The Crystal Mines

83 Gyda

Deep below the mines embedded in the Adrastos mountains, we stood at attention awaiting orders from the First General, Zelos. He was a male not to be trifled with. More than once I had been one the receiving end of his punishments. I deserved them, yes, but they hurt all the same. A pain that I drank in each time, knowing it was called for. General Zelos approached the banister built into the side of the cave we stood in. The scent of the Hounds behind him made there way to the ground below. No one dared to gag. At least not in my company. My company was the most pristine. Something I had worked year to achieve as their lieutenant. Every button and seam were perfect. Every arm in the exact same angle as we were frozen at attention.

I eyed the other companies as the general's roamed over the sea of soldiers before him. Each sloppy in their own way. It was why we were on the front lines. General Zelos's mouth twisted into a cruel smile as he took in my company, pleased at the perfection.

"You are all gathered here today to be the first in Master Erix's new army. The Hounds have found the Fae children that think they can defeat our cause. Their scent has been lost again around the Celenta Desert. The Hounds cannot pass beyond the forests circling the desert as there are wards too old to thwart. Master Erix has requested a company volunteer to be the first to accept the job of infiltrating these wards. The Siblings have been heavy at work in the Labs, constructing a way to trick the wards. But we need a test group. Who can we rely on?"

"We will," my company said as one unit. I beamed with pride. We had suspected last night that something like this would happen when it was announced that there would be a full assembly meeting today.

"Lieutenant Gyda. You have raised one of the most disciplined companies we have seen in centuries. You are willing to risk them for this cause?"

A test then. Very well.

"Sir. If Master Erix preferred a group of sloppy halfwits, would he not have just asked his Rustblood slaves? Or can we get this over with so we may get the task done? We are the best, and the best for the job." My company brought their gauntlets to their chest in one beat that echoed the massive chamber. The sound reverberated across the tens of thousands of soldiers. The Hounds behind General Zelos shook their rotting heads and snapped their jaws at my argument. The general showed a full row of sharp teeth when he grinned at me. He enjoyed my boldness, even though it got me in trouble.

"Indeed. Very well. Siblings, if you wouldn't mind." He gestured to the alcove near us where The Siblings usually resided during full assembly meetings.

The meanest of them all, Scylla, came up to me in that gliding way of theirs. "Extend your arm." I growled at her orders. The Siblings were no more than servants of Erix. Beings from a world long forgotten. Under the gaze of the general, I obeyed, letting the large gemstones in my gauntlet speak for themselves, but not without glaring at him first. His grin only grew wider at my expense.

The other companies watched curiously as mine did as did. Always, I went first. They knew that. It was how I built such undying loyalty with them. Scylla turned my arm over to reveal the straps of my gauntlet and that tattoo of a master of all elements. I had gotten the title so long ago. We had been under this fucking mountain since the war between the Seelie and Unseelie, hiding, training, biding our time for our God's return.

Scylla nodded to her twin sister, Izell. Without warning, Izell sliced into my arm and pulled a shadow crystal from the arms of a ghostly Rustblood slave behind her. I hissed at the pain but made sure that was my only reaction. I had had worse. Much worse. This was nothing. Scylla aimed the faceted crystal above the hole in my arm and slowly placed it within the gushing gash. I bit my tongue, not saying a word at the immense pain. Scylla wove her hand above the crystal and drew the skin together around it with whatever strange magic she possessed, until the face of the gem was all that could be seen. With the shadow crystal fully embedded, I could feel it.

The raw power that poured into my body. I screamed as it burned. A scream I didn't know I could posses anymore. One by one my company received their gems without question. They wouldn't dare. Not since I had done it first. The burning increased to something nearly unbearable. But I trained for this. Was born for this, a day that I knew was coming.

Erix stepped forward from The Sibling's alcove to watch my company erupt in similar screams of torment. Then the burning stopped. As if it had never even been there. Erix face went grave, and he whirled on Scylla. "You said it would work. That it would take now that we had their blood."

Scylla eyed the Master slowly. "Yes. Just watch. It is delayed."

Then I was on fire. Burning from the inside out as my flesh melted from my bones. I watched my body decay in minutes but somehow, I could still breathe, still feel. What the Hells was this? Erix smiled like a child winning a prize at my company dissolved into walking piles of bones before him. Slowly, painfully, new skin grew around the bones encasing me with a body that took on a blue sheen, nearly translucent in nature. I marveled at the strength of the new body as did those in my company. As their bodies transformed, so did their scent. A sort of nothingness with a hint of death. We were a company of living dead.

Scylla stepped forward with a curved dagger and held out her hand for my arm again. Erix watched with pleased curiosity. I was to be a demonstration then. Murmurs around the cave traveled through the ranks as the news spread of what was happening. Scylla dragged the dagger down my skin. And I gasped up at a smiling Erix. I felt nothing. My skin was flawless and beautifully unharmed by the blade. I matched the Masters nasty grin with my own, pleased with the results.

"Welcome to the Wild Hunt, Lieutenant Gyda,"Erix said with pride. "Let's begin."