Savekio stopped in his tracks, holding his hand up again, “We’ve only a few hundred meters to go. If you hear a crack in the ice, run as fast as you can. Understood? Ezo should be fast enough to make it.”

Dreiki swallowed, nodding.

There was a rumbling slosh beneath them which made Ezo’s hairs stand up. Dreiki could feel how tense he was. Every muscle in its body was primed to spring forward at the first sign of danger. Dreiki closed his eyes and focused his hearing. He could hear it breathing. The slow gushing inhales of the monster beneath them. Blood thumping through hundreds of chambers in a discordant chorus. There was a strange whine. Something between the pull of a violin’s bow and a baby’s cry. Was it Malaki? Magakos? Did it matter?

He felt Luna shaking behind him, squeezing his torso. The whining got louder and louder, calling out to the ones above it. Those unnatural sounds multiplying.

“Leave me alone…” Luna muttered, clawing at Dreiki’s chest enough to hurt.

Dreiki winced, touching her hands, “What’s wrong?”

The ice rumbled beneath them once more, that inky black below carrying waves of liquid with it. The rambling endless tones of the beast below grew louder and louder. The ice shuddered underfoot at its volume as Luna dug her face into Dreiki’s back. Its presence loomed right beneath them, beckoning them to join it in its abyss. Dreiki felt the urge to dismount and break through the ice. To envelop and drown himself in whatever liquid sloshed underneath. Baptized in the abyss.

And more than anything, he felt it trying to pull Luna away from him. Dreiki grit his teeth. He touched Luna’s hands.

Recuso.

The presence looming in his mind vanished, “Go away,” Dreiki muttered.

The white of the fog returned as the creature left. Luna gasped behind him, clutching him tightly, “What was that? Are you alright, Luna?”

“Let’s continue forward. I’m not surprised it tried talking with her.”

“Talking with her?”

Savekio nodded grimly, “I was hoping it wouldn’t notice, but it did. Let’s move.”

“Notice what?”

“That thing beneath us,” Luna said, “It’s a celestial.”

“A celestial? Like an angel?”

“Seraphim, to be exact. And it’s rather feral.”

“It’s a demon is what it is,” Luna said shuddering, “I’ve never felt such perverse evil speak to me like that before.”

“What was it saying?”

“It was…praising me.”

“Praising you? That does not sound so evil.”

Luna shook her head, “I felt like I was being violated with it. It felt like I was with that Stickbug all over again. Trying to lure me down with it so it could…” She tightened her grip on Dreiki.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Celestials who spend enough time away from their deities inevitably go mad, and revert to their feral nature.” Savekio said, “This Seraphim likely attempted to follow xiozians back to our world, only to end up trapped here. I’m not surprised it was drawn to another celestial.”

“It’s a demon,” Luna insisted.

Savekio stepped on solid ground and ushered them away, “Whether you call it an angel or a demon, it is a highly dangerous Magakos.”

“Why not kill it?”

“Too old.”

“But why not kill it before? You knew it was here, right?”

“The blacksmith that lives here likes to keep them around. It would be rude of me to kill it without his permission.”

“The blacksmith? You mean the person we’re meeting?”

Savekio nodded, “Him and his son. We should be meeting his son soon. Come, there is much more to traverse before nightfall. If we do not meet up with him before sundown it’s going to be difficult to keep the two of you safe.”

Dreiki dismounted with Luna who snatched his hand and tugged him forward, “No time to waste, then.” She said.

“Right.”

The group trekked uphill until Dreiki felt his legs had turned to jelly. Loose rocks, hard roots, and untamed bramble made it difficult to get any footing. Dreiki was using every muscle in his body to move forward, grabbing branches, balancing on meager footing, and trying his best not to snap his own ankles in the process.

Savekio, despite his age, moved like a mountain goat around the terrain, leaving the two of them to struggle behind. He was not leaving them without protection, however. His eyes always scanning the area to point out their best path forward. He hooked his tail into the crack of a nearby wall, standing like a mounted flag as he gave them directions.

It was times like these that Dreiki wished he had a tail to help him climb. Luna was able to use hers to pull herself forward and propel her steps. She even caught herself on it a few times after slipping.

Ezo was the only one having fun during the climb. He raced up and down the cliff faces like it was flat ground. Even with their belongings strapped to his back, Ezo had no issues climbing whatsoever. The drake even managed to find a couple of small animals to terrorize and chase too. The poor things.

“What a show off.” Luna said, lowering her tail down for him to grab and climb up with.

“Who? The drake, or the old xio?”

Luna snickered, “Good point.”

As the sun descended over the horizon, they came to a plateau. Dreiki was caked in sweat, and every muscle in his body felt like it had been liquidized, “I’m glad Ezo carried our belongings on his back, but damn do I wish he could’ve carried me too.” he huffed

“The climb wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for how thin the air is. Even talking costs so much energy.” Luna panted.

“It’s only a little further now,” Savekio said before stopping.

“What’s wrong?”

Savekio tossed a knife into a nearby tree with a loud THUNK!

“Whoa!” A voice called out in surprise.

Dreiki heard the crashing of leaves and the breaking of branches.

“Who are you?” Savekio said, approaching the figure, and pulling him up by his collar. He was a xio a couple years older than Dreiki. He had auburn hair like autumn leaves and pointed ears. His eyes were a single deep dark green, and his skin a pale ashy gray like the bark of the nearby trees.

“Hey! Hang on! Hang on! Sorry my bad!”

Dreiki felt a blade press to his throat, “Drop ‘im old man, he’s with me.” A deep monotoned voice called out, “Unless you want something to happen to these kids.”

Savekio turned, still holding the xio off his feet, “I’m guessing you are the blacksmith’s son? Arukundayo inkalashiir.”

The blade left Dreiki’s throat, “Ah! Uncle! So it’s you I’m supposed to meet!” The figure strode out in front of Dreiki. He wore the skull of a boar like a mask, a dull red cape with black fur fluttered behind him. Across his shoulder was the long polearm of a war scythe. He was young too. About the age of the boy Savekio held by the scruff. “And which among you is Uncle’s disciple?”

“That would be the half human.” Savekio said.

The boar-masked xio pivoted on his heel, revealing a fanged grin just beneath the jaw of his mask. As he took a bow, the bright blue glow of his eyes shined through the empty sockets of his mask, “Good to meet you, young disciple. My name is Lawtrick Riinukura, son of dragons, King of Pigs!”