Post by Fen on Nov 22, 2009 22:02:57 GMT -7
Part 5
Smoke and Ash
They rode over the snow, clouds of white powder drifting around the pounding hooves of the mules. Their breath forming vapor clouds around their faces, in the still night. The stars filled the sky above them while the full moon cast its silvery light down upon the path below.
The road forked off and they took a narrow path that lead to the entrance of Black Crow Cave. The great stone structure appeared as a large black bird glaring down at any who would dare to enter. Around the outer edge of the cave silvery flowers grew. Their blossoms opened to the heavens. These were the infamous starflowers, which bloomed only once, every twenty years. For some, this would be the first vision of such a beautiful sight, for others their last. Generations of Grunges would mark important occasions around the bloom of the starflower. Great magicks were performed and created from the blossoms. For all of Grundo knew, that the starflower could heal, and its seeds were used to see into the future.
Arin dismounted his mule and started to climb the rocks to begin collecting the flowers. Meanwhile, Marwynn started collecting the flowers around the mouth of the cavern. They had worked for about two hours before Arin returned with two large satchels full of flowers. He tied them to the saddle of his mule before joining Marwynn.
"I think we should camp here tonight, then start back in the morning." He announced.
Marwynn looked up and nodded, she then looked at the amount of starflowers she had collected to find that she had only enough to fill one satchel. She knew Eunice needed as many of the flowers as possible to make a strong enough elixir to counter the effects of the poison. She sighed and glanced towards the cavern. "Ok, we can use the cave as shelter." She replied frowning a little.
Arin nodded, "good idea, I'll find some firewood and start a fire while you finish up there."
Marwynn kept on working collecting another satchel full of the flowers then joined Arin. He had made a decent fire, and there was a small pot over the blaze that contained clean melted snow to make tea. She dug through her pack to find the last of her rations. As she ate, a sad lonely cry echoed from somewhere in the distance. The wind howled down from the Treacherous Mountains causing the flames of the fire to dance as small embers flitted skyward and disappeared into the darkness.
There was something unnerving about the sound of the wind. Marwynn was not superstitious, she did not believe in things like ghosts or ghouls. However, she did know that there were darker things that lurked in the uncharted places of those mountains. Things that were supposed to be locked away, forgotten in time, and became the legends that were whispered to unruly children to keep them in bed. They were unspoken secrets that crept, slithered, and wound their way through the darkness hunting for any unsuspecting party who entered into their realm.
"Marwynn, your necklace... is glowing." Arin remarked.
Marwynn looked around, everything was bathed in a pale blue light. She looked down to see the source.
"Arin, we must get out of here!" she urgently whispered seizing Arin's arm as she pulled herself up making her way to the cave entrance.
Arin's brow furrowed as he pulled his arm away from her grasp.
"We will do no such thing! I learned a long time ago, that running away was never a good option. We are strong, whatever it is, I am sure we can take them easily enough." He asserted as he swiftly drew his sword.
Marwynn wanted to believe him. She wanted to rally alongside him, but the fear that gripped her left her paralyzed. She watched him as stood before her, ready to face whatever black demon lurked in the inky darkness just beyond the ring of light cast by the campfire.
Arin turned, catching his breath, as the creature crashed into him. The force of its impact sent him sprawling across the floor, and into the wall of the cave. It was a thing of darkness, its form surrounded by a black swirling miasma. Two burning orbs flared, as it landed upon Arin. It snarled, before its jaws snapped around Arin's head. Marwynn drew her sword and tried to attack but it was useless, the blade alone was not made to withstand the elemental magic. Arin shoved hard throwing the creature off of him, and stood up. He had the wind knocked out of him, but he was a seasoned warrior. He spun the blade of his sword in an arc and circled the beast making sure he kept the creature in front of him. The blade of his sword danced through the air sending showers of sparks flying through the air as it made contact against the creatures stony hide. Again the creature attacked, and Arin blocked. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours, Arin's chest burned as sweat stung his eyes blurring his vision. Still, he had to keep fighting.
Even as he fought, the creature showed no signs of weakening or relenting. Arin's arms felt like lead, his legs as stone.
"Am I going to die here?" He thought. Doubt, that old feeling, began to rise up within him. He wondered if he was able to do all that everyone believed he could. Even as he fought off the creature, he felt overwhelmed by the reality of his situation.
He looked over, and saw Marwynn. She was curled up on the floor of the cave, he saw the pain etched in her face, and he knew. He closed his eyes, setting his jaw, and remembered. He remembered that first connection. He remembered that she believed in him. He knew what he had to do. With a shout he attacked. The creature leapt and landed on Arin, pressing its full weight on the illipers armor. There was a sickening groan as Arin's breastplate bent under the weight of the creature.
