Prologue
Far beneath the earth, a wispy flame flickered in tunnels as it traversed the suffocating abyss. Its light raged against the overwhelming darkness like a cornered animal; the tunnels though, were patient. For all eventually returned to the dark. A rat, curious of the invader, sniffed at the light’s herald inquisitively and examined the two griffons with beady black orbs. Roland grunted and kicked a loose rock at the pest, causing the creature to slink back to the shadows.
“C’mon, that was good meat you scared off you old bird!” Ferris said with a whine, his voice echoing off the walls into the unknown. “I was this close to catching that one.”
“Quit your complaining, Ferris,” Roland replied in a softer voice. He directed the lantern against the walls but still the gems eluded him. The grizzled griffon glanced over his shoulder to examine his companion and ruffled his wings. His gear bag looked to be a size too big for him, almost comically so, or perhaps the kid was too lean; his vest wasn’t doing him any favors either. Dark rings outlined Ferris’ eyes telling of many sleepless nights. He couldn’t have been much older than his usual partner, but already Roland regretted taking on the job without him. At least that one could keep his mouth shut. “It can’t be too much further now. Besides, rats are the last thing you want to eat. Who knows what diseases they carry?”
Ferris tittered at the other griffon. “Fussy eaters don’t get to eat and I’ll take what I can get. It’s not like that schlop back in town is any better.”
Roland responded with a non-committal grunt in hopes of killing off the conversation. He warded off shadows with the lantern strapped to his wing as he delved further, but the carved walls always threatened to close around them. Down here the mind played tricks upon itself, transforming even the most confident into milquetoast fools. The padding of his limbs and the shaking of the loose bundle of gear they had on broke up the deafening silence. It was almost hypnotic in a way until the claustrophobia crept up on him every now and again. Just the way that Roland liked it.
Despite the distaste he had for his task it was rare that Roland had an easy day like this. Sure, the air was stale, but at least the temperature was cool while traversing below the earth. Normally, he would be among the many others that would be toiling away all day with a pick axe in claw. The mechanical autonomy so ingrained into him now that, occasionally in his slumber, he was back in the mines chipping away at the earth. An ache throbbed in his lower back at the thought. Fortune smiled upon Roland when those dirty diamond dogs found preexisting tunnels in their expansion efforts.
Like usual, when asked if there were any volunteers to forage ahead all the workers grew silent. Roland volunteered immediately when the others around him faltered. He was no simpering coward and snorted at the others bashful looks. That and the temptation to earn double his normal pay, and a bonus upon finding any gems, was too much for him to pass up. But the Bellmont Mining Company wasn’t a charity. If you didn’t work, you weren’t compensated, simple as that. And if you found nothing at all, then your wages reflected your empty claws.
Scouts were needed to explore deeper into these tunnels as they were usually left behind by any number of would be nasty things. At best, one would just create some markings so others may more easily find their deposits. The caveat was that any number of dangers could be found lurking far beneath the earth, lying in wait for their next victims.
The Bellmont Mining Company was apathetic towards its workforce, but they did dish out some manner of equipment to survive the endeavor. They understood the dangers of foraging ahead so a partner was critical to help carry the burden; one to carry a lantern and light the way, and the other a knife or spear to defend the both of them. Less equipment and money wasted on those that don’t come back. Rookies usually go for the weapon, but Roland knew the real prize was the lantern. It helped his mind cope with knowing that he was holding back the dark so far away from the surface. That he had some semblance of control.
Whenever someone new asked what they were meant to do with such a pathetic loadout, the guards’ always responded with ‘the blades weren’t meant for the monsters.’ Sons of whores the lot of them. Roland grimaced at the weapon strapped to the side of his companion’s bag. No more than a rusty piece of iron not even the length of his forearm, but at the very least the knife gave them some semblance of protection.
Ferris let out an exasperated sigh. “The least Bellmont could do is give the both of us lanterns. I’m tired of having to crane past your crusty backside just to see where I’m going. Hey, Roland, switch with me for a bit. It must be tiring to walk with that lantern strapped to your wing, huh? You old guys are always complaining about your backs right?”
“You were the one that wanted to carry the knife so bad.” Roland said with a shrug. “Besides, I’m not in the prime of my youth anymore, remember? So be a good little cub and help out your elders by dying first. Swing fast and true when those big baddies come lurking out, okay?” The youth rolled his eyes as the two of them scrupulously trekked onward, each examining the walls as they passed them. Besides, Roland wasn’t that old. I’m barely pushing fifty you little punk. And so it was they went on and on in search of their master’s prize.
