Chapter 8

"Kyri? Come on, Kyri, wake up."

Unicorn? Kyri wondered. It must be time for breakfast… but it’s so dark…. Why does my head hurt so much?

"Come, girl, get up." The feminine voice was bold but kind. Kyri hadn’t realized how difficult it was going be to open her eyes. She forced her eyelids up and found herself staring at what looked like horse’s legs. The room was dark and lit with several torches on the walls. She was on some sort of low platform or table made of hard cold stone.

She looked up and gasped. "You’re… a centaur…?"

A woman’s waist began at the base of what would have been the horse’s neck. Both halves of her looked thin but muscular. She had short messy blond hair; a few long thin whitish feathers began at the center of her hairline and flowed back. She had feathered wristbands and a spear with feathers tied to it. Her dark eyes reflected orange when the torchlight hit them.

"Something like that," she said to Kyri, "Your friends had the same reaction. What’s so amazing about a centaur? They aren’t extinct out there, are they?"

"N-no…" Kyri said, "There just aren’t any centaurs where we live…." She sat up and found herself on the second-lowest step of a large stone staircase. Unicorn hopped into her lap and cuddled against her. She felt her hair and found that there was a bandage wrapped around her head. Her skull ached and there was a cut on her forehead.

"I’m Terraia," the centaur said.

"I’m Kyri. It’s nice to meet you." She smiled.

Terraia smiled back. "I’ll assume you and your friends are hungry. You’re humans? Omnivores? You like fruit, no?"

"Yeah…" Kyri mumbled hesitantly.

"Ah, give me moment." Terraia jumped with surprising ease and landed halfway up the stairs. Kyri watched her walk through a large door-like hole in the cave wall. She blinked in surprise as she noticed that the centaur’s back legs ended in sharp-clawed talons. Her tail was made of long thin feathers.

"While you were still asleep, she told us why she looks like that," Unicorn began. "She’s spent so much time studying the magical properties of the Earth element that her body has started to look a little like a cockatrice."

Kyri nodded and gave a mumble of acknowledgment. She looked around and stifled a gasp. There was a wooden pole attached horizontally to the far wall. Four cockatrices sat on it as they preened themselves, and there was another large feline lying on the floor below. The cat was smaller than the other one, but it looked cleaner and healthier. It looked warily at Aikel, who leaned against the wall returning the expression. Pegasus sat atop Aikel’s head giving the cat a stronger scowl.

Kyri studied their expressions for a moment. Pegasus was indeed quite wary of the beast, though Aikel looked at it as if he was just using it as an excuse to stare at something while he looked at his own thoughts.

"Apple?"

Kyri twitched in start as Terraia’s voice jarred her consciousness. She looked up and saw an apple resting in the centaur’s palm. She hadn’t felt hungry before, but her stomach quaked in defiance to its emptiness as her eyes touched the fruit’s flawless red flesh. Her innards wanted to collapse in on themselves, though they were about to be torn apart from the inside out. That indecision was the only thing that kept her belly intact. She nodded desperately and attempted to shove the whole apple into her mouth the moment it was handed to her.

Terraia looked at her with mild surprise. She said, "Maybe I should just bring you a big piece of meat next time, no?" She handed an apple to Unicorn and headed toward Aikel and Pegasus. After they excepted their apples, she left again.

"Shinkoo…!" Kyri called, attempting to express her gratitude with a stuffed mouth. As she gnawed the apple’s remains off its core, it occurred to her that she had no idea how she’d gotten to her current location. "What happened?" she asked Aikel, Pegasus, and Unicorn.

There were several events that the question could have pertained to, but Aikel seemed to understand. He said, "When the dragon’s wing hit us, you got knocked out. Pegasus and Unicorn were just stunned… knocked silly, and I got clawed at a little." He fingered one of his many bandages with his right hand. "We were kinda knocked into the path leading to Terraia’s living quarters. She’s used to the dragon, so she scared it off when she heard us. She carried us here and gave us bandages."

"How bad are you hurt?" Kyri lifted Unicorn and moved toward him. He drew back when she touched his left forearm.

"It’s not that bad, but it’s too painful for you to be poking at…!" he snapped.

She ignored him and took his bandaged arm in her hands. "Is it broken?"

"…Yeah."

"I’m guessing that’s the worst of your injuries…. Do we have enough energy, Unicorn?"

"Yup," Unicorn said confidently. "At least I do. You look okay, but we need to fix your head too."

Kyri nodded and began her spell. She force the energy into Aikel’s arm and felt him quiver a bit. She healed her own head and began to remove his bandages as she heard the clop and scrape of hooves and talons.

