Griffin dropped his sword and shadow leaped. He exited the shadows in the room where the stairs began their deep, spiraling descent underground. Griffin stumbled backward and fell, his heart beating faster than he thought possible.
What was that? An Elder animal? Why is it here? I thought they were all dead...
The beast shrieked again, this time copying Shuri's dying screams.
Griffin shuddered and amassed a palm-full of shadows. "Meet at the rendezvous tower. Now," he ordered. Griffin released his shadow message then stared at the stairs.
The orb is still down there. If I had just a little more time...
The beast shrieked again, and Griffin shook himself. He need more information about the beast if he was going to risk his life down there.
Decision made, Griffin turned away from the stairs and shadow leaped to the rendezvous point, the beast's imitation of Shuri's death ringing in his ears.
***
Everyone except for Ash and Katana had gathered at the tower. Griffin scanned his band members' faces, taking in their tensed muscles and furtive glances. They'd all gathered into tight groups—Fern, Night Shade, and Pounce in one corner; the new dryad siblings and Gilda with the kids; Khopesh, Lance, and Scythe; Jolt and Starlight; Celadon, Solar, Mac, and Sir.
A few of the Elder looked up as Griffin walked between the groups. A few nodded as he passed. Most returned to their hushed conversations.
"Gilda? What's that scary sound?" Griffin overheard Cyanus ask the old wisp.
"I don't know, dearie. But it'll be okay," Gilda comforted.
Khopesh looked serious and brooding, brows furrowed as he mulled over something. Griffin directed his course to the group of spriggans.
"You alright?" he asked Khopesh.
Khopesh nodded slowly. Grimly. "For now. That shriek...I've heard stories about that creature."
"You know what it is?"
Khopesh nodded. "It's a wyrm."
Griffin frowned. "An Elder animal? There's still some alive?
"This one is, apparently."
So I was right. "What do you know about wyrms?"
"Not much," Khopesh admitted. "They're big. Deadly. Prefer the dark. Can use spriggan magic."
Griffin's eyes widened at the last bit. "Spriggan magic?"
"Not to the extent that we can, but yes. That's why these caves are filled with it and the wisps are having troubles with their glows."
Coming down here with the band was a mistake.
Katana entered the tower just then, followed by Ash hardly a minute later.
Griffin nodded at them then faced his band. "Everyone, get up. We're leaving."
"Finally," Jolt muttered just loud enough for Griffin to hear.
"Vere ees Shuri?" Celadon asked with a frown.
Katana frowned as well. "She's not back yet?"
The wyrm shrieked again. Recognition entered Khopesh's eyes. "That scream..."
YOU ARE READING
The Land of Green and Gold Part II: Silence
Fantasy*On hiatus until the rewrite for book 1 "Flight" is finished. Also note that chapters 1-19 are being rewritten and will actually form the final part of book 1* Long ago there were humans and a magical people called Elder. The humans despised the El...