“There ain’t gonna be any big baddies down here you crazy old bird. You won’t scare me with that nonsense.”
“I guess you won’t know until we need that knife then. A gallant knight just for me? It just warms my heart and fills my tummy with butterflies.”
“Next time I’ll bring some torches,” Ferris spat. “Had I known that Bellmont was going to do me dirty like this…”
Roland’s eyebrows shot up, not that the kid could see it. “I’d strongly advise against that. There’s a reason that we carry lanterns and don’t set up torches everywhere.”
“Why not? Sounds like Bellmont is just making things more difficult than it needs to be and lanterns are too expensive in this stupid town.”
“Lanterns last longer than torches and take up considerably less space. The more important reason though; combustible gasses.”
“Combustible?” Ferris shook his head. “What’s that mean?”
“Tartarus, what are they teaching you kids in school these days?” Roland said, wiping a claw across his face. “Meaning, that if you put a fire near any of those gases, then the whole place goes up in flames. Be a shame to end up charred and broiled just for some measly light.”
Ferris hastily strut forward until he matched paces with Roland, walking shoulder to shoulder with him. “Look, I just signed up for the easy work load. I didn’t sign up for any of this nasty life or death business. If we don’t find any gems, Bellmont is going to stiff me my pay. If I wanted to be bucked, then I at least want a pretty girl to be the one doing it.”
“We’ll find our pay dirt soon enough,” Roland replied coolly.
“And if we don’t, then what? I might get a little angry, you know? You’re gonna lead us the right way and find us the gems, right?”
They’d been searching for a gem deposit for what felt like the better part of a day and still had nothing to show for their efforts. It took a special kind of crazy to volunteer for this work and sometimes griffons would look for any excuse to go off. He didn’t believe that the lad had the stones or was the sort to stick that blade into his back. But it never hurt to err on the side of caution. If someone met an unfortunate end down here, then as long as the other guy came back, no one would pry too much on how they met that end.
Roland eyed Ferris like a wound up mutt that had reached the end of its leash, poised and ready to snap its jaws. “It’s never a guarantee that we would find anything. You would know that if you payed attention to the others reluctance to sign up for this task. Optimistically we could find the next deposit, but more than likely we are the ones to find out if any hungry pests have shacked up here.”
Ferris slowed his pace to a crawl but Roland continued onward. “So what… we’re monster bait?”
“Pretty much,” Roland droned. “Diamond Dogs are too valuable to waste to be sent off to die exploring unknown tunnels. You and I, however, are what you’d call an expendable workforce. So keep prattling on and any monsters that are here will gladly have you for dinner instead.”
Ferris, finally noticing that he was being left behind, hurried after the dwindling light. “Yeah, yeah. Because a big bad slime might get us? Or maybe even a ferocious rat will tear us apart.” Ferris snickered and patted the older griffon’s side. “I get it now. If you’re so scared, you can hold my claw the rest of the way. I don’t mind. I promise I’ll protect the fussy princess from any little critters.”
Roland’s patience drew thin; Ferris was just too green. He hadn’t yet laid witness to some of the horrors that lied in wait in the caverns. Not like that Gallus fellow. Roland knew that he should have passed on today’s trek when that kid didn’t show his face.
Celebrating a successful tunnel dive was well and good but the kid should have known his limits yesterday. But, he knew that his egging on didn’t help matters either. Griffons his age thought they were invincible. It takes living through a couple of really bad hangovers, and the accumulation of aches and pains that you couldn’t just sleep off anymore, to dash away that lie. When he got back topside, Roland promised that he would pay the feather head a visit to make sure he hadn’t gone belly up. He didn’t want to have go through the hassle of vetting out another partner again, after all.
Roland clicked his tongue. “Think, Ferris! Those rats came from somewhere and have no business being down this deep into the earth. The tunnel network we’re exploring must have an entrance that we don’t know about. Those vermin have to be eating something, most likely the remains of something bigger than themselves. Why else would they be down here?”
Like Ferris mentioned, the most common threat seemed to be the gelatinous slimes. Hanging from the ceiling and descending upon unsuspecting prey, dissolving them whole as their food could do naught to escape the sticky pool. But, they were otherwise easily dealt with as long as one was cautious of their surroundings.
Truth be told the threat of damps being released was a bigger concern to Roland. Those poisonous gasses that were nigh impossible to detect until it had already sunk its claws into you. This far into the mine, Roland was sure that he would not make it back before it was too late. It was unlikely since he wasn’t working at a coal site, but it was an awful way to go.
