Notes
This was my entry for anthrofiction.net's Spring 2007 Short Story Contest, with a theme of "Blue Skies". It somehow placed first out of four stories total. Cool! The results page is located here.
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"Downward"
by Virmir
kendo.virmir at gmail dot com
http://virmir.com
[5-12-2007]
Turstin pressed his nose against the porthole glass, allowing the dull hum of the ship to lull his worries away. During the night he would gaze upward at the stars and wonder what those points of light could possibly be. They only appeared above, never below after all. But during the daytime, Turstin's eyes were usually cast downward. Downward at the infinite cerulean mists. What could be down there? No ship had ever flown so low and returned. Those that attempted were taken by the Pull and lost forever.
He once heard an elder say Velkens came from the depths long ago. They didn't always live in ships. That made sense. Turstin looked at his hands. Claws made for climbing, or so the elder said. But climbing what? The Velken couldn't possibly imagine. Whatever it was, they had reached the top long ago and left it behind, never bothering to look back down.
-Die.-
Huh? Turstin's ears pulled up slightly, as if catching a whisper. Drowsily, he shrugged it off. He didn't quite have the time for a nap now. Pulling his tail from the chair by the window, Turstin stood up and stretched, extending his arms into the air. Immediately he felt the dull pang from under the bandage wound around his left arm. Wincing, he lowered it and inspected the wrap. A faint red was starting to leak through. Blast it, he shouldn't have done that. Now he'd gone and reopened the wound.
Applying a bit of pressure to his arm, the Velken removed his sword from the wall and strapped it to his back before heading out his cabin's door. He only made it a few doors down the hallway before his name was called.
"Turstin!"
Turstin angled his right ear back to better hear claws clicking against the metal as another descended upon him. He didn't bother glancing behind.
"Turstin, what are you doing with that sword? You are to remain in your room!" Ellyn's voice was anything but gentle.
He stopped and flicked his tail once, still facing forward.
"It's my turn to watch the deck. They need me."
Ellyn placed a claw on his right shoulder. She stood a few inches shorter than him, and strands of silver fur hung over her gray eyes.
"But, your wound has not healed. Look, it's gone and reopened."
She scuffled around the front of the warrior and gently lifted his injured left arm. Her black tipped tail swayed in the air as she observed. Turstin flinched at the pain, but allowed the healer to examine it.
"There's not enough men..." he stated plainly, "The wound's minor, so my reprieve has been cut short. I can show you the order if you'd like."
Ellyn sighed and ran her right claw over the folds of the bandage. Turstin felt an eerie comforting warmth flow through his arm, and the throbbing pain lessened.
"You should save that for the ones who need it," Turstin said, finally looking the healer in the eye. Her white robes contrasted with her silvery fur.
She met his gaze for a short moment before turning away. "All of the injured need it."
-Die.-
Both of their ears shot up.
"Did you... hear something?" Ellyn asked timidly, her tail tucking around her legs.
Turstin gritted his teeth, painful realization lacing across his muzzle.
"No... the Drakes..."
"All warriors to the decks! Immediately!!"
A handful of Velkens rushed past the two standing in the hall, their nails madly clicking on the metallic floor as they sped past.
"I have to go."
Turstin gently tore away from the healer and left her standing alone. She clasped her claws before her chest as she watched him disappear with the other black clad warriors with wide eyes.
"Be careful..."
-DIE.-
All of the Velkens flinched as they ran down the halls, the message from those horrible beasts broadcast directly into their minds... Turstin was no different. Not again... not again... He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth as he tried to push those words out...
He burst out into the open air with five others. A unit of Velkens were lining up in formation ahead and he rushed to meet them. The blasting wind outside was cold, yet his fur and cloak kept him warm enough. However, there was another sort of coldness in the air. Something that chilled his soul, rather than flesh...
-DIE.-
Turstin lined up with twelve others near the ship's bow, standing at attention with his arms to his side and tail rigid, trying to hide the fear within him. His eyes scanned the cerulean void above, wondering what direction they might be coming from... There were no clouds, so they would be easy to spot at least. He stood some twenty feet from the edge railing, so he could not see below. Nothing but blue was down there anyway. The Drakes always came from above.
"How many?"
Turstin heard the captain's voice behind him and above, despite the wailing winds. At attention, he wasn't allowed to look around, so he could only pivot his ears around as far back as they would go.
