The Grey Chronicles Part Two: Under Siege.

Chapter 18: Oops.

Outskirts of the capital city, surface of Stonehaara One, August of 8096 AL.

Salem regretted jumping almost immediately.

His feet carried him a third of the distance, the jump jets on his armor another half. However, he still fell five meters short, colliding with the sheer cliff that formed the side of the gulch. His hands scrambled for a grip, but the immense weight of his armor caused even the sturdier crevices to crumble as he took hold of them. He slid almost twenty meters before his left hand found a large crack above a boulder embedded in the side of the gulch.

Salem's entire body jolted as all of his weight fell on one hand. He groaned quietly and searched for another handhold, his right hand sliding over the shale. He heard shouting from the caravan behind him, but he could only make out one voice; his wife's.

"Great job asshole," Korana called to him, he knew from her tone that her arms were crossed, as they always were when she criticized him.

"Keep in mind to whom you speak, wench!" Salem shouted back. His right hand found another crevice and he pulled himself up with a grunt. "You speak to the High King of the greatest beings alive!"

"One of the greatest beings alive decided jumping thirty meters was a good idea?" Seth questioned, "These are grim times indeed."

"I speak to High King Asshole," Korana yelled, "And he'll wind up dead if he tries any more stupid shit like that."

"I am perfectly fine, thank you very much," Salem peaked into the crevice above the boulder to which he clung. The crack widened slightly farther inside, something sat in the center of the dark hole...

He froze. A white rabbit with gleaming yellow eyes looked back at him.

"Hey, High King Asshole, did you hear me?" Korana said, agitated but also slightly worried. Why was he silent? That man never shut his mouth, was something wrong?

Salem said nothing as he shifted all his weight to his right hand. He prepared himself, then his left hand shot forward like a viper striking at its prey. The rabbit didn't move, as if it knew he couldn't reach. Salem saw his armored fingertips brush its white fur, then the rabbit dove backwards into the shadows of the crevice.

"What the hell are you doing?" Korana's heart jumped inside of her chest as she watched her husband's body jerk forward. She was afraid he had lost his grip, but to her relief he sighed, then looked over his shoulder at her.

"Nothing, just had trouble getting a good grip," Salem griped.

"Hang tight, I'll come and get you." Her tone had changed; she was concerned, not annoyed.

Salem did as he was told; if Korana was worried, she had reason to be. He set his hands and feet in secure positions and stayed as perfectly still as he could. From behind him, he heard Korana's maneuver gear and a pair of dull thuds that he assumed were the spiked rods embedding themselves far above his head. Another set of dull thuds sounded from his right, followed by footsteps. He shifted so that he could look in the direction of the noise and was pleased at the sight of his wife sidestepping towards him.

"Hand me your tow hook," Korana grabbed the cable from his belt and clipped it to her own, then held out her arms. "Give me a hug, shithead."

"Yes mother," Salem smiled and wrapped his arms around her. She chuckled as her maneuver gear started to reel in the hooks, lifting them towards the top of the gulch.

"If I was your mother, I'd have to call you Oedipus," Korana smiled as she walked up the side of the canyon. "Lean back, then you can walk out of here instead of hanging there like a limp noodle."