by The Ranger
"No, not yet, my dear servants. This is when we give them a chance to beg for their lives," he announced, turning to his pair of captives. "So, go on. Plead and grovel and fawn over me. I'd be lying if I said it never saved a life before."
Torfir strode forward and stretched his arm closer to Eren and Edmund. They flinched at first, but the Spriggan Lord merely held his hand near their faces, waiting for an act of reverence.
"Well, go on then, human," he chastised.
Eren looked up at the monster's eyes and brought his lips to the spriggan's hand. Torfir almost seemed to smile until Eren bit into his hand.
"Insolent whelp!" the spriggan screamed, causing the entire pit to shake and shiver.
"Stupid tree," Eren laughed.
Torfir struck him with enough force to send him rolling back towards the wall. He crashed into the dirt and wiped a trail of blood from his nose. He rubbed it into the earth as he brought his attention back to Torfir.
"You'd best kill me, or I'll chop down all your cousins," he threatened.
The monster scowled at him but raised himself and regained his composure.
"Consider yourself obliged," the Spriggan Lord said, motioning to his servants. "Leave his tongue for a stew, take whatever else you might desire."
Richard tried screaming out to Eren to alert him of his presence. If he could somehow be freed, he was sure they could defeat Torfir and his minions. However, as the skinchangers encroached upon an unarmed Eren, hope began to dwindle.
One of the creatures rushed forward, a hungry look splashed across its horrid face, but it was only met with Eren's fist.
"Got a few of these for those interested," he yelled as he raised his hands. "Stay behind me, Ed."
Edmund stood behind him as he punched and kicked at any skinchanger that approached; however, their adversaries were not the kind to strike one at a time. Richard managed a muffled scream as the pack sprinted toward his friends, and Eren locked eyes with him— fear clear on his face.
An ear-splitting whistle rang out, causing everyone on the ground to freeze as they looked around. A dagger flew through the air towards Eren, who caught it and buried it in the nearest skinchanger. Torfir turned to search for whoever had tossed the blade, and, in that instant, Khora leapt near his throne, slicing his arm off with her scavenged blade. Aven jumped onto the Spriggan Lord's back and latched onto his antlers, attempting to steer him into the ground as she swung at his legs.
"What madness is— agh!" Torfir yelled while Aven dug his fingers into the monster's eyes. "You bothersome little mongrel!"
He continued to disorient the monster while Khora lashed at the spriggan's legs, and Eren fought off the skinchangers.
"One of us should fr-free Richard!" Eren suggested, dodging a sharp set of claws. "We could use his-"
"Enough!" the Spirggan Lord yelled.
Richard watched Torfir's green eyes grow blindingly bright as he straightened his back and howled. He picked Aven off his shoulders, at the cost of an antler, and proceeded to launch him into Eren. The two coasted across the ground as the skinchangers began racing towards them. The spriggan's arm grew back as he slapped the sword out of Khora's hands.
"Khora!" Edmund called out as a lone skinchanger set its sights on him.
"There I go-" she attempted to call out.
Torfir bashed the back of her head with his fist, causing her to trip forward. He lifted her off the ground and gripped her tightly, holding her head between his hands.
"Oh, that one's your friend?" he sneered. "Watch."
Torfir hissed, and the skinchanger stepped away from Edmund. Richard felt relieved— until Ranger sauntered toward his previous master. He snapped and growled as he stooped low to the ground, observing Edmund viciously.
"Now stop that," Edmund whimpered. "It's me— it's Ed. Please, don't listen to-"
"Go," Torfir smiled.
Time seemed to slow as Ranger bound towards Edmund with his muzzle stretched and his eyes empty of all thought. Richard wanted to look away but found he couldn't pull his eyes away from the sight. He felt fury climb into his throat as the dog closed its jaws around Edmund's neck.
"Stop!" he cried out.
