The Zodiac Stone

Chapter Twenty-Three: The King of Vaad

From the direction they were going in, they would be traveling over MountOdonn before making it to MountVidaa. From the air he could see the whole kingdom. The only clan he couldn't quite see was the Cancers who were hidden near the top of MountGjainn. He saw all of Vilago Fields as they soared over the dragon's ribcage and followed the incline of MountVidaa. They flew by ShynCity, and then UmenoroCity and finally appeared above Vaad. Before them was the large maze. It looked even worse from the height above it.

"What is that?" Westerlee asked staring down at the maze.

"It's where they put some Ophiuchus if they do something the Aries don't like, or even for spite and put them there for fun.

Over one of the corridors made by the unkept hedge wall, they spotted the barban. It was eating what looked like the torso of a poor woman. Her grey outfit was drenched in dark red near the very top and along the robe's whole bottom. Her face was already half rotted and black from dirt and blood.

He heard a sound from Westerlee and looked over to see her with her eyes closed and her hand to her mouth.

"This is horrible," she said quietly.

The stone carried them over the full length of the maze. Aine even saw up close what he had seen from climbing the dead tree, the few who had been nailed to large wood posts. The three who were on them couldn't even be determined whether they were male or female. One's head had even fallen off, nothing but the skull on the ground. The lower jaw looked to be missing, but Aine didn't have more than a few seconds to see, and it was more than enough.

The stone set them down in front of the stairs. He didn't feel it was necessary to put it away, as he would need to use it and started up to the doors.

"What's that smell?" Westerlee asked holding a finger under her nose. Aine stopped and looked around. He didn't notice it at first with it blending into the landscape, but a few mounds off to their right, piles of dirt creating a ripple across the ground.

"What are ... Holy Stars," Westerlee cursed. She lowered her voice but her eyes widened in shock.

They saw a hand reaching from one of the piles, stretching their fingers. Aine leaped from the stairs and raced over to where he saw the moving hand.

"Wait! Do you even know if it's human?" Westerlee called. She held onto the stone wall acting as a stairwell railing and watched Aine run over and drop to his knees.

He pushed and dug frantically until he saw the rest of the arm, a shoulder, a neck, a chin, and then he saw the face.

A man sputtered and spit up dirt.

"Thank you! Thank you!" he said and tears appeared at the corners of his eyes. A man dressed in grey clothing.

Once he had cleared the other man's arm the man was able to start clearing dirt off him too. Once he had pushed away enough he pulled his legs out, one at a time, but as the man pulled himself out from the last of the dirt Aine noticed he was missing a foot.

He looked over at Westerlee but wasn't sure if from where she was standing if she could see.

"What happened to your foot?" Aine asked.

The man looked up at Aine. He had short brown hair, a rough beard growing, and a tooth missing near the back of his upper jaw. The rest of his teeth were almost white and looked fine. His skin was tanned, but at the moment was mixed with the dirt he had been buried under. The man's right pant leg ended in frayed edges and dark coloring Aine believed was blood.

"A granite sphere, one they like to decorate their large tables with, slipped and crushed my foot. They said it was unfixable. At first they decided to leave it, but I couldn't move with it the way it was, barely hanging on. Then they cut it off. But then when I could finally stand, they realized I would be hobbling around with a cane and they wouldn't keep someone as useless. Then they got rid of me by burying me out here. Thank you for rescuing me! I owe you my life, sir. May I ask what your name is?" the man said between sobs.