Chapter 52: Chapter 52

EVERLASTING SHAME

Everlasting Shame

Kitee, North Karelia, Finland

Aku could feel his eyes growing heavier with each passing second. Sleep really did sound like a good idea. Just roll over and sleep. Who really cared if the snakes got them?

"Come on!" Aatu grabbed him by the underarms and started dragging him toward the light. Aku kicked out at him or at least hoped he was, but it did not slow Aatu down. "Will you stop being an idiot!"

"I am not an idiot!" Aku screamed back. He kicked back at Aatu. "I just want to stay back there."

Aatu rolled his eyes. "You need to stay with me. We're almost there!"

"The light is so warm, let me stay!" Aku kicked at Aatu, who let out a grunt. Aku smirked. Yeah, that was how it was done.

"We are going into the light," Aatu snapped. "If you would just stop acting mental for one second, you would have seen that."

Aku paused in mid kick. It was actually getting warmer and it did seem like most of the wind was to their backs. He looked back over his shoulder. There certainly were not any snakes coming. Looking ahead, he could see that the world was white and flickering, as if they were about to be buried in something.

Aatu kept going forward. "Now, can I let you up without having to worry about you acting me?"

Aku stared at him. "I think so. I really don't know what overcame me."

Aatu released his death grip. "You really need to stop letting everything get inside your head. It's what's making you weak."

Aku nodded. "And about the boy, I'll make it right."

Aatu looked away. "We have to get out of this mess first."

The walk forward was almost blinding. The light stung at Aku's eyes, taking every bit of strength he had in him to keep going forward. In the flickering light, he thought he could make out even more pictures. Like the ones in the other chamber, they seemed to be telling some sort of story. A really big part of him wanted to stop and look at them. They could have all the answers they needed. While Aatu may have been perfectly okay with walking into the light blind, it did not sit at all well with Aku.

After walking for a few minutes, they came to a series of steps. The slope was gentle as if whoever had built them was expecting the travelers to be weary at this point. Aku stared up at them. They disappeared into the darkness and judging the height of the tunnel, probably went on for a great deal beyond what they could see.

Aatu started to climb the first steps. His footsteps echoed against the stillness.

Aku could not take his eyes off the darkness. Why hadn't he noticed the stillness before Aatu had started climbing? Had it been here all this time?

Aatu turned, staring down at Aku. "Are you coming or are you just going to stand there?"

Aku carefully put his foot on the first step. "Um, I was just making sure the snakes weren't coming."

Aatu gave him a dark look. "And you were going to fight them?"

Aku didn't answer as he took up the steps after Aatu.

It seemed as if they would never end. They were so high now that the light did not reach them. Aku peered down over the side of the steps; he could faintly make out the glow, but that was about it. Above him, only darkness greeted him, like an old friend.

"Watch your step up here," Aatu called out from someone in the darkness. "It's pretty slick up here."

Turning away from his lookout, Aku urged his burning calves further up the steps. If only he could transform into a wolf, then he would not feel all of this burning. Wolves were supposed to be above mere human pain.

Their heels clicked over the stone. Aku knew that if they could see the steps, it would probably be made of stone, covered with a fine layer of mist. He never fully did understand everything supernatural seemed to involve water. For the pass ten or so minutes, a fine layer of water had been spraying down on them. It really wasn't enough to do any kind of damage, but it certainly was enough that it would soak them to the skin over a period of time.

The steps were now making a gentle turn of some kind. Aku could tell that it wasn't a full turn, but it was for sure trying to change their direction a little bit and the incline did seem to be getting a little bit steeper.

Aku kept himself close to what he hoped was a wall. The fine layer of water was trying to turn to ice and he didn't fancy sliding over the other side to his death. He stared ahead, trying not to focus on that fact.

Ahead of him, he could make out Aatu's footsteps and heavy breathing. He really could not help but smirk. There was just something about hearing Aatu struggle that was rather uplifting.

The turn was starting to take Aku away from his safe place against the wall. At first it just started out as a small gap, one that was just right enough for him to still keep a steady side on the wall. However, after a few more steps, the gap was clearly a lot bigger. Trying not to stay close to the edges, he moved himself more toward the centre.

The layer of water was for sure a layer of ice now. He could feel his feet threaten to pull away from him. More than a few times, he had to stop to regain his balance. They were too far up from him to even think about suggesting they turn back.

