The Keepers: Song of Sorrow

Chapter Three

The journey had been easy going for the most part; Jesper had taken turns driving the wagon so that Maria could rest. He'd also brought a sword, it was huge to her, going well past her head. She'd questioned if it was really necessary to bring such a thing and if he even knew how to use it.
"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. And well dealing with an Eldritch it's always good to prepare for a fight." He'd said at the time. Now the sword leaned lazily against the wagon wall closest to the seat to be quickly grabbed. In the distance Maria could see the Black Falls getting closer, it had earned the name because of the myth about its water: that the Dancing God of Destruction had ripped the throat out of another Eldritch and the blood had run black, spilling over the cliff face into a whirlpool below, giving the Falls its name due to the black water that seemed to dye the rocks the same color. It was also the home to the Dancing God of Destruction, a hidden cave behind the falls that turned into a decimated temple full of bodies, the wind came through holes in the ceiling that made music the god danced and sang to. Songs that were said to cause instant death to those that heard. As they got closer Maria heard nothing of what she'd expected to hear: she heard nothing. No horrid music, and no demonic dancing.
"Do you hear that?" She asked Jesper.
"Do you mean the lack of wonderful music so often described in stories? Yes. It appears that the Dancing God has left his home and doesn't appear to be returning. Another has decided to use it to hole up until his brothers find him."  He spoke softly and stopped the cart.
"We get out here any closer and you may lose your horse if he chooses to leave." They both climbed down.
"Will it be dangerous?" She asked.
"Of course, this is the Eldritch we're talking about. By the way, quick warning, don't look directly at him if you can help it. Look through the corner of your eye, through fogged glass, something where you don't see him full on. Or your brain might melt." He said it so casually that at first Maria thought he was joking. She stopped smiling when she realized he wasn't.
"Just cover your eyes if you need to, the cracks in your fingers should be enough to see him without going mad." Jesper said, turning away and starting toward the waterfall.

The rocks were slippery and she did her best to not fall into the rushing water. Several times Jesper grabbed a hold of her to keep her steady. He himself had stopped a few times as the rocks wobbled under his paws. Eventually they reached the dark cave entrance behind the roaring waterfall. Maria thought Jesper would simply dye into the cave and wait for her, she didn't expect him to reach back, grab the scruff of her shirt, hoist her into the air and toss her like a sack of potatoes into the cave. She landed with a thump and a yelp as he stepped into the cave with her.
"What was that for?" She yelled with indignation.
"The last step was too far for you." Jesper said.
"Next time warn me!"
"Why? Had you been ready for it you would've been stiff, being stiff could've gotten you injured. Better to be surprised. No time to go stiff." He said walking past her.
"I beg to differ!" She stood and dusted herself off before following him. It was a simple cave for the first ten feet, she'd almost convinced herself that the stories were just that, then they reached a solid was nearly twenty feet high with a large stone door about fifteen feet high and ten feet wide.
"This is it." Jesper said, placing a hand on the door.
"No really? Never would've known." She said sarcastically. Jesper shot her a deathly glare.
"Silence." He ordered and placed his other hand on the door. He pushed, hard, the door swung slowly open the hinges creaking from the weight of the door. She feared they might break and the door would come falling at them, but they held and the door came to a stop halfway open, more than enough room for them. Jesper stepped in first. Maria watched as his whole body seemed to shift into a stiff but graceful sneak. He was on high alert, the claws in his paws came out as one hand went to carefully rest on the hilt of the sword. As she followed him in she was hit with a wave of pure malevolence. It screamed at her promises of painful deaths and never ending pain. She very nearly turned around and ran away.
"It really is here." She breathed out.
"Mana." Jesper's voice seemed to come from far away. She looked at him, his gaze was fixated upon a corner of the room and she dared not follow his gaze. A voice spoke then it was dark, rumbling, and seemed to speak words her ears couldn't comprehend. She watched Jesper and realized that the half demon seemed to be focused on every word.  Jesper opened his mouth to retort a response but then silenced himself.
"What did he say?" She asked.
"He's mocking me." Jesper growled.
"Mocking you?"
"Petty words by a petty child, he'll regret them later."
"How?"
"Because I'll-!" He clamped his mouth shut as his tail lashed from side to side. "I'm not strong enough to make him regret them yet. Not like this." Before she could ask what he meant there came a rumble from above.
"Shit!" Jesper yelled and grabbed Maria by the hand and raced off. "Here come his brothers."  Mana seemed to be laughing in glee. Rock and rubble crashed into the ground behind them as the two other Eldritch bludgeoned their way into the old temple. Jesper quickly tossed Maria forward out of the way. She skidded to a halt against the far wall and turned quickly to look back and see where Jesper was. She watched in horror as a large cat-like creature with a gaping maw, and rose gold eyes dragged him back with mangled claws, tails seemed to sprout like fungi out of the creature. Two more were behind the first they looked very similar; one had multiple pairs of legs, one had several mouths, they both had different color gold eyes. All three of them had one eye replaced by what Maria could only think was a clock. Different eyes for each. Jesper made no noise as he was dragged back by his leg. He had his sword out and ready. The three creatures were speaking in their strange language. Maria watched in stiff terrified horror. One of them looked at her , one good eye blinked slowly and it moved toward her.
"NO!" Jesper yelled but was silenced as another mangled paw smaller him into the floor.
"You haven't given in." The creature spoke, it's white gold eye focusing on her.
"I'm not." She said, surprised then with more confidence. "Don't hurt him." The creature laughed, or seemed to make a gurgling noise that might be a laugh. It's face twisted in a vicious glee.
"He needs to die. It's time." It spoke.
"Why?"
"The Sleeping God is awakening. Haven't you seen it? A flicker here or there, subtle but there, as the Dream is disturbed."
"She's bawbling, I doubteth she'd did notice aught beyond h'r owneth nose." Said the creature with many mouths.
"Excuse me?" Maria said, confused by the old fashioned manner in which the creature spoke.  It smiled at her with its many mouths.
"thee hath heard me." It said. It's brother dug his claws into Jesper's body under him, the half demon groaned in pain but made no other sound.
"He's protecting you." Said the creature with many legs. "A spell to keep your mind from us. A shame."
"Stop that let him go!" Maria stood to race to Jesper's defense but was stopped by the many mouthed creature moving toward her.
"Thee don't knoweth what that gent is then?" It asked her.
"He's a half elf." She said looking over to Jesper's prone form.
"Nay, that gent is one of ours.  An eldritch.  The dancing god of destruction." It said it's grin spreading impossibly wide.
"I've known him for two months, he is not a monster! He's a little rude and standoffish sometimes but he is not the Dancing God!"
"Would you like to see?" Asked the creature holding Jesper down. "It's only an avatar form, he's stuck inside, a gift from the Dreamers." With that Maria watched in horror as Jesper was ripped apart in front of her.