‘WAIT, WE’RE DOING WHAT?’ Mitztail squeaked. He stared up at the toad who’d almost eaten him. ‘Absolutely no one, not happening.’
I sighed and said, ‘We haven’t got a choice, they are our only option to make it through the forest before nightfall. Think of the firbolg children.’
The tabaxi groaned, a pained expression on his face, ‘How are we doing this?’
I grinned, slowly coming back to my senses now the Darkling’s screams were out of my ears. The vines I’d forced from the earth still curled around the giant toads front legs, I tore them from the ground and fashioned them into four skinny harnesses. I handed one to each of my comrades.
‘Use these to control your toads, magic courses these vines and they should make it easier to control the toads,’ I explained. I strapped my vine onto my toad, gently placing it in the creature’s mouth and looped it around the back of its neck before leaping up onto its back. ‘Copy me.’
Barcius hopped down from his safe haven of the tree, returning his notebook to his pack before attempting to calm his toad. Tarasque had successfully been able to harness her toad, yet it was no surprise considering her scary demeanour that caused the creature to bend to her will out of fear alone.
Mitztail looked up at his toad and shook his head. ‘I’m really not sure about this,’ he said, but just as he tied a knot in his vine, the giant toad licked him again. He shivered and climbed up onto the back of his companion. He wore a deep scowl on his face, ‘Let’s get this over with.’
Once we were all mounted on the back of the giant toads, I heard Tarasque call out, ‘Saria, we’re trusting you to lead us. Only you can do this.’
Right, no pressure then.
Night was close to falling around us. I channelled some of my energy into my crook, the wood illuminating like fireflies, acting as a beacon for our journey. We set off on our giant toads, leaving the marshlands behind us and onwards with the hope of finding the lost children.
As we moved through the forest, the polluted air grew denser, the Darkling’s influence corrupting the very earth. The flora appeared lifeless and withered the closer we got to the temple, and the fauna that grazed in the centre of Niverson’s Grove were completely devoid from this area of the forest. Darkness began to fall as we approached the edge of a clearing.
I felt a shift in the balance, something dark surely dwelled in this hidden corner, ‘I think we might be here,’ I said, drawing my giant toad to a halt. I dropped the vine reins and dismounted with a loud thud. The ground beneath my hooves was frozen and dry.
My comrades arrived just as I knelt to listen to the forest's voice. Barcius ungracefully tumbled from his toad, landing with a heavy grunt, while Tarasque dismounted from her stead with poise and elegance. Mitztail arrived after the rest of us, his giant toad a little wild compared to the rest. He was spitting and screaming as the creature galloped into view before skidding to a halt and almost throwing the tabaxi from its back. The toad sat, panting like a dog, allowing him to dismount at his own pace. Once Mitztail’s paws touched solid ground, his stead loving licked him from head to tail.
‘Will mew please cut it out,’ he hissed, slapping away the creature's tongue.
I laughed at the scene yet kept my focus, searching for a voice. I placed my hands upon the earth, emptied my head and closed my eyes. The forest was eerily silent at first, too quiet for my liking. For a few moments there was nothing, then the violent static screaming started.
‘So the little Seer does wish to play after all,’ the Darkling’s voice hissed in my ears, ‘Come and find me if you dare.’
My eyes snapped open and my brows knitted together. This was a challenge I couldn’t back down from, even if I wanted to. I owed it to my tribe and the Nymphoods to see this through.
‘Are you ready for this?’ Tarasque asked, just as I got up from the ground. I nodded to agree. ‘Then lead us there. We will gladly follow.’
I wandered a little way up the clearing until I reached a towering structure overgrown with climbing ivy and foliage. Little insects buried themselves in the greenery, chirping to me. They were guiding me towards the Darkling’s realm. A filigree arched gateway glistened in the falling darkness like starlight. There was no mistaking the craftsmanship, or the insignia marking the entrance.
Feywild-made. The crest of the Summer Court. Titania.
The self-same archfey who’d imprisoned my ancestors for centuries before they fled to this realm. The darkling, I’d learnt after that fateful night, was one of her archfiends sent to retrieve those who dared defy their queen. After our meeting, and the failed attempt to return the Windcallers to the feywild, it seemed it was unable to return to her side.
‘Over here,’ I called out to my comrades.
They kept a short distance between them and I, spreading themselves out in case of an attack.
Mitztail looked up at the temple whistling and said, ‘Purdy fancy.’
