Aeradenn

Jules looked up as well, her eyes looking to the dynamite holes. Before she could say anything Melani tugged her forward. They were in a sprint through the tunnels. “This is a dead end!” Jules cried as rocks tumbled from explosives near them. Then moments later she was pulled into the tunnel behind the hidden door. Her eyes stared ahead to the intricate markings, the stairway leading down with the aqueduct feeding water down along the stairs.

Jules glanced around a bit, a skeleton lay against the wall. “We have to be careful.” She spoke as she stepped forward. A piece of the tunnel beneath her foot gave away. Jules heard a scraping sound. She jumped back, running into Melani, her arms wrapped around her as sharpened metal rods shot from the walls. Her heart pounded. “I think...we have much more to worry about than just getting out of here...” She whispered.

Jules looked to Melani for a moment before she took in a breath and stepped forward. They descended down the tunnel, her eyes watched for more of the loose bricks. The design was intricate...it must have taken years...how old was this place? What was this place?

After several minutes of walking down the hallway they came to another apparent dead end. Jules pulled her brows together, “I...bet...” She glanced around. Her fingers ran over the inscriptions upon the walls, it was a language she’d never seen before. She let out a long breath as she pressed in a piece of the wall. Once again the rock before them slid from its place. Jules watched as the door revealed a large dark room. Though there was a clicking sound. She took a careful step forward just as flames lit on torches. “Oh...” Jules watched as torches lined a winding staircase, beneath it the water ran cascading down into the cavern.

As the torches lit buildings became visible, Jules’ jaw dropped. “Wh....this isn’t a tomb...” She breathed. Buildings lined the water below a huge lake within the cavern. Jules walked down the stairs toward the city, she winced slightly. She held her wrist, it was hot as if coals were wrapped around it. She pulled the gauntlet off. “I....don’t think they found this place...” She grit her teeth. “There’s Zen...somewhere...” Her arm felt like it was on fire.

Jules tucked her gauntlet into her backpack and walked forward, the glowing intensified. She winced slightly, the sensation from the bracelet was nearly unbearable. As they neared what looked to be the center of town she saw a statue, carved of Zen. It was a man standing with a sword and shield. “How...much...Zen is that...?” She questioned. It had to be a lot, several veins worth. The statue seemed to glow from the light of the torches. “What is this place, Mel?” She looked around to the beautiful homes. It wasn’t a large city, but a few hundred people could have lived there at one time.

Jules glanced around, her hand held her wrist. She had a strange sensation that bubbled up in her body as she stood closer to the statue. Her eyes watched as Melani pulled the pickaxe. “The buildings are so beautiful...and pristine...” She turned just as the floor gave out. Jules let out a cry as she fell through the trap door. She landed roughly and yelped slightly. Jules lay on her back, her eyes looking up to the now closed trap door. She gasped in a breath, the air was knocked from her lungs from the fall. She gave a nod to Melani as she stood. “I’m...okay...you?” She asked as she dusted herself off. She looked ahead to the tunnel before them.

She clicked her own flashlight on as the sound of gears turning and clanking into place echoed into the chamber. Jules glanced as she heard a bit of the stone slide away. Water began to rush into the room. “We don’t have time to be careful...” She looked to the floor as water began to pool around her feet. “We need to move!” She rushed forward. That was the whole purpose of the chamber, to drive the thief forward.

The sound of the rushing water intensified as more doors opened allowing water to rush in. Jules ran down the hallway, soon enough the water was up to her waist...

“Look!” Jules cried out, she pointed ahead, there was a small gap ahead of them. The water continued to rise as she swam forward. Jules reached up and pulled herself onto the ledge. “Come on.” She grabbed a hold of Melani and hoisted her up. Jules turned as more clicking sounded the water beneath them began to recede. Though now they were 15 to 20 feet above the floor.

Jules turned and aimed her flashlight around. Murals on the walls depicted mages of great power heading into this underground for...safety? It showed a battle above ground, machines on one side, mages on the other. Jules ran her fingertips over the old paint. “This war between mages and mechs has been going on for quite a long time...hasn’t it?” She turned and walked forward. “I don’t know much of the history behind mages...the mechs have destroyed or locked away almost all of it.” Her voice was a bit harsh. “Just as the truth behind my family was locked away...” She sighed softly. She paused then and knelt down. “Tripwire.” She spoke, the wire gleamed in the beam from her flashlight. “If we didn’t have our flashlights.” She shook her head. She took a step back and sliced through it with her pickaxe. She glanced ahead, a skeleton lay on the floor. Sharp pointed spears stabbed forward from the walls.