There was a pause...
"Three, sir."
Turstin's heart sank. Three. Oh gods...
"North north-west. Four o'clock."
"Prepare canons."
"Prepare right-flank caaaanons~!"
If there were only one, there might be a chance the cannons would be able to take it down. But not three. Not by a long shot... They would overheat, and then it would be up to the warriors...
Then he caught something from the corner of his eye, and could not help but turn his head to the right. Three black specks tore through the sky, growing larger by the second... Tustin could just make out the black wings. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling his nails poke into his skin..
-DIE!-
The side of the ship exploded with flame. Thunderous booms cracked through the air as the cannons opened up in full force, sending burning crimson orbs barreling into the approaching beasts. A black smoke engulfed the silhouettes as the balls of light burst with bright flashes all around their targets. All of the Velkens' ears laid back as a shrill scream filled the air. A hit perhaps? Either that or a war cry...
"Prepare yourselves!"
Turstin's attention snapped to his squad leader. He knew the cannons would only fire twice more before it was his time. Less if the Drakes were faster than normal. He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the world around him as the second round of cannon fire began. He felt his life energy flow, coursing through every stand of fur on his body. He pushed it outwards, summoning all his strength into the spell so necessary to survive in the sky...
Then the final round of cannons exploded.
"Go!"
Turstin's eyes snapped open. The fear was still there, but it was sedated, controlled. There was no more thinking, only doing... He dashed towards the edge of the ship and leapt right off into the open air... The winds accepted him like a rushing river. He could feel the Pull trying to tug him down. But he wasn't low enough for its grip to take hold. Levitation spell flowing around him, he blasted skyward along with his fellows.
The Velken Warrior squinted as he cut through the sky. There was nothing but blue above and below. A cloud of blackness loomed ahead, residue of the explosive spells sent by the cannons. Three sets of burning crimson eyes made themselves visible through the darkness at that moment. All of the Drakes had survived... Turstin drew the blade from his back and held it to his right with one claw.
The Velkens swarmed thorough the air like a cloud of angry bees. Turstin's squad was in the lead, so they would attack the closest Drake first. The big one in the center... That looming shadow grew quickly as he neared, a huge black lizard with horns and scaly wings. It was at least as tall as twenty Velkens from head to tail, and each of its blade-like nails were a match for Turstin's sword in length.
Ignoring the thing's toothy smile, Turstin held out his left claw, channeling flame into his open palm. A glowing crimson orb appeared within, and Turstin could feel the warmth of the magic flow up his arm. Flanking the creature from a safe distance, the Velken shot the fireball with the force of a cannon. Five other orbs were fired at that time, and all bounced off the flying beast's black skin with muted plumes of flame. Of course, it was only a distraction. By then six Velkens had circled completely around the Drake, three of them landing on its back. They desperately jammed their blades into its hide and at the base of its wings, hoping to find that one soft spot...
None succeeded. Turstin gritted his teeth as he watched young Anselm plucked from the beast's back, a claw piercing his abdomen. The thing shook him once before tossing him aside, and the younger warrior fell downwards with a empty look in his eyes as the Pull claimed him. A full minute passed before he plummeted far enough into the mists that he was out of sight.
But Turstin could not afford to watch. The Drake glided his way, snarling with a maw full of fangs. The Velken flew straight up in response. The black beast followed, lashing outwards with its claws as it tried to catch Turstin's dangling tail. Outrunning a Drake was not possible, so Turstin spun around abruptly and slashed his sword at the blades sent his way, sparks flying through the air as the forces clashed. The flying monster overcame the Velken's altitude advantage quickly, and retaliated with a downward swipe from a claw as big as Turstin himself. The warrior blocked the blow with his sword, but the force of impact sent him plummeting downwards uncontrollably.
Turstin's heart skipped a beat when he realized how hard he'd been hit and how fast he was falling. Fly... Fly!! Willing all his essence into the spell, he began a slow upward arc after a moment of free fall. He could feel the pull snatching at his body, trying to yank him down into the void. But no, it was not his time yet. He struggled as he flew, eventually breaking free of the invisible shackles. By that time he was well underneath the battle raging above his head, and he took a moment to catch his breath as he began a wide lazy spiral upwards.
