She held her breath and struggled to free herself, her dead limbs refusing to work. She tried to resist the urge to breathe, but her body convulsed into the action. Water filled up her throat, choking her. Her mind was fading. Her hand smacked something hard. It was enough to jar her into thinking, even in her death throes. She forced her dead limbs to move, pushing the water with her feet. She couldn’t think of anything but the water killing her and the urge to keep pushing with her legs. Even that was fading into nothingness.
Then she was aware that she was coughing, her throat burning with sea-water being vomited up. Her hands felt rough stone. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees, her body convulsing with violent coughs. At last she was able to breathe normally, if rather labored. Weak from the trial, she lifted her head and looked around. She was in another passageway that went on for a ways and then turned sharply to the right. Behind her lay the dark water from which she had come. She lay in a puddle of sea-water, her body soaked through and shivering. On the floor, headed away from her was a single trail of boot marks.
*********
How long has it been?
A corner.
How long have I been trapped here?
An intersection. Left.
How long since I have been human?
Another intersection. Straight-on.
She is older now. Sixteen? Eighteen? Has it been that long?
The corridor extends straight ahead. Forward.
My mind should have gone mad. Yet, it seems only the passing of a day.
To the right is a dead-end. Left.
Has this place sustained me? Does it do this to all of its victims? Or is it…?
Halt. Look down. Hands that would shimmer were there any light to reflect.
I can feel her thoughts. She is not afraid. Not of this place. But she cannot see. She must be able to see. She must…
Awareness.
He is here. Why is he here? What is he planning? I must protect her. I must watch over her.
Forward.
*******
Jade turned a corner and sighed.
Dead end. Again.
She didn’t understand how she could see, but at this point, neither did she care. Turning around, she walked back the way she had come. The boot marks had led her deep into this labyrinth. By the time she realized she was lost, the marks had dried and disappeared. Keeping track of her trail did little good. She somehow seemed to wind up at the same intersections and dead ends over and over again. Either that, or every place looked the same in here. Even if she had kept track, the only place to go back to was the ocean water. She tried following the advice the voice had given her, but that only yielded the same result.
Lost. Trapped. Just like…
She hugged herself in her wet clothes, though they were mostly dry by now. She turned another blind corner. Her eyes looked up to distract her thoughts. She wasn’t sure why she did it.
It’s not as if there’s anything to look at in here.
Another blank wall and another blind corner. She turned it and her steps faltered. Facing her were two very large, very familiar doors.
She approached them and reached out a hand. The wood was solid and smooth; crafted. Her other hand found the other door and she pushed them open. The familiar creek of her father’s throne room doors entered her ears as she stepped into the throne room. Great pillars lined the hall. A crowd of commoners filled the room, soldiers standing guard before them at regular intervals. A red carpet divided the crowd down the middle, leading from the doorway to the raised dais at the end of the room. Upon it sat a single, empty throne.
Jade’s breath was caught. The throne had always been accompanied by another, her father’s way of honoring her mother’s memory. But this throne was not her father’s. This was her throne.
The people’s expectation was plain on their faces. She knew this scene. They were seeking justice of some kind. It was up to Jade to dispense it.
No. Not Jade. I’m Beverly. Beverly Lithos of the Greys.
Her hands brushed the material of a dress. Instinctively, they gripped the material and she bowed in a low curtsey. It was tradition in her family to begin proceedings in this way, to display humble service to the people. As she rose, she felt a weight circling her head.
A crown. I am queen now. Oh, Antina, what do I do?
Numbness consumed her. She stepped forward, the folds of her gown making soft sounds in the silent hall. Faces watched her; faces of fear, hope, joy, anger, but her mind registered none of it. Not knowing how she got there, she stepped up to the dais and turned to face the crowd.
I’m supposed to say something.
“These proceedings are in court,” she said in rote fashion. Holding her dress, she sat. The cushions of the throne felt like granite, the tall armrests like prison bars, her arms shackled to them. She tried to breath, but felt as if a weight were on her chest.
I must do this. The people. They are depending on me.
A herald stepped up to the dais and read from the scroll in his hands.
“The people of Thoral Island seek justice from their monarch for the crimes they have suffered.”
Beverly’s voice was weak. Her fingers gripped the wood edged armrests. She didn’t look at the herald.
“What are the crimes?”
“Killing, the stealing of children, the destruction of homes.”
Beverly attempted a swallow, but her mouth was too dry.
I don’t belong here. Who am I to do this?
“Bring in the accused,” she squeaked.
None seemed to notice her faltering voice. All turned to face a spot on Beverly’s right. Her eyes remained fixed on the entry doors through which she had come. She heard the shuffling of feet and the clinking of armor and chains.
“The court will read the offenses in the hearing of the accused,” she said, standing and reaching out a hand. The parchment was given her. “Prisoner, you are hereby charged with killing of innocents, stealing of children, and destruction of homes.”
Look at him. You must look at him.
She took three shallow breaths and lowered the parchment to look at the prisoner.
