Wishes and Lost Hope
Chapter Five
The Tomb Underground
Elazul did not bother with his sword at first; instead he leaped to one side as soon as he felt the movement of the snow behind him. His first glimpse of the creature alarmed him, but he did not allow it to hinder his actions. After all, had he not faced much worse in his war-torn world? Such as enemies that knew him, and his weaknesses? Although it looked dangerous, this beast certainly could not be as bad as some things he had faced.
The monster was perhaps thirty feet from head to tail, and bore a passing resemblance to an armadillo. Its body was covered in white scales, or bands, as was its long, whip-like tale. Two rows of razor teeth were hidden within a long mouth, and its piercing red eyes observed those that would disturb it. Ivory claws curved menacingly from its large paws.
It forgot Elazul momentarily as it noticed Sierra and Daena, both of whom dashed in opposite directions to avoid its charge towards them. It stopped and turned, again seeing the Jumi.
The lapis knight dodged the creature a second time and swung his sword at its neck. The weapon was deflected by the scales, which neither bent nor broke under the strength of the blow. Sierra struck its other side, with similar results. A second, stronger strike by the dragoon resulted in a dagger broken at the hilt and its blade glistening in the snow. Daena's attempt was bolder, but still ineffective. She swung her weapon and hit the monster across its snout, only managing to anger the beast further.
The battle wore on the humanoids, while the animal seemed only to get angrier and impatient. No matter at what angle, the blades were unable to pierce the creature's armor, and Daena's attempts were even more fruitless.
As the monster was engaged with Sierra, Elazul lunged at it. It turned suddenly and snapped at him, catching his arm in its mouth and biting down hard. The Jumi cried out in surprise and pain. He cursed his stupidity, but smiled at the idea that occurred to him. He raised his sword, took careful aim, and summoned his energy into one strike. The creature screamed in pain as the weapon pierced its eye, and let go of Elazul.
Sierra, with swift understanding, plunged her dagger into the monster's other eye. It blindly flailed at its adversaries, who had fled out of reach soon thereafter. They collected their things and ran the direction of the tracks in the snow, leaving the monster to live or die by the fate of its injuries.
oOo
"Don't you think breaking into your own house is a little strange?"
"I needed new clothes," Athena said it as though it was the most important thing in the world. Not that she considered it to be so, but there were other things she needed to collect as well. She did not want to wake her charges, either.
The workshop was cluttered and barely organized. Everything that was needed for any of various started or abandoned projects was piled up on the floor or placed on barely stable shelves. Larc went over the shelves carefully, trying to remember what he needed. There were some things missing, but he thought that he had adequate substitutions.
Athena, for her part, hung back at the doorway, silhouetted by the light of the moons. She would be seeing enough underground areas if all went well, and possibly if it did not, she did not see the need to spend that much more time in confined spaces than necessary.
"I think I have everything I need," the dragoon announced. Not a moment too soon, in Athena's mind. If either of the twins saw them leaving, there would be explanations asked for with none to be given. She could only lie so much, and she was already beginning to feel guilty about it.
"Good," she said, "Then let's get going."
oOo
It took until the next evening before they had arrived at the most suitable location. The old ruins glowed a reddish hue in the light of the setting sun, and every step made Athena remember a time, good or bad, she had spent in the shadows of the ancient stone monoliths.
"You have to make sure they're standing properly," the young warrior had explained to the dragoon as they traveled through the puzzle and maze that made up the ruins. She had led the flowerlings in an order and hoped it had been the one she needed. It was. The flowerlings had opened for them the path to the old tomb beneath one of the stone monuments.
Athena remembered, not so fondly, walking the underground path before to find herself confronted with the bloodsucking monster that dwelt there. She did not know what became of it after she injured it and it crawled off before she could kill it. And sometime afterwards, a battle had raged above in the sunlight….
"This may be good," Larc said suddenly, breaking his friend's contemplation, "But I don't think we'll know for sure anywhere unless we try, so this is as good a place as any."
"So what do I do?" Athena asked, ensuring that the room was secure. There were no monsters about, and indeed not as many around anywhere. A little caution never hurt anyone, though.
"Let me set it up," Larc replied, already having begun drawing runes on the floor in specific patterns with the piece of chalk Athena used to mark her trails, "You can go do whatever you feel like for a while, or you can stay here." He smiled when he looked up and found she was gone, "You're all too predictable at times, my friend."
oOo
Athena climbed the huge granite stairs. The sun had set, but the sky was still light. She paused as she reached the platform above.
Her fingers slipped down the shaft of her spear, and for a minute she thought she would lose it. If she lost her weapon, she knew her life would follow.
She froze at the memory. Could she smell the blood still? After a year?
But if she kept her grip, she would lose her fingers, maybe her hand. The spear was not meant to be used as a shield.
Crude letters drawn into one of the pillars drew her attention. Who had drawn them… for what purpose?
She dropped the spear and dove away from the sword's strike.
They did not read anything; they were just scribbles.
It would be a minute before she could reach her weapon, but the chance was there. She took it.
Scribbles that told of a life. She looked over the green and tan place that had been a home to people ages ago.
Dive again. Her weapon was hers again, and his sword swung towards her head.
What had happened to them? Did they all kill each other?
Roll, and swing. The spear's point met little resistance. It was over, and the sword fell from his hand. Just like Keahi.
Like she killed her friend?
"Had we been friends?" she wondered aloud. She treaded lightly across the platform. In the distance she could see the road home. She wondered if this was the right thing to do.
'Wait a minute,' she squinted in the twilight, straining to see the little figures on the paths below, 'Oh boy, this might be bad.'
She almost fell down the stairs in her haste to return to the ceremony. She loved her friends dearly, but often they could be such… grandparents.
She ran down the corridors of the old stone tomb. When she arrived, she flashed a smile at Larc.
"Hey, are we ready yet?"
"Yes," the dragoon did not feel the need to double-check his measurements. Everything was in order.
She had explained to him what she needed to do. He was now giving her the means, but, in the end, it was her endeavor. She had to retrieve the soul, and he would keep her body safe while she did so.
"Drink this," he instructed, handing her a flask of liquid. She inspected it carefully before sipping it slowly. She didn't taste anything, but she found it was very viscous and stuck to her throat, "You'll have an hour or two. You'll be a ghost, but you'll be pulled back as soon as you run out of time."
Athena nodded, feeling a little woozy. She lay down in the circle of runes that Larc showed her, and let the forgotten, yet familiar, tingly feeling run its course. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them she was no longer where she had been.