"That was a quick recovery," Terraia commented. After a moment, she commented, "You two seem so familiar…. I don’t know how that’s possible…."

"I don’t recall having ever met a centaur, so you must be thinking of someone else," Kyri said cheerfully.

"Yes…. I’ve been in here a long time. If you were old enough for me to have known you before, I’d remember you clearly…. I think…." Her eyes narrowed, and she seemed to be looking for holes in her memory. She shook her head and said, "Anyway… I assume you’re tired. It might be a tough trip out of the cave, so I’ll give you a place to rest for the night…. Or what ever time of day it is out there…."

"Oh, that’s so nice of you," Kyri said gratefully, "but we can’t leave yet…."

"No? Why not?"

"We’re looking for… something," Aikel said.

Terraia rolled her eyes and said, "A lot of people come down here looking for things. The only things they find are the things that find them."

"We’re looking for something important," Aikel elaborated.

"It can’t be more important than your life, kids."

Kyri swallowed hard and glanced at Aikel. The verbalization of the danger seemed to throw him back, but he still looked determined. He started to speak but Kyri said, "Yes! It is more important than our lives. It’s as important as other people’s deaths…!"

"Please…" Terraia muttered, "You’re still alive. You don’t want to die in a place like this…. You’re looking for a jewel of some kind, like everyone else? What makes you think it’ll help you?" She put her hands on her waist and turned her head to the side.

"Someone told us we needed the Soil Orb," Kyri protested. "I really think we can trust her…."

Terraia’s eyes widened and snapped back to Kyri’s direction. "S…?" Her eyes narrowed suspisciously before she turn them away again. She thought for a moment. After a long minute, she asked, "Why not just go to sleep for now, no? Come here." She headed for the door before anyone could respond. The others followed her to another room-like portion of the cave. It had some leaves and blankets on two short tables in the corners.

Terraia waved her hand toward the leave-covered tables. "That’s the best I can do for you. I usually sleep standing up."

"Thank you…" Kyri mumbled. She was curious about Terraia’s knowledge, but she had the feeling she wouldn’t learn anything else for a while. There was nothing to do but sleep.

Her back ached when she woke up. She wasn’t used to sleeping on stone and leaves. She was still tired, so she assumed she’d been awakened by either the pain or the fact that Unicorn was breathing in her face. She changed her assumption when she heard the sound of Terraia’s steps.

The centaur was pacing around and was all but pulling her hair out. Every now and then, she’d pause and stomp her hooves in frustration. She nearly sprang through the cave’s ceiling when Kyri touched her arm. She was fuming when she landed.

"What’s wrong?" Kyri asked softly, easing her anger.

Terraia sighed. She said, "I know who you are, and I know who you’re supposed to be. Those are two different things right now. Why do you have to be here?" She looked like she was about to cry, but the torches made her eyes glow eerily orange. She said, "I don’t get to save most of the people that come down here. Almost all of them die sooner or later. Their screams echo in the tunnels, and then they echo in my head…. I know where your orb is, but I don’t want your screams added to my nightmares."

She turned and galloped out of the room before Kyri could answer.

* * *

It was impossible to define the time of day, so Aikel, Kyri, Unicorn, and Pegasus had to let their instincts decide when it was ‘morning.’ Terraia looked frustrated and sleep-deprived. Her mood did not improve when her visitors continued to pester her about the orb.

"Have you found any other items like this?" she asked.

"No…" Kyri said, "But there are others, and we’ll need to find them too…."

"Why start with this one?" Terraia asked quietly. "Why would you come down here for that little ball while you’re still so young and weak…?"

"Who are you calling weak?!" Aikel demanded, approaching her. She looked at him aloofly through the corner of her eye. She made a quick motion and poked him in the chest with one finger. He skidded back several inches after being knocked off his feet. Pegasus fluttered down to him to check for injuries.

"I don’t know what the standards are out there," Terraia said, "but they’re high in here. This is a cold empty place. The only thing we do is fight each other, because there’s no point in anything else. There are mean things in here, and I could destroy each one of them easily. Three of my five pets could kill the average beast in a single peck. I all but control a tribe of gorgons. I know what tough is, and you’re not it."

Aikel, who was obviously quite miffed, stood up and started to respond angrily, but Kyri shoved him aside. She growled, "We need that orb! I have a score to settle, and that thing is gonna help me get it done!"

"I guess you don’t have a life to lose then," Terraia scoffed.

"No," Kyri said calmly, "I don’t."

Terraia scowled as if that alone would knock the girl back. She sighed a weakly said, "Fine… I warned you though…."

Kyri nodded. Aikel frowned, looking distant. Pegasus and Unicorn just looked on silently.

