The Ritual of Blood - Wormhole Electric

"Don't get too comfortable. I'm going to pack. Only what wecan carry, in case we have to run.""From who might be above us or below?""Either. In the best case we can be extracted by a rescueparty who will probably detain us in the death of the throne.""We can tell them he fell," Ashley said. "Technically that'swhat happened. It's not like a mental push leaves obviousevidence behind.""That's a good story to go with if we are questioned. Worstcase, our communication has been totally cut. We'll have to trekback to the train station and pray that we can contact someone,anyone.""That's not the absolute worst," Ashley said. He looked overhis shoulder, back towards the Ice Cathedral and what wasimprisoned within."Take your medicine. I'll be back before you know it."The lights were nearly strobing now. Our little room hadbeen taken over by fully grown witch moths. They flew out in anorganized cloud, presumably to swarm over Ashley's head.Don't I seem like I've been fed upon?I managed to pack nearly all of the notes and maps we'd accumulated into two bags. Icould carry both if Ashley wasn't able. With special care I folded the map we'd filled out as wewent. It would be vital when I made my case to re-seal the caverns to anyone willing to listen.Ashley peeked his head in. A halo of moths came with him. He'd washed the blood fromhis face, though a few viscous beads welled up at the corners of his eyes. He rolled his sweatersleeve down to cover the bruise where he'd injected his medicine, and was struggling to get backinto his coat. "I've done what I can. The clotting agent will run its course.""What about your ankle?""I bandaged it. My boots might keep enough pressure on it to make it bearable. What'swrong with the lights?""I don't know," I said while they flickered and danced. "The generator?"