by Unknown
They figured it was a main tunnel and hoped that it wouldn't take long to get to the bottom. Azrak rubbed his shoulders, the bending over and crouching was taking a toll on him and anxiousness crept in the deeper they went.
"How deep do these tunnels go?" asked Nasr.
"Let's hope not much further," Ralti said, moving the torch around the tunnel.
"Do you hear that?" Ralti asked, stopping suddenly.
He scooted next to the wall and held the torch down near his knees, hiding the light as he listened. Azrak stopped and swung his ears around looking for the sound. His brows scrunched to the center of his face.
"Water," he said,
"Yeah, that's what it sounds like to me." Ralti held out the torch. Soft warm embers fell from the bottom. "We won't have this torch for much longer," he shook an ember from his foot.
"Let's keep going," Azrak said.
At the next tunnel crossing, they went toward the water. A buzz reverberated in their ears. They brought their ears down.
"We're getting closer," Azrak said.
"To what, is the question?" Nasr said.
Azrak and Ralti ignored him. Azrak stopped abruptly as he came to the end of the tunnel.
"Now where do we go?" Ralti asked.
A large waterfall cascaded into a large pool several feet below. Azrak crawled on his belly and the others followed him and peered over the edge. They searched around the gaping hole.
"Wait. What is that?" Nasr asked.
Out of the darkness, on the platform below, they could barely make out the tail of a large scorpion. The tail moved slowly in a rhythmic pattern in conjunction with the humming they had been hearing for some time.
"The queen," Ralti said.
Azrak nodded and then signaled for them to fly down.
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Watching their leaders, the other soldiers repeated the same maneuvers, taking out several more scorpions. The sheer number of them turned the tides. The green grass covered with splotches of blackish red blood, the same color as the armored bodies of the arthropods. They needed to change their tactics.
Helios stood with his back to Brigdon's using each other as shields from the scorpions turn rotation tactics. Brigdon struck using a cross cut, slicing through the small part behind the large pincher's. With a twist of his wrist, he sliced the opposite direction through the other. Helios slashed the soft joints, their weak spot behind crushing and deadly claws. The scorpion jerked backward as blood spurted and their claws fell to the ground. The next attacked with vigor only to have that one sliced off also.
"Blast," yelled Brigdon, as one scorpion slipped passed his defenses and struck him square in the chest.
The scorpion's tails struck at the right height to hit the heavy steel, breaking the stinger right off. A young warrior fell as a larger scorpion knocked him off balance. The scorpion slammed his claws around the soldier's leg, bringing him to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Helios saw the soldier go down. Several scorpions blasted his skin with their singers before he even hit the ground.
"Don't let them get you off balance," Helios called.
Helios leapt to the air, leaving Brigdon standing for a split second and then he too leapt to the air. The stench became so intense that they no longer smelled it. They saw only a sea of black red. One by one the gryphtons lifted into the air. It was one advantage they still had over them.
Helios flew over to the soldier but could barely make him out through all the scorpions. It had become so loud that Helios had difficulty thinking. The scorpions’ rattling overcame the sky.
"Fall back. Take them to the cliff," Brigdon called, waving his sword in the direction of the cliff.
The armada engaged the scorpions, battling forward toward the cliff, slicing off stingers and attacking the weak joints. A few more soldiers fell to the stingers. A larger scorpion came out of the main tunnel. It raised long sleek black wings from off its back and lifted into the air. A deep rumbling roar escalated from Brigdon's belly.
He opened his mouth and let the war cry consume him. Every gryphton followed and roared, drowning out the high pitch of the scorpions’ rattles. The flying scorpion made its way closer to the gryphtons, while others followed it out of the tunnel. Brigdon motioned for a group of gryphtons to take to one side and another to the other side, to keep the ground crawlers busy.
"Let's take them down," Helios said with a fierce growl in his throat.
