Chapter Eight – Devils Rock
The thick mist clung to the lifeless trees and sat heavy throughout them as the Firefly wafted silently overhead. The tops of the tallest trees poked through the silent blanket that harboured the unknown creatures within. The nightmarish sight that was Devil’s Rock, menacingly raised itself high above the mist and stretched up to the clouds as they nervously approached it.
“Don’t worry William, we’ll find somewhere on the mountain to land,” assured Hannah as she stood beside him on the deck of the ship. Silently, they gazed down in horror at the misty forest as it passed slowly beneath them.
“But what waits for us?” He asked quietly as their attention moved to the uninviting monument ahead once more.
“What ever it is,” she replied, “we’ll face it together.”
With that, Zaybian clambered on to the deck from the ladder below and walked up behind the pair - who kept their worried gaze fixed on the mountain as it neared.
“My allegiance is to both of you,” he said quietly as the ship began to ascend, “we do not know this mountain and so shall land at the earliest convenience,” his voice stayed calm and quiet as he spoke, “we shall find this Jonas on foot.”
They rose higher and higher over the thick mist that ceased at the foot of the mountain and came to land in the middle of a wide path that ran around it. The soldiers poured out of their cabins - fully armed and eager to go, as they rattled along the thin metal walkways and down the metal staircases. Eventually, all of the men were stood in formation by the time Hannah and the others had gotten down to the helm.
“This land is unknown to us,” Hannah announced, “we do not know what awaits so be on your guard and watch each others backs!”
At that, Zaybian flicked a switch on one of the control panels and the door slowly opened. Zaybian, Hannah, William and Avarian were the first down the ramp, followed closely by the ninety-six men behind them with Thysis leading up the rear. Their hearts pounded wildly as they became hyperaware of their surroundings now that they were without the protection of the ship that carried them. Less than half of the men had made it off of the ship when Zaybian noticed a creature - far-off in the distance - as it headed swiftly toward them. As he watched it, another appeared from behind it and then three more from behind that one. Before long, a whole hoard of creatures could be seen as they quickly approached the grounded crew.
“We’re not alone on this rock,” he spat through gritted teeth as he walked slowly toward them.
Hannah reached for the long thin sword that had always hung from her side, “This is it men!” She shouted as she drew her sword high into the air, “you two!” She screamed at the last two soldiers that had just come off of the ramp, “Get back aboard - and get her back into the air!” The two soldiers ran back inside as Thysis ran off of the ship. The door quickly closed and the ship soon lifted off - revealing another hoard of creatures that quickly approached from behind them.
“There are some over here too!” Thysis shouted as his voice wavered slightly.
“Stay close to me, Prince,” Avarian said calmly as soldiers began to fire volley upon volley of bullets deep into both groups as they neared. Plumes of thick black smoke quickly filled the air and soon made it hard to see.
The foul creatures fell to the ground and piled on to one another in vast numbers, but still they approached, nearer and nearer on either side. Zaybian walked up to the monstrous hoard before him and slowly removed his weapons before placing them on to the ground. Some of the creatures hesitated as they sensed what had now approached them. Zaybian’s eyes rolled slowly back into his skull as he tilted his head from side to side. His entire body began to shake with mounting violence, until the whites of his eyes were all that were visible. Fearsome screams escaped his lips as they wailed on the wind and drowned out the volleys that reverberated off of the mountain face. His hands grew phenomenally and his fingers stretched to talons as he completely transformed into a ferocious, dragon-like beast. With scales of blood-red, he let out a monstrous jet of fire that engulfed all of the foul creatures before him, before he roared with blood-curdling effect, until he was left stood - in sweats and breathlessness - as his former self.
The beasts at the rear of the party had all fallen from the soldier’s bullets and littered the ground behind them. The ground before them was littered with even more creatures that had fallen from yet more bullets and even more that had fallen from Zaybian’s wrath. The air stood still and was completely silent, as the last of the black plumes slowly cleared and everyone stood in sheer amazement. Hannah slowly pushed her blade back into its scabbard with a feeling of relief and some slight disappointment. Eventually, Zaybian turned slowly around and returned to the group to a hero’s welcome, as soldiers held their weapons high into air and laughed and whistled in applause. William stood completely dumbstruck at what he had just witnessed.
