15 Chapter 15: Sanctuary Lost

The wind was howling, the rain thrashing against the trees. Hail the size of fists bombarded the forests followed by spears of lightning. It was as if the gods above were raging against the denizens below, creating a cacophony of violence determined to punish the mortal world.

Rain had found only a dozen survivors at the edge of the exit. Maxine, Fiala, and Zane had gathered up everyone they could find. It was likely others were still in the sanctuary, being hunted by violent pursuers. The options before them seemed desperate. To sit still and wether to storm was to invite death. To return to the catacombs, while it did have many hidden passages to get lost in, was to court disaster. But to go outside, was to survive against nature and worst.

Memories of flooded streets, arms breaking the surface desperate to find salvation, consumed her. Rain had always been afraid of storms, all elves from the alienage were, and watching the torrent just beyond the exit made her skin crawl. There was a lot of in fighting between Maxine and Zane. But despite all of the chaos, she knew the sanctuary was more dangerous than the storm.

The decision was made for them with the sounds of heavy boot steps behind them. Bitting her lip, Rain led the group out into the beyond. The one good thing about the storm was it would make it difficult to pursue them. As soon as she stepped outside, away from the sanctuary she felt an aura of energy surrounding her. It came from the trees, the earth, and the air itself. Magic was vibrant in the woods, she could feel it like never before.

The wind howled and the group struggled as debris cut and scrapped them. There was little they could do to protect themselves.

"We'll die out here," Maxine's voice cut through the air.

"We must have faith, just keep moving." Zane replied. He was holding a trinket of some kind while trying to guide everyone else.

"Since when have you become the religious sort?" This time it was Fialas turn to interject.

His answer was muffled by the sudden downpour. The group rushed forward lightning crashing around them. The gales of wind made the trees dance making them seem alive.

Rain struggled to avoid the trails and paths as they continued. She didn't want to take a path that was easy to follow. The order would pursue them as soon as the storm broke, or if they were truly mad they could be pursuing them now.

She wondered if Olsen was still alive, if he would chase them wherever they went. The though both angered and frustrated her.

Each step was dangerous, and it wasn't long before the group of twelve became seven. Two died as lightning struck a tree right next to them. Another was impaled by a piece of hail. The other two simply disappeared. As if the woods had silently abducted them without a sound.

Of the seven remaining there was Rain, Maxine, Zane, a young girl named Malita, a servant girl named Alice who lost her husband at the beginning of the attack. A former blacksmith with a wounded arm struggled to catch up, Rain recalled his name was Boris and he had lost his entire family to the cult. The last was a merchant who was more than likely a former thief, he was lean and narrow faced with long black hair. Rain could not recall his name, only seeing him in passing.

The seven struggled, their legs caked with mud and their clothes drenched. Rain's hair had gotten so wet that pools of water were spilling down her face, making it hard to see.

Eventually they arrived at a stream that was overflowing. As Rain crouched next to a tree she felt completely exposed. On a night like this the trees were just as deadly as being out in the open. Hail was raining into the water and lightning stroke at random. Terror is one way to describe how she felt. It helped her ignore how clammy her skin felt as her wet clothes stuck tight against her frame.

Looking at the stream it became apparent how lost she was. Zane walked next to her watching the sky. He seemed just as miserable as her but seemed to know where they were.

"There's a Hallow over the hill on the other side of the stream, we can shelter there." He said. Rain noticed he has having difficulty keeping his eyes straight. They kept farting toward her chest. Her nipples were piercing the fabric of her tunic. She could hardly blame him however. She was lucky to grab any clothes at all during the attack.

"We can't go there!" Maxine's cry of alarm pierced the wind. The concern in her voice was frightening. Fiala was being carried by two others. It didn't look like she could last much longer.

"We don't have a choice, there's nothing else out here!" He looked at Rain as if asking for approval.