A strange, heavy warmth grew behind his eyes, and the vines that had been holding him cracked and shattered as they were called back into the earth. Richard fell to the ground and felt his wounds close and rapidly heal. He could feel his focus sharpening as he set his sights on Torfir; rage blossomed in his heart, and with it coursed a power much stronger than he had yet felt. It was a much more wrathful magic, one that split the earth wherever he tread.
"How did you…" the Spriggan Lord questioned, confusion on his face.
Richard gritted his teeth and prepared to fight the monster when a cacophonous sound swept through the wind around them. The shrill noise had forced the skinchangers onto the ground as they covered their ears, but the others seemed unaware, except for Torfir— who had fear plastered plainly across his face.
"No… not now," he whined. "Not one of them."
The Spriggan Lord turned to his minions and waved his arms frantically.
"We've drawn It here; if you have any sense, you'll leave. We shall reconvene once the danger has faded," he ordered.
The skinchangers fled, ignoring those they had been battling moments before. Torfir turned to run as well, but Richard entangled him in vines with a flick of his hands.
"Did you think I'd let you leave so easily?" he spat.
"Oh, you were under the impression you could keep me here?" Torfir growled. "An uninspired thought!"
The light in the spriggan's eyes vanished and traveled deep into the ground, leaving his body limp and empty.
Richard scowled, his breaths erratic as he scanned the ground for his enemy.
"Edmund!" Khora cried out, running towards him.
Suddenly, he remembered his friend and felt his mind clear as he rushed to join them. Ranger still stood above his master, his jaws over the boy's throat; however, Edmund's eyes flashed open. He took a breath as he pushed the dog off him.
"What? How did…" Richard whispered, staring at them both.
The dog no longer appeared to be under Torfir's influence, and there was no sign of injury on Edmund's throat.
"The bond must have broken before Ranger could kill him," Khora sighed. "This… this could have ended very differently."
Richard fell to his knees and felt overcome with gratitude.
"Thank you, Izkar," he almost wept. "Thank you."
He smiled as his gaze returned to Edmund, but his friend did not return the sentiment.
"What's wrong?" the boy asked, concern in his eyes.
Richard felt confused and looked at the others gathered around him. They were all staring at him oddly.
"What's wrong with what?" he questioned, anxiety creeping into his mind.
"Your eyes," Khora murmured. "They're yellow. Like Tala's."
Richard's hand darted to his face and hovered near his eyes. The strange warmth he had felt before still lingered and sat just behind them. He wondered what might have triggered such a state— whether it was his rage or his desperation.
He winced as a sharp pain lashed through his mind.
"R-Richard?" Khora called, reaching for his shoulder.
"H-he's here!" Richard gasped. "Y-Yurmgundar…"
He entwined his hands and pulled vines from the earth, using them to push his companions back against the wall. As he did so, the center of the pit erupted, and from it, slithered out the largest serpent any of them had ever seen.
Only the creature's head had been revealed, and it was already bigger than Castle Azra's throne room. While the ground concealed most of the beast's figure, Richard and the others could see its body coiling beneath the ground. The sound of its figure scraping against the hard earth reverberated around them, causing the edges of the pit to slide deeper toward the bottom.
Finally, the serpent stood still and opened its eyes. They lo
oked almost human, exactly like Tala's had, except a reddish hue graced their surface.
"Yurmgundar!" Richard cried out as the serpent stared into his eyes. "I sensed your approach!"
"There was a call," the serpent replied. "I had to see the source."
There was a sharp rasping sound as Yurmgundar blinked his eyes. Whether Richard was drawing upon his own knowledge, or Tala's, it became clear just what the creature was.
"You're an Earthmover," he whispered.
At first glance, the serpent seemed to be made of flesh and blood, like most other living things; however, this was not the case. His rough hide was formed of stone, and his blood was the same material that ran through Tala. The light in his eyes was magic itself. His race was the precursor to the golems: the superior elemental. Yurmgundar was an Ancient.
Richard was snapped out of his trance as a small rock glanced his shoulder. He turned to see Eren waving at him.
