106. Time of truth

The final walk along the last trail that would lead them to the Tenebris Mountains was much more tense and silent than Shandra had imagined it would be.

Nervous, the girl was paying attention to the vegetation around her; the way the trees and plants looked now that she knew they were all interconnected with Gaia.

And speaking of Gaia, the entity's words still rang in her ear constantly. She takes a deep breath as she gropes around in her pocket for the strange artifact she had been given as a gift.

Would she need to use it that day?

Sam's voice sounded in her mind:

"Disturbed?"

Shanda looks discreetly at him before answering mentally as well:

"Evidently so. Don't you?"

His fire-colored eyes, always so confident, were somewhat misty that morning. A few seconds later, he finally replies:

"I'm more than disturbed. I'm terrified."

The heartfelt answer takes the girl by surprise. He continues:

"At some point, Shandra, everything... Everything will come to light. The fact that we are inter