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“This is just getting better and better, isn’t it? First, we get shoved in this hell hole for no apparent reason. Next, we figure out that someone, some sick son of a bitch, won’t rest until we’re dead. Then, after God knows how many days of starvation and exhaustion, we meet up with some psycho who keeps calling Jarr ‘Howie’, who then informs us that not only is that loon on a horse trying to kill us, we’re also responsible for the fate of this entire fucking world. Does it stop there? No, no, ladies and gentleman, we have only just begun. ‘Cause now Bret is having a nervous breakdown, the rest of us are on the verge of it, and there are fucking PURPLE trees out there. That’s right, FUCKING. PURPLE. TREES.” Zach finished his speech with a flourish, collapsing on what he imagined to be a small tuft of clovers that gathered just inside the mouth of the cave. He had only rested a moment when another spoke up.
“Um, Zach?”
“What, Jarred?”
“Don’t. Move.”
“What?”
“Turn your head vvveerrryy slowy to the left.”
“I don’t see anything.”
“Ah, your other left.”
“What? Holy shit! What the fuck is that thing???”
“I don’t know. But I think it would be in your best interest if you didn’t panic.” By now, the mini-drama by the clovers had gathered the attention of the rest of the group. For slithering just inches from Zach’s right hand was what appeared to be a snake, but it was like no snake the group had ever seen. The thing was about three-and-half feet long, with long, grayish colored feathers running down the thing’s sleek body. The feathers vibrated every time the thing breathed, revealing razor sharp “teeth” embedded in the skin. It’s eyes where, oddly enough, black and blue, and crystal clear. The thing didn’t seem to have much in the way of teeth, in it’s mouth, at least, save for three long yellowish ones identical to sharp points covering it’s frightful body. It’s tail ended in what seemed to be a type of foot. Stranger still, the thing was wearing a single sneaker on it’s foot. The entire creature was aqua colored, matching quite nicely with the clovers surrounding it. This is, if the thing’s sneaker hadn’t been a bright orange.
“Don’t panic? You don’t want me to panic! Look at that thing! Jesus Christ, Jarred, I don’t think it likes me.” Amanda snickered, his friend’s proposition in the situation was just too funny.
“You think this is funny, woman?” Jordan couldn’t have replied if he’d wanted too. Her snicker had turned into full out giggles. Bret threw her a sharp look, but that only seemed to make matters worse. In minutes she was unable to speak, shaking with silent laughter. The others watched dumbfounded for a moment before joining in. Just Mandy and Claudia at first, then LeighAnne and Bret, then Jarred. Even Kristen had to turn away to suppress her laughter.
“Oh yeah, let’s all laugh at Zach. Ha, fucking, ha. Now will someone please help me out here?” Zach snapped, irritated and still scared shit-less.
“Actually Zach, I wouldn’t be too worried about him. That little critter’s perfectly harmless. Guess that’s something I should have mentioned earlier, nothing’s the way it seems.” A.J. replied casually, picking up the creature gently. “Yeah, who’s that big goofball who’s sitting on your house, huh little buddy?” The thing responded by snapping within an inch of A.J.’s nose. He just laughed. “Hah! It’s got spunk!”
Zach stared open-mouthed at this new appearance. “Where you just.........didn’t you.......where the hell did you come from?” Matters didn’t improve when A.J. released the thing back into the clovers.
“Teleportation.” Jordan spoke up, stepping forward, grinning from ear to ear from the experience. A weary Sean hanging clinging to his shoulder, smiling weakly at the group.
“You’re telling me that we walked all this way when we could of just been zapped here?” Mandy demanded. Jordan and A.J. exchanged a private grin.
“Yup. Which is what we’re going to do to get to Dargonna’s pasture. This is taking wwwaayy too long, far longer that it should have. And with Sean’s ankle busted, we’re going to have to do this as quickly as possible. As much as I’d like to, we don’t have time to do otherwise.” A.J. stated, looking around for any objections at the sudden new possibility. Seeing none, he nodded slightly, “All right, then, let’s go. It’s quite simple, really. Just close your eyes and clear your mind. I’m doing all the work here.” One by one, they all obeyed, Kristen last of all. She eyed her companions, expecting some sort of skepticism. She smiled at her foolishness. After all the shit they’d seen in so little time? Why would this new bit of information shock them now? Sighing softly, she closed her eyes.
* * * * *
“They die for you.”
Kristen looked up, searching for the voice, but finding nothing but Chaos. Chaos, what a perfect description for what lay before her. There was a village, a quiet, peaceful one. But it was not peaceful tonight. Tonight it rained fire on it’s unfortunate villagers. Men on giant black steeds ran though the quiet town, destroying everything in site, houses, barns, shops, in search of something. The villagers were huddled in a group in the town square, oddly quiet compared to the carnage that surrounded them. The riders called out to each other, but that had not been the cause of the voice. The voice had sounded closer.
Kristen couldn’t tear her eyes from the gruesome scene. Why was this happening? Why this destruction for no reason?
“They die for you.” it repeated.
“For me?” Kristen replied meekly, not turning.
“The men are underlings of Lord Triccan. They search for your band.”
Kristen shook her head. “They are not my band.”
“Their leader has fallen, you must take his place.” After a moment of thought, the thing spoke again. “Or, perhaps, you have always been the leader.”
“Sean has not fallen.” she resorted stubbornly.
“He is unable to fulfill his duties as leader.”
She whirled angrily now, “What do you know of this? What right do you have to--”
“I have every right! It is my responsibility to see to it that your ragtag band of misfits are not sent out in vain! And from the looks of it, Dargonna has yet to make a decision worthy of her station. She should of never allowed Nickolas and Alexander to enter her domain! Why Sogno allowed her to try this experiment of hers is beyond all reason!” the great beast snorted angrily, throwing up his magnificent head in his anger. For some reason, the shape of the voice did not shock Kristen. He was an enormous silver stallion, with giant feathered wings coming off of the creature’s strong withers.
“Pegasus, then?” she asked softly, looking the beast full in the eyes.
He snorted in disgust. “That fool? Never!”
“What is your name, then?”
“I am called Mauvais.”
“Is that a warning of sorts?”*
“Make of it as you will. I have not brought you here to speak of names.”
“What have you brought me here for?”
He turned his refined head towards the carnage below. “I have come to show you that. You must understand, Madame, that many will suffer so that your band will have a chance.”
Kristen shook her head. “A chance? A chance to do what? Aid in the destruction of innocent people? To die out there like pigs?”
Mauvais looked back at Kristen. “What you do is solely up to you.”
She met his gaze unflinchingly. “You think we can beat him?”
“What you do is solely up to you.” he repeated simply. “Don’t give up, my lady. You will know what to do.” he took one final look at the valley. “I will return. On that, you can count on.” Without another word, Mauvais spread his great wings, and flew off over the burning town, leaving Kristen alone once again.
*- Mauvis is French for evil