Dragonstorm, Chapter 1: New Job

Diamond yawned as she stepped off the stairs, twisting to crack her back as she stood on the landing overlooking the small inn's taproom. Her eyes were greeted by the sight of the only other two figures in the room aside from the young, skinny barkeep counting his bottles and kegs. The taller of the two, by about two feet over Diamond's head, grinned and waved her over.

"Good morning!" Kay announced loudly, her round cheeks dimpled in a grin and her voice sweet and chipper despite the early hours. "Not enough sleep, princess?"

Diamond scowled, wrinkling her nose in irritation. "Plenty of sleep, but not enough pillows. That bed was ..." she glanced furtively at the barkeep, who raised a questioning eyebrow. "... perfectly fine and I should be thankful the owner let us have rooms at such a late hour."

The barkeep half-smiled, shaking his head and turning back to his wares.

Diamond sat down next to her friends, and the other, much shorter dark haired lady lounging casually next to the giant Kay, regarded her with a wry look from her red eyes. "Very smooth. Silky, one might say. Not on top of the personality game yet today are we?"

"That's rich, coming from Rose of the Blunt Tongue," Diamond crossed her arms, eyeing her companion coldly. "You have all the tact of a one-legged orc in a ballroom."

"No one appreciates honesty anymore," Rose said, sipping from her tea.

"So did something happen last night?" Kay asked, patting Diamond's shoulder. "Any ... um, bad dreams?"

"I just couldn't get comfortable, that's all." Diamond said, running a hand through her hair. "Do we have to leave before I get a chance to eat?" she asked, gesturing to the empty, crumb-strewn plates in front of her and Kay.

"Nope!" Kay said happily, patting her large belly. "In fact, I mean to get seconds."

Rose nodded. "I figured this little jaunt has been long enough that we deserve a break. Our supplies are dwindling, and the pocket change we brought has just been waiting to be spent."

Diamond nodded, smiling. "Quite right. We've got a while before we're expected, right? No one's feelings will be hurt if we're a little behind."

Rose sighed, putting her chin on her hand. "Not like the road is more interesting, anyway. I'm starting to think the bandits that supposedly plague these roads are avoiding us on purpose, just so I have nothing to take out my boredom on."

"Nothing for it," Diamond said, "just gotta wait for something to go wrong, I guess."

"More time to eat," Kay said cheerfully, standing up and gathering her plates. "Ready for breakfast, Di?"

"Absolutely," she said, following the massive girl from the table to the bar. The barkeep looked somewhat shocked at the large woman's return for more food, but Kay just grinned and plunked her plates down on the bar.

"I will have as much as her," Diamond told him, to which he scoffed. "Don't worry, I can pay."

"That's not what worries me m'lady," he told her. "You'd surely pop, trying to keep up with this one."

The two exchanged knowing glances. "Wanna bet?" Diamond said, grinning slyly.

Witnessing their exchange, the man backed off immediately. "Whatever you say, just don't make a mess."

Minutes later, Diamond and Kay both received a plate heaped with breakfast foods; fluffy scrambled eggs, spiced hash browns, browned toast slathered with butter, and two rashers of bacon apiece. Diamond thanked him and clattered a few coins on to the bar, trying to cover up the sound of her stomach rumbling. The two hurried greedily back to their table, ready to commence their little feast. By the time they made it to the table, Kay already had a piece of bacon in her mouth.

In no time, Diamond had an empty plate and a full stomach. She stifled a dainty hiccup, a satisfied grin plastered on her face. She glanced over to the barkeep, smirking as the looked away suddenly, his cheeks burning bright red. Kay had been finished long before Diamond had her last bite. One would have thought that any woman, no matter how stout, would be full to bursting after having eaten as much as she did, but she eyed her empty plates dolefully, as if contemplating a third helping.

"Save your money for dinner," Rose warned when Kay reached for the plates again. "We still have shopping to do, after all." Kay sighed, sitting back down and crossing her arms over her engorged stomach. Diamond pointed to her own plates, and Rose just shook her head. She frowned and started picking up crumbs off her plate, an activity that Kay started mimicking shortly after.

Moments later, while Diamond was picking up the last of her bacon crumbs, the tavern door opened, revealing a disheveled man in overalls and white tunic. His forehead and hair were slick with sweat, and he stumbled in as though he had been running for some time. Diamond nudged Kay, distracting her from her crumb-mongering, and nodded toward him.

"Garnym? What's wrong, my friend?" The barkeep asked the harrowed man.

"There's trouble at the Farthing Stead," the man replied, his breath ragged. The barkeep ushered the clearly troubled man to a seat at the bar, and poured him a drink. Garnym nodded his thanks, and after taking a hard swig, explained himself. "I went work this morning, like I always do, for another day in the fields and tending the cattle. But when I got there, vermin had already overrun the fields! Old Farmer Farthing was nowhere to be found, along with the other farmhands."

"Overrun?" the barkeep said, alarmed. "Surely not!"

"Bye my eyes, it's true," the farmhand told him. "The ground writhes with their bodies, it's wretched and disgusting. The land there is lost, I say."

Diamond glanced to her two friends. Rose and Kay's expression mirrored Diamond's thoughts perfectly, there was clearly a job to be had here. At her gesture, all three of them stood up from there seats and moved toward the bar.

"I couldn't help but overhear," Diamond said. "It sounds like you have a problem worthy of some adventurer's time."

"Well, most certainly," Garnym said. "Do you know any?"

The three girls shared amused glances. "You're looking at them, friend." Diamond said.

Garnym turned pale, and tried to stammer out an apology before Diamond waved his words away with a flick of her wrist. "You're not the first person to make that mistake."

"Do you know how many looks we get when we visit a new town?" Kay said. "It's kinda flattering."

"You three?" the barkeep said incredulously. "I thought you to be traveling performers."

"Well, I can sing if you want ..." Diamond said slyly. "But that's not really our trade."

"You saw us bring weapons upstairs," Rose said indignantly.

The bartender shrugged. "They could have been very realistic props."

Rose's eyes narrowed. "I can demonstrate to you how realistic they are."

"Whoa, there," Diamond said, putting a calming hand on her shoulder. "He let us have rooms last night, let's not be rude." Rose sighed, crossing her arms in resignation. Diamond turned back to the farmhand, a pleasant smile on her face. "Garnym, was it? Give us some time to prepare, we don't need much. Then you can lead us to the farm, alright?"

"But..." he started to protest, to Diamond's curious expression. "We don't have much gold to spare, I don't know how we'll pay you for this."

"It's a farm right?" Kay said. The farmhand nodded dumbly, somewhat intimidated by the tall woman. "Well, let's say we get some free food out of it and we'll call it fair."

"But the vermin ruined the crops, I don't know how much is left."

"Then consider it a favor," Diamond said, to the man's flabbergasted expression. "I don't like to let things like commerce get in the way of helping someone who needs it."

"Fine by me," Rose said. "I need an excuse to exercise anyway."

"I guess I could work off this breakfast," Kay said, turning to the stairs. "Don't worry, mister. This little problem will be well in hand, we've dealt with much worse."

Garnym looked a fair bit less distressed to Diamond now. She was glad for that, and if that was all she got for this job, it would still be worth it.

********

Soon, all four of them were out in the brisk morning air, walking briskly out toward the Farthing Stead. Garnym lead the way, his broad rimmed hat keeping the sun off his tanned shoulders. He seemed less nervous now

Kay was shortly behind him, her thick, red hair cushioning the haft of a mighty iron headed maul that she rested across the back of her neck, her big arms holding it there as though it were a willow branch. Her generous top half was protected by a plate hauberk, unadorned and smoothed by weathering and wear, and her broad legs only clad in plain, rough trousers. Diamond followed next, her white hair bound up in a braid, wearing a long shirt of chainmail, and a long blade sheathed at her hip. Behind Diamond was Rose, her long black hair blending almost perfectly with her shimmering black dress, a seemingly odd choice for the bright sunny day. But Diamond knew her attire was no less protective than hers or Kay's.

Not that they would need it. Rats were hardly going to threaten them.

It turned out that the Farthing Stead was not far from the town at all. Nestled in a small dell, it consisted of a few fields for different crops, a large grazing ground for cattle, a quaint farmhouse and well, and a big barn, its red paint faded practically to gray. The acrid tinge of farm smell sat languidly in the warm air, filling Diamond with thoughts of similar places from her home.

From atop one of the hills, Diamond at first thought the valley had been flooded, as it seemed like the ground and fields were rippling like big mud puddles. On closer inspection, she could easily see the vermin running amok in the fields, a churning sea of furry little rats.

"Whoa, you weren't kidding," Kay said when she saw for herself the state of the farmstead. "That's a swarm if ever I saw one."

"I wouldn't blame you folks if you just turned and left," Garnym said. "All I can do is wait for Old Man Farthing to come home and give him the bad news."

"I doesn't seem that bad," Diamond said, to the disbelieving stares of Kay and the farmhand. Diamond nodded to the fields. "Looks like you're growing wheat and corn, right?"

"Aye," Garnym confirmed. "Put most of it in a few weeks ago, and it was doing good until today."

