Inky black shadows pushed up from mossy, well carved stones. Taking the form of a small hand, pushing its way to freedom. Aes appeared from a mixture of shadows and smoke. Her hand. Arm. Head. Torso, and so on. Gasping hard as she emerged from the darkness. Her body shivered, skin blueish white, and teeth chattering. Her silky white tunic was stained deep purple from bleeding on it. The young woman rolled her side.

"Where are we...?" Aes murmured. Hearing violent clashing of battle echoed within the stone walls. The direction was indiscernible.

"With in the ruins, the knight rested in front of. Stand Childe! You are not yet liberated from peril!" Gloam urged!

Aes coughed dryly several times. Placing her hand on the stones of the wall to pull herself to her feet. Her chest rose and fell with each desperate gasp of air. She glanced back at the heavy thorns that blocked any escape. Soft blue light illuminated the path. She turned to her right and began slowly walking along the wall.

Despite its ruined weathering,. The path's architecture was masterful. Smooth stones skillfully decorated with creatures and faces. Gloam studied carefully as his host advanced forward in a dazed state. The soft sounds of running water could be heard up ahead. Perfectly carved circles poured pure smelling waters from the walls through an aqueduct that disappeared deeper into the ruins.

Each breath was a painful, dry gasp. Her eyes glossed and unfocused. The spirit lantern hung idly at her side. Her cuts and scrapes left purple marks on her white skin. She forced herself to remain conscious. She began to cough in short bursts. Struggling to maintain her balance over the mossy stone floor.

The path at the end broke into two directions. A cloaked feminine figure, carved into the center. Holding two vases in each hand. Surrounded by other feminine creatures half her size, their arms extended in praise, standing in fields. Water flowed from the carved vases down the wall.

Beyond the separation, the ruins displayed immaculate preservation. Gloam studied the intricate details carved into the walls and circular arch ceiling. Swirls of humanoid creatures flock to some benevolent female.

Along the path. A stone fountain filled with water dripping from above. They bore a strange ethereal radiance about them. Aes glanced down with ravenous thirst. approaching to kneel forward to lower her lips to the gentle pool.

"Be Wary De'ah...I know not what this place is.." Gloam spoke up.

Aes paused a moment to look at him. "If you're uncertain...that is not good." She replied. Hesitating to drink from the waters. Gloam half grinned and gave a single nod. Aes took a deep breath before braving the waters to drink.

"Its...so clean!" she said, relieved. Gulping down more of the radiant waters. She paused only a moment to let her throat moisten before scooping as much as she could in her hands. She drank until there was barely anything for her to reach.

A breeze of soft wind brushed past her. A low whisper accompanied it. Aes straightened up with sudden alertness. Her blue eyes stared down the hall, lantern raised up high, illuminating the path.

"Did you..." Aes began

"Indeed, I heard it as well, De'ah!" Gloam responded. His beady eyes peering around.

Aes placed her hand over her chest. Looking back and forth as she carried on. The radiant waters illuminated the halls with vivid details. Swirls of light danced on the ceiling. The air was light and warm. Color flowed back to Aes's face, flushing her light olive complexion.

=========

Battle shortly ceased at the entrance of the ruins. The large knight stood victorious over the destroyed corpses. It returned to its post in front of the archway. The three gnolls leap down from their perches. Their feral eyes and sinister grins stared down the knight, who stood firm before them.

"We wants the F'ief. Fork it over!" One demanded. The knight made no reply.

The gnolls took several steps forward. One after the other. Raising their weapons menacingly. The stoic knight reached to it's right, grabbing a tree sized lance from the vines. Before the first gnoll could speak, he was struck hard across the face with the weapon.

The gnoll's eyes glowed blood red, he roared and rose his spiked club back to bring down upon the knight.

"Get em!" He ordered.

The other two snarled and charged with their weapons high. The knight skillfully stepped, bobbed and weaved around them. Using its large lance to deflect and block their attacks. Striking back with its armored talon at short range.

The gnolls fought like wild barbarians, swinging violently with wooden clubs and stone axes. Their tactics were enough to keep the knight alert. Yet its martial talents limited their blows to a minimum. Its aged armor occasionally cracked or broke from natural decay mixed with brute forceful strikes.

The gnolls surrounded the knight on three sides. Attacking at random intervals, the gradual loss its armor, only made the knight's fighting styles more crafty and quick.