“We must continue before there are more of them,” Zaybian quickly announced -resettling his weapons.
The group hurried along and quickly approached the beastly remains that made the path before them almost impassable. Blackened horns and claws and the charred remains of corpses in various forms of cremation met the party. The smell of burnt flesh and fur filled their senses as slowly, they stepped over and amongst them. Soon enough, everyone had trudged through the colossal mess and had left it to fall away far behind them. The sun continued to shine down - as they continued to hurry along the dusty path - until they were met by the sharp turn that the creatures had initially appeared from behind. Zaybian and Avarian were the first to walk gingerly around it followed eventually by the rest of the party. Before them, in the near distance, stood a small wooden shack surrounded by dust and bare rock.
“I think ... we may have found our man!” Zaybian announced as he smiled at William.
William gazed at the simple building in silence and then continued, along with the rest of his comrades, to venture toward it. They walked in a tight column as the path led out on to the dusty plain of the reds and oranges that coloured the mountain. Once they had approached the building the soldiers remained in formation whilst William, followed by Avarian and the rest of the Reapers, walked up to its door. The building looked old - made entirely from wood - whilst the door hung at a slight angle in its frame. The five friends were silent for a while and readied themselves in anticipation of what might lay in wait. Eventually, William knocked cautiously on the door. The pressure from his gentle knocks caused the wooden door to creak open, which slowly revealed to the five friends, the contents of the space within. Light streamed in from a mighty void in the roof, whilst a cloaked figure - stood in an empty room - was steeped in shadow and pressed up against one of the walls. After a while, William stepped in.
“Who are you?” Came a deep voice from the cloaked figure.
Slowly, William raised his palm and allowed the light from his new brand to emanate into the ether.
“Ah,” it said, “so you are William,” the shadowed figured paused, “I … am Jonas.”
Hannah looked at William, “We’ll be right here if you need us,” she said before she and the others returned to the rest of the soldiers.
Jonas remained cloaked and completely in shadow as he slowly spoke, “To retain the power of the Demonite’s blood, you must store it within a magically sealed vessel.”
William listened carefully as he temporarily held his breath so that he would not miss a single word. Within the light before him, a thin glass vial - branded with a thin red ring around its neck - appeared and floated in suspension.
“Take it,” Jonas said, as he slowly stepped away from the darkness of the wall and into the light. William watched, as a strange creature with dark-green scales and deep brown eyes now stood in the brilliant light before him. William reached out for the vial and put it gently into his pocket.
“You are not afraid?” Jonas asked quietly as he tilted his head slightly to one side and clutched his dark
red cloak tightly around his scaly body.
“Aurora sent me,” William quietly replied, “I don’t think I need to fear you.”
Jonas smiled - slowly revealing his sharp white teeth; “Good! I can take you to where the Demonites are,” he paused, “will you come with me?”
William simply nodded.
“Good,” Jonas replied once more, as he swiftly threw his cloak to the ground and revealed his great scaly wings as they spread wide open, to almost touch the walls on either side of him. “Ride on me then!” He roared.
William walked hesitantly toward him as Jonas watched the approaching child, before he turned slowly around. When William was close enough, he placed his arms tightly around Jonas’s neck and held on. Immediately, Jonas shot off through the void in the roof and high into the air as he let out a terrifying wail. The rest of the party, now far below them, held their heads high and watched in terror and amazement, as the creature flew out of sight with William upon its back. Higher and faster he flew as they scaled the very height of the mountain itself. The fierce wind battered them both and threatened to dislodge William as he held tightly on for all that his life was worth. Jonas shot high up passed the peak of the mountain until he dramatically slowed in mid-air and turned to race back down to the peak with tremendous speed. Through his slightly opened eyes, William watched, as they plummeted down toward a vast chasm in the very rock of the mountain. Once again, Jonas released a ghastly wail as quickly, they raced into the mighty void. William stretched out his arm as the daylight faded and allowed the glow from the marking on his hand to light the way.
