Chapter 13

A Death Sentence

An inky colored Aves circled down towards me.

“Farrow!” I cried out, nearly in tears of joy, but surpassing it. I was ecstatic.

I jumped off the lone rock so that he could perch on it. He seemed uncomfortable with the water splashing up onto his face, wincing at the cold waters.

He bowed and gave a tormented smile. “How can I be of your service young Huntress?”

“Was it…” I started to ask but his friendly aura vanished quickly.

“I nearly died, three Aves were taken and a piece of my tail is missing. Don’t think I’m saddened to see you, but the journey was harder than the fairytales.”

I laughed. “You’ll have to tell me afterwards. Though I am very sorry for the loss. I have a mission to complete.”

“You look very excited to get up there. I saw it, nothing but desolation.”

“It can’t be much worse than down here.”

He shrugged. “Each to his own.”

“Farrow, take me up. I need to get inside and retrieve my heirloom. Do you know what is up there?”

“Riches and gold beyond dreams? That’s what the story told.”

“Exactly. The Prince, Dacoit is in possession of a particular Feline artifact.”

“Your mission?’

“Precisely, and if you don’t mind, I need a bit of help to get up there.”

“I must say Dawn, you are all too eager to be going to hell. There is nothing but death awaiting you.”

“If you come with me, you can guarantee my safety.”

“That I cannot.”

“You can scout and find a place to put me down. Keep an eye out for any danger while I am there.”

“Dawn, this is your mission.”

“And you came to help.”

He crossed his arms.

I tried again, “I cannot go anywhere without another gifting me their gratuity or their well-fortune and giving me presents. You promised me to help and here you are. You can lift me to the top and drop me to my death or you can fly back to your home hoping that your journey here wasn’t in vain.”

He lowered his head. “Dawn, death…”

“Is a word.” I said.

“Death, you teach me, is not something to be scared of.”

“I know my future, Farrow. It doesn’t end here.”

“Dawn,” He sighed. “You give me no option. I must get you inside and take you out. If you die…”

“When I come back,” I interjected. “you can fly me home.”

He said nothing, his eyes narrowed with aspiration. He jumped up, flew up and up, and soared over the island.

I thought he might leave, but he came back, scooping me out of the water.

When we were high enough I scouted the area for myself. There was something I didn’t notice. There was no castle, just trees burnt and rotting on a hill positioned somewhat in the center of the island. Creatures roamed the land, salamanders eating fire and spitting molten lava oozing from their mouths.

It was hell. What looked like a castle was just the hill and the array of trees forming crooked lines. So dense that you couldn’t even see the ground, even with them burnt and charred.

I looked for a path, something that would tell me where to go.

“Farrow, do you see anything?”

“My eyes tell me there are terrible things down there.”

“Anywhere to land?”

We circled the island and he spotted something. The top of the hill.

He set me down where a grate was covering a massive hole with smoke billowing out. Farrow landed next to me. We looked down and found a chamber with a fire blazing in the center just below us.

“I don’t see any other way to get inside.” Farrow said.

“This is fine Farrow. Stay here in case I need a lift up.”

I stepped on the grate. Ungu whispered from my toes and cut a clean wide circle. The steel dropped and hit hard on the fire below, sending burning logs through the entirety of the floor below.

“Someone must have heard that.” Farrow said.

“There’s a reason I didn’t pick the stealth armor.” I replied and I took the chain of steel from my bag that came off of Ophidon, the Ancient of the sea. I linked one end to the grating and sent the other end down.

“I’ll see you soon Farrow.”

He didn’t say anything at first. Just a nod, then he grabbed my arm, “Dawn, don’t die.”

I stood up and patted him on the back. “Stay here and keep watch, if you need to stay in the sky, do so, I can handle myself.”

He didn’t seem satisfied, but I jumped anyways, swinging on the chain to get me away from the majority of the fire.

I landed softly on the stone floor of the room.

A throne lay at one end, vacant. The fire spread all across the stone floor and a majestic purple carpet now burned and sent more smoke into the air. The grating really made a burning mess.

There was nobody around. The prince wasn’t on his throne, no guards, if there were any at all. Just silence.