Arin cried out in agony as the weight crushed his chest.
"CASSIA!"
Marwynn doubled over in pain. She felt as if her chest was going to explode. Then, until she could bear it no more, it was gone. She crawled up, onto her hands and knees as she looked over to Arin. She saw him laying there under the creature. He was gone.
The demon looked up gloating over its victim. It's laughter made Marwynn want to vomit. Memories came flooding back as she saw the creatures burning her village, hearing the cries of the wounded but unable to help. Something inside her snapped. At that moment, with a shout of rage, she was upon the creature her sword blazing with a blue light. Her eyes glowed blue as she raised the blade of her sword. With a mighty swing she smote the demon's head off, sending the hell spawn into the abyss.
*******************
She did not know when she woke, how long she had been asleep. She felt as if she was in a daze, the world moving in slow motion around her. She remembered scrambling along the floor of the cave looking for Arin. She remembered shoving the carcass of the beast off of him. She did not know why she checked to see if he was alive, she knew he wasn't. She felt him die under the weight of the creature. She felt his pain as if it was her own, and when he died, a part of her died with him.
She held him.
Then, her necklace glowed. She did not feel it at first, but soon she did. As molten silver her tears mixed with the light and fell upon Arin's cheek. With each teardrop his skin became warmer. Marwynn struggled with understanding what she needed to do, but she found herself taking his hand in hers. As she did, the light entered his fingers rushing through his arm, she saw bones and flesh knit together. She saw his ribs, and lungs, and his heart. With a gasp he struggled under the pressure of the breastplate. Marwynn quickly took it off, and he breathed deeply. She saw his heart beat, the light rushing into his head, healing, and renewing.
He opened his eyes.
"Wow! I say, Marwynn, that was some beast eh?" He remarked as he shook his head. "I've got a right nasty headache."
She smiled, she laughed, and she hugged him. Arin gladly returned the embrace. As he did so, he saw the truth. He saw what had occurred, and he understood the miracle.
"Thank you, Cassia..." he murmured softly. "I promise, one day, I will return the favor."
He let her go, and stood up, picking up the dented breastplate.
He held out his hand to her, and she accepted it.
"I think we had better head back to the castle?" He said gazing towards the east. There was a pink hue on the horizon, the start of a new day.
Smoke and Ash
They rode over the snow, clouds of white powder drifting around the pounding hooves of the mules. Their breath forming vapor clouds around their faces, in the still night. The stars filled the sky above them while the full moon cast its silvery light down upon the path below.
The road forked off and they took a narrow path that lead to the entrance of Black Crow Cave. The great stone structure appeared as a large black bird glaring down at any who would dare to enter. Around the outer edge of the cave silvery flowers grew. Their blossoms opened to the heavens. These were the infamous starflowers, which bloomed only once, every twenty years. For some, this would be the first vision of such a beautiful sight, for others their last. Generations of Grunges would mark important occasions around the bloom of the starflower. Great magicks were performed and created from the blossoms. For all of Grundo knew, that the starflower could heal, and its seeds were used to see into the future.
Arin dismounted his mule and started to climb the rocks to begin collecting the flowers. Meanwhile, Marwynn started collecting the flowers around the mouth of the cavern. They had worked for about two hours before Arin returned with two large satchels full of flowers. He tied them to the saddle of his mule before joining Marwynn.
"I think we should camp here tonight, then start back in the morning." He announced.
Marwynn looked up and nodded, she then looked at the amount of starflowers she had collected to find that she had only enough to fill one satchel. She knew Eunice needed as many of the flowers as possible to make a strong enough elixir to counter the effects of the poison. She sighed and glanced towards the cavern. "Ok, we can use the cave as shelter." She replied frowning a little.
Arin nodded, "good idea, I'll find some firewood and start a fire while you finish up there."
Marwynn kept on working collecting another satchel full of the flowers then joined Arin. He had made a decent fire, and there was a small pot over the blaze that contained clean melted snow to make tea. She dug through her pack to find the last of her rations. As she ate, a sad lonely cry echoed from somewhere in the distance. The wind howled down from the Treacherous Mountains causing the flames of the fire to dance as small embers flitted skyward and disappeared into the darkness.
There was something unnerving about the sound of the wind. Marwynn was not superstitious, she did not believe in things like ghosts or ghouls. However, she did know that there were darker things that lurked in the uncharted places of those mountains. Things that were supposed to be locked away, forgotten in time, and became the legends that were whispered to unruly children to keep them in bed. They were unspoken secrets that crept, slithered, and wound their way through the darkness hunting for any unsuspecting party who entered into their realm.