Brigdon was about to dive toward the flying creature when Pontos and his men flew in from both sides, carrying the bombs. The gryphton army flew with long strong strides, gripping the clay pots. With each flap of their wings, their legs and arms moved as though they were running.
They flew in a V formation and drafted off each other. At the center of the formation, the lead gryphton bent in half and dove toward the ground. The rest of the group split into two groups and circled around the battle field. Staying in twos, they followed the leaders.
A long line of colors streamed through the sky. The warriors dropped the pots, strategically on the outsides, about twenty feet apart and then in the center. Brigdon slipped a sling onto a toe and loaded it, then swung it with a flick of his wrist. The scorpion reared back as the stone sunk deep into its skull. Falling to the ground, it landed with a thud.
The gaseous poison worked on the ground scorpions, altering their ability to receive orders with their antennae. Frenzy overcame them. Disorganized scorpions attacked the lifeless body. Several more flying scorpions came out of the tunnel and soared into the sky. Pontos and his armada swooped into the air and pulled their slings. Their stones wouldn't last long.
"I'm out," said Helios, watching Brigdon shoot his last stone.
"Me too."
"We're about to be out numbered," Helios said, watching a wall of black coming at them.
Helios swooped down toward the oncoming flying scorpions, lifted his hind legs, released his talons, and lashed out at the scorpion. The scorpion spun, nearly catching Helios's wing with its pincers. Helios rolled the other way, twisted at his waist and snagged the stinger in his paws, and ripped it off.
The scorpion screeched as it flipped around. Helios slammed the scorpions own stinger into the soft flesh of its shoulder. Its black eyes stunned, stared at Helios as its own poison paralyzed its body.
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"I don't want to wake it up, just find the cylinder and let's get out of here," Azrak said.
"What does that look like anyway?" asked Ralti.
"A gold sphere with strange markings," Azrak said, drawing one of the symbols in the soft dirt.
Azrak leapt into the air and glided to the ledge below. One at a time they landed around the large tail. It was warmer next to the beast. The heat allowed for the glowing mushrooms to grow on the walls of the room. An eerie green hue shone on the black and red beast. The cavern was too low for them to fly so they had to crawl.
The fabric tied to their feet stuck slightly to the slime on the ground. It was hard to walk around without making noise. A pungent odor emanated from the slime. Azrak and Tog circled around to the left as Ralti and Nasr moved around to the right. They climbed over scattered remains of columns around the enormous body with eight legs.
The scorpion's slow breaths buzzed inside their anxious chests. They were shocked by its enormous head resting on its pincers. Azrak pointed to the other side of the sleeping scorpion, toward three rooms. He signaled Ralti to search the one closest to him. Ralti stepped backward toward the wall. He tried to move around the pincers but stumbled on the loose ground.
Pebbles tumbled as he threw his paws out to catch himself. The beast stirred. Azrak and the others froze in their tracks. It shifted slightly, coming within inches of Azrak and Tog. Azrak's heart pounded against his rib cage and he held his breath. Tog sucked in his breath, threw his arms behind him and braced himself. Ralti regained his footing and made it to the entrance of the room.
Tog stay
ed at the entrance but peered into the room. His eyes widened, overcome by treasure. His heart beat faster as the excitement raced through his body. Azrak felt the energy shift but it was too late. Tog's eyes glazed over with greed. A deep growl rumbled from Azrak's throat warning him to back off.
Tog heard the warning and turned. He was already consumed with greed. Azrak's eyes shifted furiously around the room. He stepped inside and searched for the vessel. He didn't see anything and thought it might be in one of the other rooms. He shot Tog a glare of death as he walked by. Tog cowered, lowering his eyes and squatting onto his haunches. Ralti came out of the room and shrugged. In the center of the middle room sat the orb.
It was resting on a stone altar. Azrak walked toward it but stopped a few feet away. He wondered why there was an altar in the middle of a room like this. He bent over, searched for signs of any traps, but he couldn't find anything.