What gave Roland and all other miners’ nightmares was the mighty bug bear. They crushed boulders as they burrowed deep into mountain sides to create their hives. Many mines had been closed due to an infestation. With overwhelming ferocity they were a force of nature: standing at 14 feet tall, strong enough to rip a griffon asunder with nary a twitch of their claws, and their thick skin and fur allowing them to shrug off most blows from bladed weapons. Enclosed within these tight corridors there was no chance he could fly away nor would he be fast enough to outrun them. And where one could be found, three more would soon make themselves known.
Roland pointed to the weapon on Ferris’ pack. “That knife you got there. Have you ever used one of those before, boy?”
A smarmy grin etched itself on Ferris face as he patted the blade sheathed on his side. “I’ve had my fair share of scraps. Of course, soon as I pull out some steel the other guy just about wets himself and scrams.”
“I wasn’t asking about some back alley street fight,” Roland said in a drone. “Have you ever actually used a blade? Have you ever taken a life?”
Ferris narrowed his eyes. “You’re really starting to irritate me you old bird. You trying to say something?”
“Listen to the advice of this old bird. Take great heed when traversing the abyss. A monster does not fight like you and I. For money, honor, love, or any other notion that makes us just a step above the animals. They fight and kill just to see another day because that’s all it knows. I seem to have taken a liking to being alive too and would prefer it to stay that way.”
“Whatever,” Ferris said, pushing past Roland with a harsh bump to his side. “I ain’t gonna die in no trash heap like this.”
Roland followed him and angled the lantern a tad to illuminate their path. “Where did you come from if you ended up in a trash heap like this then? Stone Falls isn’t anyone’s final destination but most end up staying.”
“What the Tartarus do you care?”
“I’m just trying to make conversation since you can’t be bothered to shut your trap. How’s you manage to get tangled up with these crooks and arrive in this tails end of nowhere?”
Roland though that perhaps he was prying a little too hard. After all they barely knew one another having just met that day. He didn’t have to worry too much however as Ferris cleared his throat and began. “Everyone knows Bellmont, even in my backwater hometown; what they represent. A clean slate for indentured service. I liked to drink and gamble same as any other griffon –perhaps a little more than others. I owed money to some guys. A lot of money. And these weren’t the type that asked nicely when collecting.”
“You didn’t try moving?” Roland inquired. “Maybe, get a fresh start somewhere else?”
“I couldn’t just skip town. They had goons watching my home and were constantly checking up on me, sometimes more enthusiastically than I liked. Bastards got me good a couple times until I started carrying a knife.”
“So they were smarter than the common rabble. But then the day came where this good for nothing had to face the music and pay what was owed. Am I right?”
“Yeah, and then I had the brilliant idea to try and swindle Bellmont.” He let out a mirthful chuckle. “Went to their caravan that they set up, waltzing right into the head cheeses tent. I thought that it would be easy enough to swipe the advanced pay they offered with smiles and just disappear. Before the ink could even dry on my paperwork, I was beaten and shackled for transport. No one so much as blinked at the display as I was tossed into an iron cage in broad daylight along with the other new employees.”
“Signed your soul away for a little gold? Well there’s no shame in that. You’re not the first to do so and most certainly won’t be the last.” Roland snickered at a sneering Ferris. “But you can’t escape them that easily. Bellmont is always prepared for you runners. Five years or fifty, it makes no difference, your rear belongs to them now.”
Companies like Bellmont were a common sight in the Griffon territories as there was no real regulations and laws to impede them. They did as they liked and had the muscle to back it up. As long as they paid the fees to whoever’s land they were operating in, their word was as good as law.
“What’s your story then?” Ferris asked. “Acting so high and mighty judging me. If you’re so smart how’d you end up here with a twat like me?”
“You’re young and stupid, but I was like you once,” Roland replied. “I was a soldier, you know. A real patriot. When I was old enough to swing a sword I enlisted in the military.”
“Boohoo. My heart goes out to you, really it does.”
“I joined up with the Talons of Grover, you little twat.”
“The Talons!” Ferris spat at the ground “Ha! Wing clippers like you deserve everything you get. And what was that about being a patriot? A lot of good that did your little alliance in the end.”
“Like, I said. We’re all guilty of foolishness in our youth.”
“Yeah, The Talons of Grover are fools alright, led by scum sucking opportunists. Anyone can claim to be some long lost bastard son of that old relic. What right does that give those idiots to rule over me? Besides, the Idol of Boreas is just some kid’s story. That garbage isn’t real.”
