King of Days: The Veiled Guardians

10. Tooth and Steel

Not all earthquakes are caused by the moving of the earth; some are caused by rather strange circumstances, circumstances that transform the inhabitants of the earth. Only those who live through challenging times can better appreciate the peaceful times. But for those living in Agerets it was not considered a time of peace, and where there is violence there is always loss and bitterness.

Men were running around a cave, they were fixing and fastening holds, and were desperately trying to prevent a cave in. One regal looking man stepped forth, "Men, hold your positions, let none pass" The lightly clad men rushed to an opening of a cave. The quake stopped, and silence caused an eerie feeling to arise. "Hold, it is not over" echoed the voice of the man. "Show them no quarter" Through the darkness a bone chilling screech filled the air. From the void abominations leapt into view. The things were part man and part beast, really they were neither, for a creature of the darkness is neither nor. The Pechum, as they were known, were indeed neither human nor beast, some had flesh that looked like a plague, and others had grimy matted fur. Their teeth were like that of a boar, or a large lion. Their eyes resembled the night, for there was no reflection from their soul. Quickly the battle ensued, tooth and steel clashed. The men were being overwhelmed by the sheer power of the creatures, but one who wore a hood led a charge and pushed the creatures back into the darkness.

"What should we do with the bodies?" a man said dripping with sweat and breathing heavily.

Another man spoke up "Take several men and burn the bodies in the cave. Then board the cave. The heat will keep us warm, and prevent any others from venturing in." The man took three with him and they began to move the corpses.

An older man approached. "If the Pechum has arisen, that means..." The old man looked sadly upon the ground. "There will be much blood shed."

The regel man wrapped his arm around the older man. "If they have arisen, then we will match them until the end." As he said that there was a yell, all eyes moved in the direction of the yell. One of the creatures had grabbed the man that led the charge and was trying to drag him into the darkness. The man struggled against the creature, holding onto a rock, he managed to throw his sword toward the men, and disappeared into the darkness.

Dreams of monsters and men assailed Karíto, restlessly he tossed and turned. It was still early in the morning, he was tired yet restless. Karíto looked up to the dark roof of his room. Sighing, he decided to get up. Karíto walked back toward the kitchen with his hand on the wall. Opening the cold box, he took out a porcelain jug of water. Walking over to the window. The night was silent and cloaked in fog. He heard a soft clattering as a carriage drove by with a lantern swinging in the night. The candlelight danced within the house causing a mysterious charm. Karíto looked around the house as the light moved in and around the room. He stood staring out at the night, seeing the small lanterns on the houses and the dancing light which was slowly fading. He was so enrapt in the moment that a poem arose in his heart.

I see this cloud drenched night

With lights burning bright

I see the empty space,

And nought a familiar face.

How filled my fantasy

With drops o' forgotten dreams

How splendid is this night,

So solemn and so right

What wonder is thus held

Within this magic realm

Of animal and trees

And creeping walking things

What majesty unfold

Within this hidden spell

With eyes that have not seen

What dwells no one can tell

And here that cherished sight

That ancient foggy night

As the dancing light faded away his thoughts moved to the coin, he looked around for it and found it on a nearby table. After some time another carriage trotted by and he lifted the coin up to the light. Light flooded the room, but then quickly faded. He hoped that something would happen, but was sadly disappointed. Sighing he slapped the coin on the table. Turning around he looked over to the wall that he and his sisters saw glow.

Everything was dark, so he went and found a candle. Karíto lit it and brought it over to the wall, nothing happened. He took a deep breath and picked up the coin, he put the coin in front of the candle. Nothing happened at first, but then light shone as if it flowed through the coin. Awestruck he clasped his hand around the coin. Looking to the wall, he saw a glowing circle on the wall fade. Taking another breath he held up the coin to the light. The light shone out, so he followed it to the place he saw. Feeling the wall with his hand, it felt like a normal wooden wall, except it had a small indent. He took the coin, looked at the indent and placed the coin into it. Slowly he lifted the candle to the coin. The coin took on a new light, radiating a bluish-red light. He looked at it, seeing that it was not all the way in. Taking his thumb he pressed it in, then heard a click and a wooden thud. Karíto took the candle and moved it toward the ground. He saw a slab of wood next to him slightly open. Holding the side he lifted it up. As he lifted it up he heard a metal clink. Startled he jumped up, looking around he realized that it was the coin, picking it up he looked to where it was before. The indent was now gone, the opening of the slab somehow pushed the coin back out. Shaking his head he flipped the coin and put it into his pocket. Taking the candle he moved it toward the wooden slab. He looked down and saw a set of wooden stairs. His curiosity piqued, and he stepped down the stairs. As he got down to the bottom of the staircase, he saw a door, which had a wooden beam across it. Taking a hold of the beam he moved it toward the right. As the beam moved, he heard a low thud above him. Karíto looked up, and saw that the slab had moved back down. He looked back toward the now unblocked door, and pushed it opened. As it opened he saw before him a long corridor. Karíto was now concerned, but still curious. He walked down the corridor, and timidly looked around, there was nothing more than a long damp corridor and a torch on the left wall. Grabbing the nearby torch off of the wall he lit it from his candle and continued down the hallway.

A while later, he came to a fourway crossway, puzzled as he looked around. He began to go right, when he heard a low growl from an unknown location. His mind went to the coin, he took it out and put the coin in the way of the light. It shone out, but not from the direction he thought. Instead of shining straight through as before, it reflected toward him, turning around he saw the coin shine toward the left path. Karíto thought 'If the coin showed me where to go before, it'll do it again.' He decided to follow the left path.

The silence was all encompassing, all he could hear was a faint drip from the ceiling and the shuffle from his feet. It was as if everything was dead, or stuck in time. As Karíto continued down the hallway, making the respective right and left according to the light from the coin; he came to a T in the road. The light went straight into the wall. Karíto, disappointed, sighed, and said out loud. "What am I to do....!" Karíto stopped talking. He thought he had said something, but he had heard nothing. He realized that there was no noise, no drip, nothing. He stomped his foot on the ground, nothing. He tried to clap, nothing. It was as if the silence devoured all sound. A slow rolling breeze began to run through the hallway, the wind felt wet and it stank horribly. A terrible feeling of dread overtook him as he began to feel light headed. The room began to spin, he tried to catch himself on the wall, but it was further away than he expected. Falling his body slumped onto the floor. He faced toward the hallway he had just walked, the lights on the wall flickered then went out. It was pitch dark, and he could hear the low growl he had heard earlier. But it was much closer, and was coming from the way he had walked. The growling stopped, the wind stopped, but everything stank. With that a light shone behind him, he tried to get up, but felt as if he was being held down. He felt himself being picked up by a huge creature, with wet slimy arms. Two red eyes looked at him square in the eyes. He wanted to yell, but nothing came out, then all was only darkness, a void of anything good.