by Leo Romero
Things buzzed and ticked all around. Leaves rustled like a horror movie cliché. Our heads twitched left and right while Pegasus trotted through at a steady pace, his hooves quiet on the soft ground below the mist. We moved past the creepy trees, some of which had been felled by some giant creature I didn’t even want to imagine. Something caught my eye. I squinted to get a better look and wished I hadn’t. Bones. Big, thick bones that looked like they used to construct the frame of a giant creature that something bigger had feasted on at some point. I looked the other way, not wanting to draw attention to it, in case the other two—
“Look at those bones!” Zane said in a hoarse whisper.
Too late.
“Don’t worry about those,” I said. “Might’ve just fallen and died there, that’s all.”
“More like something bigger gobbled it up,” said Aurora.
“It doesn’t mean that,” I said.
“I think Aurora’s right,” said Zane. “If only you’d brought your cards, then when a monster comes our way, you could just whip out a card and bind the creature to it and send to the Void where it can’t harm us. Hey presto!”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t work that way, kid.”
“Why not?”
“First of all, you have to know the thing’s name to complete the binding spell. Names are like spells in their own way. Our minds, our souls are attached to them. Think of your pet dog. Say his name and he turns his head. The name has power over his brain, over his actions. Same with humans. Shout someone’s name out down the street and they’ll instinctively turn their head. Without a name, I cannot complete the binding ritual.”
“What if something doesn’t have a name?”
“Then I can’t keep it in my Deck of Death.”
A blood-curdling caw cut through the dense forest, followed by a loud rustle of bushes. Pegasus got freaked and pulled up.
I patted him on the mane. “Easy, Peggsy!”
Zane gulped. “Oh crap.”
“That sounded close,” Aurora said. I could virtually taste the fear in her voice. To be perfectly frank, my fear thermometer was rising sharply too. The mercury was heading up at a rapid pace the further we delved into that forest. The deeper we went, the more it seemed to suck us in, to envelope us. It was almost like the trees were moving when we weren’t looking. Creeping in. Closer. Closer. Gathering around, ready to pounce with their spindly, finger-like branches at any given moment. Something flapped through the overhead branches and I almost shit my pants.
I steadied myself, just as another cry split the air. And another, then another. A demonic chorus. All around us. Left, right and behind. In front. Our heads flicked about in unison. All around us the bushes rustled. Things were on the move. Fast.
My wide eyes scanned the forest. My heart hammered. My mouth went dry. I didn’t like it. We were surrounded. Aurora’s grip on my waist tightened.
“Gabe...” she uttered.
Everything went silent. Eerie. I could hear my heart beating in my ears. I held my breath and scanned the area. Those trees stared back at me. Still. Unnerving.
Something burst through the bushes to the left of us. Giant rooster feet pounded along the forest floor, a scratched beak was open wide, a hellish screech bolting out of it. A lizardine tail waved on the air behind it, thick and scaly. The Pegasus-sized cockatrice stormed in toward us, its dragon wings flaring, its infernal noise deafening.
My instincts kicked in. I went to get Pegasus moving when something else leaped down from the branches above and to the left, big and black and wide, releasing its own ear-splitting screech. Its mouth was opened up, razor-sharp teeth gleaming, huge bat wings spread out behind it as it glided in, its ape body mottled in black fur, its stubby monkey legs dangling on the air behind it. My heart leaped into my throat as the apebat sailed in toward us, its feral cry bombarding my mind. It swooped in and we all ducked. The apebat shot through the air over our heads and continued on its descent. My head snapped to the left to watch it collide with the cockatrice, knocking it off its original course, taking it out of our path. The two creatures slammed into a tree trunk and collapsed to the ground where they rolled around through the ground mist, scratching and biting, a conjoined mass of wings and limbs. Their savage screeches were the stuff of nightmares.
I wasn’t hanging around. “Go Peggsy!”
Pegasus kicked into life and he began running straight ahead. We barely made it a few feet when something stepped out onto the scene ahead of us from behind a massive tree.