"Are you talking to that thing?" his friend asked in a hushed tone.
"Can't you hear him?" he replied.
Eren shook his head, and the others looked just as confused as he did.
Richard realized Yurmgundar hadn't been speaking at all, instead allowing his thoughts to be heard, just as Tala had before.
"Why can't my friends hear you?" he inquired.
Yurmgundar tilted his head and turned to look towards the others before bringing his attention back to Richard.
"I had not noticed them," the Ancient murmured.
Edmund and Eren clutched their heads in pain as the serpent spoke but seemed otherwise unaffected.
"Why are you here?" Khora questioned, slowly moving closer.
"He heard me call out," Richard answered, sparing a glance in her direction.
"Then, why is he in these lands?" she amended.
They turned to look at the serpent, but Yurmgundar simply set his eyes above as he gazed towards the sky.
"Luck, it seems," he returned. "Not too long ago, I traveled this world, seeing all of creation that I could bear witness to. I will admit, I had a bit of a fascination with mortalkind. Eventually, I grew weary from my travels and decided to rest; however, it seems that, in my slumber, I entwined myself and remained trapped by my own form. It was not until recently, when the earth shifted, that I became free once more."
"And the rest of your kind?" Aven poked, standing behind Khora.
"Gone," Yurmgundar sighed. "We have left this world in your hands now."
"If you're the last of your race, like Tala, why aren't you more… wrathful?" Richard inquired.
There almost seemed to be a flash of rage behind the serpent's eyes.
"Tala is not the last of the nature spirits!" he groaned, causing the ground to stir with his words. "Perhaps the last in these lands, but she is not the last in this realm."
Richard and his friends stared at each other, afraid to say another word that might again incur Earthmover's anger.
Yurmgundar cast his eyes to the ground before closing them.
"Forgive my outburst," he pleaded, opening his eyes once more. "I've known Tala as long as this world has existed, and she despised humans long before they cut down our brethren. In truth, I do not blame her, but I share a different view."
Yurmgundar brought his head closer to the ground so that he might look upon them in more detail.
"We reigned over the earth for eons and continued to do so even after it was blessed with new life. Many of us understood that the dawn of the mortal races meant the end of our age. Some decided to resist, like Tala— and did so righteously. Yet, there were others, like myself, who chose to appreciate the time we had, rather than waste it seeking vengeance on our successors," the Earthmover revealed.
"How could you not be angry? H-how could you not want revenge?" Richard probed.
"I did want revenge, but I wanted life more," the serpent told him. "My pursuit to fill that desire has shown me much more than I ever might have seen had I succumbed to rage. It is… at the end of all things… the peace I have made with myself."
"If you've already seen the world, what will you do now?" Edmund asked him.
Yurmgundar's face twitched and cracked in what Richard thought could only be a sort of smile.
"I shall do it again," he answered. "Now that our friendly spriggan has left you in peace, I will take my leave. I wish you all uneventful lives. It's the only thing we can do for ourselves."
With that, the Earthmover began to recede back into the dirt. The sound of his body slithering beneath the ground sent a shiver down Richard's spine, but the noise soon grew muffled, then it was gone. The ground closed up where the serpent had pierced it, and all was as it had been before his arrival.
"Consider my curiosity sated for the rest of our journey," Eren mumbled. "If anything that strange happens again, I might just put down my sword and go back to the Tower."
He finished speaking with a smile and motioned for the others to join in on his lighthearted joke. However, the rest of them simply stared up at the sky as the cold outside began filling the pit.
"Fine, I'll go look for our supplies while all of you stare at snowflakes," he whined, trudging back into Torfir's caves.
"We should go with him," Khora whispered.
"We should have never left home," Richard muttered, his eyes growing cold once again.
He shuffled away from them before anyone could reply and joined Eren in searching for their belongings. He could sense their day was far from over.
