"There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you're useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose."
Sabaa Tahir
If there was a way to live life without any regrets, SkekGra would have liked to have learned how many trine ago.
There was no erasing the things he had done or taking back the many terrible things he'd said. He wasn't sure if his sins extended further back than the Great Division, but if he was half of GraGoh then he couldn't imagine them a saint. UrGoh of course was always quick to remind him that no being was perfect and that mistakes and poor judgement were common.
"You thought...what you were doing...was right. That's why...you allowed...yourself...to take pleasure in...cruelty," the Mystic had told him after he'd laid bare all of his sins one night on the road. Though it wasn't as if UrGoh had been completely blind to him and his choices for their entire existence. The Mystic had seen more than just glimpses of his deeds, the places he'd been, the people he'd skewered on the end of his blades. "You were wrong then...but you didn't...know it. Didn't care...to know."
"People make mistakes. What I did shouldn't ever be forgiven," SkekGra muttered, leaning forward on the rock he'd made his chair for the evening, sweeping his tail back and forth on the grass next to him. "Anyone who forgives a warlord is a fool."
UrGoh raised an eyebrow and gave a soft sigh, leaning his head into SkekGra's shoulder. After a few breaths, he said, "UrGoh the Fool...doesn't have quite...the same ring to it...as...Wanderer..."
There were worse days where he was overwhelmed both by immeasurable guilt and the path that was laid out before them. They had already wasted so much time and the next Conjunction was less than 500 trine away. To most beings, that was several eternities, but to them, it might as well be just around the bend. Everything they had to do required so much strife and preparation...
But the worst of all the countless doubts that swam in his brain was the idea that they could put in so much work and still ultimately fail.
This entire plan depended so much on the Gelfling playing their part and SkekGra had always hated relying on others, especially those he got personally attached to. They almost always inevitably disappointed him and then he'd have to discard a small part of himself to keep the hurt at bay. UrGoh always said that whenever he felt the doubt creeping in to remember that their vision wasn't a lie and that the Gelfling were smarter and stronger than he'd ever given them credit for. What they had to do was hand them the keys they needed to break free of Skeksis shackles. The first step in the process was fighting to dismantle hundreds of trine worth of propaganda and legacy; not an easy task.
Gah! Thra should have given this job to the Satirist. SkekLi was always good at spinning tales and turning horror into comedy, making people actually think while they were sitting there, practically pissing themselves from laughing so hard. SkekGra was a fighter, not a silvertongue and UrGoh could barely speak more than 20 words a minute.
Who in all the lands would listen to anything either of them had to say?
SkekGra stared out at the desert, watching as the sands swirled in the harsh wind that cut across the valley. The gusts of air bashed against the cliffside, tousling the sparse grass beneath his claws as he ate his lunch. UrGoh had been gone for longer than expected, but he had long since gotten used to the Mystic's lackadaisical sense of time and deadlines. He also didn't sense any pain or panic through their connection so he didn't bother checking in.
Most likely the Mystic had gone and gotten distracted by some pretty stones. UrGoh often looked for things to collect: some to serve as raw material for small projects he worked on in his free time, others as gifts for loved ones.
"You said you might not even go back to that stupid Valley!" SkekGra snarled as he watched UrGoh painstakingly press some flowers into a book. "You could end up hauling this junk around for the rest of our lives."
UrGoh nodded, not looking up from his work as he smoothed his hands over the pages. "Very...true...but I would...like to be...prepared...in case...we do...meet...again..." He smiled softly as he closed the book and added, "Besides...even if...I never see...them...this makes me...miss them...less..."
SkekGra huffed and put down his bowl of cooked grains, wandering over to the bag whose sole purpose was carrying UrGoh's many trinkets collected across decades worth of travel. Some were rare items, found in Thra's most desolate and hardened lands, but others were just simple items that one could find in markets by the dozen. Plenty of pebbles, bone fragments, carved wood, some fabric from trading with Gelfling and Podling settlements. Most of it was garbage, but the Mystic insisted on taking it with them as they went despite how useless and heavy it was.
His eyes caught sight of the book that UrGoh used for his pressings and he plucked it out of the pile, brushing his talons over the cover. The Mystics didn't use books like the Skeksis to record their histories. UrGoh had explained that the Scribe carved their stories into staffs and sticks. Apparently making paper out in the desert just wasn't feasible so he could be certain that this particular book hadn't come from the Valley. UrGoh must have bought or had it gifted to him at some point in his travels.
Flipping the cover open, he frowned, noting that the language inside was neither Skeksis glyphs nor Gelfling pictographs. Instead he was greeted with a series of geometric shapes, twisting and turning to create an utterly foreign symbology. His brow furrowed as he turned page after page of circles, triangles, and spirals (so many spirals!) Was this mess even considered writing or was it some other weird Mystic tradition? He'd have to ask UrGoh for the meaning of it all when he returned from foraging otherwise this was absolutely going to drive him bonkers.
A few more page flips revealed the pressings he was searching for. The flowers had long since died, but thanks to UrGoh's careful handling, they maintained their delicate silhouettes and coloration without too much damage. Most of the plants SkekGra had seen before, but there were some that were completely foreign and merely allowed him to glimpse at a journey that only half of him had gotten to experience. It was almost like a perfect little archive of Thra's diversity as UrGoh had seen through his travels.
He plucked one flower out in particular, being careful with the delicate petals as he let it rest in his palm where the pressing sat lighter than a feather. It was rather ugly, a dull grey in coloration with an uneven amount of petals and brittle spines along the edges of its leaves. At some point, UrGoh had stopped, seen this hideous little thing, and thought it precious enough to not only pluck but to preserve it in the only book he had ever owned.