Pegasus pulled up, almost knocking all three of us off his back. I managed to steady him as lion paws ambled through the ground mist, leading up to a powerful, muscular lion’s body. Feathered wings hung limp along its back. The griffin’s eagle head twitched in semi-circles, its glassy, yellow eyes glowing in the gloom as it studied us. Its golden beak opened up and it released an ear-splitting screech, making my skin crawl.
I gazed upon the griffin in terror as it advanced on us. Man, I went to the Netherworld for a game of cards and we ended up in the paranormal version of Jurassic Park!
Behind me, Aurora was shaking.
“What are we going to do?” Zane asked.
“Stay calm,” I said as Pegasus began backing up. The griffin advanced slow and steady, its eyes fixed on us.
Soon, we were back with the grappling apebat and cockatrice. They cut across our path, almost tripping Pegasus. He came to a stop as the cockatrice finally pinned the apebat down with its rooster foot and pecked down hard at it with its beak. Blood spurted into the air and the apebat squealed in agony. The cockatrice continued to hammer away at the apebat with its beak like it was Woody Woodpecker.
Meanwhile, the griffin was still advancing with steady paces, its eagle eyes fixed on us. Behind us, the cockatrice grabbed up the apebat’s corpse and slung it away. Then it turned its attention to us. Its bloodstained beak opened up and it released a bloodcurdling cry. Ahead of us, the griffin opened up its beak and released its own cry, trying to outdo the cockatrice.
They had us sandwiched. Everyone became still. The cockatrice eyed us from behind while the griffin ogled us from the front. I gulped.
“Just stay calm, everyone,” I whispered loud enough for the other two to hear.
“Easier said than done,” said Aurora.
The cockatrice released a high-pitched screech and the griffin stormed toward us, its lion legs pumping, muscles flexing. My heart skipped a beat.
Pegasus jumped into life. He leaped around to the left and ran. The two creatures gave chase, the cockatrice in the lead with its rooster feet pattering faster than a tap dancer jacked on amphetamines. Behind it, the griffin pounded along. Holy moly, Foghorn Leghorn and Aslan after us. Lucky us!
“Go faster, boy!” I urged and Pegasus went into stampede mode. His hooves clomped through the ground mist as the two creatures chased mercilessly. Aurora’s grip on my waist tightened. The wind rushed past my face while my heart was fluttering like crazy. If we managed to make it outta this one, I promised to never complain about filling in a form again.
Pegasus stormed through the forest, dodging giant trees like a pro motocross rider. I snatched a quick look behind me. Zane was ducked down, gripping tight onto Aurora. The sneaky so and so was probably enjoying that. Behind us, the cockatrice was gaining ground. Its legs were too strong, their patter too rapid. Behind that, the griffin was eating up the ground. I turned back and my eyes almost bulged out of my head. A huge, hulking beast stomped across our path, the ground trembling beneath its massive serpentine feet. Pegasus came to an abrupt halt before we smacked right into it. With trepidation fast flooding my mind, I gazed up at the massive creature standing upright before us in unabridged horror.
A slender, serpentine body adorned with green, armor-like scales. A horned dragon’s head with yellow-green eyes glared down at us, hungry and eager. It licked its lips with a forked tongue. Horse and human was on the menu. It would be feeding well tonight.
&
nbsp; “What the hell is that?” Zane blurted, gazing up at the beast as it overshadowed us.
The wyvern flared its dragon wings and everything turned darker. Aurora flinched. The wyvern opened up its mouth and roared. Hot wind rushed out of its mouth and through my hair, bringing with it a stink of rotten meat. Jeez, someone forgot to floss this morning.
It stomped toward us.
“Look out!” Zane shouted. I spun my head just in time to see the cockatrice’s serpentine tail slash across the air as it whirled around to confront the chasing griffin, who’d by then caught up with proceedings. I tried to duck, but it was too late. The other two managed it in time, but that meaty tail slammed into my side, knocking me off the back of Pegasus. My back slammed into the ground to the sound of Aurora screaming, “Gabe!”
