Dark Labyrinth: The Nine Hells (Circle of Nine Book 1)

by Conny Conway

  Tears fell from the slanted purple eyes as he shook his furry head.

  “Well, what is it, Claw?” Lann asked impatiently.

  “This land is dead, this land is no good,

  No good may come from it.

  My warning still echoes in the vast land, unheard swiftly,

  Death comes fast and nifty.”

  Whining accompanied his statement.

  “What? Can you not for once say what you mean!?” Lann’s eyes gleamed.

  The small creature shook his head sadly.

  Shiloh was still in Lann’s arms, when she moaned.

  Her body seized in tremors and her eyes bulged, another shaking of her whole body then she went limb, still like death in his arms.

  “No. No.” He shook her gently.” No, Shiloh, wake up.”

  He demanded, but her eyes didn’t open, her mouth half parted.

  “Wake up, I say.”

  He shook her rougher to no avail.

  Something burned in the fire creatures eyes and he had no idea how he could produce water. It was only a few drops, but in wonder he wiped it off his face and looked at it in awe about his leakage. He then tasted it, it was salty.

  Even this unknown phenomena wouldn’t have saved the human woman in his arms, besides that it was salty, he doubt he could produce enough water. And with that thought he turned his gaze back to the lifeless form. More of the salty water produced in his eyes and dripped down onto her pale cheek.

  “Shiloh, come back to me.”

  He whispered, kissing her forehead, then her eyes and lips as if he wanted to will her to suck in the breath, to keep her heart beating.

  He forgot time and place, sitting next to the poisoned pond, holding on to her fleeting soul.

  Lann was not aware of the white, sparkling creature approaching him from the edge of the palm trees.

  Curiously, but wary, it closed in on the sobbing warrior, only to be noticed by Whiplash. He lifted a tired, gloomy glance at the newcomer. It didn’t speak by words, but the small feline heard the crystal voice chiming gently in his head.

  “What is, little brother?”

  “I just found her to lose her,

  She drank from the pond,

  If there’s a way to rouse her,

  My Sister, respond.”

  He cried in his mind.

  She didn’t answer, instead she timidly pushed the warrior a little aside, which startled him immensely and sniffed Shiloh’s lips.

  Then she lifted her majestic head and spoke aloud.

  “You can save her, winged warrior, if…….. If your heart is brave and true.”

  “How?” he demanded, not even speculating where and how she had come from.

  “Take my horn into your hand and ram it hard into her heart.” She exclaimed calmly.” Though don’t doubt, even the slightest bit of doubt will end the little bit of life which is still in her.”

  He looked at the creature in awe now.

  “You want me to do what?”

  “No time to fret, you must hurry.”

  “You must kill her,

  Stab her deep,

  This will thrill her,

  Death will retreat.”

  Whiplash nodded as it all made total sense to him.

  “Hurry, Master,

  Make it fast,

  Hurry Master,

  Save the Lass.”

  Undecided Lann grabbed the horn and led it to Shiloh’s chest, where he hesitated.

  “Why can’t you just ram her with it?” He questioned the white beauty.

  “I’m not allowed to interfere on my own.” She exclaimed.” But do hurry, Lord. Her last breath is drawing near.”

  Lann bit his lip and tried hard to push the silvery horn into the human, but he didn’t have the courage. Again he took a deep breath and tried again, though doubt filled his heart and again he wavered.

  The third time he prayed to which ever God would lend him strength to save the woman’s life.

  Whiplash flew in circles from anxiety, figure eights, up and down in front of Lann’s face murmuring his rhyme over and over again.

  “Make it fast, Master,

  Hurry now,

  Master stab her,

  Go on now!”

  He looked like he had a hard time flying from exertions and agony, he forgot to flap his wings and tumbled towards the ground, saving himself pulling back up into midair, looping around only to crash-land onto the well-formed hint of the horse like creature. She startled and whinnied and her horn drove deep into Shiloh’s chest, parting the breastbone and rested in the chamber of her heart.

