Chapter 7: In Between

The glow from the sword pushed the shadows against the decrepit buildings further into hiding. Gentle streams of blood flowed down his back. Leaving a trail as they traveled back to their place of rest. Lungs swelled with each breath. The pain in both of their chests from being tossed around. Those creatures meant business. Lydon hucked out spit and vile that had flown into his mouth. His glasses fell over the bridge of his nose. Returning to a dormant state, the blade retracted until just the hilt was left. Eyes on the hilt blazed then went dormant once more. Grael unwound himself from the hilt.

His head hung low, whiskers flowing from his sides. Tobias looked down at him, eyes half closing. Pools of blood grew larger as they slowed every so often. Lydon hardly spoke. To busy violently twitching and vomiting. Tobias felt his strength flood out as he placed a hand on Lydon’s back to calm him. Underneath his torn clothes, streams of energy ran down his back. Skin freshly torn skin began to fuse. The bleeding had begun to stop. With another deathly groan, Lydon threw up gray fleshy chunks as big as his fist. Skin and bone fused and lapsed underneath him as this went on. Spots of gray grew on Lydon’s back. Adrenaline from the battle, Lydon pushed his glasses back on his face. Bones creaked and pushed themselves into place. After being forcefully pushed into horrific angles.

“Feeling ok down there?” Tobias asked. His breath was low and quiet. Just hearable in the oddly silent area of The Forge.

“Think so. Damn. Just not feeling terribly hot.” Lydon said. Some of his fingers lay limp as he clutched the cool earth.

“I feel that. Fighting those things was exhausting. Second wind keeping us both up for the moment.” Tobias said. His half-asleep gaze fell to the walking scales off to his side.

“Well, thanks for allowing me to see what’s going on in the shadows. For your help back there as well.”

It took a few moments for Grael to respond but he did:

“You’re welcome. Sorry I’m in the same camp as both of you. Tired. Can hardly focus. Sleep and constraints have not done me any favors. Too long in that space. Waiting to be freed.”

The ground of the forge shook lightly with each step they took. Fans took in, and out heat. Pressure released from buildings, with exasperated sighs of steam rising into the night. Tobias stopped dead in his tracks. A figure just in front of them stood. Smeared with black blood he wiped his hand over his face. Static rose inside the ears. Small tears wove their way into existence as the figure approached. Flame grew around Grael as he inhaled deeply. Rearing back on his back feet, fire pounded in his chest. Tobias could feel the heat and watched molten gray flame flow like lava out of his mouth.

Tobias let go of Lydon and stood in front of Grael, back turned to him. Grael had grown quickly, standing up to his height. He put his hand behind his back to slow the sudden outburst from his companion. Tobias cracked a smile, as the figure, clad in all black holding a rifle approached.

“Considering what just happened, I shouldn’t think twice and let Grael torch you. Bad timing, Feyanna.

Night steam from pipes hissed in the night. Nocturnal rodents dashed through alleys fighting over forages of food. Rifle at their side the helmeted trooper took her helmet off. Long strands of black ethereal hair graced her shoulders. Down past her back, moonlight delicately wove through the refractions of light. Her face, however, made Tobias’ heart stop. What could it beat to, if there was nothing there? A static featureless veil that only resembled a human. Flame licked at the back of his head. Grael once again readying to attack.

Lydon had crawled over after being set down. Glasses on the top of his head smeared in black. Underneath his cloths white energy pushed his leg bones back into place as he crawled. With two hands arounds Graels scaly leg, he yelled:

“WAIT A MINUTE DAMNIT! If Onyx wasn’t afraid of her, neither should you!” He held his head low. Breath running ragged. His pupils morphed into slits if ever so briefly.

Graels whiskers brushed passed Tobias face. Head lowering, Tobias caught a glimpse of one extremely angry dragon eye as he moved forward. Hunched on all fours, he spun his head directly at his potential foe. The rifle hit the weather-beaten muddy grounds of the forge. She took careful steps forward. Tobias couldn’t tell if it was a trick of the light or not. His surroundings became fuzzier the closer she got. Silent black and white static against the backdrop of night.

“I’m sorry we had to meet again this way.” Feyanna said. Every word sounded and trailed off like the notes of a sullen guitar cord.