‘Let’s not waste time hanging out here,’ Tarasque suggested and drew her greatsword. ‘The sooner we find the darkling, we can cut down the fiend and rescue the missing children.’ She tried the gate, but it refused to budge. Even when she tried brute forcing her way through it, the gate knocked the fire genasi back. ‘Magic?’
I nodded, moving towards the gate myself. ‘It’s likely the darkling has used a protection enchantment to prevent the Nymphood tribe from stealing their children back,’ I said. ‘I’ve an idea that may work, if you’ll allow me?’
Tarasque gestured for me to try. I placed my hand on the filigree gate, hearing a call that sounded all too familiar. ‘Oscailt,’ I tried commanding it to open using the language of the fey. The gate obeyed, allowing us safe passage through.
Ahead sat a dark tunnel, devoid of any light. I tapped my crook against the archway, allowing the fireflies to illuminate once more, and hurried inside. My comrades followed my footsteps, toddling behind me. As we ventured further into the cavern, the mouth of the tunnel opened up, revealing a rocky clearing dimly lit with luminous mushrooms. It was eerily silent, too quiet for a cavern. There were many paths leading off from the central area, but little indication of where the fiend could be hiding.
‘So, what meow?’ Mitztail asked, stepping past me and wandering recklessly into the open space. His head was tilted back and was gazing up at the glittering stalactites on the ceiling.
One by one, crystals fell, shattering into the ground. The sound of childish laughter echoed through the cavern. A chill spider-climbed down my spine. From the shattered shards grew tiny butterflies, carrying the laughter of children.
‘Chromatic butterflies,’ I muttered. I glanced to see the tabaxi reach up with his paw to bat them away, ‘Don’t touch them. They’re poisonous.’
Tarasque scoffed, ‘More fey tricks?’ she asked.
I nodded to confirm. ‘These are deemed placid compared to many other species, but even I cannot produce the antidote should you become inflicted.’ I said, ‘If you leave them they should disappear on their own. They’re known for eating the dreams of children.’
Barcius’s ears perked up, ‘So you’re saying the children are close by?’
‘Yes, but I have a suspicion the fiend would keep them close in case of prying intruders.’
The swarm of chromatic butterflies ignored the tabaxi and continued their flight, separating into smaller groups and disappearing down each of the pathways. There was no telling as to where they were going, or if they would lead us to the lost children.
Scratching and skittling of claws against stone echoed through the north east tunnel, a small group of headless beasts skidded into the clearing and circled Mitztail. My comrades drew their weapons; Tarasque leapt in to assist him, kicking one of the foul beasts to one side.
‘What the hell are these things?’ the fire genasi bellowed.
I looked over at the creatures, dark skeletal figures with curved claws for feet. Its body split in the centre, jagged teeth ran down the spine like the opening of a Venus flytrap and a bulbous plant with snapping fangs.
‘Be careful, that’s a Bloombeast.’ I called out. I noted the faces my comrades pulled but I ignored them and continued my explanation. ‘The spores from its flower can create delusions, stay focused I would hate for it to-’
Mitztail erupted into a maniacal laughter, falling to his knees and clawing at his face.
‘Snap out of it,’ Barcius shouted, hurrying to the tabaxi’s side. But even he couldn’t help.
Think Saria, think.
I searched my memory for a protection spell, a charm to prevent such effects, but I was drawing blanks every time. I slammed my fist into the earth, crimson tears grazed my knuckles but I carried on pushing through the surface until large spikes protruded from the earth, creating a barrier around Mitztail. As I pulled my fist from the earth, a voice called out to me. Sweet and child-like, almost like a plea to follow them. I glanced around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
Far off in the distance, towards the westmost tunnel sat a tiny creature. A translucent form formed of iridescent bubbles, with little spindly limbs, curly toes and a single eye that watched me from afar. It gestured for me to follow it. And I did so willingly. I glanced at my comrades, they had the situation with the Bloombeast under control, I could investigate this creature freely and be of some use to the party at least. Perhaps it would lead me to the lost firbolg children.
I’d never seen or heard about a creature with a form such as this one, but the way it skipped down the dimly lit tunnel and hummed happily to itself filled me with comfort, yet I felt anything but at ease in its presence. The creature led me to a clearing, a dead-end lit with luminous mushrooms and glittering stalactites above.
The bubble creature turned and stared at me before jumping about, ‘We dream genies are so glad you adventurers are here,’ he squeaked with joy. ‘Very rare we get visitors.’ It turned away, nodding at the wall and seemingly directing its words to an invisible presence I was unable to see.