SkekGra clicked his tongue and placed it back between the pages, closing the journal over it before the wind could carry the flower off. It wasn't a pretty thing, but it was important enough to have been saved. Maybe it had some grand meaning that he was just ignorant to, like many things in this life.
Truthfully, there were many things he still didn't know about UrGoh. Sure, the Mystic was open to conversation, but he often spoke in half-riddles (most of which weren't even serious and made no sense) and it was tedious just listening to him speak at times. Through their separation, he occasionally caught visions of the world through UrGoh's eyes, but it was always when the Mystic was alone. He'd seen expansive vistas, dense humid forests, and snowy fields through UrGoh and had felt the foreign terrain underneath those massive Mystic feet. Those moments had always left him...strangely at peace?
Of course whenever SkekGra pointed out UrGoh's lack of conversational skills, the Mystic would retort that he just liked to listen to him speak. In their two trine of travel, SkekGra had exposed far more of himself to the Mystic than the other way around. Despite this, UrGoh never kept secrets. If SkekGra asked him a question, he always answered unabashedly, never attempting to obscure the truth with clever wordplay or a silver tongue.
Maybe he just wasn't asking enough questions? Or even the right ones?
Groaning, SkekGra slipped the book back into the woven bag. Great, now he was bored and frustrated.
He wished he had some of his own things, but when he was cast out, the Skeksis left him with nothing but the tattered robes on his back. There was no doubt in his mind that everything he owned in the castle was either claimed by members of the court as a prize or melted down into raw material. What they had now all belonged to UrGoh.
"They're not...my things...they're...our things," UrGoh had told him one morning as they packed up camp, the Mystic neatly folding the thick blankets and stacking them on top of one another. "We share...all of...this..."
SkekGra snorted and picked at his teeth with a claw as he yanked down the tarp and tent with a swift tug of his opposite hand. "They're yours. I just use them," he corrected, watching as the fabric drifted to the ground in a heap at his feet.
Shrugging lazily, UrGoh rolled the folded blankets up and tied them to the tops of their largest travel bags before moving to dismantle the firepit. "Even in...the Valley...most...possessions...were...communal..." He doused the dying embers and began to remove the rocks, kicking soil on top of the charred shards of wood that remained. "If I needed...something...all I had...to do...was ask..."
"And they'd just give it to you?" SkekGra cackled as he wrapped up the tarp. "What if you never gave it back to them? Or if they needed it at the same time?" He paused and then pointed at the Mystic. "When you broke it, then what did you do?"
"We'd...work it out..." UrGoh explained in a calm tone as he moved back over to their packs. "It was never...an...issue..."
"But what if it was? "
Sighing, UrGoh paused his work and turned to look at SkekGra. "We didn't...bother ourselves...with what...might be..." He reached over and took the collapsed tent from the pile of fabric and rolled it up. "We...went about our days...focusing on...what we knew...to be true..." He placed the tent inside his bag and took the tarp from SkekGra's hands, folding it as well before stuffing it into the satchel. "If a tool...broke...we'd fix it...or make...a...new one...If they needed...it first...we would...take turns..."
He smiled up at SkekGra, the expression gentle and almost infuriating in its patience. "And if...I forgot to...return it...they need...only ask...for...it...back..."
The Skeksis blinked and UrGoh chuckled, sidling past him as he shook his head in disbelief. "You...make things...so...complicated...sometimes..."
Going back to the fire, SkekGra sat down and crossed his legs, leaning in until his hips cracked before he twisted his spine in both directions. Satisfying creaks and pops emitted from the motion and he gave a pleased sigh, sinking into himself. Mystics had to be the most illogical creatures that had ever graced Thra's land. Even Podlings had more sense at times...but then again, they weren't the only ones prone to illogical behavior.
The more he thought about how strange the Mystics were in their habits and manners the more he realized a great deal of Skeksis tradition was equally absurd in its own twisted ways. Why was the Emperor their ruler? Was he the strongest, smartest, or even the best leader among them?
No, SkekSo was simply the most cruel and ambitious. None had challenged the hierachy after SkekShod.
And why did they horde wealth and treasures that they could never hope to spend even in an eternal life? Just because? Neither the Collector nor the Treasurer had ever offered up any reason that made sense to SkekGra. Collecting food and others consumables made sense as they needed to eat and drink after all. But what use was more gold when they had already decorated their chambers from floor to ceiling with finery and the rest of the castle was filled with every rare and expensive commodity known to Thra? Maybe it was because SkekGra had spent more time in the field than in his castle chambers but he never saw the need for most of it. Give him a comfortable bed with warm blankets that didn't itch and some nice food and he was plenty satisfied.
This wasn't to say that SkekGra never brought home treasures of his own in the spoils of war. He'd always enjoyed bringing back gifts that displayed his skill and triumph to the other Skeksis, making sure they all knew where he had been and how generous he was to have even considered them in his very busy campaign. He'd toted fine fabrics to manufacture new stylish clothes, the rarest delicacies from the furthest reaches of Thra, shiny jewels for the more vain of their kind to adorn themselves with, and whatever else he could find that seemed worth the immense effort of taking back.
Any prizes that he kept for himself were usually new weaponry or upgrades to his magnificent armor.
Oh he'd once had the finest armor in all of Thra! Every piece was metal he'd earned for himself and tended to with utmost pride. Blood from all nations had been spilled across its gleaming plate and it still never rusted.