"I can still see the the shoots and stalks, even from this far away," she said, pointing down at the crops. "For whatever reason, the rats haven't even touched them. You probably missed that, and when you saw the rats you assumed the worst."

Garnym squinted as he peered where she was pointing, and nodded. "Well I'll be an orc's son-in-law, you're right!"

"It'll just be a matter of getting the rats out of here," Diamond said confidently. "By the time the farmer comes home, he won't even know anything happened."

"Oh, great news!" Garnym said, letting out a great sigh. "Say you can do this task!"

"Absolutely!" Diamond said. "Right, girls?"

"You bet," Kay said, hefting her maul. "No rats will be left."

"Sorry," Rose said, turning away. "You two are on your own."

Diamond and Kay eyed Rose uncertainly.

"Are you serious?" Kay asked, more a statement of curiosity than accusation.

"You were just saying how bored you were," Diamond reminded her. "This is the perfect opportunity."

"My bloodlust can wait," Rose said. "I'll have no part in terrorizing rats and mice."

"We don't have to kill 'em, just scare 'em away," Kay said, putting a hand on her shoulder, but her friendly gesture was brushed away."

"We aren't getting paid for this," Rose said, stonefaced. "If it were spiders or bugs or some other vermin that actually repulse me, I'd certainly give you a hand. That said, it would take mountains of gold to get me to harm even one rat."

Diamond groaned. "Really, cousin? You're taking that silly vow this far?"

Rose's eyes flashed as she shot Diamond a grin. "I'll spare you the pettiness of certain vows for your own dignity, princess." She once again turned away, walking back down the path the way they came. "I'll be getting our supplies in order for the trip out. Come back when you're done, or when you get sick of doing work for nothing."

They wistfully watched Rose walk away, and Kay bumped Diamond's arm. "What was that about?"

"She loves rats and mice," Diamond said, shrugging. "Nothing much else to say really."

"Can you do it, still?" Garnym asked, looking anxious. "Without her?"

"Oh, don't you worry about it," the white haired adventurer said calmly. "This just means it'll take a bit longer."

"Like a couple hours longer," Kay grumbled to Diamond.

Garnym nodded his understanding. "Do you need anything from me?"

Diamond took stock of the fields. "Yeah, you could do us a real favor," she said finally. "There's cattle in the barn, yes?" The farmhand nodded. "You'll want to keep the rats away from there so they don't harass the cows. If things turn nasty you'll have someplace to hide, and if we have to protect you and the cows, you'll be easier to save in one place than in two."

He straightened and nodded again. "There's a shovel in the barn calling my name, ladies."

"Then let's get down there and clean up," Kay said, barreling down the hill with renewed spirit. Diamond followed her, casting her eyes back to the farmhand, who jogged down toward the farmhouse. Satisfied he would be as safe as she could make him, she turned her focus on the field of rats.

As they approached, Diamond could see that there were a few larger specimens amongst the hordes of smaller rats. The bigger beasts were perhaps the size of dogs, and telltale bony spines on their backs and heads identified them as dire rats. There were only a handful of them, but they were certainly the ones actually posed a semblance of a threat.

Kay wasted no time getting into the thick of things, using her momentum to bring her heavy body into a great leap, a show of strength her chubby frame belied well. She dropped back down like a boulder, slamming her hammer down with thunderous force. Immediately, the enemy lines were broken, rats scattering away from the terrible noise and shaking ground. One of the dire rats leaped savagely at the warrior, bearing its teeth and claws as it struck at her. Kay brushed off the smaller creature, reeled back and slugged the rat with a brutal punch. The stunned rodent stumbled to the ground, its tongue lolling out of its mouth as it slumped over unconscious.

The rats responded to her aggressive actions in kind, surrounding and pressing in on her, nipping at her boots. Continuing her rampage, the red haired human boulder swung her hefty maul in low arcs, sending several furry creatures flying with every whooshing strike. Still they swarmed around her, as she stomped forward in her determined march across the field.

Diamond's tactic was far more subtle. She sought out a large concentration of the smaller rats, voluntarily walking amongst them as she started humming. Her hum became a song, lyrics in a tongue ancient and arcane. The melody was soothing and simple, warm and quiet at first, swelling in intensity as she raised her arms up above her head. So powerful was her song that the wild rats ceased their swarming behavior, watching and listening to the captivation performance.

As she sang, Diamond brought her arms down, moving her hands from left to right, swaying back and forth in time to her song. One by one, the rats began to sway along with her, enraptured by a force that no one could describe if they tried. Diamond glanced back to Garnym, and could swear he rocked along to her song as he kept an eye on their struggles.

Diamond's song came to a crescendo, and with a few intricate gestures -- timed perfectly to her song -- a ball of light, shimmering like a prism, drifted into the air in front of them. The rats became entranced by her magic, held rapt by the display of the scintillating ball. It drifted away slowly, floating away over the hill, all the rats that surrounded her following it drunkenly away.

Not all of the rats were so moved. The dire rats' aggressive instincts seemed to overcome her enchanted performance, and once the ball of light was gone, they turned toward her, their beady eyes gleaming in the light. Three of them slowly closed in on the lone woman, her hands down at her sides, but her crystalline blue eyes watching them intently.

One of them leapt for her, and in the sword on her hip seemingly jumped right into her hand. With a step, a twist, and one deft swipe, the blinding flash of her blade swatted down her attacker. It screeched as it squirmed on the ground, its fur smoking in spots that were seared by the radiance of the white bladed sword.

She glanced at the other two, brandishing the sword before her, little flecks of light magic drifting up off the blade. A confident smirk crept on to her lips, daring them to try their luck.

The remaining rats seemed undaunted by her show, leaping at her in a coordinated fashion. She sidestepped, swiping out again and dropping another rodent to the ground. The last rat landed from its leap, pouncing at her without hesitation. However, its fangs only bit down on the blade of her sword as she angled her sword to block. Before it could recoil from the painful light burning it, Diamond swung down, tossing the rat to the ground. It once again tried to get up, glaring at her indignantly. Lunging forward with practiced speed, Diamond thrust her sword with deadly accuracy into the beast's chest. Its startled shriek decayed into a death rattle, passing noisily into death. The light from her blade licked away at the rat, dissolving it into tiny fragments of light that scattered upward to the sky above.

Diamond narrowed her eyes, considering the implications of her weapon's effect on the creature. The other two that she wounded had scampered away, nowhere to be seen. She scanned about for her companion, finding her just in time to see her thump her maul down onto one last dire rat. The sea of rats on the farm had been diminished to a pond by her tireless rodent reaping and hammer work. That was not to say Diamond's contributions were anything to sniff at. Her song had gathered more than she had hoped, animals were somewhat less affected by her songs normally but these rats had been rather susceptible, oddly so. Something about these rats was wrong.

"Hey, they're all moving!" Kay shouted, shaking Diamond from her thoughts. "They're going toward the barn!" Indeed, the remaining scattered rats banded together as they all scurried away from the fields

With a start she remembered where they left the farmhand. "Garnym!" she shouted, running after the rats. She could kick herself for suggesting he stay by the barn. She could have told him the farmhouse, or to wait up on the hill, but she told him the barn would be safe. Now a giant swarm was scuttling in his direction, and she could only hope he had the sense to run.

Thankfully, he was nowhere to be seen as the rats fled through the barn door, ajar by mere inches. Kay charged up to the barn door, pushing it wide open. Her arms fell to her side, her head cocked in confusion, the way a puppy might. Diamond only had to look once, for but a second, to see what had her confused.

The barn was utterly empty, devoid of beast -- rat or cow -- or farmhand. The only evidence they had that he had been there at all was a shovel, the one he mentioned, left discarded on the floor.

"Um ..." Kay gestured at the emptiness. "Is this bad?"

"I'd say," Diamond said, sheathing her blade. She mindfully walked over to the shovel, picking it up and looking it over. It was worn from hard work and hours of use, but did not bear any significant dents or chips to signify that it was used in self defense.

"Did he just leave it there? Maybe he went to the farmhouse," Kay said, standing over her.

"I'm more worried about the cows, hun," Diamond said, gesturing at the empty stalls that should have held bovine bodies, but were strangely empty. "Where do you hide cows, if not in a barn?" Kay's stomach growled unexpectedly, and she grinned sheepishly. Diamond cocked an eyebrow, considering the big woman's bold implied claim.

"Well, there were clearly cows here before," Kay said, gesturing to the empty but smelly pens and piles of hay. "They must have gone somewhere."

"I smell some kind of deception," Diamond said, crinkling her nose as though it was an actual odor she detected.

Kay looked around warily, suddenly alert by Diamond's suggestion. "You think maybe Garnym was lying?"

"Oh, no, he wasn't lying," Diamond said, adamant. "Something happened while we were occupied. Whatever took the cows came back for him, and wherever they went it could not have been far from here."

Kay nodded. "I hear you. Let's start here in the barn. Maybe there's some kind of trapdoor."

"I doubt it would be so simple," Diamond said. "But you're right, we start in here. You search the floor, I'll take the walls."