The wind bolted from my chest and for a couple of seconds I had no idea where I was. I shook my head back into life and looked up. Pegasus, Aurora, and Zane were sandwiched between an advancing wyvern and a griffin and cockatrice who were squaring up. I rubbed my sore head, my mind racing.
Wild cries tore through my tender mind as the griffin attacked the cockatrice. It splayed out its lion claws and went in eagle-beak first. Its black talons sank into the soft, feathered flesh of the cockatrice, whose subsequent cry of pain would’ve given Aurora a run for her money. The cockatrice reacted with an instinctive peck of its own beak. It jabbed at the griffin’s lion body, tearing fur. The griffin pecked harder, catching the cockatrice in the chest. Cockatrice blood spurted all over the griffin, who didn’t let up in its frenzy of clawing and pecking. In an act of desperation, the cockatrice whipped its tail around. It collided with the griffin’s body and they both rolled away, where they continued scrapping.
Meanwhile, the wyvern continued its advance on Pegasus. It let out a roar and swiped one of its lizardine claws across the air. I threw out a hand. “No!”
Aurora let out a scream as the wyvern grabbed hold of Pegasus by the neck. Pegasus let out a squeal as he was swept off his hooves. Aurora and Zane both lost their balance and came crashing to the ground alongside me. There was a loud whoosh as the wyvern flapped its wings. Wind streamed past us. I squinted against it, but was able to see the wyvern trying to take off. It had its prize, which was my prize, and now it would take it back to its nest. Pegasus struggled in its grip, but he was locked tight in that giant claw. The wyvern left the ground and was rising rapidly. I was helpless. All I could do was lie there and watch Pegasus being taken away by this thing. All that effort for nothing. A legendary beast was about to be something’s breakfast and then that would be the end of that. My heart sank and there was nothing I could do.
Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. The cut and bloodied griffin saw what was happening and pawed the dead cockatrice to the side like it was just a hunk of meat. It let out a piercing cry and stampeded toward the wyvern, its eagle eyes gleaming with desperation. Everyone wanted a piece of Pegasus. Its muscular lion legs worked like pistons as it pounded through the ground mist. It leaped gracefully through the air, its paws outstretched, its black talons extended.
The wyvern caught sight of it at the last second. It expanded its chest, opened up its jaws, and released a stream of fire that lit up the whole forest.
“Holy moly!” I shouted, all three of us scrambling backward.
The griffin caught the flames full on, its lion fur conflagrating, turning it into a flying fireball. Its screeching intensified as its momentum sent it into the wyvern. It collided into the wyvern’s abdomen, where its talons pierced scaly flesh. The wyvern was thrown back, its legs flailing. Its grip on Pegasus loosened and the majestic horse fell to the ground. I watched him with concerned eyes as he smashed into the undergrowth with a pained squeal.
Get up, Peggsy, get up!
When he didn’t, I feared the worst. He was on his side, just lying there. Beyond him, the two creatures fought like feral cats, fire licking at nearby trees and bushes. I was about to give up on him when he twitched. Hope swelled in my heart. He got up on his knees, then up to his hooves. He shook his head as if shaking off stars. A smile broke out over my lips. Attaboy!
“Gabe, look out!”
Aurora’s scream stole my attention. A wyvern/flaming griffin combo was bundling toward us. We jumped to our feet as they drew dangerously close. I ran to the side, grabbing hold of Aurora and Zane as I went. I dragged them over to where Pegasus was standing idle. “Get on! We’re getting outta here!”
We all jumped on Peggsy while the two beasts continued to grapple and screech and burn behind us. I was about to kick Pegasus into gear when something went flying overhead. I ducked, my gaze fixed on the burned and bloodied griffin slamming into the trunk of a tree ahead of us and slumping to the ground where it lay motionless. “Whoa!” I gasped, staring at its battered, scorched remains.