And then there were his blades. How his missed his magnificent steel. They were perfectly cast for his grip, beautifully balanced, and just works of art in their own right. He'd sworn to never resort to violence aside from self-dense ever again, but he wished he could have kept them. UrGoh wouldn't have been pleased, but to SkekGra, they were more than instruments of death.
They had been his arms, an extension of everything he once was-
And never would be again...
SkekGra frowned, letting his hands drop into his lap, flexing the clawed fingers out. Now that he didn't wield, he didn't really know what to do with himself. The first few months of his banishment had been the hardest, not only for the physical pain, but also the existential crisis that followed once he was lucid.
Who was he now that he had no army at his back and no swords in hand?
"Surely you must have known that you would not be a Conqueror forever, SkekGra," the Archer reminded him as he wrapped up his head, the Mystic's massive hands gentle despite how unwieldy they appeared. "Eventually you would have run out of lands to pillage and people to subdue. It's good that you stopped short of total subjugation." He finished tightening the clean bandage and ran his fingers down the length of SkekGra's mane.
The Skeksis immediately flinched and pulled away, turning around with a feral snarl and bared fangs.
UrVa lifted all four hands up in a placating gesture, gently humming as SkekGra panted from the sheer effort of his posturing. "I understand that it's not what you want to hear right now...but not all medicine tastes good. Sometimes we have to take the dosage no matter how bitter it is on the tongue."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Mystic!" SkekGra hissed through the pounding ache in his head, his wound protesting his own loud volume. "I don't need you spewing your so-called wisdom at me!"
The Archer exhaled a deep breath and then sat back down on the log he had moved next to the campfire. "What were you before you inherited the title of Conqueror?" he asked simply as he lifted his head ever so slightly to meet SkekGra's gaze.
Huffing, SkekGra sank down opposite the Mystic, keeping the fire between them. "I held no title before Conqueror. I was nothing..."
"You were SkekGra," the Archer said. "Just SkekGra."
Rolling his eyes, SkekGra muttered, "Don't patronize me."
"I'm not," UrVa assured with a small patient smile. "I'm simply stating a fact."
The Skeksis just grunted and crossed his unbound arms across his chest, hunkering down on the ground as his tail flickered back and forth irritably. "So what's your point, Mystic?"
UrVa chuckled as he reached for his own bag and pulled out several sticks and a knife. He was silent for a few minutes as he laid out his supplies in a neat row in front of him, a clearly practiced routine. The Archer gave himself a satisfied nod before picking up a stick and beginning to carve, taking out any imperfections in the wood grain. "I would like for you to ask yourself a simple question: who is SkekGra?" he said quietly, soft brown eyes focused on the arrow shaft he was constructing. "You and UrGoh are unique among us. Two disparate halves united in a single goal." He glanced up briefly before he adjusted the knife in his grip, carving symbols and patterns that flowed with the natural twisting of the branch's veins. "It's rather beautiful...but I worry that if you don't address your own inner turmoil before setting out on this quest of yours, that you'll drive yourself to despair."
SkekGra frowned. "Why do you care?" he asked, watching as the Archer moved to the next stick, repeating the slow and methodical process without pausing. "None of this matters to you."
UrVa continued to carve, pushing the excess shavings to the side with one hand while reaching for another stick with his opposite. SkekGra frowned, tapping his claws against the tops of his knees as he waited for an answer. 3 more arrow shafts were stripped and carved before he finally let out a frustrated growl and stood, pointing to the Archer. "Hey! Did you even hear me you lazy lump!?"
"I did," UrVa confirmed, head down as he twisted the edge of his knife into the hard wood.
SkekGra groaned and gestured wildly with both hands. "And?"
"And what?"
Oh for the love of Thra. Slow Mystics were going to be the death of him. "Aren't you going to answer me!?"
Pausing in his work, UrVa lifted his head to meet the Skeksis' eyes and SkekGra gave a small sigh of relief, dragging a hand down the side of his face. Finally...
But then the Archer let out a cough and shook his head. "No."
SkekGra blinked and then sputtered, stalking around the fire to tower over UrVa, kicking the arrow shafts loose from their pile. "Stop mocking me, Mystic!"
"I'm doing no such thing," UrVa said simply, gathering up all the shavings from his work and tossing them into the flames. "Also, that wasn't kind of you." He didn't reprimand SkekGra any further however and simply leaned over, picking up all the arrows and restacking them neatly. "Would you care to assist me? I can teach you how to make them for yourself." The Archer raised his carving knife and SkekGra just stared, almost at a total loss for words. He had always known the Mystics to be obtuse but this took the entire pot of wine.
UrVa smiled, taking SkekGra's silence for acceptance. "First you want to remove the old bark, being careful not to take any of the wood underneath just yet. You have to mind the knots-" He pressed the knife into SkekGra's open hands as he spoke, gently tugging the Skeksis down to sit next to him as he explained his process. SkekGra didn't pester the Mystic any further on the topic. Instead he carved arrows and listened to the Archer's gentle instruction. It wasn't truly mindless work, but it was meditative in a sense and it was easy enough to lose himself to.
All too soon, the shafts were completed, a perfect pile of beautifully detailed arrows. "That's a lot of work for something that you'll shoot once and never again," he said, watching as UrVa took the materials for the fletching and began to work them into the grooves they had made.
UrVa hummed in agreement. "Did you regret any of it?" he asked as he swept the last of the shavings into the fire which had begun to smolder in their neglect.
Lowering his gaze to the ground, SkekGra trailed a claw over the wood grain of the log underneath them. "No."
"Then that is time well spent."