Jules stood her eyes looking to the spears, the wood was stained red with blood. “It seems many have come through this passage and not succeeded hm?” She questioned and looked to Melani. She stepped forward slowly as the spears retracted into the walls. She reached down and grabbed something from the skeleton, a pack. She pulled it open and slipped a small journal from within it.


I have been searching for them for years, at first this was just a job, just another form of income. Find the mages, get paid. But the more I’ve learned of them, the more I want to find these mages. To find them and the power that they hold...it will be the turning point for the war. We can harness the power of these mages and once and for all we will have control. To live in a world that Mechs rise high over all creatures, Dr. Kunac claims to have created a device to draw the power from the mages...to control them. It’s still in the early stages, but if I can convince one or two mages to come with me. As long as I can trick one into leaving the city...

Though, finding them is another story. I can hear things in these caverns, though, my mind could be playing tricks on me. When I find them, I don’t know how well they will welcome me...

Jules drew her brows together and shook her head slightly. She’d read the passage out loud. “It seems he didn’t fair well with the city.” She let out a soft laugh. She turned and continued forward then. The tunnels that they were in were much like a labyrinth. They came to dead end after dead end. They were going in circles. After almost an hour of slipping through the catacombs Jules leaned against the wall. Her injured leg was throbbing, her stomach growled. “Can we take a rest? Maybe that will help us find the way...” She slid down the wall and sat.

“We are missing something...” She shook her head. “It’s another hidden wall...or something...” She drew her brows together. “What was so special about the mages here?” She questioned softly. “Have you ever heard of this place, Mel?”

**

“Girls.” Hugo held his gauntlet up. He pushed the rock back in place over the tunnel to obscure it once again. “I’ve heard explosions. Answer me.” He glanced around. “I can’t stay up here, there are government soldiers everywhere, this mountain is crawling with them...if you can hear me...I’m going to find a hiding space nearby, I will listen for you. Be safe.” He slipped away from the entrance then.

**

Jules looked to her gauntlet that crackled as Hugo tried to reach them. She drew her brows together. “Hugo?” She questioned before she looked to Melani, she ate a piece of jerky. “Wait...” Jules pushed up. She took off in the tunnel at a brisk pace, despite her limp. “Use the bracelet.” She grinned then. “It’s like a magnet, that’s what Charlie said.” She focused then as she made her way through the tunnels. Soon enough she felt a bit of the uncomfortable heat of the bracelet. Jules took off down that tunnel, the further she got, the bracelet began to glow orange. She came to a wall and she ran her fingers along it. “Come on.” She spoke as she searched around. Her fingers depressed a piece of the rock and the door came open.

Jules stood before a long hallway that was beautifully decorated with murals of the mages. “Woah...” She spoke as she stepped forward, torches clicked on along the hall lighting their path. She glanced to the aqueduct that ran along the pathway. This was part of the tombs beneath the city.

“Did the boss ever say if we found anything in these creepy tombs anyway?” A voice echoed down the hallway.

Jules pressed herself to the wall hiding behind a pillar, she clicked her light off. She glanced as two men walked down the hall, guns in hand. “Just a bunch of dead bodies, I guess.” The other man with him chuckled. “I don’t get why he’s so obsessed with this place. It gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, a bunch of skeletons.” The other one shivered.

Jules watched as they stepped forward. One of the bricks beneath the soldiers feet depressed. “Oh shit! I told you to be careful!” The other one yelped just as the floor gave out beneath them. They screamed and then the sound of their bodies falling onto sharpened spears echoed through the hall.

Jules took in a slow breath. “We have to be careful.” She whispered as she looked to Melani.

Jules glanced to Melani her eyes softened slightly when the question was begged of her, her demeanor. It was nothing more than a learned trait. She bit her lip and took in a slow breath, “I have been through a lot.” She replied, “I guess, fighting for my life isn’t something that is new to me, it’s been something that I have known since I can remember.” She then fell quiet, “Sorry...” She muttered after a moment of silence as she continued forward. She listened to Melani as she spoke of the battle between Mechs and Mages. Jules was quiet, the hidden past was something that always ate at her. She’d spent time with Agatha in the libraries back in Voxstein...though when they were younger they never found much. It was always when Agatha would return from her adventures that she would bring something by the shop, she’d come late when Henry was home for the day. Jules would claim she was staying late to work on a car, though in reality they stood over an old book in the office reading over the faded writing.

Jules slipped along the ledge. She stood before the mural her eyes looking it over. “There has to be more, you’re right.” She spoke as she took in the art. “More than one city?” Her brows raised.

