Golden Dawn

|Chapter 25 ~ Blazing Inferno|

"You should take these along as well. They're very helpful when there is no designated range for usage and you happen to find the need to contact me. Just be aware of the sensors on the sides, they can burn up after a certain amount of uses." Huang explained patiently as I stared down at the strange device he placed into my palm. It was the shape of a small rectangle, smooth around the edges and dark brown. The device seemed to be fairly new and I thanked Huang with a small smile.

All around me, Christa, Lex and Jacob were packing bags and preparing for our departure. My heart still warmed whenever I thought back on the conversation we had the night before. It had come as a great shock when Christa spoke those words and the rest agreed on it. The thought that they would actually agree to accompany me on such short notice, triggered something inside me. Something I never felt before, an alien feeling to my chest previously only filled with cobwebs and dust.

"Lex, could you pass me the weapons we managed to steal from the armoury? I think we'll definitely find a use for them soon!" Jacob called over the noise of objects being moved across the wooden floor of our lodgings. 

I tried to take in everything around me, but it proved to be much harder than I expected. It felt surreal that all of us managed to survive this long, not only escaping the underground city, but also on our way to the far south in order to win a war against our very own planet. My new friends were prepared to help me find the strange sphere and I'd never been more happy.

I stole another glance at Huang, his dark hair slick against his forehead. Huang unfortunately decided to stay in the glade. He argued it was the only way to assist us since he worked better from a certain "base of operations", than traveling physically. His technological knowledge and skill with computers could also be used from a distance. Moreover, he agreed to act as spy and keep track of Zack Unity and the movements of the Huntsmen, since they haven't been spotted for a while now. The thought troubled me, but I was too focused on the journey ahead to let it hold me back.

Before I knew it, we were already at the base of the great tree, backpacks in our hands. Huang was staring at each of us, his eyes watery. I couldn't imagine just how hard it had to be for him. To stay all alone in the glade, knowing his friends were on a mission that would probably be the death of them. The farewell-part was the most difficult, especially for Christa. Her strong and leader-like demeanour faded instantly as soon as she embraced Huang. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

I felt very uncomfortable as I stood at the edge of the small departure, feeling as if I probably should have been doing something else. I greeted Huang last, a heavy feeling dawning over my heart as we walked away from him. I glanced back at the meadow for the last time. The final thought that suddenly occupied my mind was how beautifully the sun made the lake sparkle. As if it consisted out of pure diamonds.

It did not take long to meet up with Ferîan, the Lesphares' frozen shard-like wings standing out like a sore thumb amongst all the greenery. An inkling of frost in midsummer.

When we eventually came to a stop in front of the Lesphares, I examined his expression warily. His cold blue eyes inspected each of us with such rigidness, I almost felt like melting beneath his strong gaze.

"I see you have brought companions, Artemisia." He observed emotionlessly, his voice husked. I flinched at the pure otherworldliness of it, so different in comparison to human sounds. 

Next to me, the Christa lifted her eyebrows. "You know this guy?" She asked, the bewilderment in her voice obvious. I nodded slightly, eyes not leaving Ferîan's. I had dreaded this moment for a while now. The moment when I finally had to explain my increased number of party members.