That was the last time he and the Archer spoke alone. UrGoh made his way to their camp the day after and any further conversations were held between the three of them or the two Mystics. When they eventually parted from UrVa almost a week later, the Archer offered him all of the arrows that he had personally carved. SkekGra had tried to refuse but UrVa insisted so he gave in and selected just one of the arrows to take. They thanked the Archer and watched as the other Mystic disappeared into the woods, leaving a solemn silence to stretch between them.
Eventually UrGoh turned and shuffled in the opposite direction. SkekGra followed behind him, carefully tucking the arrow into his bag to keep the sharp tip out of the weave.
UrGoh never asked about his time alone with the Archer. Either the other Mystic didn't think much of it or wasn't all that curious.
SkekGra sighed and stood. It really was getting late now and there was still no sign of UrGoh. He gave two quick pinches to his nape to check in, walking around camp to see if there were any other chores he could take care of while he waited for UrGoh's response. He was in the middle of organizing their tools when pain bloomed on his shoulder. Ok, good. UrGoh would be returning soon and they could consolidate his findings with their current food supply.
Relaxing his shoulders, SkekGra began to whistle, the tune slowly turning into a song as he worked on cleaning their knives and checking the ridges for any signs of rust. He was really getting into the rhythm of his task when he suddenly felt intense pain in his tongue as if he'd just bitten down on it. SkekGra hissed shrilly, sticking out his tongue on confusion just before the sensation repeated a second time. His eyes went wide and he leapt to his feet.
Help me.
Without thinking, SkekGra dumped his water canister over the fire to douse it and grabbed as many sharp things as he could carry in his robes, along with a spare lantern to fight through the encroaching darkness. UrGoh didn't have anything more dangerous than a short knife with him for picking thorns off berries and he was far too slow to be capable of fending off any serious attack. Whatever he was dealing with, he was practically defenseless...and for all he knew it might not even be a monster! Maybe the Mystic was hanging off the edge of a cliff? SkekGra had no idea what he was rushing into, but no matter what he had to act fast.
Fighting down his panic, SkekGra lifted his beak to the air and sniffed. Thankfully UrGoh's scent was only hours old and it hadn't rained at all that day. He should be able to track it easily enough.
Without another moment wasted, he began to run, following the scent of his other half through the open field and into the dense forest.
UrGoh's path was predictable right up until it wasn't.
SkekGra paused, sniffing around in a circle as he tried to make sense of the sudden disappearance. His scent just dissipated...or it was being covered by something far stronger. Lowering his beak, SkekGra furrowed his brow and looked around, searching for a pit that the Mystic might have fallen into or maybe even a-
He paused, stepping toward a set of trees that appeared to be bracketing...was that...a cave? He walked over and peered inside, sniffing cautiously. There was a hint of UrGoh's smell behind a thick layer of humid dust and rotting eggs. SkekGra winced and tugged the tatters of his cowl up and over the tip of his beak, smacking the side of the lantern to wake the glowing crawlies inside. As he began to run through the tunnel he nipped at the underside of his chin with his talons, hoping that UrGoh would respond.
Ok?
There was a pause where SkekGra felt his heart pounding from sheer terror as well as the adrenaline. Then he felt a pinch to his knee that was hard enough to make him wince.
Hurry.
Taking a deep breath, he ran as fast as he could through the tunnel, tail smacking rocks left and right behind him as the ground began to slowly dip down. SkekGra adjusted for the decline, but then it fell into a much steeper angle and he found himself tripping forward, slamming down on his chest and sliding down the path head first. He scrambled to twist himself around as he slid, managing to get his legs out in front just before he caught sight of a bright light flickering behind him.
He had almost no time to react before he was sliding over the edge of a stark rockface, managing to grapple onto the ledge with his talons as the dropped lantern tumbled past him into the abyss below. A few stray rocks also rolled over the edge and he watched as they fell, disappearing into one of the cascading tunnels that branched out into a massive web, all lit by some distant fire or inner sun. Heart pounding, SkekGra gritted his teeth and lifted himself up, dragging his body back over the edge. Once his knees hit solid earth, he rolled onto his back, arms spread out as he panted with his eyes closed in disbelief at the sudden brush with death.
But he couldn't relax. UrGoh was still in danger and he didn't even know where he was. SkekGra sat up and then stood on shaky feet, checking his inventory since he was down his lantern. All that remained of his cache of makeshift weapons was a pairing knife, a serrated carving blade, and the Archer's arrow. Not great, but at least they were sharp.
Chewing his tongue, SkekGra peered around the tunnel, searching the air for UrGoh's scent under the heady smell of sulfur and ash. Where could the slow Mystic have possibly gone? Then he caught sight of more light from above, emitting in a dim glow from a narrow pathway that led up and around the pit he'd nearly slid right into.
Marching up the rocks, SkekGra kept on the look out for any sign of UrGoh's presence. He didn't see much (especially without the lantern), but his scent was getting stronger which meant the Mystic had to be close. He pulled out the serrated blade from his robes and followed the walkway as it wound up and around a boulder. Almost immediately SkekGra was blinded by light and he stepped back, shielding his eyes from the harsh glare of the Brothers as they set in the East.
Wait, how could he see the Brothers? Wasn't he still underground?
SkekGra gritted his teeth, keeping his eyes closed as he forced his way through the tight opening. When he stepped out onto the other side, he realized he had walked out onto a plateau that was mostly enclosed by pillars of stone save for a massive entrance where the suns blazed bright in the distance. Nothing but open desert stretched out as far as the eye could see and there was still no sign of-
"Look...out!"