A book sat on a little writing desk just off to the side of the throne. I looked through it briefly and decided to stash in my bag for a good read some time.

There was eerie feeling in the castle. I shrugged it off, being in a secret looter’s castle, and went out through the big doors at the back of the room.

There was a hall.

I was hoping for something to send me straight to the room of hoarded gold. Hopefully it’s close by.

I took a right and followed the passage down a set of circular stairs, nobody still. The path lead me to a second hallway parallel and just below the last.

There’s a door. I hear someone behind it. Plates and silverware clinking.

As stealthily as I am I walked past and found myself at another door. A huge lock sat on the outside of the towering double doors. This must be the room I was looking for.

I used the Pisces spear and stuck it into the shackle. I heard footsteps coming down the hall towards me.

“How nice it is to have some visitors now and again. It’d be nice to send a letter.”

I’ve been waiting out in the sea for over a week. “It would have been easier if you had a front door.”

“That wouldn’t be much fun would it.”

His tall slim figure drifted towards me, nearly floating across the cold stone. He was dressed in white, a red rose sat as a boutonnière, a red ascot, and red lining under his lapel. He was Man, most likely immortal or frozen in time by this god awful place.

I took the spear out of the shackle and contemplated asking him nicely or not.

“I guess you have found your way around. Is there anything you would like? Tea, biscuits?”

I stared at him, moving slowly back. “You have something of ours.”

“Of whose?”

“The Felines.”

“What makes you think that. Everything here is mine.” He said with a smile.

“The Huntress thinks otherwise.”

“Who is that?”

I stared back at him.

“Oh! They sent you?” He laughed and clasped his hands together. “To take some precious gold, no doubt. Some artifact that will help you see the future. It doesn’t work, none of these magic pieces do. Trust me, I’ve tried them all.”

I was waiting, trying to see if I should attack. I watched his every move in case he tried something on me first.

“Here, young girl. You are a girl, aren’t you? A Feline girl I guess. I will take you to your prize, you made it here after all didn’t you?”

He turned around and walked down the walkway, hands held perfectly behind his back, head held high, shoulders square.

He turned around to prompt me to follow him.

Cautiously, I did. I let him lead by a good twenty feet, keeping my distance. He’s to calm for someone like him, without any weapons or shield to be followed by someone like me, spear in hand, all claws and teeth. Maybe I look gaunt after having sat out there for too long. Maybe he knows that I can’t kill him yet, I still don’t have my artifact.

We turned the corner and took the stairs down, closer and closer to the bottom. The air became damp and putrid. Sickening smells wafted up, unable to circulate from the lack of windows. It got warmer as if there was a fire underneath this island fortress.

He took me to the deepest part of the castle, he lead me into a vast darkened room. Candles decorated the walls and lit the side of the room we were on. The other end: blackness that slipped into infinity.

He told me to take a seat and walked back up the stairs, closing the gate, locking it behind him.

I stood up and ran to the gate.

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I should have cut him up before. Now he’s locked me in the dungeon. Fetid, hot and humid.

Ahead, movement was in the darkness. I stared and focused my eyes on the dark, all I could see were shadows in the distance, chains jingled and clinked.

A few seconds later I could see it. A huge beast, at least three times the size of any Ursine. I backed away and found only a wall behind me.

The stench, this is where it was coming from.

I heard it sniffing the air, he could smell me. “Feline?”

I didn’t say anything.

Colors came into view and I saw the big head, like a black masculine wolf, huge rounded shoulders, hunched over back legs that looked a size to small to his other proportions.

He groaned and stretched lazily, apparently just coming out of a slumber.

My first thought, how do I get out of here. Second, what is this beast? An Ancient?

My eyes darted to the far corners of the room. It was too dark to see anything in detail, but my guess, there was nothing back there, no escape route, no hidden door.

I inched along the perimeter, trying to stay under the light of the candles on the walls. It didn’t help. Just a matter of seconds later he targeted me, eyes lighting up with a bestial glow.

The chains rattled, he hunched down and lunged at me. I darted off to the left, further away from the door.

I could smell his rancid breath and manure rotting heavily as he came close.

As he hit the wall I charged off trying to get out of view. The other four walls had no lights, fortunate for me.

