RA'ZAC RUMBLE
Aelwyn could smell smoke as he dashed through the ancient forest. He panted as he followed the path, batting aside vines and low branches. The smell of burning wood grew stronger as he raced through the woods, his heart pounding in his chest. As he neared his destination, he felt his body grow cold as he detected a new smell: Burned flesh.
Aelwyn sat up, breathing hard as he looked around. He was in Angela's shop. He relaxed as much as he could as he shivered. Aelwyn felt far from rested. Instead, he felt cold, stiff and tired. With a tired groan, he got to his feet and folded the blanket as he put it on the counter. His arms felt cold, as if he'd slept out in the rain in winter in a short sleeved tunic.
"Ah, another early riser," said Angela from the doorway at the back of the shop. He turned to face her.
"Thank you for your hospitality." He reached into his pack and brought out one of the walrus tusks he had kept and offered it to her. "It's not much, but you might find a use for it." She took the tusk and looked it over.
"This is fine ivory." She looked up and smiled. "Thank you. And you're right; I can definitely find a use for it!" Aelwyn smiled and bowed gently.
Suddenly, there was a shout from outside.
"Murder! The killer's struck again!" Aelwyn looked at the door, then to Angela before he rushed to the door and out to see what was going on. He followed the shouts until he found the crowd near the docks. A wet body had been dragged out of the water. Aelwyn frowned at the sight.
He couldn't tell whether it had been a man or a woman at first. Upon a closer look, he could tell by the bone structure it had been a man. Most of the flesh had been picked from the bones. He frowned deeper until he was scowling at the signs of predation. There was no doubt about it: This poor man had been eaten alive.
"Another one . . ." said Angela. Aelwyn turned and saw her staring with him. She shook her head as she returned to her shop. Aelwyn followed.
"How many?" he asked as she closed the door behind them. She sighed.
"This makes five in two months." Aelwyn's gaze drifted off as his memory drifted back to things in the past.
"Do they have any idea who, or more properly, what is behind this?" Angela shook her head.
"The fools around here couldn't find their rears with a lantern and a map." Aelwyn gave a slight snicker, despite himself. "At least it wasn't a child this time." Aelwyn felt his body go rigid at this. He suppressed a shiver, but it wasn't one of cold or fear, it was anger. He took a deep breath as he looked back at the door. He looked at the herbalist and smiled.
"Thank you again, Miss Angela." Without another word, he left. Angela shook her head lightly as she watched him go. She turned to Solembum, who was still curled on the counter.
"Things are going to get very interesting very soon . . ." she said with a smile.
Aelwyn tried not to look like he was in a hurry as he left the city walls.
Arian? he called.
Little one! came the joyous reply. He smiled as he walked.
Where are you? She guided him to a wooded area away from the road. No sooner had he entered the clearing, than Arian almost knocked him over as she nuzzled him strongly.
I missed you. He threw his arms around her neck and pressed his face against her warm scales.
And I you. She hummed happily as she let the warmth of her feelings wash over him. They stayed that way for untold minutes, just enjoying the feeling of being together. Aelwyn took the time to tell Arian everything that had happened, especially what he had learned about the Riders. Arian hummed at hearing this.
So, that is how you and I are linked. She looked at Aelwyn, who sat on her right foreleg.
I'm grateful you're my Rider. Aelwyn beamed.
And I'm grateful you're my friend. She nuzzled him in response. He then stood and checked the saddle to make sure none of the straps were lose and it wasn't chafing. Once he was satisfied, he removed his spear and checked it. He looked at Arian as he stood, spear in hand.
Well, shall we go on a hunt? he asked with a grin. Arian's lip curled until a formidable row of teeth showed.
Climb on. Aelwyn bounded up into the saddle as Arian spread her wings and took off.
That evening, Aelwyn looked around outside Teirm for signs of the killers. He didn't have to look too hard. If he had any doubt before as to whether the killer was human or not, the tracks erased all doubt. No human being made tracks like these. Remounting, they followed the tracks into the Spine. Aelwyn had known they likely would have hidden in the Spine. What better place for a killer or an outlaw to hide than such a treacherous mountain range? At first, Aelwyn's plan had been to have Arian scout out the forests from above while he followed the tracks on foot. She had quickly rejected that plan. So, Aelwyn rode on Arian's back as she followed the trail until it died deep in the forest. They stopped as the tracks ended. The needles of the pines and the fallen leaves made tracking more difficult. Aelwyn was a fair tracker, but he had no idea what they even were tracking, let alone how it behaved. They had to be extremely cautious.