Whipping around at UrGoh's yell, SkekGra's eyes went wide as the body of a huge creature reared up behind him, completely encompassing him in its shadow. The beast was little more than stacks of stone with massive crushing fists and a large yellow gem of an eye in the center of what the Skeksis could only guess was its large potato-shaped head.
The creature took a swipe at him with its fingerless fists and SkekGra ducked, rolling to the ground and as far away as he could manage. That was when he caught sight of UrGoh, huddled under a fallen rock that was propped up by a ledge. The Mystic had his staff and knife in hand but he doubted UrGoh would be much help against the rock monster that was now striding toward him, both fists raised. "We need...to get...out of...here!"
Getting to his feet, SkekGra glanced between the creature and the tunnel entrance he'd just come through. Even if they managed to distract the rock monster, there was no way UrGoh was going to be able to move fast enough to outrun it through those steep passages. The ledge leading out to the desert didn't look particularly promising either. A fall from that height would mean certain death.
Actually, that would do wonderfully.
SkekGra snarled and pulled out the arrow with his opposite hand, now holding the wooden shaft and the knife in a poor imitation of his favored swords. The rock monster paused, lowering its head slightly so that the yellow eye could focus on his hands. "Don't I look dangerous?" he goaded, backing out of the entrance to the ledge, keeping his fangs bared. "Good! Yes! Follow me now!"
Rather than follow, the creature stopped a few feet from SkekGra and then leaned in, slamming its fist down just inches from SkekGra's feet. SkekGra winced and coughed as the stone in front of him shattered, sending dust and sharp rocks flying everywhere while he stumbled backward blindly. His heel caught on an outcropping of rock and he squawked as he fell onto his side, nearly dropping the knife. In the dust cloud, the creature emerged, its massive hulking form illuminated clearly in the dying light of the Brothers.
SkekGra was still clearing dirt from his eyes when the monster slammed both fists down again. He managed to roll, shaking as he pushed back up onto his feet, seeing a wrecked crater right where he had been moments before. He heard UrGoh say his name and SkekGra groaned, waving his blade back to the entrance. "Kind of busy, UrGoh!" he called back. "I don't need any distractions!"
As he spoke, the monster lifted itself back to its full height, towering above SkekGra as the Skeksis backed up to the edge of the plateau. He had to time this right or he'd end up going over the edge as well. He was about to shift his weight, roll out from underneath the massive shadow of the monster, but suddenly it bracketed him in, slamming both fists down on either side of him. SkekGra could do little more than stare up at that glowing yellow eye in horror as the monster leaned its face in close and opened a previously unseen maw of jagged stone, sharp enough to tear him to ribbons.
Should he jump? Would death from a fall be less painful than serving as a chew toy for one of Thra's monsters? It would certainly be quicker...
SkekGra glanced back over the edge and shivered, shaking his head defiantly as he raised his weapons. He didn't want to die.
He just wanted to be whole again.
Suddenly a loud chord sounded, the low but intense vibration echoing against the rocks and out over the expansive desert surrounding them. SkekGra winced, his head beginning to throb as the monster gnashed its teeth irritably, rising back up and turning to glare at the source of the sound.
UrGoh had climbed out from under the ledge, his head tilted up and mouth open wide as he sang, the sound completely otherworldly and inescapable. The monster shook its head and brought its fists up, shaking them at the Mystic as the stones that made up its body vibrated and shifted. SkekGra fought through the migraine and slipped out from behind the creature as it tried to stumble its way to UrGoh.
Stupid Mystic! He was going to get them both killed!
His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of weakness on the thing's body, but all he could see was stone and that large yellow gem. Well, if the creature couldn't see, it would have a much harder chance of actually hitting them.
Taking a few steps back, SkekGra charged forward and leapt onto the monster's torso, stabbing the knife into the rock to serve as an anchor. The rock monster stumbled backward and angrily tried to swipe at him, but its own limbs were too thick. SkekGra held on tight as it began to try and buck him off, grunting as he adjusted the arrow held in his opposite hand. Meanwhile, UrGoh had stopped singing and was picking up pebbles, lobbing them at the monster. "Over...here!" he called in a hoarse voice. "Come… get me!"
The monster took a few steps forward, but then bucked again to try and throw SkekGra, clearly confused now that it had more than one target to focus on. SkekGra didn't let go, pulling himself up until he was straddling the monster's shoulders and hugging his thighs around its misshapen head.
He really hoped this worked.
Holding the arrow aloft, he stabbed the sharpened metal head into the yellow gem-like eye, cracking the crystal's outer shell. The monster immediately reared back, striking hard at SkekGra before managing to grab his shoulders between both of its fists. The Skeksis gave a yelp as he was squeezed and then slammed into a boulder at full force. He hit the rock hard and gasped as all the air was forced from his lungs, vision popping and then swimming in front of him. SkekGra tried to force himself up, but instead wobbled and only managed to get onto his knees.
The monster continued to stumble around with the arrow sticking out of its eye. Its behemoth fists impotently tried to dislodge the shaft but only succeeded in snapping the wood, leaving the sharp head still buried in the gem.
UrGoh groaned as he stepped forward, dropping his staff and knife. No doubt his own head and back were aching from the impact transferred through their connection and still he was moving toward the beast, shuffling at that slow Mystic pace. SkekGra shook his head as he watched him, reaching out to his other half. He wanted to say, "Don't be stupid, UrGoh. You're not a fighter" but his throat clamped shut, letting only a weak whine of protest leave his beak.
