by Tyler Wild
Before the beast could pry the ax from the tree, I hacked across his ribcage.
Asgoth opened up a hefty gash alongside the beast’s torso. Red blood oozed from the wound and coated the blade.
“Mmm, orc blood!” Asgoth said with delight.
The wound would have brought most creatures to their knees.
But not Gort.
Before my eyes, the gaping gash across his rib cage healed without leaving a recognizable scar.
He was a beast of Malvina’s creation and was imbued with certain supernatural abilities.
All it did was irritate the beast.
He freed the ax from the tree trunk and squared off against me. A thunderous roar screeched from his lips.
I swallowed hard, planning my strategy.
The girls surrounded Gort.
Sophia charged him with a scowl on her face and a war cry billowing from her plump lips.
Gort backhanded the ax, crashing against Sophia’s sword. The blow swooped her into the air and sent her crashing to the ground.
She didn’t get up right away.
Rage boiled in my veins.
I charged the creature again, and we exchanged blows. This time the force of the hit knocked me to the ground. I stared up at the creature with wide eyes as the sharp ax plowed toward my head.
The ax-blade struck the ground, carving into the dirt as I rolled aside in the nick of time. I sprang to my feet and hacked at the beast’s thigh, opening another gash so deep I could see his white femur bone beneath the gnarled mix of blood and flesh.
He lost his footing and stumbled to his knee.
With his back exposed, I chopped down. But he managed to bat me away before I could make contact. I tumbled to the ground, and by the time I sprang to my feet, Gort’s thigh had healed and he was upright again.
Cassandra let several arrows fly. They slammed into his chest.
Gort just yanked them out and snapped them in half, tossing them to the ground.
The wounds healed before our eyes, and a grave, hopeless look played on our faces.
Our journey looked like it was going to be over before it began.
How were we ever going to get through the underworld with thousands of creatures much worse than Gort if we couldn’t defeat this vile beast?
42
Kron
Lily’s terrified eyes watched the chaos. She focused her energy and created a blinding pulse of light again. It disoriented the beast for a few moments, but that was it.
I’m sure bright spots were burned onto his retinas. I know I saw spots for a few seconds.
The beast swung wildly, the massive ax ripping through the air, hitting nothing.
Sophia was still unconscious.
Lily took to dive-bombing the creature just to harass him. He swatted at her like an annoying pest, his fat hands swishing through the air.
Lily buzzed around the beast like an electron circling an atom.
His face crinkled with frustration.
I attacked from one side while Cassandra came from the other.
Gort swung his massive ax and batted my sword away, then spun around to backhand Cassandra after she stabbed him in the ass.
The elf flew through the air and slammed into a tree. I wasn’t sure if I heard tree limbs breaking, or bones.
Cassandra flopped onto the knotty roots of the tree that protruded above ground. She didn’t move. My heart leapt into my throat. I didn’t know if she was dead, dying, or just unconscious.
Anger twisted on Lily’s face, and she swooped in, trying to punch the bastard in the face.
Gort snatched her from the air, then spiked her into the ground.
Lily smacked the dirt, bounced once, then flopped to the ground.
All three of my girls were out of commission. My throat tightened, and my eyes filled with rage. I scrambled for Asgoth, scooped the blade from the dirt, and charged Gort.
A primal scream exploded from my lungs, and I slashed my sword at the beast. Our weapons clashed, and Gort’s powerful blow once again knocked the demon blade from my grasp.
Asgoth tumbled through the air and stabbed into the dirt several yards away.
I staggered back as the beast approached, slashing the massive battle-ax. It tore through the air, and I narrowly avoided the sharp edge as I continued moving back on my heels.
My heart hammered in my chest. My body was covered with sweat. My stomach twisted with concern over my girls. Fear began to creep into me.
I stumbled over a tree root and fell onto my back. The unexpected impact knocked the wind from my lungs.
Gort reared the ax high over his head and struck down. It seemed to happen in slow motion.
This was it.
The moment of my doom.
The razor-sharp edge sliced through the air, careening toward my skull. It would split both hemispheres of my brain perfectly down the middle. At least this would be the quick death that I had prayed for.
But something miraculous happened.
A gnarled tree branch grabbed the ax handle and coiled around it, staying my execution.
Another branch grabbed the giant beast.
Then another.
And another.
The ax was ripped from his grasp, and Gort soon found himself constricted by a massive coil of branches that were squeezing the life from him. It was like a boa constrictor had twisted around its prey.
The big blue beast gasped for breath.
His ribs popped and snapped as the tree squeezed tighter. His eyes bulged from their sockets, and for the first time, I saw true fear on the giant’s face.
My heart raced, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I climbed to my feet and pulled my sword from the ground, then marched toward the blue menace.
Fear bathed his eyes, and his expression pled for mercy.
I had none.
