Into the Hedge Ch 8

Knight of the Autumn Crown : Book 1

Unable to scream, Aes drifted slowly into darkness, as if being sucked down into a watery vacuum, despite being dry. Her hair and tunic fluttered, drifting in gentle ripples over her body. The fall became less surreal and more mortal as she gained speed. A faint image came into view. The blackness of the void dissipated in a haze. She witnessed it all.

A sharp chill shot up her legs. A cold wind stroked her hair over her shoulders. She looked all around. The land was alight and sane once again. The dark forest surrounded her, icy waters stroking her bare thighs. Had she awoken from a strange dream? How much of this was a dream? How much was real?

She stumbled over a slick rock, one that had been used as a dam for the waterway. The blade she had taken fell into the dirt, point first. She tore it from the soil, running her fingers along its edge, jerking her hand back from an accidental cut. Her chest heaved as she fell on the side of her knees, watching the flow of red from her index and middle fingers, shaking her head in confusion.

“Aes!” Gloam called from the darkness. Aes looked back. The tower was not too far. Its dim glow from the dying fire. Weakly, she stood, and with clumsy steps rushed towards its solid structure.

“Gloam!” she answered, weakly.

“The knolls are gone, but be careful.” He instructed. Aes carelessly crawled through the first opening into the ruined sanctuary. She ignored the remains of meat over the spit, the foliage poking through the ground, or even the stains of blood. Climbing back through the hole to her companion, Aes brought the enchanted lantern to her chest. Her head turned with unease, rosaries in her trembling left hand, placed against her head as she combed and chewed on her hair with the right, also shaking.

“What is this place…?” She whispered, cradling herself.

“It’s the hedge, Childe. It is merciless. Keep ya wits about ya.” Gloam whispered, “I can ease ya mind again, but my pow’ah is limited. Speak ‘Kyrre.’.”

“K-yrre.” Aes replied, still struggling to breathe. The soft glow from the lantern filled her eyes once again. Her breath settled as her behavior calmed. Aes pulled the pelt back over herself.

“The’ah might be some more of that roast below.” Without a word, Aes climbed back down to the base, sitting herself close to the fire pit. The large bird had been nearly picked clean. There was enough meat that was still warm that she fed herself with. She ate slowly. The glow in her eyes remained as she ate with dignity. “Rest while you can, De’ah. Gnolls gonna be return’n.”

The glow gradually faded from her eyes as she nibbled on bits of warm meat. Using a wooden cup, she drank bits of fat and gelatin.

“Why am I here?” She asked idly.

“The hedge has a will of its own. It takes who it wants.”

“You say that like this place is alive!”

“I’tis.” He confirmed, Aes had a look of fear again. “I figure now is as good a time as any to tell ya. The hedge twists in on itself, kill’n and eat’n anything and everythin’. It continues to grow and grow. Few can survive its pow’ah. That is why we need to gotta git to the nearest hallow, any hallow, at this rate.”

“How is that possible?”

“Dunno, could be ancient magic, could be somethin’ else. I just know what, not why. Fortunately, you have me to guide you!” He chuckled with a strange grin. “Now don’t be ask’n all them questions. You eat and rest ya head. Once this storm passes, we gonna head out. Hopefully before ‘em gnolls come back.”

“What makes you think they will?”

“Gnolls is the most greedy, envious, flea-ridden waste of spit. They let all this rot, then let anyone else have it.” He told her. A flash of lightning lit up the woods outside. Aes bundled herself up tighter in the pelt for a rest. The rhythmic rain tapping against the sounds eased her fears, though she was still too restless. A second flash illuminated a disturbing image.

Aes sat up, startled. The giant body of the black hound she had faced lay in its corner, motionless. Aes lifted the lantern to inspect it, remembering it had been on a chain. The creature was bloodied and still. Red stains ran in trails from the floor to the stone archway. Cautiously, she inspected the creature. Faint huffs of breath came from its nostrils.

“Poor thing…” she whispered. A single eye burst open, pupils shrank in the lantern's light. It lunged at the young human before she could react, its narrow snout baring its teeth and barking viciously. The chain choked down on its neck once more. Any closer, it would have the poor girl in its maw. The force of its powerful body nearly tore the chain from its post.

“What are you doin’?” Gloam shouted

“I was just curious!.” she answered, crawling backwards on the floor.

“Child, ya curiosity will be ya undoin’. That leash is 'bout to break. GIT!!” Aes turned around as she stood up. There was no escape beyond the stone archway that led out to the raging storm. She pressed her back against the stone wall. She was barely five feet away from the beast, narrow jaws clamping down at her. She sidestepped carefully to her left, watching the beast strain on its leash, which was gradually loosening the fire pit, the only thing that stood between them.

Several tools that were leaning against the wall fell from their posts. Aes spotted a large shovel. Taking a last look at the beast, she used it to throw chunks of embers and ashes into its eyes. The beast yelped in pain. It yelped as it began clawing itself back to retreat, pawing its snout and snorting several times.