Jules stepped forward she glanced to the door as it slipped back in place locking them inside. “If there is a safe haven that the government has not located...it must be very well hidden...” She shook her head. “We don’t have the equipment that the government has, the trinkets.” She let out a soft laugh. “To imagine that they haven’t even found this place baffles me...” She stepped forward, her fingertips touched one of the sigils. It had a dim blue glow to it. “How...is this lit up?” She questioned as she looked around the room. She stepped over to another and she gripped the stone, it spun, she moved it until it seated into place, the sigil began to glow on it as well now. She spun the sigil above it until it too seated. Soon enough Jules had them aligned and a small door shifted out of place. She stepped back as a bit of dust fell from the top of the stone as it slid from its place. “Do we have to open all of them to get that open?” She glanced to the large door once again.

Jules stepped forward slowly, her eyes cautiously looking over the walls and the floor watching for any dangerous objects. They stepped into a rounded room, a dead end. It had several murals upon the walls with stands before them. Jules looked up at one of the murals, it depicted a mage that held a staff in his hands, lightning came from a crystal upon the staff. He stood upon a mountain peak and dark clouds swirled above him. “Do you think this was their leader?” She questioned as she looked to the device before the mural. She turned to the next, it showed a woman whom had a white glow over her hands, she held her hand over the chest of a soldier, a Mech...he was terribly wounded. “Healing? Is she healing him?” She drew her brows together as she turned to the third mural. It showed a mech standing with a gun over his shoulder, the mages were at his feet, bowed before him, submitting. Jules stepped forward her brows drawn together, his hand was glowing, an insignia was upon it. “That...” She rushed from the room running back to the middle. Her eyes looked over the sigils on the large round door. “That’s it.” She rushed back down the hallway. She stepped to the device that was placed before the mural. It was a handle of some sort.

Jules stepped forward and placed her hands on the handle. She stared to holes in the wall before her, was she right? If she was wrong what would happen? She bit her lip and gripped the handle, she pushed it forward. A clatter came from behind the wall as gears turned. Suddenly metal shackles slapped down on Jules’ wrists, locking her in place. She screamed as she was pulled forward toward the wall. She yanked back, her breathing quick, “Melani!” She cried as she tried to slip her wrists from the device.

A grinding came from the wall as spikes rushed forward. Jules cried as she leaned back as far as she could, jerking on the device. The spikes clattered to a stop, the old mechanism was stuck. The sharp points of the spikes pressed against Jules’ chest and throat. She took in shaken breaths. “I...don’t think...th-that was it.” She could feel a bit of blood trickle down her neck from one of the metal spears. She jerked back, trying to free herself as more clattering came from behind the wall. The spears shuddered and then retracted into the wall. Jules’ arms were released, she fell back onto her back, gasping. Her eyes stared up to the dome of the room. “The kindness of our people led us to betrayal. Tillie Bridgewater, a kind soul healed the man that drove us below the crust of the earth.”

Jules slowly sat up, she blinked a few times and brushed the blood from her neck. “Bridgewater...” She spoke, that was her true last name. Was this an ancestor of hers? She stepped to the mural of the woman healing the mech. She reached forward and ran her fingertips over the paint. “Okay...” She let out a breath as she gripped the handle. She pushed it forward into the wall, the mechanism clamped down over her wrists. Jules pulled back, her heart began to pound as more clattering came from the wall. Then something sounded from out in the large room.

The mechanism clicked and released her. Jules rubbed her wrists and stumbled back, she let out a sigh of relief. “It’s riddles, and puzzles...” She stared to the mural, the woman had beautiful blue eyes like her and her hair was an ashen color as well. Jules bit her lip slightly, she wanted to know more...she had to know more....

“Okay...nothing to it, huh?” She let out a shy laugh then as she stepped back down the hallway to the center room. A sigil that was previously dark was glowing white now. “Okay...4 more to go...” Jules stepped to a door and moved the blocks around until they seated into place. “We’ll be more careful...the answer is there...we just have to find it...” She nodded as she walked down the hallway toward their next trial.

Jules followed her brows tucked together. “The first magic?” She questioned, pondering. Though, Melani answered the riddle quickly. “Werewolves.” She chuckled, “Yes, but...werewolves aren’t real...right?” She raised a brow then as the door rolled back. Everything happened quickly. Jules was slammed against the wall harshly by one of the wolves bounded forward. The world spun in circles around her. Her breaths seemed to echo off of the cold stone walls. Her eyes fluttered, blood trickled down the side of her head from a gash in her temple.

The sound of Melani’s scream brought clarity to her mind. “Melani!” She cried as she raced down the hallway after the wolf. It pinned Melani to her back, it’s fangs dripping drool. Jules didn’t have to think as she pulled the old handgun from her hip that Charlie had given her. Time seemed to slow as she lifted the gun, she let out a breath and squeezed the trigger. The gun kicked back heavily.