"Wha' is ish f'ing?" Byrn called out. Another tried to strike from behind. The knight leaped over with it's bird like legs and pushed the gnoll into another. Striking the third in the side of the head with its lance.

"Is it toy'n with us!?" Another gnoll called out.

"Grab em. See how squirrely he is when we break ish chicken legs off!" The third said. The three charged at the same time to tackle the knight. Something else, however, caught the knight's attention.

A large black shadow blocked the moon's light. The knight peered up to the sky with its single eye. Watching as a beast flew from tree to tree in the direction beyond the ruins. It struck two of the gnolls, one at a time, with the ends of its lance. The last one got clobbered in the face with a headbutt.

The knight dismissed the gnolls, its powerful legs leap into the air and vanished into the night.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

The gnolls groaned as the knight left them. "Aight...if'n Grif asks. We foughts seven of em!" They all nodded in agreement.

==========

Aes emerged from the stone pathway. Standing on a stone balcony overlooking a cliff to a small canyon. Vibrate plant life grew aside large stone columns, vines hung from archways. Spiraling stairs carved into the stones that ascended and descended within the gorge. High above, a towering statue of the veiled female, pouring radiant waters from a vase fed the ruins. Flowing into aqueducts and cisterns.

Aes and Gloam stared with awe at the eldritch serenity.

"This is was the knight's charge..." Gloam whispered. Aes stepped out into the glow of the moon. Its celestial majesty filled the ruins with splendor. "You must leave, now!" Gloam ordered.

"Where can I go? The entrance was blocked with thorns and ...walking zombies!" Aes asked

"Find a way, De'ah!" He responded. His hue shifting in color.

Aes explored the ruins, the light from the lantern and moon released masterful sculpting. The reflection on the walls created an mirage. As if the ruins were still inhabited. Aes smiled softly at such simple beauty.

"Why doesn't this place look like the rest of the Hedge?" Aes asked. Glaom gave no response.

The white light was momentarily blocked out, blacking out the ruins in that instant. Aes looked up into the sky for the cause. A chilling howl echoed in the dark. Aes froze, the color feel from her face. She stared up at a pair of ghastly green eyes glaring at her from the shadows across the canon.

Aes fled down the stairs, occasionally glancing back at the ghoulish glow. She watched as it melded with the shadows on the ruins. Jumping from shadow to shadow with unearthly speed.

"Ov'ah the Bridge! Hurr'eh!" Gloam ordered! Aes looked in several directions before spotting a stone bridge that crossed one side of the canyon to the other. It arched just before the waterfall from the statue. Aes dashed over, the heavy falls drenching her entirely. She turned back to see where the ghoulish shadow leaped to.

"HOLD!" Gloam roared. Aes stumbled and fell to the feet of the molten darkness. She pushed herself back and watched as it took shape. Forming into a large distorted wolf hound. Aes shrieked in terror at the sight of the warped body. But even more was the unholiest of it's ghastly eyes.

It pinned her with its thick, oozing darkness, that morphed into a large paw. Aes shut her eyes and looked away. The ghastly shadow snickered in an inhuman tone. It rolled a black dripping tongue over her. Aes recoiled in disgust. Her wounds began to leak blood again.

The Ghast inhaled the scene deeply and cooed. Its body slowly regenerating. It looked down at its prey. It spoke to her in a mocking tone as it opened its maw to unnatural degree. Its jagged, sharp fangs lowered down to the human while she prayed.

A heavy force slammed into the Ghast. Its body shattered over the stone cliff like glass and paint. Aes looked up from the ground to see the Knight perched between her and the splattered shadow, as it slowly reformed. The Knights weathered armor grinded against itself, as it turned to peer at the human with a single, radiant, blue eye.

It offered her its large, unturned claw. Aes hesitated before taking it. She rose to her feet. Holding her rosary to her chest. The two watched at the shadows melded together. The Knight pointed up to the carved statue of the veiled woman above the canyon, then to a path that led up to it. Aes looked up, nodded and rushed to the ascending staircase.

The Knight turned back to the molten shadow. Stepping back into the radiant falls. It perched down and lowered its head under the heavenly waters. Its large lance by it's side. It stared solemnly at the shadows.

