Ominous

by Linn Tesli

  Everine trusted Birken more than she had ever trusted anyone. She was relieved to find that she could relax in the knowledge that he was looking after Ayva. Inhaling deeply, she tasted the refreshing air of the evening on her tongue. The forest was peaceful.

  She turned at the sound of twigs cracking and quickly adopted a defensive stance. Her whole body was alert. She gasped as cold metal stroked her neck.

  A familiar voice whispered in her ear. “If I had meant you any harm, you would already be a byline in the scale of time.” Gaija released her hold on Everine and sheathed her knife.

  “You scared me halfway to the otherworld!” Everine shouted, anger rising to replace the fear she had felt.

  Gaija blinked once. “Yes? You really ought to take better care. The woods are not safe for you to wander alone.”

  Everine huffed and patted down her clothes. “Well, I will be heading back, then.” She was about to turn on her heels when Gaija’s strong hands grabbed her arm.

  The healer used Everine to steady herself as her eyes rolled back, leaving a misty haze of grey in their sockets.

  Holding her ground, Everine waited. The Healer clung to Everine with a tight grip and her body went rigid. After a few disturbingly long heartbeats, Gaija’s eyes returned to their normal crimson. The healer dropped to the earth.

  “So much violence. So much death. Aradria seeks balance, but at what cost? I do not know what future will unfold, but as it stands, the decisions we all make will lead us there. It will either be our redemption or—more likely—our doom.”

  Her words sent a shiver through the trees. Even the ground shook in response to her ominous foreseeing.

  Everine’s stomach twisted into knots, but she gulped down her fears. “This has to do with my daughter?”

  “With the one you name your daughter, yes, though we both know her true heritage.” Gaija regained her fervor and stood.

  Everine said nothing to deny the truth.

  “We might not survive the reckoning, but I intend to go out fighting if I have to. I would strongly advise you to spend as much time as possible practicing your combat skills. You will need them in the future.” Gaija stepped close enough for Everine to feel the healer’s hot breath, coated with the scent of boysenberries, on her face.

  “I have decided to tell you a secret. I think what I am about to tell you might change the turn of events, one way or another.”

  Everine ensured they were packed and ready at first light. Birken urged her to slow down, but she would not have it.

  Gaija followed them outside. Everine knew she should be grateful to the healer. While she did not like it one bit, she was compelled to be polite.

  “I am in your debt,” she said.

  Gaija cocked her head. “Yes, you are,” she responded. “We will meet again.”

  Despite knowing the truth of those words as soon as they were spoken, Everine decided she would try to avoid such an occurrence anyway. It was a welcome distraction when Birken cleared his throat.

  “I owe you too, healer.”

  “Oh, don’t mention it, my boy. Happy to help.” Gaija winked.

  Everine took a deep breath and made her own goodbye. When they had climbed atop him once more, Ondox bent his head to Gaija, stomped his feet, and took to the sky with a single bound.

  7

  The Chasm of Bermunnos

  - Everine -

  Catyan Forest disappeared into the distance, and the Caradrean plains spread out beneath Ondox’s wings. The vast mountain range on the horizon signaled the end of their journey. It stretched the length of the border to Sonûdor, its majestic spine extended well out into the ocean on either end of Bermunnos Mountain. It served as a division between Sonûdor and Caradrea.

  The wind howled around them.

  “It certainly is something to see,” Birken roared above the noise of the strong air currents from behind Everine.

  She pulled her fingers through the loose strands of hair that had been torn from their coif. “It certainly is,” she shouted. Although the scenery amazed her, Everine was uncertain what she would face once they reached the chasm’s depths.

  Birken had assured her that Bermunnos would be the safest place for them, but she doubted anywhere would be truly safe enough for Ayva.

  A sudden surge of wind whisked the rest of Everine’s hair loose and prompted her to turn her gaze eastwards. Although the day was clear and sunny, dark thunderclouds had begun to gather over the plains with increasing speed.

