III: The Poison

“Listen to me, Saplings,” a translucent figure called through the chaos, “You can fight this Poison.”

Sinne was moving quickly through the trees, her step just behind the slender ghost-like person who’d called to her in the clearing. The Sylvari was silent as they moved, turning every so often to make sure she was still behind her as they wove their way through the terror that had erupted around them.

The path that led from Ventari’s cove had been short. Opening up into a wider wood clearing with a similar stream that edged its way through it. However, this clearing was not nearly as peaceful as the one guarded by the centaur. Its loud sounds of battle would have made her hair stand on end if Sinne had any such thing.

Translucent beings of many different kinds moved around her. Humans with weapons fighting back large monstrous creatures, small asura against large undead zombies, and sylvari… So many Sylvari armed with nothing but things they’d gathered from the forest as they fought back large, dark colored hounds made of rough wooden bark.

“Look around you,” the Sylvari was calling again, “see the branches and rocks? Take up the bounty of the land! Anything can be a weapon if you have the courage to fight.”

Sinne’s eyes burned, her throat catching on something as she watched a small Sylvari with flower hair take up a rock in an attempt to beat back a hound who ran at her. She screamed, calling out as she raised the rock to defend herself from the hound. The beast was unfazed by the rock as it razed her to the ground, leaving the flowered Sylvari still as it moved on to the next translucent figure. At last the tears sprung free from Sinne’s eyes.

“Wait,” Sinne called to the Sylvari in front of her, “We have to help them. We have to stop!”

Her guide hesitated for only a moment, her eyes looking back over her shoulder. “There is only one way to help them,” she said. “That is to find the root of the issue.”

“There must be something…” Her voice trailed off. She knew that the Sylvari was correct. The ghost-like hounds did not even glance in her direction. Neither did the others who fought. It was like she didn’t exist, it was like they didn’t exist.

“Be brave, Sapling.” The woman stated, “There is a darkness here, poisoning the dream. You must have courage to become the beacon in the darkness.”

Sinne watched as man beat back a hound who’d lept onto another with a large stick. He wailed wildly, terrified as he beat the creature until it was still. His friend below it was regretfully just as silent. Her guide moved past them without a backward glance, leading Sinne through trees into another narrower pass.

“Why me,” Sinne asked.

“I can’t explain everything now,” she stated. “We must hurry.”

“Why should I trust you,” Sinne felt her chest tightening, “asking me to go along blindly. Can’t you see the flaw in that?”

The Sylvari guide finally slowed, crouching low into a thick crop of brush so that Sinne could catch up. When she’d done so, the Sylvari finally turned toward her for the first time since she’d been in the clearing. Her purple eyes holding Sinne’s. She was a fair green shade with dark and light strands of long leafed hair falling around her head. It made her dark purple eyes stand starkly in comparison to the rest of her muted complexion. It also made them stronger, more startling as they grabbed Sinne’s and refused to break their hold.

“I am Caithe,” the Guide said. “I’m in a land far away called Tyria. Soon, you will awaken there as well, but for now you live in the Dream. I know that it looks grim, Dreamer, but you must press on. Our fate is in your hands.”

“Why me?”

“Because the Dream has seen how strong your spirit is,” Caithe stated. “Don’t underestimate yourself. Now look.” Her eyes shifted down the path in the direction they’d been going. Beyond a collection of dark fern hounds stalked the path like guards on patrol.

“Those hounds are aspects of the poison,” Caithe continued, “This poison spreads hatred and anger. You must fight it.”

It was all so much to take in. The Dream and the nightmare poisoning it. That she was somehow awake but not really, since she’d need to awaken in the place called Tyria soon. Again Sinne felt the current of it pushing her like the river that’d swept her away against her will. Like she was going to drown in the idea of having the Dream resting on her shoulders. Then she remembered the strong, calm voice that’d pulled her from the river and set her eyes on the nearest hound. She could do nothing but take it one step at a time. She’d slowly pull herself from whatever river was trying to sweep her away and find her footing.

“I’ll do what I can to help,” Sinne stated. Caithe seemed to let out a relieved sigh at her words as she too turned to look over the hounds beyond.

“The Mother will be able to make me whole for a short time,” Caithe said. “But the real battle begins beyond so you will have to take these creatures on without me. Be wary, Sapling.”

Sinne met Caithe’s eyes on more time as she reached her hand up to remove her greatsword from its sheath, though her hand came up empty. She bit her tongue, thinking back to the clearing when she’d seen the light. At some point she must have dropped it without thinking or perhaps lost it in the river. Her bow, however, still hung securely around her shoulder and the arrows in her quiver had somehow not fallen out. She’d be fighting with them then.

“Remember, you’re not alone,” Caithe’s voice was strong, “be brave.”

