Souls Lost
Hi, I'm the Cerberus
They stepped out onto a sort of foyer area where the stone earth formed an archway above them. The air was stale, thick and hung around them like smog. Jagged stone steps led them away from the archway. To their right was a very steep canyon with a relatively narrow path threw. It was just about wide enough for Grim to manage if he slanted himself as they traversed the rocks. In front of them a path led threw a thick forested area where the trees grew uneasy at the sight of axes and creatures. To the far left of the archway laid a narrow river with boats moored at a dock. There was no ominous figure waiting to ferry them down stream this time. As the landscapes stretched on before them all still mocked the same partially dead stony un-liveliness the rest of this world had.
Grim looked at the river with a frown. It hadn't been long enough for him to want to get back in a boat down here. He was also still trying to get used to the new weight on his shoulder. Since Diji had transformed she now weighed more and put a considerable amount on that side.
"Huh...looks a little like home now."
Spellborn commentedly offhandedly.
"I bet we'll find the door to Christmas Town in the forest."
Max told Golana with a chuckle.
"Is that a land you are familiar with?"
Golana asked "We might seek horses there."
"Never mind."
Max said and decided to look at the ominous creepy canyon instead.
"This isn't bad at all!"
Diji cheered them on. "On a journey with friends, I sort of like this." she smiled. Her tail swishd back and forth, gliding on he shoulder of Grim. She perked up and hopped down, walking next to him now.
"But which way do we go?"
Max asked "The ominous river, the ominous canyon or the ominous forest?"
"I do not think it matters."
Golana said "From what I saw within the tower all roads lead to the labyrinth. Personally I wish to refrain from the water, we stand unprotected against pirates or enemies that may besiege our party."
"I'd prefer it if we stayed away from the Crack of Doom over there."
Max said giving her two cents worth. "No offense to Tolkein or anything." She added, not sure if Golana would get the Middle Earth reference.
"Forest!"
Diji raised her hand. "Forest forest forest!" she bounced up and down. She grew up in a rain forest and it was the closest thing it came to. She spun and pleaded to Grim, "Please oh please oh please!
Grim did his best attempt at a smile, the result probably would have sent small children scurrying in fear. He reached out and patted Diji on the head as gently as he could. "Me vote for woods, too. I born and raised in woods, me feel better here."
"As was I."
Golana said "Though I prefer more mountainous regions." She was from a specific clan of elves who made their homes in the mountains and thick forested areas of her home world Lothkara, formerly known as Middle Earth.
"I don't care ether way."
Max said "Forest, canyon or river we're all probably gonna die any way."
"I...thought we were already dead?"
Diji brought up, with a clever grin as they headed to the forest.
"We can't be dead if we don't exist yet."
Max said "That whole concept is still fucking with my head."
"Worthy assesment." Golana said to Spellborn "It's obvious this is not a normal wild flower patch."
Max couldn't help but laugh like an ideot as Grim snatched her up. Her laughing became more maniacle as Grim began to stumble this way and that.
"Well maybe there is something that can remove the problem for you."
Spellborn said making a slicing motion with his hand infront of his neck before cackling.
"No offense or anything Mr. Borne but are you an actual zombie or just something similar?"
Max asked "Cause Zombies in my world aren't really smart or talkative or non-decomposed
."
"Much against the beliefs of our large green moving muscle I am not a zombie." Spellborn explained. "Not a true zombie I guess, as I really don't know my origins. All I do know is that I don't crave brains."
"I'm pleased to know that." Max said with a nod.
"We should move for cover." Golana said "We've been exposed too long." She didn;t exactly wait for anyone to decide which way they where headed. Most seemed to prefer the forest so that was the direction she headed.
"Race ya!" Diji shouted before sprinting to the trees. He breasts bounced a few seconds afterward. "Hehe!"
"No, you'll anger the trees!" Golana shouted after Diji, hurrying to catch up with her in case the girl ran into any uncouth beasts that might decide to eat her.
