The Tales of Tikum Kadlum

2 EDGE OF DARKNESS

7.2 WHITE AS FUR

All was white, high above and down below. Everything around Tikum was the color of bleached bone, of pristine ivory. The Black Dog struggled to free himself but as soon as he did, he realized it was useless. There was nothing substantial to hold on to. All was smoke.

Tikum sighed and then shook his head. If things take a little more time, it would be in his favor. After all, he still had something under his sleeves, so to speak. The amulet and talisman were still safely hidden on the folds of his lubid belt. The problem was both were useless. He tried to activate the two again, but the twin artifacts just glowed and nothing followed. It ate at him to know he could not fully use them yet. Both were used up after Tikum applied its rejuvenating properties on his injuries and to the Raguetanons. Aside from that, Amburukay also harnessed the braided necklaces' magic to reinvigorate her waning powers, prolonging the cycle of restoration for the two artifacts of magic even more. Tikum sighed again and erred on the side of caution, remembering what happened to the asog who tried to exploit the amulet and talisman. Impatience would do him no good. Maybe he could find a better way to get out of this mess. He raked his mind for any solution, but all possible solutions seemed too elusive at the moment.

Tikum clawed at the mist in front of him and a strange energy pulsated on his skin. It felt like he was in a Dream realm again, falling from some great height but not quite landing. A very bad dream. He wasn't dead yet. But even that he wasn't sure of.

Tikum cursed.

He didn't know where exactly he was. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was the old man veiled by the trees shadow. The strange senile fool must've done this to him. He looked around. The wispy mist around him felt familiar. The fog, the answer struck him. He was still in the fog. He paused as his heart drummed frantically all the while trying to figure out what to do next. The old man must have hexed him. That was it! He again tried his best to look for a quick exit, but he still couldn't find one. Then, he heard the sound outside. It was dull, deep and almost rhythmic to the ears. At first, he thought it was just inside his head. But it continued on and finally he recognized what it was– the sound of hooves! But it was all muffled by the very thick smoke that enveloped him.

Hope pushed him on as he mustered enough courage to speak. "Where are you taking me?"

He didn't expect anyone to answer and was pleasantly surprised that someone did. "Silence, you dunce. Silence before I change my mind and give you a beating." The voice wasn't gravelly, but it sure sounded like it came from deep underground.

"Who are you?" Tikum said. "Where are you taking me?"

"Oh, quiet down. If you do not stop chattering about–"

"Help! Someone out there! Help!"

"Silence." As soon as the word was uttered the mist dissipated, leaving Tikum falling on the ground. The Black Dog cursed, landing awkwardly on the rocky path.

He did a quick scan of his surrounding. He was no longer at the foot of Mount Laon and the sun looked as if it had moved too far in the horizon. Instead of the forested area they arrived in, he was now on a valley east, near the middle of the Exalted One's domain. He struggled with his breathing. The air was thinner here, perhaps a higher elevation than what he was used to. He scrambled up as nimble as a monkey, but magic moved swiftly. As though animated by hidden hands, thick abaca twines wrapped around Tikum's limbs, rendering him immobilized in a blink of an eye.

"Tut. Tut. Tut." Beside him, an old man riding a panigotlo shook his head in disapproval. "Do not move yet. I am thinking, stranger."  He took the tobacco cigar off his mouth, blowing out a steady stream of ghostly smoke.