“What say you to these cha-“
Her words caught in her throat. Cryos stood before her, his arms and legs shackled with thick chains, the guards on either side of him watched only him, their swords at the ready. Cryos merely stared back, hatred blazing through those stone eyes. He did not answer.
“Who accuses this creature?” Beverly’s voice was suddenly strong.
“It stole my little boy!” said a woman from the crowd.
“It killed my wife!” said a man.
“Vile beast!” said another.
The crowd erupted in a cacophony of shouts.
“Silence!” she shouted. “Silence!”
The crowd quieted and Beverly took in a breath. She looked around at the angry and fearful faces of the villagers. Their faces were familiar, but she did not know them.
Could they be lying? But why would they? He was a servant of Ixtus. But he’s not anymore, is he?
She looked at Cryos.
“Whom do you serve?” she asked.
He did not answer.
“I command you to speak, gargoyle. What say you to these crimes?”
He glared at her in silence. Beverly glared back, her numbness and fright forgotten in a wave of frustration.
I can’t save you if you refuse to speak to me! What must I do for you to speak?
Her mind searched and found a solution. She disliked it, but she had little choice.
“I am Beverly Lithos of the Greys, ruler of Thoral Island! You stand accused of these crimes against my people! You will answer my questions, gargoyle or you will be executed!”
The statement filled her with strength and resolve. She would have his answer. She would see justice done. Cryos opened his beak in a gravely voice.
“I serve Jade. I have not done these crimes.”
“By my judgment, the accused is acquitted.”
The crowd erupted in angry shouts. The soldiers fought to hold back the mob. Beverly’s heart leapt into her throat.
Have I judged poorly? But what choice is there?
She looked to Cryos who was still bound. The soldiers stared back at her.
“Your highness.”
Beverly snapped her head to look at the herald.
“You will lose your kingdom.”
Her mouth turned down into a scowl. Her hand reached up, took the crown from her head, and tossed it to the floor. She stepped down to Cryos, snatched the keys from the guards and unlocked the shackles.
“You’re free,” she said, staring up at Cryos.
“Thank you,” he said.
A roar erupted from his throat, causing her to stumble backwards. His wings flared. Beverly’s heart slammed against her chest.
No.
Cryos leapt at her. She tumbled out of the way, allowing him to crash through the wooden throne. Beverly’s tumble was clumsy due to her dress. She landed facing away from the throne. The crowd had turned from an angry mob to panicked one.
“Protect the queen!” someone shouted.
Beverly turned to see the soldiers engaging Cryos who tossed them aside as wooden dolls. His claws sunk into the throat of one and raked the face of another. His beak bit the hand off a third while his tail, wings, and clawed feet fended off the rest. Men’s agonized screams mixed with the frightened din of the crowd.
No! He’s killing them! You must stop him! You must do something!
She could not take her eyes off the scene. Her hands searched around her for a weapon. In the same moment, she found both her dagger and her crown.
Cryos tossed the last of the guards from him. Beverly’s face formed into a scowl as her hand gripped the hilt of her dagger. Cryos roared. Beverly scrambled to her feet. They both charged. Beverly thrust her weapon forward, plunging it into Cryos’s heart. The gargoyle roared as a green light consumed his body. Beverly stepped back, tripping over her dress and falling to her rump. The light exploded in a wave of green energy. When she looked again, she saw only a pile of ash and her dagger lying on top.
She crawled over and picked up the dagger. The guards were dead, the hall was empty, and Cryos was no more. She was alone.
She blinked and found herself back in the labyrinth, back in her traveling clothes, the jade dagger gripped tightly in her hands. She stared at it as the vision replayed in her mind. Her hands squeezed the dagger and her body shook. It was all she could do to keep from collapsing into a fit of tears.
******
Cryos thought on the words of the strange sea-beings as he walked down the wide passageway. Try as he might to think on Jade and finding her, his mind kept going back to their words.
How can I have choice? I have never had choice. To live is to serve and obey. I have but one master. Do I seek to avenge Ixtus? What does that mean? How can these thoughts be here? What does this mean?
So wrapped in thought, he nearly bumped into a wall. Turning to view his surroundings, he found himself at an intersection. One passage went left, the other right, with passage forward barred by a solid stone wall. He chose right and kept moving.
After some distance, the passage turned left, then right again. The path kept turning, dividing, and turning again. Sometimes he would hit a dead-end and would be forced to turn back. Sometimes he found himself at an intersection that looked familiar.
At one such juncture, he stood in the center and turned every which way, knowing he had been there twice before and attempting to determine where he should go next. His beak retracted into a sneer and growl escaped his throat.
“Why are you here?”
Cryos turned, but saw no one. The voice seemed to echo all around him.
“Why have you left your keep?”
The voice seemed distorted as if being filtered through some kind of crystal.
“Who are you?” Cryos demanded.
“Know your enemy gargoyle. Do not think that I will spare you a second time.”
Cryos trembled. Aside from the Darkness there was only one being he would consider his enemy, only one that still lived. He backed down one of the passages turning this way and that.