"We're going to have to move fast in case this thing is rigged," he said.
Ralti agreed and signaled the others. He reached for the gold orb. The shiny metal was cold on his paws and for an instant he hesitated.
"Go on, let's get out of here," Ralti said.
Azrak gripped it tightly and darted toward the door. Ralti darted as Azrak neared him. They veered to one side and rounded a large pillar. Stopping in mid-stride, his chin rose, until his eyes met the black eyes of the scorpion. She looked when they came barreling toward her.
Ralti whipped his sword from its sheath. He swung his blade, striking her square in the face. She reared and screeched. Blood dripped onto the floor. Azrak and Nasr flinched under the noise but kept moving. Nasr slashed through the soft joint of one of the scorpion's legs. The scorpion squealed and spun.
"Over here you scathing creature of sin," Ralti shouted.
She spun back toward Ralti. She reached for him with her massive pincer. He jumped out of the way, letting it slam into a column behind him. The force sent a piece of the ceiling onto his head. Azrak darted around him along the wall.
The scorpion tried to stop Azrak, but he leapt over her pincer and rolled behind a pillar, which was lying on the ground. Tog slipped past while she was distracted. He had several purses of jewels hanging around his neck, along with several silver and gold necklaces.
"Tog. What are you doing?" Ralti yelled.
Tog had an unrested grin that Ralti had never seen before. He reached the edge of the floor and jumped into the air and disappeared.
"That sorry –" Ralti started.
The scorpion attacked again. He leapt out of the way and rolled into a crouch behind the pillar. Azrak and Nasr were half way back to the ledge when Ralti leapt over the pillar and steadied himself. He ran and slipped under the beast. He swung his blade in an upward arc, slicing through the soft joint behind the armored claw. The pincher fell to the ground with a thud.
"Get out of here," Ralti yelled.
Azrak, however, wasn't about to leave him behind. He dodged the ruble on the ground and ran straight at her mid-section. His blade sank deep into her side, sending her into a writhing fit of spasms. Ralti ran up onto one of her legs and onto her body. He threw one leg over her back. With both paws, he thrust his blade into her neck. The resistance through the joint and sinew as he cut her spine made him quiver. The scorpion's legs fell out from under her and she sank to the ground. Ralti yanked his sword out and slid off her back.
"Well done," Azrak said. "Now let's get out of here."
"What about Tog?" Ralti asked sheathing his sword.
"He'll get his," Azrak said.
They made their way back toward the ledge but stopped just short. In the distance they heard cries of scorpions and the clank of metal.
"Sounds like he just did," Ralti said.
"We can't go back the way we came. They're coming back in," Azrak said.
"You don't suppose we go that way?" Nasr asked pointing to the pool of water.
"What? You don't like water?" Azrak asked.
"No, not particularly," he said, wincing under the thought of it.
"Behind the falls, is that a path?" Ralti asked.
"Yes, I spotted it earlier. I think it will lead us out of here," Azrak said.
Azrack leapt into the crashing water, followed by Ralti. Nasr took in a deep breath and then jumped into the chest deep pool. The path opened up into a cavern. They struggled against the current as they made their way to the other side. They found that there was no way out.
"We have to turn around and go back," Ralti said.
"No, the water goes out somewhere. We have to follow it," Azrak said.
Ralti and Nasr knew it would be useless to argue. Mustering all the courage they could, they followed Azrak under the water. The water drained into a tunnel. They used the current to propel them through the tight space. Even though their lion side hated water, they were good swimmers. They used their strong hind legs to shove off from the edges. The tunnel rounded a corner and passed through another water fall.
They gasped for air as they popped up through the water. They swam to the rocky shoreline and shook their wings free of the water.
"We need to tell Helios we have the orb and get out of here," Azrak said.
Their eyes followed the shear face of the mountain.
"Looks like we're at the bottom of the cliffs," Ralti said.