The wolf snarled and turned as blood poured from its ribs where the bullet hit. It rushed forward toward Jules. She dodged to the side and scrambled back to her feet. The wolf gripped onto her pant leg and jerked her toward it. Jules let out a cry as the huge paws of the beast held her down. She rolled as it tried to chomp down on her neck. Her hand gripped onto her pickaxe. She swung it up and lodged it into the side of the chest of the beast. She then ripped down harshly. The wolf howled in pain. Jules shoved the wolf and then she slammed the pickaxe into the skull of the creature. She pulled back on her axe, her breaths quick, her eyes wide. “Mel?” She rushed over. “Are you...?” She looked over the bloody wounds. “Shit.” She knelt next to her, “Uh...” Jules let out a shaken breath. Her head was fuzzy now from the impact against the wall.

“Let me see...” She clicked her light to a brighter setting. Jules pulled her pack off and set it down. “This isn’t going to fix you...” She spoke softly as she pulled off her jacket. Beneath she wore a black short sleeve shirt, a few of her scars were visible. A necklace hung around her neck, it was a intricate design of a silver Lilly, she’d had it since she was a child. Henry gathered it from the orphanage, it was a trinket that had been recovered from her home after the ‘fire’.

Jules used her pickaxe to slice into her jacket. She took in shaken breaths as she used water on Melani’s wounds. “I’m...not...a nurse or...a doctor...” She spoke softly, “S-sorry...” She cleaned dirt from the wound. Jules fell quiet as she cleaned the deep punctures. She’d cleaned up her wound many times as she was growing up. The orphanage didn’t care how many times she was beaten...she always had to pick herself up.

Jules looked to the huge wolves. “So...werewolves...huh?” She stared to the creatures. “How the hell were they down here?” She let out a breath and shook her head. “I’ve never seen wolves that big before...” She carefully stood and offered her hand to Melani. “Let’s go see what they were guarding, hm?” She wrapped her arm around Melani to steady her. She brushed a bit of blood from the side of her head and took in a slow breath. “Alright.” She grabbed the huge fang from the floor and they made their way passed the door that was open. Jules kept her eyes trained forward. She was listening for any movement. “There.” She spoke as she released Melani next to a statue of a wolf that she could hold herself up with.

Jules stepped forward. “Clever.” She lifted the fang and slipped it into a round slot. Around the slot a strange writing began to glow. Jules stepped back as the door cracked open. “I’ll...make sure it’s safe...” She spoke as she slipped through the small opening. Jules found herself in a large room full of books and artifacts, as well as stone caskets. It was a symmetrical room. Every item had its place. “Oh...woah...Mel...” She moved to the door and pressed against it. “I...think this is what we were looking for.” She nodded.

Jules managed to open the door the rest of the way and she helped Melani forward. “Look at this.” She stared to the beautiful artwork on the walls. Jules stepped to a podium in the center of the room. Jules looked over it a moment before she slid the stone away. She raised a brow as she looked over the writing. “I...” She shook her head. “I can’t read this...this...” She flipped a few more pages. “I’ve never seen a language like this before....” Jules sighed softly.

Suddenly the radio crackled. “Melani.........ge.......o......I......tr.....g......after........st.....” It was Hugo.

Jules lifted her gauntlet. “Hugo? Come again?” She asked. “Hugo?”

“Get out....” Garbled static followed once more.

Jules drew her brows together. “Hugo what’s happened we can’t hear you well....”

Static followed. Jules took in a deep breath, she stared to the book. She lifted the book and placed it in her pack. “Wait...” She reached forward, beneath the book was a small trinket. A necklace. She lifted the necklace and looked it over, it was a tree of life with the ancient writing scribed into it carefully. Jules took in quick breaths, her eyes glowed slightly. She let out a cry as she dropped the piece, her bracelet was red hot. “Damnit....what is that?” She took in quick gasps. Jules grit her teeth as she lifted it again and handed it to Melani.

Jules glanced around the room her eyes looked over the murals. “Look.” She stepped forward. “Voxstein...” The city was painted carefully on the mural. To the north of it was one of the hidden cities, in the snowy mountains. “Do you think...the mages are still there? What is that necklace?” She asked softly. Jules searched Melani’s eyes a moment. The ground beneath them rumbled slightly. “Mel...” Jules went to grab her just as the floor beneath them gave out. Jules screamed as she was tossed down into a pit. She felt like she’d fallen forever through the darkness until she landed in water. “Melani!” She screamed as she came to the surface. “Mel!” She kicked quickly against the water and found her way to the edge. She coughed up water as she glanced down the tunnel. The cavern around them rumbled. “Mel...” Jules gripped onto her arm pulling her from the water. Jules wrapped her arm around her. “We need to move!” She cried as rubble began to fall around them. Jules rushed forward, nearly picking Melani up as she sprinted ahead.