With the reign of King Grover at an end after the tragedy of the loss of the Idol of Boreas, and no real unifying leader, civil war naturally erupted over who would succeed him. Blood was shed amongst brothers as former allies took arms against the other, and after so many years of fighting, a pact was made. The mighty kingdom was now reduced to territories and city-states controlled by opportunistic dukes and duchesses that once served the deceased king.
Those claiming to have descended from Grover’s former bastard spawn had formed an alliance with one another, dubbing themselves the Talons of Grover. They crusaded for the lost relic, the Idol of Boreas, for the griffon who should find it shall be crowned king once more. It didn’t last though. The nobles had grown accustomed to ruling their lands without a king and had no desire to bow down to another. Every ruler in Griffonia had put aside their grievances with one another and rallied against the Talons.
It was subtle at first but Roland’s nationalism steadily drained over the years as he was pitted against his foes. Trained and amped up to bring righteous justice to those that oppressed the people; he wanted to bathe in the glory. But there was no sign that pointed out and advertised where the bad guys were on the battlefield. Roland was gutting boys. Cutting down farmers. Impaling traders. Crushing inn keepers. He remembered their faces. Every one. The bloodshed paled in comparison to what followed in their crusade.
Near the end of the war, as the Talons were pushed back east, his stomach churned at what the group thought of as a king’s justice. Those who denied their right of rule were promptly deemed an insurgent or rebel, and the common folk who sought to escape their control were punished severely. It wasn’t until they arrived at Gale Peaks, the grand city in the mountains, that the madness reached a head.
Some resistance was expected of course but nothing serious. They were never welcomed with open arms. Perhaps it was to make an example, to show their strength. Maybe it was because someone said something that just didn’t sit right with one of the generals. Roland didn’t know, but the city was put to the torch. Every griffon soldier that surrendered was captured and put on display as a spectacle. At best, their wings would be clipped but at the worst… they were mutilated.
The Generals declared that any who lost sight of the grand vision of reunification did not deserve to be blessed with the gift of flight and tossed the disfigured griffons off the cliff sides. A Talons preening they called it. He did what he was ordered to do like a good soldier, but he knew that he was damned. Roland disillusioned with the slaughter, like so many others, deserted in the cover of night as the pyres choked the air with the stench of burning bodies.
He had to disappear. For a time Roland wandered about the land in search of a new purpose. Something to live for after his life’s mission was tainted. Living though was expensive. Many of his buddies wanted to form mercenary outfits. He had heard that accounts of banditry went up after that day so perhaps others turned their skills elsewhere. His rations had run out faster than he anticipated and people were wary of passing strangers to offer any real lasting work. A chance meeting in a town that he couldn’t even remember the name of introduced him to Bellmont. A clean slate…
“You’re not going to deny it?”
Roland was shaken out of his reminiscing. “Huh?”
“You guys did a lot of messed up stuff when I was just a speck in my dad’s sack,” Ferris said. “You don’t feel even a little bit sorry about it?”
“…There’s nothing to say. The past is the past and I’m over it. I’ve done a lot of good and a lot of bad. I can make excuses and claim that it was all done under duress, but that would be a lie. You’ve got a long life ahead of you kid, so whatever choices you make, always own up to them.”
“Get over yourself,” Ferris said. “We all ended up here because we’re all equally losers. Really though, you deserted that whole circus and Bellmont was your fall back? I gotta say I wouldn’t have done the same.”
“And where would you be if not in beautiful Stone Falls? Where would Ferris take his little vacation?”
“I’d high tail it out of this country. I heard Equestria is nice about this time of year. You can really be someone there, you know? Well, not like the likes of us we’ll ever get to find out.”
“On the contrary little cub. My contract is almost up.” Roland wagged a digit at him. “Unlike you, I’ll be indebted to these dirty mongrels for just a few more months. I’ll be kicking up my paws somewhere far away from this shithole, with a strong drink in one claw, and a beautiful girl in the other. I’ll send you a postcard if I bother to remember you’re ugly face.”
“Yeah, right,” Ferris chuckled. “Like it’ll be that easy. You’ll end up dead in a ditch somewhere or right back here with the rest of us. You won’t see me shed any tears.”
Roland grew sober at the words, his smirk slipping from his face. “Maybe. But sometimes all I can do, all I have, is the belief that things will be different. Far away from here. It’s the most that anyone could hope for. Because what else is there? Why else do we bother going on?”