He still caught me with his eyes and hurled himself again in my direction. Another evasive dart left him hitting the wall again.

I can’t engage this beast, not yet. I still don’t have plan.

I made it to the far wall, hoping, just in case there was another door, no luck. The beast started charging for me again. Gaining speed as I was farther off this time. I ran and he turned quickly, still following me. Running at full speed, he was gaining on me. I couldn’t push much faster.

I got a small vision and recalled the training I had done back in the village with the soldiers.

I ran behind a pillar and stayed there, waiting for him to pass and as soon as he did, I pushed the spear through his ribs.

He yelped but didn’t stop.

Now he was frantic, darting quickly, taking every chance to beat at me, slash at me with his massive paws, lunge, bite. I dodged every stroke and jumped onto his back. He jumped up, squealing again, like an annoyed child. He jumped a few times before rolling onto his back, leaving me to jump off and land inches away from a massive heap of feces.

I heard something as he rolled, a trap door, some luck. I ran around the room once more, hiding behind a pillar, losing him and making my way back to the trap door.

I found a ring and hefted it up, greater stench of excreta greeted me and I shut it, leaving that trip for another day, or never. There should be another way. Maybe the door I came through.

I watched the beast as it found me by the sound of shutting the trap door. He ran, enraged by my intrusion.

I charged at him as well, gaining speed I jumped over him, stepping on his head. And I made haste for the door.

He followed just behind me, I had just enough time to make it. I reached the door and instead of stopping, I climbed the wall. Wall-jumping twice before careening off just behind the beast.

It didn’t go as I expected, the chain stopped him from hitting the door. The chain pulled tight and choked him leaving him whimpering. I didn’t have time to sit there and cut the steel, it was too thick anyways. The next step, unleashing the beast.

I was already behind him. Quickly I followed the chain to its other end and put my foot on the last link, smaller than the rest of the chain. Flexing, Ungu slipped out and started the process of severing steel.

The beast recovered quickly and spotted me. He’s too close for my comfort. I stepped back quickly as he swatted at me again, unable to finish the job.

Ungu must have gotten through half the chain.

I leapt back making him charge at me again. This time I had a better plan,

I wove my way through the pillars in the room, jumping back when he was too close, landing on his back and changing directions.

The beast was getting tired, I heard him panting, but only after I started getting out of breath the chain snapped, leaving him weeping even harder.

I sprinted to the door making my move once more.

I reached the door and climbed up the wall, just in time for him to bash the door.

The lock broke and metal bent.

The beast cried in more pain. A miserable thing, starving in the dungeons, weak and on the threshold of death, miserable being immortal.

He turned again expecting to find me just behind him, but I was not, I was hanging treacherously above his head, digging into the stone ceiling.

I waited for him to dash into the back of the room so I could make my escape through the broken door.

I got through the door and stopped to listen, halfway out, the beast was whimpering. It almost made me sad for such a pitiful thing. There was nothing I could do, I fled the dungeon and raced back up the stairs, fresh air soothing my agitation. But it wasn’t nulling, thinking of the prince, how he put me down there so casually.

Now without a spear, having left it in the beast’s ribs, I have one less weapon. In my mind, one less burden. But I may need something else if I face the prince again.

I made my way back to the door, listening carefully for any footsteps. There were none.

I reached the door again, the one, I hope, that leads into the vault of treasure.

My locksmith, Ungu, tingled and I precariously unlatched the lock from the door and pushed it open.

I was in!

Gold sparkled and gleamed, riches set on tables, strewn over the floor, they seemed to call my name. But I was only here for one.

I felt nervous, looking at all of this, lost in such a place, an expense of such wonders, and one of them is mine. I must hurry to find it. I know what it looks like, if only from sketches

I looked at each item, starting from the door and making my way to the back. It must be in here somewhere.

There, on a shelve on the far wall.

I scrambled over the other items littering the floor and got to it, jumping to reach it. I hit the shelf it was on and the relic fell. I caught it just in time, nearly dropping it from the sheer weight of pure gold.

I turned around to find the prince had found me, lazily walking though the door, sword sheathed in it’s place on his hip. “I found what you did to my throne hall. That wasn’t very nice of you. The walls must be scrubbed, the carpet’s ashes swept up. Nothing I’m very fond of doing.”

