Threyir
It's the fourth day since I left Rynnwhere. So far, my speed has stayed consistent. I hope that I will make it home in time. I hope that I'm not too late. So far, my biggest struggle has been sleep. I can't forget what I saw. Today I will arrive at Shehuk where an escort of soldiers will be ready for a hard ride to the capital. What will I see when I reach the land of my people? What will remain? I don't know. For now I might as well enjoy the wind in my hair and the warmth of the sun on my back. The further I sail from Marney the better, the evil island fills me with dread.
~
Raleigh
“THEY’RE GAINING!
Come on, we’re nearly there.
“Raleigh! The water is receding, we don't have much time left, we are going to have to fight, take the wheel!” Ahead of us the mountain looms, casting its dark shadow over us as we sail forth into it. Behind me I can hear the fearsome sounds of battle. The screech of steel. Splashes as bodies hit the water.
“You boys alright?!”
“There's too many of them!”
I can feel the boat vibrate as more and more of the demonic creatures jump from the creek shore onto the boat.
“Just hold on a little longer!”
The timbers of the boat groan as more crystal horrors clamber aboard. Ahead of us a great mouth of darkness opens to swallow us whole, pillars of filthy black marble support the entrance into the mountain. I leave the tiller and start bashing at the horrific creatures with a canon ram as they try to climb up the side of the ship. Crystal chunks shatter off and some are knocked off, but more keep coming. Suddenly a high pitch whining pierces my ears. The pain drives me to my knees.
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Slowly the noise fades but my ears are left ringing. The only other sound is the soft lapping of the boat as it rocks side to side. I slowly stand by holding onto the wheel and hauling myself to my feet. I feel unsteady. Suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder and I almost hit Edward before I realize that he is not a crystal demon. He eyes me wearily.
“You okay?” I ask.
“No.”
“Where's Garfil? And what the hell was that noise?”
“I’m right here.” Says Garfil with a slap on my back.
“And I have no idea what in Gori’s name that was.”
“Where the hell were you?” Says Ed.
“On the ground covering my bloody ears?!”
“Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
Garfil mutters and grumbles and I almost laugh, before I realize we are still drifting deeper into Marney and I'm not minding the helm.
~
We are so deep in the bowels of this cursed mountain that no light reaches us. No one talks and the only noises are that of the flowing water and the creaking planks. Without Thrak’s warning we would be dead three times already, once to the demons, once to the water and once to the silence. In the silence, thoughts grow to life inside my head, the crystal pillars, the dead Mogi-Mogi, Thrak, Eden and my aunty. Everything's moving so fast I don’t even have time to stop and think, it's overwhelming, but at the same time, thrilling. There is one thing that my mind always returns to, it gnaws at me until I am so curious the question almost bubbles out of me.
“Ed, how did I kill the Mogi-Mogi?” I whisper as quietly as I can.
Ed mouths “Not Now” and gives me a stare that warns me from speaking again.