Chronicles of Espiria Season 3
Episode 18 – Return to Checkpoint Durri
Written by CindyDaGreat
Nothing could halt the ferocity at which Vurk was running. Pure exhaustion could take hold, yet Vurk couldn't care less about his burning feet or his air-less panting. He'd dropped dead before, but always managed to escape the vultures above. He knew the terrain, the canyon shouldn't be far. Any doubts he had before had to be crushed, no turning back to them now. Clenching his fists more than he thought possible, he prepared for the sight.
Right before the edge, Vurk came to a hard stop. His feet skidded to a break, and growling, he peered down.
Immediately his eyes were drawn to the colossal chunks of scattered rock, and how uneven the canyon floor and walls had become. He gazed further down and could pick out dark masses of varying size, and the little corner he always stood guard and slept at was now reduced to a crumbly mess. He took a shuddering breath. His voice caught onto itself. "I…I can look. I don't see nobody." He sniffed, before attempting to traverse the land beneath him.
Vurk hopped cautiously, not only in case the ground gave way but for his aching bones. He traversed dozens of feet down before landing on the rocky masses. This whole time, he did not dare watch anything but the rocks at his feet, yet now he must open his eyes. He approached an armored mass, a Hypogean orc left to rot. Turning right, a Durri corpse, crusted by dried blood and broken by an orc's hammer.
Vurk screamed. Horror, fright, regret, he did not know. Though anger was the eventual emotion that haunted his mind. His mind ablaze, Vurk jerked his head upwards, trying to pick out other bodies. And bodies there were plenty. More Hypogean than Durri, just like the book said.
"They didn't even clean this up!" He finally cried.
He kicked a small rock with all his might before true tears streaked his face. Enraged, he whipped his crossbow out and bolted a Hypogean's eye, cursing the demons for whoever might hear. His voice was hoarse, yet his screaming didn't cease. In his hyper-alertness, he caught sight of figures approaching from the canyon tops. He leaped to a higher rock, ready to fire at anyone in his misery.
He never got the chance, however. There were the faces of his betrayers, speeding towards him with such devastation in their eyes that he lowered his weapon, stunned.
"Vurk!" Fritz shrieked. Their eyes met, and all was silent for a moment before others came bounding behind Fritz. Gretel Hawke, Kren, Walker, and Thali appeared by Fritz's side. A flurry of voices attacked Vurk.
"We were so worried..."
"Are you alright?"
"We're so sorry..."
"This was never meant to happen..."
Immediately, Vurk assumed his weapon's position again.
"No…" Fritz stuttered under his breath. "Stop talking…" He clenched his head, unable to look in Vurk's eyes again.
"Liars! All of you lot! You sick..."
Words were lost to him. He turned his attention to Fritz shakingly. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Fritz coughed out his response. "I just wanted to shield you…How else could I have?"
"Tell me earlier!? I could've handled it!" He wailed. "Stop treating me like I'm a child!"
He turned the crossbow at Gretel. "Oh, your journal told me everything. Hypogean attack at the great canyons, the Arachin, how they collected my friends' bodies like trophies. What do you have to say to that?!"
Gretel stood in shock. She had an inkling Vurk invaded her belongings, but she didn't dare lay the blame on him.
"This...I... I'm so sorry, Vurk..."
Her apology did not suffice; Vurk pulled the trigger. Keeping her focus trained on the unstable Durri, Thali shoved Gretel over, conjuring a flame to incinerate the bolt. Knowing herself, she predicted what Vurk might've done in a moment of anger.
"Vurk…please let us help. Set that thing down and let's just talk, ya' hear me? Please talk with us." Thali breathed out. "Walker found us some new info, you might like what you hear." Her eyes drifted to Walker, who was hesitant to speak in such a delicate situation. Though with newfound support, and Vurk's unloaded crossbow, he opened up.
"Safiya will try to betray Azmonath."
"That's what you open with?" Kren spoke up, finally getting a chance to speak. But understandably shut up at everyone's looks.
"An old foe of mine, Savage Frank, was hired by Safiya as a spy and a currier to carry information and supplies that could be detrimental to the Hypogeans and other Maulers. Turns out they're in cahoots to rule Esperia side-by-side. I didn't get to wring everything out, but some sort of dark magic will be used against Azmonath in a moment of weakness to… 'send him to the underground' He was vague. We've decided to infiltrate the Sphinx's ranks to find the secret out before Azmonath himself backstabs Safiya, and her strongest spy network falls under his hands."
"You've entered Ankhira's chambers before, and came out alive. Your poisonous bolts are a testament to that feat."
"What are you saying?" Vurk asked, still angered but interest peaked.
"You could join us?" Fritz voiced, after Walker's silence. He hoped that having a familiar Durri ask Vurk may up the chances of him agreeing.
Vurk, still disheveled and in disbelief, started reloading his crossbow. Right before the bolt was loaded, Kren jumped in between the other two Durri, tackling Vurk to the ground, disarming him. Vurk thrashed under Kren, to his dismay.
"Alright, alright! You don't need to join, just don't shoot us?" Kren had his arms pinning Vurk's, who after minutes of effort, finally caved and slumped to the earth. Kren slowly lifted himself upwards, only to see watery eyes under him.
"I...I'm sorry for shooting you all…" Vurk started. He couldn't say much else, and a crowd gathered around the sniffling Durri. They brought him to higher ground and away from the frail edge, where Vurk sat exhausted on the sandy ground. Dropping his weapon, he brought his face to his knees, cradling his head.
Gretel steadied herself with a breath. "This decision is entirely yours. We only thought to reach out to the best sleight-of-hand artist we knew..."
"Cut the crap, Hawke. Do you think I'm in the right mind to make decisions?!" Vurk interrupted, only to vigorously rub at his face after what he said. "Ugh, I'm sorry... I'm sorry." He creaked his head upwards at the canyon, now too far away to see into for his sake. He started walking towards the edge. Shuffling could be heard immediately, everyone rising up in confusion and worry. They began to hurriedly follow the Durri. Vurk stopped, his toes touching the edge.
"Who decided…I couldn't fight that day? All I remember was this flash…" Vurk turned around, just noticing his mates' tense expressions.
"I could've handled it." He thrusted his entire body towards the group. "I could've! But for the decision of one..." He turned his focus on Fritz, "I was denied the truth. Maybe it's ironic I'm fired and ticked off right now..." He curled his fingers. "But protection is useless when I'm bound to find out! You of all people would understand that?"
Fritz held Vurk's stare, still processing the hurt he caused his brother. If Fritz had been the one still in the dark so long after the fact…He frowned.
"I do understand. I really do. I lived through it. We both grieve our fallen siblings... I'm so sorry I saw you as fragile. I think my own cowardice had a hand."
Vurk turned away, tearing away from his brother's eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. Attempting to regain stability, he rubbed hard against his face, trying to push off the images he saw not long ago. Jaw sore from his deep-set frown and tired eyes from weeping, only one thing was clear.
"I'll go. I'll join."
Fritz and the others' eyes widened in disbelief.
"Not for you. It's for Tank, Maddy, Benzo, Liwak…" Vurk rattled on. Lively faces of his loved ones flashed before him, pressuring him to stop at once. Not a single face he found in the rubble.
Walker stepped forward at his words. "It is for exactly those people. We're getting back at those hellish terrors. We're taking back this Dura-forsaken canyon if it's the last thing left in this cursed realm."
He slung his rifle out from his back, cocked it, and handed it to Vurk. Vurk bore the gun, and fired a single shot in the air.