They wasted no time starting their search. Diamond stayed close to the door, systematically checking the walls for a mechanism or seam of some kind.  Kay turned to the cow pens, cracked her knuckles and made her way over to the piles of hay. She scanned the floorboards, checking any obvious creases or cracks. Every now and then she stomped her foot down, not hard enough to destroy the weathered wood, testing spots for weakness or hollow noises.

After a few long minutes, Kay had gingerly stomped about most of the room. Her careful ministrations proved to be ineffectual, as did Diamond's meticulous searching. She was about to give up when she stamped right next to Garnym's shovel, nearly putting her foot through the floor as wood splintered under her step.

"Oh look," she said, giving Diamond a pointed glance. "A trapdoor. Who would've guessed."

Diamond put her hands on her hips. "You gonna gloat or open it up?"

"Oh, I can do both," Kay said, grinning as she got down on her hands and knees, looking for the edges and hinges of the concealed entrance around where she stepped. "Here we go," she said, finding an unbroken crease all along a wide swath of the barn floor. "Huh, this wood is different from the rest. It's newer, but more warped. Looks like it was added in recently, too."

Diamond's eyes narrowed, becoming livid with suspicion. "It sounds like something has been planning this for a while."

Kay clicked her tongue shamefully. "We should've asked for some kind of pay for this, it's getting a little too shady for volunteer work."

"And just let this happen to the innocent workers and farmer?" Diamond scoffed.

"Well, when you put it that way, you make me sound like some kind of sellsword," Kay said, locating the crease between the doors and pulling the floor up as though opening a book. A smooth worked stone slope descended from the edge closest to the barn doors, lead into a shadow-blackened tunnel from which drifted the scent of damp earth and stale air.

Kay's green eyes gleamed with wonder at the uncertainty before her. "Pay or no pay, I'd not miss this for anything."

**********

Down they went, the way lit only by Diamond's magical light. Her sword was also out, shimmering in the gloom. Kay followed closely behind, her hammer held tightly in both hands. The tunnel seemed to be constructed, rather than naturally occuring, passing right through the foundation of the barn and even deeper into the stony darkness.

The slope brought the two companions down into a tunnel of similar stonework to the slope, clean and cut as though by the hands of a dozen dwarves. Diamond's heart sank as the severity of the situation weighed down on her. She had held out some doubt at first, perhaps it was simply a shelter the farmer had built after the barn. The people of this region had a history of bad blood with the local goblin tribes, and raids were not uncommon. But this was too far down now; unless he meant to dig to the buried dwarven city of Greyholme, this was likely not an escape route.

The tunnel crawled on deeper than Diamond had anticipated, and her heart leaped when she noticed there was light in the distance. A strange green glow emanated warmly from the tunnel's termination, casting shadows from a fiery light.

"Do you smell that?" Kay asked. Diamond didn't even need to ask, she had picked up the scent some time ago. Some kind of plant life was definitely growing down here, and the air was thick with moisture. There was another scent, though, masked by the scents of green life and water. "What would grow so far down in a place like this?"

"Vines?" Diamond guessed as they closed in on the exit. "Moss, perhaps? I wouldn't worry ..."

Her words caught in her throat as they entered the chamber beyond the tunnel. The walls were covered by the scrawls of twisted writing, a litany in an alien tongue that Diamond did not recognize. A circle of candles on the floor made the perimeter of a circle chiseled into the floor, within it a depiction of an upside down tree below a crescent moon, its branches reaching deep down instead of toward the sky. Three braziers burned with the green glow she had noticed from the tunnel, all around them was the scent she had not been able to put her finger on, until this sickening moment of realization.

All the writing was in blood.

"Could this day get any worse?" Kay spat. "I had a nice breakfast, I'd like not to lose it."

Diamond refused to move her hand from in front of her mouth and nose. She had practically wretched upon seeing the wicked mess in front of her, only by stout constitution and determination did she keep herself from vomiting now. She felt Kay put a comforting hand on her back, and swallowed her revulsion.

"It's all dried, it's not so terrible," she said, more to convince herself than Kay. "I'll be fine, Kaybeast."

"What do you think this is? Some kind of ritual room?" Kay said, glancing furtively at the disturbing writing and strange symbol on the floor.

"But to who? Or what?" Diamond said. "That writing is unknown to me, as is that symbol. I'd wager the text is some form of sacred warding, but that's just a guess. As for the weird image here," she gestured vaguely at the circle in the middle of the room, "it's sort of like the inverse of a druidic glyph I've seen before, but it doesn't look like it represents any god or faith that I know of."

"There's no altar here, either," Kay noticed. "More like a meditation chamber than a ritual room."

Diamond peered across the room. There seemed to be another room beyond the green glow. "I'd say the sooner we find the altar, the better the chance we have of saving poor Garnym."

Gathering their strength, they pushed into the next room, careful to avoid crossing the circle on the floor. Beyond the glow of the last awful room was a short hall, lined on both sides with a series of semicircular alcoves, perhaps fit for holding statues or suits of armor. Instead, some of the indentations held a thick, vine-like growth that stretched down from the ceiling to the floor, breaking through the stone as though it was sod.

"So, druids then," Kay said. "What kind of druids are these? I thought they didn't do stuff like this?"

"Not all druids are protectors," Diamond said. "Some are healers, some are hunters, and yet others are as unknowable as the fey."

Kay walked up to one of the vines. "Which would do stuff like this?"

"Probably the last kind," Diamond said, wincing at the undertone in her own words.

Kay peered closely at one of the thick clusters of vines on the wall. "You'd think they're trying to hide something in these." Suddenly, the vines moaned. Taken aback, the warrior pushed some of the vines aside revealing the face of a man.

"Oh," she said simply, Diamond already on her way to Kay's side.

"Hello?" Kay said, waving a hand in front of the face. "Can you hear me?"

Its eyes fluttered open, startled and fearful. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kay, this is Diamond. We're adventurers, here to help."

"Oh, praise the Voice!" the man in the vines said. "I'm Darcin, one of the farmhands."

"I'll get you out of there," Kay said, yanking at the vines. When it resisted, she redoubled her efforts, straining at the thick plants.

"Please stop," Darcin croaked. "They get tighter when we struggle."

"Damn, these are tough," Kay said, relinquishing her grasp and shaking her hands out. "Must be some strong magic."

"Where's the farmer?" Diamond asked, handing her sword to Kay. "Is he in one of these alcoves?"

"The farmer is the one who put us in here!" Darcin shouted fearfully. "He's gone mad, raving about plants and blood. He brought us to the barn early in the morning, saying he needed some help, but once we were in the darkness of the tunnel, these horrible vines took hold of us! He's brought some of the other workers away, that was some time ago ... I don't think they still live."

"Why would he do this?" Diamond asked as Kay chopped at the vines with Diamond's blade in a vain attempt at rescue.

"He ... keeps mentioning something called the Black Heart," Darcin said, the effort of recalling on his features. "It think it's further down the passage, whatever it is."

"No use," Kay said, handing Diamond her sword back. "These are just too tough, even for me." She turned back to the imprisoned farmhand. "You just be patient, we'll find a way to get you out. In the meantime, we have a naughty farmer to impale on his own pitchfork."

"Will you and your fellows be safe until we're back?" Diamond asked him. He nodded, trying to look brave. Diamond smiled, putting a hand on his cheek. "Thank you, Darcin. You will breathe fresh air again, and stretch your hands to the sky, once we have finished here."

Her words and touch had a visible effect on the man, his face that of relief, his eyes holding a glint of hope. Diamond gave him one last smile before turning to the other side of the hall, leaving him with more than he had when they entered.

Kay caught a glimpse of Diamond's face as they left the hall. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, the glare of righteous rage in her eyes would keep her awake that night more than any wicked gods or mad druids.

The hall brought them to a water slick natural cavern, cleft from oblong end to end by an underground stream. The cave was much wider than the rooms before, and the stream flowed to and from narrower extensions of the natural rock cave, too tight a fit even for Diamond's slender form. Stalactites hung overhead like the fangs of a terrible beast, ready to bite down and trap intruders in its gullet. The path seemed to end there, but for a glow coming from within a darkened hollow opposite the hall entrance.

Kay walked up to the rushing stream, plunging her hammer fearlessly under the water. It thumped on the bottom before reaching halfway up the haft. "Not very deep, or fast for that matter."

"Don't risk it, just jump across here where it's narrower," Diamond instructed, walking over to a thin gap close to the walls. She jumped from a standing start, making it across with ease, sliding a little on the wet floor as she landed. Kay followed suit, her landing a bit heavier than Diamond's.

There came a chorus of squeaks from the hollow where the glow emanated from. Rats began scattering away from the hollow, up into cracks on the wall and into the crevices the stream came from.

"Looks like we found the rats," Kay said, readying her hammer. "Time to finish the job!"

"They don't look like they're attacking," Diamond said warily. "What are they running from?"