Aes dashed as fast as she could. Airy and distinct voices and screams could be heard from the radiant mirages. They seemed as distressed as she was. She gradually treated them as if they were truly there.

Aes panted heavily, taking the last step to the top. The colossal statue's face seemed so...human yet divine, as she looked up at it. There was an entrance within the statue's vase. Bright lights of aqua blue filled it. Aes dashed inside.

The room was filled with radiant pool. Stone steps elevated just above the surface. With gouges to allow water to flow freely from the center. Something glowing was in the center on the room. Aes approached cautiously.

A voice broke the silence. speaking in several languages at once. The young human's eyes lit up with a radiant color, same as the waters.

"Approach, lost one..." The voice said,. Aes obeyed as if in a trace. A strange bioluminescent creature sat in the center. appearing as some mix of fish, fairy and human female. She opened her eyes, they shone like moonlight.

"You have returned...finally. She said, her voice sounded like multiple beings speaking at once. "...and with a new companion." Aes and Gloam were speechless.

Outside the shrine, the sounds of the earth moving. Strong winds howled, voices created out in terror. Aes turned back, to see what was happening.

"I feel the turbulence of your heart..." She removed something from her person and handed it to Aes. "This trinket is sacred, I have guarded it with my life. I place it within your charge..." Aes stared down at the object.

It was a bright, polished aquamarine stone. Wrapped with a golden metal and held by a rope of some kind. Small privative carvings decorated it with fine details. It glowed in Aes's hand, she looked out at the unearthly beautiful woman. The ground shook again, a large crack in the shrine floor drained the radiant pool waters.

"Hurry..." The glowing creature spoke as she slowly faded away. The waters gradually dimmed along with Aes shook her head as the blue haze faded from her eyes. She rushed to the entrance of the shrine.

The Radiant waters showering the Knight dimmed softly. The ghast reformed, it's horrid body leaped from the wall with it's massive maw open. The knight peered up with a single eye. It's four fingered talons gripping the lance. Thrusting towards the shadowy beast. Down it's throat into it's heart.

The Ghast's eyes bulged from it's head. An unnatural roar broke from it's body as it ignited from within. Silvery blue flames slowly disintegrated. It's yelping howls of death echoed in the canyon.

"Pitiful beast..." a voice broke from the body. "It was unworthy. Yet it served it's purpose."

The Knight watched as the canyon began to slowly crack. Stones fell into the waters below, the ruins shook and crumbled. The Knight leaped several times from cliff side to cliff side. Landing with a hard boom in front of Aes.

"What's happening!?" She shouted. The Knight did not answer.

The Knight glanced at the glowing stone in the human's hand. He offered her his hand once again as more of the ruins began to tremble. Aes placed her tiny hand in his. He grabbed her body and leapt within the air. She watched as something slithered up the veiled woman's statue, clinging to it like a parasite.

The young human shut her eyes tightly. Her hair and clothes lifted and fell as she was carried away by the Knight. The two landed hard within the swampy waters of the Hedge. The Knight lowered Aes to the ground gently, gesturing to an open path. She nodded as looked up at the creature with a soft smile.

It spoke to her in a strange language as it kneeled down. She shook her head in response. "I don't understand, Glaom what is he saying...?"

"...A moment, De'ah. I am trying to recall. he says. 'Fair maiden, my strength leaves me... " Gloam answered. The Knight drew something from it's bird like leg to offer her. " 'Thou may encounter various dangers traveling with an absence of comrades. Hold Possession over this, and include it while traveling.' " Gloam Continued.

"Huh?" Aes asked

"It's perilous to be alone, take this weapon!" Gloam replied. Aes looked down at the gift. It was a sword, sheathed in dark wood. Two birds crossing one another, cared into the guard. She examined the ivory blade and it's etching's

"Poe's feather..." Gloam said, reading the etching.

"Thank you..." Aes said, reaching up to touch the helmet. She watched as the Knight's glowing eye faded. Its head slumped forward. A soft white mist fumed from its armor as moonlight briefly shone down over it. Then slowly faded into darkness, leaving only a husk of empty armor.

Aes covered her mouth and wept. She leaned in to pray and placed a gentle kiss on the faceplate. Taking several steps back, she turned around to walk away. She looked a back once more before venturing on.

"Gloam...? You have been really quiet." Aes exclaimed.

Gloam gave no response.