Chapter 52 - Desperation

Hendosphyre shifted in the entrance of the cave, looking about in the darkness, allowing his eyes to adjust. Letting his wings remain semi extended to feel for the ceiling, he walked with the children on his back. The short flight from the forest to their hiding place was challenging with Groyven struggling to keep Tiffaniel in place while they were in the air. He could hear Groyven speaking to his sister desperately.

He had seen the bite and tear on her back when he had ripped the wolf off her. From that time his only thought was to get them to a sheltered and safe place. He looked back, his master seemed to be heavily taxed and pale as he spoke quietly to Tiffaniel’s unresponsive form. He followed the passage, noticing the glow ahead. There was not a hostile animal scent in the air as he continued, finally coming to a stonework archway. He paused momentarily, his eyes adjusting to the bright colours that emanated from the crystals in the cavern beyond the passage. He let out a gentle shriek.

Groyven looked up, blood, sweat and soot coating his face, “Hendosphyre?” asked Groyven, “Light, good. Go in. We will find a spot and I will take care of Tiff.”

Hendosphyre entered the cavern beyond. The colours from the crystals washing over them in lurid shades of blues, greens, purples and reds. The cavern stretched, allowing enough room for him to comfortably spread his wings. Clear crystals seemed to erupt from the floor and ceiling. He heard Groyven’s quiet gasp as he looked around, now aware of his surroundings. He walked through the cavern, heading for its deepest point, near the innermost wall. Moving behind an outcropping of crystals he stopped and lowered his body to the floor, allowing Groyven to slide Tiffaniel safely off and onto the floor. Groyven looked around and back to Hendosphyre, his brow furrowed.

The bag was missing, they must have dropped it in the fight at the ruined town. Groyven looked around in despair for a moment, looking for anything he could use to pillow Tiffaniel’s head. Finally giving in, he moved to her side. Looking at her pale and drawn face.

“Tiff? Tiff, we escaped, we are in a cave. Tiff? Tiff?” he said as he checked her arms and legs before rolling her onto her side.

“Tiff?” he said again, more urgently, shaking her gently.

Tiffaniel groaned, her eyes opening slightly, unfocused, “Ven?”

He leaned over, looking at her face, “Tiff?”

Reaching around, he felt her brow as she murmured, Groyven frowned. Her temperature was rising and fast. Shifting her long hair, he noticed it was damp with fresh blood. The back of her robes were torn. Peeling the tear back, he winced as he exposed the jagged bite, the white of bone exposed on her shoulder blade. Black blood seeped slowly from the wound, pulsing in time with her heartbeat. He quickly tore the robes further open, exposing her back.

“What is this?” he said to himself as he saw the black pall on her back, like charcoal had been rubbed onto her skin.

Watching as it slowly creeped, tendrils snaking their way under her skin.

“Gods, Tiff. What is it doing to you?” he whispered in fear.

She murmured, starting to shake as she passed in and out of consciousness. He gently rolled her onto her stomach, being careful to tilt her face to the side as he did so. The strange coloured light in the crystal cavern illuminating the darkness of the wound.

Groyven looked at it, pressing his hands to it, pulling it together and making the edges meet. Holding his hands there for a moment, he thought while looking at the blood oozing up between his fingers. Without hesitation he reached into Sialin’s pouch, taking an ampule of ethereal fire between his slick fingers. Relaxing his grip on the wound, he spread it slightly, wincing as Tiffaniel shuddered. Pulling the stopper with his teeth and letting it fall to the ground, he looked at the contents of the vial, his eyes starting to glow. He brought it to his lips and sipped less than a quarter, feeling the flames run down his throat, the now familiar wave of power building within him. Blue flames matching the ampule flickered to life in his eyes.

Groyven brought himself close to the wound on Tiffaniel’s back, tenderly spreading the wound open and pouring the remainder of the contents of the ampule into the gash. He could feel his sister’s body tense as the blue flames flickered and burned in the wound. Bending his will to them, they flared lightly as he proceeded to slowly press the edges together. He watched as tendrils of blue bridged the gap, slowly knitting the tear back together, the flow of blood coming to a halt as the flame consumed it. Over the next few moments he watched with a sense of relief as the ethereal flames gently burned on the surface of her skin, continuing to bind the edges back together.

Still keeping his hands in place, he shifted his attention to the black stain that was growing under her skin, “Tiff, no.” he whispered in dismay.

It was still spreading, it had worked its way down her back and was starting to encroach on her waist. Under the edge of his left hand he felt something growing, looking carefully, it was hair, pushing its way up from the nape of her neck, starting to grow a narrow trail to her mid back.