The answer came as a deep hiss from within the hollow. Emerging from the shadows was a creature that might have once been a rat, a large one at that, but now barely resembled an animal, let alone a rat. The beast was roughly the size of a pony, not including its tail. The tail itself appeared to be covered in bark, if not made of wood entirely. Its hide seemed to be feathered, but on closer inspection, the coat seemed to be entirely made of leaves. Though its body was bulky, almost obese, the monstrosity's head was thin, bony and bald. Worst of all, three vine-like limbs extended from its back, tipped in thorny barbs and writhing like serpents.

"Do you think Rose would mind us killing this one?" Kay asked, widening her stance.

Before Diamond could respond, the plant-rat screeched, leaping from the hollow clear across the room to where Kay stood, its claws slicing down at her. Kay held fast against the onslaught, holding it at bay with her hammer. It snapped at her with its bony jaws over the haft, the sound of its bite hollow and resonant. Diamond rushed to her friend's aid, only to be struck away by the mad whipping of the monster's mutant tail. She still could not tell if the tail was made of wood, but it certainly felt like she was hit by a tree.

Kay was not to be outmatched in strength by a rodent, no matter how warped, and heaved it back with a single thrust of her arms. The creature stumbled back, relinquishing its grasp on her weapon. Once she was free, she jabbed the head of the hammer into its gaunt face with a sordid crunch. It seemed oblivious to the strike, lashing at her over and over with its elongated talons. Its blows mostly glanced off her chestplate, but she regretted the lack of gauntlets on her armor when one paw raked across her hand. Barely wincing at the cuts, she never took her gaze from the beast. She broke another potentially devastating slash from those claws with her hammer haft, and growled in disappointment as the haft was cleft in two by combination of her iron grip and its own incredible strength. She dropped both pieces of the weapon and backed up, raising her fists in a fighting stance without missing a beat.

Diamond kept her distance, wary now of the tail's frantic waving. She needed to strike decisively, but the creature's hide and composition made no weakness obvious. There was one thing she knew though, that tail needed to go. Darting in with elf-like grace and speed, she slipped into the tail's range. Weaving through it's back and forth pattern to reach the thick tail base, she brought down her sword with both hands. The fine blade rang out a beautiful note as it met the tail, the sword almost as musical as its wielder. That one clear note was joined by a sickening splatter of flesh being sliced, and the tail dropped to the ground. The spastic writhing of the tail continued after its separation from the rat, and it retained the power it once had when it slapped Diamond's feet out from under her. There was a crack, and she dropped to the ground, suddenly unable to hold up her own weight.

The rat's howl of pain was deafening in the echoing cavern, but it was silenced moments later when Kay let loose a punch that clobbered it down to the ground. It lay there in stunned agony for a moment before Kay's merciless heel dropped onto it's skull. The body gave one more dying shudder, then fell still. Kay kicked the skull fragments and splattered brains off her boot before checking on her friend.

"You gonna make it?" Kay asked, kneeling down next to her.

"That tail had it out for me," Diamond joked. "Hits harder than I thought it would, too."

Kay looked over to the still twitching tail, examining its interior. She was no magical expert, but it definitely seemed this rat was the unfortunate victim of experimentation. The core of the tail was flesh and bone, but it seemed the bark on the outside was actually just a tree that was growing out of the tail like some kind of parasite.

"You're lucky it didn't break your legs when it tripped you," Kay said.

Diamond cast a glance at her legs. "Not that lucky," she said, gesturing to her left leg. Kay gently rolled up her pant leg, frowning when she noticed the uneven bump where her shin should have been smooth.

"You're not walking anytime soon, I'd say," she stood back up. "You can't heal that, right?"

"My songs don't work on myself," Diamond admitted.

Kay looked wistfully at her bisected hammer. "Will they work on old Smashy?"

Diamond chuckled and shook her head. Kay shrugged and leaned back down, scooping her friend up and supporting her so she could stand.

"We're still finishing this," Diamond said, glancing over to the glow coming from the hollow.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Kay said as she helped her across the slippery floor.

The determined duo made their way to the hollow. There they found a solid looking iron portcullis, standing stoically in their path. The glow was from a simple torch on the other side of the metal gate. Beyond its light, yet another tunnel wound its way deeper into the earth.

"What the... there's not even a door here," Diamond mused. "How are we supposed to get through?"

"I'm assuming there's a switch, somewhere," Kay sneered. "Let's see if we can find a pressure plate."

Diamond nodded and hobbled away, leaning up against the wall and scanning for any seams or cracks that would indicate a hidden switch. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Kay kicked the portcullis, smashing through it like it was dried tinder.

"Oh look," She seethed. "I found the right spot."

"Trinity's Harmony! Say something next time!" Diamond chided, hoping back over to Kay's side.

"My foot slipped."

"Save it for Farthing," Diamond said, turning her gaze down the tunnel. "Something tells me this will be most unpleasant."

They made their way down the tunnel, Kay snagging the torch off the wall to guide their way. Going was slow, hindered as they were by Diamond's broken leg. The floor of the tunnel was thankfully smooth, and even on one foot Diamond was rather able and agile. Even if she stumbled, Kay was there to put her right again. They both knew what was at stake. Every moment wasted in movement was a step closer to whatever fate the farmer had in mind for Garnym.

As they drew closer to the end of the hall, the walls and floor became covered with a thick black vine. As they stepped on the vines, they seemed to squirm and wriggle.Diamond became acutely aware of a rhythm somewhere deep in the cave, reverberating against the stone through the vines. The vibrations made her feel sick, as though it resonated in just the wrong way in her ears.

Her illness became revulsion as they reached the end of the tunnel. The tunnel terminated in a wide, low cavern. The resonant rhythm was distinct here, loud and sickening. The vines became thicker and more entangled near the center of the cavern, where an enormous mass, roughly the shape of a bloated human heart, hung from the ceiling. Below it was a wooden altar, the familiar form of Garnym stretched out on top of it. A man, wearing overalls and holding a pitchfork, stood next to the altar, seemingly in a trance. The green-glowing prongs of the pitchfork were poised above the unfortunate farmhand.

"Hold it right there!" Kay demanded.

The farmer seemed to rouse from his trance. He turned to face the two women who entered the chamber, his beady eyes cold and aloof. "You profane this chamber with light. Begone."

"Oh, alright, we'll just leave you to your disgusting rituals and human sacrifice," Kay said, her green eyes blazing.

"You can stay to watch," the farmer said, as though he misunderstood. "Just leave the light."

"This?" Kay said, holding the torch high. "You don't like this?" She charged at him with it. "YOU DON'T WANT LIGHT, YOU SICK BASTARD? TOO BAD!"

A thick vine whipped down from the ceiling and slapped Kay down to the floor before she even made it halfway to the altar. Stunned as she was, the torch rolled on the vines, which seemed to smother the flames. The room was still lit by the glow from the altar and the pitchfork.

"Get rid of that light," the farmer said again, his voice still even and emotionless.

"You already put it out, idiot," Kay growled, picking herself back up, trying to focus on one of the three farmers that danced in her vision.

The room was suddenly lit as bright as day. A beam of blue and white streaked across the room to where the farmer stood, as a warm hum filled the room. The vines seemed to shy away from any spot the light got too close. Kay turned to Diamond, where the beam was emanating from. Her eyes were closed, but her aim was perfect. Her mouth was closed, humming in concert with the magic. She held out in front of her a crystal sphere, an eight pointed star suspended within. The Starlight.

"Oh right," Kay grinned. "That kind of light."

 The humming song of the beam was overpowered by the beating of the heart, and when the beam dissipated the farmer remained untouched. A shimmering black field surrounded the altar and heart, protecting the contents inside.

"Well that was a waste," Diamond groaned, collapsing to the floor. "Would have worked if it was night."

"You never should have interfered," the farmer said. The vines on the floor and ceiling near the two of them reached out for them. Kay's arms were restrained by several vines, and Diamond was pinned as her good leg was wrapped in the greasy black tendrils.

"The Black Heart must have blood," the farmer said, raising the pitchfork. "Nothing can stop it now."

Kay glanced back to Diamond, who returned her gaze. She gave a smirk and a wink to her friend, and turned back to the farmer. She let out a roar that became a soulful, earsplitting cry. From her mouth a gout of energy, scintillating in a prism of color, washed over the vines threatening her. They disintegrated upon contact with the pure power of Kay's breath, sizzling and letting loose a cloud of oily smoke.

As the smoke cleared, it was clear that Kay was no longer what she seemed to be. Instead of pale skin, white fur covered her body. Her face grew a large muzzle, like that of a beast. Her ears became long and narrow, and her red hair became a gorgeous crimson mane. She stood a good head over her previous height, due to the increased length of her neck and change in her legs that shifted her balance to her toes. Gold scales covered her front in large plates running down from her neck, and presumably over her still impressive belly. A long, lizard-like, yet fluffy white tail swished through the air behind her, the golden scale plates running down its underside and great feathery wings spread wide as she shook the last of the vines off her hands, which now resembled large, four-taloned claws. Her eyes remained as lively and green as they had before as she glared at the farmer.

"What were you expecting?" she said, the light timbre of her voice seemingly unchanged in her draconic form. "Not this, I'll bet." She turned back to Diamond. "Now's the time, Di! No more hiding!"