It wasn’t like Roland meant to ruminate about the past like that. He expected some snarky rebuttal but it never came. Ferris let the conversation die there and resumed pacing next to Roland’s side. What could the kid possibly even say to something like that? He didn’t blame him. Just playing it back in his head made Roland depressed.
They both hunted fervently for some time after that. Desperation had claimed the kid but Roland knew they’d have to turn back soon. Further and further, Roland carried the light through the earthen intestines until finally, he chanced upon what he was searching for.
The passage way opened up and grew from the narrow tunnels, forming into a grand chamber the size of a small ball room. A grin split his beak as he excitedly cast the light further around as far as it could stretch, revealing the abundance of clustered minerals. The room was circular in nature and every crevice was packed with a rainbow sheen from the gems. On the walls, brilliant chunks of quartz glittered in the dark when the flame danced upon it.
“Is that…” Ferris uttered.
“There’s your meal ticket right there, kid!” Roland patted Ferris’ back, relief plastered on the latter’s face.
Roland all but skipped into the room. When he reached the center he gently placed his lantern upon the ground. His bag followed suit, the heavy load finally off his aching back. With room to finally stretch Roland let his wings unfurl. Ferris seemed to have the same idea and followed his lead. They were at the homestretch now and really all they had to do was jot down a couple minute details about the gems and bring back some samples.
Roland withdrew a thoroughly chewed pencil and a clipboard that held several loose papers attached to it, angling them against the light. The paperwork was all exactly where he packed it. He then tossed the bundle to Ferris who awkwardly caught it with a squawk.
“I’ll give you the easy job today just because I’m feeling nice. Take notes of the gems you see and fill out the paperwork. I’ll use the chisel to get bring the samples back.”
“There’s tons here though. It’s like a rainbow melting into the rocks. How am I supposed to know what belongs to what?”
“Ah, they don’t care about that. They figure it out with the Diamond Dogs. It’s more of just letting them know how many workers they need to send and haul it all out. Just do your best and make educated guesses. And don’t think of swiping any of those rocks. On the way out they check your pockets and anywhere that you might think to hide some.”
“I wasn’t going to!”
“Make sure that you don’t. I like you enough so far. It be a shame if you ended up with a few extra holes.”
Ferris nodded before getting to work. He scribbled down some notes on the clipboard, occasionally he would stop his writings and would move against the wall to examine the gems more closely before returning back to his musings. Roland, invigorated by the youth’s enthusiasm, unfastened his chisel and tiny hammer and got to work.
As time passed every new fragment became tedious to extract. By now, Roland had his vest pockets bulging with the jagged minerals. The veins here were strange. Roland had never seen anything like it before and in his excitement of finding the thing, he didn’t think anything of it. The room was perfectly circular; unnaturally so. Only a single jagged scar marred the flawless curvature from their entranceway. Roland pondered what could have possibly carved out the earth in such a flawless manner.
“Are you done yet? Or are you dozing off old timer?” Ferris taunted.
Roland snorted. “Done already then?”
“I’ve been done for ages. It’s a ton of gems. So I wrote down that there was a ton of gems. They’ll figure it out.”
Ferris was lounging about, his bag used as a makeshift pillow beneath him. Roland thought it couldn’t have been comfortable but the griffon didn’t seem to mind his lumpy cushion. “I’m almost done. Just a few more samples and we’ll head back out. Who knows, maybe we’ll make it back in time before the dinner rush. I heard Gustav is serving stew tonight back at the bar.”
“Gods that stuff is awful. What I wouldn’t give for a nice juicy steak. Medium rare and….”
“And what?” Roland asked. Pondering his silence, Roland turned to his companion to see that Ferris had unsheathed his blade. Ferris’ gaze was locked onto a plump rat at the entryway. He was poised and ready to pounce.
“My luck just keeps on giving today,” Ferris whispered. “Don’t move old timer. I’m gonna wrangle up some real grub. If you beg nice enough I might even share.”
Before Roland could utter his protests, Ferris bounded after his prey. The rat squealed as it skittered away from the approaching griffon, the both of them disappearing into the shadows. He could hear the steps grow fainter as the chase went on until
Roland shook his head at the displayed idiocy and ambled over to the entrance. “Ferris, has what I’ve been saying not stuck in your thick skull?”
There was no reply, just the deafening roar of the abyss. Roland strained his ears to hear something, anything, but there was nothing. The padding of steps was gone now as well. Ferris either made his kill or the fool boy got turned around in the dark. The tunnels did curve here and there, likely obscuring the lantern light in his chase, but if that was the case why did he not respond?