That evening, it suddenly turned very dark and windy, the wind whipping through the forest. Aelwyn looked up at the storm that was bearing down on them. He unstrapped his legs and jumped to the ground as the wind buffeted him. He pulled his cloak tight as he looked around for a shelter for them. Little one! Arian settled on the ground and raised her wing. He frowned.
What about you?
Don't worry about me. Just hurry! Aelwyn hurried under as Arian slid her head under her wing as she closed it over them. He heard the wind howl outside and could hear the patter of rain on her wing membrane as the storm hit. It was very dark, but he could make out the shape of Arian's head. He stroked her face as she hummed. Little one. Her crimson tongue snaked out and gently licked his hand. He held her head close, his arms around her snout.
Thank you, Arian. Every day, I'm grateful to be bonded to you. She hummed louder.
The next morning, they found that light, slushy snow had fallen along with the rain. That would certainly help with tracking whatever it was they were chasing. As they wound through the forest, Aelwyn thought carefully on everything he knew about these particular circumstances. This was very dangerous without a doubt. Hunting something when you have no idea just what it is or what it's capable of is perhaps one of the most risky things someone could do. Yet, his instincts seemed to guide him. He somehow felt that their quarry was nocturnal. He also felt that it would avoid water, for some reason. He had learned very early never to ignore his instincts, and followed them. In the melting slush, they were able to pick up the trail once again.
The tracks in the snow were far more clear than those near Teirm had been. Aelwyn scowled at the bizarre footprints. If he didn't know better, he'd have sworn they had been made by an insect. He shook his head as they followed. The trail was broken and difficult, but they managed to get through. The most difficult obstacle was a rocky hillside that was covered with thin moss. Arian's claws managed to find some purchase, but she still slipped a few times. Past the rocky slopes, they found what had apparently been a road long ago. Aelwyn couldn't think why there would be a road so high up into the mountains, but chose to follow it. They followed it through the most gloomy and foreboding section of woods they had seen in the Spine yet. The trees were close together, and seemed to possess a malice of their own. The odd mixture of pines and deciduous trees was unsettling for some reason. Aelwyn had thought to dismount and walk beside Arian, as the ceiling of the forest was hardly a foot above his head. She stopped him as he reached for the straps.
Stay where you are . . . she said as she sniffed the air. She growled as she looked into the dark forest. Keep your spear ready and your shield up. Aelwyn did as she advised. As they continued, he felt there was something downright malevolent about these woods. He tightened his grip on his spear as they carefully followed the old path. They finally exited the deep forest at dusk. They stopped at the sight that greeted them.
A crumbling old castle stood out against the growing twilight. Ivy and moss stuck to the walls everywhere. It looked like the castle has been abandoned for well over a century. The gate was tall enough that Arian could have stood up on her hind legs and walked through without trouble. Aelwyn looked around and could see what remained of long pikes stuck into the ground. The skull he saw adorning the end of one of them told him this wasn't a place that many people visited with the expectation of returning alive. As they drew closer, he stared in shocked awe at the one skeleton that was still complete. The spear had been inserted in such a way as to prolong the suffering of the unfortunate victim. This person had likely spent several days on the end of that pike, almost twenty feet in the air as they slowly died in agony. He growled. Arian shared his sentiments as they approached the gate. This place is evil . . . she said as they passed under the great iron portcullis and entered the courtyard.
Just like the rest of the castle, it was old and decaying. What was left of a cobblestone walkway crumbled under Arian's weight, her claws clicking on the stone. Statues lined the walkway, staring at them with blank, ghostly expressions.