An ominous cry went off behind us. Pegasus turned in a slow circle. The triumphant wyvern now faced us, its body dotted with bleeding peck marks. Its eyes glowed with hunger and bloodlust in equal measure. Its enemies were defeated, now it had us all to itself. It didn’t hesitate. It stomped over to us, the ground tremoring. Pegasus rose on his hind legs in a panic. Zane fell off the back of him and hit the ground with an ugh! Aurora instinctively grabbed hold of my throat and squeezed. My tongue popped out of my mouth as she choked me.
The wyvern was on us. It swiped a claw across the air, grabbing hold of Pegasus once more, knocking Aurora and I off in the process. We slammed into the ground, pain jarring across my body. I didn’t know how many more bruisings I could take. My bleary eyes refocused and I got a full view of that damn wyvern preparing to take off with Pegasus. It flapped its wings and became airborne. Pegasus cried out and struggled, but the wyvern’s grip was too tight. This looked like the end. I watched with despondent eyes as the wyvern left the scene. Pegasus stared back at us, helpless.
Aurora leaped to her feet. “No you don’t!” she snarled, pulling up her sleeves. She took a deep breath and opened up her mouth.
“Zane, cover your ears!” I shouted, throwing my hands over my ears.
Aurora began singing.
The world ahead of us shimmered under the pressure of the siren blast. Bushes were sent tumbling, trees started to uproot, branches snapping. The wyvern caught the sonic wave full on, the pressure sending it flying into a tree. It bent and cracked under the impact. The jarring blow caused the wyvern to let go of Pegasus, who hit the ground for a second time. He got on his knees, pressed himself into the ground mist and closed his eyes. Wise move because that sound sure did hurt.
Aurora didn’t let up. The trees swayed and bowed and the wyvern caught the brunt of it. The thing was bundled from one tree trunk to another, terror firing in its eyes. It scrambled in a panic, unable to get a grip on anything. It gave up trying to fight back. Instead, it fled in terror, flying as fast as it could back into the thicket of trees, smacking trunks haphazardly as it went. It vanished into the darkness and only then did Aurora stop screaming.
Everything fell calm.
Pegasus opened up an eye and looked around. Zane let go of his ears and got to his feet, dusting off his jacket. “Well, that’s a beautiful singing voice you’ve got there, Aurora,” he said, straightening his cuffs.
I puffed my cheeks in exasperation. The last few minutes were some of the most insane I’d survived. “Thanks, A,” I said.
Aurora nodded. “No sweat.”
I turned to Pegasus. “You okay, Peggsy?”
Pegasus got back to his feet and neighed.
“All right, we’re leaving once and for all,” I said, dusting myself off.
“Sooner we get off this damn island the better,” said Aurora.
I nodded in agreement. I went to get back on Pegasus when a tiny vibration underfoot caught my attention. It was accompanied by a distant echo of sound like a soft thump. I frowned. A couple of seconds later, the ground vibrated again, this time a little harder. That echo rang through the trees a
gain, this time louder.
“You two hear something?” Zane asked, looking around.
That vibration occurred again, this time more intense. That echo again, much louder.
I looked around in confusion, my mind working. That ground vibration went off once more, this time so intense I actually shook alongside it. I stopped and thought hard, my mind racing. What is that?
The vibration happened again, jarring and forceful, that thump reverberating through the trees around us. I scanned the ground mist while my mind worked. My eyes widened in horror. “Holy moly!”
“What is it, Mr. Stone?” asked Zane.
“We better get moving!” I said in a panicked voice as an intense vibration almost knocked us all sideways.
There was a massive crashing sound and the aftershock tremored through the ground. Something was heading our way. Something big. Very big. Aurora’s siren blast must have attracted it.
We jumped on Pegasus, a massive rumble now underfoot, almost knocking us over. In the next instant, a darkness rapidly closed over us like the sudden onset of night. I looked up and around, perplexed. I saw the outline of a giant foot descending on us from above. My stomach clenched.
“Yah!” I roared and slammed my thighs into Pegasus’ sides. He raced away, that foot plunging down on us like something from a sci-fi B-movie.