I didn’t answer, I charged him, my suit should do the damage.

I hit him and we tumbled out of the room hitting the wall on the other side. He got up first and held his sword out at me.

“Give me back my treasure or there will be consequences, puny warrior.”

“No.” I stated clearly.

“Fine then.” He slashed at me but the suit reflected some of it, sending his sword flying back. He still held on, and my suit now had a hole in it.

I looked at it in pity.

Dacoit was shocked. Looking at his blade as it wasn’t obey his command.

I stood up and took a step back putting a good distance between me and him. I set the gold down and took my stance.

I had no idea how to fight someone with a sword, but I am smarter, hopefully, and full of more surprises, also hopefully.

And he is immortal.

Dacoit took his stance. “My dear lady, look at us. Fighting over a piece of gold. It does no good.”

“Let me go and you can stay alive.” I told him. “This piece is mine.”

“This piece? The… what did they call it? The cat of good luck? It isn’t yours, you weren’t even conceived of when I first got it.”

“It the Feline’s.” I said bluntly, correcting him.

“Well, if you hand it over I can let you go, otherwise I will have to kill you.”

I glared at him. “It is you, who will die.”

He glared back, “Oh well.” He said closing the distance between us.

“I do have one question before I kill you. Through all the barriers, past my good friend Ophoidon, the labyrinth, the walls. How did you know to find me here?”

I thought about it. I had just done it.

He took the time I spent thinking about his question and lunged, throwing a jab at my heart. I turned just in time and hit his blade away and he came around full circle swiping over my head as I ducked and lunged for his face. But he was fast and shoved me out of my path with his free hand. He sent me flying against the wall, but I took no damage, the wall did, my suit magnified my impact into the stone, breaking pieces off.

Dacoit swept toward me, this time jabbing the sword into the brick right where my head was. I pushed off the wall, heading for his legs, tripping him, gouging his calf with my claws and staining his white pants with more red.

He looked at it ruefully, “My poor trousers.”

I lunged for his midsection. His blade missed me as I knocked him down, clawing at his face and anything else close enough to strike with quick swipes.

He pushed me off and took his stance again. His suit shredded and stained, his face swelling with blood. But his composure stayed the same.

“You didn’t tell me how you did it.” He said.

I didn’t have to answer this time. The beast from below rounded the corner behind me and Dacoit’s eyes flickered to it. He noticed us and charged. I heard him roar, like a bark. But I could still hear the whimpering in each bark.

I heard the beast tank down the hall towards us. I didn’t have to turn around, I kept my eyes on Dacoit. I heard the beast when he was close enough and jumped, flipping over him in a wide arch.

Dacoit jumped too. Leaving the beast sliding across the floor.

Dacoit ordered, “Get the Feline.”

But he didn’t. The beast had his eyes stuck on his master. The neglectful master, locking him up for centuries, miserable, starving. In the light I could see how bad he looked. Oily matted fur, mange and gaunt features, ribs and joints pushing through skin. Years ago he must have been bigger, full of muscle, numb to pain. A war machine.

“The Feline!” Dacoit yelled.

The beast jumped for him and Dacoit moved quick. Nearly as fast as I did, both of us jumping out of the way and sliding on the grey brick floor.

I backed up out of the match letting him deal with his dog. I couldn’t escape yet. They were between me and my artifact.

Dacoit slashed at the beast, both of their faces now bleeding. The floor was pocked with red dots and smears.

I couldn’t wait, I need to get out of here before one or the other devours me.

I tried to find a distraction. The horn I am wearing as a necklace. What does it do? I though of the only thing feasible at the moment. I took it off and swung it at my side, getting ready to impale Dacoit.

I lined it up and released. It soared straight at him. In the middle of one of his flurries it hit him in the back. He flew with more force than I thought, sliding to the other end of the hall.

The beast turned and looked at me.

The horn fell to the floor and started growing a body, A Bovine, tall, strong and handsome with a head too large for itself, black eyes and the body of a human. He was a ghostly figure, an apparition. The only real thing about him was the one horn.

He took his time to come back from the dead and orient himself to the surroundings.

