Xanum

Chapter 14

I came through the distortion into a blackness so profound and powerful that I could feel it like a blanket around me. It was as if the darkness was alive, there was something wrong about this place, hostile even. It smelled old, ancient. It seemed to know I was there and wanted me gone. In the distance, I heard the haunting wails of whatever unfortunate creatures had found themselves lost here. There were blinking lights somewhere far away, but I didn't care about them. I had to find Tony. I wondered if the same spell that got me in here would get me out, I hoped so, otherwise he and I were stuck here. I created a small trail of flame with the magic B had shown me, then examined what I was standing on. It looked like the branch of an ancient tree, however its bark was gray and crumbling away.

What was this place? And what were the things floating around? I didn't know. "Tony!" I shouted. I listened carefully for a response, but I gave up on that and called for him again. "Tony, where are you?" I asked the darkness. No response, but I turned around when I heard slight shuffling. "Tony?" I whispered. I walked toward the sound, only to stumble back as one of the pale lights manifested in front of me. Before the light were rows upon rows of teeth sharper than my axe. I walked backward, forcing myself to focus on the light and not on the hundreds of empty, milk-white eyes staring at me. I walked backward slowly, and the creature didn't seem to be attacking, but when my foot slipped over the edge of the branch, the creature lunged forward, its jaws unhinging.

"Jax!" Tony's voice rang like a hammer through the blackness. It came from behind the creature, and I knew what I had to do. I fell onto my back, half of my body hung over the infinite abyss, and I could barely hold on. My hand dug into the ancient tree bark as I searched for a handhold. My other hand strained to grip the blade of my axe, I only had a few moments to get it out of its sheath. I heard my arm pop as I gripped the axe's handle, and pain blossomed deep within it, but I refused to die. I swung it at the creature as it came close, and blood splattered the black blade as it sunk deep into the creature's tongue. It howled and jerked itself away, which allowed me time to get my body back onto the branch. I stood up and looked at the creature again. It seemed to have the body of a massive serpent, but it more closely resembled a dragon. Folded, leathery wings draped over its back. Snow-white spikes lined every inch of its body.

I stalked up to the creature, who simply peered at me and opened its mouth wider each time I took a step. The light dangling in its mouth got brighter as I got closer, and as I drew within two feet, the creature lunged forward. I sliced through its teeth and punched one of its eyes, then dodged out of the way. Its eye squished under my fist and exploded. The creature howled and threw itself at me again. I jumped into the air and swung the axe down into the creature's head with all the strength I had. Omayre would have been disappointed that I had put all my energy into a single strike, but I supposed it wasn't really a problem. She wasn't here to lecture me.

The axe sliced through its face, its eyes exploded all over me, but I didn't care. I wrenched my axe from its disgusting head as the creature began to howl, and I struck it again and again. I didn't stop until its head was split in two. Black liquid pumped from its wound, and as the light in its mouth began to dim, I gripped the glowing bulb and tore it from its mouth. I was keeping it. "Tony, where are you?" I shouted into the darkness.

"I'm over here," he said. I pressed my foot onto the hard body of the creature and pushed with all my strength, but it didn't budge. Whatever this thing was, it was too heavy to push it over the edge. I decided that Tony was more important. I held up the glowing orb, hoping that Tony would see it.

"Can you see this light? If you can, come to me," I said. I heard him walking slowly over the branch, and I walked toward the shuffling, but before I got to him, I saw a light appear about ten feet in front of me. With the light provided by the new creature, I saw Tony. He was on his hands and knees, crawling over the bark. He turned around slowly to look at the creature and collapsed. The creature lunged forward and latched onto him with its teeth. He screamed in pain as the creature yanked him away. Tony held onto the edge of the path, but the overwhelming strength of the creature was too much.