“It’s time to go…”
Thaddeus blinked a few times as he sat up, his eyes adjusting to the dim light, “But it’s still-“
“I know.” Levi was a man of many words, the curse of a philosopher’s mind, but his bluntness held a note of caution.
There was small glimmer in the darkness as Levi shifted, the faint stars casting their light on the metal of his rifle.
Thaddeus rose to his feet, keeping in a low crouch as he reached for his own weapon, a small pistol. It was then that he noticed it: A light shifting in the night, the faint rustle of a footstep, the deep-throated rumble of some bizarre creature.
Levi made a swift motion and began to creep along the cliff’s ledge. They had taken refuge among the numerous cliff ledges for the night, their bodies having been pushed to the point of exhaustion. They had been running. What they had been running from they didn’t know, but they could feel its presence the day they started their journey. Now, the presence was back, its movements silent and swift, but none-the-less there.
So here they were once more, running. For one moment, Thaddeus desperately wanted to confront the creature and end this pursuit once and for all, but deep down he knew the fate that would befall that decision.
As they crept along the cliff side, the faint sound of the waves crashing along the rocks below brought them to the realization of the predicament they were in. It would only take one misplaced foot, one slip of the hand to plummet the many feet to their deaths.
“We need to move faster…” Levi’s voice was laden with worry as he picked his way along. He could sense as the creature began to close in, this was its territory. It had no fear of heights, or danger. The only thing that held it at bay night to night was the gleaming fire, and now…
There! The top ledge was just out of reach as they climbed their way along the ledges.
“It’s up there. Boost me up, I’ll pull you next.”
Thaddeus disliked the idea of being last, but complied as he realized the lesser option of stalling time. It was not long before the both of them scrambled onto the sparsely vegetated flats overlooking the ocean, but they could not rest long. The creature was continuing to close in.
Already exhausted, they scrambled away from the groaning rumbles of the creature, hoping to put some distance between it and themselves. They had a mission to complete, now wouldn’t be the time to fail. They were so close…
Thaddeus stopped in his tracks, “You have to be kidding me!” Levi stopped and turned in the direction Thaddeus was pointing. There in the distance were torch lights. The torch lights of the very castle they were looking for.
“We were this close all this time?!” Thaddeus looked furious now as be continued to plod through the loose dirt and rocks.
“Will you be quiet? We aren’t safe yet…” Levi was right, that creature could be anywhere near them now.
The light was just being to show as the sun rose over the ocean’s horizon. It was then that Thaddeus looked behind to see if they were still being pursued.
“HEL-“ His cry was cut short as the creature leapt on him, tearing out his throat with its menacing jaws. Levi yelled out and shot at the creature with his rifle, just missing the creatures head and striking its arm. They had always imagined the creature to be hideous, but he had never imagined something so vile.
It looked like something out of a horror story. Its body was horribly disfigured with numerous human and animal parts. Five arms protruded from a disfigured chest, giving the creature a spider-like appearance. Each arm held different implements of animals, beaks, talons, bear claws, each tinged red with blood. Its face was hideous beyond reckoning. An elongated and horribly disfigured skull of a human with a mouth lined with many types of teeth rested on what was supposed to be the neck of the beast. As it finished its swift feast, the rumbling turned into maniacal laughter and speech.
“Finally…” The creature chuckled, “I am nearly complete…”
Levi didn’t waste another moment. In an instant the creature was bounding toward him, jaws wide open. It was in this mouth that Levi shot and a horrid gurgling sound followed.
Its eyes turned toward hatred as it leapt at Levi, snapping at his throat and limbs, slashing with claws and talons to break the defensive hold that Levi held. But Levi proved exceptional strong for his size, throwing the creature from himself and drawing a long-bladed knife. This time when the creature leapt, Levi was ready. With a swift motion, Levi severed the head of the beast, knife passing through the thin neck that held it together.
It fell in a crumpled heap and Levi tumbled to the ground, panting. It was over… Now it was time to deal with the creator… Levi stood once more, the message pouring from his lips as he recited the well memorized code, “Darkness begins, magic abounds, evil corrupts, time’s clock sounds.” It was time to end this cult, these necromantic fanatics, once and for all.