Diamond sighed, somewhat aggravated. Secretly she had hoped they would not have to break disguise during their trip. With any luck, no one would see them like this. Eyes closed, her form shifted subtly into a silver scaled figure, not much different from her human body save for the shining leathery wings and glimmering tail. Her muzzle turned up in a scaly ridge over her nose, and her ears became elegant fins. She inhaled deeply, and exhaled a cloud of freezing air. The vines that surrounded her shriveled in the extreme temperature, and he tendrils around her leg shattered when she pulled away. Unfortunately, her other leg remained broken, and she was still on the floor. Not that she would have been much help, using the Starlight's power during the day had drained her energy.

The farmer seemed to be stunned by the revelation. His head began to shake, Kay assumed from terror. But soon it was clear that his horror was not dragon related as he backed into the throbbing heart behind him.

"Nothing will stop it ... nothing ... nothing..." he repeated, voice quavering. Tendrils reached out from the black mass, coiling around him. Sharp thorns sprung out from the sides of the vines, and Kay winced when she realized the inside of the vine-suit must have had the same effect. The Farmer was soon covered in black, shifting plants and terrible thorns. He readied his pitchfork, leveling it at the white-furred dragon in front of him.

Kay did her best avoiding the points of the makeshift weapon, the green glow around the prongs making her aware that her enemy had some kind of unholy blessing.The armor she wore was no less effective than it had been before, though it fit just a bit snugger. But the real problem was that she had very little way of retaliating against the swipes and thrusts of the farmer's apparent prowess. Her bare claws were powerful in their own right, but there was a sinister glisten on the thorns that made her second guess using teeth or claws on this enemy.

"Kay!" Diamond shouted, and flung her sword, scabbard and all across the room. Kay snatched the weapon out of the air, tearing the sheath away and parried the farmer's latest thrust at her chest. She grimaced, unable to find a good grip on the smaller weapon with her large hands. Still, it was a vast improvement over her previous position, and she made the most of it as soon as she could. While the farmer was off balance from the parry, she slashed twice. His armor split under her assault, but even as the blade left the gashes, they knit themselves back together. As far as she could tell, her strikes had not found purchase on flesh.

The farmer found his footing and retaliated, savagely swinging at her head. She clumsily blocked and nearly dropped the weapon. She struck back, but he practically ignored her attacks and came out undamaged. She was being pushed back on her heels more than she would like, something she never had expected from this fight. The farmer was no novice with his weapon, but neither was he entirely in control, not to mention the disadvantage of her lack of expertise with a smaller weapon and not being able to use her claws. Diamond was not able to help either, which definitely made the fight much more complicated.

Taking a risk, Kay lashed out with her free claw. She managed to remove a huge swath of his vines, and was rewarded with lines of blood soaking his torn tunic just before the vines came back. She followed up by slapping him with her tail, and the force of her blow tossed him back several feet onto his back. Feeling the energy building back up inside, she released another energy breath. The shimmering wave washed over him and she could hear the sizzlinging of his armor as the vines burned up. Kay smirked, feeling like she had a foothold at last.

That was when her hand began to shake. She clearly had been correct about the thorns being poisonous. Already she could feel the poison spreading quickly up her arm. Her head soon began to tingle, and her vision started to swim. She stumbled as her legs lost their balance, how she managed to stay on her feet was a miracle she would never come to understand. Through bleary eyes, she could see the farmer standing back up, his vines slowly regenerating and his eyes disturbingly vacant.

"Blood... blood... blood... " he chanted, his pitchfork leveling at her chest. She tried to bring up the sword defensively, but her heart fell when she heard it clatter to the floor out of numb fingers. For the first time in a long while, Kay felt like she was in true danger. She turned back to Diamond, who was inching toward her, hoping to do something, anything to help. But as the pitchfork came close to her chest, there seemed to be no way to save herself. She saw darkness tinge her vision, and braced for the inevitable.

Wait. Was the darkness in her eyes, or the room?

Shadows in the room seemed to thicken, swirling around and coalescing behind the farmer. He did not seem to expect it either, gazing around distractedly. His pitchfork pulled away from Kay, and he took a defensive posture.

Kay almost cheered when she saw eyes in those shadows, red and sinister.

"My dear, what are you wearing?" Rose purred, seemingly from every corner of the room. "Don't you know that vines are no longer in season?"

Rose materialized then, transformed much as her friends were. She was certainly a dragon, but all of her was lightless. Her scales devoured color, leaving a pure black that unsettled the eye. The only parts of her that retained any coloration were her horns, a rose red, her eyes, which glowed even in darkness, and her hair, turned silver from black.

The farmer turned on her but she was not to be overtaken. Shadows leapt from her hands and swirled over the farmer. There were squeals of whatever agony vines feel as they were peeled back by umbral claws, and more of the shadows formed chains around his legs and arms, holding him in an exposed position.  Rose held the chains taught, keeping him still.

Above the now racing beat of the heart, there was a song that danced in the air all around. Kay felt an ebbing in the numbness overtaking her body as the song flowed through her. A quick glance to her side confirmed that Diamond was concentrating, eyes closed, on singing for her friend. Soon all the weakness was gone, replaced with an inner glow, the spark of energy that Diamond's songs always brought to her heart.

"What are you waiting for, Kaybeast?" Rose said. "I can't hold him like this forever."

Kay scooped Diamond's sword back up, glaring at the immobilized form of the farmer. His eyes were still vacant, devoid of any reason and life. She almost pitied him, but he was the instrument of this Black Heart now, and needed to be stopped. With vicious conviction, she strode forward and plunged the blade into his chest.

There was a brilliant flash, and a startled cry. The radiance of the blade washed over the farmer's body, and light seemed to return to his eyes. The pitchfork dropped to the ground, clattering as it tumbled away. His gaze found Kay's and he seemed confused. "Are... you an angel, girl?" Kay's heart leaped into her throat. She pulled the sword from his chest, and he gasped in shock. "I'm sorry ... I couldn't stop it ... even the others in the circle ... it got them too ..." He looked back up at her. "But I'm free now."

Kay nodded, trying very hard not to betray the lump in her chest.

Fear crept into his eyes. "It's going to take me," he said. "The Black Heart is everywhere, it wants to drain the world dry." Kay was about to ask what he meant, when she noticed his skin cracking as though it lost all its moisture. Rose's chains soon found nothing to hold onto, the farmer's arms and legs shriveled up as the vines of the heart swelled up, absorbing him into it. The vines closed around him as the last of his body was swallowed up.

For a time the only thing that could be heard was the beating of the heart. Diamond looked to Rose, saying "How did you know we were here? I thought you weren't coming back?"

"You took longer than I thought you would, and when I found the giant hole in the barn I got suspicious," Rose said. "I just followed the caves down to you after that." She nodded at the heart. "I wasn't expecting anything like this, what is it?"

"It's about to be dead," Kay told her. She started moving towards it, intent on cutting it down and ending this horror. As she approached, there was a hiss similar to the release of steam from a broken pipe. Her gaze was drawn up, where she could see the vines above opening up and a yellow cloud seeping out.

"What is ... that?" Rose said, her voice strained as the cloud fell on them. "Why ... can't I breathe ..."

The choking cloud settled on top of them, stinging their eyes and throats. Kay tried to back away from the cloud, but it seemed to follow them as they moved. Rose tried to slip back into shadows, but she didn't make it before the cloud was thick enough that she could not focus enough to shift. Diamond seemed less affected, but still coughed and hacked as she dragged herself to the other two. The heartbeat grew calmer, seemingly assured of its victory.

Then all of a sudden, it stopped. The choking gas dissipated, leaving the three dragonesses lying on the floor, dazed and confused, still coughing out the last of the poison. Kay turned to the heart and the altar below it, baffled upon seeing the figure standing under it. Garnym stood below, holding the pitchfork that now jutted out from the fibrous folds of the heart. The vines all around the room started to shrivel, and the heart sagged and trembled as it died.

Garnym looked at the three of them as the pulled the pitchfork out from the heart. "So," he said, "you're dragons?"

"Yes," Diamond said, standing up with Kay's help. "Is that okay?"

The former farmhand shrugged, smiling. "I suppose."

***********

The four of them left the chamber, after cutting the heart's remains to pieces. On the way out, they found that the other prisoners had already fled. Garnym said they would be fine, they were all strong folks who could take care of themselves. As they entered the ritual chamber, Kay stopped and considered the symbol on the ground. She took the head end of her broken hammer and smashed it onto the floor. A great crack split the symbol in two.

"Farthing said the Black Heart is everywhere," she explained to the others' confused stares. "This might have been some kind of link to those other parts of it."

"He said his circle couldn't stop it," Diamond said. "I think he was a druid, maybe he used to be."

"Then the others in his circle might have been corrupted, much as he was," Rose said. Her tail swished in irritation. "This could be a real problem. We don't have time for this."

"No," Diamond said adamantly, her eyes fixed on the shadow dragon. "This is not something we can ignore. We still have time before the meeting, and there's no one else this far away from a capitol who could take care of something this dangerous. We have to help."

Rose considered her for a moment. "You must realize what you're putting off. How important this is to you, to the rest of us, that you would want to go on this tangent?"