Since when did she become leader of the group, Rain wondered to herself. Before she could answer however the sky came down on them. A vortex descended through black clouds emitting dust and debris in its wake. It was visible just before them as it impacted the earth, churning the trees into ground bark.

"Run!" Rain cried and the group followed her without hesitation. Panic induced frenzy gave them the strength to cross the ravine. With renewed strength they rushed up the hill not daring to look back. The sound the vortex made as it followed them was the sound of angry gods. If Zane had truly turned to religion he had been worshipping the wrong beings, or so Rain thought.

As they made it to the Hallow they found it tucked between the hill and a rock cliff, a strip of hidden land that sheltered a small cave. They ran into it and Rain grabbed hold of the wall as the air was forced out of her lungs.

The sounds of wailing demons burst her eardrums, along with the screaming from the survivors. As her lungs burned she fought to stay conscious. She blacked out for only seconds but it was long enough for the episode to pass. Somehow they had survived. But the vortex was still there, tearing into the world above but now at a distance.

As air filled her lungs she gasped and inhaled drunkenly. It took her a moment before she felt aware enough to look at her surroundings. The cave was a shallow one, barely carved into the rock. Outside the storm continued without them.

Rain stood on shaking legs and studied her surroundings, there were markings on the walls. The markings were alien to her, and seemed to have been drawn by edged fingers. They were covered in layer after thin layer of written scripts. Some were carved into the stone, some drawn over them. She couldn't read but just looking at them made her feel sick to her stomach.

"I told you we shouldn't come here, we need to leave." Maxine was on her knees, her legs shaking violently. Rain realized she was shaking too. In her soaked clothes she worried about hypothermia.

Rain remembered however how she had been able to resist the cold before and tried to use the same magic. She was getting better at using it, it was becoming more natural to her. But this time as she reached for it, instead of a warm embrace she felt something else. Like daggers every nerve where the mark had extended began slicing into her. She screamed and jerked suddenly.

Maxine rushed to her while Zane realized in horror what she tried to do, "don't use the vellum here." Maxine told her.

Rain tasted blood as she had bit her tongue, and focusing harder than ever before she forced the magic to cease. She had never had to work so hard to stop using the magic before. And she felt her skin grow cold and numb as it finally stopped.

"Why do you think I said we shouldn't have come here?" Maxine looked at her alarmed, "these markings are the opposite of the wards from the sanctuary. Instead of nullifying the mark it enhances it. Allowing it free reign to expand. If we use magic here we won't be able to control it, and the vellum will change us."

Was that what the pain was? Was she being changed into one of those creatures? The idea haunted her.

"We need to leave, there has to be somewhere." Fialas voice was weak as she tried to speak up. Several of the survivors were tending to her wounds.

There was a long pause as they all looked at the storm outside. Eventually Zane finally spoke, but there was nothing in his voice that didn't bode well. "We can go to the Direstead fort."

This time it was Maxine's turn to laugh, something that Rain hadn't heard in a while, "that castle fell to the cult years ago."

"It was abandoned afterward, and is now controlled by the mournful host." He paused looking guilty, "it's being led by Erebus."

"Who are the mournful host," Rains teeth were chattering, her arms shaking violently.

"Rapists, and murderers. Have you gone insane!" Maxine was angry. Why wouldn't she be? He had led them to a cultist cave and now wanted them to go to a bandit fortress.

"Erebus...is my brother." He said shamefully, "I know I can get him to help us."

"Why didn't you ask him before?" Maxine stood her ground, "Or did you! Did he tell the order where our sanctuary was!" The accusation was enough to make him defend himself.

"Of course not! I would never betray you! I only knew he was there, but I never sought him out. And wouldn't unless it was our only option."

"So that's your last gambit! Your final card to play is to run to another slaver bay bandit!" The others seemed just as alarmed and joined Maxine's protests.

"How long before the cult comes back here," Rain asked. Fiala and Zane looked around her, at the walls. The fear of them slowly overshadowed anything else.

