Chapter Thirty-one – Wet vaults and dry humor
“How much time do we have?”
Fake looked at the chronometer Andin had built for him, “Four hours until the portal closes.” Andin was showered in sparks as he steadily cut through the layered iron and stone of the vault. Fake tapped the glass face of his time keeper, “This thing is really nice.”
Andin stopped cutting, “Okay get ready I’m cutting through the last layer.
The lab’s vaults were flooded and filled with oysters that shrieked when exposed to air. The elaborate series of security doors, checkpoints, and keen eyed guards made entering through the facility impossible without more time. The thieves were already cutting it close as it had taken Andin twice as long as he predicted to tunnel through the uncooperative soil. The prince’s diligence paid off as they now had direct access to the bottom of the vault.
“So there’s seventy tons of water over our heads,” said Fake casually as he tied himself to one of the anchors in the tunnel wall. The last sheet of iron bulged from the weight with its reinforcement cut away. Andin was already tied in.
“We’re about to become very unwelcome in Pelagos,” regretted Andin.
Fake thought about what this meant, “Wait!” he exclaimed.
Andin stopped and growled, “You ruined it! I was going to cut it right after I said that.”
“How long have you been saving that line?”
“For a whole week man,” complained Andin.
“I’m sorry, but if the Brothers forbid us from returning after this…”
“They say Aeros has the most beautiful women of all the civil planes,” said Andin knowing what Fake was getting at.
Fake was relieved, “If anyone asks, I’ll say you cut it right after you said your line.” Fake’s eyes lit up as he suggested, “Or you could say it again and then cut it!”
“Well now I’m glad I didn’t install your anchor properly,” said Andin slyly. Andin’s sickles burned brightly as he thrust them through the bottom of the vault releasing a torrent into the tunnel. Fake missed the spectacle because he was eyeing his anchor suspiciously.
Battered and drenched Fake yelled over the screaming oysters, “It held fine!”
Andin had already climbed into the vault; he poked his head through the hole and shouted back, “Of course it did; but you missed the last cut – and it looked awesome.” Andin began handing jars of samples down to Fake who loaded them onto the sled.
“Next time we do it my way; these sorts of jobs need finesse.”
“Deal,” said Andin as he jumped out of the vault. The oysters were unbearable. The prince looked up at the vault hatch wheel turning. “Time to go,” he said. Fake’s sand pulled the sled as Andin collapsed sections of the tunnel behind them. The tunnel surfaced just beyond the gaze of the watchtower overlooking the facility. The sled slowed Fake down as Andin ran ahead, “See you in a minute, I’m going to warm her up.
Bells rang in alarm from P.N.A.P. as the word spread of the break in. Andin poured as much heat as he dared into the speedboat’s boilers. Fake reached the beached escape craft. The boys loaded the samples into her small cargo hold. “That’s the last of them,” said Fake jumping into the passenger’s seat.
Andin sent a surge of sand behind the craft pushing it into the water. The boat rocked freely in the waves and the propeller tore into the water. “Didn’t you give this to your students?” asked Fake over the rushing wind.
“I left a note, they can pick it up when we’re done,” laughed Andin. It was a two hour ride to Greater Pirenna. Fake offered encouragement as his friend powered their getaway.
The boat limped ashore onto the island. Andin was drenched in sweat and forcing as much air into his lungs as was possible. Fake applauded his effort, “You did well.” Fake kept them as concealed as he could while Andin recovered. “Thirty minutes; we need to go,” said Fake. Andin nodded and struggled to his feet.
The two friends crossed the field towards the portal, cargo in tow. The very last of the bridge crossers had returned from Rosewood and remained at the portal site to watch the spectacle of the closure. On the outskirts of the fortifications they saw Pria and Percaphia asking the portal log keeper if they had seen Fake or Andin.
“No ma’am they left Rosewood two weeks ago and haven’t returned,” answered the business minded man. The girls knew something was amiss and scanned the portal site with care. The sled was now Andin’s responsibility; he levitated it with the stone rods they had installed. Fake had the monumental task of concealing it all.
“Move at my pace; be still near the torchlight,” instructed Fake. The fortifications were constructed around the traveling face of the portal, giving them an easier approach from the rear. The guards made their passage easier being mesmerized by the portal’s energy unfurling spectacularly.
Only a few yards from the portal the boys stopped. “Are you ready?” whispered Fake. In front of the portal with hundreds of eyes watching the concealment would be useless. The last leg would be sprinted in.
“On your mark,” replied Andin.
Fake dropped the illusion and the on looking marines and magi yelled in surprise. Qin yelled first, “Stop them!” It was too late; they were already up the steps. Fake had reached the face of the portal. He was halfway through the doorway before the white wave knocked him and Andin back with ease.
The entire portal site was frozen in disbelief as a stream of thin tentacled creatures flew through the portal into Pelagos. A heartbeat later and chaos exploded as the tiny monsters engulfed the area and began attacking en mass. What their juvenile bodies lacked in strength they made up for in numbers. Each man and woman at the gate was covered. Their ribbonlike tentacles strained in vain trying to tear their prey apart.
Qin shouted, “Fight them back! Destroy these vermin!” Andin and Fake watched in horror as the stream continued from the portal.
Fake yelled, “We have to help!”
Andin shook his head, “The crystal is already on the other side; we cannot falter!”
“Then we stay as long as we can!” argued Fake. Andin saw Perc desperately ripping off the little devils.
“Give me a gap to push the samples through; we’ll fight until she closes!” shouted Andin, knowing Fake was right. Fake obliged and sent a shielding wedge of sand into the corner of the portal, the stream of monsters lessened and Andin forcefully shoved the sled through. The portal buckled, it would close any minute. A magi was dismembered as a pair of demons wriggled their way into his mouth and eyes.
With the sled now in Rosewood the boys regrouped at the base of the portal stairs. Andin sent a burning river of flame into the heart of the stream. Roasted demons rained to the ground. Fake’s sand formed a curved blade as he sliced it through the flood. Pria fought her way towards the portal deftly slicing the beasts with her rapier.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“We have to leave, I’m sorry!” apologized Fake.
“Pelagos needs you!” she cried.
“What we’re about to do could destroy her forever; we can’t risk it!” interjected Andin.
Pria’s eyes widened as the tentacles of one of her attackers began pulling on her mouth and jaw, she bit down on its tendrils and stomped it into the ground. “Is this your doing?” she screamed holding one of the creatures in her hand.
Andin was running out of strength and his fire weakened as he shouted, “No, it wasn’t us! We don’t know what’s happening!”
The portal shrank. The flow of the creatures lessened and Fake grabbed Andin’s arm and pulled him through the closing doorway. A few stragglers attacked them in Rosewood. They dispatched the young demons easily. In the blink of an eye, the portal shut and showered the area with its dying sparks.