  “Oh, God.” Lann croaked.

  The Matagot had plummeted to the ground, finally silent. The unicorn withdrawn her horn gently from Shiloh’s body and Lann’s cold fingers.

  Black lashes fluttered, heavy eyelids fought to open and then Shiloh’s gaze cleared, looking directly in Lann’s red rimmed, black eyes, deep as pools, full of warmth.

  She reached up, whipped away the wetness in his face, lifted her head and blew a butterfly kiss on his lips.

  “Those tears …were for… me?”

  He didn’t answer, his arms hugged her tighter, drawing her as close as he could, kissing her face all over while his great wings unfolded as to envelope them and hide their kisses from the surrounding, the pure feeling their kisses evoked.

  Whiplash had recovered from his shock, his fall or whatever had rendered him speechless and he was flying around the pair, twittering like a song bird. In the midst of the beautiful noise he interrupted himself.

  “Oh, white sister tell me where

  Why do you turn, where will you fare?”

  Lann folded his wing and looked up at the sparkling unicorn.

  “Thank you.” He said. These two words said everything.

  And she nodded.

  “Thank you.” Shiloh looked at her. Her breath drew short at the beauty of the mystical being.” How can I ever repay you? Ever …”

  “Do not worry.”

  “But I do.” Shiloh exclaimed. “Won't you at least tell us your name?”

  “Xylophia.” The unicorn answered as she kept on walking back into the shade of the palms.

  “Please, stay with us for a little while.” Shiloh begged.

  This halted the beast’s hooves and she turned her head slowly. Her mane twinkled in the twilight.

  ”Please.” The human repeated.

  Xylophia turned around and slowly trotted back to the three different beings.

  ”How did you know how to save her, Lover of the Forrest?” Lann smiled.

  “Magic.” She simply said.

  Chapter 6

  The unicorn had stayed with them and they had swapped many memories, stories, happy moments and then their worries.

  She was the last of her kind, the very last unicorn in all realms.

  Shiloh had cried at that, but the beast had been as calm as ever, as she couldn't feel the pain. None of her kind had survived the evil doings of mankind, demons and gods alike. Why she didn’t know nor really care.

  They all had vanished before anyone could have taught her how to feel, how to be happy or sad, how to laugh or cry.

  Many centuries ago unicorns had been in all realms, bringing fortune and virtue, though lots of beings had not seen what was right in front of their eyes and had mistaken unicorns for white mares, only those true at heart could see them for what they were.

  But then evil overtook all realms and the mystical beings disappeared one by one, until she, and she alone, was still here, wandering all realms to find any emotion which would stir her cold heart.

  Without feelings she didn’t yearn for company, she had said, but she would stay with those three wanderers, just because it was an interesting story and it could be educating to see if the three of them would make it out of the underworld, Xylophia had explained coolly, logically.

  They had long started to move again. The scenery around them changed. The sand dunes tur
ned into hard rock, solid hills, then here and there some kind of plant.

  Little insects scurrying about, birdlike creatures flying in the dawn.

  “From the looks of it you should be able to quench your thirst soon, Shiloh.” Lann assumed.

  “You will not feel thirst or hunger as immediate as before my horn pierced you.” The unicorn stated.

  “How come?”

  “Magic.”

  Shiloh smiled, the magic had not only transformed her in this way, she could feel it flowing through her body, warm and enticing as a lover’s embrace.

  She peeked at Lann and even more heat flooded her, remembering their kisses, which had born a magic on their very own.

  Abruptly they halted.

  Close in front of them was a gorge, filled with an indefinable liquid, shimmering in red and black. Waves took the form of….

  Of figures, shades or bodies tumbling over each other, tumbling against tiny stepping stones.

  Listening closely Shiloh heard the cries, agony filled, pleading and her heart cried with them.

  The other side of the cliff was not too far, but could they cross it safely?

