The Cinders of Dezu

17th: The Ancient of the Lake (3)

Julian was taken aback when he realized she was speaking a strange language. She seemed to be gargling and warbling. He watched as the expression on the warriors face changed from concern to a serious recognition. As the floating symbol of fire began to fade, Julian realized it was more than just the three of them. Hiding in almost plain sight was a series of Gilled warriors peering from the trees. Some were up in the canopy and others peeked around trunks, still others had actually been standing in front of the trunks almost blending in. Maybe they had been blending in. He spun around slowly and realized they had been surrounded and he didn't know for how long.

But he realized it was Talia's speaking that was revealing the hidden warriors. And it was her speaking that made the one in front seem to soften more and more. Finally, he looked around and called out to them. The Gilled gave him their attention and then receded into the trees. The soldier turned around and took off in a run in the direction of the drums. Julian was dumbfounded. Talia turned to him.

"Let's go."

She took off running in the same direction. Julian ran to keep up and called after her.

"What in the world did you tell them??"

"We're Vincarsee. They didn't know," she called back.

"I thought you said no one sees these guys! How do you know their language?"

"Firas always said the more languages you speak the better your odds of talking your way out of a fight."

"Firus??!"

Talia stopped with her arms out again to stop Julian from moving ahead but he was already slowing down at the sight ahead of her. En masse, the aquatic people were dissipating at the edge of a cliff. They scattered into the trees and ran past them. The warrior who had ran ahead of them was running back. He gave Talia a nod as he passed. But more than the strange crowd of disappearing alien creatures, it was what was beyond them that was most awe inspiring.

Just beyond the cliffs was a large round body of water. In its center, risen above the surf, was a titanic monster sporting broad finned shoulders with two arms that almost looked like a mans. It's bottom half was octopus like, churning the water below him with tentacles the girth of sedans. He was facing away toward a huge wooden beam with carvings in it. And just beyond the antlers of the thing, he could see the ropes, and the small figure of the young man tied by them.

"Cai..." he whispered.

"Throw me," said Talia.

Her arms lit with fire all the way up to her shoulders.

"What?!" Julian said, bewildered at the sight before him.

Talia called back to him while in full sprint towards the edge of the cliff.

"Aim for the ropes! Throw me!"

She took a flying leap. In a desperate gesture to gain control, Julian reached out both of his hands and tightened his fists. To his relief, Talia didn't plummet to the waters below. Her leap held in the air as she began hurdling towards the sacrificial mount.

Cairo looked up at the interlocking trap of teeth lining the massive head before him. Water that had been pooled in its boney, skin-covered, and moose-like antlers was still streaming down the creatures face. It's head reared back and it's mouth opened in a movement disturbingly swift for its size.

FWOOSH!

Cairo felt heat. The creature lurched forward clapping it's jaws shut. Cairo felt a gust of dispersed air as it snapped just in front of Cairo's face. It's powerful hand rose from the water and grabbed hold of the stake just below the spot he was strapped to. The wood splintered under pressure but stayed upright. The hand slid down the pole as the creature dropped into the water, making waves crash up and around the pole.

Cairo heard a thud on the wood. He looked up. Talia stood crouching sideways on the pole above his head.

"You sure know how to show a girl a good time! We just met a local legend."

"What IS that thing?!" said Cairo.

"He's called Moss Linga," she said, "And you just made me introduce myself by shooting him in the head. Bad first impressions."

She reached out the hand of her non-inflamed arm.

"Get ready!"

Her flaming hand grabbed hold of the ropes that entangled him. Cairo looked up at her feet set firmly on the wood surface.

"How- How are you doing that?!"

The ropes began to snap and Cairo could feel himself sliding as their grip loosened.

"Julian's getting the hang of things," Talia said with a nod in the direction of the cliffs.

Cairo looked out and saw Julian waving his arms. He was pointing at something. Cairo looked down in the direction he was pointing just as another rope snap made him begin sliding further. Panic on two fronts struck him then. The tingling sensation of falling ran up his spine from his toes. The second was the aquatic antlers and the symbol of a star becoming more visible as they once more rose to the surface of the water below him.

"Cairo!!!"

He looked up to Talia's cries but missed her saving hand as he began flailing towards the rocking waves below. He turned towards where he was falling in time to see the monsters face pass him as it rose up the pole, rapping arms and tentacles around it. The splash of his plunge and the muffling silence of the water disoriented him. He looked around the myriad of bubbles and white water. As the water cleared he saw more tentacles. They swirled round and round him, tossing him about as he held his breath. As soon as he could find his orientation he looked up and swam to the surface. Emerging, he took a deep breath and looked around.

Just above, encompassing virtually the entirety of his vision, was the massive body of Moss Linga. The beast pushed off of the sacrificial pole snapping it the rest of the way with a crack. In the hang time between the pole snap and the creature hitting the water, a cry rang out. It was Talia. It lingered until the crashing of the waves swallowed it into nothing. The monster and the girl were gone.