As much as he distasted doing so, Roland cupped his beak and shouted into the tunnel. “Ferris! Where’d you run off to?”
He counted in his head upwards to a full minute and still he got no reply. Roland was thinking the boy must have gotten himself into trouble for sure. “Ferris? C’mon lad you’ve had your laugh, now come back already.”
His thoughts were cut short when a loud clanging reverberated towards him from the depths. Anxiety flooded him all at once. Without thinking Roland attached the lantern to his right wing and bounded through the dark. He flared his wing holding the light forward in the hopes of catching any movement.
Roland thought himself mad charging into the unknown. Truthfully he’s left others behind in these tunnels for less. Ferris was nothing to Roland but their conversation reminded him of the harshness of reality. How unfair the game of life is. They were all just people trying their best to make it. And sometimes it wasn’t enough. Sometimes you needed a helping claw.
“Ferris, where are you?” Roland said, huffing from his mad dash. He slowed down to catch his breath when something caught his eye.
It was subtle at first but he could make out a gleam in the dark where his lantern’s light just ended. Roland thrust the wing towards it only to be horrified at what he unveiled. Resting on the ground in a pool of blood, a dismembered talon loosely clutched at a knife. He didn’t have time to process it though. Roland raised the lantern to inspect the horrific scene but there was nothing to see. No lifeless body of his companion, nor a smeared blood trail to be found, there wasn’t even a feather out of place. Ferris, excluding his appendage, had just disappeared.
Roland’s fur stood on end as he strained his ears to listen, slowly tilting his head toward the passage in front of him before he made another step. Subtle at first, a cacophony of voices overlapped in indistinguishable whispers. The languages they used were alien to him, yet oddly, he felt that he somehow understood. An impression of sorts was left into the recess of his mind. Death. That path held nothing but death. To Roland’s bewilderment the noise seethed towards his way from the void.
“S-s-stay back!” Roland cried as he tripped over himself in his haste to flee. He scrapped his knee in the tumble but he could hardly feel it. Gems slipped free from his pockets and clattered to the ground. The thing was getting closer and that’s all that mattered. Roland was dead if he didn’t get back up. But it never came. Just as the orchestra of sound came upon the outskirts of the bordering light it was gone.
Roland could plainly sense that something was there, hovering in the dark. It seemed to be floating about lethargically like a fish swimming in water, always just out of his perception; waiting. Then at times sharp clacking emanated from the beast as if it had numerous appendages skittering across the earth as it circled its prey, before disappearing into the air. All was quiet and he kept himself alert for any rustling of movement but there was none. Not the intake of breath of some horrid creature, nor the putrid stink of a beast could be noted.
Slowly, the light in the tunnel was dissipating as it receded back towards the lantern. His eyes widened but as he made to save the flame from any damages of his fall, he noted that the fire was still burning strong, it’s cage still pristine. In the blink of an eye, everything around him had gone dark, but the gems, the gems glowed a brilliant rainbow hue. They were blazing bright in the dark like twinkling stars. Roland twirled his head around and everywhere he looked there was nothing but the void. He could perceive himself clear as day, yet there was nothing in any other direction that his eyes could see. The light from the lantern’s flame melded with the abyss.
W-what is this? Roland thought. This can’t be real. His heart thudded in his chest as he attempted to lean against a wall for purchase only to claw at the open air and fall over himself.
He knew the wall was there a moment ago but chalked up to his mind being turned around. His wings shot open to find something, anything to reorient himself against, but there was nothing. Slowly he exhaled, not even realizing that he had been holding his breath. A dexterous wing angled out to hold the lantern close to him. Roland’s snapped his head back towards the blade but it was nowhere to be found.
No, no, no! It was right there I know it was!
The whispers picked up again with fervor, emanating now from every direction, yet it was impossible to see the sources. Darkness cloaked them all and Roland’s eyes darted everywhere around him. It felt as though something was closing in, and fast, just out of his peripheral vision, yet every time he turned towards the movement, the thing had disappeared.
Roland violently quivered, his limbs locked in place. There was no escape. Nowhere to run. His mind raced to think of what to do but it all came up blank.
“Stay back! Back demon!” Ferris clawed at the air in hopes of landing a lucky blow on the thing. He knew it was pointless but he would struggle until the end. This beast wouldn’t have such an easy meal, Roland would make sure of that.
“Roland. . . Is that you?” A voice whimpered from the abyss.