  She questioned her little flying oracle.

  The response came immediately and filled her with dread.

  “Souls fill this creek,

  So far none has dared to cross.”

  The little cat pointed to bones lining the precipice.

  “They just sit and weep,

  Their life, their loss.”

  Shiloh furrowed her brow, turning to Lann,

  “Do you think you could fly us….”

  She stopped as she saw the warrior sitting at the edge of the cliff, his feet tangling in the muddy fluid, sighing, and his eyes empty and bereft of life.

  “Lann...” She wept.” Lann, what is it?"

  She crouched down, took his face in her hands and tried to force him to look at her, but his gaze stayed glazed, distant.

  Shiloh didn’t had to ask the Matagot, she already knew, Lann had fallen under the spell of the lamenting souls.

  ” Oh no.” She whispered hoarsely.

  Then she looked at Xylophia, which looked unmoved and indifferent as always, the crying shades had no effect on her. Then she looked at the Matagot, he had landed next to the hooves of the unicorn, its bushy tail lifeless resting on the ground, the wings hung unfolded at its side, no riddle came to its mind as it starred forlorn in the distance.

  Shiloh’s own heart was overflowing with sadness and grief, but she still was functioning.

  “What shall we do now?” she asked the unicorn dreadfully.

  The white beauty thought for just a little bit and then she shifted her body, her horn touched first Lann’s and then Whiplash’s foreheads, both reacted the same way. Their eyes closed and they sagged into themselves, each of them sighed deeply and then their breathing slowed as if they were sound to sleep.

  “Help me hoisting the warrior on my back.” She said.

  Shiloh did as ask. Lann lay on Xylophia’s back like a sack of barley.

  “Wait here.”

  The unicorn took the tail of the cat in her mouth and turned back to the rivulet. Gently she skipped from stepping stone to stepping stone, until she reached the other side. She searched for a bush or a patch of grass, found a fern, placed her body in front of it and bucked. Lann’s lifeless body fell into the fern, which soften his tumble. The unicorn crossed the creek again.

  “Now, your turn.”

  She exclaimed.

  “I couldn’t possible ride a unicorn.” Shiloh objected.

  “Oh, hush. Hop up and hold on, Hurry though, each moment you stay here you’ll get more under the curse.”

  Shiloh followed the instruction, swiftly Xylophia carried her to the other side.

  The woman jumped of her as soon as it was safe, feeling like she had violated the majestic creature.

  She blushed.

  “Thank you, though I wish I had another choice to get here.”

  The Beast snorted in retort.

  “But you didn’t, now get a hold on yourself. We have our work cut out. Hoist Lann back on me and you take that fleabag, we need to get away from here. I can’t wake them as long as we’re close to the crevice with the damned.”

  Xylophia trotted towards the two lifeless companions, where she waited for Shiloh to help her getting the winged warrior back on her midriff, then they started walking deeper into the shrubbery.

  They were silent for a little while.

  Shiloh mused if a unicorn could ponder problems, or just lived in the moment, further the young woman was wondering if there was a way to help the beast awaken her emotions and save her race, if that was possible all together.

  Finally she couldn’t bite her tongue any longer.

  “Xylophia, what will you be doing when we part?

  “Nothing.” Was the hushed reply.

  “Have you never wondered if there is anybody that could help you?”

  “No.”

  Shiloh held back her own emotions.

  “Why not?”

  “Why would I?”

  “Why wouldn’t you? You are the last.”

  “So?”

  Sadness, mixed with frustration, dwelled up in Shiloh’s chest.

  “If you die…” She trailed off.

  The unicorn waited for the rest of the sentenced, when silence was not broken, understanding spread into her cool logical mind.

  “Then there will be no more unicorns.” She finished the statement coolly and reserved.

  Shiloh nodded and swallowed hard, trying her best to leave the anguish out of her voice.

  “It would be such a colossal loss.”

