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Along the riverside, just inside the swamp-line, away from the fighting beginning to take place not far away along the rivers bank, Jade, leaving her speed and strength outside, led Reggio down into the king’s secret chamber beneath the tree. She motioned for complete silence as they moved quietly down the steps into the darkness below. Neither of them knew what to expect as no one had ever known of this location, but as they reached the bottom, a long hallway lit only by a few torches stretched out before them.
Jade could now feel the Mother growing closer by the second, so she knew there was not much time left as she hurried carefully down the hall. She had no idea where Orleans was, but quickly noticed that this chamber was nothing like the one they had lived in. It was much smaller, consisting of only one hallway that stretched too far for her to see completely.
She needed to know where Orleans was for her plan to work, so she began moving further down that hallway. There were several small rooms along the way, all with their doors hanging open and insides ransacked. And after a moment she spotted a torch moving across the hallway, probably from one room to another, and figured that was where the king was. She knew that he was searching for the third Elysian Stone from what she had heard him say outside, and figured he had already searched these rooms up front. She then decided to put Reggio in the next room, the third on the right. She quickly pulled him into the small room off to the side, pulling four small candles from her pocket and rubbing the tips of the wicks with her fingers to light them, and talking quietly yet quickly as she did.
“You must remain in this room without making a sound until it is time to come out, not a moment before and not a second longer.” Jade explained as she began to place a candle in each corner of the room. “Our victory here depends on it. And for your efforts, as I said, you will be rewarded with the richest of blood.”
Jade then walked past Reggio and back to the door, asking him, “Do you understand?”
“Sure, but how will I know when it is time? And how will I know what to do?” Reggio asked in return.
Jade smiled. “I am hoping your instincts will tell you that.” She said with confidence.
“And what if they don’t? What if I am the cause for your failure?” He reasoned, “I don’t know enough about your kind, or why you are even fighting this battle. I don’t even know myself, who I am or where I came from, why I’m here. What if…”
Jade silenced him with an upraised hand. “Those are all questions that you will come to know the answers to in time.” She tried to assure him, “But now you must focus on the task at hand, and trust me.” She looked him in the eyes, “You will do better than you may think. Just trust your instincts and they will guide you in the correct direction.”
Jade then turned and left the room, shutting the door behind her and leaving Reggio alone to ponder what was about to happen. As the door shut, she placed her hand upon it and recited the ancient words of her kind, “Prontrentalious vulanev valeek,” words that spoke directly to Mother Nature herself. Once she deemed his presence protected, she quickly and quietly made her way back out into the swamp, to where the Speed and Strength were still waiting.