Diamond nodded. "Even if it's not just a dream, he would want it this way."

Kay nodded at her words, and Rose shook her head pitifully. "I suppose that's true," she sighed. "Very well. Let's do our research before leaving, there must be clues here to the fate of this druid circle. They'll be the key to ending this."

"Pardon me,"Garnym said, and all three of them turned to him. He hesitated a moment, clearly shocked by the sudden attention from several dragons. "I just ... I would like to know if I could come with you ... if that is alright with you?"

"No offense, but why would you want to?" Rose said. "You've seen what this is all about, what we're facing, why would you not just run the other way?"

"You all aren't," he told her.

Diamond grinned brilliantly, and Kay glanced very expectantly to Rose, who smiled in spite of herself. "We're dragons, you ponce. You may have seen the sort of things we are capable of back there. I'm a skilled sorceress with shadows at my command, Diamond has an enchanted voice capable of singing people to life, and Kay could break your back with the flick of a finger. This thing is unlike anything we've seen before, and it almost had victory over all three of us. What do you think you can do that we couldn't?"

"Maybe nothing," he answered honestly. "But I'm out of a livelihood in this town, I was a stranger here to begin with. Farmer Farthing was a good man, kind to his workers and his animals. If this thing can turn a such a man to madness, it needs to be stopped. Maybe I can't help, but I want to try."

Kay said nothing, resting her gaze on Diamond. Rose did as well, though with some concern. Diamond beckoned him closer, and he came to stand beside her. She put her hands on his shoulders, staring into his eyes. "This won't be easy."

"Neither is farmwork," he said. "Still needs to be done."

She smiled greatly again. "You'll do fine, my dear. If you want to follow, that'll be fine. Be warned, though, this might get intense, and we'll have a hard enough time taking care of ourselves. You'll need to know when to back down."

"I won't be a burden, I swear," Garnym said. "As soon as I am, I'll show myself out. But I've seen too much to back down now."

"Then welcome to the party!" Kay said, clapping him on the shoulder. He buckled under her accidental assault, almost dropping to the ground. "You'll be a regular adventurer by the time we're done with you!"

Garnym smiled, seemingly pleased with that thought. Diamond gave him her hand, and he shook it briskly. He offered her his shoulder, offering to help her walk. She gladly leaned on him, and the four of them left the cave, a common cause ahead of them.

Update, and New Story: Awake

Sorry about the lack of activity last week. We've all been adjusting here now that our home is two people richer.  I got myself in a rut, and I'm trying to dig myself out with new stuff while I re-energize my spark for the Living Stone.  So while I'm trying to make more Kra-related scribblings, I have a new piece to share that I've tentatively titled Awake.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in our times of (minor) crisis, and as always, I hope you enjoy!

********

How very curious.

This was the first thought the rabbit had. His forepaws rested on the smooth, weathered stone disk, the reason for his thought. It was so intricate, so delicate, but simple and solid. It was impossible, this stone. It should not be. But here it was, under his paws, giving him a reason to sit and just ... think.
Thought had never occurred to the rabbit before. All that mattered was being a rabbit; eating, rutting, and running. But all these images and ideas in his head now, they were so much more interesting!  The worst of it was, he could have done it before. But it did not matter as much as it did now, with this enigmatic stone unraveling his brain.

The rabbit knew he was awake now when all his life he had been asleep. One thought now kept running through his expanding mind: "Why?"

There was a rustle in the grass nearby, and old instincts kicked in. The rabbit stood up on his hind legs, peering around cautiously. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed the telltale orange fur of a fox. It dawned on the rabbit that if he panicked like he used to, he would not have noticed the fox.

He looked down at the stone. He wanted to bring it with him, but it would slow him down when he ran from the fox. He could come back for it. It had to come with him, but not now.

The choice would have been made for him a moment later as the fox burst from his hiding spot, pouncing for the rabbit just as he dashed away. The rabbit was not afraid, he had done this many times before. But now, even as his legs pumped in sprinting leaps, his mind raced just as hard. He could stay one step ahead of the fox, if he could think on his feet.

A memory of a brook swollen from the spring melt drove him to take a harsh turn, one he almost did not make. The rabbit heard the snap of the fox's teeth just behind his tail, spurring him on to deeper urgency. He noted how much wider the fox's turn was than his own as he scrambled away, his plan taking a more definite shape.

The wild chase bolted through a thicket, startling a flock of tiny birds. The forest filled with chirping and fluttering of the frightened avians, but neither the rabbit nor his fox pursuer were deterred from the hunt. The rabbit weaved through the trees, trying to wile the fox away from his path, but this fox seemed particularly determined to catch him. It seemed like the brook would be his best chance.

Finally, the rabbit could smell the brook nearby. The ground started to slope down in places as the trees thinned. But there was one part that stayed more or less even, culminating in a rise, and that was the path the rabbit took. He bounded over stones and roots, making sure that the fox was always just behind him. The orange furred beast just beyond his tail was completely focused on catching this slippery prey.

The rise the rabbit sought appeared before him, and he heart leapt. He turned up the speed, pushing himself further than he ever thought to before. The fox picked up speed as well, just as the rabbit hoped he would.

Just before the running pair reached the end of the cliff, the rabbit sprung off to the right in another tight turn, skidding to a stop just short of the edge. This time, the fox's turn was just too wide. It scramble for a foothold just before it realized it was about to slide off the edge, but to no avail. It yelped as it tumbled down the cliff to the rushing water below. There was a loud splash below, and the rabbit released a sigh of relief. He stepped up to the edge, catching a glance of the fox's miserable expression as he drifted downstream with the current. He dropped down onto his side, panting hard with the exertion of the explosive run. Thoughts of seeking out cool water and tasty clover brought him to his feet once more, and he started hopping to a calmer section of the brook for the former.

As he was lapping up water next to the calmer side of the brook, he remembered the stone. He needed to keep it safe, but he did not know why. But how could he do such a thing? He was only a little brown rabbit, what could he possibly do to keep it safe?

He began to hop away in search of the stone once more, when his paws landed on something hard and smooth. Gazing down, the rabbit cocked his head to one side. The stone was under his feet once again.

How very, very curious indeed, the rabbit thought.

The Living Stone, Chapter 8.02 - To Black Needles

The trek through the wasteland to Black Needles was a long one for the large group. Kra used to move with his clan through Argassa, but a pack of ten dragons could fly to where they were going. Travel times were not so long, treks lasting as long as three days at the longest. Even traveling by himself was always a day to day experience. Even traveling with just Bink took a little longer than he would have liked

Now, plodding across the wastes with a goblin, three humans, and a dwarf was a stretch of Kra's patience. His pace was practically a quarter of what he could do on his own. He regretted the burden of his curse; if his scales were not so heavy, he could have carried almost all of them on his back. As it was, he carried Bink out of courtesy to the longer legged members of the group, and it still felt like he was dragging his feet.

Yet the trip was enjoyable. Progress was sacrificed for the banter and interaction between these strange and disparate folks. Grif tended to grumble and curse every misstep and trip up that his stubby legs made, prompting Bink to laugh and Nellik to chastise him. When any bickering continued for too long, Wardan broke it up with nothing more than a calm warning. Kra was impressed by how much respect he had from his friends, but was reminded of just how strong the man was one night when he lifted Grif up over his head and tossed him during a sparing session. Throughout it all, Rilea kept up a motherly attitude, herding all of the others like they were cattle. She was always quick to add her thoughts, providing a stream of witty quips and sly commentary

The one person Kra did communicate with regularly was Nellik. Nellik was a wellspring of information about the Drakvald wastes, and anytime Kra had a question about the flora and fauna of their surroundings he had an answer or anecdote to share with him. The dragon was glad to have another student of the world to talk with, and Nellik seemed to be genuinely happy to have someone else who enjoyed learning for learning's sake.

Bink was happy enough just keeping the group fed day to day. His hunting skills were tested between the demands of four adult humanoids and a dragon, and he seemed to outdo himself every day. The others offered to help him hunt every day, but he refused, even when Kra offered his help. The goblin seemed to have a point to make, and wanted to impress the others to prove that goblins could stand alongside the bigger races. Regardless, he came back from his hunts with food enough for all to share, even Kra. He had actually been eating better than he had in years thanks to the prodigious hunting talents of Bink, and had no cause to complain.

The whole trip lasted five days, but they were five days well spent, as far as the dragon was concerned.

The name of Black Needles was entirely deserved. The valley was a forest of wicked stone spires, some of which thrust themselves up past the skyline. The Rivenwall soaked wide swaths of the land in its overbearing shadow, making it even more sinister. The air was strangely cold and thick, as a heady fog swirled about on parts of the valley floor. Kra sniffed at the mist curiously, detecting an acrid tinge that was not appetizing.

"Careful, Kra," Nellik warned. "This fog has been known to have some odd effects on people who get too close."

"I heard a man and dwarf walked into some of this stuff and disappeared for three days," Grif said. "When they were found, the man had a dwarven beard and the dwarf had gone completely bald!"

"A dwarven nightmare if ever there was one," Rilea cooed mockingly.

