5- A Dark Truth

Dew perched on a tree branch, looking forward with a dull gaze. Solomon and he had spent the month working on gathering supplies for the worst of winter.

At the moment, the father and son duo were in the deeper forests; cutting up herbs to be used as a preservative to make sure the fish they'd get later wouldn't go bad. Dew cut a few bits of the green herb up, easily dropping it into the satchel next to him as he heard his father speak, seeming to be immersed in cutting up a particular bunch of herbs he found.

"Dew, did you work on any new...elements lately?" Dew looked back at him and after a short dely nodded; shooting a short bolt of lightning from his jaws at a tree, watching it ignite a bit, before dousing it with ice. Solomon was impressed; more so than usual.

"I still don't understand how you do that Dew..." His tone was different, Dew caught; his tone was taut. It was almost as if he didn't mean that.

"Dad," He asked, turning around once his father did. "Do you know anything about where I come from?" Instead of the usual beach story he heard a million times, Solomon sighed, and simply said one thing as he started walking.

"When we get home Dew...it'll all make sense."

 

 

The trip home was silent and unnerving. The second they arrived in the house, Dew was asked to sit in the chair across from Solomon's. The second the drake did his father left the room for a moment, and returned moments later with a dusted, aged book. He sat down, and took a deep breath.

"Son, in that book on Monster Women, did you notice that a page was missing?"

"...actually yes...how did you-"

"It's right here." He handed a balled up piece of paper to Dew, who smoothed it out and looked at the mere name: the Echidna. The entry stated any Echidna was to be considered a massive threat; though they were always seen as legends; one alone never being sighted for years.

"There's a reason for that son," Solomon said, as he looked away; having sensed his son has finished reading the whole page on that wretched creature. "That thing ain't no legend; she was real; more real than you think. Long before you were born, a few heroes set off on a journey of epic proportions to find the fated Echidna Pya, and defeat her; restoring peace to the world. After a long and enduring fight, they managed to seal her power into a few items, and slay her; her Spirit Energy scattering across the world and fusing with it; causing unpredictable results across the globe for years. After her death the heroes split up, but were prepared to align together in case another threat came." He handed Dew a photo, and he saw 5 men; a large warrior, a slim archer, a noble crusader, a short dwarf, an old wizard...and an assassin...and that was when Dew put the pieces together, especially when he saw the assassin holding the same daggers he saw his father use against the Ignis.

"Dad...you..."

"Killed her? Yes; for the good of the world. But after that...things went to hell..."

 

 

 

 

The 5 heroes stood at the altar of Pya; looking down at her corpse. All the myths, rumors, and fear lived up to the title of the ancient goddess; she was much like a Lamia; seen in the woods, save for being 8 times as large, her tail able to coil around the entire room at least twice, her skin being a demented and ashen grey hue, as her lifeless red eyes were shut by the assassin, the vile creature’s locks made from pure serpents resting with her, each one slumping to the ground dead. The battle had been long and arduous, with much widespread damage to the castle, but it was over, and the world could finally know rest from Pya’s tyrannical reign over the planet.  

A much younger Solomon held his signature curved, serrated bronze colored daggers daggers, as Timate, the archer, kept his crossbow trained on her. He was just as he was in the photo, dressed in a brown rugged hunter’s shirt, long baggy pants framing his form as his pale white skin nearly shimmered in the room. His armored boots were caked in muck and dirt, as he held his damaged wooden crossbow; the faithful weapon being what he used to put down the demonic creature.  

"She's dead Timate," Zaun, the large warrior spoke in his gruff tone, as he knelt down and tapped her with his battle ax. He looked much like one would expect of a warrior; golden brown skin complimented by a golden loincloth and his signature ‘Endmaker’ Ax, a giant battleax designed specifically for killing otherworldly beings."Ol' b***h couldn't handle us could she?" The wizard, Alfred shook his head, as he tapped his staff on ground. He was the most casual out of all of them; he had a wrinkled old face and much of him was shrouded in a black cloak, a wooden staff being his tool.  