"Marwynn, your necklace... is glowing." Arin remarked.
Marwynn looked around, everything was bathed in a pale blue light. She looked down to see the source.
"Arin, we must get out of here!" she urgently whispered seizing Arin's arm as she pulled herself up making her way to the cave entrance.
Arin's brow furrowed as he pulled his arm away from her grasp.
"We will do no such thing! I learned a long time ago, that running away was never a good option. We are strong, whatever it is, I am sure we can take them easily enough." He asserted as he swiftly drew his sword.
Marwynn wanted to believe him. She wanted to rally alongside him, but the fear that gripped her left her paralyzed. She watched him as stood before her, ready to face whatever black demon lurked in the inky darkness just beyond the ring of light cast by the campfire.
Arin turned, catching his breath, as the creature crashed into him. The force of its impact sent him sprawling across the floor, and into the wall of the cave. It was a thing of darkness, its form surrounded by a black swirling miasma. Two burning orbs flared, as it landed upon Arin. It snarled, before its jaws snapped around Arin's head. Marwynn drew her sword and tried to attack but it was useless, the blade alone was not made to withstand the elemental magic. Arin shoved hard throwing the creature off of him, and stood up. He had the wind knocked out of him, but he was a seasoned warrior. He spun the blade of his sword in an arc and circled the beast making sure he kept the creature in front of him. The blade of his sword danced through the air sending showers of sparks flying through the air as it made contact against the creatures stony hide. Again the creature attacked, and Arin blocked. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours, Arin's chest burned as sweat stung his eyes blurring his vision. Still, he had to keep fighting.
Even as he fought, the creature showed no signs of weakening or relenting. Arin's arms felt like lead, his legs as stone.
"Am I going to die here?" He thought. Doubt, that old feeling, began to rise up within him. He wondered if he was able to do all that everyone believed he could. Even as he fought off the creature, he felt overwhelmed by the reality of his situation.
He looked over, and saw Marwynn. She was curled up on the floor of the cave, he saw the pain etched in her face, and he knew. He closed his eyes, setting his jaw, and remembered. He remembered that first connection. He remembered that she believed in him. He knew what he had to do. With a shout he attacked. The creature leapt and landed on Arin, pressing its full weight on the illipers armor. There was a sickening groan as Arin's breastplate bent under the weight of the creature.
Arin cried out in agony as the weight crushed his chest.
"CASSIA!"
Marwynn doubled over in pain. She felt as if her chest was going to explode. Then, until she could bear it no more, it was gone. She crawled up, onto her hands and knees as she looked over to Arin. She saw him laying there under the creature. He was gone.
The demon looked up gloating over its victim. It's laughter made Marwynn want to vomit. Memories came flooding back as she saw the creatures burning her village, hearing the cries of the wounded but unable to help. Something inside her snapped. At that moment, with a shout of rage, she was upon the creature her sword blazing with a blue light. Her eyes glowed blue as she raised the blade of her sword. With a mighty swing she smote the demon's head off, sending the hell spawn into the abyss.
*******************
She did not know when she woke, how long she had been asleep. She felt as if she was in a daze, the world moving in slow motion around her. She remembered scrambling along the floor of the cave looking for Arin. She remembered shoving the carcass of the beast off of him. She did not know why she checked to see if he was alive, she knew he wasn't. She felt him die under the weight of the creature. She felt his pain as if it was her own, and when he died, a part of her died with him.
She held him.
Then, her necklace glowed. She did not feel it at first, but soon she did. As molten silver her tears mixed with the light and fell upon Arin's cheek. With each teardrop his skin became warmer. Marwynn struggled with understanding what she needed to do, but she found herself taking his hand in hers. As she did, the light entered his fingers rushing through his arm, she saw bones and flesh knit together. She saw his ribs, and lungs, and his heart. With a gasp he struggled under the pressure of the breastplate. Marwynn quickly took it off, and he breathed deeply. She saw his heart beat, the light rushing into his head, healing, and renewing.
He opened his eyes.
"Wow! I say, Marwynn, that was some beast eh?" He remarked as he shook his head. "I've got a right nasty headache."
She smiled, she laughed, and she hugged him. Arin gladly returned the embrace. As he did so, he saw the truth. He saw what had occurred, and he understood the miracle.
"Thank you, Cassia..." he murmured softly. "I promise, one day, I will return the favor."
He let her go, and stood up, picking up the dented breastplate.
He held out his hand to her, and she accepted it.
"I think we had better head back to the castle?" He said gazing towards the east. There was a pink hue on the horizon, the start of a new day.