"I guess that means the forest then." Max said and headed after them, glad that she still had the axe she'd borrowed from Golana.
Grim followed the group into the woods. Confused about what Golana had said, as he had never heard of nor seen an angry tree.
Keeping an ear out for any ominous moans coming from the surroundings, Spellborn struggled to keep up.
Not listening, Diji was still running in front of the group like a child.
"Diji!" Max shouted when she noticed the womanchild flicker out of sight amidst the overhanging branches of the forest. "I'll get her." She said and jogged into the distance, at least trying to keep her in her sight.
Diji, slow down, we can't get seperated!"
"This is an angry place." Golana said to herself. Her feet where cautious, careful not to disturb any plants or brush. Her keen elf ears could pick up the distant whispers of the trees.
"Why are you all scared?" Spellborn asked, "They're just trees!" He added as he gave one a nice firm kick.
Grim whirled around on Spellborn, wrapped his hand around his neck (and most of his chest) and lifted him up to his face. "Respect da trees, or we feed them you."
"It's not fear, it's awareness." Golana said moving to gently 'pet' the tree where Spellborn had kicked it. "It's ok girl, tell your family we don't intend to cause trouble. We're just passing threw."
"So you talk to trees now?" Max asked "I should have brushed up on my Tolkien instead of my Jackson."
The dark ominousness of the forest seemed to draw back a bit as well as the trees. There where splotches of light streaming threw, creating somewhat of a jagged path threw the trees, it veered away from the one they where already following.
"Yes, I can talk to trees." Golana said with a smile "They think we should go this way." Without hesitation she started on their new path.
"That's probably what they WANT you to think." Diji said from up in the trees. She was so squirrely that maneuvering was easy for her- even if she was full grown now. "These branches are really thickly packed together- I can barely get through this."
"Trust me." Golana told Diji "They say we should venture in this direction and trees are not prone to false-truths."
"Even the ones in Hell?" Spellborn asked with a smartassy tone.
Grim brought Spellborn closer to his face and growled threateningly.
"A tree is a tree no matter where they grow." Golana explained "Trees this tall and strong have honor, dishonorable trees would be withered and deformed. These are dark and twisted, meaning they will not hesitate to rip us apart if we provoke them."
"Oh." Diji muttered, not liking the sound of that at all. He aimed and let herself go out of the tree, landing on Grim's back and shoulder. "Hi again!" she said cheerily.
"Remind me to switch to propane when we get home." Max told no one in particular.
Grim grunted as she plopped herself upon her shoulders. "We not provoke trees, bad idea." He added in Spellborn's direction.
After an hour or so of walking threw the forest and some mild chitchat about evil trees and bushes the group exited the forest. Instead of dark and dead landscape they emerged in a bright green field, dusted with wild flours and bright pools of sunshine.
Spellborn's pistols were put of his holsters and in his hands almost the second is eyes fell upon the scene before him. "This is NOT a good sign."
"Why? Afraid of bees?" Grim said teasingly in response to Spellborn's actions.
"OOO!!" Diji perked up. "It's so pretty!" she slipped down from Grim and started to run for the open land.
Grim reached out quickly to try and grab her, but she was too quick for him. With a grunt of irritation as he lumbered after her.
Diji spun around when she heard him running after her. "Hehe! Is this a race?"
"No, not a race." Grim said, "Making sure you no get stung." He added quietly, hoping that Spellborn wouldn't hear.
"Now who's afraid of bees?" Spellborn said with a hint of mockery in his voice.
"It's like a bunch of My Little Ponies puked around here." Max said blocking the sun from her eyes, it became quite apparent that she was pale as a sheet. Her keen eyes glazed the wild flowers for any sign of poppies.
Spellborn had said what Golana was thinking, three hours of walking threw a dark ominous forest and now the world was bright and rosey, something was defiantly amiss. "Someone stop her!" She shouted after them "DIGI DON'T RUN!" She was stepping hurriedly but careful of where to place her feet.