Dacoit lay on the ground staring up at the Bovine mid transformation. The beast from the dungeons stopped and looked at the thing that hit Dacoit.

I didn’t know his name, nor his power. The rest of the Bovines lead a terribly boring life.

Once I caught the eyes of the Bovine I commanded him, “Kill the prince.”

He turned around and met Dacoit. He took a stance, the prince stood up and the Bovine lunged into a spring, charging straight into the prince. Dacoit couldn’t do anything to stop him. His body translucent and not material, his head, rock solid. A sword would do nothing.

I winced slightly as his ribs cracked and caved in between horns and stone wall.

The Bovine stood there, instantly mollified, pitying the poor prince that lay on the ground. He returned to my side. “I have seen the terror you went through and the emotions you felt. Dawn, Huntress of the Felines, I regret to say that my short span of return to this world is ending. May peace be unto you and your kin.”

He disappeared, just as he came, leaving a horn on the ground before me.

The beast from the dungeons had witnessed the departure and quickly went back to his own business with the Prince. He put his nose down and made his way over to the prince.

Dacoits eye fluttered and the beast, without pity or sorrow, took his head off in one bite.

More bones crushed and the sound made me quiver each time he chewed.

The beast sat and cleaned his teeth, his eyes calmed and muscles relaxed, color flushed into his face. “I am grateful for you saving me,” the beast spoke.

“You’re welcome.” I said, though saving him wasn’t quite my intention.

“I am aware we are not the kind to mingle, yet a debt is owed.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I am your enemy, the end of life for the half breeds, like yourself, that infested this planet eons ago.”

“You mean, you are an Ancient?” The only beasts like him are. Xenobia hasn’t advance bioengineering to that stage.

“If that’s what you call us, than yes. Am I one of a few sent to this planet to rid it of you. Are you not the species that overpopulated and control this planet, the illegally bioengineered pieces of meat meant to be pawns on a war field?” He sighed at what he thought was truth.

“Yes,” I answered. “That means we are enemies.”

“Correct. I will let you leave and I will stay on this island protecting the treasures and gold. Living alone as if I never had an enslaver like this one.” He motioned over to the prince. “If my brethren come for me, or if I find a way out, I will take the opportunity and carry on my duties for which I was born. If not, I stay.”

He looked like he was planning to have a pleasant life out here, alone, making up the time for imprisonment and replacing it with luxury.

“I will leave then.” I said cautiously, still not willing to befriend such a creature.

“Not yet.” He said sternly. “There is something. I have seen you before, my brother and sister came to me, telling me to look out for one like you. They said that you are dangerous and deceitful. No one has killed one of us before, nor fought in such a manner. Wars have claimed us, some have made mistakes in the hunting that we do. Yes, but not being murdered like you did to us.” He seemed to be getting angrier as he spoke. “I know who you are. Dawn, Huntress of the Felines. You may leave as a token of my gratitude for releasing me and bringing redemption to the Dacoit. But if I see you once more, anywhere, in the fields, in the forest, the jungle, the city. I will not hesitate to devour you.”

“Thank you.” I managed to breathe out, not even sure that a thanks would be appropriate. I was becoming nervous, though I seem to have never had a problem slaying these beasts.

“I am Dakur.” he said deep and loud, addressing the universe. “This is my island and I take it back as the rightful owner of this land. They used to send me slaves and servants, my brothers and sisters dined of live meat and reveled in our Xeno farms. But then Dacoit deceived me and threw me in the dungeon. The slaves came no more and my food became rats. I will grow, and when you see me again, I will lead my brethren into your world. Tearing it apart. The King is on the throne again and he’s calling his army.”

He eyed me with the fire renewed into his eye. They told me to run.

I seized my golden piece and ran back to the throne room. Dakur followed, having changed from being peaceful for a moment too short, and back into himself, the destroyer of species. I sprinted back to my exit, jumping off the wall and grabbing the chain I left hanging there, like only a Feline could do. Dakur jumped and missed my toes by an inch. Growling, staring at me, daring me to make a mistake. I climbed up the chain out to the top of the island.

Looking back down, I met eyes with Dakur once more. I was now cursed with a death sentence. He turned and left to his luxuries.