Blast... The ship was nearly directly above. The Drakes had managed to move closer to the flying vessel, despite the efforts of him and his fellow warriors. Turstin stole a quick glance to the other two battles raging on either side the Drake his unit was engaging. All over Velkens dove upon the black winged lizards like insects, stabbing with their tiny swords. Plumes of flame shot back and forth from their claws, sometimes part of coordinated attacks, sometimes haphazard spells cast out of desperation. It was chaos.
Suddenly, someone screamed and Turstin set his eyes and ears upward. A member of his unit had been stuck and was plummeting, much like Turstin himself a moment ago. As luck would have it, the falling warrior was directly in his flight path. Turstin held his arms against his sides and sped forward as quickly as he was able. He missed the injured fighter by mere feet so he arced downward, chasing his comrade as he spiraled. Still clutching his sword in his right claw, Turstin snatched the collar of his fellow Velken in his left, feeling his nails dig into the fabric. Lucian's head snapped up, his eyes full of fear. Yet pain laced through Turstin's injured arm and the cloth tore. Lucian began to fall backwards, his arms flailing.
Without a second thought Turstin discarded his blade and snatched Lucian's claw with his right, yanking his comrade upward. Their descent slowed, the barest hints of the Pull snatching at their ankles. Turstin forlornly watched the sliver of light that was his sword disappear into the mists. By then Lucian recovered to the point that he was able to carry his own weight, and the two soared upwards together.
No words needed to be exchanged, the gratefulness evident in the rescued warrior's eyes. The two nodded at each other then parted ways, Lucian beginning an arc around the Drake's left and Turstin around the right. Though he lost his weapon, Turstin still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
The warrior clasped his claws together and slowly drew them apart, a burning crimson orb materializing between them. The pain in his arm was getting worse, and he found himself thinking how wonderful it would be if Ellyn could heal him again. He shook the thought out of his mind. Why would it matter who did the healing? All of the healers were the same, anyway.
He snapped back into reality just in time to dodge a scaly black tail swiped his way. Blast it. Never daydream. Ever. His course knocked off balance, he let loose the orb of fire into the black lizard's side, the flames exploding outward in a bright orange plume, which apparently did nothing. Luckily two Velkens capitalized on his diversion and slashed at the beast's neck as its head was turned.
Without his sword there was little Turstin could do to injure the monster. However, he was determined to provide as many openings as possible for his fellow warriors. He circled the creature once, formulating his plan of attack, and then began to send forth orb after orb of burning flame. Each time he completed a loop around the Drake, he caught a glimpse of the thing's hateful crimson eyes. They stabbed into his soul with a burning rage, and he could not help but cringe. Yet the Drake's attention was stolen by another Velken's attack every time. So Turstin continued throwing fireball after fireball, striking the monster in the chest, talons, wings, wherever he saw an opening.
This continued for several moments, and the battle raged endlessly. It was a stalemate, with neither side willing to back down.
And then the Drake did something unexpected... As Turstin circled around front, right before he anticipated to lock eyes with the frightening monster once more, the beast threw its head up and screamed. It was not a normal battle cry or a bellow of pain. It was a deafening screech so intense it seemed to ripple the very air in waves. All of the attacks ceased right then and there, and the swarming Velkens were knocked backwards as if they'd been hit by hammers. Turstin folded his ears and clasped his claws over them, curling up to a fetal position as he tried to shut out that horrible, horrible noise. He was only paralyzed for a few seconds after the cry ended, but when he opened his eyes his heart sank.
The Drake had broken free of the cloud of still stammering Velkens and had singled him out amongst all the others. It was so fast... The monster stretched his claw wide, the five nails like swords, and slashed through the tiny warrior.
It didn't hurt. It just felt cold. Very cold. Through blurry eyes, Turstin watched the menacing black form of the Drake get smaller and smaller. His comrades recovered and resumed their attacks, though they were getting too small to see. And then there was the looming ship, which was now just a black smear. Shrinking and shrinking... Weakly he brought his claw to his chest, the warm blood soaking his fur, gushing through his fingers. But even that feeling was growing cold.
Turstin didn't have any regrets as he fell to his death. His only wish was that he could have been more useful. It was his fault he was hit, and only his. Using the last bit of levitative magic left in him, he willed himself to turn over. He wanted to see what was down there. All his life he wondered what was beyond those infinite cerulean mists. At last, he would find out.
He could feel the Pull latch around his arms and legs. Like a chain it pulled him downward, faster and faster. Drowsiness began to overtake him, but he fought it off. He had to see... He just had to...