Before Tobias could get a word out, Feyanna swung her rifle up. Cold strands of skin tickled his lips. She took aim taking careful steps forward. The surrounding area was the perfect area for enemies to hide in.

Tobias just eyed his long-lost friend. While it was her voice, something was off. Nearly everything here was. He watched while she put two fingers to Lydon’s lips as well. Then stood still with shoulders straight. Ready to fire as the rifle aimed from structure to structure. Whatever she was seeing or sensing, he wasn’t picking it up. Even with the power that Grael had gifted him. Specs of black dirt and wind swayed in the air before falling back down. Slits formed into the iris as Tobias eye’s panickily dashed around this ancient place. Smoke drifted from the barrel of the gun. Low hums accompanied each waft of smoke from the shot. Frustrated at this occurrence, his hand took the hilt at the ready. Swirls of smoke came floating past. Feyanna lowered her rifle taking a few steps back.

Still faceless to him, static filled Tobias ears once more. Swiftly she moved forward and motioned to them. Pale hands slicing through the night. Like passing through a cloud.

“There are more of those creatures. Forming and tearing at the fabrics behind the shadow. Come we need to get you back to Grant. Out of the ancient shadows.” Feyanna said.

“There are more of those freaks we just took out? Damn!” Lyon said. Bones in his legs creaked but did not break as he stood. Just a gentle stretch. He hurried after her. Tobias and Grael just stood there for a moment. Before he turned around. Arms out to the side, he waved beckoning the two to hurry. Underneath the collapsed temple, shadows fled out from underneath. Teeth gnashing awake and eyes bursting open. Red and filled with rage.

Feyanna knelt to a knee. Rifle dug into the ground pointing up. Lydon was keeping pace and knelt next to her. Why was he not worried about her lack of a face? Tobias grasped at his head as the scales and dragon-like eyes reverted to normal. Shadows along the wall still followed him. Regardless if Graels power was flowing through him or not. Trying to stable himself, he put a hand on a time beaten building. Stones and paint chipped from ages of wear. Large cracks arching through each layer. Instead of finding balance, one arm pushed the earth part. Shadows in front of him surged. Cautiously he glanced upwards. High above in the gray and black sky, a darker black ruled over the land. The dark sun he encountered hung above. Casting shadows and light. His skin fell cold. Blood ran sluggish, some cells even stopping completely.

“Where are we?” Tobias groaned.

Grael was on all fours. Keeping his head low to the ground. He was aware and on guard for something. Tobias crouched next to his scales. Smoke billowing out of his nostrils.

“Any idea of where we are, or what’s going on?” Tobias said aloud. Not bothering to keep his voice down.

“I’m not sure. However, the stench of the Aeon Dividers fills this place. Not nearly as strong as before.” Grael said.

“A place you don’t want to linger in. The Grievous Wound. It’s what I call it anyway.” Feyanna said.

The pitch-black sky along with the dark sun, was dimly lit from tears in sky. White around its edges. Like skin healing over a wound. Inside of whatever this anomaly was, gray and darkness filled the space. That was enough for the light within to shine out. Otherworldly cries filled the night.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Well now. That is rather disturbing. I bet the story of how you got here in the first place is as equally.” Lydon said.

She turned to face Tobias. In that quick movement her long black ethereal hair flew over her shoulder. The face he saw is one he wish he did not see. Fragments of skin hung from her face. Her eyes gone. Replaced with hollow eye sockets. The mouth hung slightly open. Bones if that’s what they were, had been silhouetted in black currents that ran under her skin. She shook her head. Shoulders shrugged and she took in a saddened posture.

“I will explain a little more when we are in a safer position. We need to get out of sight and under something. The oppressor will come. Now that you’ve entered.” Feyanna said. With a long stride she ran low down the narrow streets. Lydon held out his hands. Curling his upper lip in disgusting disapproval. He chased after her. Loudly mumbling as he chased after her.

Grael retired into the sheath. If he had spoken, Tobias had trailed off. He followed them. The black sun filled his vision as he stared up at it. Wondering what could have happened to her since then.

Long eel and centipede-like creatures exploded from below. Off in the distance they cried out and floated above the forge. Buildings collapsed into dust at their emergence. Creatures on all fours charged about. Snarling and striking forward with every step. Eyes in a column on the side of their face searching frantically.

