Chapter 2 – The Higher They Climb…
Voices.
They were echoing from above, bouncing from wall to wall. Mixing up with the winds blowing through the chasms, with one another, becoming distorted, becoming howls. The imagination drew beasts with giant maws, sharp mandibles, and thousands of legs, skittering against the rocks. These sounds were coming from that brighter circle, where the twilight poured into the caverns below.
It was the mouth of a well. Three dots of light hovering above it. That was the origin of the noise. Howls came through the vertical tunnel, the taste of air like the sweetest nectar on dry lips. A chain went all the way down, rattling in the wind, from time to time. It was a life line. The creature stared at the chain from down below. Staying there for a long time, hiding its battered form covered by cloth. Barely enough to cover one shoulder. Holes all over. Its color brown-gray, from all the dirt and dust clinging to the fabrics, so much it was impossible to tell the garment's original color. It was held around the neck by a brooch, with a gem that was no longer bright, the metal surrounding it battered, bent, and rusted.
There was a choice. Either up, through the mouth of the well, or down into that chasm, wherever it led. The creature would turn from the light, and stare into its darkness instead, with its only eye. No matter where 'It' looked, the air felt trapped in its throat, larynx trembling. Go deeper down, or towards the light above? The darkness stared right back, forcing the creature away, limping. Other times, 'It' would reach towards the chain, pulling lightly, hearing the links creak a little under the weight of its hand. Maybe go back to the Egg? It was familiar there, safe… The tall creature shook its head, almost violently. Its hand reaching for the nail, planted into the ground. It would be pulled out, and placed on the back, piercing the cloth, and having the hilt bite into it.
Nothing should occupy the only hand 'It' had left.
Slowly approaching the chain, for the Nth time, the creature would finally dare it. Reaching as far as it could, and pulling itself up, with its only arm. Legs wrapped around the chain as well, trying to push. Bad idea. The crippling pain in the joint almost made it scream. But there was silence. Chitinous fingers clung to the chain, as the slow, grueling ascending has begun.
Old tomb… No… I won't stay…
The chain rattled under the creature's weight, but held, for now. It was meant to hold buckets, not beings like itself. The climber began to shift, swinging oneself on the chain, back and forth. The foot shot forward, to try and get some traction with the mossy, slippery wall of the well. A few times, it slipped over the moss. The fingers ached, but remained staunchly locked around the chain. They could not let go. The creature knew, if it would fall, it would not get up again. On the fourth try, finally, the foot planted against one of the walls enough to allow the being to pull itself up, bit by bit.
What now?
For a brief moment, 'It' did not know. If only its other arm was there, this ordeal would have been so much easier. But it was gone. Sometimes, the creature felt its ghost. But no matter how many hopeful stares were shot to the left, the picture remained the same - a short stump, covered in white, silken bandages. It was of no help here.
"…"
The arm launched upwards once more. Before gravity could take hold, the hand grabbed the chain a bit higher than before. The leg slipped off the wall, and the entire body hung limp. The links whined and gritted against one another. The creature looked up, at the light, which was drawing closer. Not a yellow kind of light, but a cold, pale one. Like that of a Luma fly. That realization filled the creature with thoughts of safety and hope. Once more, it rocked the chain, and planted the foot unto its wall. Once more, it would repeat the maneuver.
Scccccrtzt!
Its hand would slip down the slippery metal chain links. The fingers would tighten around them, increasing the traction, and stopping the fall. The creature clenched its eye shut, briefly. The shoulder joint almost popped out of its socket. It hurt, and yet… it held. It had to. Everything was going to be alright. Been worse. Climbed deeper caverns… Stood on the heads of others to climb out. But… there were no others here. Only itself, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. Once more, the creature would pull itself up. The tip of the blade dangling from his cloth, weakly dinging against the stone walls of the well. Another pull… Another swing… another…
The light was getting closer and closer. The creature could already make out the images of small insects hovering inside the glass, showering all down below with their light. They were still alive! That meant… so was the kingdom. It must have been so! The voices felt less like howls of mythical creatures, and more like those of other bugs… There was hope. The climb went faster. The air so refreshing, so full of life… Breathe more of it, even if the chest hurt, punctured by a dozen wounds… The light was almost within reach.
Suddenly, there was a metallic snap. The creature froze in place. Its only eye slowly looking up, trailing the chain. All of the links were similar to one another. All shaped like 0. Near the place where the chain connected to the metal bar across the mouth of the well, one link was different. It was shaped like a C.
No…
The creature froze still. One careless movement, and the whole thing would go down under its weight. But as it watched, the distance between the separate ends of the chain link was slowly growing wider.
No, no…
Something had to be done, and quick. Summoning all of its strength, the being would pull on the chain, launching itself upwards. To grab the chain above the weak link before it would give way. The fingers stretched out, and closed around the chain.
Two inches short.
NO!
The metal chain link fractured into what seemed like a million pieces. The light, so close, now was departing with great speed, becoming smaller and smaller, as the creature was swallowed and pulled back by the mysterious force that worked equally against all beings, and back to the bottom of the well. Meeting the floor and crackling the tiles with the force and the weight of the impact.
It did not hurt. Not as much as one would have thought. But it was the end. The creature laid there, collapsed, the broken chain around and over his chest, as pained, wheezing breaths escaped from underneath its white, bony mask. It felt as though the impact resonated through its entire shell, like a shockwave. Weak, twanging sounds follow suit, from above, as something sharp and heavy fell to the ground, right side of its head. The blade. It vibrated and hummed slightly, like a shallow cry.
The creature looked up. Droplets of water fell down on its face, seeping into the many cracks the mask now carried.
"Would it be more merciful to let you die here, Broken Mask?"
That voice again. The vision of the creature went blurry, still looking up at the mouth of the well so high above. It could see shadows now, blocking out the lights of the Luma flies. What were they? It mattered not. The chain was broken, and there was no more strength left for the climb. Turning on its side, the creature covered itself with the remains of the cloak, and closed its eye. Wrapping its only arm around the nail next to itself.
The other voices came closer…