"Hallucinations are common," Nellik continued. "The worst cases are burned by something caustic in the vapors, something we can't identify."

"Something in the soil, no doubt," Kra conceded. "A shame; the vapors are practically pure water without it."

"Really?" Wardan said. "This place is notorious for being inhospitable at the ground level, but it's essentially just water in that fog?"

The dragon nodded. "Feel the soil, it's softer here than anywhere else I've been." He turned to the raider captain. "How well-explored is Black Needles?"

Wardan shook his head. "Not well, at least not on the inside. It's too risky to send in mappers, and it was assumed there wasn't much to gain. We've got a good idea how large it is, after scouting its perimeters, but that's about it."

"So you don't know what's in there," Kra concluded.

"Chiraptor nests, a possible cliff lizard population, and anything else with nowhere to go," Wardan shrugged. "No orcs seen, no goblins, no other threats."

"No dragons then," Kra said.

"Not as far as we've seen."

"Good," he said grimly. "If we do end up staying here, I would hate for there to be complications."

"Wardan," Nellik said, "I believe it's time I should go."

Wardan nodded, to everyone's surprise.

"Go where?" Rilea demanded. "I was promised three raiders."

"You also promised a week," Nellik told her. "It has been far longer. If you don't want an armed regiment hunting you down for kidnapping, there is little we can do but send a messenger back."

"Will you be returning?" Kra asked, sad to see Nellik leave.

"That will depend on Borlan's response. We have vital news he needs to hear at the very least, pertaining to the movements of the Destructors." He snapped a salute to his captain, who returned the gesture. He turned and did the same for Kra.

"If not for you, I would be short a captain and a friend. You have my thanks."

Kra's pride warmed in his chest so much that he did not know how to respond. Unable to return the gesture, he placed his paw on his chest and bowed his head.

For the first time since the dragon met him, Nellik smiled. He turned around, wrapping his face in his mask, and started marching toward home.

"Don't worry about him," Wardan said to Kra's forlorn gaze. "He's done a lot of scouting and reconnaissance, and he's certainly no stranger to the wastes. He knows the way home."

"May the Mother keep him safe." Kra said reverently.

"Come then," Wardan said, making for the heart of the valley. "We have a cult to stop, a home to make, and whatever Rilea's looking for to find."

"At this point, I'd take a canteen of water," she said. "This journey has already become a treasure in itself." Kra could feel her gaze on him through the protective cloth on her eyes. Without knowing quite why, Kra felt the most exposed he ever had under her powerful eyes.

"Does that mean we can go home?" Grif said, his beard shaking slightly as the dwarf shivered. "This place ain't good. Unwholesome, it is."

"Agree with dwarfy," Bink said. "Black Needles bad, new place for home Kra!"

Kra and Wardan shared a wry look, then turned back to the valley, walking on wordlessly. Rilea laughed at the distraught moans of the goblin and dwarf.

The Living Stone, Chapter 8.01 - The Dragon and The Devil

Well, instead of making you wait for full chapters, I decided that I will post sections as they are completed, up to three times a week. This gives me time to work on Twinsoul Part 2 as well.  Thanks for being patient, I hope you enjoy!

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Rage. Twisting, frothing, rending, scarring, vulcanizing rage was the only thing keeping Vengaralix alive. It pounded in his chest, keeping blood flowing to his broken limbs and wings. It burned the fog away from his bleeding eyes, searing red permanently into his vision. It roared in his mind so fiercely that it drowned out the echoes of pain.

Somehow, after crashing down off the mountains, he managed to drag himself into a crevice to keep safe. Days later, he had stopped bleeding but his ability to move was no more improved. Unable to change his fate, his mind had begun to distort. Death had spared his body, but left his mind ripe for madness.

Only one word remained coherent throughout his torment: kra. The nothing had done this, beyond all reason. The mere thought festered like a virulent rot in his mind, disintegrating his grip on reality.

So when a man stood in front of him as he faded in and out of consciousness, he took it as a hallucination. The reality of the man was made clear by the heel of his boot coming to rest between the dragon's eyes. Vengaralix growled and tried to bite at the offender, barely managing to snap his jaws defiantly.

The man scoffed. "Still alive, then. Not bad, for someone pitiful enough to be pushed of a cliff by nothing."

The gurgling in Vengaralix's throat was supposed to be a roar.

Now the impudent man laughed. "You're right to be angry, it wasn't very fair, was it? You are strong for your kind, in this age where your power wanes. The nothing should have never stood a chance. Why was he able to strike you down?"

"Goblin," Vengaralix hissed.

"No." The man's yellow eyes glinted from beneath long dark hair. "That was a lucky shot and you know it. The goblin was insignificant. The kra has power, power that his people cursed him for, just because he was different. He's better than you, even better because your people cursed him."

"Wrong ..."

"What's that?" the man put a hand to his ear. "Could you speak up?"

"Living stone are usurpers of what little magic remains," the dragon hissed out, somehow finding the ability to speak returned to him. "The world dies more with each curse that falls on us. They must return to stone or the world can never recover."

"So true," the man nodded. "But power is power. It's what made him strong and you weak, why he won, and you ..." he leaned in dangerously close. "...lost."

"He will die." Vengaralix managed to raise his head shakily, declaring his intent with as much strength as he could muster.

The man's grin was cruelly comforting. "I'm glad you feel that way." He swept down in a low bow. "Many call me the Forerunner. I have a vested interest in seeing this particular nothing made even more nonexistant. You and I seem to have common ground in that regard."

The dragon narrowed his eyes.

"If you want, I can lead you to incredible power, surpassing even the most powerful Kra."

"My people would never allow it," the crippled dragon said.

"What matters more, Vengaralix? Your kind's aversion to personal power, or putting that wretch in his place?"

"He will die!"

The cruelty in the man's grin gave way to maddening glee. He gestured a black gloved hand for Vengaralix to rise. Compelled to try and stand, the dragon found suddenly that his body was whole once more, rising elegantly off the ground, and out of the tiny crack he was hiding.

"It's time you met some friends of mine, Vengaralix. They will show you all you need to make the kra regret resisting his curse."

Did I Ever Tell You About ... Empty Days?

Welcome to a new segment on Cael's Tales: Did I Ever Tell You About?

Here is where I'll place stories either unfinished or just started, little tidbits of things to come, and stuff that doesn't fall into other categories. As always, let me know what you think in the comments!

Today's DIETYA is the beginning of a story I've titled Empty Days. Enjoy!

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            The nights in Nyrath were getting cold.  Frost was not yet on the ground but the trees were bare, splayed limbs stretching upward in agony.  The sun did not tarry, rushing to complete is journey across the sky, leaving the moon to linger, cold and steely.  She knew it would only get colder, too. 

Were she still in the wild, she would know how much time was left until winter truly began, but she no longer had the luxury of keeping to the wilds.  The last of her old friends had left, going to find a new place in the world.  She would need to do the same, but there was nowhere to begin.  This town was the only place that had not rejected her, its low walls a mockery of the shelter she craved. 

Syanith hated the cold, she hated being hungry, and she hated being alone.  But waiting was the part she hated most.

She sat on the cold stone floor of an alleyway in the manner of Shayaths, her tail-body curled in a tight coil below her.  The last gift she was given, a warm and sturdy cloak, enclosed her like a blanket, hiding her form from vicious eyes, as well as her serpentine head.  Her nose poked out beneath the hood, but it was narrow enough that she might be mistaken for a Darathrek dragon, a dragon with human features.  Only if someone saw her large, yellow eyes with long vertical pupil would her identity be known.

Most observers would call a Shayath a large snake with arms, likening them to the vile Yuan-ti.  But cautious eyes might note that a humanoid torso connected the head and tail-body, ending just below the pelvis.  Though her form was serpentine, she had very human features.  Without her ventral scales and green skin, she could pass as a beautiful slender human female. Under normal circumstances, she would have found a suitor among her own people in a distant village, making a life as a hunter or a ceremonial dancer. 

But along the sides of her head and neck were a fold of skin and scales, much like the hood of some venomous snakes.  This was a sign of bad luck for Shayath, as it was the hooded ones that lead to the death of the Empire of Shay, the apex of her people’s culture.  To them, her bloodline represented was the reminder of what they had lost, and none but her own family, now gone, would ever see her as anything but dangerous.

Movement at the mouth of the alley made her cringe, but all that stood there was a curious stray cat.  It meowed quaintly at her, its eyes seeking food.  She relaxed, and held forth a hand, coaxing its interest.  It started forward cautiously, sniffing at her hand.  She reached out and stroked its coat, soft despite its predicament.  It purred disarmingly, rubbing its head on her hand and stepping closer.

It was so close, just a little bit more.  It was so small, so gentle, and did not suspect a threat.

She was so hungry…

But it moved first.  The stray cat leaped up to her lap, making her cloak its perch and curling up with little fuss.  It was not hungry, it was cold.

That’s a strange question, Sya.

But if anyone would know, master…

It’s not really important.

It is to me!

If that is true, I can’t give you an answer.  You seek it every day, in all you do, in every person you meet, even if they are your enemy.