Sinne was standing now, an arrow notched in her bow as she released the string. It went sailing through the air, finding its target as another arrow was released behind it into another hound. These hounds were unlike the others. They saw her and she could harm them. When a yelp went out and one of them fell, it alerted the others in the area. All heads turned in her direction like a nest of hornets locking onto its target. She fought back the urge to run as another arrow was placed in her bow and sent into the head of another hound.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Then they were coming for her, howls and noises of anger filling the air as they came. Sinne was able to take out one more before the pack was too close. This was when she took up an arrow, holding it close in her grip so she could stab it deep into the closest beast as it dove at her. It yelped, falling away from her as the pointed tip dug into its eye.

She spun, body moving like a warrior who’d trained for battle all their life. Smoothly notching an arrow and logging it deep into the neck of another hound who tried to come at her from behind. It howled, falling away as another came at her. She cursed as she stumbled backwards. Unable to get her hands one another arrow before the beast had her pinned down. His claws digging painfully into her skin as it cut flesh. Pools of golden liquid beginning to form where it cut into her. She cried out. Struggling against the beast as she attempted to get free, but was unable to break from its grip.

Caithe was calling fearfully from beyond, her form slowly becoming more solid. It wouldn’t be soon enough. The hound was bearing down on Sinne, its teeth flashing bright as it dove for her neck. Sinne had never wondered if she’d die. Not before she’d left her clearing that day. The thought of danger, of something hurting her, had never once crossed her mind. It hadn’t needed to in the safe cradle of her Dream, because that was what Dreams were. They were safe until nightmares took over. Yet that day Sinne had faced death more times than she’d wanted to ever face it. She’d seen the terror of nightmares and now she was going to die. She didn’t want to die like that before even awakening.

Then it was gone in a blur of orange and green. Sinne let out a panicked sob as the weight of the beast was ripped from her body as another form slammed into it from beyond. She could hear Caithe’s pleading screams in the haze of shock as she stumbled to her feet. See her ghost-like figure from in the brush several feet away. Then her eyes locked on the new beast that had appeared in their clearing. It looked much like the monsters that poisoned the Dream, large and made of a rough bark like a plant. This wolflike being though was not dark like the others. Instead it was bright, like the sun had sent it’s colors down to envelope the fern hound in oranges and greens.

“Like the meadow,” Sinne muttered as the beast removed itself from the dead beast she’d saved Sinne from and turned back to look at them.

The beast’s eyes locked with Sinne. Intelligent and trusting as it took several steps toward her. Then it touched it’s nose to her hand and Sinne knew that this beast was meant for her. This creature send a flow of warmth through her from the place it touched her hand outward. Like it was setting her veins on fire it rippled through her body.

“A ranger,” Caithe said as she came to stand beside her. “You have an affinity for animals.”

Suddenly a loud, thunderous noise shook the Dream. It caused the ground to shake like an earthquake as the roar peeled through the air. Painfully cutting into her ears and ripping itself through the forest. She flinched away, she covered her ears as the sound went on. Angry. Whatever it was, was furious over something, and it was close.

“Our enemy is close,” Caithe stated when the roar died, “come. We will defend the Dream.”

Caithe was off, Sinne and her hound at her heels as they headed down the path. The forest had gone deathly silent besides the noise of their feet and the hammering of her heart in her chest. Like the creature they headed towards had told the world to wait, to watch their battle with baited breath. It also seemed like it’d called away the other nightmare beasts. Their path was clear before them as they raced along, crossing over a bridge and coming into a large glade.

Like the centaur’s cove, this glade was circled by a tall rockface. Trees and tangles of vine spilling over it’s edges like water falling into a bowl. Great roots from unseen trees poked from the ground along it’s edges all leading toward a bramble of what looked like an oddly shaped tree that took up the center of the glade. Caithe’s breath caught as she spun to look fearfully at Sinne.

“The Poison has taken form,” she said. “We must kill it before it takes root.”

“The poison,” Sinne’s eyes roamed the glade, “I see nothing but roots and trees.”

Caithe’s body was again becoming more solid as she headed into the glade, withdrawing long daggers from her waist as she headed toward the weird plant in the middle of the clearing. As she neared it, her figure no longer translucent, the ground began to rumble again.

The beast rose from the ground like a giant awakening from sleep. Growing form the roots and leaves at the center of the glade, the Dragon’s form took shape as it made itself from the roots and leaves of the glade. Pulling it’s tall, high above their heads. Eyes blinking and fixing dangerously on Caithe who stood boldly at its feet.

“C-Caithe!” Sinne called from behind. She could feel her body shake as the monster shook itself, sending falling roots and leaves to the ground. “T-that’s a dragon!”

Caithe ignored her as she straightened herself before the monster. Ignoring the hounds that grew from the roots that’d fallen from the dragon’s shake as they rose from the ground. Growling and snapping at the air. Sinne pulled an arrow from her quiver, sending it into the nearest nightmare as her hound took down another close by.