UrGoh took a breath and raised all four of his arms, glaring the monster down before he began to run at a speed that SkekGra had thought impossible for a Mystic. He collided with the creature's legs, sending a jolt of force down through the monster's body and tipping it back. The extra weight made the monster stumble even further, losing its balance as it leaned over the ledge of the plateau. The creature tried to grab hold of something, but its rocky fists only caught air. UrGoh let go of the beast just before it began to fall, panting as he watched the monster get pulled down by its own massive body weight.
SkekGra stared in complete shock at the Mystic who looked as if he had just run across all of Thra with how much sweat was pouring off of him. As he took a few deep breaths, UrGoh gathered his staff and knife in his back hands and slowly shuffled back over to SkekGra at his normal pace. He offered one front hand to the Skeksis to help him stand while the other came up to touch SkekGra's head. "Are you...ok?"
Snatching UrGoh's wrist out of the air, SkekGra squeezed down until they both winced. "What were you doing!? How did you even get all the way out here?" He took a breath and stood to his full height, trying to calm his racing heart as he glared down at his other half. He was relieved, but also so very angry. What in all of Thra had even brought UrGoh to venture out this far?
"I got here...the same way...you did…" UrGoh said softly as he tried to tug his arm free. "Please stop...That...hurts…"
"It's suppose to hurt! You almost got us both killed!" SkekGra did loosen his grip, but didn't let go of UrGoh. "I was terrified, UrGoh. Terrified!"
UrGoh's pupils went wide and he pursed his mouth, tucking his knife back into his clothes. "I know...and...I'm sorry...for worrying...you." He looked up at SkekGra as the Skeksis panted, still coming down from the rush that came from fighting for your life.
"Good! You should be sorry! I nearly-"
SkekGra gave a shrill indignant hiss as he was dragged down mid-sentence, only falling quiet when UrGoh pressed his mouth to the tip of his beak. It was a chaste thing that didn't even last for more than a handful of seconds before the Mystic was pulling back, looking up at him with slightly watery brown eyes. "I know..." he repeated, stroking over the back of the Skeksis' head.
Beak still ajar, SkekGra just stared down at the Mystic as UrGoh slowly pulled back, moving into the enclosed center of the plateau. "I was going...to return...but my path...was...blocked. I only...realized that...I'd stumbled into...its lair...once I was...already...through." UrGoh sighed and added, "I hid...before it...saw me...but I was...trapped…"
On some level, SkekGra registered the words that UrGoh was saying, but he was mostly still stuck on the fact that the Mystic had just kissed him.
UrGoh let out a tired sigh and glanced back at the suns which were quickly sinking behind the edge of the desert. "We should...go back...before the Brothers...take their...leave…" He walked to the ledge he'd been hiding under and began to pull out his bags one by one.
As the Mystic worked, SkekGra slowly came back to himself, shaking his head slightly as he stepped inside the enclosure and looked around the den. It was clearly the monster's home before they had invaded, with large slabs of rock serving as shade and shelter while the tunnel entrance provided ease of travel without having to venture in cover of sun or moon. Most of the den was barren but there were a few trinkets that the creature had collected from the outside strewn about haphazardly among the broken stones.
"Let's wait until morning. We'll either get lost in the dark or end up getting attacked by another predator if we try to go back now," SkekGra suggested as he turned to look out at the suns.
"And...the camp?" UrGoh asked with a raised brow.
Shrugging, SkekGra said, "It'll keep for a night. We might be missing a few things come morning, but I put the fire out before I went to find you. It won't be completely destroyed." He then walked over to the ledge and helped UrGoh move the packs into the center of the covered plateau. Thankfully UrGoh had gathered plenty of food and water so they would be fine until morning, but the desert got cold at night and they wouldn't have any blankets or their tent. The clothes they wore would have to suffice as without wood, there'd be no camp fire either.
So instead, they found the largest rock to brace against and huddled together as they poked through the bags. SkekGra blinked as he pulled out a slightly flattened nebrie carcass and UrGoh smiled. "Sur...prise…" he said, wiggling his two front hands. SkekGra just snorted and held the dead amphibian between his claws as he began to tear into its rubbery flesh. Nebrie was a delicacy...but only when it was cooked. Raw, it tasted like little more than sinew and salt.
He supposed he should just be grateful for the meat, but he was still a little upset at UrGoh for wandering out into the literal middle of nowhere. Where even were they? Somewhere in the Crystal Desert, that was for sure, but he hadn't seen any structure like this from the cliff they were camping. Maybe it was only visible from the other side of the ridge?
As SkekGra tried to mentally pinpoint where they were, UrGoh began to undo the clasps of his shirt, pulling each arm from its sleeve before he hung it over the boulder they were leaning against. Now shirtless, UrGoh began to work on undoing his pants as well which immediately had SkekGra hacking out half-chewed bone in disbelief. "What are you doing?" he asked as UrGoh eased each leg and massive foot out of his trousers, leaving him completely bare. It wasn't like he had never seen UrGoh naked before as they both bathed whenever the opportunity presented itself, but the Mystic had never just stripped down out of nowhere like that.
"My clothes...are sweaty…" UrGoh said, sweeping his hair back as he leaned against the rock to reach his tail cover, undoing the ties that held it in place. Once he was freed, UrGoh gave a soft sigh of relief and sank back, letting all four of his hands rest over the soft mound of his belly. "We'll...have to wash them...tomorrow."
SkekGra nodded as his eyeline was drawn to the Mystic's hands, watching them slowly rise and fall with each breath UrGoh took. Earlier in their travels, he'd explained to SkekGra that in order to sing as he did, he had to take deep full breaths. It took practice and discipline, but it was now second nature to the Mystic.