Jules shoved Melani forward as they came to an opening. “Go!” She cried as they moved into tight quarters. The rocks rumbled around them as they moved through the tight passage. Jules whimpered, she could feel the walls edging in toward them. She gasped as they made it out. “Go! Go!” She grabbed Melani again helping her forward. Jules skidded to a stop at the edge of a cliff. “Damnit.” She glanced back. “They must be blasting again...” Jules looked back she bit her lip. “Okay...” She breathed. She pulled rope and attached it to the ground. She then ran the other end through her belt. She closed her eyes a moment. “You’ll just have to pull yourself across...okay?” Jules looked to Melani a long moment before she took a few steps back. She ran forward toward the cliff. Jules let out a cry mid air as she leaped. Her torso slammed against the edge of the cliff on the other side knocking the air from her lung. Jules dug in with her pickaxe as she scrambled to pull herself up. She crawled up and attached the rope. “O...okay...” She choked out. “Come...on...” A bit of blood trickled from her nose from the impact. She brushed it away as she waited on Melani. She glanced ahead. “I can see light.” She spoke softly.

Jules helped Melani up and they moved ahead. The cavern behind them caved in as they pushed through thick brush to the crisp air of the outside world. Jules grinned as the sun hit her face. “We made it.” She chuckled.

Suddenly the butt of a rifle slammed against Jules’ head, she crumpled to the ground loose as a rag doll. Lyonel stood with a rifle over his shoulder, a cigar in his mouth, he chuckled. “So, love, tell me what exactly it is that you’re doing with this mage huh?” He pushed Jules onto her back, the wound on the side of her head was bleeding from his harsh blow. “I’m all ears for the deal you want to make me, but I just can’t see what you’re doing.” He grinned then. “Oh I brought good ole’ Hugo along too.” He glanced over his shoulder. Hugo stood in cuffs with a cloth wrapped around his mouth. When they were in the tomb Hugo was trying to warn them...but the static kept them from understanding him...

Hugo wrestled his hands from the bonds as he watched Lyonel with Melani. He lunged forward when Lyonel brought his sword down on her leg, his eyes wide. “Lyonel...” He breathed as he looked to the leg. He quickly scooped Jules into his arms. “What the fuck is this stuff?” He grabbed Melani’s amputated leg, his eyes looked over the black veins. He looked to Jules with soft eyes. “You didn’t have to hit her so hard...” He grunted.

Jules came to about halfway to the hospital. She sucked in a quick breath and nearly fell from Hugo’s grip. He stopped and allowed her down. “Mel...” Jules rushed forward as they entered the hospital. Her vision was blurry. She winced slightly. “What...what happened?” Her chest heaved, she didn’t remember getting hit in the head. Her eyes fell on Hugo. “What the fuck happened?” She snapped, she gripped his shirt her brows pulled together. “We got attacked by Werewolves....huge....giant blood thirsty fucking Werewolves...” Her grip on him was trembling. Her hands were covered in dried caked on blood.

Hugo placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “It’s okay Jules.” He stared into her eyes. “We got Melani to the hospital she’s going to be alright.” He nodded as he looked her over. He looked to Lyonel as he spoke to them, his brows were pulled together, he let out a breath, biting back a snarky remark.

“Let’s see here.” A nurse came forward. “Are you alright dear?” She stepped to Jules whom was staring to the double doors that Melani had been taken behind. “Why don’t you come back with me, hm? Let’s have a look at that head of yours.” The nurse wrapped an arm gently over Jules’ shoulders and led her into the back. She walked her into a room and sat her on a bed. “There.” The nurse gave a warm smile as she pulled out supplies. “Can you tell me what happened?” She asked.

Jules watched as the woman dabbed gauze in saline. She shook her head. “No.” She whispered. “I...I’m fine.” She stood up.

The nurse placed a hand on Jules’ shoulder. “Just relax dear.” She reached forward and began to clean the blood from Jules’ face. Jules winced and grit her teeth, her hand gripped onto the woman’s wrist. Her eyes looked to the nurse for a long moment before she released her grip and relaxed. The nurse carefully cleaned the wound. “You hit your head pretty hard...” She spoke as she looked over the wound.

A tall slender man in a white coat walked into the room then. He pulled on his gloves and walked over. “I am Dr. Reid, can you tell me what happened to you?” He asked as he inspected the wound. He flashed a light in Jules’ eyes and he let out a breath. “Can we get scans?” He looked to the woman next to him.