Roland, surprised at the voice, lurched as he ceased his flailing, his head whipping toward the noise. “Ferris! Where are you lad?”
“Over here,” he labored. “Please, hurry. Buck. I can’t stand. It hurts so bad!”
“I’m on my way! Stay there!” Roland blindly dashed over to the other griffon without hitting a barrier once. Every step forward was like piercing through a thick fog, parting the black veil. He was no longer in the tunnels that was certain. The thought that he was running straight into a trap never even crossed his mind, it was just good to hear the griffon’s voice again.
Roland skidded to a stop when he saw him. All thoughts of a happy reunion froze. Ferris was sprawled on the ink black ground clutching his appendage, the limb ended in a stump and steadily streamed out his lifeblood. A long jagged gem lay next to him bathing him in the familiar rainbow hue.
“Shit, Ferris. This isn’t good.”
“It hurts!” Ferris sobbed. “Gods. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry, lad” Roland said softly, “we’ll get that taken care of.”
Muscle memory guided him as Roland took off his vest and ripped it into long strands. Despite the lantern giving no visible light, the minerals glowed brilliantly as if the sun itself shined upon them. It seemed Ferris couldn’t keep his claws to himself after all. Good that he did, it was enough to be able see that Ferris was in one piece barring the circumstances. Quickly, he grasped the limb and tied the tourniquet around the base then wrapped the nub with the rest of the cloth as best as he could.
Ferris writhed in agony at the sudden handling of his wound. “Shit!”
“You’re okay,” Roland said anxiously. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.”
He wasn’t going to be alright, that much Roland knew. The kid had lost too much blood before he found him and they were trapped in the middle of gods knows where. And that thing. That horrible thing was still out there waiting. Still, he kept repeating it for his own sake to keep from breaking down in a nervous wreck.
It was pitiful. He’d walked battlefields after the carnage was done, seen the warriors that had lost their fights, heard those hardened soldiers cry out for their family, lovers, or their gods as their spirits seeped away from this mortal coil. Roland should already be numb to it all but here he was panicking over some griffon he just met. He didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh or cry.
Roland’s minor aid slowed the bleeding and he hoped that it would be enough for the moment. Ferris seemed to have calmed down a bit but his face was contorted with pain. With a little finagling he sat back up right, holding his wound close to his chest.
“It’s not safe here,” Roland said. “We’re going to have to move, and fast.”
“W-why hasn’t that thing just finished us off yet?”
“I don’t know but I’m not planning to ask it.”
That was a good question.They were certainly no match for whatever it was. Unarmed and with one of them already gravely wounded, it would be a simple matter to just finish the job. Roland mused that it was perhaps toying with its food first. Roland cursed that the knife had disappeared, even if it was a toothpick, it was something at least. He pondered for a moment on what could be done when his eyes were drawn to the glowing gem. Roland grasped for the rock and his talon trembled.
Idiot! He clutched at his shaking limb to still himself and took deep breaths allowing the adrenaline to dissipate. Roland attempted to pick up the rock again, but his blood shot cold when in the absolute chaos of noise so far, a deep groaning made itself known behind him. All at once the whispers ceased at the piercing call of this new fiend. A deep and guttural sound that he knew that no natural creature could emit. Inhaling and exhaling air accompanied with howls of agony; low and deep it wails were like the rending of souls.
Roland froze and whispered to Ferris, “Those wings work still right?”
Ferris was muttering apologies to his mother and family, ignoring the older griffon’s question.
“Ferris!” Roland tried a little louder.
“Huh?” Ferris finally responded.
“Can you fly?”
“Uh… I think so.” He flapped his wings a few times and nodded. “Yeah, still in one piece.”
“On my mark get ready to fly, boy. Faster than you have ever done in your life.” Roland stood stiff as his heart thundered in his chest. His body coiled, ready to take off. And then it came.
No steps, slinking, slithering or beats of wings could be perceived. It was as if it was gliding towards Roland, its shriek a war cry. The being was some distance away yet in a flash it closed the gap between them.
“Now!”
Roland snatched the jagged gem with a talon and took to the air. Ferris, in his disheveled state, took a moment to dust off, stumbling for just a moment before he gained some height. They fled through the abyss with the beast right on their tails. Roland was never the fastest flier but he was sure that in that moment he would put griffons twenty years younger to shame. He was so fixated on himself that he completely forgot about Ferris.
“Keep it up, Ferris!”
“I’m too slow!” Ferris exclaimed. “I can hear it right behind me!”
“Faster lad!”
