The Spriton Plains:
All the senses were overstimulated by the arrival of the vicious black creatures that snuck through Sami Thicket under the cloak of night. Screams rang in the air of unsuspecting Gelflings being taken from their beds and shoved into woven cages. Gelflings ran from their homes, finding fire was spreading through their village and onto their crops. Smoke filled the sky as the villagers fought back against the unknown assailants, but the mysterious beasts did not listen to the pleading of the Gelfling nor did they respond to the weapons thrown at them. They seemed to be on a mission and nothing could deter them. The smog was so thick it stung the eyes of the Spritons and they started to choke on the taste of the fumes that were clouding their vision. Hope for escape was dissipating quickly. It was pandemonium. The disorder and confusion of the Spritons played right into what the wretched demons had wanted. The wailing of the Gelfling was heard even as the brutes of unknown origin carried them off away from their once beloved home that now was ablaze.
The Crystal Palace:
"ESSENCE!," The Skeksis cheered when the Garthim scuttled back into the castle carrying Gelfling.
The Gelfling cried and pleaded to be let go but the Skeksis laughed at the Garthim took them to the dungeons. Skekna, the Slave Master, and Skektek, the Scientist, followed the Garthim to prepare the essence.
"Yes! Yes!," the Emperor applauded the win. "Tonight we feast on essence!"
"I knew from the moment I saw them that the Garthim would be a true weapon against the Gelfling," Skekung nodded, proud of the accomplishment of capturing the Gelfling.
"Hardly seems like a celebration when we send out minions in place of a battle," Skeksa, the Mariner, scoffed at the celebrations.
"You will have no more sorrow once you taste essence," assured Skekzok, the Ritual Master.
"Could it really be all you say? How glorious is such a thing?," Skekli, the Satirist, asked curiously.
"It is beyond glorious," Skekect squealed with delight.
"Essence! Essence!," Skekayuk cheered.
"Now that we have captured the Spritons, the other Gelfling will most likely revolt."
"We should prepare for an attack," Skeksa advised.
"Preciously," the General chimed in. "We should send out the Garthim again, start picking off the Gelfling to dwindle their numbers."
"If you send away your precious Garthim, who will protect you from the Gelfling," mocked Skeksa.
"You act as if we do not bear arms ourselves," Skeksil questioned the tone of the Mariner.
"In my time here I have yet to see such a thing," Skeksa countered.
"You forget we just came from battle not even two weeks past!"
"A battle from which you chose retreat!," she hissed at him. "A battle in which Skeksis perished!"
"You may not speak to which you are not involved," seethed the Emperor.
Skeksa rolled her eyes," You only see what's in front of you. You have no plan to defeat Gelfling."
"Silence!," The Emperor commanded. "You shall not taste essence due to your defiance."
"Most gracious Emperor," Skekli, the Satirist, came to the aide of the the Mariner. "You must forgive Skeksa, we have spent any a trine in isolation of the court and have forget the ways of political life."
"I must do nothing. I am Emperor! The Mariner will receive her punishment and you will get the same if you speak against me," the Emperor glared at the Satirist who backed away from him and avoided eye contact. "General!," the Emperor looked to Skekung. "What is the next step in defeating the Gelfling?"
Skekung had not been expecting the question and faltered for a moment. "I say we send out the Garthim again."
The Mariner rolled their eyes at the idea, how can these Skeksis be so blind to the future? They do no think about the long game, the only prepare for the moment and it will be the downfall of them all.
Skeksil noticed the Mariner stewing in silence, he took the moment to play on what she had said and make the General look bad.
"Send away Garthim?," Skeksil gasped. "If Gelfling attack we are exposed!"
Skeksil smirked at Skekung who appeared to be at a loss for a response and even thought the Chamberlain had stolen the words right out the Mariner's mouth, the other Skeksis began to whisper about the implication of sending the Garthim away.
"You are weak!," the General declared. "If you cannot defend yourself from Gelfling then that is your own fault!"
Weak? That was laughable to Skeksil who held his tongue before exposing himself and the fact that it was he who had murdered Skekvar. He thought of all the ways from this moment forth he would undermine the General and his inflated sense of superiority.
"Emperor, if we send away Garthim, we are exposed to the powerful Gelfling girl."
The Emperor considered both arguments and then spoke. "The Gelfling are foolish and think with emotions, they will surely try to attack us. For now we will keep the Garthim at the castle."
"So wise, Emperor," the Skeksis agreed with the final decision, turning to smirk at the General.
