Chapter 14: River Crossing
Riding for a while longer had brought them to the edge of the river that flowed from the south east to the North West. As they approached the river bank there was a small cobble stone bridge no wider than six feet across. At closer inspection the bridge had fallen apart in the middle and bits of the stone was visible just above the water.
"Well looks like the bridge isn't an option." Zanir said stopped before the bridge.
"It doesn't look that deep. We might be able to walk the horses through." Xev said with the dragon still asleep in his lap.
"It's our best bet." Zyra pushed forward to examine the distance between the two banks of the river.
It looked about thirty feet across at its shortest distance and possibly six to seven feet deep but it was hard to tell for sure. Xena motioned to Zanir where the easiest crossing would be.
"Do you want to go first Zanir?" asked Zyra with a smile on her face.
Zanir looked at the fast moving river in fear but did not want to make himself look a fool before her so he reluctantly accepted with what little confidence he could muster shown on his face. He straightened his back and edged the horse forwards into the water. It stopped and took a few long drinks before moving in deeper. Zanir held on to Valon's limp body as the water rose up to his waist.
Large rocks protruded from the water to his left about twenty feet down from him. If he was to fall off the horse or the horse loose balance they would be taken awash and slammed into the rocks. He focused straight ahead now approaching the midway point the water up to his chest now. Valon was held sitting upright so as to keep his head above the water.
A second later the horse fell beneath the surface taking Zanir and Talon under. They came back up a few meters from where they went under heading straight for the rocks. Zanir noticed the horse was not moving forwards but horizontally. They went under again and resurfaced then an invisible force pushed them from behind just enough so the horse could reach the bottom again.
"Are you alright?" shouted Zyra across the river as Zanir's horse made its way up the other side of the bank.
"Yes everything's fine. Thanks for the help." Zanir answered back.
"Alright, so the water is over the horses head in the middle. Let's see how this goes. Hold on to your dragon." Zyra said to Xev.
She tapped Ahwa's side and she moved forward down and into the water taking the same route Zanir had. Svarturvog was wide awake at this point and was roaring madly. It flew off Xev's lap before the water could touch it and landed across next to Zanir. Before they reached the middle Zyra cast a spell that pushed them a few extra feet so that they didn't go under.
Just as Ahwa began to walk up the other side of the bank Xev felt something bite down on his right leg and instantly a searing pain shot up his leg as he was pulled off the horse into the water below the surface. He tried to yell for help under the water but closed his mouth quickly he couldn't see anything. A second later Zyra jumped in after him and dove beneath the surface with her dagger drawn shining violet light in the water. She found the head of the creature that had Xev's leg in its mouth and stabbed it in the eyes. It released Xev and shot away into the dark water.
Zyra surfaced holding Xev's head out of the water and swam him to the bank. He was screaming in agony unable to move his right leg. Zanir jumped down from the horse and ran to the side to help Xena pull him from the water. Blood quickly ran from four tooth marks left in his calf muscle nothing was torn which he was lucky. Svarturvog dashed over making deep growling sounds and sniffed his leg then ran over to the edge of the river growling more.
"What was that!?" exclaimed Xev as he tried to get up but Zyra and Zanir held him down. He wasn't aware how bad his leg was.
"Stay still Xev your leg needs some fixing. You'll be fine trust me." Zyra said and quickly whispered complex healing spells that closed over the wounds before he lost any more blood.
Xev's wound was deep and meant he could not walk with his right leg. Zyra could only heal over the wounds but not the deep tissue and bone that had been damaged. She was not as skilled as Valon. Xev's leg still pained him greatly even though she stopped the bleeding so she cast a spell she knew from her training similar to the one Talon was in during his capture.
This spell would put Xev into a vivid sleep where he could feel nothing but still be able to hear. It was a spell used in case assassins had been captured and interrogated to keep them from spilling information during torture. She tried to cast the spell but it didn't seem to have any effect since Xev was still writhing in pain.
"What's happening? Did you heal him?" Zanir asked worry in his voice.
"I healed over his wound but I cannot mend the muscle or bone. That will take time. I also tried a spell to ease his pain but it was not successful. I wasn't taught how to cast it on another person besides myself." Zyra said. "Xev, we need to get you back on the horse but any movement will cause you agony. We haven't any other option." She explained to him.
"Its fine help get me onto the horse I'll deal with the pain." Xev said. "Thank you for saving me for the second time." Xev joked while squinting from the pain.
They picked Xev up and lifted him onto Ahwa so that he sat side ways and could lift his left leg up and over the horse. Once he was on the horse Zyra jumped up after him. Zanir was ready to move out with Valon. Svarturvog was still pacing along the side of the river as if it was looking for the creature that attacked Xev.
"Come Svarturvog, we have to go. Easy now." Xev called to the dragon.
Svarturvog blew smoke out over the water then ran over to Ahwa where it jumped up onto Xev's lap its claws making it uncomfortable. He held on as before and they started at a quick pace across the open field where the pathway continued deep into the woods. Darkness was looming ever closer and they needed to hurry.
"I see you've named your dragon." Zyra said. "Do you know if it's a male or female?"
"He's a male. Do you like his name? asked Xev.
"It's quite fitting."
"How much further?
"Not long. We're almost there although I'm afraid we may not make it in time before it becomes total darkness. A night like you've never seen before." Warned Zyra.
Xev looked up over his right shoulder to the sky and he couldn't see the large moon any longer. A few scattered stars remained. They were hidden in the shadows of the forest on either side of them.
"If darkness falls before we arrive will we continue on?" asked Xev.
"We will be forced to continue yes. If we were to stop it would mean waiting a long time before the darkness ends." She explained. "We'll push on no matter."