Aes tossed the shovel to the side, grabbing the lantern and blade. She rushed towards the archway, halting just before the opening, the black rumbling clouds and hard flooding rains before her. She shook her head at the sight, but what were her options? Stay in an old ruin and starve? Be ripped apart by a giant hound? Or face the bitter elements of the hedge. No choice was preferable!

“Wish I had some shoes…” Aes muttered, taking several strong inhales and charging into the storm. She winced at the feeling of sharp cold needles plucking at her bare skin.

Perched atop the tower, the cloaked wanderer watched the young human scamper off into the woods. Its glowing green eyes looked back to the cliffside as black, clawing mist flowed down into the tower. The radiant light from the fire dying out, and a violent yelp from the hound echoed throughout the canyon.

==========

Within the homely lodge of the Tipsy Incubus Pub. The dwarven women tended to a large boar, slowly roasting over an open spit. Sipping a pint and returning three other empty mugs to a flat-headed ogre behind a dark oak bar. A cold wind slipped through as a knoll opened the door.

"There he be..." The dwarf said. The feral creature gasped at the sight of the gnome standing just before the entrance, a wide, shark-toothed grin, two off-colored eyes, one a dull green, the other a golden yellow. Her white hair braided with purple and pink ribbons, she presented a large pair of shears.

"No! Not you! Stay back!" The gnoll growled. The gnome took several steps towards the wolf-man. A menacing cackle, as she approached. "No, you're not cutting my hair again!!" The gnoll protested.

"Maple! leave 'em be!" The dwarf intervened, flicking droplets of water at the grinning gnome.

"AH! Not the salt! Not the salt!" She squealed as the droplets singed her slightly. waddling away.

"Go clean something, or catch a cricket!." The dwarf said. "Sorry, Byrn, want yer usual...by Mara, what happened to ya?" She asked, staring at his wounds.

"Yeah, usual trim. Might git me a promotion. And, uh, nutin much. Outpost got overrun by hobgoblins."

"Yeah, yeah. Come sit. Ya can tell me all a'boot it." She instructed, leading the Gnoll to a seat in front of a thorn-framed mirror. He followed her, a fearful jump as the gnome clapped the shears at him one last time.

"We was hold'n this spot out in the canyon for a bit, orders, ya know, goin' well as could be expected. The Shuck hound was act'n funny, though. He said, as the dwarf cleaned her tools and placed a cloth around his neck. "Had a good kill from a boobie we found. Figure it settles the nerves. We's been hearin' strange sounds in the woods, hough. Grif thought it might have been hags. He was always a mite spooked since that one time..."

"Heh, right?" The dwarf commented, snipping the knoll's sideburns.

"Right, now get dis. We sees the trees, filled to the brim with red eyes. We all knew it was 'em redcaps."

"Redcap hobgoblins? No wonder ye got such nasty bite marks."

"Mhm. That wasn't the queer thing, though. They was just sittin' there in the trees, starin'. Then the shuck starts barkin'. No sooner had I gone to shut em up. I seen this...thing!"

"What did it look like?"

"Queerest. Couldn't tell if it was an elf or what. She was hidden' in one of em holes in the tower."

"Tower? In the Canyon? How does this look, Good?"

"Erm...Bit more on the sides, blend it real good-like. Yeah, one of em ol' towers. Grif says it belongs to a Pale'n."

"Pale one? The necromancers?"

"I dunno, just what he said. Maybe it was. We see somethin' up on the top. Well, Griff says he did. I didn't sees it."

"So what a'boot that elf thing ya saw?"

"Oh yeah, funny lookin' screamed a lot too. Tossed it in the hole, spoke something I ain't never heard before. Seems like it was talkin' to itself too."

"How queer. You say it be a lass?"

"Aye. Couldn't mistake that for a sec."

"Is she still at the tower? Why would ye want to take it anywho?"

"Aye, ain't no way gitten outta that hole, and eh, Sargent really doesn't want me talk'n 'bout that."

"Com'on, This be Lily ye be talkin' to. Ye know I love me a good bit o juice."

"Hm, yeah, alright then. Sargent says he wants us checkin' every tower we's find. Not sure what for, but we's gotta."

"Ye remember how to get back?"

"Course I do. I'm the best strider in these hollows."

"Indeed, Aright give this a look." She said, stepping away from the mirror.

"Hm... yeah, yeah!" He said, admiring the haircut. The dwarf smiled and nodded. Glancing up towards the wooden balcony overhead. The shadowy outline of the headmistress stood, watching and listening to the entire conversation as she puffed her pipe with a wide grin.

"Well, if that is gonna do ye, get ye a bath and a pint. Ye had a time, it seems." The dwarf said, brushing off the knoll as he stood up. "By the by..." She continued. Byrn turned back to the dwarf. "Would ye lads be interested in makin' some extra shinnies? Headmistress might be havin' a job for ye." She said, gesturing upstairs towards the large female.