Some were broken, others covered with moss or ivy. Arian's nostrils flared as she smelled the air. She flicked her tongue out to taste the air, making sure they weren't walking right into an ambush. Aelwyn looked around at the courtyard. The grass that bordered the walkway was overgrown and filled with weeds. The castle keep was in a shambles, particularly the upper levels. Part of the roof had caved in, and one of the larger towers had collapsed, destroying part of the keep. The holes in the roof and the ivy and moss gave it a very haunted nature. If Aelwyn had to guess, this castle had likely not been inhabited for over two hundred years at least. He frowned as they looked at the open doors of the keep. This was the perfect hiding place for the thing they were tracking. As they neared, he took out one of the torches he had made from dried wood, shredded bark and old cloth. He dismounted and lit it with his flint and steel. It was at times like this that he wished Arian could breathe fire.
He held the torch with his left hand, shield still strapped to his arm. The great oak doors were old, splintered and rusty, but they still held. As he pushed, he saw scratches on the floor where the doors had scraped. He tensed as Arian helped him to push the doors open. Immediately, he could feel they were being watched. He warily stepped into the hall, Arian right beside him.
We're not alone . . . he said as he leveled his spear. Arian growled in response.
It was then that they heard a series of clicks from the darkness. Aelwyn looked around cautiously. He could almost feel the eyes staring at them. His eyes flicked to Arian as her tongue flicked out. Be ready. Arian's whole sinuous body was taut as a bowstring.
I'm ready! He smiled and turned to the darkness.
"Hear me, eater of men! If you have any honor, come out and face me honorably in single combat!" he shouted his challenge. He could hear something move in the shadows, just out of sight. He faced the direction of the sound and his senses told him to duck. He dropped to the ground and thrust his spear up at the form that had lunged at him from behind.
How did it get that close so quick?! He heard the spearhead crack what sounded like bone. Arian roared, the sound echoing and reverberating in the hall as she turned and attacked. The form leaped up and landed on her neck and bounded back into the darkness before she could catch it. Aelwyn whirled as the form lunged again, from the right. Instead of the spear, he swung the torch and got his first good look at what he was fighting.
It was black and shiny, almost like a beetle. Two huge bulbous eyes stared at him, unblinking as its beak opened and hissed at him. Leaning back, he brought the butt of the spear up into the creature's belly, sending it upwards, where Arian caught it in her jaws, shaking her head back and forth. Aelwyn was surprised when he felt the air beside him disturbed by something swiping at him. He raised his shield just in time as another of the black creatures slashed at him with the claws in its hand. The claws hit the wooden shield, gouging deep into it as he shoved back at it, stabbing with the spear. The creature tried to leap back, but failed to anticipate his next action. Aelwyn lunged, thrusting the spear forward and let it slide through his grip, only catching it at the very end. The creature lunged to the side, and the spear followed in a deadly cutting arc. He caught it in the side of its arm, cutting into the black chitin and drawing blue blood as it screeched.
His instincts flared again, wildly, telling him to attack to the rear. He reversed his earlier action and thrust and slid the spear backwards, hitting the black monster that had been about to slash him in the back of the neck. The butt of the spear connected right dead center, and sent the third creature sprawling. Arian lunged at the wounded creature, roaring loudly as Aelwyn turned on the downed one, spear ready for the kill. Almost as one, the creatures leaped up and over the warrior and dragon, catching each other in midair and throwing each other to the opposite side of the room. Aelwyn scowled as he regrouped with Arian.
Nice trick . . . Arian growled.
I've seen better, Aelwyn quipped as they heard their enemies moving in the darkness. Suddenly, Arian lunged at the darkness as one of them leaped over her. Aelwyn was ready. When it landed, he let his spear fly, imparting a spin to the spear as it left his hand. The creature was impaled right through the chest and sent flying backwards. The spear impacted a wall, sending flashes of sparks out as it buried itself into the stone. Arian roared as she lunged at the dying creature. Aelwyn spun, unsheathing his sword as the last creature charged. His sword deflected the claws as he brought his shield rim up and bashed the creature in the head. It stumbled back and he lunged, torch held out. The creature tried to shield its eyes from the light, and Aelwyn took advantage of the distraction and lunged with his sword. The creature caught onto his plan and danced away from his blade.
He brought his shield up and deflected the creature's claws as he slashed with his sword, trying to keep the gap between defense and offense as small as possible. Just the very tip of his sword touched the black carapace, but it was enough to draw blood. He angrily roared as he dashed after the thing. Suddenly, it lunged at him, grabbing his shield with one clawed hand, his right wrist with the other. Arian roared as she lunged after him.
