Shadow Of The Colossus- Taming The Beasts

Chapter 15- Dirge

Basaran, Valus, and Avion made their way to the tenth colossus. Although it seemed like none of them were too pleased to do so. Valus was walking slower than usual, Avion's talons were fidgeting, and Basaran seemed much quieter than before. Aiko was nervously petting Valus' soft head, worried about who this next colossus was. Could it be the one that legends speak of? The one about the snake goddess that destroyed a desert village when they threw an explosive in her mouth, severing the bottom jaw in half? Aiko heard stories of this thing but wasn't sure if she trusted the validity of them. Stories are hardly like the reality they're based on. But even then, she couldn't help but worry. 

They arrived at an isolated sand dune, the thing encased in a cage of rock and stone. The three had to enter via the top, where a hole was displayed agape. Inside the arena were multiple rock formations, with smaller ones decorating the middle. Stalactites hung from the hole, as well as roots from trees that have remained untouched for years. Despite the vast area, the supposed colossus was nowhere to be seen. This fed the anxiety of the three colossi, none of them wanting to enter unless one entered first. Avion faced the two with a nervous smile.

"So, uh," He began, but the two already knew what he was going to say and readied to refuse. "Why don't one of you jump down?"

"Hell no." Basaran and Valus said in unison, their tones flat. Avion gave a frown. 

"I ain't going until one of you goes," Valus said stubbornly, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. There was an awkward silence between the three as they tried to figure out what to do. They were all pretty young, so their ideas weren't of the smart kind. But Avion did stumble upon something. Very slowly, he nudged towards Basaran, who was in between him and Valus. Looking away and whistling, Avion lifted up his right wing and slapped Basaran's behind, causing him to fall into the cavern below with a startled, high-pitched yelp. Basaran landed on his back with a crash and then tipped over to his side, where he struggled to get up. Avion and Valus jumped down to meet him, Valus giggling to himself at the sight. Aiko was laughing too, although much more stifled.

"Avi, you asshole!" Basaran grunted, his skinny legs flailing in the air. "I was going to say that we should jump down together, but no, you had to do that!

"Of course I did," Avion said with a sneer, "Because that wouldn't be nearly as funny."  

"Ugh...Valus, help me up!"

"No, you're too heavy, sorry."  Valus snorted, although he was lying. He had to lift up Basaran to get here in the first place.

Basaran grunted as he tried to get up, but the sand was much more difficult to get a grip on than the dried riverbed he lived in. Aiko jumped down from Valus and walked over to the soft underbelly of the tortoise. Meanwhile, Avion was busy looking around for this colossus.

"Try using your pinned legs as support!" Aiko said, pushing against one of Basaran's bottom legs. It didn't do anything, as Basaran weighed hundreds of times more than her, but he thought it was cute.

A rumbling was heard underground, and Basaran immediately stopped flailing. Valus and Avion whipped their heads around to find the source but saw nothing. Aiko looked around, and saw small stones jumping as the ground beneath them shook.

The ground beneath her.

Basaran was suddenly knocked into the air by a quick serpent, sending him tumbling down and crashing into the cavern's walls. The impact's sound bounced off of the walls, causing even more thundering in the sand. Valus and Avion squealed and panicked, Avion grabbing Aiko with his talons and beginning to make a break for it. Unfortunately, the same colossus jumped out of the sand and latched onto Avion's tail, swinging him into the walls and making Aiko fall out of his grasp. She stumbled and ran to Valus, who scooped her up and held her against his chest. The minotaur looked at the serpent shifting in the sands.

She raised herself above the ground, her neck having a similar look to a cobra. From behind her head and down her back grew dirty blonde fur, swaying with each movement. Decorated with spines protruding in a straight line. Aiko popped her head out from Valus hands, and just like that, all her suspicions were confirmed. The things that caught her attention were the eyes. Gigantic, swirling, and furiously amber-colored. Staring directly at her. Two mandibles clicked together, giving way to a glowing mouth once they opened. This was the snake goddess that Aiko's village had told stories about, but...she didn't seem to fit the more aggressive descriptions. Good news, I suppose. Aiko's mouth was wide open in awe, but oddly enough, it overrode her fear.

"D-Dirge, I-"

"Forget the introductions," The serpent interrupted, staring directly at Valus. Basaran and Avion got their bearings, but didn't want to get any closer. "I know what you want to do, Valus."

Avion and Valus exchanged confused looks. 

"Y...you did? How?" Avion questioned, still backed into a corner. 

"Barba informed me of this...thing you're doing," Dirge barked, her voice stern, "If you three weren't so fearful, then you would've arrived the moment he did."

"Why don't you want to meet Aiko, though?" Basaran questioned, mustering up the courage to slink closer. "She's just a girl."

"Yes, I'm aware of that." Dirge groaned. If she had hands, she'd be pinching between her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt her. I just don't want to waste my time."

The three colossi looked at each other, Valus' grip on Aiko softening.

"But...Why?" Basaran asked rather curtly. Dirge blasted her furious gaze towards him, causing him to retract.

"Do you take me for some sort of monster, Basaran?" Dirge snarled, "Of course I wouldn't hurt her! She's no more of a threat to me than fire is to Malus!"

Dirge faced away from the group. Her expression read as angry, but in reality, she was quite provoked by their persistence. Didn't they know any better? She looked at Aiko. So small, so helpless, so...cute. Dirge was too stubborn to admit it, but she felt a motherly affection for the girl right there. 

"...Listen." Dirge spoke with a calmer tone, facing Valus, "She can...come close, but make it quick."

Valus hesitantly bent down and let Aiko go. All four of the colossi's eyes were darted at the girl, Basaran, Valus, and Avion's all worried while Dirge just looked curious. Aiko tried to block out all the stories that her village told her, and walked towards the serpent, who was shifting towards her slowly. Eventually, the two met in the sunlit middle. Dirge was...beautiful. Her face was carved with markings and scars, and the way that she moved through the sands was elegant and precise. She wasn't a monster...she was misunderstood. Judged. 

Hesitantly, Aiko reached out a marking-covered arm. Her hand stretched and her fingers splayed. Dirge slowly got closer, her three nostrils sniffing softly. Quietly. The noises coming out of her mouth were short chirps and chitters, her rage-filled eyes slowly adjusting to a calm shade of blue. It was rare to see Dirge like this, for her constant state of starvation and pain kept them sharp and tuned to aggression. But now, she was relaxed, curious. Aiko's fingers slowly touched the upper lip of the beast. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds before Dirge playfully huffed out air at Aiko, sending her back a bit. Aiko laughed. This was incredible. The beast that everyone in her village feared was really just a gentle giant. Dirge looked at Basaran, her eyes switching back to their normal orange state. 

"Well? I met her." Dirge spoke once more. "Now, please leave me be. This old body needs to rest."

"Yes, great Hunter." Basaran squeaked. Aiko ran back to Valus and hopped into his offering hand, being brought back to his head. Valus lifted up Basaran with Avion's help out of the cavern's top, and soon enough, they were on their way to visit the next colossus. Aiko looked back at the cave. She was going to visit again, for sure. Even if the others try to stop her.