The Siblings Who Swallowed The Moon Ch.7

 

Chapter 7 - The Silver-Haired Siblings

 

“That won’t happen.” The Supreme Magus seemed sure of herself as she told Tiffaun that they wouldn’t get annihilated.

“How can you be so certain? Have you seen the carnage that they’ve created outside? They’ve slaughtered hundreds of our brothers and sisters. What will stop them from doing the same to us?”

“We will surrender when the time is right.” Suggested the Supreme Magus.

Tiffaun protested, “But how is that any different from tossing away our lives? Those men outside aren’t a bunch who can be reasoned with.”

“Someone special is coming up the mountain that will make them comply.” She was hinting to the Grand Inquisitor. “Now we don’t have much time. Gather the Vaud siblings and bring them here and tell the Bookkeepers to secure the precious artefacts in the reliquary.”

Alicia said, “Most of the precious manuscripts and grimoires have already been shipped to safety since the afternoon when the crusaders commenced their attack on Guillume Mountain. All that is left are a few basic tomes and magical items. I will try my best to bring as many as I can carry.” She ran out of the Cronus chamber apace.

“I will go gather the Vaud siblings.” Tiffaun exited shortly after Alicia. Both of them traversed in separate directions.

While rushing down a narrow corridor, Tiffaun was conversing with her mental self. “Why is the Supreme Magus putting the fate of our lives in the hands of those brats? I just don’t get it.”

She came upon a group of witches who were armed with magical trinkets and relayed the message, “The Supreme Magus wants the rest of us to gather in the Cronus chamber.”

“Ok, we’re on our way there.” The witches were initially going to offer support to their brethren who were sustaining the barrier at the sanctuary’s entrance, but hearing Tiffaun’s message, they switched their destination to the Cronus chamber.

“I hope those 2 are still in holding.” Tiffaun had a hard time going up a steep flight of curving stairways due to her leg injury that hadn’t fully healed yet. Climbing to the last step, she placed her feet on a flat surface and teetered down the hall from there.

Tiffaun made it in front of a grilled chamber where she had to unlock several bolts to enter. Inside had many brown papers scattered all over; some were even plastered on the walls. Arcane writings were inscribed on the walls’ surface and several stone tablets were sitting on a wide counter. 

“Amich! Silvia! Where are you?” Tiffaun ventured further into the stench of aged papyrus and rust. She followed the sound of a low grunt until eventually, she discovered a 9-year-old boy hiding in the corner shivering in fear. The lower jawline of his face was concealed with a cloth that was partially tied in a knot at the posterior of his short dishevelled silver hair.

“There you are, Amich.” Tiffaun helped the little boy up from the cold floor and tried to comfort him from thinking about the loud banging noises below. Looking around the room, she saw no sign of Silvia, the black sheep in the colony who was regarded as the number one trouble maker.

Tiffaun inquired, “Amich, where is your sister?”

Amich didn’t say a word, he only pointed to a narrow window secured by thick bars.

“She went outside?” Tiffaun became alert when this thought entered her mind. She wondered how a fully grown 21-year-old lady could have slipped through those bars and escaped through the window. There wasn’t any ledge outside for a proper foothold so if she went that way she must have used the essence of magic.

“That brat is giving me more trouble than is needed right now. Stay here Amich.” Tiffaun set the boy aside and went over to inspect the window. The first thing she saw when she glanced outside was the hellish flames that were consuming the mountain’s vegetation. About to peer sideways at the wall, she received a startling surprise from behind.

Amich snuck out of the room and met up with his sister who was tinkering with the locks. They were trying to trap Tiffaun inside, however, they were found out before they could succeed with their plans.

“You troublesome brats! What do you think you are doing at a critical time like this?” Tiffaun became more upset than she already was.

“Shoot, she found out too early.” The silver-haired dame standing by her little brother abandoned the fastening of the locks when a gale of trepidation blew past her.

“Amich, let’s go!” Silvia grabbed her brother’s hand and started dashing down the hall to where the curved stairway was.

“Get back here you 2!” Tiffaun exited the chamber in angst and gave chase to the siblings but her leg injury was making her pursuit quite difficult. She thought of another way to get their attention and shouted, “Your presence is requested by the Supreme Magus!”

“What did you say?” Silvia stopped midway down the flight of stairs when she heard the echoes reverberating off the narrow walls and waited for Tiffaun to catch up. Silvia held the Supreme Magus in high regard so when she heard that she wanted to see them, Silvia no longer sought to escape the hideout with her brother.

“You brats should be more considerate of my injuries given the circumstance that we’re currently facing at our doorsteps,” Tiffaun told the siblings that their presence was requested In the Cronus chamber.

Due to the urgency of the matter, they didn’t waste time apologizing for the stunt they tried to pull nor was it solicited. Together, the 3 of them alighted the stairway. From there they hurried down the corridor until they came upon the long path that led to the main entrance of their sanctuary.

Just as they approached that area, they witnessed a great explosion followed by the swift advance of Commander Dreylude and his men of holy valour. “We’ve made it inside the witches’ stronghold! Advance and annihilate those detestable worshipers of darkness!”

“Fall back, everyone! Fall back!” The witches who were responsible for upholding the barrier for as long as they did was now on the run for their lives while occasionally casting attack-type spells back at the incoming crusaders.

“We have to make haste before it is too late!” Tiffaun grabbed Silvia and Amich’s hands while instructing the remaining witches to regroup at the Cronus chamber.

In the midst of audible clashes, Commander Dreylude recognized Tiffaun’s resounding voice and swiftly found her location further down the tunnel. “You bloody witch! I’m coming to claim your head! See if you escape me this time!” He had a personal bone to pick with Tiffaun. He didn’t like how she gave him the slip back at Vermont City.