All was silent, except for the air that bustled swiftly passed their ears and for the odd sound of jollity and delight from Jonas. After quite a while of hurtling down deeper and deeper, sounds - that raised the very hairs on William’s neck – echoed from the monumental beasts that were still far below them. The monstrous groans grew in volume as they flew yet deeper, until they emerged behind a great light, into a vast expanse filled with monstrous creatures of gigantic proportions. Jonas flew in a frenzied rage in and amongst the great beasts whilst they swiped clumsily at him. In the gloominess around him, William watched the terrifying creatures with their blood-red eyes and razor-sharp teeth and with tremendous fear in his own eyes, William held on tighter than ever before. Jonas let out a final wail that reverberated throughout the darkness as swiftly they approached the unguarded jugular of one of the mightiest beasts. The light from William’s hand quickly intensified even further, before a sword of pure white light manifested itself within the palm of his already outstretched hand. He gripped it instinctively and swung for all that he was worth at the beast’s neck - slicing through its vein - like a hot knife through butter. With a bone-crunching scream, the mighty beast slowly slumped to the ground as Jonas swooped around and came to land just before its dying mass. The other monsters now all backed off into the darkness as the sword of light disappeared and left only the gloom from William’s brand to light the task ahead.
“The vial,” Jonas whispered with delight.
William reached into his pocket and pulled out the small glass vial, before he knelt down beside the now lifeless beast to where the fatal wound gaped wide open. Gently and carefully, he filled the vessel with its blood and stood back up in a daze.
“Place your hand over the opening, William. The light from your mark will seal it.”
William watched with intrigue, as he held the vial, inches from his face with one hand and placed his other hand, with the still glowing brand, over it. The blood in the vessel fluoresced intensely and when William removed his hand, the vial was sealed.
“Shall we then?” Jonas asked with the same crocodilian smile. William held a breath and released it before he placed the vial back into his pocket and held, once again, tightly on to Jonas’s neck. Jonas shot off once more into the darkness and with William’s hand stretched back out in front of them to guide the way, they were soon back up in the tiny shaft.
“I’ve had enough waiting around!” Announced Zaybian as he paced back and forth.
“Well, what else are you going to do?” Smirked Thysis, as he joyfully watched him.
“I’m going to find him!” Zaybian announced, just as Jonas appeared high in the sky - still with William holding tightly on to him - as they hurtled toward the ground and headed straight for the rest of party.
“Look!” Shouted a couple of soldiers as they stood quickly up and pointed in amazement.
Everyone quickly looked up and rose from where they were sat as they watched the spectacle above them.
“I told you he’d be OK!” Shouted Hannah as they watched, as faster and faster the living comet approached. Soldiers began to duck and ran a few steps to avoid the descending pair as they raced inches passed them and came to a sudden land - just in front of Zaybian. William dismounted as Jonas stood upright.
“Are you alright, William?” Asked Hannah quickly.
“Yes, I’m fine,” William replied feeling a little light-headed, “that was amazing!” He laughed, “And we’ve got what we came for!” William took the glass vial from his pocket and held it high for all to see. A roar of applause and cheer came from the entire crew around him.
Thysis removed a small chain from around his neck and handed it to William. A small, clear, empty holder for a single vial, dangled from it, “Take it, William, I have no need of it anymore.”
William smiled as he gazed at it, “Thank you,” he replied quietly as he placed the small glass vial into its new holder, before placing the chain around his neck. The coldness of the chain and the small weight of the blood within its holder, made William smile gently.
“I saw your earlier performance, Firebreather,” Jonas smiled as he looked at Zaybian through his beastly eyes.
“Nobody has called me that in a while,” Zaybian replied quietly.
“But you are a Firebreather, are you not?” Jonas asked inquisitively as his smile intensified.
“Aye! That I am!” Zaybian announced, “And we saw your performance too, slick!”
Just then, the Firefly appeared in the sky as it slowly descended toward the party on the ground.