“Of course doctor.” The nurse nodded as she stepped quickly from the room.

“What’s your name?” Dr. Reid asked as he jotted a few things down on a clipboard. He looked up to Jules then.

“Lilly.” Jules spoke softly. She knew better than to speak her name, she wondered at what extent would Vance go to get her returned to Voxstein?

“Hm, Lilly, can you tell me what happened to your head there?” He asked his voice was calm.

Jules shook her head. “No...I can’t remember...” She lowered her eyes as she tried to remember. Werewolves. The jaws flashed before her vision. She remembered running with Melani, then...they were almost out...and then her memory blanked.

The doctor nodded, “Alright.” He spoke before he exited the room. He walked to the front desk, his eyes looked to Hugo and then to Lyonel a moment before he disappeared back into the back.

“Lay down dear.” The nurse spoke as she came back into the room. “Just relax okay? Lean your head this way.” She helped adjust Jules’ head. She looked to the scars on Jules’ arms and let out a long breath. The nurse carefully stitched the wound up before she wrapped a bandage around Jules’ head. “We need to get a few scans, to make sure you’re okay.” The nurse spoke as she helped her to her feet.

Jules sat down in the wheelchair that was placed before her. Her eyes moved about as she was wheeled into the back. She stared to a room where she saw several doctors standing around a table, a huge bright aimed at the table. “Wait...” Jules shot up from the wheelchair. She rushed to the window, staring into the room.

“Come on.” The nurse pulled her back gently. “We need to make sure you’re alright.”

Jules fought the woman slightly, though her head was spinning, it throbbed. “O-okay...” She sat back down. She was wheeled down the hallway and placed on a table beneath a flat metal contraption. They placed a box around her head and asked her to lay still. The clanking of the machine hurt Jules’ ears as it scanned over her. She let out a cry as the world began to spin. Soon enough darkness overtook her vision.

**

“She’s seizing.” A nurse rushed in toward Jules as her body convulsed. “The pressure is too high, where is Reid?!” The nurse ripped the box up and shoved the metal plate away from Jules. She held her head gently, protecting her as another woman helped roll her onto her side.

Dr. Reid came rushing into the room. “What happened?!” He helped steady Jules as the convulsions began to calm.

“She was fine...she started mumbling something about...Werewolves...and caves...” She shook her head, “Her eyes fluttered and then she started seizing.”

“Did we get anything before?” He asked.

“Yes.” Another nurse rushed forward with a film in her hand. “Just two shots.”

The doctor held the film up he grit his teeth. “Get her to the operating room now.” As he spoke blood began to drip from Jules’ nose as her body spasmed again. He helped rush Jules down the hall on a stretcher. Nurses rushed along with them as they rushed into a clean room. Jules was shuffled onto a metal bed. She was surrounded. A nurse started an IV in one arm while another began to hook up monitoring equipment.

Jules’ convulsions stopped as the team pushed medications into her through the IVs. Her body fell limp and her breathing slowed. A nurse carefully inserted tubing down Jules’ throat as a precaution. “Alright.” Dr. Reid spoke, he clipped the films up onto the wall and turned on a light behind them. He inspected the flies and then nodded. He nodded to a nurse who lifted as much hair away as possible before she took clippers to the side of Jules’ head. She then cleaned the area as the doctor scrubbed his hands. He walked over and took in a breath. “Let’s hope no damage has been done.” He spoke softly as he lifted a drill into his hand. He held Jules’ head and he carefully drilled just above her right ear, just below where Lyonel had hit her with the butt of his rifle. Blood began to pour out once Dr. Reid had bored through the skull. He lay her head to the side allowing the blood to leak freely.

**

“Do you know what happened to her?” The nurse from before stood in the waiting room, her eyes on Hugo. “Who hit her?” She questioned.

Hugo took in a breath. “They were down in the caverns...” He spoke his eyes on the nurse.

“And the scars?” She asked, her brows tucked together. “Where did she get those, hm?”

Hugo raised his brows. “Look, I haven’t known her long, I know she had a rough childhood.” He crossed his arms. “Why don’t you let her come back out front?”

The nurse stared to him a long moment. “I can’t do that, she’s in surgery. Her brain swelled so much from the injury that our doctor had to drill a hole to release the pressure.” She spoke before she turned and went back through the double doors.

Hugo grit his teeth. “Lyonel.” He growled his brows tucked together. “That mage...” He stared to Lyonel. “She is the key, that is what everything that led us to, she is our answer to getting Caroline and you could have killed her.” He snapped harshly. He pulled his flask and took a swig from it.

