About ten minutes of traveling later, they saw the light of The Amethyst Burrow shining through the cave's exit. Iris told them that her people hid both inside and beneath the miners' houses. They try to avoid the miners, but even if they're caught, nothing bad happens. The Jewels are the real threats.
Once they stepped into the open, Iris used her ability to mark a path so they wouldn't be seen. She didn't reveal exactly how it worked, but it wasn't hard to deduce.
Cullen surveyed the unreal towns, still unable to grasp their full size.
"The Underground is separated into districts," Iris informed them. "We're in District 12 right now, and there are at least one hundred of them. It's impossible to safely explore everything."
Before leaving, Cullen commanded his crystals to enter his backpack. He still wore the rings, though, so he could summon them any time he wanted.
They stepped out of the cave and onto the street, which was filled with miners. Cullen's eyes nervously darted between the Abominations posing as humans.
'There are eight of us traveling in a group, which you never see the miners doing. On top of that, we couldn't look more different from them.'
But despite sticking out, the miners ignored their presence.
"In here."
Iris led them to a worn-down stone house with hardly any gems. It was similar to a few Cullen had seen before, but no miners went in and out of this one. When he passed through the door, a wall of dust hit him in the face. Coughing, he closed his eyes and swatted the air in front of him.
"Don't touch anything," Iris warned. "It needs to stay like this to keep our cover."
The rest of them entered and reacted similarly to Cullen. Looking around, he could see furniture that hadn't been used in years, windows blocked by piles of stone, and a creepy door that led to a basement.
Iris walked up to the door and opened it, revealing an underground pathway. They walked down a few sets of stairs before stepping into a two-meter-high tunnel. The ground and walls were dirt, held up by stone support. There was no wood anywhere in The Amethyst Burrow, no trees, no life. Actually, the well was made of some wood, but that obviously was real.
As they walked through the tunnel, they passed pathways leading left and right. Iris told them that the tunnel system had many entrances and exits, and that was how they traveled through the Underground.
"We made it pretty far the first time around," Adam joked to Ryan. "In the middle of the street with no clue what we were doing."
Ryan rolled his eyes.
"We were attacked and nearly killed."
Thinking back to it, it did seem strange to Cullen.
'The miners had to have known we would be attacked, but they still told us to walk to the castle. Their act, while seemingly innocent, almost ruined our mission.'
It was the first time Cullen believed he could see through them.
"It won't be too much longer. When we get there, I'll have to explain a few things to them, so don't do anything until I say so."
After a few turns, they arrived at another door. Voices could be heard on the other side, arguing.
"Stay here."
Iris opened the door and led the kids through first, then closed it behind her. But before it shut, Cullen saw a very angry man staring at him.
"Who the hell is tha-"
Slam!
Cullen awkwardly stood there.
"Caught them at a bad time," Adam lampooned. "Why don't you bust in there and see what they're hiding, Ryan?"
He rolled his eyes.
"I don't know what you think I use my ability for, but I don't invade the privacy of others."
"Yes, but this concerns our safety. What if they're secretly Abominations, and the proof we need is right through that door?"
'It is a valid point,' Cullen thought.
The two of them looked at Eric for his opinion.
"As long as you don't get caught, I don't care what you do."
Ryan did nothing for a few seconds. Then, his face grimaced.
"He's doing it, isn't he?" Adam smiled. "What did you see?"
"I… couldn't get through the door."
The five of them turned to the ordinary stone door, now wondering what it was truly made of.
"Is it an ability?"
Before Adam could get an answer, the door swung open, Iris signaling them to come in.
While there were definitely more people before, now, there was only one besides Iris. A tall, muscular man with short dark hair stood with his arms crossed behind an empty table.
Cullen's heart stopped. He resembled Darron far too much.
"Sit down."
Five chairs were facing him, like he'd been waiting for them. They each took one.
'What are the chances that this man is stronger than Eric? It has to be low, right? He's a Triarch, one of the three most powerful in an entire city, while these people are a tiny population.'
Right now, it felt like this man was in charge. But that's what he wanted them to think. This was a move to assert superiority. It wasn't working, though. Cullen glanced over at Eric and saw an unimpressed look on his face.
"You five came from the surface to kill The Underground? How did you get down?"
"The giant chimney," Eric said.
"How?"
"You don't need to know."
The two of them stared at each other, looking like a fight might break out at any second.
"Scary," Adam whispered.
The man sighed.
"My name is Dan. What's yours?"
Eric paused.
"Eric."
"Well then, Eric, we both have the same goal. Iris believes that we can accomplish it if we work together. But unless I know your powers, I won't be able to create a plan."
Eric said nothing.
"If you can tell me your strengths," Dan continued, "I may be able to help both of us."
Still nothing.
"Dammit, don't you want to get somewhere?"
Smash!
He slammed the stone table, causing Ryan, who had been drifting off to sleep, to jump in his chair.
"Here's the thing," Eric said. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea. We're not soldiers sent from God to be used at your disposal. If you really want what you say you do, give us all the information you know, and we'll grant your wish."
Cullen saw a muscle twitch on Dan's face. He looked over at Iris, who clearly expected things to play out this way.
"How about this," Iris offered. "You both take turns revealing what you know, and we might be able to leave this room today."
"Deal," Eric said. "Where is The Amethyst Burrow's core?"
Dan put his hand on his forehead and tilted his head down.
"The what?"
"The Underground's heart, the way to kill this place, whatever you call it."
He slammed his hands onto the table again, leaning forward.
"Why the hell would I tell you that?"
"Does it matter?" Eric responded. "Afraid we'll take your glory of killing it? You have no reason to hide it, even if we were Abominations."
Dan sighed, and after a few seconds of silence, answered.
"We don't know."
Cullen couldn't even blink before Eric's sword was at Dan's throat.
"Don't bullshit me."
Dan put his hand in the air, trying desperately to calm him down.
"What the hell? Iris, who did you bring into our hideout!?"
Adam laughed, Ryan's eyes were closing, and Cullen watched in awe. Only Greye stood up, attempting to de-escalate the situation.
"Calm down, Eric. I'm sure they at least have a clue about it that can help us, right?"
"Then he'd better start talking."
'This couldn't have gone worse,' Cullen thought.
Eric didn't have a temper, from what Cullen's seen, but definitely looked like he did now. Was this the image he wanted to give them?
"Okay, fine! Just put your sword away!"
Hesitantly, Eric sheathed his sword and sat back down. Sweat poured down Dan's face, who looked at Iris like she was crazy.
"I have a question," said Greye. "If you don't know where the core is, how do you even know it exists? It seems you don't know how Grade-E's work, and it's strange to assume that you can just kill the place you live in."
Before answering, Dan snuck a glance at Eric to make sure he wouldn't be attacked.
"The miners talk about a heart, one that this place lives on. We assumed that it would somehow destroy this place and set us free."
"How did you end up here in the first place?" Eric asked.
"We were a small group of people traveling, then saw the chimney and decided to explore. Back then, there was barely any smoke going up, so it was easy to go down. But now there's far too much."
"How many of you are there?"
Dan gave Eric a harsh look.
"Isn't it your turn now?"
Surprisingly, Eric did not try to attack Dan. He gave him a chance to ask a question instead.
"Iris told me that you were captured by a Dancer and escaped. How?"
"I broke through the floor."
Dan raised his eyebrows. Although Cullen didn't know much about what they went through, it was obviously a big deal.
"My turn. Tell me everything you know about Limbo."