"I don't know, that's why I don't see any other choice."

He looked to Rain, and realized everyone was shaking violently now. Fiala was growing pale and some of the villagers were desperately trying to start a fire with some wet wood they had found somewhere near the entrance.

Rain knew they needed to get warm, they needed a fire or something...Her legs were growing numb.

"Take your clothes off," Zane's words stunned her. Rain looked at him not knowing how to even respond to that, "everyone take your clothes off if you want to survive the night!" He looked back and forth at everyone's hesitation, "fine I'll go first, we have to huddle together and share our body heat or we're all going to die from hypothermia."

He was right, and Rain knew it. She watched as he removed his shirt and pants and felt embarrassed by how quickly her eyes looked over him. He had steely muscle and she couldn't help but look at his waist. Zane noticed and chucked to her, "everyone hurry up, I'm serious!"

A few of the other survivors started to do the same. One of the woman helped Fiala disrobe while bandaging her open wound to the best of their ability.

Maxine reluctantly removed her blouse. She covered herself as best she could as she laid her wet clothes next to her. Her entire body was shaking. She went over to Rain and looked at her confidently, "let me help you." Rain felt the damp tunic stick to her skin as it was removed over head. Her vest and pants followed, and she didn't know what was worse, being so naked in front of everyone or having everyone be naked in front her.

"This is worse than the nightmare I had of being naked in a crowd," She joked. Maxine found the humor in that.

"At least we'll know who is really packing," she winked at her. Rain remembered how they teased each other in the monastery, guessing who among the order were overcompensating. The thought felt strangely comforting as they walked to the huddled group.

She covered herself as best she could but her violent shaking didn't help. She was glad that the three men in their group didn't stare or become aroused. But then again everyone was freezing too much for that. Of course they couldn't help but glance at them every once in a while, it was only natural their curiosity would demand it. Rain couldn't fault them as they shivered in their mass, after all she couldn't help but give a curious glance as well. She felt awkward doing so. The woman were at one side of the huddled circle, the men the other. The men's straight lines and women's curves were exposed with every flash of lightning.

Under normal circumstances this would have been unbearable, but Rain had never been this cold before. In fact no one had the energy to even break the tension for a while.

"So is it working?" The likely thief asked in a strong city accent. He probably said so just to break the awkward tension, "Can't say I could complain." He looked to rain and gave her a wink which made her want to vomit.

"I think so," the servant girl replied. It was the first time Rain heard her speak, a soft lovely voice that sounded like it should belong to a songstress company.

"I heard that in Kholon they have something called saunas, that are baths full of hot water. There big enough for dozens to lay in all day." Zane chimed I'm.

"That would be amazing," Fiala whispered hazily.

"I really could use some food right now." The blacksmith was easily the most well endowed of the men, and he didn't seem to care to hide it. It made Rain blush. How could he walk with that thing? She wondered to herself.

"Food would be nice but nothing recovers the spirit like being surrounded by beautiful women," Zane seemed to be talking exclusively to Maxine who glared at him.

"You're disgusting." Maxine said trying to further cover herself.

"Maybe, still I'm feeling a lot better," he laughed and the thief did as well.

"I can change that," Maxine warned him.

"Relax I'm just trying to lighten the mood, I mean what else is there to talk about?" Zane's mind seemed to wonder as his own member was starting to grow bigger.

"Knock it off!" Rain demanded, "Let's just get through this and then pretend it never happened."

"You know your a real looker yourself Rain? You put Maxine to shame."

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep," Maxine acted as if she was defending her honor. Rain couldn't help but feel like she was being fought over like a piece of meat.

Zane laughed at that and they continued to try to talk about anything but the obvious distractions around them. The huddled group continued using their body heat to keep warm until the rain finally passed and the first rays of morning broke through. The sun was coming, and Rain could immediately feel it against her skin.