Now that we know where we need to go and what we're looking for, we teleport to the cliff we saw in Ronny's vision.
Questioning how I was able to witness the vision alongside her is unnecessary especially when we don't know how her abilities even work to begin with. I'm certain it's the same as teleporting with her, all I need is her touch to be able to siphon with her.
I checked in on my brothers last night before falling asleep and they seem to be making progress in their individual missions. Draven still sounds grumpy as hell but Drac sounds different. I can't quite pinpoint why he sounds different but I'm sure it has something to do with his pink crow.
Both of them have seen the moths as well. It seems Merelda is watching but not attacking. Maybe it's because we're all separated? I'm not really sure but I'm on high alert.
The cliff is a steep drop but again, it won't kill me.
"Okay, Black Bird. This is the spot. Let's have a look around and see what we're working with. Whatever happens, don't touch the talisman until we contact Darren. Maybe he'll have more information for us."
I toss the duffle bag ten feet back and remove my shirt. My embers burn strongly at Ronny's heated gaze as she blatantly stares at me. I feel like doing something stupid, like flexing or something else as equally as embarrassing.
"Don't start strutting like a peacock, Drug." Ronny says with an eye roll.
I swear this girl is begging for a spanking.
Scoffing, I walk to the edge of the cliff and see there's only one path down, this must be where I was climbing. I look around and spot where Ronny and I stood before the cliff broke off and can clearly see the dry crack in the ground.
"If we tried altering the future by me teleporting down instead of you climbing, maybe we can avoid the earthquake?"
I think about it for a moment, imagining every outcome but none of that will work because it was her touch that caused the earth to tremble.
"No, I'll climb down. Nothing happened during the climb anyway."
Squatting I grip the point of a large boulder in the ground and brace myself as I swing my legs over the edge and begin my descent. There are a few good handholds along the wall but I'm not sure which way to go... left or right.
Deciding to go right, I see a huge black moth off to the side. It's too far for me to be able to smash the fucker and throwing a flame is almost impossible in the position I'm in so I settle for throwing the finger. Fucking despicable woman.
A little further down I go, until I see the corner of a box sticking out from a crack in the dirt and rock wall. Awkwardly gripping it between my fingers and thumb, I try to pull it free but my fingers keep slipping. I let go and reposition my feet and left hand to brace myself better.
With my right hand pulled back, I swing my fist forward and punch the wall with as much force as I can put into it.
"Be careful, Drug!" Ronny chastises me from the top. Her fears are probably the cutest things about her. They're endearing but wholly unnecessary.
The rock cracks and crumbles with my strength. I blow the dust from the box and see that I can grip it much easier. Finally, I'm able to pull on the box but the wood is aged and the side breaks off before I can pull it free from its place in the cliff wall.
I look into the box and see the carving I made for my mother ages ago.
With the talisman in my hand I climb back up with ease. Ronny helps pull me over the edge with her grip on my forearm, carefully avoiding the statue in my hand.
Knowing the cliff can easily break, we move back toward the duffle.
The wood is brittle in my hand but the memories are as strong as ever.
"My mother loved this gift," I say softly as I turn it in my fingers. It's six inches long and the twine my mother tied around it is still there but the branches I created are broken and most are missing.
"I'm sure she did. I can see it was a beautiful creation and any handmade gift is made with love. She must have been a wonderful woman, Drug."
That makes me smile, "Yeah, she was..." my words are cut off when the black moth I forgot about flies right at my face making some fucked up noise like an angry bird screeching.
I swing my hands to fight off its attack. It's a huge mistake because Ronny does the same and our arms collide. The sculpture falls from my hands and Ronny catches it on reflex.
The ground shakes violently and the cliff's edge breaks off, falling to the river below but leaving us safe up here.
Still though, I grab onto Ronny and see that her eyes are white while her hair floats around her face. Her hand is still holding the sculpture tightly but I can't get her out of her trance so I scoop her up and grab the duffle just before the next piece of the cliff crumbles. I continue running with Ronny over my shoulder as the ground shakes beneath my feet.
Black Bird, are you okay? Speak to me.My worry is evident in my mind as I try to reach her mentally but it's no use because it's as if there's a giant storm in her mind and the winds are keeping me out.