  This made the beast turn its head with the glittering mane. She looked quizzingly at the human, but kept quiet.

  Shiloh sighed.

  “Do you think there could be someone to help you?”

  The white shoulders shrugged and Lann almost fell of her back.

  The woman held her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her. It had changed from dried clay to soft leave covered. Her feet sank into the agility of the decaying matter.

  She lifted her gaze.

  The bushes had changed to tall, slender trees, their canopy high above the wanderers.

  The air was filled with the aroma of the forest and noises, similar to songbirds of the world above. She breathed in deeply, an unknown peace spread through her entire body; never before had she known such tranquility.

  “I want to help you. There must be a way how you'll be able to feel.” She exhaled.

  Again the white beast only shrugged. As to change the subject, she halted and her gaze went to the burden on her back.

  “It’s time to rouse them.”

  Shiloh helped getting the man of the unicorn’s back and laid him gently in the soft moss.

  The little Matagot was placed next to him.

  The beast bowed her neck gracefully and touched the eyes of the sleepers with her horn tenderly.

  Both inhaled deeply and two sets of eyes, one black pair and one purple, opened.

  Lann yawned widely, while the catlike creature opened its wings and stretched every bone in the tiny body.

  “Where are we?” Lann asked with another big yawn.

  Before either, the woman or the unicorn could answer, the little purple ball took off into the air and cried.

  “Oh me, Oh my, what a delight,

  Awakened in my old home,

  Take my warning for the night,

  Sleep in the tree’s green dome.

  No creature will bite nor kill,

  But the tricky light is such bad will,

  Don’t follow it at any times,

  It could be all of our demise.”

  “Smartass.” Lann snorted,” How do we get a unicorn into the canopy?”

  “Instead your feet let your eyes wander,

  A fallen tree from yonder,

  Could be a bridge, a stair for her,

&n
bsp; Don’t leave her, I declare.

  The tricky light shines bright but mean,

  No friend can it redeem,

  Lying, cheating, tricking is its goal,

  While all the time the light like coal,

  Will lead you of your path.

  I hope you understand, if not just do the math.”

  Lann had several more points to argue with the Matagot, but Shiloh thought over and over what he was describing and she understood the riddle.

  “A willow-wisp. Whiplash, you are talking about a willow-wisp.” She exclaimed.

  “Aye.” He said,” the trickster, the light.

  Don’t follow it, especially not at night.”

  “What is a willow-wisp?”

  The warrior had never heard of such creature.

  “I have no clue how it looks exactly, but it illuminates a supposedly way or path through woods and marshes. People in my world are known to get lost into the swamps, following it, not to be heard of again. It’s suspected, the willow-wisp leads them into the quick sand where they die.” Shiloh clarified, the unicorn nodded her head.

  ” I have heard of them also.”

  “So, we just don’t follow it.”

  “But it could know the way out of the labyrinth.” The beast mused. “Maybe we could strike a deal with it.”

  “A deal?” Shiloh looked straight into Xylophia’s soft brown eyes.

  “I heard, they are addicted to a certain plant, it is very rare, but each forest has at least one of the plants. Though the wisps can’t touch them, they are made of the fire element. If they do, the tiny being is absorbed by flames.”

  “This means we have to look for this plant.” Shiloh considered. “Do you know how it looks like?”

  “Yes, I do of cause, I’m a creature of the woods. Trees and plants are my expertise.” She answered almost offended.

  Shiloh wondered, was that a slight attitude?

  “The plant looks actually not very striking, it is green and often mistaken for poison oak, but when it blooms, there is the major difference, the blossom looks like a lion’s mane, its color is dark red at the center, engulfed by bright orange and purple, like a small hot flame. It is so hard to find because it blossoms only for ten minutes each evening before dusk falls.”

  “This means we could rest until then.” Shiloh sighed, repressing a yawn.

  ”Let’s find one of those half fallen trees where we could climb up.”