"I wouldn't be so sure Zaun," He spoke in his croaky voice, as Yardar, the dwarf approached the door. "Something is amiss...wait, Yardar!" He was too late to warn his friend; the door exploded open, and Yardar was helpless to the swarm of ravenous, dangerous succubi suddenly pouring in’ not even lasting seconds.

"Yardar! NO!" Zaun roared, and was about to charge forward but Gerald, the crusader stopped him by placing his shield before him. Gerald was large and stoic, being coated head to toe in cobalt armor, a towering shield framing his arm as well as a golden mace in the other arm.

"Zaun, don't." He spoke, his voice raucous and tough. "He's gone; those devils have him now."

"But he's my best friend!"

"And you'll be damned to a pleasurable hell as well! Your soul as well will be sucked from your body and used as fuel for their devious forms." They stared at each other with fury, before Solomon broke them up.

"We can't kill each other, at least not yet." His voice was gravelly, as he looked around the room; the Monster Women busy with the poor dwarf. "We need to find a way out, before those things realize we're still here." Timate looked around, and noticed it, a window leading down to a roof. He was the first to shoot it out and run through it; the crash alerting the demons, as the rest of the team rushed out. Zaun was last out, landing with a crash as they all fell through the roof to a narrow hall. They wasted no time and started running; the screeches of Werebats above the party alerting them all. A whole swarm was behind them, as Timate shot at them best he could, as did Alfred, only one or two fell however. They managed to reach a room and seal the door; Alfred using magic to bind it shut, as they heard numerous bangs against the door.

"That won't hold 'em forever men." Zaun said, as he saw another door. They all ran through it, and were now on the bridge outside; the rain down-pouring on them, as they all ran as fast as they could...but Alfred wasn't fast enough, and was grabbed by a Werebat; the swarm focused on the elderly man's screams now as they all waited for their turn on him. The remaining team managed to reach the edge of the roof, and leapt off; landing in the wet mud below. They all looked...and all of them paled when they saw where they were; a cemetery...and hands burst through the ground. Zombies arose from the ground, as the party ran forward; Zaun hacking at them while he ran, but he knew it was futile. And worse yet, one managed to grab his leg, slowing him enough for several to grab onto him, their combined weight causing them to sink. Solomon stopped for a moment and was about to turn back, but Zaun shook his head.

"Just, ah! Get going! These undead b*****s can't hold me forever!" Solomon ran, guilt in his head. Zaun would be dead within minutes chances are.

Solomon and Timate rushed through the darkened forest; avoiding all Pya’s remaining servants they saw. They were so close...

Were...

Right at the forest exit, were several female werewolves, the fur coating their arms and legs only, as they possessed wolf ears. With the, was a tall, slim vampiress; looking around, as the two remaining heroes hid behind a bush. They weren't getting past those things without a fight, and Solomon knew that.

"Timate, what do we do?" He asked his friend...finally noticing Timate's sullen, dark look. "Timate...what are you planning?"

"Something to get you out of here. When they run past, I need you to go intangible; then run; run as fast as you can, and don't you dare look back or come back for me."

"Timate don't you f*****g dare; those things will keep you as a pet forever, hell I’m not even sure they’d let you live-"

"I'd rather it be me gone than my friend." He stood up and before he walked into the clearing he said one final thing. "It was an honor serving with you Solomon, on this journey of a thousand miles. But unfortunately fate has decided that only one of us may leave to tell this story to another. But on the bright side, at least you avenged your brother." He fired his crossbow into the air 3 times, and Solomon watched him start running as fast as he could; dropping his crossbow before the Werewolves bolted past the bush; all intent on getting him first, while Solomon vanished into the shadows and slowly walked out, the vampire the only one remaining. The second he walked past her while invisible, she turned.

"I can easily sense your spirit energy," She said, watching him slowly return to visibility. "Humans can never hide from the Countess Ezerbeth." Solomon kept focused on her; his grip tightening on his daggers.