Hunger gripped Xev's stomach. A feeling he had not experienced for the entire time in the Fae world.
"I am starving. Thought you said we wouldn't need to eat like in the human world." Pondered Xev.
"Yes you still need to eat and get the nutrition your body needs but just not as often as you had to before." Explained Zyra. "Just ignore the feeling until we arrive."
A short while later the forest started to take on a different look. A swampy smell became noticeable and trees covered in hanging stringy grey moss appeared. On either side of the path murky water sat still. Bubbles occasionally erupted from the thick muddy swamp. Massive insects flew by Xev. Something resembling a wasp but the size of his hand and green circled his head before shooting off into the trees.
It wasn't long before Zanir's horse halted abruptly ahead rearing and neighing loudly almost knocking both Valon and Zanir off. It reared again sending them flying backwards into the thick mud with a splash. Then the horse turned and struggled to run off back in the direction they had come disappearing into the darkness the sound of galloping fading.
"Damn horse!" shouted Zanir helping Valon to sit upright out of the mud. "Now what?" he said shaking his head, mud covering his backside.
"Quiet! Something's out there." Zyra said carefully eyeing ahead of them.
Ahwa slowly backed away. Svarturvog immediately raised his head in the direction Zyra was looking. He remained perfectly stiff griping its talons into Xev's leg.
"We need to get Valon onto Ahwa quickly." She whispered and vanished then appeared next to Zanir ahead and grabbed Valon's arms pulling him back.
Xev picked up his dragon and slid down the side of the horse wincing at the pain as he hit the ground. He went to put Svarturvog down but he wouldn't let go its claws stuck in Xev's tunic. So he held the dragon which kept its head pointed in the direction of whatever monster lurked out there.
With Valon secured, Zyra took the reins and led them all off of the pathway and down the right side of the path into knee deep swamp where a large hollow tree stump provided cover. They walked into the hollow from an opening on one side. There was just enough room for the horse, Zanir, Svarturvog and Xev to fit, Zyra stealthed outside and peered around the side of the stump down the path.
"What do you think it is?" whispered Xev to his brother that was stood next to him.
"Whatever it is it can't be good." Zanir replied.
Xev looked up where the tree opened to the black sky. There was very little moonlight now with darkness soon to come. He looked at the sides of the rotten tree stump. Massive green and yellow glowing bugs were attached pulsating. Zanir took his sword and jabbed the tip into a yellow one. It exploded sending goopy guts all over Xev. Svarturvog started to lick it off Xev's arm.
"Hey! What'd you do that for." Grumbled Xev in a raised whisper.
"Sorry. I don't like bugs." He struggled from laughing.
"Better not be poisonous." Xev said wiping off the guts and stopping his dragon from eating it.
A distant thud followed by another shortly after came from down the path. Xev paused and saw the water vibrate with each thud. He looked out around the corner where Zyra was stealthed he could see where the water surrounded her legs two circles that were void of water. It looked very strange to him. Zyra moved back to the entrance and unstealthed.
"We have a problem. A defiler is moving down the path. They are extremely dangerous demons. You cannot kill them. They're ancient beings that roam these types of swamp lands aimlessly destroying any life that comes across its path. We have to stay hidden and wait for it to pass. I'll cast a spell to make sure your dragon doesn't make noise from its mouth but you have to hold on to him." Zyra warned and restealthed.
It was getting closer to them as the earth shook with each step it took. His heart beat increased as the thuds got louder. Once it was just next to the tree stump it stopped. Xev gritted his teeth. An awful sound emanated from the monster sounding like a moan then it continued to walk. Svarturvog was very restless and tried to squirm out of Xev's grasp opening its mouth but no noise came from its crying.
Xev prepared himself for what he would see as it passed by the opening of the tree stump. It came into view and Xev froze. The being was slouched to its left side and was covered in a foul cloud of flesh eating insects that swarmed around what was left of a torso. It must have been twelve feet tall. It limped and one leg was missing a foot. Every time it took a step the surrounding ground sizzled and dried up. It dragged a massive two-handed sword that was rusted and eroded. Xev couldn't see its face as it was walking away from them although he was sure it was just as rotten as the rest of its body.
Svarturvog wanted to attack the defiler but Xev held the dragon's wings from opening up he needed help from Zanir to hold its legs. It tried to bite Xev but he grabbed its muzzle and closed its mouth. Talons were cutting him up badly. They managed to keep Svarturvog from attracting the defiler's attention.
Once the sound of it walking in the distance faded they all emerged from the tree stump and back onto the path. Svarturvog calmed down and wanted to be released to stretch his wings. He leapt off of Xev up into the air and within seconds caught a giant winged insect in his mouth then flew up into a tree above them where he finished the meal.
"I guess he was hungry." Said Xev.
"Well it looks like you and I are on foot now Xev." Zanir said with a sigh. "We're never going to make it in time."
"Let's keep moving guys. It's just on the other side of this swamp. Go on ahead I'll follow." Zyra said now mounted on Ahwa.
They continued down the muddy path through the swamp and took a turn down another route through thick brush Zanir in front with his sword cutting down thorny white branches that covered the way. Xev followed behind him limping, his bow drawn with an arrow ready just in case any more strange creatures came across them. He was terrified about the very real possibility of being caught out in the putrefied swamp during the Fae darkness. Looking through the branches to the star filled sky he could not spot any sign of the moon.
Svarturvog now forced to follow on the muddy path, walked awkwardly on all fours behind Xev, quickly pulling its legs out of the mud so as to lessen the time they spent submerged. He also had his wings opened up high above to keep them as far away from the mud as possible. Zyra watched from atop Ahwa at the rear of the group laughing at the spectacle before her.