They straightened their armor, cleaned off their weapons, and lit a new trio of torches. They followed Terraia out of her living area. The centaur had her four cockatrices perched on the spine of her horse-like half, and her cat was at her side.

They heard the sound of the dragon as they left. Terraia waved her spear and yelled at it, and it stayed away. They preceded into a previously unnoticed path in the side of the cavern. It led downhill, and began to form into carved steps.

There were rough glass-like domes covering the tiny fires that lined path. They made the flames shine a purplish light around the tunnel. Far down the trail, there was a another cavern. It was filled with round mud huts. The purple gemstones that shielded the light source were atop seven-foot poles. There were red-eyed creatures that slithered away from the purple-lit path as Terraia walked past them.

Only their eyes were visible from within the blanket-like shadows, but Kyri thought the creatures looked about human-sized. They made the cavern echo with cautious hissing sounds.

Kyri held Unicorn and her staff tightly and walked as close behind Aikel as she could without stepping on his heels. She could sense the stiffness of his muscles as he avoided the creatures’ gaze. They were nerve-racking

Beyond the village-like assembly of huts, there was gap in the wall that had to be squeezed through. The four cockatrices and the cat stopped in a guard-like stance and watched the red-eyed creatures.

The walls of the gap were uneven but scraped smooth. Terraia forced herself through and waited for her followers. Despite their lesser width, the action was harder for them than it was for her.

The new room was large and empty. The floor was bare rock carved into several short merging stairways that didn’t have a real direction. There was an underground stream that had carved a smooth path down the left side of the room. It disappeared down an opening in the wall.

Terraia trotted around the room using her torch to light the ones hanging on the wall. She climbed up the chaotic mass of staircases and approached a large flat stone near the wall. After staring at it for a moment, she turned from it and pushed it away with her talons.

Aikel, Kyri, Pegasus, and Unicorn caught up to her and looked into the bowl-shaped hole that the rock had covered. It contained a clear golden orb the size of a large man’s fist.

Kyri noted that Terraia was still turned away. She had a saddened look of defeat on her face.

"Is that it?" Aikel asked, still concentrating on the orb.

"Yes," Terraia answered quietly. She pressed her lips together. Aikel shrugged and started to bend over toward the orb. Terraia’s eyes widened and quickly narrowed.

"Aikel!" Kyri called. Aikel grunted as Terraia’s talons slammed him into the right-hand wall.

"Hey!" Pegasus shouted. He flew toward her, about to slam into her head. She prepared to block with her spear, but he dodged her, spun past, and slammed her from the other side. Her eyes looked unfocused.

"Remember what Saraelye said about the curse?" Kyri asked as she helped Aikel up, "We have to beat her to get that orb…."

Aikel only nodded as he drew his sword. Terraia knocked Pegasus and Unicorn away and charged toward them. Aikel parried her stab, and Kyri jabbed at her stomach with the end of her staff. She jumped away and swung her spear at their heads. Aikel blocked the move. Unicorn ricocheted off the ground and slammed the belly of her horse-like half.

Terraia cringed and bound backwards. She swung her spear to knock Pegasus back. She held it out straight and charged for Aikel. He readied himself. She deliberately missed him. She whacked Kyri instead. The girl squeaked and tumbled down a few stairs.

Her fall distracted Aikel, and Terraia nearly skewered him. He slashed at her. She cringed, and his blade collided with stone. The stone faded back into Terraia’s flesh as he pulled his sword away in start.

The centaur jumped away. She skidded sideways and used her body to press Aikel against the wall. His arms were pinned and he couldn’t use his sword. Pegasus tackled her and caused enough distraction for Aikel to push her and get away.

He moved around her and backed toward the left side of the room. She charged, spear forward. She reared back at the last moment and jabbed her front legs forward. Her hooves collided with Aikel’s chest. He was thrown into the left wall. He landed in the water and slid down the streambed. Pegasus flew into Terraia’s face and released an energy burst. She was already in a two-legged crouch and the force knocked her off-balance. She shrieked in pain as she landed awkwardly on her back.

Aikel staggered up and wheezed in an attempt to refill his lungs. He dashed up the stones and prepared to strike Terraia. She cringed and turned to stone as she was hit. She returned to normal and rolled to her side. Aikel swung again, still hitting her stone shell. He added three more useless blows before she stood. She backed off and prepared to strike.

Something else grabbed her attention. She, Aikel, and Pegasus turned to Kyri. She was standing where she’d fallen before. Unicorn was helping her charge for a spell.

Aikel slashed and drew a cut in Terraia’s upper foreleg while she was distracted. He ran toward Kyri and stood between her and Terraia. Terraia crouched and leapt over him. She started to strike the girl, but Pegasus blocked her until Aikel could knock her away.