"How does it feel though, I'm curious; to watch all your friends endure a thousand hells?" Solomon narrowed his eyes, as he slowly backed away. Ezerbeth simply laughed. "Human, if I really wanted you, you'd be on the ground begging for me by now. Begone; killing my mistress isn't as bad as you think; with the legend soon to be fulfilled."

"What legend?"

"That upon an Echidna's death, her spirit energy will gather in one spot, and to balance the planet it'll be absorbed by a unborn child. All I need to do is find it, and my mistress' daughter can become even more powerful than her mother."

"And why tell me this? You know I'll just find some more party members; mount up another strike and kill her. Because you know damned well I’ll never let another one of her ilk rule over the world and plunge it into another era of darkness." Ezerbeth laughed, and in a split second her expression changed to deadpan, her eyes glimmering a hellish red.

"Because you won't ever leave this forest." She was on him in a second; the human barely ducking past her before she slammed her palm into his chest; sending him across the forest floor before he rolled to his feet and jammed his dagger into her leg; erecting a scream from the Monster Woman. She didn't even have time to react before Solomon wrenched the dagger sideways and pulled out, leaving her on the ground, bleeding, before he sprinted out of the forest, into thankfully, the sunlight following the storm...

 

 

"...I came here shortly after that; spent every moment I wasn't eating or resting moving as far from that...nightmare as I could. I knew everywhere I went, Ezerbeth could be waiting for me; wanting my blood and body; waiting to kill me like how she so much wanted to do. I traveled at night, and slept at day; places where her agents couldn't find me nor Pya’s remaining cultists couldn’t track me. Eventually I found this place; spent the past 30 years here, safe from her, but always preparing in case that b***h wanted some." Dew couldn't believe any of this. His father, killed the most powerful Monster Woman in existence, or at the very least was a very big part of her demise. He was amazed, but he snapped out of his shock.

"But where do I come in?"

"Remember the spirit energy? Ever wonder why you aren't like normal drakes? Think about that boy." It hit Dew like a freight train. It explained everything: his mastery of the elements, his natural understanding of English despite being a drake; everything. His father slowly nodded, and continued.

"That's why I've been keeping you sheltered son; you give off a big enough energy signal, Ezerbeth could find us and easily finish what she started; and there’s not a doubt in the world there’s another Echidna, and she’d do everything in her power to get her hands on you." A dark silence filled the room; the tension thick enough to be carved like ham.

"Dad?"

"Yes Dew?"

"...when will the day come?" Solomon perked up, as Dew stood up and approached the window, staring into the white emotionless snow. "When will the day come where I need to face this threat, and finish things?"

"Hopefully never; I did a damn good job at covering my tracks, I doubt Ezerbeth has enough leads to find you. But until then, it might be best if you practice flying."

"Why not fighting?"

"Because I know damn well she's stronger than you Dew. If and when she finds us; I want you to run. Only god knows what'll happen if she delivered you to her mistress." Solomon let those words sink in before he left Dew alone in the room; the drake gazing at the sky. Dew knew there was a threat looming in the horizon. He could openly admit he was scared; scared of what was coming, what would be coming for him. Dew knew he had to be strong; darkness was powerful, but no matter how much it spread, how much it consumed, a light would always glow.

 

...Dew saw himself as that light.

 

 

To Be Continued...

Author's Note

Leave some comments on my profile on how you like the story and what can be changed; critique helps.

The Italics are a minor thing, they're a bad habit of mine that I've developed ever since I read Goosebumps; I use it to denote from speaking and regular dialogue.

Reviews

[Barbara Tennyson]

"Solomon and him had spent the month working on gathering supplies for the worst of winter." -- ...HIM had spent...' That should set your writer's nerves cringing since it it totally wrong. HIM is the object case and what you want in the example is the subject case: 'Solomon and HE had spent...'

The absence of dialogue tags, the who said it part, make it difficult to tell who is speaking when both characters are mentioned in one paragraph. Why the italic? It's very distracting.

'after a short dely nodded' --Goof are sometime hard to catch. One trick is to read the text aloud. That may change your perspective enough to catch typos like 'dely'.