Tobias hand trembled as his hands dug into the hilt. Next him Lydon kept looking at him then back to the wall. From outside an alley they had passed liquid flung through the air. Into the building it went. In an instant loud cracks and explosions filled the air. Black steam rose from the rubble. From that, small cries joined the chaos. Two claws punctured through the wall closet to them and from the way they came. Tobias glanced back as they hurried to a collapsed bridge broken into many parts. The last parts of the creature he saw, was a giant black ichor filled mouth with a tongue to match. Hexagonal shaped eyes bulging forward. Bat like creatures and many more creatures he did recognize flew overhead in a frenzy. Often, they emerged from dark pathway and crevasse.

Feyanna slid down one leg first. Her frame almost seemingly vanishing with her hair against the black backdrop. Tobias and the others hunkered up next to her. Only dirt and fragments of concrete graced their vision. With the earth still shaking, they waited for what seemed like an hour. As constant screams filled the air. Explosions as the other worldly beings tore and shattered the structures in this realm.

Tobias couldn’t bring himself to look directly at Feyanna. After what he had seen not but a moment ago. Instead, his alternative was to adjust his neck slightly and speak.

“Before something crushes us to dust, or picks us up and eats us like snacks, what is the story. First off would be, how do you know of this place? Tobias said. Dust and dirt lingered in his black hair. Painted on the sides of him like graffiti. His mouth tasted of bitter and black gunk from the surrounding area.

“He stripped me from my flesh. Somewhere, maybe under the mountain I still lay.” Feyanna said. Ice rippled up his back from her touch. Just like those hollow eye sockets. Cold and empty.

“Through the black mires of the night I wander. Searching for a way out.”

Fire boiled in Tobias belly from her words. His eyes turn to slits as he raised his voice over the stampeding creatures.

“We have spoken before. Was that not you?” Tobias said. Shadows drew in nearer as they conversed. Voices and rasp joined the chaos. Reaching out to all of them.

“Most likely. Crossing back over from The Divide, I tend to forget many things. Each time something else goes missing.”

“Convient. Well, you haven’t screwed us just yet.”

“Naturally. Did you notice anything before your encounter?”

“No. Grael is the one that gave us a heads up.”

“Though it was too late.” Lydon said. Silver scales nearly covered his entire back. He had not noticed yet because of their situation. Torn skin fell to the side, as scales reformed in their stead.

“Other than the dark coming for us. Which is nothing out of the ordinary, no I did not.” Grael replied. As he slithered into a smaller form around the group.

“How unfortunate. I expected more from all of you. Come, we need to move.”

Army crawling, they poked their heads out from the rubble. One giant eel like creature coiled around a crippled building. Its mouth trembled, teeth clattering in either rage, or excitement. With its head low to the ground, it drew in a breath. All manner of material was stripped from the ground and made its way into its maw. A hungry abyss devouring the smallest forms of life. Pavement made way and broke under its movement. Great divides in the land grew from its spikes. As if carving itself a new lair nothing could resist it. One voice grew louder over the others. Until the rest were silenced. The sound had made them nauseous. Ears clogged as if ascending the highest peaks. Three of them held fast to the ground. Their world spun as the voice shook the fabric around them. They needed to escape fast. The dangers here continued to escalate and not let up. Tobias eyes rolled clockwise as he tried to find balance. From all the sound he could only make out “Here…” as it echoed on and on. Feyanna had grasped and shook them.

“Get it together! The Great Devourer and The Stygian consort have picked up our trail.” Feyanna said.

With unnatural strength she dug her hands into Tobias stomach and lifted him to his feet. Then the same to Lydon. Neither of those names meant anything to him as he looked briefly into hollow eye sockets. No light, no spark. Just words from a hallow body. Above them, long gray limbs reached into the ground. How that eluded him before, baffled him. Perhaps it had just appeared. Or the sound was causing hallucinations. The gray limbs releasing steam as they turned into human like extremities. Mimicking hands and arms. With each movement they traced over the ground as if it was drawing something. Tobias felt a hand across his face. Black and ethereal gray hair gently poked at his face. Skinless, Feyanna was staring at him.