Diji spun around and fell onto her butt in the middle of the field. As she did so, her odd puberty switched off again and her bosoms deflated. Once more, she was a cute little 10 year old. "Oopsy!" she giggled. "What's wrong, guys?"
"They think there's something wrong." Max told Diji "This place is too perfect to be safe or something."
"Never thought my sentiments would be shared by anyone." Spellborn said in response to Golana's reaction. He walked towards the rest of the group carefully, making sure to watch where he was stepping...just in case.
Grim walked over to Diji and held out a hand to help her up. He was greatly at her repeated transformation, but decided not to ask about it till they were in a better spot.
Diji took his hand and stood up. "Thanks. You guys are all too worried."
Thunder began to rumble in the distance but save for a few white puffy clouds in the sky there seemed to be no chance of rain. Slowly the ground began to vibrate and grow in intensity.
Max's feet shook right out from under her and she fell on her butt. "Oow! What is it an earthquake?"
Golana pulled her bow out and knocked an arrow to the string "I do not know..." She said but felt as if an earth quake would be far too normal such an eerily pretty place.
Grim drew his axe and held it tight as he prepared for anything.
Spellborn was levitating a foot or two off the ground and his hands were ensconced with electricity.
As if it sent a shock up her, Diji jolted on top of Grim with her cat-like reflexes. She clenched onto his shoulder tightly.
"Ten bucks says it's a dragon." Max said maneuvering herself so she was behind the more battle hardened members of their group.
Grim let out a little "humph" before saying. "Dragon easy, not to worry about."
Looking over at Max with a curious look Spellborn said. "We would you bring deer with you here and exactly how tiny are they?"
"Deer?" Max asked then realized where the lingo had gotten crossed "No Bucks, like currency, money or maybe in your case Xp."
Diji still was clinging onto Grim's shoulders like a squirrel. "Be careful, okay?" she warned him.
The ground was still shaking but something else permeated the rumble of the lovely little valley. It was music, a sort of stringed instrument accompanied by a very large sounding voice. Then in the distance the largest feather in existence appeared and beneath it a hat and under that was a head topped with red hair. As the figure came into view the thing appeared to be a man, standing roughly fifty feet tall dressed in muted earthy colors and carrying a lute which he was playing.
"That is not a dragon." Golana observed blatently.
Max looked at Spellborn and said "You owe me five bucks."
Without taking his eyes off the bard he lifted his hand and five little deer appeared on it. He then tossed them over to Max. "All this commotion over a minstrel? What rubbish." he added with aggitation.
A look of dissapointment crossed Grim's face as the man walked out. It had been so long since he had fought a dragon, he was looking forward to it. "It ok, just little man." he said to Diji, trying to comfort her.
"Little?!" Diji stared at the figure. He was FIFTY FEET TALL. She slid off of Grim's shoulder and shouted up at him, "HELLO MISTER!" Diiji waved and jumped about.
"What the!" Max caught the tiny deer and thought best not to try explaining herself again. The five of them seemed particularly frightened so she sat them among the long blades of grass and shooed them away so the giant minstrel couldn't step on them.
The giant bard stopped playing when he heard Diji's voice, he looked down noticing the five ministerial people "Why hello there little misters and misses!" He knelt down to better look at them "Your not any bigger than my dinner dishes!"
"It speaks in verse." Golana said somewhat disappointed "His riddles and rhymes I doubt will get us any where."
"Wow! I like him!" Diji pointed up at the giant.
"If he rhymes every conversation I may have to shoot him." Spellborn said under his breath.
"Wanna come with us mister?!" Diji shouted up to the giant. "We are trying to get out of here by..." she looked around at her group, forgetting what the heck they were doing anyways, "...by doing stuff!"
"Ahh so it is you I have been searching for." The large man said and took it upon himself to sit down in front of the group so he could better see them. "The band who has been made of pages, seeking reality threw wandering mazes."
