The Prodigies: The Return of Equinox

Chapter Thirty-Four - Fated: Early to the Party

"Hey, muscles."

"What?" Garvhoz sighed.

"What's in the valley again?" Riah couldn't remember if she had been told what they were doing going to the valley.

"A target that the military wants taken care of."

"Hm, well what did they do?"

"To keep it simple, they exist."

"What?"

"Let's just say that because they exist it presents a danger to everybody in the kingdom."

"How can someone be that dangerous?"

"Well you see sapling over there? Potentially just as dangerous if left alone." Riah stole a glance from Alegna and couldn't think how this walking and talking man sized tree could present a big threat.

"You're saying that they're both as dangerous?"

"No, I'm saying that Alegna could be as dangerous as who we need to take care. Good thing for us is that Alegna isn't."

"Well how dangerous is Alegna?"

"To be completely truthful with you, sapling could probably kill all of us except for Core. That's only because you can't kill Zorfecs." A pang of terror sprung up from Riah's chest.

"R-really?"

"Maybe, but I think I could take Alegna out if I'm fast enough. I've already seen most of its moves."

"I'm not an it." Alegna growled.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not an it, I'm a they. I'm partly human, remember? The only individual that can truly claim the label as an it is Voleria."

"Says who?" Garvhoz was curious as to where this defensive side of Alegna came from.

"Voleria. Its are used, its don't feel, its are stronger than people. I'm not an it, far from it. I still experience plenty of pain."

"Hey, downers. We're at the rim of the valley now." Noromac yelled back from the front of the group.

And, as Noromac described it, they had arrived at the valley. Though, it seemed much more like a crater than any naturally occurring valley. As though some big impact had sunk the earth into the valley they see now. As far as they could tell though, it had all been a natural formation. No scorched land, no snapped trees, nothing signifying an impact as would be needed to create the valley, but it was still wholly unnatural to all of them.

"What is the name of this valley again?" Core croaked.

"The Quil valley." Noromac stood staring out towards the center of the valley. Not in amazement, but rather with an anxious feeling like something awful was going to happen. He thought he could see someone out towards the middle of the valley, but he couldn't be sure.

"Let's get moving down, we need to deal with him swiftly." Garvhoz then moved towards the front and made his way down the steep decline. Before he could move any further his horse stopped and backed away as though frightened.

"What is it, boy?"

"It is scared of the decline." Said Core. "It is much too steep. I think we should have brought a mule or two instead of the horses."

"Too late now. Come on. Grab what you can carry. It will be a short trip from this point on." Garvhoz said.

"Hey, Riah, I think you should stay. It might be too dangerous for you to stick around for too long. And we need someone to make sure that they don't run off somewhere."

"No. I'm going, and nothing you can do will stop me. I think I've earned the right to see what it is that you guys are doing." Her assertion surprised Noromac. She had seemed so docile and agreeable to what the Prodigies had asked before now.

"Uh, ok. But don't stay too close."

"Sorry, about that. It's just that, I feel something in my gut that says that I should be down there. It's as though I've been waiting for this my whole life."

"I understand, but be careful. Know your limits."

"Got it."

As they made their way down the steep edge of the valley they saw that this wasn't just some ordinary untouched valley. There were what seemed to be crops, and fruit trees towards the middle of the valley. Even so, nothing gave signs of people actually living in the valley. There were no buildings, houses, wells, shelters, or anything that could resemble a building.

From the beginning of their descent they had a light breeze blow against them. As they traveled downward the breeze turned to a strong wind, to a gale. Then, as they stopped declining the wind had stopped all together and the whole world around them fell silent. The crunch of their boots as they treaded the earth no longer sounded. They could not hear their fabrics and armors rub together as they walked. They could not hear their own breathing and were only reassured by the feeling of their lungs being filled with air. Not even the blood pumping through their ears, a sound you couldn't hear unless all was silent, could be heard.

"Guys?" Spoke Riah. No one turned around. "Uh, guys? Can you hear me?"

"Who are you?"

"What?" Her vision faded and she soon started to panic. When she tried to run away she found that she couldn't move in any direction except forward at her same pace as before. She soon lost all sensation after she walked for what seemed like hours

"Who are you?" The voice belong to ancient vocal chords and dry lungs. The strain between each word was painful to hear.

"My name is Riah! Daughter of an innkeeper, I mean you no harm."

"But your friends do."

"What?"

"Yet, not you? What do you want?" Riah couldn't think of an answer. She couldn't even get over this new feeling of a deep chill in her very soul. "Can you help me?"

"Excuse me?"

"You will have to do. We shall see how many more deaths I must die."

"Stop!"

"You will feel no pain. I promise."

"NO!"

"It will feel like a bygone dream leaving behind a whisper of a memory on your mind, child." The voice grew in strength. The dry raspy quality of the sound gave way to a deep, strong voice.

"Please! I will never say a word of this!"

"Of that I will make certain. Now, give in to me." With those final words the chill that had taken hold over her soul turned into a warm and pleasant feeling. It made her feel safe, happy, and a touch of sadness. She knew, when she felt it, that she would never return to see her father, but she didn't mind. This feeling was so powerful, so wondrous, so pleasant she didn't mind living in eternity with this feeling. She soon lost all memory of why she was sad, what pain was, and what she was doing there. She had forgotten the why of anything. As she forgot more and more the feeling that trapped her grew stronger until Riah no longer existed.

"I will make you come back, O Strong One."