Carefully, putting one foot in front of the other, Aku climbed a few steps. He paused, bending forward to make sure that he was still in the centre of the steps before going to the next set. He did this until it became far too difficult for him to keep himself upright.

Ahead of him, Aatu was making slow, but steady progress over the icy steps. Aku couldn't see any sign of light in front of Aatu, but something told him they were getting closer. If anything, it was getting colder and getting colder meant they were getting closer to the top.

Didn't it?

Aku felt his feet start to go out from underneath him. He quickly grabbed onto the step in front of him, but it was no use. He kept falling forward until his chin hit the step in a blinding whirlwind of pain. Blinking the tears out of his eyes, he spit out a round of blood over the side. He could feel the coolness of the blood running down his chin, wincing as a little bit managed to find its way onto his neck.

He carefully started forward slowly, chin still burning.

Ahead him, another icy turned greeted him. Groaning, he slowly began the turn, trying not to focus on how close he was to the actual edge and how much his body wanted to slide. This was probably one of the worst things he had even done before. The reward at the end had better be a good one.

Ahead of him, he could make the faint outline of Aatu's back out. it looked like the Alpha was struggling a little bit too-not nearly as bad as Aku, but the fight to stay at least somewhat upwards was there.

Aku winced as his chin bumped against another step. He hated to see what he looked like once they got out into the open. Maybe Aatu would feel sorry for dragging him on this journey; the chances were pretty slim, but it did make Aku feel better about the situation.

"Stop," Aatu breathed, dragging Aku away from his thoughts.

Aku paused as a cool wind whipped near him. "What is it?"

Aatu seemed to be listening to something. "Just give me a minute," he whispered.

Aku listened, but could not hear anything, but the wind. Didn't wind mean they were almost getting closer to the top? Maybe they were going to get out of this one in one piece after all.

"It must have been the wind," Aatu finally admitted as they started forward again.

Aku followed, his senses more alert. It was possible that Aatu had heard something. Aku really could not remember a time that Aatu's senses had failed him; then again, they had only known each other for a brief period of time.

Upwards, they went as the wind grew not only colder, but heavier. Some of the gusts came at them with a force that almost sent them falling over the sides. It whipped at their heavy clothes, exposing the littlest bit of skin to the harsh elements.

Aku fought back a whimper as a little bit of water managed to find itself to the small bare section of his back. He would not cry out…He would not cry out…He would not give in.

Aatu looked back at him. "I can see an exit."

Aku could only nod, even though he knew Aatu probably could not see him. He stared straight ahead, unable to see anything, which left him with no other choice than to believe the Alpha's words. If anything, it was a lot colder and there did seem to be even more ice on the steps. "Where do you think it comes out?" he asked.

Atau didn't answer right away. "It's hard to say. I really can't get a feel on long we've been walking or which direction."

Aku felt his heart sink. That was not the news he had been hoping for. "Do you think we're under a body of water?"

"I really don't know. Moisture always seems to stick around longer underground. Maybe we are or it's still just snowing that much."

Aku felt a frown forming on his face. "Are you really saying you don't know what we are walking into? We could be going to come out at the bottom of a lake!"

Aatu waved him away. "Don't be mental. If we were going to come out in water, there would be a lot more of it." He stared straight ahead. "No, I think we are going to come out on land, but it's hard to say just where."

Aku's body tensed up. He really did not want to go through that entrance, but even more, he did not want to turn around. The snakes were probably still down there waiting on them to make a mistake, to freak out or something.

Aatu started forward, slowly; his pace was even more unsure than when they started. Aku slowly came up behind him. The steps were coated in a layer of perfectly smooth ice and it was a lot of ice. It took everything Aku had to keep himself from following over the edge and even that probably wasn't enough. He could feel his hands and knees start to go from underneath him as certain death tried to pull him closer.

Ahead, there did seem to be a light of some kind. It wasn't a light coming from something human made, but something like out of nature. He really couldn't call it snow light either, but it just seemed to belong. Little bits of snow seemed to be mixed into the light. It make it look like a flickering snowstorm that could only be found on a Christmas card.

"What is this?" Aatu exclaimed as he stepped out.

Aku tumbled out behind. They weren't in any place like he had seen before and he was pretty sure that they weren't in Finland. His eyes scanned the empty land as the snow whipped over it in a sheer white force. "I don't know."

Aatu's eyes skated around the landscape. "We can't stay out here."

"Well, let's go back then." Aku turned, but the tunnel they had just come out of was gone. He looked at Aatu with wide eyes. "I don't think that's going to work."