"Looks like we're climbing. Unless you want to wait for your wings to dry," Azrak said.
"No way. I personally do not want to see another one of those scorpions," Nasr said.
They climbed over uneven rocks and dead scorpions along the shore toward the rock face. Azrak took off a chest belt and wrapped it around the orb. Hooked it to another belt and strapped it around his chest. They started up the side of the mountain, digging their claws into the earth one at a time. As they climbed, they held their wings out just enough to let the winds dry them.
Half way up Azrak fluttered his wings. He extended them to full stretch and lifted off the wall. Did a backward swan dive and then shot high into the air. Ralti and Nasr followed into the deep blue sky. At the top of the cliffs, they saw the armada hovering over the battle field. Azrak watched the scorpions consume themselves as he met up with Brigdon and Helios.
"Seems that your calculations were correct, Helios," Azrak said.
Helios started a calculated re-enactment of the effects of the hallucinogen. He explained they could tell when the queen died, because all the scorpions fell out of the sky. Brigdon slapped him on the back with a grin and followed Azrak and the others back toward home. Helios smiled.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Competition
Azrack stopped outside the King's tent.
"Ah, Azrak you have returned," the King said, and shifted his body to prop himself against the edge of his bed.
"Sire," Azrak said bowing.
"Please, come. Have you the vessel?" King Ruadan asked as he fixed the sheets.
"Yes, Sire."
The temporary quarters had been eloquently decorated for a battlefield barracks. Azrak much preferred his modest house, high in the cliffs back home. A gold pot with burning essences sat on a small end table. A myriad of gold jars, bowls, vases and trinkets of every kind surround the king. Brightly colored jewels and stones filled them to overflowing.
"You did well. Let your men rest." the King said, holding out his paw so that Azrak could kiss it.
Azrak did and said, "May we have temporary retreat?"
The King’s feathers ruffled gently. He rested on the padded headboard. "I must attend to some business, I will know in a few days."
“Soon we will have the needed strength to over throw the Kronos and Ebonhoards.”
“How sire? With this?” Azrak gestured to the vessel.
“Yes, legend says it holds great powers.”
“We are not a magical race, You’re Grace, how can we use magic?”
“It can be done, I have seen it in a dream. Now, set the orb on the table and let an old gryphton rest."
>
Azrak bowed obediently and set the orb on the table. When he reached the door he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it instead. The brisk morning air stung his nose as he struggled with his emotions. How is magic going to help us? He thought, shaking his head.
Azrak skirted a soldier carrying a large pot of boiling water and crossed the way into the isles of tents. His shoulders sank the more he thought about his impending future.
"So, you have returned glorious once more." Groargoth said.
Azrak turned his shoulders toward Groargoth but didn't give him the respect of his full body at attention.
"What do you want?" Azrak asked, one brow rose with a slight eye roll.
"You mean, what can I do for you, Sire," Groargoth said.
"No, what do you want?" Azrak said.
Azrak rose to his full height, which was a few inches taller than Groargoth, and ruffled his feathers and puffed out his chest. Groargoth stretched to his full height and ruffled his feathers.
"You will obey me. I will be the new king," Groargoth said.
"That may be true, but I will never serve you Groargoth," Azrak said. His piercing pupils sent a shiver of fear through Groargoth, "I can sense your fear. You are no leader. You're a pathetic cub throwing a tantrum. Do not mistake anger as bravery."
"You will regret this. That much I do promise," Groargoth said as Azrak disappeared behind a tent.
Azrak tossed open the doorway and was about to slip inside for some much wanted sleep when the talon of another gryphton tapped him on the shoulder.
"Sir," Lahonti said bowing. Azrak pulled his helmet off and tucked it under his arm. "Sir, there is a very pressing matter. I must talk to you."
Azrak spun on his heel. "Is there a problem?" he asked.
"Yes, Groargoth is plot –" Lahonti caught himself.
"Go on," Azrak said.