Chapter 22
They passed dozens of guards during their ascension, all dressed in armour that was in much better condition than that of their comrades down below. Many were rushing this way and that, though most didn't appear in any hurry. The area was generously lit by long, compact rows of lanterns that lined both sides of the walls.
The sounds of an intense argument echoed throughout the tunnel, originating from one of the small, door-less rooms that had been carved into the walls. It was a lot busier up here than Alistar imagined it would be, since he'd always thought that most of the guards stayed within the barracks.
Up until the workers had tapped into a vast network of beast-made tunnels, Crystellum had originally been a manmade facility. Eventually, a larger tunnel more appropriate for the scale of the operation was hollowed out at the base of the mountain, or so his uncle had once explained to him.
Wow...
Alistar had never been in such a brightly lit area, and could only blink endlessly as his eyes grew more agitated with every step. At least ten minutes later, Raidon murmured that they had finally reached the end. By this point, Alistar had lowered his head and placed his left forearm above his brow to help shade his eyes. He felt as if he might sneeze at any second.
Very carefully, he opened his eyes and tried to get a look at the cave mouth, but they became overly sensitive and he had to cover them once again. Half a dozen guards stood at an outpost by the opening, but he hadn't so much as taken in their silhouettes before his eyes had begun to water.
Ahead of him, the exit seemed to have been draped over by a wall of the purest white. That's how it seemed to him at first, though his eyes slowly began to adjust. What he saw must have been light from outside. Daylight, the light that the sun gave off.
He was gripped by a knot of excitement that didn't seem like it would ever come undone. Next to him, his uncle gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. A few more steps and they would be outside, Raidon for the first time in nearly ten years, and Alistar for the first time in his life.
The closer they came to the exit, the more their eyes watered. Even Raidon was having trouble after so many years confined below.
When they passed the final outpost and stepped out of the mouth of the tunnel, Alistar's eyes were jammed shut. Even beneath their lids, they were irritated by the vibrant light, which appeared reddish from behind his eyelids.
"Give them a moment," the young guard grumbled.