Gauigo Bound
Chapter 4 of Alternities
The Blight was a spreading sore on Outworld's western province of Uropa. Fringian oppression had led refugees to brave its terrors, least of which were bandits and ghouls. The Black Moor was a likely place for ambush, since its volcanic basins offered plenty of sites to set up outlaw camps. Soil like black ground glass grew nothing but twisted bare trees that sprouted from reddish hillocks. Some trails dead ended at seemingly bottomless gorges; others led past rare watering holes or lava pools. Hardy pioneers had marked out the most likely ones, known equally well to the brigands.
A family of five hoped to avoid notice by traveling at night. Yet it was never truly dark owing to the red horizon reflecting off poisonous cloud cover. Their two horses were able to pick their way along, warily snorting at eerie sounds. The covered cart held only enough provisions to make it into the Gauigo Swamp farther east. Though just as dangerous, the swamps were the gateway to the settled lands in the east. The meager haul was enough for a trio of robbers who surprised them. This one was led by a Fringian outcast who refused to serve at the bottom of their rigid society. His typical bald, squarish head sported what he didn't know was a ladies hat.
He leapt down from a boulder, and his sword came to hand from within his cloak. "We'll have the rig, pilgrims. Your lucky star shines for you—we'll allow you to keep your lives." His two cronies crept in from behind.
The father drew his wife close. "We'll never make it to Gauigo without those supplies."
Before the leader could threaten with his sword, a large bat swung in and circled twice. It landed close by to assume the shape of a Nubian warrior with gold headdress, and gold chest spirals that covered less than they revealed. She also had gold wrist and shin guards. "You're far from home, Nubian," he said. "But I see the bloodsuckers are as much a problem for you too."
"I know not of this Nubia. I am from Africa."
One of his partners had pulled his bow taut. When he let fly, it passed through a body briefly gone transparent. She flew at him, fangs agape. The third man made an effort to attack, but staggered away when she sprayed hot blood in his face. No one moved until she let the whitened corpse fall. The two survivors fled, jumping over a low pile of scree and getting lost in a tangle of blasted brush.
The terrified couple were unsure of their fate. The vampire had attacked the enemy, and was well sated in ghoulish fashion. Their confusion increased when a blonde with a red cape and short skirt flew overhead among tangled branches. She crashed through to land next to the dark one.
"Afternoon," Supergirl said. "We need directions to Gauigo." The couple clutched each other, and three kids peeked out from the canvas.
Sylea had hands on hips. "They do not have translator stones, Kara Supergirl."
"Then let's earn their trust. We'll give them a jug of water and a pouch of aurok strips." Kara turned so Sylea could fetch the items out, and present them to the wife.
Kara carefully guided the man's hand to grasp the stone at her neck. "Can you understand?"
"I can, O red witch who consorts with the gold vampire. I heard you say Gauigo. We are headed that way."
"To be exact," Kara added, "the Tower of Sorcery."
Nearby, a lava spurt cast lurid red light on them, though it hardly affected him more than mention of the tower. "It stands in the domain of lizard men and their shamans. None can reach the entrance without flying, as you can. There you will see floating platforms that spiral up. Some have floating doors that open into the real tower in the outer realm. Sometimes the platforms will begin to fade away, and you must move quickly. The fall is never ending."
"A conundrum," Sylea said. "Either Team Dan has fallen, or become trapped in the out tower."
"Hm. When we get there, I hope they can leave some kind of breadcrumb trail." Kara was loathe to leave the refugees alone here. "I'd like to follow, but we're in a hurry."
His wife tugged at his arm to indicate a distant glowing figure, which paced along one of the dead end gorges.
"A short cut," he said, "but it's ensorceled by a fire demon."
Kara surveyed the path leading up. Apparently the entity wouldn't pass a stone barrier which had small gaps in it. "Let's go."
The refugees reluctantly followed up the winding path, halting at the barrier. The fire demon at the other end of the loop paid them no mind as yet. Behind him lay an extension of the trail, also magically bounded by stones.
"Sylea, can you open a path big enough for the wagon once I get this hot head's attention?" Sylea demonstrated by rocking a boulder. "Outstanding." Kara flew across the enclosed gorge, noting the skeletal remains of former trespassers scattered down the slope. The creature trotted toward her, arms outstretched in fiery anticipation. Kara blew super cold breath to freeze him in place. A mighty flying punch blasted the blue figure into hundreds of fragments.
Sylea needed no prompting to move the boulder so the refugees could come in. They urged the nervous horses faster than was safe until they reached Kara's position. She moved a boulder to let them begin the descent to the flat lands. Just as she replaced the boulder, the blue shards began rolling to reassemble.
"Hurry," Kara called as Sylea replaced her own boulder. The fragments came together into a complete frozen figure, then burst into flame anew. "Well, that's not fair." Kara levitated to avoid the grasping arms, but it doused her with a torrent of sulfurous flame. With an annoyed pass of a hand across her face, she flew to join the others below.
Sylea pondered the distant pall of clouds that dipped tentacles like a giant squid. "We have overshot our target." She transformed and took flight.
With a wave to the travelers, Kara took to the air. She flew slow enough for the giant bat to keep up, though Sylea moved as fast as a small single-engine plane. It took two hours at this rate to reach the perpetual night of Gauigo. The terrain became jungle swampland. Wide streams wound beneath rope bridges that spanned the tree cities of the lizard men. Their affinity for water meant they didn't use boats.
Kara landed on a wood platform in a darkened tree. Directly across the stream stood the imposing tower on its mountainous base. Suddenly two lizard men attacked. Kara swatted one, watched him plunge to the deep stream far below. Sylea chose to twist the head off her opponent.
"The Tower of Sorcery," Kara said. "Inside, it goes up or down forever. To the sides, there's no end to the rooms the floating doors open on." She walked to the edge on creaking boards, listening to insane bug noise and chanting of the lizard shamans. "The refugees were right. No one could reach this place unless they have wings."
"Like ours, Kara Supergirl." Sylea's eyes burned bright. "Let us go in."