

"You can call him," I say while ignoring them all. I begin to walk away with my pet. "I live my own life now. If you want to chase trouble, go yourself. He did not go down there looking for me. He is down there for matters much more selfish than that...and you all know it. Go yourselves and find out!" I shout. "But you won't, you want me to. Well, I'm done being your martyr. I did my best, and each time I tried, I nearly died. What more do you want from me? I gave him, and you, my all! Over and over...over and over again!" I finish while stomping away from their group.

The chimes hanging in the labyrinth whir with new violent tones against the shrill fury in the air.

At the peak of rage whirring in my head, the lights in their lanterns blow out behind me along with the glow of my spyrt. I know without even looking back for the shade falls into complete darkness around me.

Their voices rise into frantic shouts. Of course, they are scared now. They cannot see. 

"Greta, come back here! You can't just leave us back here in the d-dark!" I hear Ren shout.

Their voices disappear in the violent wind as I continue my way through the maze in the darkness. They are wrong. They do not need me. I was never with them. I was always gone. I always will be. 

To stay in this darkness with them, to reward them with light, is my death. They will survive, they always do. It's people like me that suffer too long. They never 'needed' me, anyway. They just used me.

There's nothing I have left to give. Not one second for those who only care when I'm gone, and even when I return, they still take what they can. 

I gave them my time and I do not get it back. They still believed in their god. They still believe in him after all the pain. 

Now, I'm free and there is no going back to them. I did not need money or influence over others to achieve this freedom. I have accepted this city's perspective and rejected it. It is not my burden, it is theirs, and they refused to listen. They continue to live in pain. Fear.

Their love will be forever empty as their god's heart. I will never chase emptiness again.

I have accepted their folly, but it no longer burdens me. 

By the time I leave the maze, my anger has vanished and the chimes in the maze trickle softly once more. I can still hear their panic, but there are guards running past me now to assist them.

***

ENOCH

We have taken ten of my father's ships. I found an entrance to the caverns outside the city walls. From there, we boarded this vessel with our voltaks and fifty men to command. My other advisors are captaining the ships trailing behind with the rest of our fleet.

Greiznocht stands by my father's side guiding him with his map. I'm surprised he is allowed to read it so much as touch it.

That is the only map we have down here.

"...as you explained, the coordinates match that of the souls I can see moving around in the palace."

Greiznocht pinches the map, zooming out of view, to focus on our direction now toward Greta.

Adler watches the sea ahead.

"Yes, we searched the entirety of the palace. My pet was found missing, and, although a long way down, there is a spring she could have fallen into by accident-"

"Fallen? Is she not a functioning adult with sound motor skills? Sounds far-fetched, Adlerion. How do I know she is alive? This feels like a trap."

Adler turns to address the captain's doubts with a thin smile. It's the first time I am hearing his real name. By the looks of it, he is not too fond of being called so.

"And yet, we can see her stardust moving around. In circles, as you say, right below the palace's coordinates."

"Yes, she could be lost and swimming around, but the speed is unnatural for a person to achieve-" captain Greiznocht counters.

"There are thieves down here, captain. I believe she may be on a ship. A lost ship. That is why you see the ship circling...oh, fuck!"

"What? What is it?" Greiznocht yells.

"It went out."

"What do you mean 'it went out'? You are speaking nonsense!" I holler. "Both of you are utterly useless! It's the blind leading the blind down here and I have had enough of it!"

"Be calm, Enoch. Her stardust disappeared. We can no longer track her movements-"

"And why is that?" the captain asks.

"Uh...the time of year. The atmospheric pressure condenses our energies. We are getting near enough where our own dust clouds my view of hers. We are very close now, captain."

"Very good, Adlerion. You always were a bright pupil on my ship. Return to the privateers and resume your instruction of our fleet. I'm certain this child you speak of we will not find alone. I will steer."

"So be it, captain."

Adler will tell the old soul whatever he must to keep him compliant. If he wants to be captain, it's best Greiznocht thinks he is down here. It will allow his crew to trust that we are working in subordination to him. When the opposite is true, it's best it be this way, so to some extent, there is a sense of order down here and we can work together.

We can maintain their trust.

"Enoch, a word."

I follow Adler to the captain's quarters at the back of the ship. Inside, are two large beds with Adler's clout hovering in the dark space behind the large marble desk. He has been sleeping on the clout while Greiznocht sleeps on the one bed and myself in the other.

Torches light the walls. It is a cramped space, but thankfully, we do not spend much time in here.

"I will be taking one of our small boats to investigate ahead. I have a strong belief Greta is stranded with Rog and I rather find them first. Would you prefer to come with me or stay board this ship?"

"What would you prefer I do, Adler? I do not want to leave our men in the hands of Greiznocht."

"Then, it looks like I have my answer. The clout shall remain here. I have instructed the captain to utilize you as navigator-"

"You won't abandon us down here, Father? Promise you won't...I have a bad feeling. A very bad one."

Adler sets his hand on my shoulder. For the first time, in what seems like forever, he looks me in the eyes.

"I will not forsake you to scum worse than myself, Enoch. Do not worry, I will return in the evening of the morrow. This cavern is very large. If we had better light, you would be able to keep an eye on me, for I will not venture more than one hundred yards ahead of this ship. We are about to enter a narrow passage, which could damage our fleet, if not directed properly. My spyrt will remain unlit so as to not draw attention to our party. Now, it is time for you to be brave and calm. Can I trust you to be calm?"

"Yes, Father. I am relieved you will be guiding us from a close distance. May the gods be with you-"

"The gods never leave us, Enoch. We are all part of the same moving energy. The same light. In the black of this space, we are all one and the same, down here. I must admit to you the captain is much older than I, maybe, even, smarter. If I do not come back, he will advise your fleet to leave. You must obey him in the case I am late. In the morrow, the sea level is susceptible to rise significantly due to the gravity of this planet's moons. You must make your way to the exit at that time. The captain knows of this - as I warned him. The tide is already coming in..."

"Thank you, I appreciate your allowance of our departure. Although, I do hope it does not come to that."

"We will find out soon enough, I suppose, won't we?"

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