**

It was 3 days before Jules opened her eyes. She’d slipped away a few times on the team. They had to pump her full of drugs to keep her heart beating. Her brain had suffered significant damage from the pressure within her skull. Her eyes fluttered open, she gagged against the tube in her throat. Jules reached up to yank the tube out.

“Woah there.” Hugo was sitting next to the bed, it was his turn to watch over her. His hands held hers carefully. He stood over her. “Hey, hey. You’re alright.” He stared into her eyes.

Jules’ chest heaved, tears streamed from her eyes. The nurse rushed into the room. “She’s awake.” She spoke with a smile on her lips. “Hold on dear.” She carefully deflated the balloon that held the tube in place within Jules’ throat. “I’m going to pull that thing out, okay?” She nodded. The nurse then swiftly pulled it out.

Jules coughed and held her hand to her throat. She looked to Hugo. “What...” Her voice was hoarse. “Happened?”

Hugo looked to the nurse a moment and then back to her. “Your brain was swollen from that knock you took on your head.” He spoke softly.

Jules sat up slowly. She looked to the tubing that ran into both arms. Flash backs of the tower raced through her mind. Her pulse increased. “N-no...” She reached to pull the IV out.

“Slow down there.” The nurse carefully gripped her hand. “I’ll get you out of those here in a bit, okay?” She gave a gentle smile. “Just relax.”

Jules grit her teeth. “Melani...” She spoke, she remembered the blood...her leg. “Is Melani okay?” Her eyes looked to Hugo then.

“Is she okay?” Jules tucked her brows together. “Hugo?” The monitor on the wall beeped quickly as her pulse began to race.

“Why don’t you relax dear, you’ve been through quite the ordeal, hm?” The nurse reached forward.

Jules shoved her hands away. “No...no no....I...the blood...” She looked to her clean hands. She reached quickly and yanked the IV from her arm. Blood splattered onto the floor as she jumped up from the bed. Her head instantly began to spin.

“Lilly.” The nurse came forward, “Lilly listen to me.” She placed her hands on her shoulders, she glanced to Hugo. “Your friend Melani, she is okay.” She looked back to her. “You need to sit back down. We can’t have you up like this just yet.”

Jules pushed her out of her way. “What happened?!” She cried and rushed forward the heart monitor wires stretched from the machines on the walls. She gripped Hugo’s collar harshly. “What happened?” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “She...she’s was okay...we...were okay...”

Hugo held her shoulders. “It’s okay, Melani is recovering. Everything is okay.”

Two other nurses rushed into the room. One had a syringe in his hand. He pushed it into Jules’ neck and injected the foggy liquid. Jules’ eyes glazed over, her grip began to loosen on his shirt. “Hugo...” She breathed as her head lulled forward.

The nurses grabbed her and adjusted her back into the bed. “We’re going to have to supervise her.” The nurse spoke her eyes on Hugo. “You really don’t know what happened to her?” She asked her brows scrunched together.

Hugo shook his head as he stared to Jules. “No....she was a mess when she came from the caverns...but she saved Melani’s life.”

**

Lub dub. Lub dub. Lub dub....

Her heart pounded with her ears. Jules lay in total darkness. “Where...” She felt around. “What’s going on...?” She reached forward and felt the thick fur of a creature. A snarl came from the darkness. Jules stared into glowing red eyes, the fangs of the beast glistened. Jules screamed only to be slammed back, where she fell....it was a strange feeling...she fell through the darkness, yet it felt like she didn’t move at all...Jules cried out as she slammed against the bottom, her head bounced off of the cold floor. Blood began to drip from it. It felt as though her head was being crushed. She whimpered as a feeling of weightlessness washed over her body and all of her pain disappeared...

**

“I haven’t seen swelling like this in years...what the hell hit this girl?” The doctor spoke as he looked over a new scan of Jules’ brain.

“Both of the men that brought the two girls in say they don’t know what happened.” The nurse scoffed. “Have you seen the scars on this poor girl?” She asked as she looked over the scars on her arms. “Something happened to her...” She sighed softly. “Look at these.” She traced along one, “Injection marks from a needle. But...she isn’t drugged...she doesn’t seem to fit the bill for an addict...there are no other markers to indicate it.” She sighed.

The doctor injected a hazy purple liquid into the IV line. “I know. I’ve noticed.” He sighed softly. “Unfortunately if she doesn’t ever remember...” He shook his head as he put his stethoscope into his ears and began to listen to her breathing sounds and heartbeat.

Jules sat up then, her hand gripped onto the doctor. Her eyes were wide, she shoved against him and she brought a fist forward that connected with his jaw. The doctor stumbled back holding onto his face, his back pressed against the wall. The nurse reached forward then her eyes looking to the monitor as her pulse raced.