“Do you have the answer?” she whispered to the cat as it dozed.  “The meaning of life?”

The cat only purred.  She continued to stroke its fur, the warmth of another creature more filling to her at that moment than any meal.  In time the cat’s breathing evened out as it slept, and she at last found the mind to sleep.

She found the morning with the cat’s warmth replaced by the sun’s rays, strengthening her though the air was frigid.  She peered about in a dreary daze, searching for a sign of the cat.  It seemed as though their partnership had ended, as she saw no trace of the warm feline.  Brushing the fur it left behind as a present from her cloak, she uncoiled and peered into the street beyond her secluded alley. 

It was still too early for people it seemed, the empty stalls and lifeless buildings seeming haunted by the morning mist.  She glided out into the street freely, observing it all from this new angle.  She paused in front of a vendor’s stall, placing a hand on the dried out wooden counter, wondering who would pass by this merchant, who would stop and talk with him as they would an old friend, before selecting one of his wares and shrewdly bartering a fair or fairer price. 

She imagined this one sold fresh apples, picked daily from an orchard not far from town.  They would look so bright and crisp in the morning light.  The merchant would ask her if she wanted one, and yes, she would.  Two coppers a piece?  She would place three coppers on the counter, telling him that would be fair for two apples.  He might frown, at first, but clearly he had much more apples than the other vendors; he could afford to lower his prices.  Nodding, he would proffer the apples, and she would thank him, promising to return the next day.

Coldly she came to realize how vulnerable she was out on the street.  Her hand withdrew from the stall, as if pulling it away from a rotted corpse.  Turning away, she could feel her eyes burn with emotion, and she lowered her stature, using less of her tail-body to hold herself up. She glided swiftly down the street, looking for a new alley. 

A short way down the road she came upon a tavern and her heart leapt.  She took the alley next to it, only to find that it was blocked off by a locked wooden gate, built high.  She did not have the heart to break it, and easily lifted herself up to the top, standing on the very edge of her tail. 

With acrobatic ease, the lady-snake lifted herself up onto the top, hand-standing over the fence.  The cloak dropped down over her head, and she was thankful that no one was around to see the tattered cloths she wrapped around her chest and thighs to barely conceal her breasts and shame.  She lifted her tail fluidly above her torso, and flipped over the fence, holding her weight easily and slowly lowered herself until her tail touched the alley floor before finally letting go on the other side of the gate.  Exhilarated by her little workout, she slid forth to the edge of the building, peering around the corner.

A well sat in the middle of the back lot, and she longed for a clean cold drink of water, but she kept still, watching the whole area before moving.  Next to the building was a large bin, exactly what she had hoped to find.  Though it would be mostly filled with refuse, there was undoubtedly a few morsels she could make into a meal. 

But she remained still.  Lying at the back door to the tavern and only a few feet away from the bin was a large dog, still asleep and softly whimpering in its dreams. 

She considered her options.  Briefly the hungry predator considered eating the dog.  She refused that part of her obstinately in this case.  Though she longed for live prey, this canine had a purpose here, and she would be doing no good to the owner of the tavern by killing his security.  Besides, she imagined that perhaps the cat would sneak in, creeping up to the surly dog, batting its nose and scampering away before it snapped awake, barking its firm opinion of its nose being used as a toy.  The cat might be sad that its unwilling friend was gone, and that broke her heart just enough to change her mind.

Bringing herself as low to the ground as her ample chest would allow, she slithered slowly toward the wooden bin.  Now that her nose was closer to it, she could smell what she hoped were a few scraps of meat.  Her eyes never left the large black hound dozing on the steps, and her heart raced as she realized how close she was to the animal.  Her stomach ached as she noticed that the dog was certainly well fed, but she quickly shifted her attention to back to the bin. 

Lifting herself up higher, she opened the top, recoiling momentarily at the stench that wafted out.  Steeling her nose, she leaned in close an starting rooting through the refuse as quietly as she could.  After few moments of sifting, she came across several large bones that were the source of the smell, and she frowned.  Undeterred, she dug deeper, and was rewarded with a few bruised apples. 

Quickly, she glided over to the well, hoisting the rope on her own rather than using the noisy crank.  The bucket clattered very little on its way up, as she kept her hoists even and slow.  At last she was rewarded with a bucket full of clean clear water.  She brought the whole thing up to her mouth and tilted it back, taking in gulp after gulp of refreshing liquid.  After finishing her draught, about half the bucket remained.  She used what little remained to wash her food, as well as her garbage covered hands and arms. 

The dark bruises on the fruit where the pulp was mushy did not make it any less desirable to her than it must have to the tavernkeep.  She bit down vigorously on the apple, snapping it in half with the incisor like ridge between her long fangs, which were retracted for now.  The crisp, sweet treat sat on her tongue for a while, and she savored the taste of her first meal in days. She swallowed the half piece whole, letting the first stomach in her humanoid abdomen do the crushing of the delicious fruit.  She did the same for the other half of her treasured fruit, and repeated the process for the second apple. 

She was about to start on her third, when she heard a low growl.  She snapped her gaze over to the dog, who was just lifting its head from rest.  She placed the whole apple in her mouth to keep her hands free and glided as quickly as she could toward the alley.  The dog barked loudly, but did not chase her, bound by a tether that she missed before.  She scrambled to the top of the fence, but could see that there were now people in the alley.  Cursing her luck she carefully but hastily put her top half over the fence and doubled over, slackening her tail-body and pulling herself down the wooden planks.  She slipped down off the fence with a thud louder than she intended, drawing up in a coil and hunching over to make herself as small as possible. 

Moments later, she heard a door slam open and a man’s angry voice chastise the dog, who quieted after the man’s threats.  Tense moments passed, Syanith’s tail writhing, her heart thundering, and her mind racing.  She didn’t even want to be here.  She wanted to be with her old friends, the ones she had not seen in years.  Especially her master.  He would have made sure none of this ever happened.  All she wanted now was to have him hold her, his gentleness calming her deep inside where no one else could see but him.

A moment later, she heard the backdoor of the tavern close, and her breath returned.  The apple in her mouth, held down by her tongue, seemed a paltry prize for such an ordeal. 

She swallowed the whole apple, almost spitefully.  She had spent a month like this.  There was no way the superstitious, small-minded townsfolk could show her what she wanted.  With no master, no friends, and no home, the whole world seemed determined to beat her.

She rubbed her wrists, feeling the segmented dents in her flesh that had not diminished even after thirty five years.  She could still feel the chains that were no longer there.  It made her sick, thinking that she once accepted that she would never be able to live without those chains, the lashes, and the disgusting appetites of those who called her slave.  Now, with not even her sweet master, she felt lost instead of free. 

“There is always a path open to me,” she whispered, repeating the words of Shareshta, her closest friend.  She had left first when the master had departed, feeling hurt by her perceived abandonment.  Syanith had tried to explain it, but nothing consoled her.  Even at that darkest point, Shareshta had managed to find a path. 

Syanith released her wrists.  Her eyes looked down the narrow alley, to the people who did not want her.  If they could not accept her, she had no reason to accept them.  Her path was not here, or in any of the other towns she had been to in the past five years.  She went to the edge of the alley, casting her gaze to the marketplace not far from her vantage. 

She noted the people gathered around a huge caravan, as many as five wagons long.  Strong men loaded up crates to the wagons, and several halflings dealt a few wares to the crowd from a small booth.  A sparse guard of a few mercenaries kept watch over the proceedings, and from the way they were working, the caravan looked ready to go at any time.

Syanith looked up at the sky, to the sun.  She extended a hand from the alley to the sunlit street, the striking radiance making her tiny green scales on her hand vibrant and lively.  It had been a long time since she had felt that bright inside.  Nothing now gave her such a warm feeling, not even if the sun blazed in her very heart.  She didn’t want to feel like this, but his absence had been harrowing for all his followers, she just had nothing to fill that void afterward.  Every day since the one he left had drained her.

It was getting colder, and soon there would be fewer caravans.  She could almost hear him calling her now.  Her chance to leave was now, before she was trapped in this town for a soulless winter. 

She moved slowly at first, leaving the alley under the cover of her billowing cloak, trying to hide herself from all the eyes around her.  But soon her movements came easier, her long tail waving along the ground as she glided down the street.  She drew a few curious glances, and more than one mystified stare.  A moment ago, such audacity seemed beyond her, but now it seemed not only right, but necessary.  The market, open and lively spread before her, but the sights and sounds of commerce were only the backdrop for this new stage.  The scene was set; she only had to do her part. 

She moved on to the halfling merchants, and when one was free, she came up to them.  “Greetings,” she said, the first word in months she had said to a sentient being.

“Well met,” the male halfling said, “How can I help you this day?”

“I wish to speak with your master,” Syanith said.

He nodded, and let out a whistle.  A female halfling, sturdy but slender turned from her task with the laborers toward the merchant.  She was quite pretty, with rich brown hair and gray eyes, dressed in a work apron and dark clothes. 

“What is it?” she said to the male, who pointed at the cloaked Shayath.  She cocked her head, stepping forward, and bid the ladysnake before her to speak.

“I wish to join your caravan,” Syanith said.