The Emperor then pulled Skekung with them as the left the main entrance to the castle. It was too soon for the Emperor to have full faith in Skekung as General or to reveal the secret of the Darkening to him.
"You asked for the title of General, I give it to you and we follow the advice of the Mariner?"
"Emperor, I use the Mariner as a tool, she has useful experience."
"Then I should make her the General," the Emperor struck his scepter into the ground, causing an echo in the hall.
"No," Skekung abruptly stopped the Emperor. "I promise to prove myself worthy."
"Then do so," the Emperor growled, leaving Skekung alone.
In the dungeons, Skeksna was happy, he loved seeing the cells filled with bodies and to hear the cries of others was like a sweet melody. The Gelfling all huddled together in their cages, quivering with fear and Skekna liked to think it was him that they feared so much.
"Insolent weaklings!," Skekna taunted the Gelfling as they moved into their cages.
"Caamaalayaaas!," a shriek echoed off the walls.
"I said Gelfling! Gelfing!," Skektek swung and struck one of the Garthim, which did not respond in any way to the sudden attack. The Garthim merely stood in place awaiting it's next command.
"A Podling?," Skekna stepped closer to examine the small creature Skektek was gripping tightly.
"We require essence of Gelfling, not Podling slaves!," Skektek swung a final time at the Garthim, who stood silently and gave no mind to the beating it was receiving.
"Caamaalayaaas!," the Podling screamed and tried to escape.
Skektek grunted as he threw the Podling into its cell.
"Leave the Podling," Skektek ordered to Skekna. "Send me Gelfling to the lab."
Skekna hissed at Skektek before pointing his hook at the Gelfling," Having so many in one cell in dangerous. If they escape, I have no one down here to help me."
Skektek huffed," Maybe if you'd let me give you a new hand, you wouldn't be so vulnerable."
Skekna waved his hook," I need no hand! I need essence!," he licked his beak greedily.
Skektek turned taking the Garthim with him," Do not lose these Gelfling," he gave a final warning to the Slave Master. "If you do, It will be your head you lose."
"You are not the Emperor." Skekna grunted before turning back to the Gelfling. He waited for Skektek to leave before he ran his hook over the bars of the door. "Hello my little pretty pets," he whispered to the Gelfling.
"Let us go!," a boy demanded, he had dark hair and a dirty face.
"You think you can control me!," Skekna cackled. "It is me who controls you, stupid Gelfling. You shall be my first," he opened the door and grabbed the boy.
The other Gelfling in the cell cried out and tried to pull the boy back in, but Skekna swung his hook and cut the others, forcing them to retreat from his weapon.
"Please! Please!," the boy squirmed in his grasp.
"Far too late for that, little Gelfling," smirked Skekna.
Valley of the Mystics:
Aughra grunted as she stood before the Valley of Standing Stone, it was too dry to think anyone could live here. The once great river of Thra that had flowed so steadily had been barren for thousands of trine, long before the arrival of the Skeksis and Mystics. She made her quickly into the valley, she had little time to waste, she wanted to help Gelfling and she was running out of time. Mother Aughra sees all and she saw what had happened to Deet on the southern end of Skarith and with that moment, certain paths dissolved and other became more solid. It became apparent that the Gelfling would need more help than she was able to give them so she was turning to an old friend.
"Mother Aughra," she was greeted with a soft low voice.
"Hello my wise friend," Aughra smiled as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm not so young, you know? This trip gets harder and harder."
"And yet I hear you were recently reborn," Ursu, the Master, chuckled.
"That is a long story, too long for the short amount of time I have."
"I know why you have come all this way, Aughra."
"Do you now? Aughra doesn't even know why she came all this way."
Ursu walked with Aughra along the side of the towering stones," I will tell you what I tell all creatures that come here and ask for the same thing, the Uru do not interfere with the Skeksis habits."
"It is not a habit to kill Thra," Aughra argued. "The Gelfling need help I cannot give."
"Help that I cannot offer," Uru hummed.
"Can't or won't," huffed Aughra.
"You know as well as I that the Skeksis will do as they please."
"That doesn't mean we sit back and let them. They've taken control of the Crystal and have no concern for the damages they are causing."
Ursu turned to Aughra," And yet it was you who bestowed the Crystal to them."
"It is easy to see the mistakes of the past," Aughra held his gaze," but you are not burdened with the mistakes that are yet to come."
"So you come to me to ask for help?"
"Who else but the Master?"
Ursu chuckled," Yet you know what my answer will be."
"It is impossible to know the future for certain," Aughra huffed. "There are many path one will take and if you refuse to aide the Gelfling now, you will inevitably heed their call."
