The Sage's Vow

19.1 || Separation

MATEO WOULD BE lying if he didn't admit he had been half tempted to take the offer to step away from this mission. The potent emotions formed a hurricane. Frustration, mistrust, rage, uncertainty. It all coalesced into an icy deluge that battered against his barriers, testing their greatest limits.

Leaving would have meant escaping the tension the Paladins and Sages held like a shield between their two groups. It also meant leaving them down a fighter in an already dangerous mission. So, with his mental shields up and remaining constantly aware of Taji so she could help reinforce them, he walked along with the group as they followed Joel's daughter.

He lingered in the back with Josh, his friend's vibrant emotions making the onslaught of everything else easier to bear. The three dragons walked with them. They hadn't taken the implications that one of the Elders could be reporting to the Shadow Knights well, but aside from a few choice words, none of them were doing anything about the accusation as long as all the Soul-Bound did with the theory was their current plan. If they'd tried to attack Chendra, Mateo knew the three dragons would have, albeit unhappily, had to take a more active approach to handling them.

As it was, they were content to follow the group until they discovered the doorway, and then they would be off for their village. Mateo had no doubt Boomer's parents used the excuse to stay with Josh longer. Veron and Krotali stuck close to their son's Soul-Bound and spoke often. It was another reason Mateo hung back. This was one of the only places he could find emotions anywhere close to happiness.

A few monsters glanced their way, but the sheer size of their group either intimidated the creatures or proved too much effort when they could find smaller prey. It made the search for the temple peaceful. Aside from the emotional tension, at least. Kaitlyn led at the front, Gamal's dagger held out, the thrum of energy like a game of hot and cold.

Their group circled the small cave Mateo had watched Josh and Kaitlyn examine less than half an hour prior. Cale offered to carve a direct pathway straight from where the dagger reacted, but Kaitlyn opted to search for the cave's entrance, reasoning that it would give them a better idea of their positioning than entering at a random spot. It would expose them to more confusion and danger.

Given they were not only in a realm of monsters, but an area in which they thrived, Mateo couldn't fault her logic.

It only took an extra five minutes of roaming to find the gaping opening that descended beneath the ground. Gamal's dagger glowed brighter than before.

Veron, the largest of the dragons, prowled toward the entrance. The space was not meant for enormous creatures. Krotali would struggle in the cramped area. For Veron, movement in the cave would be nearly impossible.

It looks like this may be where we separate. Shula spoke up, which was ironic since he was the only one who would fit with ease. He didn't have the same struggle of tucking his wings against his back that his two companions did.

Krotali and Veron shared a long look before swinging their heads toward Josh. Mateo winced. He'd gotten used to the negative emotions that had settled like a cloud over the group, but he hadn't braced for the swell of sadness that crashed like a sudden wave from the two dragons.

Closing his eyes, Mateo ran a finger along the sheathed tonfa on his right hip. The sensation of the smooth wood and his deep, steady inhales grounded him. Normally, an abrupt new emotion wouldn't push him so close to the edge, but he'd been exposed to extreme emotions for far longer than normal.

He really missed Australia and the peaceful days tending to the Sanctum.

Taji trilled, both sad and sympathetic, as she encircled him with her presence.