The Pull seemed to revel in his acceptance. It yanked him greedily downward. The air seemed to thicken, the blue becoming darker, yet still there was nothing but blue. It was so cold... He teetered on the edge of consciousness, but that was one battle he would not loose.
Suddenly he was yanked upwards by his collar.
"Turstin!!"
Ellyn?!
The white robed healer latched onto his robes with both claws, desperately trying to pull him up. No! What are you doing?! Turstin tried to speak as he looked up into her gleaming gray eyes, but all that came out was a muffled moan. The Pull! He had fallen too far! There was no way it would let go, not now!
The healer did not give up. She wrapped her arms around his chest, trying to levitate them both. The two continued to plummet. Ellyn let out a startled gasp when she saw the front of her robes stained red, and tears flowed from her eyes. The Pull gladly accepted the two of them, and they were sucked downward.
Turstin could not stand it. She had doomed herself for his sake. How could she be so stupid? No, it was his fault that she was going to die along with him. Turstin pushed away the comforting drowsiness, shaking away the calls of death for just a few short moments... His claws suddenly grasped her shoulders, and her eyes lit up when she saw life return to his face.
Up! Up! Turstin summoned all of his strength for one final push. He cast the levitation spell as strongly as he could, fighting the chains pulling them down with all his might. Ellyn did the same, her own upward force joining with his. Their descent seemed to slow. Turstin focused on the black dot high above that was their ship. It was so far away... But they had to make it. They had to...
For an agonizing eternity the two struggled against the Pull, each trying to carry the other up. No one had ever returned from flying so low, and Turstin knew it. Their descent continued to slow... Turstin's entire body ached, and he felt he would burn out and die from overexertion. He didn't care. As long as Ellyn made it back... The fall slowed just a little more...
And then that was it.
Both their powers left them entirely. The Pull grabbed them and threw them down so hard the two were nearly torn apart. They had failed. They hugged each other tightly as they plummeted into the blue nothing.
They peered downward, the fierce wind blasting them in their faces. There was nothing but blue in all directions. Would they simply fall forever? Was there anything down there at all? It was an agonizing wait, and Turstin felt weaker and weaker with each passing second. But no, he would see this through with Ellyn. His vision blurred to the point it was difficult to see the healer's face before his. Everything was growing darker. Perhaps it was his growing delirium, but the air below him seemed to turn a different color. A mesh of greens and browns... Then he lost his vision completely and the world went black.
----
The animal stirred, slowly lifting his head. Every inch of his body ached. Confused, he turned to see his mate lying next to him. Foreign sounds filled his ears, and odd scents were everywhere. He sluggishly rose to his feet, clumsily walking on four paws. The ground seemed strange to him, and he scratched at an errant blade of grass. He was surrounded on all sides by tall woody things that blocked out the light. Bewildered, he sat back on his haunches and studied them for a while, his tail kicking up dust as it flicked up and down.
Then as if suddenly coming to a realization, he stepped towards the closest one, a tall cylinder that sprawled upward. Timidly, he tested the bark with his right claw. It held firmly in place. Latching on his other claws, he shimmied up the tree with ease, leaping from branch to branch until he reached the highest one. His mate joined him shortly, and together the two gray foxes regarded the blue sky above.
by Virmir
kendo.virmir at gmail dot com
http://virmir.com
[5-12-2007]
Turstin pressed his nose against the porthole glass, allowing the dull hum of the ship to lull his worries away. During the night he would gaze upward at the stars and wonder what those points of light could possibly be. They only appeared above, never below after all. But during the daytime, Turstin's eyes were usually cast downward. Downward at the infinite cerulean mists. What could be down there? No ship had ever flown so low and returned. Those that attempted were taken by the Pull and lost forever.
He once heard an elder say Velkens came from the depths long ago. They didn't always live in ships. That made sense. Turstin looked at his hands. Claws made for climbing, or so the elder said. But climbing what? The Velken couldn't possibly imagine. Whatever it was, they had reached the top long ago and left it behind, never bothering to look back down.
-Die.-
Huh? Turstin's ears pulled up slightly, as if catching a whisper. Drowsily, he shrugged it off. He didn't quite have the time for a nap now. Pulling his tail from the chair by the window, Turstin stood up and stretched, extending his arms into the air. Immediately he felt the dull pang from under the bandage wound around his left arm. Wincing, he lowered it and inspected the wrap. A faint red was starting to leak through. Blast it, he shouldn't have done that. Now he'd gone and reopened the wound.