"I'm with Zombie Dude." Max said "This is a little too Disney for my taste."
"There is wisdom in the twisting of words." Golana said "It is deciphering their meanings that becomes troublesome and often annoying. This must be our first test, to prove one of us worthy."
Diji, hyper as ever, jumped up and down to get the man's attention. "What's you're name mister?! My name is Diji and this is my friend Grim! He is big like you!"
"I am Griffith Yard, traveler and bard, maker of music and winder of tales." The large man said accompanying his rhyming with a few subtle plucks of the strings "Especially if your up to buy the ale."
Spellborn perked up and and looked over at the giant man. "There's ale here?"
"What kind test is this?" Grim said impatiently, just wanting to get done with this.
"Having braved the Forgotten Forest you have proven your worth to be tested by my chorus." Griffith Yard replied with a smile, his fingers adding a constant light accompaniment to his words.
"We have to sing?" Max asked the giant man "You may not actually want that to happen." If it was one thing Max was self conscious about it was her voice. Her parents had made her take singing lessons for years when she was a kid and Mis. Haversham had left the scars of her brutal training across Max's knuckles to prove it. The scars had been hidden when she was 18 by Japanese kanji.
"Oh no no no. See I dont do music or rythem anything." Spelborn said quickly.
Grim wasnt sure what this singing was, unless it was anything like the chants that his people did back in his tribe. So he stayed quite on the whole matter.
"Fear not my little friends, this test is for only one of you." Griffith told them "For all to pass you must pick one, who's voice is solid and true."
"That seems simple enough." Golana said "Many elves can sing but it is not among my current gifts."
"I took singing lessons for years but I'm not any good." Max fessed up "I was told that I was tone def."
"If none of you will volunteer then I myself shall pick." Griffith said "And he who falls under my finger it is he who shall be it." Griffith covered his eyes with his hand and pointed the other one at the group. His hand loomed over them for a few moments until it stopped above the least likely of candidates, Grim. Griffith then opened his eyes "What a jolly day indeed for one such as I to hear an Orckind sing."
Spellborn stood there for a few seconds before throwing his hands up in the air. "We're doomed." he said with a sigh as he walked off to the edge of the grove.
Grim nodded his head as if he accepted the challange, he stepped forward a few steps and looked at the giant man before saying, "What singing?"
"Singing is the instrument of the heart!" Griffith said slightly shocked that Grim didn't know what singing was "It is the forefather of sentient art!"
"Let me field this one Jolly Green." Max said and turned to Grim "Singing is using your voice to make a song or a prayer, it's a lot like chanting."
"Perhaps if you demonstrated?" Golana suggested.
Grim stared dumbfounded at the large man as he used several words he didnt understand. It wasnt till Max mentioned chanting that he understood. "Me know chants. Me tribe chants at times for big things like weddings and battles."
"Then give me a chant of union, of man and wife joined." Griffith said "And for your song your direction I will trade, your proper path I will outpoint."
"Me not have right stuff for dat." Grim said, looking around like he might have over looked the items he needed. "Me need big fire, drums, and other orcs."
"Come on Grim! You can do it!" Diji encouraged, hugging his huge arm "La lala dee DAAaaa~!" she sang along, hoping to get him going.
"I have faith in you honorable Grim." Golana said standing proudly at his side "Share with him a chant of your home world, I doubt it matters not the tone or verve in which you deliver it."
"She says everyone can sing no matter what it sounds like." Max told Grim "If you do it he'll show us the way to our next challenge."
Grim was still reluctant to try without the proper items, as this was a sacred event to his people. Since there was no drums he used the closest thing he had, his helmet. He set it on the ground and started thumping it to create a rythem. He then started his chant, singing in his native Orcish language, with a serious and haunting melody. His singing lasted almost 45 min before it finally ceased.
During the long 45 minuets, Diji had laid herself down on the rocky ground and had fallen asleep. She had a busy day after all and the singing seemed to blends into a stream of dulled sounds that lulled her to sleep.
