104 This is War! 8 The Yuda crisis. (1/2)

Sorren growled sharply as he inhaled the overpowered stench of the narrow grey alleyway. He was already knee deep in the water of the sewer and was highly unappreciative of the route that Terrick had chosen for them to leave the temple by.

The only thing that stopped him from doing anything else in frustration was the repeated knell that gonged in his head, reminding him again of how useless he had been.

At this point he was glad of the responsibility that he had been given, ferrying Scipio with him provided a useful distraction from his brooding thoughts.

True, Scipio had grown massively from his time on the crew, his physique had improved and overall he was probably the fourth smartest on the crew, Sorren could not help but feel a glimmer of jealousy, and though he knew it was unwarranted, a hint of satisfaction at the displeasure and repugnance that his fellow child displayed.

”Just a bit further, based on Terrick's directions we are almost out.” Sorren encouraged as he held tightly onto the inexperienced boy's hands leading him through the sewer.

On the blue print that Terrick had provided him, there had also been a collection of short but informative directions that had been written, detailing the state of the sewers, the length of the pipes that made it impossible for someone of Fawkes' stature to get through over the estimated time that Terrick had charted out.

His plans were pretty much redundant now, seeing as the anarchy that had developed on the island seemed to rival the dark underbellies of Sabaody, nonetheless Sorren followed it religiously. He was not the smartest tool in the shed and even if he thought otherwise, this was hardly the time to show it.

Scipio muttered to himself as he wrinkled his nose, his pale yellow clothes had taken an unlikely shade of mottled green around its edges, fraying at the contact with the age old contaminated water. His eyes narrowed as he looked at his side, though the island was new, the sewer experience unfortunately was anything but.

With a dull nod he looked eagerly at the speck of light at the very end of the narrow and image deficit pathway.

With a swift last few steps they were out, and what a hell did they get out into!

The buildings that paved either sides of thin brown hatchet that led down into the hidden subterranean passage stood broken. Pristine white stones littered the ground around it. Wails sounded in the background as dust permeated the air.

The oink atmosphere that had been at this point become revolting was nowhere to be found. The cobblestone that made the streets that once definitely was the epitome of generalization and monotony stood cracked, jagged lines running through their center.

He kneeled against the body of a wailing child, wrapped in a leathery towel that wailed into the air. Next to it was an unconscious women, she had obviously been running from something but had mysteriously fallen unconscious leaving her infant child unattended.

That in a location such as this, with chalk like stone precipitate choking at its small and weak oesophagus. If left like this the child would die. So Sorren did the only thing that he had trained to do, he provided medicinal aid, all the while his mother's words ringing in his ear,

' Injustice is a constant in society, we cannot do anything about it. If we fight it, there will come a time when we ourselves become unjust… If we ignore it then we become numb. So we do what we can, what we must.

On seas as strange and dangerous as these I cannot possibly preach for you to save everyone that you see, but remember, the helpless cannot be unjust and the unjust cannot possibly be only that…'

Scipio looked on in silent wonder, after the duo had exited the temple they were to lie low and wait for the rest of the crew to reunite with.

For all means and purposes, they were free to do as they wished. Of course Scipio believed that it was only right that they try to help out the rest of the crew, but when he had mentioned it to Sorren he had received a reply that had gob smacked him.

The duo were too weak, even if there was a time that help was necessary they would only get in the way. So Sorren had chosen a path that even the weak them could traverse.

So with quick and efficient steps he walked through the relatively abandoned streets, every unconscious man women or child that he found he brought to Sorren.

Sorren would make sure that they lived. No more. He knew, if the ones that came to rescue him for that was the one that turned this island upside down wanted these people dead then they would be dead.

Since he did not, he gave them free reign to do as they wished.

Silently Sorren could not help but thank his captain, for even when he was not next to Sorren, he still gave him a purpose and a method to prove his worth..

***********

I grumbled darkly as I walked into practically the only colorful building in the whole island.

It was a tower of sorts, a cylindrical structure made of what looked to be maroon bricks, it had few windows, but those that existed gleamed with unreal colors.

Around it was what looked to be a small moat with small curved bridges that overlooked what was probably the only body of clear water on the whole island.

The entrance to the structure was barred with a bony matt black door, serpent indentations all over its glossy surface. the door itself seemed to have two knockers at its very center, each shaped like a Yuda head, as a glossy scaly tail seemed to run along the corners of the outwardly concave triangular door.

In the mouth of the Yuda was a simple metal ring, gleaming wickedly into the pinkish air.

As I neared, I felt a dull ache of warning that was quickly silenced, it seemed that there were still some threatening individuals in the building. 'Well no matter, if they are only strong enough to cause me this much alarm they aren't anything much.'

With brisk footsteps I ran towards the overbearing gate, at any other time I would have taken some time to appreciate the beautiful carvings, but not now.

My hands landed on the scaly door, pushing at it.

With a creak the door folded inwards, the sound it made as it moved first grating then softly dissipating.

The interior of the building was nothing if not humble, a dull yellow light gleamed around as low arches stooped over the expansive and empty floor.

Though the hall was big, most of it was still dedicated to the wide spring in the center, the water here seemed to be the antithesis to the one I had seen outside, gleaming instead with a mottled red with a layer of froth that seemed ever present on its surface.

All around it were small rooms, and at the very center a massive pillar, shooting through the danger pool into the painted ceiling. The thick pillar was a jade green and seemed almost translucent with something that seemed to move within. But that could just as easily be an illusion caused by the lighting.

So hoping I moved on, mentally jogging myself to maintain an optimum level of physical standard. If there was even a hint of a foreign body I would instantly heal myself.