  The shadows of a multitude of wings stretched out underneath them. The dark shapes moved intently, like they were wolves about to circle their prey. Everine urged Ondox to fly faster, but instead the gryphon slowed to a hover. Everine swallowed hard, and her muscles strained against the stiffness in her bones.

  “Hawks!” she yelled. “Hawks, Ondox, fly!”

  The gryphon chuckled. “No, dear, not hawks. Gryphons.” Everine exhaled with relief. A band of more than thirty gryphons of different sizes and colors was drawing closer.

  “I will speak with them,” he announced, swinging towards the arriving gryphons to close the distance.

  Ayva stirred and giggled. Everine hushed her, and the baby fell back to sleep. Ondox focused on the other gryphons, who continued to hover.

  Everine turned to Birken, tilting her head. “What are we hanging about for? Is this a staring contest?”

  Birken twitched his lips and leaned in closer. “They communicate with each other on a frequency not audible to men or Devlings.”

  “Oh. Interesting.”

  Birken reached down and pulled his long-handled pipe from his belt. “Indeed. This might take a while, however.” He ground a clod of tobacco between his coarse fingertips before stuffing it into the bowl of the pipe. He shielded it from the gusts as he lit it. The puffs of smoke turned to a series of foggy clouds, which quickly blew away. He had long since finished and tucked the pipe back into its container when Ondox turned his attention back to them.

  “These gryphons are my family and friends. They have all escaped from Gryphon Peak and might never return. The same monsters that hunt you invaded us. The Zila’r-nath have grown in numbers and continue to slay any gryphon who attempts to land on our peak. My kin have been forced to abandon our home. Gryphon Peak is lost to the Heartless King and his foot soldiers.” The words fell heavy from his beak.

  “That is terrible.” Everine clasped a hand over her mouth. She searched the flock in front of her. Gryphons of all sizes, young and old, held their heads high. Their colors were not as vibrant as she remembered. Most carried deep gashes of red in their fur, and feathers were missing from their wings. One gryphon had lost an eye, leaving nothing but a deep hollow of black and crimson flesh. Another had had half his beak cut away. Everine slumped her shoulders as a shiver traveled through her torso.

  “Where will they go?”

  Ondox folded his wings forward as the wind tried to force them back. “I think it is time you paid your debt to me, Birken Earthling.” He flapped his wings and banked slightly left. “From what I remember, there are several floors at the top of the chasm used for nothing but storage. I think they would make an excellent home for a flock of gryphons. Wouldn’t you say?”

  Birken made small noises of understanding. “I do agree there should be plenty of room, but I alone cannot grant you permission. I give you my word, however, that I will speak on your behalf to the council when the issue is up for debate. More pressing matters might speed the process.” He angled his head toward the bundle resting under Everine’s clothing. Everine held one hand up and pressed Ayva closer to her chest with the other.

  Birken scratched his chin. “You would be wise, however, to offer the council something in return if we are to convince them.”

  Ondox squawked from the depths of his throat. “I believe that would settle our debt, old friend.” He rustled his feathers with delight. “As to the council’s concerns, you may tell them that if they provide us with sanctuar
y, we will give our lives to protect our new nest—and every being who calls Bermunnos their home.”

  Birken took hold of Everine’s hand and squeezed it gently. With a determined voice he bellowed, “Let us fly then, you feather-cloaked beasties!” He patted Ondox on the back and received a mighty squawk in return as Ondox lifted his beak to the sky.

  The gryphons turned in unison and allowed the air current to carry them toward Bermunnos Mountain. As they dropped towards the wild landscape of the mountaintop, what had seemed a solid, wide peak, now split and bent. A rift in the ground had cracked the mountain’s roof open in the middle. Little by little, the inside of Bermunnos unfolded in layers before them.

  The chasm had been created when the mountain range split during an earthquake on the day Georganna, the Queen of Sonûdor, had met her end. At least, this was how Everine’s father had told her the story. The Fall of the Elemental rulers was a known piece of history, but the circumstances were nothing more than a myth. Looking down at the rift now, Everine was not quite sure what was myth or not anymore.

