We rushed through the warm glow and landed on our feet on the other side. The familiar hard rock of the tunnel floor lay beneath us, and in front of us was a long, wide corridor with torches on the walls. The corridor stretched beyond my vision and was intersected by countless other halls.
Sinbad's men filled the hall, and he pushed through them to get to us. "Where do you need us?"
"Intruders!" a voice yelled. We looked down the hall and saw only Sinbad's men looking in the same direction.
"Part!" he yelled. They slammed themselves against either wall and gave us a full view of a red-clad brother. His arm was stretched backward and in his hand was a large ball of fire. "Swords!"
Sinbad's men drew their curved swords as the brother threw his fireball. The lead of Sinbad's men swung his sword downward and cut the flame in two. The fire flew in two directions and hit the wall. The impact caused a huge explosion that rocked the whole corridor and sent shrapnel over everyone. The front of Sinbad's group were blown back into the arms of their compatriots.
Sinbad swung his sword in the air and snarled at his own men. "Use your wings, you fools, and spread out!"
His men hefted their compatriots onto their feet and drew out their thick, pliable wings. They scattered in all directions and halls as the red-clad brother was joined by dozens of other bad guys. Each was armed with their own fireball power. Xander grabbed my hand and pulled me with him as he slammed his back into the wall.
I whipped my head to Xander. "How is using their wings going to stop the fireballs?"
He drew me against his side and smiled. "Do not underestimate the strength of the desert folk."
They lobbed their flaming artillery at us, and the chaotic scene got a little hotter. Sinbad's men drew their wings in front of themselves and angled their leathery appendages. The fireballs, being round, rolled up their wings while only scorching the thick skin. The men angled their wings so the fireballs rolled up and shot back toward their wielders. The brothers ducked and lunged out of the way.
Some of their fireballs got through the front ranks and hit the deeper rows of Sinbad's men. Others weren't so angled and slammed into the ceilings and walls. The corridor and ground shook, and pebbles rained down on us. The air became clouded with smoke and dust, but that didn't stop the fight. Fireballs flew past us and wings fluttered to and fro.
Sinbad slammed his back against the wall close beside us. One of his wings was scorched bad enough that smoke floated from his flesh. He clutched his wing and grimaced. "I do not know how long my men can keep these fiends at bay, so if you intend to find the leaders you should hurry."
Xander nodded. "We understand, and thank you."
Sinbad grinned. "Watch yourself. I still demand that race."
Xander smiled and bowed his head. "I will not." He looked to our group and gripped my hand. "Follow me."
He pulled me through the mess with Spiros, Darda, and Tillit at the rear. "Do you have any idea where you're going?" I shouted.
"Where the fighting is the fiercest," he replied.
"Oh goody."
We wound our way through Sinbad's men and took the first left turn into a narrower passage. More of Sinbad's men battled other brothers at the end of the hall. The blasts from the countless battles in the numerous hallways rocked the tunnels and shook the ground.
I lost my balance and fell into the wall on my right. "Are they trying to kill themselves?"
Tillit looked up at the ceiling and frowned. "Judging by the cracks I'd say yes. A few dozen more hits and this place could collapse."
Spiros looked to Xander. "That may be their design to destroy all of us."
A party of brothers appeared in a side hall close to us. Xander drew me behind him as they raised their hellfire hands. Another violent earthquake shook the corridor, and a huge crack opened up above us. Hundreds of gallons of pure blue water poured out of the hole and drowned the brothers. The downpour took them in a different direction even as some of its wet body crashed toward us. I shut my eyes and braced for impact.
The impact never came. I creaked open one eye. A wall of water stood from floor to ceiling only four feet away from us. I blinked at the massive blue liquid.
Tillit grinned at me. "Your powers seemed to have improved quite a bit since we were in trouble beneath the lake at Alexandria."
I shook my head. "It wasn't me."
Xander furrowed his brow as he studied the blue water. "I believe we have already made the acquaintance of our savior."
The waters stretched out toward us and formed the upper half of Alihat Dhahabia's body. She smiled at us. "I am glad to see you are all well."
Tillit hitched up his pants before he made a sweeping bow to the beautiful fae. "Good evening, my lady." Darda rolled her eyes. Alihat bowed her head to Tillit.
I stepped forward. "Do you think you could help us clean up these tunnels?"
She shook her head. "I am not allowed to interfere in the affairs of mortals except to protect myself and other fae."
I pressed my hand against my chest. "I'm half fae, does that count?"
Alihat looked past me at my friends. "I do not believe you need my assistance, little niece. I can see the resolve in your friends to protect you."
Xander moved to stand by my side. "My Lady Alihat Dhahabia, if you are not allowed to interfere with this battle might you give us your guidance? We must find the leaders of these traitors before they destroy your home."
She shook her head. "I do not know, but I believe your faithful priest may be able to locate them."
"Apuleius?" Xander guessed. Alihat nodded.
"Who isn't down here?" I quipped.
"I will provide you passage to him in order that you might save my pool from their destructive ways," Alihat promised.
Tillit grinned and tapped the side of his nose. "I like the way you think, My Lady."
The wily fae smiled and bowed her head before she drew herself back into the water. The liquid parted to create a narrow path. We rushed down the hall and followed the opening through the maze of tunnels. Though her water extinguished the torches, the glow from her clear water illuminated the path. Several dozen brothers met us at intersections and threw their fireballs at us, but the artillery hit the water and hissed out of existence.
The waters of Alihat receded just short of a large domed room. The back of a gray-clad brother stood in our path and blocked the entrance to the area. In one of his hands he held a fireball. Xander grabbed the hilt of Bucephalus and tensed.
A huge wave of water came from in front of the brother and slammed into him. His fire was extinguished, and he dropped backward onto his back. That gave us a clear path, and a clear view, of the room.
Apuleius stood in the center of the room. In both his upheld hands were round balls of water that swirled like the fireballs danced in the hands of our foes. He was soaked from head to foot, as was his followers who stood behind him in a circle. The old priest was breathing hard as his eyes flickered over the half dozen tunnels that led into the room.
His eyes widened as they fell on us. "Lord Xander!" We rushed over to him. Apuleius dropped his armed hands and extinguished his water to meet us halfway. He bowed his head to Xander. "You cannot know how grateful I am to know you are safe!"
"And I you, Apuleius, but how did you come to be down here?" Xander asked him.
I pointed at his dripping robes. "And how'd you get so wet?"
He sheepishly looked down at himself. "We had barricaded ourselves in the sanctum when the floor beneath our feet caved in. Lady Alihat drew us into her waters and set us down in these tunnels."
Xander pursed his lips. "So the traitors revealed themselves even to you?"
Apuleius nodded. "They did, My Lord, and we found ourselves outnumbered. I-" he bit his lip, "-I blame myself for not realizing sooner the threat within my own temple."
Tillit snorted. "It took you long enough."
Darda jabbed him in the side. "Hush, you."
I looked past Apuleius at his followers who still held their water balls. "So you guys could put out their fire all along?"
He nodded. "Yes. It is why they never attempted an open rebellion until their numbers were far greater than ours."
"Can you tell us where their leaders might be?" Xander asked him.
Apuleius glanced over his shoulder at one of the tunnels. "The most powerful of our enemies came from that tunnel. I believe they were a contingent of a larger group for many came at once and fought very hard against us."
Xander looked over our group. "Then we shall retrace their footsteps. The fight will no doubt not be easy. Are you all prepared?"
Spiros grinned. "We have come this far. Another fight will not be a problem."
I jerked my thumb at Spiros. "I'm with him. Let's do this."
Xander smiled and nodded. "Then follow me."