“Well, our ride is here,” Hannah smiled as she watched it descend.
The crew too, watched it slowly descended as it came to land and they rushed quickly toward it. William and Hannah said their goodbyes before they quickly joined the rest of the crew and Jonas slowly walked away - headed back for his little wooden shack. The mighty door slowly closed and the monumental propellers began to turn once again as they blew dust of reds and oranges all around the plain. The setting sun saw a renewed excitement in the air, as gracefully, the Firefly took off once more and wafted slowly away into the distance.
William knocked gingerly upon the heavy metal door and went into the little room that he had been asked to attend, “Ah!” Bellowed Zaybian with his usual flagon of ale held tightly in his hand, “There you are my boy!”
Thysis sat sprawled out as he lazily occupied three of the seats, whilst his own flagon of ale sat comfortably in his hands; “Well come in then!” He laughed.
William sheepishly walked in and stood for a while after he had closed the door firmly behind him.
Zaybian roared with laughter, “Are you not going to sit down, Prince?” He asked with a smile.
William smiled shyly and sat opposite the two jolly men.
“A flagon!” Announced Zaybian quickly, as he offered William the empty vessel.
“Oh, no thank you,” William quickly replied as he shook his head.
“Fair enough!” Laughed Zaybian, “The boy knows what he wants!”
Thysis raised an eyebrow in surprise - then raised his bottom lip over his top, before burying his face back into his own drink.
William watched the two men for a few moments as he looked around the room. It was quite small - but big enough to be comfortable - with soft cream seats of leather that lined each of the walls in turn and a small
wooden table that stood proudly among them that briefly held the two men’s flagons when they seldom put them down. A great wooden barrel that was full to the brim with ale, sat in one corner of the room within arms reach of Zaybian.
“Tell us about yourself!” Mumbled Zaybian as he drunk from his flagon.
“Well,” replied William after a while, “there’s not that much to tell.”
Thysis laughed uncontrollably, “It’s not like you’re the saviour of a Goddess or anything!” He yelled as he raised his flagon quickly and spilt his ale over his hand.
Zaybian laughed, so too did William - just not as loudly.
“Yeah,” continued William, “funny thing that. One day, I’m just a normal kid going to school, and the next,” he paused in thought, “the next, I’m wearing some monster’s blood, in a glass vial around my neck and watching people turning into dragons!”
Zaybian slowly placed his flagon on to the table and spoke softly; “You liked that then, did ye?” He asked with a smirk and a glint in his eye.
“It was awesome!” William replied, “Easily the coolest thing that I have ever seen!”
“Yeah, well,” mumbled Thysis from inside his flagon, “it’s not a trick that everybody can pull off.”
William thought for a moment as his tone changed slightly and a look of concern came over his face, “Does it hurt?” He asked, gazing at Zaybian’s large hands.
“Every time,” Zaybian quietly replied blankly as his picked his flagon back up off of the table.
Just then, came another knock on the door as it slowly opened and in walked Hannah with Avarian close behind her. Avarian sat beside William as Hannah closed the door and took a seat.
“So what’s next?” Asked Thysis.
“There is not much that I know about the Lomaxian Cross,” Avarian quietly admitted, “but, I do know four old witches that do.”
“Then we find the witches!” Roared Zaybian as he licked the last drops of ale from his moustache.
“They live, for want of a better word, inside a system of caves … deep within the Mantari Mountains,” Avarian spoke quietly and quite slowly, “there will be a price for the information that we require. I have already given the coordinates to the pilots - we have many days travel ahead of us.”
Everyone fell silent with the gloomy thought of yet another long voyage, as Zaybian refilled his exhausted flagon from the huge barrel beside him.
“Well, cheer up!” Chirped Hannah as she rose from her seat, “There’s plenty of ale!”
“Plenty of time too!” Quipped Thysis with a grin.
“Plenty of time, to drink plenty of ale,” uttered Zaybian raising his flagon in salute.
“There’s something that I want to show you William,” Hannah cheerfully said as she gestured for him to follow her. William stood up quickly and proceeded to follow his older sister out of the little room.