“Why are you here?” the voice insisted.
“I...I seek only my master.”
“Your master is dead. Do you seek the crystal to resurrect him?”
“N-no.” Cryos cursed himself for his weakness. Yet he could not shake the fear. “He is... He is no longer my master. My master... My master...”
Then he was running on all fours. He turned several corners attempting to escape the voice.
“Where are you running? You are trapped in this Labyrinth as am I.”
Cryos did not answer but kept running, kept turning corners.
“Who is your master?”
His claws pounded the stone floor. He turned another corner.
“Who is your master?”
Another intersection. He chose left and kept moving his body ready to give out beneath him for fear. Another intersection. He turned right. His eyes saw a flash of a green figure. She was there, reaching out for him! He attempted to halt his momentum, causing himself to stumble and go tumbling head over heels. Pain rippled through him as his wings, tail and limbs were bent and crushed beneath his own weight.
He lay there, his pain momentarily overriding his fear.
“Cryos.”
His eyes took in the jade figure, reaching a hand towards him. He scrambled to his feet, backing away down the corridor. The jade woman followed him, her hand still outstretched.
“Who is your master?”
Her voice echoed around him. He reached an intersection and turned to run. The jade woman stood before him again, reaching out for him. He turned and sprinted the other direction. A blind corner brought him almost slamming into her a third time. He halted and went back to the corner. The jade woman was approaching him from every direction. He shrank back, trying to disappear into the stone as the figures advanced upon him.
“Who is your master?”
More appeared and moved towards him. He cowered beneath their approach, pressing himself into the corner, his wings covering him, his body shaking violently. His clawed hands covered his head beneath his wings. He heard her voice resounding a thousand fold.
“N-No! NO!”
Their lifeless hands were upon him and he heard his own voice roaring in pain.
*****
Jade walked down the corridor, her mind numb. She wanted to think on the things she had encountered, to understand their puzzles. But all her mind could do was yearn for escape; escape from their tortures, escape from this place, escape from…
She looked ahead of her. Another empty, silent hallway.
No one.
No voices. No sounds at all but her own breathing and the steady plodding of her boots. How long had she been wandering these halls? It seemed like forever.
It will be forever. I’ll never get out of here.
Her arms wrapped around her as she sunk to her knees. Quiet tears fell from her scrunched up face. She shook her head, fighting to keep them back.
This wasn’t like Ixtus’ keep. Here, she truly was lost. Here, she truly was alone. Here, she would never escape.
A weak sob exited her throat, then another, then another, until she was openly sobbing, every horrible thought she held locked away bursting forth, crushing her. Her face was against the stone, her tears forming a puddle beneath her. She would die here, alone and forgotten.
Her sobs grew deeper in her ears, changing and morphing into a distant, inhuman roar. Her tears slowed at the oddity.
Then she heard it again and her breath stopped. She sat up, though her stiff limbs complained, and listened.
Silence.
She strained her ears, listening for any sound. Then it sounded
again and she was on her feet, running. She followed the path until it reached an intersection and stopped to listen. She could hear a voice, his voice. She turned left, took a blind corner, and there saw Cryos, his wings covering him so that he looked more like a stone. His quivering form sat in a corner and she rushed up to him.
“Cryos?”
He did not respond.
“Cryos what's wrong?”
She placed her hand on his trembling wing. He roared at her touch, his wings flaring open, knocking her back. Their full span made the gargoyle a giant of a creature. He flailed his wings as if warding off some unseen enemy.
“Cryos!” Jade yelled, attempting to shield herself from the wings. “Cryos, stop!”
“No! No!” Cryos roared, his wings and arms flailing.
Jade managed to grab the edge of one wing, then the other. She held them, though with her arms still fatigued, she was not sure from where the strength had come. Still, even in his wings, the gargoyle held tremendous strength and it was a fight to hold them still.
“Cryos! It’s me, Jade!”
At the mention of her name, his struggle became all the more frantic. His wings pulled themselves out of her grip. Jade backed away. She had to try something else.
She stood straight and tried as best she could to sound confident. Shaking in her voice betrayed her.
“Cryos, I am your master! Calm yourself!”
His flailing died down, but he still shook terribly, his wings moving back to cover him. Jade swallowed. She could think of only one recourse, yes she was loath to do it. Steeling her will, she clenched her fists. Her face became solid. Her posture changed to stand straight-backed as she drew herself to her full height. A deep inhale and she found her voice to be stronger than of what she thought herself capable as she spoke once more.
“I am Beverly Lithos of the Greys, Heir Apparent to the throne of Thoral Island and ruler of you and this land! I command you, servant of Ixtus and Jade, to cease your trembling and stand!”
Jade’s eyes went wide and her breath became shallow both at her words and the power she felt coursing through her. More surprising was the fact that Cryos had immediately stopped trembling at the sound of her voice. Upon her final words dying away, he unfolded his wings and stood. He looked at her and she could tell that he was seeing her for the first time. She walked up to him.
Cryos & Jade Labyrinth Page 3