"As you often say Mother Aughra, there are many paths."
"Yes and you can only chose one."
"I am sorry you traveled so far to hear my response."
"Do you not see what they are doing? They are killing life, not just the Gelfling, but the life of Thra. Soon there will be nowhere for you to hide Ursu, and then you will answer the call of the Gelfling."
"I do not see the world as you do, Aughra."
"And for that I am sorry."
Ursu continued walking using his staff to stabilize himself," I wish your journey home well," were his final words.
Aughra sulked for a minute, watching the Master wander back to his home then she turned away grumbling," Easy for you to go home and forget. Aughra can't forget. Aughra feels Thra. Thra is Aughra's home. If there's no Thra, then there's no home! No Aughra! No Ursu! Then what? Then nothing!"
At the Stonewood Clan:
"Good stance, just open your legs more. The power is in the footwork," Rian was coaching a group of Gelfling on thrust attacks. Gurjin was helping and the lesson was going smoothly. Ever since his speech to the army, there was a sense of unity among the clans and it had an infectious nature to make him smile. It was tragic circumstances that lead to this union of Gelfling, but to watch it all unfold before his eyes was something he had never expected. Now Sifan and Vapran eat side by side at meals, he see Drenchen and Grottons offering help to one another. These simple acts were more than enough to prove to himself that Skeksis had segregated them for fear of their power as one.
"Rian!," a voice called his attention. It was Heyah, a faithful Stonewood clan militia member and one of Maudra Yre's council members. "Maudra Yre needs to see you right away."
"Gurjin? You got this?"
"In my sleep," he smirked.
Rian followed Heyah to the Stonewood's main hall where Maudra Yre was waiting for him.
"Rian," she greeted him quickly and with no joy in her voice.
"Is everything alright?," Rian noticed her stiffened posture and her pointed tone.
"No. An hour ago scouts came across, Spritons fleeing their home."
"What for?"
"There has been an attack on the Spriton Plains. Sami Thicket was set on fire and from what I'm told most of what was once there is now gone."
Rian was left standing there with his mouth open, unaware of how to process what Maudra Yre was saying.
"Burned Sami Thicket?," he repeated, sitting in his chair his legs seemed unable to hold him
"Yes, I have more scouts looking for survivors and a small group heading towards Sami Thicket now to survey the damage."
"What happened?"
"The Spirtons we've found are still in shock, it's hard to understand what they're saying. They talk of monsters coming in the night and taking their loved ones," Maudra Yre paced the front of her table.
"Monsters? The Skeksis?"
"What else would it be if not them? The survivors swear the monsters are not Skeksis, but nothing else would make sense."
"They took the Spritons? They didn't kill them?," Rian asked.
"Yes, took them in cages from what I'm told."
"It has to be Skeksis, they've taken them to harness their essence. But how did the scouts not see it? They've been watching the castle!
Maudra Yre dramatically fell into her chair," How could we have been so blind sided?," she ignored Rian's question. "How could we lose an entire clan in only a night's time?"
"We assumed they would put up a fair fight," Rian growled and clenched his fists. "What of Maudra Mera?"
Maudra Yre turned to him with a grim stare," I have no answer."
Rian got chills from her words, a whole clan nearly wiped out in a single night? What could do that? How could the Skeksis have accomplished something so massive?
"We must not let our guard down, Rian. The Skeksis have made their move and we must make ours. We have waited too long to strike and now we pay the price with Gelfling lives. Make no mistake, I will die here at Stonewood before they get the chance to drain me of my life."
"I will do everything I can to protect you, Maudra."
"It's not me I want protected," she pointed past him," it's them. All of those who have come here to fight by our sides and all those who are home. We must protect them, Rian."
"Yes," he nodded. "What do you want to do?"
She let out a low slow sigh," We must tell everyone what happened... and then we must fight."
Rian's stomach started to churn, the idea of finding out that your clan was massacred would not be easy news for anyone. How would he handle that news? He would be devastated, not only by the loss of his family but the loss of his home.
"We should tell the Spritons separately, they deserve to hear it first."
Maudra Yre slowly nodded," You're right," she turned to Heyah," Go."
Heyah and the others scrambled out the doors to gather the Spritons.
"How do you plan to tell them?"
Maudra Yre's eyes seemed hollow, as if haunted by the ghost of their reality," I'm not sure. How would you want this news? Soft and gentle or perhaps harsh and direct?"
"To lose their home, their families and their Maudra all at once will be near impossible to comprehend. The whole reason they are here is to protect their way of life."