Chapter Nine
Eren
The soft snows had picked up into a slight storm while Torfir had held them captive. It was a change that Eren could appreciate, due to his familiarity with the frost; however, it did lessen their pace considerably. He had been slowed the most out of the group as he trudged along a few feet behind them, lugging around his memento.
"You'd move faster if you left that cursed thing behind," Khora scolded, glancing back at him.
He clutched Torfir's arm closer to his chest.
"It's a reminder of our victory," he returned.
"It's a trophy," Edmund jabbed. "And an ugly one too."
Eren pointed the scavenged limb at his young friend disapprovingly.
"You saw what that monster was capable of," he reminded him. "Who knows what we might be able to do with this. Perhaps a potion or a poison— the possibilities are endless. Even if it just ends up sitting on a mantlepiece back in Azra, there's nothing wrong with that."
Edmund giggled lightly while Khora shook her head and returned her attention to Richard and Aven at the front.
"Well, if you're all so worried about our pace, then perhaps we shouldn't make that stop to see Old Man John," Eren suggested.
"His name is Rahm," Edmund corrected.
"You still understood me," he grumbled. "So, how about it? No more stops 'til Azra?"
Aven had been looking through his things as they walked but stopped suddenly and whispered something to Richard. The pair then turned back toward the rest of them.
"Something's come up, and, if all of you will allow it, I'd like to stop for a moment," Aven announced.
He waited for a reply as Khora and Edmund glanced at Eren.
"Well, I suppose a short and little and brief stop won't hurt," Eren mused, thrusting the spriggan's arm into the snow.
Aven quickly built a small fire as Richard drew vines to form a temporary roof to keep snow from falling onto them, although it did not stop the wind from showering them with loose flakes. They all huddled around the fire as Aven ravenously searched through his belongings.
"Rich, do you think you could make me a little vine I can use to tie this to my back?" Eren inquired.
Richard spared an annoyed glance at him. Eren was glad to see his eyes had not turned yellow since the clash with Torfir.
"Why do you still have that?" his friend questioned.
Eren pulled the arm from the ground and used it to poke him.
"So I can annoy you even when
I'm out of reach," he grinned. "Now, are you going to do it or not?"
He sighed, his fingers twitching slightly while he did, and a vine began to sprout from the snowy earth. Eren eagerly tugged it from the ground and examined it in his hands. It was just a little longer than five feet and as thick as the hilt of his blade. It seemed flexible as well, almost like a stretch of rope.
"Excellent!" he cheered as he started tying everything together.
While working to fasten Torfir's arm to the rope, he noticed Aven pull a small pot from his pack and fill it with water.
"What are you doing?" Khora asked him.
"I didn't notice until a few moments ago, but my canteen is empty," Aven sighed. "The skinchangers must have poured out my medicine."
"Why would they do that?" Richard questioned.
"I'm not sure," he murmured, shaking his head. "But luckily, I brought the ingredients I need to brew more."
Aven sifted through his bag and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in cloth. As he set the linens aside, Eren saw a few flowers and berries sat within. Richard jolted up for a moment, seemingly startled, before turning his attention to Aven.
"That can't be right," he mumbled. "That's what you use to brew your medicine?"
Aven slowly nodded as he placed the plants into the pot.
Eren leaned in to get a better look. It all seemed relatively harmless to him; the flowers were small, white blossoms with a sort of bell shape, and the berries were little, rounded things with a black hue.
"What's wrong with it?" he poked, leaning a bit too close to the fire.
"The flowers. They're called Caster's Bell, and the berries… the berries are Nightshade," Richard replied, keeping his eyes on Aven's work.
"That can't be true," Eren chimed in. "Nightshade is a flower, not a berry."
"No, he's right," Aven sighed. "You know your plants, Richard."
He pulled a pair of tongs from his pack and used it to hold the pot over the flames.
"I know they're both poisonous," Richard grumbled. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"Believe me, I've been doing this far longer than I'd have liked to," Aven murmured. "It works— the recipe came from my mother."