‘We?’ I dared to ask the question. Something in my gut didn’t sit quite right.
‘Oh,’ the creature glanced back at me. It stopped jumping and stood still. Its single eye narrowed. ‘Yes, we’ve been expecting your presence, Satyr…’
I watched as the dream genie's body shifted, the translucent bubbles popped and its spindly limbs elongated. Behind it the wall ignited with dozens of tiny red bulbs, a hundred eyes on me. The wall grinned, rows of fangs gleaming at me.
‘My brothers and sisters and I have been awaiting your arrival. The Lord Darkling gave us his home, and told many tales of his Satyr friend,’ the creature squealed with delight, as its body morphed into something else entirely. A lavender-skinned pixie-like being with fleshy antennae and webbed hands. Its ruby eyes were fixed upon me. ‘Lord Darkling said if we dream genies lured you here we could partake in draining those helpless little firbolgs of their delicious youth.’
A fire lit inside of me, ‘I won’t allow that to happen!’ I screamed, my voice raising a few octaves. I refused to admit I was scared, but deep down I was petrified. The creatures far outnumbered me, there was no way I could take them all on.
The dream genie cackled, ‘You don’t have a choice,’ it said, raising a hand into the air and making a slamming motion into its other.
Its hive mind wall grew limps, a rocky pair of fists stood between me and freedom. Just as the creature had commanded, the wall drew back one fist and threw a punch towards me. I braced myself for impact, closing my eyes and tucking myself into a ball. But it never came. I heard the crack of something make contact and when I opened my eyes I saw a familiar fiery haired genasi.
Tarasque held up her Tempest’s shield, crouching slightly to push her counter the weight of the stone fist. ‘Why did you run off?’ she asked through gritted teeth, but the wall pushed against her. The fire genasi grunted, forcing the wall back with brute strength and withdrew her greatsword. She ignited the blade and cut through the stone like it was paper. The wall recoiled, shrieking in agony at the loss of its limb.
‘What’s this?’ the dream genie squawked. It took one look at Tarasque then back to me before stomping its feet. ‘You’re not welcome here. Foul creature, how dare you spoil our fun!’ It drove its fists into the ground, large spikes shot up from the earth.
Tarasque sidestepped after each one appeared, every time the dream genie missed its target. The fey stomped its feet again, screaming at the top of its lungs. ‘You will not leave until the Darkling has what he desires,’ it said, baring its fangs. It buried its hand deeper into the craggy ground until blue blood started to spill. More spikes appeared, protruding from the earth but their speed in which they appeared increased.
One broke through too fast, striking the fire genasi in the shoulder. Her greatsword dropped to her side as she screamed out in agony and the fey creature erupted into laughter.
‘That’ll teach you to interfere,’ it said, grinning menacingly. It pointed at me, ‘As for you, we shouldn’t keep the Lord Darkling waiting a moment later.’
‘Kill it,’ Tarasque muttered. Crimson tears spilled from her lips. ‘Saria, kill it.’
I shook my head and said, ‘I can’t. It is against my teachings.’
‘Pathetic,’ Tarasque grunted. She punched the stone breaking the spike that held her in place and dropped to one knee. She collected her greatsword, throwing the blade into the air and catching it with ease despite her injury. ‘No wonder you were banished from your tribe.’ She took her blade, holding it like a javelin before launching it towards the dream genie. The greatsword skewered the fey creature through the heart, pinning it against the wall. An ear-piercing shriek echoed through the room and blue blood poured from the creature's lips.
I stared in horror at the fey fizzling out of existence under her blade. Those words stung me, like salt water in a wound. Tarasque walked across the room, applying pressure to her shoulder wound as she retrieved her greatsword. The wall of dream genies recoiled in her presence, the dozens of rubies disappeared. The fire genasi yanked the blade from the broken body, the fey creature tumbled to the craggy ground.
‘Would you like me to look at that?’ I asked, gesturing to her wound.
Tarasque glared at me and replied, ‘Don’t bother.’ She disappeared out of the clearing, leaving me alone once more.
I’d failed again. Someone else had been hurt because of my failure. I had to become stronger, I had to prevent it happening again. I hurried out the clearing, sparing a moment to glance back at the broken body lying on the stone. The fey creature hadn’t deserved that fate despite what it had done.
But no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get my comrades' words out of my mind.
I’m nothing but a failure.
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