by Tyler Wild
A slew of tentacles descended upon us, grabbing and swiping.
The tiny boat rocked.
The water was white with splashing and sloshing. It was like we were in the middle of a tempest at sea.
I kept slicing at the tentacles as they stabbed toward me. But one grabbed me from behind and lifted me out of the boat.
It held me high in the air.
I looked down at my comrades and watched helplessly as a tentacle flipped the small craft.
My friends dispersed into the water.
I hacked at the tentacle that wrapped around my chest as the beast swung me from side to side. I smacked against the water, hard, and the beast pulled me under.
That’s when I got a better look at the creature.
Under the surface was a giant mouth. The tentacle pulled me toward it.
I saw big black eyes and sharp teeth.
Bubbles rose to the surface around me.
With all my strength I fought against the rubbery appendage, finally severing it. Blue blood hazed the water like ink.
The creature pulled Cassandra underwater, and a tentacle yanked her toward the rows of teeth.
I swam through the water as fast as I could, trying to get to her before she became the monster’s lunch.
Cassandra managed to cut the tentacle before she reached the creature’s mouth. The rubbery arm that coiled around her went slack, and the water filled with blood.
We swam to the surface. Gasping for breath, I wiped the water from my face and glanced around. More tentacles stabbed at the water, trying to grasp my friends.
I took a deep breath filling my lungs, then plunged back under water and swam toward the ugly bastard. I didn’t get far before another tentacle grabbed me. The rubbery thing pulled me toward the beast’s choppers.
Its mouth opened wide, and its black eyes mocked me. It was going to gnash me into tiny pieces. With my luck, I’d probably still be alive by the time I reached its belly, only to suffocate in a mix of water and stomach acid.
But I wasn’t going to let him feast on me without leaving a mark. As the creature pulled me toward its mouth, I stabbed at its head. Asgoth punctured the corner of its left eye. The blade pushed in deep. Blood spurted into the water, and the creature roared.
The water vibrated, and bubbles exploded from its mouth. The creature was an amphibian and had lungs. It could probably stay underwater for hours, but it would need to surface eventually to take a breath.
Its tentacles went slack, and the creature recoiled, disappearing into a submerged cavern.
By the time I reached the surface my lungs were on fire. I sucked in a breath and looked for my companions. My eyes flicked from Cassandra to Sophia to Jayna to Grombly.
We all survived.
I swam to shore and regrouped with the others. I helped the girls out of the water. Their clothes clung them as water dripped from the fabric. They shivered from the cold wind that whipped through the canyon.
“Old wives’ tales, huh?” the goblin said, mocking me.
My eyes glanced to the surface of the water. The boat had been snapped in half, and the debris drifted down the river.
“So much for our ride,” Cassandra said in a tone that said I knew this was a bad idea.
Jayna wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Her sheer gown became even more so now that it was soaked with water. Goosebumps spiked her skin like mountain peaks. Her teeth chattered, and she glared at me. “What are we going to do now?”
84
Kron
The goblin pulled a fire-stone from his pocket and set it atop a boulder. We hovered around the blue flames, warming ourselves. The sun had long since disappeared over the cliffs, and the sky was the dull gray of dusk.
I wrapped my arms around the girls and we huddled close, trying to share body heat as we dripped dry.
“We shouldn’t stay here long,” Grombly said. “That thing may look for revenge.”
“I’m never going back in that water,” Jayna said.
“Yeah, well, it might come out of the water,” Grombly warned.
Eyes widened and jaws dropped.
“You can’t be serious?” Jayna asked.
“I warned you about this, but nobody ever listens to Grombly.”
“Sorry, G,” I said. “It’s my fault. I took us this way. I won’t disregard your warnings in the future.”
The little goblin smiled.
“I vote for getting the hell out of here,” Sophia said.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” I grumbled.
“What is it?”
“I lost Lily. Her remains were in the pouch on my belt. It’s gone.” I walked to the edge of the shore and looked over the water.
Concern crinkled on the girls’ faces.
“You’re not thinking about going back in that water, are you?” Cassandra asked.
“I’m not leaving Lily down there.”
“I don’t think she’ll mind,” Cassandra said.
I dove into the water. The girls’ muted protests filtered under the surface as I swam to the bottom, searching for the leather pouch that contained the fairy dust. The water was still murky from the sediment that had been kicked up by the struggle with the monster. It was difficult to see more than a few feet. My hands patted the soggy bottom, searching for the pouch to no avail.
My lungs began to burn, and I swam toward the surface. I sucked in a breath of air and dove back down amid the girls’ continued protests.
I kept searching the bottom, but it could have been anywhere—hidden in the crevice of a rock, or it could have drifted farther than I anticipated. I wasn’t quite sure the exact moment I lost it.
My heartbeat elevated as I drew closer to the underwater cavern where the monster had retreated. I drew my sword in case of an attack. My eyes scanned the muddy riverbed and lo-and-behold, the pouch rested atop a rock a few feet from the opening of the cavern.