With a swift slice of my blade, Gort’s head separated from his body. Asgoth sliced through muscle and bone with ease. Gort’s ugly mug tumbled through the air, spewing blood. It smacked the ground with a thud.
The tree released its deadly grasp, and Gort’s body crashed to the dirt. The impact vibrated the soles of my boots.
I didn’t want the bastard regenerating, so I grabbed a fistful of the beast’s hair and hurled the skull into the canyon like a discus thrower.
I watched the ugly thing soar across the sky and vanish into the abyss below.
Gort’s body still twitched from nerve impulses.
I knew my sister would be distraught over the loss of her precious pet. I was sure she would conjure even more demons to pursue me. She had probably seen the whole thing, watching through Gort’s eyes. I knew she could channel his vision, and she sometimes transported herself into his body. I knew she did it quite routinely during intimacy with the beast. She was so narcissistic—she liked fucking herself.
I ran to Cassandra’s body and knelt beside her. She was still breathing and had a pulse. Her foggy eyes peeled open, and she gazed at me with confusion.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She gave a hesitant nod. “I think so.”
I breathed a little easier and helped her to her feet. By that time, the others were stirring. They brushed off the dirt and met us in the center of the clearing.
“My head is fucking killing me,” Sophia said. She kicked Gort’s corpse for good measure.
My concerned eyes flicked to Lily.
“I’m okay,” she said, trying to be cheery.
I could tell she wasn’t feeling great.
After Sophia had vented her frustrations on Gort’s corpse, Cassandra placed her hands on either side of Sophia’s temples and stared deep into her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“Shut up and let me heal you,” Cassandra replied.
After a few moments, a look of relief washed over Sophia’s face. Her eyes brightened, and a thin smile tugged at her lips. “Wow. That’s amazing.”
Cassandra smiled, then
moved to touch Lily. “Where does it hurt?”
“Everywhere.”
“I can relate.”
“Mainly my neck and my back.”
Cassandra put her hands on Lily’s neck and gently caressed her skin, then glided her healing touch down to her lower back.
Within moments, Lily perked up. But Cassandra’s eyes drooped.
I caught her before she collapsed. “Maybe you need to take care of yourself before you go helping others?”
“I’m fine,” she said. “I just need to sit down for a minute.
I helped her to a boulder, and she took a seat.
“Can you heal yourself?” Sophia asked.
“I wish. It doesn’t work that way.”
Lily flew away and returned a few moments later with a purple flower.
A quizzical look twisted on Cassandra’s face. “That’s pretty, but what’s it for?”
Lily plucked the flower petals, placed them in her palm, and put her hands together. Energy radiated, and the glow seeped through her fingers. After a moment it faded. She opened her palm revealing a fine powder. She blew it into Cassandra’s face.
The elf coughed. “What is that?”
“Breathe it in,” Lily assured.
Cassandra’s lungs filled with air, then she exhaled. A moment later her eyes perked up. She had a look of wonder in her eyes. “I feel pretty good. I’m not tired anymore.”
Cassandra climbed to her feet.
I was astonished by the transformation.
“It’s Latasynth,” Lily said. “It’s part stimulant, part pain reliever. But, don’t use it too often. It’s powerful, and addictive.”
Cassandra frowned. “I can see why.”
I cleaned the blood from Asgoth, and sheathed the sword. We thanked the trees. Fortunately, they weren’t too keen on the big ogre swinging an ax in the forest.
We continued on our journey. Phaedra’s castle was at the edge of the Dark Forest, and we were soon to leave these woods behind.
It also meant I would have to say goodbye to Lily.
43
Kron
We left the Dark Forest and headed toward the Black Mountains. The entrance to the underworld was on the other side.
“If anybody wants to turn back, this would be a good time,” I said. “It only gets worse from here.”
“I thought you were an optimist,” Cassandra said.
“I am. That’s being optimistic.”
From here, we’d have to cross the canyon, scale the other side, then journey across more grasslands to the base of the jagged peaks.
This was likely as far as Lily could go.
I took her hand and pulled her close. “I guess this is goodbye.”
She looked at me, baffled. “Why would you say that?”
“You can’t leave these woods?”
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” she said in a playfully sassy tone.
“What about the curse?” I asked.
She pouted for a moment. “I’ll take my chances. I’m going with you.”
I was both moved and humbled by the gesture, but also concerned. “I can’t let you do that.”
She scowled at me. “It’s not your call.”
“Why would you take the risk?”
She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tight, resting her head on my chest. “It’s in my nature to care. I can’t help it. I told you, we fairies fall fast.”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to put her in jeopardy, but it was clear she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I wrapped my arms around her. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I do. You help the people you care about. You don’t leave them when things get difficult.”
“Maybe there is a way to break the curse?”
“Maybe.” She paused for a moment. “I’d rather die in service to someone I love than live alone.”
Love was a strong word.
Under normal circumstances, I would have run away as fast as possible, trying to avoid a Stage 5 clinger. But Lily’s love was genuine. It wasn’t psycho-stalker I want to control you love.