Max had found a cushy spot in a bed of flowers about 15 minuets after his song had started. She thought it sounded rather interesting, sort of like those albums you could by in ethnic shops or at native gatherings. She liked it but she didn't admit that 45 straight minuets was a bit lengthy.
Golana had respectfully listened to the entire event settled on a well placed rock surrounded by dragon lilies. It took a being of great courage to do something of this sort, to bear their soul and sing of their home far away. It wasn't reflective of the music of her people but she found a deep longing to return to a time and place before this arduous journey began in this strange Hell.
When Grim's playing ended Griffith had a very serious look on his face. He'd not tapped his feet or clapped with the rhythm, for the entire length of the song he looked as if he could have been made out of stone. But when Grim was threw and after a long moment of thought a smile began to grow across his face and a joyous laughter filled the valley "I may not have understood the lot of your tune-" He said in a jolly voice "But your heart sang it honestly and true! As such I shall be to my word, I promised I would point out your road." he waved his hand over them and brought it to the strings on his lute, after a merry tune he waved his arm again and revealed a wagon worn path, snaking threw the rolling grasses of the plane. "It is in that direction you must travel, but be wary your path as it unravels. Dangers and pitfalls await your every turn but it is to each-other you must remain firm. It has given my heart joy listening to your band, come by my valley the next time you travel threw this land." With that he stood and it only took him a few steps to clear the valley and disappear out of sight amidst the gnarled trees they'd recently exited.
"That had to be...the single most...BORING moment of my life!" Spellborn said as he made his way back to the group. "Im surprised that you memorized that, since you orcs are so damn ugly I can imagine that you all dont have too many weddings."
Grim had just finished putting his helmet back on when Spellborn started. A growl escaped his lips and a snarl formed on them. His hand grasped the handle of his axe as he began to slowly remove it from its holster.
Diji woke up when the singing giant left. "Oh no! What was his name again? I have to write it in the book when we get out of here!" she frowned, panicking a little.
"Griffith something." Max told Diji, "We'll figure it out, I'll help you."
"Listen not to the decayed one." Golana told Grim "It took courage and heart to preform in front of your fellow warriors."
"Thank you!" Diji smiled, giving Max a warm, quick hug. She turned around and looked up to Grim. Like a squirrel, she crawled up his back and perched on his shoulder. "You sing so pretty!" she patted his head like a puppy.
Grim grunted in acknowledgement of Diji's compliment. As he slid his axe back into its holster he turned and headed towards the path.
"HEY! Im not decaying!" Spellborn said angrily. "Well...not anymore at least." he added in quieter tones.
Diji sat proudly on Grim's shoulder. She swayed her long tail back and forth like a cat. She rather enjoyed all of her new friends that she had met...even in death.
"Let us just take the trail." Golana said pointing in the direction of the wagon tracks.
"Yeah the sooner we get out of here the sooner Grim can be real." Max said "I guess we all each get an individual test of some sort."
"Yes, lets all follow the lumbering green wonder." Spellborn said as he turned and followed Grim.
Diji giggled, feeling like the captain of a ship that was Grim.
Golana was grateful for the movement, she didn't like being fixed in one spot for too long.
The valley stretched on for some time, short rolling hills covered with brightly colored flowers where being tended by small buzzing bug like creatures. There was a light haze of pollen in the air, stired about by the little working critters.
"Oh! It's so pretty!" Diji exclaimed, bouncing on Grim's shoulder a bit, "Come on!" she pleaded.
"We stay on path." Grim said, pointing forward down the path to illustrate his words.
"Aww.....come on, please?" Diji asked, scuttling around his shoulders. "I'll make you a pretty flower hat, okay?!" She started to jump down from Grim so she could book it into the field. Her tail flew up in the air with excitement. Until now, the ground hurt her bare feet and the flowers looked so soft from here.