It was too close for comfort.
With the sun over the horizon, the dim light at the bottom of the river was barely enough to see, and the cavern was pitch black. The creature could have been just beyond the shadows, waiting to strike.
I wasn’t going to leave Lily’s remains behind. Compulsion dust could come in handy. My arms pulled me through the water, gliding closer and closer to the cavern.
I kept Asgoth ready to strike.
My fingers snatched the pouch from the rock, then I spun around and angled toward the surface.
The shimmering surface water rippled above me. I was in desperate need of a breath and only moments from the surface when a tentacle ensnared my ankles and pulled me back to the murky depths.
I hacked at the tentacle and resumed my ascent. I broke through the surface of the water and gasped for air. My arms pulled me to the shore, my legs kicking and splashing.
The girls helped pull me out of the water as more tentacles broke through the surface. Their eyes widened and their faces filled with fear.
We didn’t waste any time getting the hell out of there. We sprinted across the rocky shoreline, trying not to turn an ankle on the uneven ground.
I glanced over my shoulder to see the tentacles slip under the surface, disappearing into the gloomy depths. I breathed a sigh of relief, and we were finally able to slow our pace.
“That was downright stupid!” Cassandra said.
I bounced the pouch of Lily’s remains in my palm. “You never know when this might come in handy.”
I had no idea how many more of those creatures called the river home. It gave me second thoughts about setting up camp at the river’s edge. We climbed a safe distance up the canyon walls and found a small alcove that we could call home for the night.
I had a few of Phaedra’s magic beans left, and I passed them around. It would keep us full for a few days.
Grombly’s fire-stone kept us warm.
With little sleep the night before, I was more than ready to get some shut eye. I felt thin, and my body vibrated from t
hat overtired feeling that ensues from a constant push of adrenaline just to stay awake.
We headed out at dawn and made our way south. By midday, we had reached the end of the canyon and were at the east edge of the Lorewood Forest, not far from Greylake Castle.
I was shocked by what I found, though not entirely surprised.
85
Kron
The Lorewood on the west side of the river looked like the surface of an alien planet. Blackened and chard. The few trees that remained were devoid of any foliage and reminded me of the craggy and gnarled trees in the Dark Forest. The ground was black and brown. The air was filled with a thin haze from the fires. Glowing orange embers still floated through the air. The bitter scent of the charred forest filled my nostrils.
Across the Sygian, the east forest remained pristine, the fire unable to spread across the river.
Cassandra’s eyes welled, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she broke into sobs.
I put my arm around her and tried to comfort her. I knew what she was thinking. If this much of the Lorewood had been toasted, her home of Zenduria must have as well. No words could assuage her fears, but I did my best to ease her sorrow.
Cassandra’s tears didn’t last long. Her sadness and worry quickly turned to rage. She broke from my embrace and marched west toward Zenduria.
I followed. “Where are you going?” “I’ve got to go home.”
“I don’t think you’ll like what you’ll find.”
“I’ve got to see with my own eyes. Maybe there’s something I can do to help. Maybe Zenduria survived? Maybe my people escaped?”
She stopped in her tracks and burst into tears again. I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”
She sniffled, and through jerking sobs she said, “I’m not giving up hope yet.”
She cried for a moment, then steeled her resolve. “Let’s get moving. The sooner we get to Zenduria, the better.”
We moved through the smoldering landscape, gawking at the destruction. It didn’t seem real. The hellish terrain was quiet and empty. Once teeming with wildlife, the remains of the forest were now a graveyard.
A crematorium.
The only sound was the occasional pop and crackle of a small fire.
The thin haze of smoke was enough to make me cough and hack. We were at least two days out of the Elven kingdom, and I grew concerned that we might not be able to physically make it under such conditions. I prayed to the universe for a strong wind to blow the air clear.
If the universe was listening, it sure didn’t respond.
By nightfall, I was hacking up black shit. I was ready to make camp and rest for the evening, but Cassandra would hear none of it. She wanted to keep marching through the night. She needed to know if her father was safe, and if her kingdom had been destroyed.
“We have big days ahead of us,” I said. “We need to save our strength.”
She glared at me. “It’s easy for you to say. It’s not your family.”
That comment didn’t sit well with me. “I know all too well what it’s like. And don’t for a minute think that my heart doesn’t break for you.”
She glared at me. “None of this would have happened if you didn’t steal the dragon.” Tears poured from her eyes. “You never stopped to think of what the consequences would be.”
She spun around and marched away.
Her words were like a punch to the gut.
Sophia placed a comforting hand on my arm. “It’s not your fault. Sooner or later, someone was going to unleash the dragon on these lands.”
I hung my head, frustrated and disappointed. I had inadvertently brought on all of this death and destruction. Sophia was right, but it still weighed on my conscience.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Sophia said as she chased after Cassandra.
“Looks like we’re going to keep marching through the night,” I said.