  A strong headwind slowed their flight. The mountain naturally swung outward toward the borders on either side, revealing the immense hollow that created the Chasm of Bermunnos.

  The belly of the mountain was of an elliptical shape, and Everine found herself spellbound as they descended past the highest stone platforms. The chasm stretched endlessly downward into the darkness of the earth. A strong smell of sulfur and clay lay heavy in the air.

  Birken pulled out a small ivory horn and blew on it.

  Guards flooded out from every dark corner of the chasm’s opening. They raised whatever weapons were at their disposal and aimed straight at the travelers. The gryphons hovered to a stop.

  A woman not unlike Birken in appearance, though with a smaller waistline and longer hair, climbed a spiraling staircase to the top of a watchtower that extended into the open air. She held a sword high above her head.

  “I am quite sure no one hired you to bring a band of gryphons to our door.” Her body was tense, as though she expected an attack at any moment. Her bronze-colored eyes glided over the gryphons. Narrowing her gaze, she relaxed her shoulders. “Why are they here?”

  “Frida.” Birken smiled. “Nice to see you, too.” He summed up the siege of Gryphon Peak, and Frida sheathed her sword.

  Frida’s sandy-colored hair was shaved close at the sides. Golden hoops tied together the rest of her mane, which was gathered at the top. It ran from her forehead all the way down the ridge of her back.

  She wore the least efficient armor Everine had ever seen. What covered her front was hardly a full breastplate, revealing the rolling muscles on her abdomen and her bare back. The armor was also gold, with matching greaves to protect her shins, accompanied by a pair of leather gloves.

  Fitted, green shorts completed her attire. They were so short that Everine couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. She silently swore she would never humiliate herself with an outfit like that; not even if her life depended on it.

  Frida crossed her arms. “As much as this saddens me, they cannot enter our land until the council agrees. They may rest on the top floor until a decision is made.” She paused and addressed the gryphons directly.

  “If any of you should trespass on our land without permission, we will not be friendly.” Her words were heavy with authority. “I have given you fair warning. One of you may enter, but only to speak on behalf of you all.” She searched the flock, her eyes landing on Birken before she pointed at Ondox.

  “You should do fine. Besides, it looks like our friend, Birken there, might need help getting down.” Frida turned to Birken. “Now that that is settled, I must ask whether you vouch for this woman?” She gestured at Everine.

  “I do.” Birken crossed his arms.

  “If she is allowed entry, then you are personally accountable for any trouble she may cause.”

  “I accept the responsibility,” he said.

  “Very well. Then the woman and her child may enter as well. I always knew you would bring some bastard home to our doorstep.” With a smirk, she hurled herself into the chasm. As she fell, Frida grabbed hold of one of the hundreds of ropes that hung from the edges of the mountain and throughout the chasm’s interior.

  Frida slid downward on the rope with extraordinary grace and landed solidly on the stone surface many floors below where she had stood.

  The surface on which she had landed appeared to hover in the middle of the chasm’s mouth, positioned about halfway down the hollow, though Everine was not sure how much farther into the darkness it truly extended.

  All around them, Earthlings went about their daily business. Farmers and blacksmiths tended to their work, a group of men sung merrily outside a tavern, someone hung clothes to dry—Everine even glimpsed a couple kissing in the shadows between two dwellings.

  The buildings were partly carved from the mountain itself, the structures extended with bricks, stone, and wood. Bridges, ropes and stairways connected everything together.

  There was an exceptionally peaceful air to everything. Everine had expected it to be dark, but once they had traversed the shadows, the chasm was illuminated with all the colors of the rainbow. Countless gems embedded in the walls reflected the sunlight back into the hollow.

  It was easy to picture Birken growing up here. Everine could not fathom why he would have ever chosen to leave.

  Birken pointed to the large stone platform that rose from the darkness and formed a focal point in the middle of the chasm.