Finishing off the nebrie, SkekGra licked his hands clean of blood and marrow fluids, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Somehow just the act of watching his other half breathe was a comfort. It was after all, the most obvious sign that they were still here and alive after such a deadly encounter.
Today had brought forth so many doubts that SkekGra hadn't realized he'd buried after the Division. What if they died before they healed the Crystal? What if they never reunited again and perished as two halves, forever separated in an uncaring void?
"SkekGra?"
He felt UrGoh's palm on his cheek and SkekGra flinched, his eyes flicking up to focus on the Mystic's worried expression. "Are you...ok?" UrGoh asked softly, his finger pads soft and warm against his face.
No, he wasn't ok.
He was bone tired, aching all over, and scared out of his mind. They had barely survived today and there were so many more dangers yet to come. Countless obstacles that were waiting to trip them on their path to unity.
Instead he forced a smile and said, "I'm fine. Wonderful, in fact!" He laughed, but it was quick to die under UrGoh's disbelieving stare. Sighing, the Mystic dragged him close, forcing SkekGra to turn into his chest and lay against him.
"You're...a terrible...liar…" UrGoh murmured into his hair as he stroked down the Skeksis shoulder with one of his free hands. SkekGra didn't argue, allowing himself to be tucked under UrGoh's chin, his body slightly curled so he was pressed into the Mystic's side, one hand on his belly as it rose and fell.
"You don't...need to hide...anything...from me…" UrGoh assured in a gentle voice, his deep breaths a balm against the Skeksis' pounding heart all the while his words echoed a pulsing mantra in SkekGra's mind.
I know...
I know...
I know...
They laid like that until the suns sank entirely behind the horizon and plunged their little camp into darkness. SkekGra sat up to dig out the Mystic's lantern, settling it down in front of them to illuminate the plateau with a gentle glow. It wasn't as bright as the rising moons and twinkling stars, but it was infinitely closer. UrGoh ate a few berries from the pack and tried to get SkekGra to eat more as well, but he wasn't hungry. Today had shocked him to his core and he didn't want to do anything but lie there with his Mystic, holding him close so that he knew they were alive and together.
"I think my...clothes are...dry..." UrGoh murmured, finally breaking the comfortable silence that had stretched between them for the last hour or so. The Skeksis blinked and watched as UrGoh stood, reaching for the cloth he'd draped over the rocks above them.
Without thinking, SkekGra stood as well and batted UrGoh's hand away. He swallowed hard as he stared down at the Mystic who just gave him a confused hum before he attempted to reach for his things again.
"Don't."
Frowning, UrGoh pulled his hand back voluntarily this time and watched as the Skeksis slowly tugged off his own robes, discarding them into a pile on the ground before kicking them to the side. "SkekGra?" he asked as the Conqueror leaned down, both hands coming up to cup UrGoh's cheeks in his palms.
They stared at one another unblinkingly, harsh shadows cast on their exposed flesh as they breathed in unison. No words were exchanged, but the message was clear enough to them both.
I know...
I'm terrified too.
Then SkekGra moved in, lifting UrGoh's chin and mouthing down his exposed throat, thumbing back the strands of his hair that threatened to block his path. UrGoh let out a surprised gasp that quickly faded away to deep calming breaths. His two front hands came to rest on SkekGra's shoulders, neither pushing him away nor drawing him closer in while the others braced against the boulder. He closed his eyes as the Skeksis licked his way down, that flexible tongue exploring the way UrGoh's skin folded and curled into itself along endless spirals.
SkekGra's fingers moved up and down the length of UrGoh's face, careful to keep talons away from his eyes as he massaged into the dark grey skin, feeling how warm and soft it was beneath his fingerpads. Slowly, he pressed UrGoh to lean on the rock behind them so he could straddle the Mystic, forcing UrGoh's legs to bracket his hips as he pressed them closer, chest to chest. He inhaled and gave a shuddering sigh. UrGoh smelled like dried sweat, but also smoke and the forest: like every hill he'd ever climbed and all the rivers he'd dipped his toes into.
SkekGra groaned as he let his hands fall to UrGoh's abdomen, gripping into the fatty tissue and stroking along the lines of muscle underneath.
They were both so warm and SkekGra could feel that inner fire dipping low, sinking into his stomach and branching out to his limbs. He lifted his head and saw UrGoh staring at him in wonder, brown eyes softer than fresh clay and full of an emotion that SkekGra wasn't sure could ever find the words to describe. Was this just some perverse need to remind themselves they were alive? Were they participating in masturbation or something far more taboo?
He wasn't sure he knew the answers.
Worse yet, he wasn't sure he cared.
"Don't...stop..." UrGoh murmured, taking one hand from SkekGra's shoulders to touch the center of the Skeksis' chest, trailing down his sternum and ribs. "Unless you...want-"
"I don't want to stop," SkekGra interrupted, grabbing UrGoh's wrist and leading the Mystic's arm down below his belly to rest at the pubic mound between his legs. UrGoh let out a deep exhale and nodded, leaning in to kiss SkekGra's cheek.
"Then we...won't..." he whispered as he smoothed his fingers over the slightly swollen slit. They both let out a small gasp at the sensation, but UrGoh kept to his promise and didn't stop. Instead he gently pressed into it until the crease parted, exposing the engorged tips of SkekGra's erections to the open air. Hissing, SkekGra moved his hands to hold UrGoh's wide hips, shifting to spread his legs more and give the Mystic room to work. Behind him his tail twitched with each gentle pass of those smooth rounded fingers until all three shafts emerged, barely visible in the dark but shining wet with fluids as they throbbed against UrGoh's belly.