Little one! Aelwyn responded by pulling the creature backwards and down to the ground with him, his feet braced against its belly as he sent it sailing through the air. He didn't give it time to hit the ground before he dashed after it. The creature landed roughly, but quickly righted itself, just in time for Aelwyn to crash into it with bone-jarring force, slamming it into the wall. His sword flashed out, glittering in the torchlight. The creature grabbed hold of him and whirled, slamming him against the wall. Arian roared as she lunged, jaws open. The creature released him and leaped away. Arain just barely stopped in time, almost impaling Aelwyn with her long, sharp teeth. Aelwyn paid it no mind as he dashed after the creature. The black monstrosity was ready. As he charged, he kept his shield up and the torch forward. The creature danced away and lunged at him, only for his strong hand to clamp down on its own right wrist.
Aelwyn leered at it as it struggled to free itself from his viselike grip. He slammed his shield into it, but his grip never wavered. He growled as he swung around behind the creature and planted his foot in the middle of its back as he shoved with his shield and pulled with all his might. Arian lunged at the immobilized creature as Aelwyn pulled viciously. It screeched as its shoulder dislocated. It knocked his feet out from under him, knocking them both down. It kicked back at him. His shield caught the blow and knocked into him. The creature managed to pull free barely a second before Arian's jaws snapped at it. It leaped away and tried to run. Aelwyn flung the torch at the fleeing creature. The torch sailed, tumbling end over end before it hit the wall in a shower of sparks and fire. The creature hissed at the bright light as Aelwyn lunged with his sword. It lunged at him with its left arm, hoping to catch him in his unguarded right shoulder.
He flung his sword at it, sinking the blade into its right shoulder. The creature shrieked in pain as Aelwyn grabbed the wounded arm and growled as he flung it around and yanked, tearing the arm free. The monster screamed, loud and shrill at the loss of its arm. Aelwyn picked up his sword as he stalked to the mortally wounded creature that was kneeling. It looked up as he and Arian stood over it. It gave one last hiss at him. Aelwyn replied with a roar, as did Arian as he swung the sword and severed its head from its body, ending the fight for good. Panting, he reached down and grasped the severed head and held it aloft in his right hand.
"Woe to the vanquished!" he roared in victory. Arian roared triumphantly, her wings raised.
The next morning, Aelwyn returned to the gates of Teirm. The guards blocked his way at first, before they recognized him. He was carrying a bundle with him.
"So, yer back, eh? Forget somethin'?" the guard asked. Aelwyn smiled as he brought the bundle out and handed it to the confused guard.
"No. A gift to the city of Teirm. Tell them the murders will stop." With that, he turned and walked away from the two thoroughly confused guards. The guards opened the bundle, and the one holding it dropped it with a shocked yelp. Inside were two severed heads of Ra'zac, along with an arm that looked like it had been torn out. The black exoskeleton shined in the bright sunlight. Blue blood still stained the beaks of the dead monsters. They both looked up and saw that Aelwyn was gone. They looked down at the bundle and then gathered it up and ran back into Teirm, yelling as loud as they could.
"They were Ra'zac! The traveler killed the Ra'zac!" they shouted as they dashed for the citadel. Angela smiled as she watched them run past.
"Definitely interesting . . ." Solembum purred beside her.
Aelwyn smiled as he returned to Arian, who growled in satisfaction.
You're becoming a fine hunter, little one, she observed as he climbed into the saddle. He smiled as he patted her neck.
And you're becoming an excellent warrior. Arian hummed in response as she lifted her wings and took off. Aelwyn took a deep breath of the fresh air as he reached down and pulled up the head of the third creature. It was the one that had given him the most trouble and the greatest fight. It would make a fine trophy once he smoked it. Arian growled softly.
I think we're going to need a bigger saddle, little one . . . she said. He looked down at her, an eyebrow raised.
Why? She looked back at him and gave a toothy grin.
Because we're going to need more room for all the trophies I know you'll collect. Aelwyn returned the grin as he looked at the head of the black monster.
Woe to the vanquished . . .
Author's note: Here ends the chapters I had originally written, back in 2012. I have left them as they were, save for some minor spelling and grammar adjustments, to remind me where I was, and am. But, that does not mean I am leaving this story once more. Aelwyn and Arian's journeys will continue.