“You’re okay.” The nurse spoke, her voice soft. “You’re safe.”

The doctor rubbed his jaw, a nice bruise had already begun to develop. “You’re in the hospital. Do you remember?” Dr. Reid stepped forward.

Jules stared to him a long moment. “No....” She shook her head. “No...what happened?” She made to move from the bed.

“Slow down.” He pushed her back into the bed, his hand remained on her shoulder. “You’ve had surgery, there is a hole in the side of your head, to relieve pressure...”

“Where’s...Hugo? Melani?” She questioned quickly. Her hands covered in blood. The werewolves. Her own hands trembling as she tied the makeshift bandage around Melani’s leg. “Oh god...is she dead? Is Melani dead?” She whimpered.

“She’s recovering.” The doctor spoke softly. “Why don’t you rest hm?” He asked softly.

Over the next week it was repeat after repeat. It was like Jules’ brain was reset each time she fell asleep. She’d forget. She seemed to reset back to the moment after the attack. Though slowly toward the end of the week she began to retain again. She first remembered she was in the hospital. She wouldn’t pull her IV from her arm each time she woke.

The doctor fit a plug into the side of her head once the swelling subsided enough that it was safe. It would heal into her bone and fuze with it. Jules stood in the lobby. Hugo had gone to town and gotten her clothing. She wore black pants with leather boots that came to her knees. A grey long sleeve tunic was fitted beneath a brown leather waist cinch that had straps that wrapped over her shoulders. Jules had cut the rest of her hair short, she had short bangs in the front and pushed to the side, a wrap still remained around her head to protect the wound. She pulled on a black beanie and fitted her goggles over the top of it. Her gauntlet remained on her hand protecting her.

“Coffee?” Hugo asked as he came to her side.

“You’re drinking coffee?” She looked to him a brow raised. She then sighed softly as she looked back out the window. The mines were visible from here, smoke rose into the skies from the machinery. “How is Mel?” She asked softly.

“Still sleeping...” Hugo spoke as he set the coffee on the window sill in front of her. “And of course I’m not drinking coffee.” He let out a soft laugh, “It’s for you.”

Jules gave a slight nod. She reached forward and took a sip from the coffee. She took in a long deep breath.

“Miss Bridgewater?” Dr. Reid approached. “I need to get a few more scans. You’re doing quite well the past two days.” He smiled then. “How’s your memory?” He asked.

Jules looked to him, “I can’t remember what happened...” She shook her head. “It’s all a blur, I feel like I know what happened sometimes, but...it’s like this huge shadow is covering it...I can’t get it into focus...” She sighed softly. Then her eyes darted from him to a commotion. “Hugo...” She pushed passed Dr. Reid and ran across the lobby quickly. “Melani.” She spoke and came to her. She placed her hands on her shoulders before she pulled her into a gentle embrace. “You’re awake.” She took a step back and looked to the beautiful leg. She’d visited Melani’s bedside a few times. It was like artwork, the whole thing, though it was a beautiful machine.

“Miss Bridgewater.” Dr. Reid stepped forward, his eyes stared to her, a pale color had washed over her complexion.

Jules took in quick breaths, her eyes fluttered slightly. Running wasn’t something she should be doing. “We...can go...soon...” She spoke, her speech slurred. “Go...to the place...in the mountains....” She stumbled slightly.

Dr. Reid held onto her shoulders from behind. “Miss Bridgewater, I suggest that we get you to bed, I think you’ve had quite the excitement for one day, hm?”

Hugo rushed forward with a wheelchair. He helped the doctor get Jules into the chair. Moments later Jules’ head leaned forward as she lost consciousness. “What’s happening?”

“She shouldn’t have run.” Dr. Reid spoke as he rolled her off.

Hugo looked to Melani his eyes worried. “Melani...” He stared into her eyes. “Melani...you would have died...if Lyonel hadn’t...” He looked to her leg. “You were going to die...there was a poison.” His eyes moved back to hers. He could feel her pain, her sadness...

**

Jules grit her teeth as she opened her eyes. "What..." Her head was throbbing. "Where..."

"You're okay." The nurse nodded. "You can't run yet dear. You shook your brain up quite a bit." She rubbed her shoulder.

"Melani?" She questioned her brows tucked together.

"Go on and see her dear." The nurse nodded, "Just, take your time getting up."

Jules moved her feet to dangle from the bed. She sat for a long moment before she stood and walked toward the door of her room. She stumbled slightly and found her way down the hallway. She slipped into the room and sat down heavily, her head was spinning. "Mel?" She asked her voice soft.