UrGoh wrapped his fingers around the center shaft, squeezing the member until SkekGra was practically trembling on top of him. His own slit had already started to open, but nothing was peeking out just yet. "Touch me..." he told the Skeksis, rubbing his hips up to get some friction on the swollen skin.
Nodding, SkekGra let one hand drop down but stopped as soon as his claws came into view. He winced and clenched his fist. "I don't think I should..." he murmured as UrGoh panted beneath him. Skeksis could handle a bit of talon, but Mystics didn't have any claws to speak of.
Rolling his eyes, UrGoh just spread his legs insistently, raising his hips. "Just...go...slow...You'll do...fine..."
Well, he hadn't exactly planned to dive deep right away so SkekGra swallowed and let his hand drop, smoothing it over the swirling wrinkles of Urgoh's lower abdomen as he traced his way down. He felt more than saw the little dips in skin, the fine hairs that collected where torso met thigh. Then his claws brushed warm slick and UrGoh let out a little purr.
SkekGra's entire body shuddered at the sound. He'd heard many different sounds and songs from the Mystic's throat over the last two trine, but never had he heard a noise that instantly made his cocks twitch as if they were being pulled on a wire. But it wasn't just the sound, he could feel the shivers and twitches his own hands brought forth and could sense the fire his touches stoked from within.
The connection had always been strong, especially when caught between intense pleasure or pain, but this was wholly new. He felt like a nerve stretched out into a continuously loop, so conscious of the line of pleasure that ran from where he touched UrGoh to where the Mystic touched him.
There was no beginning and no end, just the two of them caught in a spiral that went on and on.
Dipping his talon inside the soft flesh, SkekGra grunted at the phantom sensation of being opened. UrGoh often pleasured himself like this, but it always pinched too much for SkekGra, especially with those thick Mystic fingers. At least if he was the one doing the fingering, he could control how fast and how deep the stretching went.
UrGoh's head tipped back as he moaned, low and deep in his throat. The hand that was still on SkekGra's cock began to squeeze and stroke up and down the length of the shaft which only had SkekGra gritting his teeth as the pleasure pulled him away from the discomfort of penetration. It allowed him to slip deeper into UrGoh until he finally found his prize. Little coaxing was needed to get the Mystic's massive shafts to slide out, both cocks easily filling his hand and then some. "Aah...that's...better..." UrGoh breathed, relaxing his head back against the boulder as he smiled at SkekGra, hat askew and loose bangs just barely falling in front of his eyes.
Unable to resist, SkekGra took his free hand and removed UrGoh's hat from the tangle of his braid, brushing the strands from his face as he began to pump both dicks in his palm. Despite only having two shafts it seemed there wasn't all that much different between them physically. The same places felt good to lick and stroke while the same sorts of touches lit their nerves on fire...but maybe that was just their shared preferences. Either way, SkekGra wasn't going to question it now when he had UrGoh beneath him, moon-glow reflected in the lucid pool of his eyes as he jacked SkekGra's dick.
Grunting, SkekGra released UrGoh's shaft to grab the Mystic's shoulders, pushing him to lay with his back against the ground. UrGoh didn't fight the shift, laying down and staring up at him with a smile as SkekGra straddled him. "Your heart...is...trembling..." he murmured. "I can...feel it...through your..." then he gave SkekGra a look that was far too perverted to be on a goddamn Mystic's face before squeezing down on the member in his fist.
Ok, he could play dirty, too.
SkekGra grinned and took UrGoh's slippery dicks back into his own hand, clamping down over the sensitive heads until they both gasped from the shock of it.
"Don't talk. We'll be here all night," he murmured, being careful with his claws as he thumbed both slits. He'd never been overly fond of talking during sex anyway and UrGoh's slow speech pattern would definitely kill the mood if he made any attempt to dirty-talk.
UrGoh just laughed and leaned up to kiss him, wrapping one of his free arms around SkekGra's shoulders to pull them closer. "Maybe..." he began. "-taking...our...time..." He paused, pulling on the retractable skin at the top of SkekGra's dicks until they both let out a high-pitched whine, hips bucking in tandem.
"...is for...the...best..."
SkekGra hadn't realized his beak was open until a line of drool hit UrGoh's chest. The Mystic wiped it off without a care, panting as he pressed his mouth and tongue to the underside of SkekGra's throat, his blunt teeth nipping along the cords of his neck.
Maybe UrGoh was right? Who was going to stop them? No one but themselves...and SkekGra didn't want any of this to end despite how close to the crest he felt. It was one thing to feel his own body's nerves lighting up as they were set aflame with touch and taste, but it was another when he was so hyper aware of everything he was doing to UrGoh too. He wasn't even inside him and he yet...he was inside of him, trapped under his skin in the same way their souls were. It was so good, but so goddamn frustrating.
He wanted more, but he was already burning. Set to blazing by his own touch and scorched in the intensity of it all.
He rolled his hips into UrGoh, panting as he kissed the Mystic's torso, licking over the scars that they shared. Each one was a tiny mirror painted across their bodies, some from his wars, others from UrGoh's travels. They both bore them all the same. The few differences only served to contrast all the similarities which should have scared him, should have made him stop and think about what they were doing...
-but then he'd hear UrGoh inhale below him, feel the way his soft chest and belly fell with the exhale, and any doubts he had vaporized like shadows in sunlight.
Today they'd faced death, not for the first time (and certainly not for the last)...but they'd made it to this point and SkekGra wasn't going to be looking backwards anymore.
Not when he had so much laid out in front of him.
Please Comment?
Beta assistance by DerpingLina