Carved by the Gods

The Beginning

Trigedasleng was hard to pick up but I managed, pretty soon I could hold a conversation with Maya, Gina's former attendant. They held me in the dungeon until word got back about where Wanheda was. She was a weeks trek away, but I'd have to get the weapons to slay her. They told me to go to the Graeae, and convince them to ask the Gods for a celestial bronze sword and shield. Something that would cut through her flesh. Then they'd let me go for good. I could live my life away from Mount Weather. But I didn't care if this creature turned me to stone, I didn't care if I failed their mission, but something inside me told me not to get killed. To live. So I could live for the family I lost. So I'd fight for the chance to be free. From what I've heard, she was hideous, her hair held thousands of snakes, her body had millions of scales, and her fangs dripped with venom, she was dangerous, the only time you could kill her was when she slept, when her eyes were closed and it was safe to look at her. Otherwise you're turned to stone. A chiseled momentum for her forest where she would take pride in destroying your body. Maya helped me out of the dungeon, they no longer kept me in shackles, Cage decided I was to be sent out with a pack of supplies, and Maya to take with me. She'd send word back when we got to the towns on the way to the Gorgon's den. The Graeae were out of the way of the lair though, about a four day hike from her home.

"There's some rations in here for us, some bread, fruit, and cheese. We can replenish them once we reach the next village." Maya said. I gave her a curt nod and headed towards the armory, if I was to fight whatever, I'd need something stronger than the clothes they'd provided. Maya walked me to the room, and whispered a prayer to one of the Gods, something about loving and caring, of drinking and being merry. I couldn't care less, the Gods had done nothing to protect me, or anyone else I cared about. They'd forsaken me. We reached the door, she opened it up and I headed in grabbing a golden breastplate off of the wall. There were leathers and cloaks, javelins, swords, shields, and bows with copious amounts of arrows nestled close by tucked safely in their quivers.

"Can we carry all of this?" I asked Maya gruffly. She shifted on her feet.

"I think you can manage the bow, and some of the smaller knives with a sword."

"No javelin?" I asked. She gave me a small smile, glancing at the long, sharp, stick.

"No. No javelins." She giggled. I went around the room, grabbing the golden knives, experimenting with the swords, a shield with a small design of a mountain on it caught my eye so I grabbed that. Maya helped herself to two bronze knives, a bow, a quiver full of arrows, and some leathers to protect her back and chest. We were ready to head out to see the Graeae, it would take a few days trek, and two stops in two different villages, TonDC and Polis. We'd circle back to Polis and head over to the meadow where the monster supposedly resides, the king was giving us enough money to buy rooms in the inns on the way there.

"Ai haihefa as klin yu tiya haisidon raunkova." A guard said barging into the room. Maya nodded.

"Sha cheka." She responded.

"Throne room?" I asked slowly, processing the fast tongue of the guard. Trig was like shortened english spoken faster than usual, it had different conjugations, but it was easily pieced together. But I couldn't understand everything, I knew basic castle conversation needs, and simple words to regard the servants. We grabbed our packs and began to head over to the throne room, still stained from Gina's death, the scent was thicker than any other smell. Her blood was still painted on the dark floors, her body was now missing, but the reminder of what happened was still fresh in my mind. My fault.

"Ah Bellamy. Are you ready to get me what I want?" Cage said from his golden throne, he was drinking red wine from a crystal goblet, it was nicer than anything I had ever seen, something that my mother would have liked. She always liked crystals and glass, they were finer things we could never get, maybe we could right before my family had all perished. I clenched my jaw tightly, and nodded.