Maudra Yre stayed silent," You may go, Rian. I wanted to let you know things will be moving quickly after this, please keep what I have told you confidential. I will alert the entire army by days end."
Rian stood to leave but paused" And what of a plan?"
"Many Spritons may still be alive, captive in the castle until their essence can be harvested. I plan to free them. I will send word to the other clans and to the All-Maudra. My hope is to get to the castle before tomorrows end."
Rian left the main hall and stumbled into the sunlight, he saw the Spriton clan members all gathering at the request of Heyah. He watched them silently, talking amongst themselves, some smiling and other laughing. His heart ached at the pain they were about to feel and turned away not able to bear the sight any longer. Rian wandered away from the main hall still trying to understand how the Skeksis could demolish all the Spritons so quickly. Sami Thicket was the center of the Spriton Clan, could the Skeksis have burn that once magnificent Nenadi-Staba? Would it even burn? It was so old and it was the core of the Spriton Clan, just as the Crucible was to the Stonewoods.
The Spriton Plains:
Deet had spent nearly a full day trying to decipher what the message etched into the stone could be. At first she thought maybe the Skeksis were giving the crystal away to this new species and that it would in turn save Thra. The larger section of the illustration had Gelfling who seemed to be living peacefully, she was especially fond of the picture of the Gelfling sitting and playing a firca, it had reminded her of Kylan. Even with all her time wondering, she couldn't piece it all together, how did she do it? What caused it, was it the Darkening? Deet made sure to examine each piece closely so that she could dream fast with Rian and her friends to help her explain it.
She felt like her normal self again, just severely sleepy and extremely hungry. Once she ate and slept through the night, she woke feeling right as rain. She looked to the sky for help on guiding her back home, since she had spent the whole way here following the Dying sun, she chose to walk with it to her back. The journey home felt shorter to her, she was able to stop and examine the dry bushes she had past earlier, but now with her curiosity she could explore her surroundings. She was able to watch the puffy white clouds drift past her and feel the warm heat of the sun, she made sure to cherish the feelings of her freedom.
As Deet walked she wondered about her friends and what could have happened after she had left. She had a vivid memory of all that had happened, she could recall the Rian's swift movements as he had danced around Skekvar and the final thrust of the dual glaive. She thought back and it was like she was back in Stonewood and the Emperor was in front of her raising his slamming his staff into the ground, the purple energy was racing towards her. She had been able to feel the pulsing power of the Darkening in her fingers, Deet stopped and looked down at her hands. They were a familiar mint green that she had always known and the once violet glow was gone.
Deet was happy to have the Darkening gone, but she was scared about what was going to happen next. What would she do if it came back? Was it really gone? What if this was all some dream and she was still lost? She pushed onward with her thoughts shoved into the back of her mind, she had been walking most of the day when she had noticed something odd. It was a smell, the smell of char. She couldn't see smoke but the lingering scent of singed vapors stung her nostrils. Something was wrong.
Deet saw no signs of danger, there was no indication of a fire, but there was no mistaken the chill she felt up her spine. She crept quietly over the open space to seek the shelter of sparse trees, there was no one around her that she could hear. It was then that she saw what had caused her to freeze. A cold shiver ran over her skin as she laid eyes on the scorched land that lay before her. It was total blackness, no sign of life lingered under it's blanket of the death. What had happened? She was forced to walk through the burnt grass and pass the charred trees leaving small footsteps behind her in the ash.
Deet then found herself passing collapsed piles of wood, she assumed they had to be houses of some sort. Why are these houses burned? How long have I really been gone? Deet feared that she had been wondering long than she had thought, is it possible the Gelfling have already lost to the Skeksis? Her fear turned to panic.
"Hello?," Deet called out to the emptiness around her.
Could she really be alone now? Everyone gone?
"Hello!," she cried out and spun around wishing to see anyone.
Deet wrapped herself in her arms, she felt abandoned. Was she really alone? Her fathers? Her brother? Her friends? Rian? Could everyone she cared so much for be gone, all those so precious to her she had tried to protect. The pure hell she had gone through with the Darkening, had it all been for nothing? Had she saved no one?
The quietness rang out almost mocking her with not even the sound of an animal or the wind. She stumbled further, stunned by the destruction of the village. Deet chose to enter one of the last standing home, nothing inside was salvageable, but she could make out the tables and steps that lead to a destroyed upstairs. The damage didn't seemed to be covered with growing vines and there was no visible reason think the fire had been too long ago. Where was she? It was a place that didn't seem familiar to her at all. Could these really be Gelfling homes?