  “That is where we will meet with the council,” he whispered and took a deep breath. “There are five members. Myself included.”

  His last words came as a surprise. Everine had not expected him to hold high rank in Earthling society.

  Birken tapped his cheek with his thumb and smiled. “Frida is on the council, too. I think she will be on our side.”

  Everine frowned. “Why did she allow me passage and not the gryphons?”

  “Humans are fragile beings, whereas a single gryphon could cause a lot of mayhem, let alone what a whole flock of them could do. She also seems to think you are the mother of an Earthling child, and we take care of our own. Besides, you look absolutely harmless.”

  “I’m not harmless,” Everine huffed.

  Birken’s chest rumbled with a quiet laugh. “Of course not.”

  “And Ayva is not your child!”

  “No, but it doesn’t hurt that Frida believes it. At least for the time being.”

  Ondox landed next to a bridge leading onto the central platform. Three Earthlings already sat in their high seats on the opposite side of the circle of stone. A row of pillars rose upwards at every point where the stone surface was connected to the outer rim by a bridge.

  Frida approached Ondox. “We wish to discuss the matter of the gryphons first, which requires your presence, Birken, as well as that of the gryphon.”

  “His name is Ondox.” Everine slid off the gryphon’s back.

  Ondox ruffled his feathers and chuckled.

  Frida shot her a cold stare, then tilted her head toward Birken. “As I was saying, the two of you need to accompany me to this impromptu council meeting. The woman and her child, however, we will discuss later. For now, they may stay on the thirteenth level.” Frida put two fingers in her mouth and whistled.

  Almost as soon as she had finished, an Earthling man swung into view and landed at her side. His armor revealed him as one of the Earthling guards, though he looked much younger even than Everine. His blonde curls formed a heavy crown on his head, and his sand-colored skin was free of any scars or tattoos.

  Frida gestured at the guard. “This is Rolf.” She put her hands on her hips. “For the time being, the lady and her child are our guests. Make sure they are fed and well-rested before I call you to return.”

  Rolf touched two fingers to his heart and bowed respectfully. “Yes, my captain.”

  Birken slid off of Ondox, landing next to Everine. He stro
ked a hand over Ayva’s head, then leaned in and whispered in Everine’s ear, “You’ll be fine. We’re a friendly folk.” He hunched his shoulders and turned away, stepping onto the bridge to the platform. Ondox nudged Everine with his beak before following Birken across. Turning on her heels, Frida strode after them, and Everine was left in the company of Rolf.

  As soon as Frida was out of earshot, Rolf relaxed his posture entirely. His adolescent face lit up, and he practically glowed with excitement.

  “So, lady and her child. You got names? I am Rolf Olavsson, a member of the Earthling guard. I haven’t been an Ahddamsson for more than half a blue moon, but I’m a fairly good axe-thrower. Swords aren’t really my mug of beer, though. You lot from Êvina? I can’t tell. Never been outside the chasm’s mouth. Not yet, anyhow. Someday I’ll travel all the corners of Aradria. So—food, eh? They got great service at The Hollow. The food isn’t all that, but it does sate the appetite. I say we go there now. So, names?”

  Everine giggled. “I am Everine,” she said. “And this is Ayva.” She raised her chin and put her qualms aside. “I would like to feed my daughter somewhere private first. Her appetite is more pressing than mine.”

  Rolf’s eyes widened. “Yes, of course, just you follow me. I don’t know much about babies, and she looks tiny. Earthling babies are born bigger than her. I guess she could be any age really, considering she is a human. Humans are strange creatures. You might be born the size of peas for all I know. Guess not, though, huh? Here I go, making assumptions as usual. The two of you are human, yes?”

  Not stopping for breath, let alone a reply, he carried on talking, which suited Everine fine. They climbed another stairway and reached a small cave that had been dug into the mountain wall.

  “This is a resting place, Lady Everine. It is also a lookout. We have carved out a couple of these in particular spots on every floor throughout the chasm.”