As she jumped Grim tried to grab her so she would run off into the field causing him to chase after her.
"Come on Diji." Max called after her, her feet began diverting off the path and deeper into the flowers "Come on, it's probably not safe... woah these colors are effing bright!" She knelt down and plucked a green flower with purple splotches and took a big whiff of the aroma "PHew! Ugh, smells like skunk..." Even though the flower smelled awful Max couldn't help smelling it again and then again. When she opened her eyes there was a slight red tint to them "Flower power dude." She laughed and dove back first into a big fluffy bed of flowers.
Grim missed her by a hair as she lept from his shoulders. He frowned as he watched her run off and was getting ready to follow when he saw Max start acting funny. He may not be the smartest thing in the world, but he knew trouble when he saw it. "DIJI!" he yelled, hoping, futily, she would come back.
Spellborn watched Max go from concerned party member to flower sniffing oddball in the matter of seconds. He looked back and forth at the other two people in the group before saying. "Im staying right the hell here!"
Diji was a bit deeper then Max into the field. She heard Grim shout. Reaching down, she ripped a handful of flowers out of the ground before looking to her friend. Her knees shook a little, suddenly overcome with a sudden tiredness. "I'm gonna make you a pretty haaaat." Diji fell to her knees and slipped back onto her butt, dumbly trying to sew the stems together.
Grim growled as she was obviously affected by the flowers. He didnt want to leave her out there but he couldnt just let her stay. With a surrendering sigh and a deep, held breath, he set off into the flowers. He grabbed Max first and then heading towards Diji.
Diji's sewing turned out to be mushing the flowers together in a mush. But it looked perfect to her. Diji giggled before she noticed Grim stomping over. She held up the pile as if presenting the best gift she could give. As if drunk, her expression was dopey and her eyes were barely open.
Grim was starting to feel the effects, stumbling a few times as he fought it the best he could. His vision was becoming blurry as he moved towards Diji.
"Woah!" Max exclaimed as Grim swung her into his massive arms "Watch the motion of the ocean dude."
"I believe it is safe to assume that those flowers are not what they appear to be." Golana told Spelbourn as she watched Grimm attempt a heartwarming rescue.
"Hihi!" Diji said, now laying on her back, staring up at Grim. She held a handful of flowers up, giggling stupidly.
"If he doesnt make it back we should move on without them." Spellborn said to Golana. "Cause im not about to run out there to drag his green ass back."
Grim's mind was becoming very foggy and drowsy. All he could think about was sitting down and staying there with the flowers. He fought it as best he could and reached his hand out for Diji, "Come on Diji, get...on." he struggled more then usual to put the sentence together.
Diji smiled and offered him the flowers. "You are my best friend... let's play here." she said in a dreamy voice, blinking slowly.
"Come back...to...path. Pretty...bunnies back...there...to play...with." Grim said struggling and slurring a bit.
Diji smiled when she heard about the bunnies. She tried to get to her feet, but her joints barely works properly. Staggering a little, she reached up for him.
Grim grabbed her hand quickly and almost literally tossed her over his other shoulder. Now with Max on one shoulder and Diji on the other he turned and staggered back in the general direction of the path.
Diji opened her mouth and started to gnaw on his shoulder as if it were a fruit. She grazed her teeth against his skin, yet didn't break it. She merely drooled on him...a lot.
"Looks like the little one is trying to eat him." Spellborn said nonchalantly. "No good deed goes unpunished I guess." he added with a smile.
Grim didnt notice that what Diji was doing as he had to put every once of energy into fighting off the intoxicating power of the flowers. His knees buckled, putting him down a few times, but everytime he managed to struggle back up. He knew that he wasnt going to be able to keep doing it.
"We can't leave without them." Golana said "I'm not sympathetic to Orckind but he is the most honorable one I've met so far."
"Giddy up horsie!" Max exclaimed from Grim's back "Dude! Does anyone have a hackey sack!?"
Stumble!