“You three need to leave now! Do you see those fallen obelisk with the eyes? Go there! If we meet again, it will be because you passed through.” Feyanna said.

In a frantic grasp to keep his balance, Tobias stumbled forward. Kicking up rocks and other debris. Instinctual he froze as if being spotted. Several yards away, creatures on all four limbs watched him. Their backs arched; spines twisted out from underneath them to make new shapes. Some as armor, others as weapons. Natural like their claws, teeth and other means for hunting. Mouth split from the seams. Pools of liquid fell at their feet. Colors they had been familiar with. Some took steps forward. Then simply vanishing. Others grew bigger.

Lydon was flung into him as Feyanna dove for cover. Tobias noted something had changed with Lydon’s eyes. Much like his he had wagered. Slit like a reptile, dragon like. White and Gray. Glasses up above his brow. Tobias followed the reflection and looked up. Several hundred feet above him, a towering creature appeared to be seated. Its head sank forward against its frame. As if it was a corpse, rather than a living creature. With its tendrils moving, being dead was out of the question. It was impossible to get a better look from down here. Not like Tobias wanted to. Rather it was a sick curiosity that would likely get them killed. To his left, crisscrossed against the ground pillars awaited them. He noticed the eyes this time, but they were shut. Now was not the time to be thinking over everything that was going on. In a mad dash he made way for the pillars. Lydon right on his heels cursing with every step.

Halfway through their sprint, two long claws went for Lydon’s back. Unaware of this, Lydon felt the blow. Adrenaline kicked in and he ran past Tobias in a frenzied sprint. Before Tobias could fully raise his brow and mouth in shock, a claw had found away around his body. Unable to grab his sword, he saw nothing around him. Next to his ears, black salvia ran down his shoulders. The mix of a centipede and snake like body had him in his grasp. With a head of a mollusk. Its eight-antenna feeling for a certain spot. Accompanied with a wide mouth of a lamprey.

“Fuck!” Tobias yelled.

In the next moment, like wet noodles the antenna flopped against his face. Half of its head been shot off. Still grasping him tightly. Feyanna crouched, rifle smoking. It was enough to free his grip to grab the sword and swing at the divided half. Its claw freed up from his lower section and attempted to block the blow. It was successful to a point, as part of its body went flying. Squirming in midair with blood pouring out from the wound and the base, it scurried toward Feyannas location.

Scales on his face reformed as his eyes narrowed. Over his shoulder he caught a glimpse of one of the four-legged beast trying to get a swipe in. Sword gripped tightly in the right hand; out to the side he swung up all his strength. Slicing it right through its rib-cage armor, it went sailing back whining and hacking up black bile. It stood haggardly but charged right back at him. This caused the others simply watching to come charging in. Tobias ran Lydon’s way, who stood still doing motions in the air with his hands. Must have truly lost it.

With a quick glance to look at his pursuers, layers of teeth greeted him. This time, a giant mass of dark brown and pinkish flesh like a monk-fish greeted him. It had burst from underneath the ground just in front of four legged fans.

Green shone across the Tobias face, and the creature’s yellow eyes focused on him. Heat rose in front of them and a silver wall of fire erupted in between them. Scathing the creature bit harder and harder, until it slowed. Half of its body slumped and crumbled into thick pieces of charred meat in the fire. Tobias flung the other half down and drove the sword straight through it. For good measure to make sure it was dead, gave it a good kick into the fire. With the fire stalling the creatures, they howled as Tobias ran back to Lydon and the pillars.

Lydon’s breath was heavy. He frantically waved a finger at Tobias. Silver eyes and horns had formed at the base of his head. Tobias gave him a smack on the upper shoulder. They both turned and ran down the rows upon rows of pillars and obelisk. Eyes on them slowly opening as they ran.

The giant eel like and serpent-like creature slithered forward. Distant chuckling ran through the foundations of The Divide. Movement and traces from the great throne above ceased. Feyanna looked up as everything came to a crawl. The creature losing interest in her.

If we do meet out there again. I will likely forget. The Divide and Avaron will see to it. Stay safe all of you. I may be gone next time. Feyanna thought. Deep behind her eye sockets, somewhere in her soul, a spark of gray shimmered. With a grin that was not her own.