“Don’t leave me Tiff. Please. Don’t leave me.” he said, fear growing in his eyes, he looked up to see Hendosphyre watching him, his head bowed.

Groyven clenched his fist, shaking his head at the gryphon, “No, I am not going to give up, Hendosphyre!” he yelled, eyes flaring.

As he lifted one hand the wound started to crack open, the edges slowly spreading. He quickly pinched it back together, reaching into the pouch again. Pulling another stopper with his teeth he poured the ampule on her back and spread its fire with his free hand. Concentrating on it, he knew that he only had the most rudimentary understanding of its flames. After a few short moments the flames died down, the black stain unyielding, but the edges of the wound knitted together again.

Groyven knelt on the stony floor of the cavern, blue flaming tears starting to fall. He was spent, the only reason he was still standing was running out rapidly. He refused to move, his hands holding his sister’s wound shut in the hope that holding it longer would help it bind better with the aid of the flames. The only relief was that the sudden fever seemed to have reduced. He felt a slight shake in his arms.

“No, please no.” he blinked quickly, releasing his hold on the flames as they had been burning through his reserves.

Without warning, Hendosphyre clicked his beak. Groyven looked up as the gryphon turned aside and quickly moved out of view. Groyven listened carefully, straining. A faint sound echoed into the chamber. Hendosphyre immediately shrieked in warning. Groyven heard sharp cracks and scratches as Hendosphyre settled into a defensive stance behind the crystals.

Winter landed carefully outside the cave, her feet sliding as she fought for purchase. Tucking her wings, she climbed up to the gaping mouth and peered in. She frowned slightly, it was empty. She quickly glanced about the mountains, her frown growing before stepping inside and into the darkness. Allowing her eyes to shift, she could see the trail of magical signatures. She smiled as she was rewarded, brilliant white claws and paws led into the cave, cinnabar and lapis tendrils hung in the air. She let her hands glide through the trails as she walked, following the gryphon’s steps deeper. She peered around the cave, coming to a corner. Listening carefully, she stepped out. The steps of the gryphon continued deeper.

“Hello?” her voice harsh and echoing in the cave.

Silence returned to her, only the echo of her own voice. She continued deeper, a smile came to her lips. Over thirty thousand years trapped within the boundaries of Meliandra, she had developed a strange fascination for exploring the underground fortress and the subterranean passages that linked to the abandoned cities under the mountains. Stepping to the middle of the passage, she spread her wings, filling the void. The faint sensation of airflow caressed her feathers. Tucking her wings again, she broke into a light run following the traces of magic. She could feel it in the echoes of her footsteps, the quality of the air, there was a significant cavern ahead.

“Hello?” she called out again, along with her echo she heard a faint shriek.

Slowing her run to a cautious walk, she was well aware it was not a call, but a warning. A faint glow was growing in the passage, coming from an entry ahead. It did not surprise her to find dwarven stonework at the entrance to the cavern beyond. Winter stopped, running her hands over the stonework of the entrance. She frowned, her eyes narrowing, allowing them to slip into a different range of vision, details emerged, monochromes but the clarity of a brilliant full moon.

She read the crumbling inscriptions, her eyes widening in surprise. She would have to inform the dwarven exploration team once they returned, she knew the maps. She had come across a potential unknown eastern entrance that needed to be secured or filled. Looking past and into the cavern, allowing her vision to return to normal, azure, aqua and various shades of violet and vermilion filled the darkness. She stepped through the entrance, stopping a few yards beyond. Crystals glowed in the darkness, throwing their light around the space.

On the far side, the gryphon stepped out. His stance aggressive and ready for battle.

She frowned momentarily, “Great one, I am here to help.” she said, holding her arms out wide, demonstrating that she was unarmed.

“I know what you are, Valkyrie. I know your kind. Messenger of death!” said a deep voice that filled her head, echoing as though she had heard it through her ears.

Winter’s eyes widened in sudden shock. She could hear him.

She took a step forward, “I come at the behest of my master, to aid the children.”

Hendosphyre took a threatening step forward, spanning his wings out,“The Host? The only aid he offers is a painless death at your hands along with the safe carriage of souls.”

Her eyes widened further, she involuntarily took another step forward, “I have not served the Host since before the breaking of the world. I am a Handmaiden of the goddess, Lumos Darkfall. I have come to give aid to the children.”

Tilting his head to the side, the gryphon stared at her accusingly, “I do not know the name you speak, or of such a goddess. Valkyries are only the reapers of those fallen in battle. I will not let you take my charge.”

She looked at the distant gryphon in confusion, “My kind have not served that purpose in many millennia. Where are you from, great one? Or when?”

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

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