“Don’t let it get me, please!”
“You’re not gonna let it! Faster!”
A quick glance over his shoulder showed him that his thoughts before were true; the lad was going to be left behind. His gem’s light was weak but Roland could make out Ferris struggling to keep up. He beat his wings at irregular intervals causing him to considerably slow down. Leaning this way or that before correcting himself, barely following Roland’s lead, he was barely able to stay awake let alone fly.
Already Roland could feel the strain grating in his joints but he didn’t have a choice. He flapped his wings like never before. Not even in his time as a soldier did he push them this hard. If two of them even managed to outrun their pursuer there was no guarantee that they could leave this place. Roland couldn’t see a blasted thing, but anywhere far from the beast was fine by him. The place just kept going on and on without an end in sight.
“We’re gonna make it! You’ll see.” Roland looked back to Ferris but he was gone. “Ferris?”
One moment Ferris was there and in the next he had vanished. Roland couldn’t process it. When did that happen? The kid couldn’t have been more than a few feet behind him just a second ago. He didn’t ruminate for long as the creature made itself known just a small distance from Roland. Sounds of snapping and crunching taunted him. Wet meat being torn apart as liquid sloshed out. He couldn’t see it but Roland knew. Ferris was being devoured.
Roland screamed and flared out his wings to slow his pace, his makeshift gem dagger gripped tightly in his claw. He spun in the air, his free claw outstretched and slammed right into the beast, gripping onto wispy black hair. The hair though slipped from his grasp and he fell further down the creature’s body until his paws found purchase on a sturdy foundation; far away from the monsters face he could perceive what had been hunting them this whole time.
The demon was an abomination the likes of which Roland had never seen. The hair was actually chunks of a patchy black mane attached to the back of a giant equine head, devoid of any fur. Its clammy skin ended in threads below its neck, waving like meaty kite strings. The head was still connected with a spinal cord and ribcage with wings; by the gods the wings. Mish mashed skins and furs of varying colors barely coated the bones, with pieces poking out at tattered ends.
When the head swallowed what remnants were in its mouth, its throat slid the meat past its neckline and chunks of flesh flew off in the air. To Roland’s revulsion, the remnants of his friend splattered across his visage, soaking into his fur. No longer preoccupied with its feast, the beast thumped onto the ground, almost causing Roland to lose his grip. It skittered across the surface with rib bones emulating the movement of a centipede, each rib clacked on the ground in perfect unison. Bigger than three bug bears combined, it was more akin to a dragon than a pony. With a running start it jumped back into the air and soared once more with a flap of its mighty wings.
Roland clawed his way up using the skeleton’s ribs as a ladder. One paw after the other he climbed upwards until he could pull at the black mane to use as a makeshift rope. It was slow going with the wind buffeting him as they sailed through the air but eventually Roland made it to the base of its neck.
The creature finally noted the pest on its mane and regarded him with black orbs the size of his head. No life or intelligence could be found when he gazed into them; just emptiness. Then chills ran down Roland’s spine. Twisting its head into an unnatural angle that would have surely snapped any normal creatures’ neck, it greeted him. Through receding lips to show off a maw of misshapen teeth, it looked as though the thing was smiling at him.
He jumped right at the beast’s face and slammed the gem into its eye, but not before it bit a sizeable portion out of Roland’s left wing. Roland grimaced with muffled pain but the monster yowled as its black eye bled liquid shadow. Roland shouted as he wiggled the gem deeper and it glowed, seeming to grow in intensity, illuminating the entire eye socket. The beast’s body was shuddering and bucking with all it’s might to dislodge Roland now. He would have punched through the eye with his entire fist but with only one claw to hold him in place, Roland was flung off the creature; gem still embedded in its eye.
Roland could feel the air caressing him as he hurdled toward the ground. With only one wing he wouldn’t able to glide safely down, much less fly. He expected that the impact would be enough to end him. At least he hoped it would. That thing was still lingering about somewhere after it bucked Roland off, but at least he scored a good hit. He closed his eyes ready to accept the impact. And waited.
One eye peeked open to see that he was sprawled on his back with a stone roof above him. The light of his lantern licked at actual earthen walls once more. He dared not move from his spot and kept his unblinking eyes glued to the bordering shadows for any movement until they dried out and burned. Roland was back in the tunnels.
He was back, without his wing perhaps, but he was alive. He shouted into the air for the joy of life and of his triumph, chortling with a claw covering his face. Then he remembered Ferris and his empty promises to the kid. And in the first time in years, Roland wept.