Deet's ears perked at a distant rustle, she stepped out of the burned remanence of a home and followed the sound. It was coming from a pile of rubble, Deet carefully moved some pieces to discover a tiny Podling trembling.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!," it began to when it saw Deet and the harsh sun blinded it's eyes.
"Oh!," Deet was surprised. "Oh, no! Please, I won't hurt you. I won't hurt you," she tried to calm the Podling down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
The Podling continued to cry, it was so small and it didn't seem to have complete control of itself.
"Oh no," Deet reached for it. "Please. Don't hurt yourself."
The Podling was young, very young as far as Deet could tell. It must have been a child, practically still a baby wrapped in dirty linens.
"Where is your mother," Deet wondered out loud, looking over her shoulder for another Podling to claim the baby. Deet them gently lifted the Podling from the hole it was in and it flailed viciously. "Please, I won't hurt you," she began to rock the child in her arms. "You're safe now," she smiled.
The Podling cried into her chest, Deet was unsure what to do next. What had happened to the Podlings? Had the Skeksis really destroyed everything? But if there was a baby here, then whatever had happened must have been recent. The Podling wouldn't have survived long on its own.
"Where is you mom?," she asked the child, brushing it's matted hair away from it's face. Their face was round and chubby, with small dark beady eyes that were wet with tears.
She then heard voices, they were distant but definitely something was coming near them. Deet panicked, she was afraid of what it could be. What if it was Skeksis! She held the baby close to her chest and hid behind the mound of debris. The baby clung to her, shaking with fear at what was coming towards them.
"Shhh," she rocked the baby so it would stay silent.
"Go and search the homes," a far away voice commanded. "Find survivors! Bring me anything that would show who did this."
There was movement, steps coming closer to them and Deet held her breath, scared to look.
"Oh Mother Aughra...," gasped a new and much closer voice.
"Who could have done this," a deeper tone sounded appalled.
The child in Deet's arm squirmed against her and groaned, it was loud enough for the mysterious newcomers to hear.
"What was that?"
"Go find out."
Deet closed her eyes, she was bound to be found by whoever was searching. She stood up and her eyes widened at the sight before her, it was two Gelfling.
"Oh my Thra! You're alive!," she couldn't help but smile.
The two Gelfling had their weapons pointed at her in preparation to attack if needed. Deet kept the baby close to her but stepped out from her hiding place.
"I thought perhaps you all were...," she let her sentence fade.
"She's a Gelfling," the man with armor lowered his weapon.
"She's a Grotton?," the woman questioned.
"My name is Deet," she told them. "I was-.."
"Deet?!," the woman's mouth dropped. "As in the Deet?"
"Uhm... I'm not sure. I was trying to get back to Stone-in-the-Wood, but I've been lost."
"Did you see what happened here?," the man asked her.
Deet shook her head," I just came upon this place. Where are we?"
"Sami Thicket," the man turned to look at the ruins.
Smit Thicket?! As in Spriton's Sami Thicket? What had happened?
The Podling baby started to cry again, Deet gently rocked it back and forth to soothe it's restlessness.
"What is that?," the woman stepped forward to peek into the wrapping Deet was holding.
"A Podling," Deet showed her. "I found it here, it was all alone and hiding...," Deet then looked between the two. "Where are all the Spritons?"
"I'm not sure we are the best ones to answer that question," the man shook his head. "Come, we will take you to Rawwe."
"He's the Charge," the woman told her, guiding Deet away from the messy and dangerous remanence of the Spriton clan.
"Rawwe," the man who had found Deet called to another Gelfling. "We found something."
The Gelfling named Rawwe turned and saw Deet," Yesmit," he gasped softly at the sight of her. "Deet?"
"Yes, I am Deet," she nodded.
"Maudra Yre will be happy to know you are safe. What are you doing here? Have you been with the Spritons?"
"No," Deet shook her head. "I came across this all by accident."
"Did you see what did this?," Rawwe demanded to know.
"No."
He nodded curtly," Poiy. Ileeou," he called the attention of the two had brought Deet to him. "Take her back to Stone-in-the-Wood. Do it quickly, take a Landstrider."
"Yes, sir," nodded the woman, now known as Ileeou.
Deet was happy to see that she was not alone, and that in her time gone the Gelfling had not submitted to the Skeksis. She would have the chance to see her family again, to see her friends. She hoped that they would all be reunited at Stone-in-the-Wood.
"Careful," Poiy, gave her warning as she climbed onto the Landstrider. "This is gonna be bumpy."