“My feet are killing me,” Jayna whined. “I’m not cut out for this kind of stuff. And look at my dress… It’s totally ruined!”
The sheer gown was tattered and covered in dirt and soot. Tears welled in her eyes. “I look like a peasant.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I want to go home!”
“That ship sailed.”
She glared at me and stormed toward Sophia and Cassandra.
I exchanged a glance with Grombly. The little goblin shrugged. “You’ve got your hands full.”
“I know.”
I moved to the group of women and told Cassandra it was her call on whether we proceeded tonight or in the morning. At this point we were all worn pretty thin, even Cassandra.
But the journey to Zendura wouldn’t be necessary.
A pack of wolf-shifters emerged from the haze and surrounded us. At first I was concerned about their intentions. They weren’t there to chastise us about being in their forest. Those concerns had long since passed.
The wolves confirmed Zenduria’s demise.
Cassandra’s knees went weak, and she collapsed to the dirt, sobbing. She wailed inconsolably for a time. According to the wolves, the Elven Kingdom was nothing more than ash, and no living soul remained.
We were the only family Cassandra had left.
“We are all that remain of my people,” Dashota, the leader of the wolf pack, said.
There were maybe a dozen of them.
“Where will you go?” Cassandra asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“We are heading to the east forest. It will be our new home.”
“But the east forest is—”
“We will take our chances,” Dashota said.
“You could help us fight the dragon,” I said.
The wolf glared at me. “My kind is on the verge of extinction. This is a war we did not ask for.”
“You have no peace treaty with the Lady of Greylake,” I said. “They will actively hunt your kind. You cannot thrive in the east forest.”
“It is our last best hope,” Dashota replied.
The pack left us amid the scorched trees as they headed east.
We made camp and settled in for the evening warming ourselves around Grombly’s fire-stone.
I sneezed. My nose was stuffy from the smoke. My eyes burned and watered, and my lungs felt thick. We all felt pretty dreary. And Cassandra didn’t say a word the rest of the evening. She stared into the fire with blank eyes, lost in solemn thought.
I left her alone with her thoughts. I was the last person she wanted to talk to at the moment.
I took a swig of ale from the bottomless bag and passed it around. Grombly sparked up some Happy Leaf. The cherry glowed red, illuminating his goblin face as he filled his lungs with the soothing herb. He passed it around, and after a few hits, all of my aches and pains vanished, and my burning eyes didn’t bother me as much.
I handed the joint to Cassandra. She declined at first, but I persisted. “It’ll do you some good.”
Cassandra relented and took a drag. It couldn’t bring her village back, but it helped ease the pain of loss.
By midnight, a north wind had blown in, clearing out the smoky haze. I could finally breathe again, and my sinuses cleared. I figured I’d be coughing up black shit for a few days, if I lived that long. But without the fog, we’d be out in the open. Easily visible from above if the dragon flew this way.
But I figured the Lorewood was the least of the dragon’s concerns. After its destruction, I’m sure Evron thought it harmless. There was nothing left living in the forest to attack him. At least it would give us the element of surprise.
Cassandra pulled her hammock from her bottomless bag, but there weren’t enough sturdy trees to string it between. She spread it out over the ground not far from the glowing blue fire.
When she was done, she took my hand and pulled me onto the hammock, and I curled up with her. She needed someone to hold her close tonight.
“I’m sorry for what I said earlier,” she whispered.
“You�
�re right to be upset. Not a day goes by that I don’t kick myself for releasing that dragon on the world.”
“It’s not your fault. The only thing that matters now is that we destroy the dragon. And your brother.”
I agreed. “And then what?”
“What do you mean, and then what?
“What happens to us? When we no longer have a common enemy?”
She coyly replied, “I’ll tell you when we no longer have a common enemy.”
86
Kron
It was just before dawn when I heard footsteps.
I lurched from a deep slumber and scanned the perimeter of the camp. My hand clutched the grip of my sword. The pale moonlight silhouetted the trees. There wasn’t anything out there. Not that I could see.
Maybe it was my imagination?
A bad dream?
Then I heard another crunch.
I sprang to my feet, and my companions stirred. The girls and Grombly had all packed onto the soft hammock.
Blue flame still flickered from the fire-stone.
Out of the darkness I saw several figures approaching. As they drew closer, I recognized their form.
Dashota and his pack of wolves.
I put away my sword. “What are you doing here?”
“What you said was true. We will find no peace in the east forest. As long as that dragon lives, we are all in danger. We will fight at your side.”
A grin curled on my lips, and I shook hands with the beast. His grip was powerful, and his claws were razor-sharp. I would not want to be his adversary.
“We should get moving. It’s a full day’s march from here to Pernberry.”
I rousted the others, and we packed up camp, then marched west.
Jayna was not a happy camper. She could barely keep her eyes open, and she stumbled along in a stupor, half asleep. “This is entirely too early to be awake,” she griped.