At least, I didn’t think it was.
She didn’t strike me as the type who would put a knife to your throat and say, if I can’t have you no one else can. She had already shared me with Sophia and Cassandra, and technically Phaedra. Jealousy didn’t seem to be in her nature.
“I guess that settles it,” I said. “We are all making this journey together.”
Cassandra and Sophia exchanged a glance.
“Together!” Sophia agreed.
Cassandra didn’t say anything.
There was something on her mind. I could see it brewing behind her eyes. A lot had happened in the last 24 hours, and she seemed to be processing it all.
The canyon was nearly a mile across. Eons of erosion had carved away the sheer cliffs. The various layers of rocks were stratified with different colors. A switchback trail led down to the canyon floor and the winding river that had slowly created it.
Going down was the easy part.
Coming up would be a challenge.
But even going downhill wasn’t without its difficulties. It put extra strain on the knees and quads, and before long my legs burned and felt like rubber.
Lily had it easy.
She glided all the way down.
Fortunately, Phaedra had given us some magical assistance to help us on our journey—a pouch of enchanted beans, and a canteen of ale that never emptied. One bean would fill your belly for 3 to 4 days. It took care of our food problem. The rest was up to us.
Phaedra also gave me a gold coin that had been minted in the underworld. It was stamped with demonic symbols, and a phrase written in the dark language circled the face of the coin. She said I would know when to use it.
Cassandra finally decided to spill the contents of her brain into my ear. “Can we talk?”
Those were words I never liked to hear. It always meant something serious. “We’ve got time. Go ahead.”
“About last night,” she stammered.
“Last night was fun.”
“Yes, it was, but,” she continued, keeping a solemn face.
“But what?”
“I don’t know what came over me. I’m not usually like that.”
Lily giggled.
Cassandra shot her a look.
“It’s my fault. I have so much love in my heart, sometimes it’s infectious. People tend to act on their desires in my presence. It’s a fairy thing.”
Cassandra took a deep breath. “Yes, well… I just don’t think we should do that again.”
“Why not?” I said.
“You wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t in your heart,” Lily added.
“Because… I think… things could get complicated,” Cassandra said.
My face scrunched up. “How could things get any more complicated than they already are? Besides, we’re all probably going to be dead in a few days. What does it matter anyway? Live life to the fullest.”
“I just don’t think I can be part of your… I mean, I’m usually in a committed relationship.”
“I think we're all committed to each other at this point.”
She gave me a look. “I told my father I would help you. And I will. But I think it’s best if we keep our relationship on a professional level. Strictly friends.”
“If that’s what you want,” I said casually, knowing it’s not what she really wanted.
She released a breath. “Great. It’s settled.”
I could see in her mind it wasn’t settled. There was an awkward pause, then she stepped aside and continued down the path, leading the way.
I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, but I wasn’t going to push the issue. If she wanted to be with me, she was going to have to come to that decision on her own terms.
The sun dipped down beyond the horizon, and the canyon grew cold. Wind whistled through the rock formations
. We found a suitable shelter for the night in a recessed alcove.
Lily heated the space with her magical rock that emitted a blue flame. Cassandra stuck to her guns about just being friends, but Lily and Sophia were more than happy to indulge their desires. They wanted to erase Phaedra’s delights from my memory, and they did a good job.
The beans kept us full. And the never ending ale forced me to make several trips to the bush in the middle of the night.
We started out at daybreak across the river and began the arduous climb up the east canyon wall.
It took all day.
Another day across the grasslands and we stood at the base of the Black Mountains. Their towering peaks stabbed at the sky, lost amid the roiling gray clouds of the underworld.
There was a sharp demarcation between the blue sky west of the mountains and the black sky of the east.
I gazed up at the ominous mountains. There was nothing inviting about them. Had I known the fate that awaited me, I might have taken another path.
44
Kron
Each step up the mountain grew steeper. And my knees complained the entire way. There were sections that were damn near vertical. Soon I found myself squeezing my fingers into cracks in the rock, trying to hang on. There wasn’t enough room to get a foothold. A toehold was the most you could hope for.
Now and then a rock would clatter underneath my feet, plummeting down the sheer cliff to the base below. An unpleasant reminder of just how far I had to fall.
There was no safety line.
No net.
A faulty grasp, or missed step, and you'd get up close and personal with the jagged rocks below.
The gusts of wind grew more frequent and intense the farther up the mountain we climbed. It added another level of unpredictability—something else to go wrong.
A ram watched me as I tried to navigate a particularly sheer portion of the mountainside. The animal was an expert climber and darted about the steep rocks without a second thought. Its hooves expertly balanced on a narrow ridge of shale, seemingly no wider than a toothpick.
Perhaps it was astonished I had made it this far? Or maybe the ram was just hoping I’d fall, looking for some entertainment. If that was the case, I intended to disappoint the creature.
