Awakening

by Hayden Pearton

  *

  They soon caught up to Alza, who was waiting by an oddly shaped boulder by the riverside. The canyon had changed overnight, and lush vegetation was in abundance, dotting the canyon walls and perching from the lip of the cliffs above. The river had lost all of its former ferocity, and was now reminiscent of a sleeping lion, albeit one who had recently bared it's teeth at them. The path, which was fairly wide and level, soon began to curve away from the peaceful waterside, and led them into the canyon proper. The walls of the inner canyon were much more fragmented than those previously seen, and long fractures and crags scarred the otherwise smooth rock. The flooring was studded with loose boulders and fist sized stones, which appeared to have become dislodged from the façade.

  “Tread lightly, this place looks ripe for a rock-slide,” said Kingston, eyeing the unstable rock face.

  Barsch barely heard the hermit, his voice a whisper in comparison to the roar that filled his mind. Had Terra really been there, or had that just been another dream? His mind was in another place, far away from the canyon and it’s loose stones. Unfortunately for him, the reverse was untrue. If he had been paying attention, if his mind had been focused, he might have seen the stone. He may have found it with his eyes instead of his foot. Instead…

  The pebble arced away with a whistling noise, before impacting with an audible 'thud' which reverberated throughout the area. For several long moments, nothing happened, as every living thing in the area held its breath. Maybe they would be lucky this time?

  After a few more seconds of tense waiting, Kingston sighed and said, “Whew! That could have gone badly ba-

  Maybe not.

  A pre-emptive strike from a wayward stone was the only warning they were given, before the world collapsed. Moving on instinct, Barsch spun and drew Lanista. He had barely enough time to pull the ripcord, which thankfully caught on the first try. The blade was starting to roar when the first boulder reached them, and a quick vertical slash was the only thing that saved them from a crushing death.

  He hated himself, for wielding the screaming blade once more. He hated himself for how easily it had come to him, how effortlessly it found its way into his hand. He hated himself, at least, he hated the part of him which revelled in the carnage and destruction. But this time was different. This time there would be no blood, not unless he found a way to draw blood from stone.

  “Want to try?”

  Shaking his head, Barsch had barely enough time to glance over at his friends and make sure they were okay. Alza, who had been in the lead, was fending off a shower of earth with one of her patented air shields, which was already starting to crack. Maloch, on the other hand, had foregone his weapons and was instead shattering the rocks with his massive fists. Kingston, his solar staff buried deeply in his pack, could do nothing but try and dodge the stones. By the rivulets of blood running down his face, he was not doing well.

  His entire observation took less than a second, though to Barsch it seemed as though time itself had stopped. Leaving the timeless and silent world, he returned to reality, just in time to destroy the next two boulders. With a small whirl of his blade, the heavy rocks were cleaved in two, but his momentum had carried him too close to another. He tried to bring Lanista up, but it was too late, and the slag was upon him. He briefly felt an immense pressure, as the rubble began to crush him into a two-dimensional object. However, instead of falling, he straightened, and the pressure lessened. He caught a brief glimpse of Alza's glowing eyes and outstretched hand before another rock befell him. This time he was ready, and a neat slice from Lanista broke the mass. He looked up and realised that the deluge of earth had stopped, replaced by an eerie calm.

  Before him, were Alza had been only moments before, was a new wall of rubble. Behind him, Kingston was getting to his feet and wiping away the blood from his superficial cuts. Maloch too was tending to a few new dents, but seemed otherwise operational. Barsch, miraculously, was unharmed, though he knew that he owed that fact to Alza's timely intervention. Fearing for her well-being, he called out to her, saying, “Alza! Are you okay?”

  For several heart-stopping seconds, there was no reply. Then, in a faint but definitely annoyed voice, came a response, “I am still alive. However, the rubble is blocking the path between us.”

  Barsch breathed a sigh of relief, before shouting, “Okay, wait right there! We will come and get you!”

  The voice that came through the packed earth was cold enough to freeze rain in mid-flight. There was no kindness, no compassion in her tone as she said, “There is no need. You have just proved to me that it is no longer beneficial to travel with you. I will make my own way from now on. Goodbye, Barsch la Tergan.”

  “Wait, Alza! What are you doing?” called Barsch, dumbstruck.

  There was no reply, only the sound of Barsch furiously pounding the wall of rubble in the hope that it would magically break apart. When it failed to do so, he slumped forward, unable to accept this sudden turn of events.

  “How could she just leave us like that? After everything we've been through?”

  “Don't worry m'boy, we're better off without her. Come on, let's find another way out.”

  Barsch wanted to argue, to defend Alza, but the words failed to materialize. All he could do was stare at the rock strewn floor and nod meekly.

  “Coward.” For once he did not disagree with his thoughts.

  With Kingston leading the way, they began to explore the surrounding area, looking for another exit. It soon became apparent that there was none to be found, and the way forward lay buried in rubble. They had two options: either head back the way they came and look for another route or spend hours trying to clear the path of rubble. Neither option looked particularly appealing, and the noonday sun, once welcomed as a blessing, had turned the canyon into a furnace. The heat sapped what little energy Barsch had left, making it hard to think and move. After a half-hour of searching, they took a break in what little shade the cliffs above provided.

  While discussing the possibility of having to turn back and head for the river, Maloch spoke, “I believe I have calculated the most time and effort efficient method of escaping from our current predicament.”

  Kingston, without speaking a word, motioned for the re-mech to continue. Maloch did so with no hesitation, saying, in a very matter-of-fact voice, “It appears that we only have two options: Turn back or press forward. However, one must remember that there is a certain lack of...verticality... in the proposed solutions. I suggest that, instead of trying to go forward or back, we should go... up.”

  Both men pondered the re-mech’s words for a while, as each one desperately tried to think up a safer alternative. When nothing arose, Barsch answered, lamely, “Are you seriously talking about climbing up the canyon wall? That's impossible!”

  “Highly improbable, but not impossible. After running all of the variables, I have concluded that it is the most promising and efficient solution. The chance of dying is no less than any of the other death-defying activities we have partaken in in the recent past.”

  “But, how are we even supposed to climb? We have no equipment?” said Barsch, still hoping he could talk his way out of potential danger.

  “Do not worry. I will make tools for you to use,” replied Maloch depressingly.

  With no other options, Barsch turned and said, “Kingston? What do you think we should do?” whilst hoping that the hermit would think of something to dissuade the death-seeking re-mech.

  Kingston looked up from his seat, fatigue evident in his eyes. Seeing the concern in Barsch's face, he quickly jumped up and said, “Well, I trust Maloch, and he hasn't been wrong yet,” Seeing Barsch’s dejected look he added, Kingston seemed to think for a bit before adding, “Besides, we might be able to catch up with... her.”

  Kingston looked as though that was the last thing he wanted to do, but Barsch understood what the man meant. Nodding, he said, “Okay, let’s go.” Turning to Maloch he added, “What do
you want us to do?”