“Caithe!” Sinne called again.

“We will defend the Dream,” Caithe’s voice rose over the sound of howling nightmares. Her eyes were still fixed on the dragon. “Be gone, monster!”

As if the dragon knew she was speaking to it, the creature peeled open its mouth and let out a roar that felt like it would split Sinne’s head in two. The nightmares used the time when she flinched away to dive into battle. Heading for her and Caithe in full force. It was all she could do as she fell back some, using her bow to defend against the onslaught of creatures. They swarmed, attacking from all angles as Sinne fought back. On the edge of her vision she saw Caithe overwhelmed also by the dragon’s minions. The beast itself looked over them as it watched its nightmares attack like a general overseeing a battlefield.

Suddenly a noise broke through the sounds of nightmares, a call of voices as translucent figures bore down on the nightmare hounds. Beating them away, calling for victory against the nightmare. This allowed Sinne and Caithe to finally slip through lines of the nightmare beasts.

“Moya!” Sinne called for her hound, unsure where the name came from as the wolf fell in behind her. Together they raced toward the dragon, taking down hounds that leapt at them in an attempt to keep them from the dragon. They were unable to stop them as at last Sinne came into range of the dragon and notched an arrow on her bow. She took a deep, shaky breath as she stared down the creature.

Then her arrow was loosened. Time slowed as it sailed through the air. Sinne could see everything, the translucent army fighting the nightmares, Caithe running toward the dragon’s feet with her daggers out, Moya racing ahead. She could feel her heartbeat and the steady sound of her breathing. She let another arrow loose and another. Each racing after another like a line of rapid shots. Then time sped up as the first arrow lodged itself into the dragon’s eye, sending the creature reeling back in pain. The other arrows followed it as they landed in the dragon's skin.

Sinne took several steps forward, sending more arrows into the beast as Caithe reached its feet. Digging her dagger hard into its foot so that the dragon crumbled to the ground. Crushing everything below it, including Caithe as the Sylvari’s form disappeared into root and leaves.

“Caithe!” Sinne’s voice cut through air as she raced forward. Her heart hammered as she drove an arrow into the throat of a nightmare that stood between her and the place Caithe had been swallowed by plants. It whimpered and fell away. Moya was there now, digging at the place their friend had disappeared. Then she was there and on her knees, pulling at roots as they rumbled and twitched while the dragon tried to stand.

“Caithe,” her voice sounded almost foreign to her ears, “Caithe, don’t you die on me.”

Her hand clasped onto something hard as she reached beneath the dragon’s roots. It was logged deep, impossible to pull away though she gave it a few tugs anyways. Then she felt it jolt, a wave of shock blinding her for a moment as the weapon pulled free and Sinne withdrew the long sword from beneath the dragon’s body.

It wasn’t the greatsword she’d been missing, but it still felt familiar in her hand. It’s long, green thornlike shape fitting into her hand like a glove made just for her. She knew what she had to do. Eyeing the place Caithe had disappeared once more, Sinne knew that the only way to save her was to end this. To end the poison and the nightmare.

Taking the sword in hand, Sinne changed course. Heading instead to the back of the beast. When she’d found a good place that looked easier to climb she placed the sword into the sheath on her back and began her ascent. Her feet found hold on branches as the dragon moved beneath her, shaking to try to dislodge her. However she did not loosen her grip or falter as she climbed. Finding her way onto the dragon’s back and then along it until she stopped at the place where she assumed the back of the dragon’s neck was.

Somewhere below her Moya was howling, a long and soothing noise that only made Sinne set her jaw. She braced her feet, withdrawing the sword from the sheather and held it in both hands as she raised it over what seemed like a good spot above the Dragon’s neck. She wasn’t sure what this would do. She wasn’t sure if she’d survive or if the dragon would. If Caithe was okay. If the Dream would wither if she failed. If she’d awaken or die there. If Moya’s howl was to encourage her or for some other reason.

All she knew was that she was going to drive the tip of that sword as deep into the base of that damned poisonous beast’s neck and send it back to whatever hell it’d come from. Sinne tensed then she drove the sword down with every bit of her strength, feeling the tip meet bark and then slide down. Cutting deep into the dragon as a terrible, pained scream broke from the monster. It rose, shaking as it did so in an attempt to break the sword free. In doing so Sinne, who didn’t have a good hold, was thrown from the creature’s back.

Sinne’s world slowed once more as she watched the Dragon howling. Trying to shake the sword. The world was moving by her as she was sent through the air. Flying off into the corner of the glade. Then her body slammed into hard root, bouncing off as she felt the air knocked from her body. Things blurred as she hit the ground.

Oh, I failed then.

The last thing Sinne saw was the dragon stumbling before her vision went dark.