Blue Blood

The Cave Of Wyrms: part 1

I try to steady my breathing and take a step forward. It looks almost exactly like my dream.

"Mags, you're really pale, I don't think it's a good idea for you too keep going." Rody suggests resting a hand on my shoulder.

"And what, let those soldiers get us? I'm fine, let's keep going. There should be a cave system not far up ahead."

I go to move but Rody holds a steely grip on my arm. His eyebrows are knit into tight knots and he's breathing harder.

"Enough with the bullshit! You're not fine, stop pretending you are! Tell me what's bugging you now or so help me I'll . . . I'll . . . Gods, I'm so mad I can't even think!" He fumes.

My brows shoot up and my face draws a blank. He's never exploded at anyone before. I should have hid this better. I swallow hard, "What do you mean-" he juts forward, grabs me by the collar and pulls me a few inches from his face.

"Magnus I swear to god you tell me right. Now. I'm done stepping around this. Either tell me what's wrong or I'm throwing myself off the nearest cliff. Don't test me, I'll do it." Fire burns in his crystal eyes, all consuming. He is dead serious. His eyes bare into my soul.

"Rody I-"

"Don't lie to me. I know when you're lying."

"Okay . . . Okay. I've been . . . I've been having these dreams, where . . . Where the person I care about, they . . . They die. And I can't do anything to save them." I shake my head, "Do you know how frustrating that is? To always be so close but never there?" A growl escapes me and my body grows hot, "Do you know how much it hurts!? How agonizing it is!? To love someone so much and have to watch them die over and over again!? It hurts so much! So much, I want to die; to sleep and never wake up!" Hot Tears stream down my face and I let them fall.

"Magnus-"

"And that fucking black dragon! It's his fault, he does this! I wanna tear his insides out, to skin him into armor, to burn him alive! I want to kill him so fucking much, make him feel the way I do! He'll suffer too-"

"Magnus!"

I pant heavy jagged breath like it's 100 degrees. My hands are balled into tight fists at my side and my whole body shakes with anger. I want to hit something, I want to hit something so bad.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Rody says trying to console me. For a second I start to relax.

I THINK I'VE STRUCK A NERVE.

I scream and launch my fist as hard as I can at the closest tree around me. My fist goes straight through it as it splits in two. The dead tree splinters and falls with a earth shaking thud. I want to hit something else. I turn towards Rody.

His eyes are large with fear. I take a step towards him but he steps away. Does he . . . Does he think I'm going to hurt him? His body lays very still but on edge, like prey waiting for the predator to make the first move and confirm their darkest fear. His eyes dart behind me.

"Rody . . ."

I reach my hand out and he bolts for it. I almost don't react when he runs past me, deeper into the forest.

"Rody," oh my gods. "Wait, Rody, Wait!"

I turn around and chase after him as fast as I can, heart throbbing in my chest painfully. The air turns warm as insects fly into my eyes and nose and ears. I swat them away frantically.

"Rody!" I belt out. No response. My chest feels tight, like I'm about to pop. I can't seem to get enough air fast enough. I grip my chest tight and keep running. What have I done?

I run for what seems like hours until I can't take it anymore and I have to stop. Sweat drips from my forehead to the gray earth below. I'm so stupid, I'm an idiot. How could I-

Dozens of loud screeches echo through the woods followed by a panicked yelp. Rody. All the fatigue from a moment ago is gone and replaced by liquid lightning. I follow the screeches far into the trees until it slowly muffles to nothing. Not one sound. My heartbeat occupies the silence as I look for foot prints. I find an upturn in the dead soil and judge the size. That's definitely his.

I follow them in a sprint, hoping I'm not too late. it's not long before I stop dead in my tracks. A gaping hole in the mountain moans at me. The hole is bigger than a castle and probably miles long. The darkness is unending, darker than anything I've ever seen. I light a fire tome and catch my breath. The foot prints stop here, I'm going in.

The cave sucks all the natural light from the air leaving my only saving grace being the fire in my shaking hands. The sound of dripping water echoes through the mighty halls. I can barely see two feet in front of myself. A shiver crawls up my spine as something slithers behind me. I dart around quick but there's nothing there. With my free hand, I pull out my hammer and hold it steady at my side.

I take a deep breath and gulp, "Rody?" I yell.

The echo lasts for ages, an endless loop of voices. A drop of water hits my head causing me to jump out of my skin. 'You can handle this, you have to, this is your fault and you're going to make it right,' I reassure myself. Something hisses at me from within the the darkness. I wave the tome around, looking for the source but finding nothing. A weight presses on my shoulder. I turn around as fast as I can but nothing is there.

"E-enough! Show yourself, and get it over with." I tell the darkness.

A light appears in the distance. it seems to be just a flickering candle. Then another, and another, and soon enough I'm able to see. Thousands of writhing, squirming, scales cover the walls, the ceiling, the floor. Their deformed arms stretch out in all directions and there snake like heads bob and sway rhythmically. Green and blue liquid drips from their flaming jaws and tongues. They look hungry. Where's Rody?

They slide and slither as one, creeping closer. My breathing gets faster and so does my heartbeat.

"Rody," they creep ever close. "Rody where are you!?" I scream. No response.

I drop the fire tome and heave my hammer over my shoulder. One of the wyrms snaps at my ankles and I quickly kick it away. One of them launches themself at my face only to meet the might of my hammer, splattering their brains and skull across the rocky floor. Then all hell breaks lose. Hundreds of writhing forms launch themselves at all parts of my body in sync, like a hive mind. Six go for my legs, eight at my chest and half a dozen at my face and arms. Their foggy breath is dizzying and their teeth burn and sizzle. I know I can't fight them all off, I have to run but I can't leave without Rody. He has to be in here. I charge through the hoard, falling deeper and deeper into the cave of madness, the cave of wyrms.