Kyri’s eyes were closed. She and Unicorn obliviously continued their quiet mumbling. They were vulnerable. Aikel and Pegasus stood protectively in front of them. Terraia held her spear out and charged.

Aikel concentrated on the spearhead. Right before it gutted him, he forced the weapon aside with his own and slid forward. He stabbed Terraia just below the center of her ribcage. He cursed as he struck her stone armor again.

When she returned to flesh, she reared up and swung her arms back. Aikel was thrown over her. He hit the floor and had the wind knocked out of him again. Terraia swung her spear at Kyri, who abruptly ducked under the blow. Her hands had a golden glow.

While Terraia’s arm was still crossed to the side, Kyri lunged forward and pressed her hands onto her. Terraia swung her arm back and knocked her away, but her whole body was glowing gold.

Kyri ran over to help Aikel up and steady him. She asked, "Are you alright?"

"I can’t… hit her…" Aikel stated weakly.

"Try it one more time…. Pegasus and Unicorn? You and I distract her."

Terraia stopped glowing and jumped toward them. Kyri charged forward. Pegasus hit the side of Terraia’s head, and Kyri got inside her swing to hit her in the chin with her staff. Unicorn clamp her teeth onto her wrist. Pegasus pressed himself against her spine and emitted an energy burst. She screeched.

She tried to back away. Kyri’s staff was hooked around one foreleg and in front of the other. She move to the side, trying to knock the centaur over. Terraia thrashed wildly and managed to shake them off her. Aikel was rushing at her, ready to swing.

She cringed, but nothing happened. Aikel’s sword put a deep gash in her stomach and hip. He jumped away as she tried to stab him. She felt Kyri whack her in the head and staggered forward. She parried Aikel’s blow.

Pegasus flew around her head trying to bite her. Unicorn bounced to the far side of her. Kyri sprang low and slammed into her forelegs. Pegasus and Unicorn slammed her head from the other direction. She was knocked over, and Kyri went under her.

She hit the uneven ground and failed at scrambling upward. Aikel raised his sword. He sunk the tip of it into her side behind her foreleg. She flinched

He pulled away as she went limp. He shivered.

Kyri looked on sadly. "…Terraia?" Terraia’s eyes opened and looked at her with a sad kindness before closing again. "Come on," she said to Unicorn. The got on either side of her and prepared a healing spell. Aikel started to protest but decided against it.

Kyri helped Terraia to her knees after her wounds had been sealed up. "Thank you," Terraia mumbled tiredly. "I hope you’ll… accept my apologies for what I was forced to do…."

"Of course…." Kyri smiled. "Saraelye explained everything to us. We know you had no choice."

Terraia nodded thankfully. She gestured toward the hole with the orb. "You can go get that. I don’t want to keep it."

"I’m sorry I hurt you," Aikel said.

Terraia smiled graciously. "Give me a few moments to regain my composure. I’ll need it to keep those gorgons away. I don’t need to be at full strength; I just need to look tough. I’ll escort you all the way out of the cave."

* * *

Aikel collapsed onto one of the beds in Haunkyo’s inn and immediately decided that it was the most comfortable bed any creature had ever assembled. Kyri had healed his battle wounds, but his muscles ached. He forced himself to sit up so that he could remove his armor and supply pack. The pack was heavy with the weight of the orb.

He heard a soft sigh from behind him as Kyri climbed into the room’s second bed and buried herself and Unicorn in the blankets. Pegasus had already fallen asleep near Aikel’s pillow. Aikel sighed wearily and laid down.

Despite his fatigue, his eyes remained open. He glance at Kyri. She looked like a little girl. He remembered the things she’d said to Terraia.

"Hey…?" he asked. She opened her eyes to acknowledge him. "These orbs seem to be really important to you…. Why is that?"

"My mother…" Kyri mumbled sadly. "She was all I had. Now she’s gone. I wanna make them pay…." Her voice cracked.

"What about your father?"

"He died of an accident when I was little."

Aikel frowned in confusion. "Who’s the man that my friends and I sometimes see you with?"

"He’s my uncle," Kyri answered, closing her eyes. "He lives in Turni, and he comes by every week or two to make sure my mom and I doing okay…. Since people thought he was my father, they thought he didn’t come outside very often…. He was always so nice though. He always bought me things…. I’ve probably lost him too…."

"I’m sorry," Aikel said. He felt a pang of guilt; he’d backed his friends up when they’d mocked someone close to her that had died. He thought of his own family. He turned away so that Kyri wouldn’t see his tears if she opened her eyes again.

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