Applying a bit of pressure to his arm, the Velken removed his sword from the wall and strapped it to his back before heading out his cabin's door. He only made it a few doors down the hallway before his name was called.
"Turstin!"
Turstin angled his right ear back to better hear claws clicking against the metal as another descended upon him. He didn't bother glancing behind.
"Turstin, what are you doing with that sword? You are to remain in your room!" Ellyn's voice was anything but gentle.
He stopped and flicked his tail once, still facing forward.
"It's my turn to watch the deck. They need me."
Ellyn placed a claw on his right shoulder. She stood a few inches shorter than him, and strands of silver fur hung over her gray eyes.
"But, your wound has not healed. Look, it's gone and reopened."
She scuffled around the front of the warrior and gently lifted his injured left arm. Her black tipped tail swayed in the air as she observed. Turstin flinched at the pain, but allowed the healer to examine it.
"There's not enough men..." he stated plainly, "The wound's minor, so my reprieve has been cut short. I can show you the order if you'd like."
Ellyn sighed and ran her right claw over the folds of the bandage. Turstin felt an eerie comforting warmth flow through his arm, and the throbbing pain lessened.
"You should save that for the ones who need it," Turstin said, finally looking the healer in the eye. Her white robes contrasted with her silvery fur.
She met his gaze for a short moment before turning away. "All of the injured need it."
-Die.-
Both of their ears shot up.
"Did you... hear something?" Ellyn asked timidly, her tail tucking around her legs.
Turstin gritted his teeth, painful realization lacing across his muzzle.
"No... the Drakes..."
"All warriors to the decks! Immediately!!"
A handful of Velkens rushed past the two standing in the hall, their nails madly clicking on the metallic floor as they sped past.
"I have to go."
Turstin gently tore away from the healer and left her standing alone. She clasped her claws before her chest as she watched him disappear with the other black clad warriors with wide eyes.
"Be careful..."
-DIE.-
All of the Velkens flinched as they ran down the halls, the message from those horrible beasts broadcast directly into their minds... Turstin was no different. Not again... not again... He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth as he tried to push those words out...
He burst out into the open air with five others. A unit of Velkens were lining up in formation ahead and he rushed to meet them. The blasting wind outside was cold, yet his fur and cloak kept him warm enough. However, there was another sort of coldness in the air. Something that chilled his soul, rather than flesh...
-DIE.-
Turstin lined up with twelve others near the ship's bow, standing at attention with his arms to his side and tail rigid, trying to hide the fear within him. His eyes scanned the cerulean void above, wondering what direction they might be coming from... There were no clouds, so they would be easy to spot at least. He stood some twenty feet from the edge railing, so he could not see below. Nothing but blue was down there anyway. The Drakes always came from above.
"How many?"
Turstin heard the captain's voice behind him and above, despite the wailing winds. At attention, he wasn't allowed to look around, so he could only pivot his ears around as far back as they would go.
There was a pause...
"Three, sir."
Turstin's heart sank. Three. Oh gods...
"North north-west. Four o'clock."
"Prepare canons."
"Prepare right-flank caaaanons~!"
If there were only one, there might be a chance the cannons would be able to take it down. But not three. Not by a long shot... They would overheat, and then it would be up to the warriors...
Then he caught something from the corner of his eye, and could not help but turn his head to the right. Three black specks tore through the sky, growing larger by the second... Tustin could just make out the black wings. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling his nails poke into his skin..
-DIE!-
The side of the ship exploded with flame. Thunderous booms cracked through the air as the cannons opened up in full force, sending burning crimson orbs barreling into the approaching beasts. A black smoke engulfed the silhouettes as the balls of light burst with bright flashes all around their targets. All of the Velkens' ears laid back as a shrill scream filled the air. A hit perhaps? Either that or a war cry...
"Prepare yourselves!"
Turstin's attention snapped to his squad leader. He knew the cannons would only fire twice more before it was his time. Less if the Drakes were faster than normal. He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the world around him as the second round of cannon fire began. He felt his life energy flow, coursing through every stand of fur on his body. He pushed it outwards, summoning all his strength into the spell so necessary to survive in the sky...
Then the final round of cannons exploded.
"Go!"
Turstin's eyes snapped open. The fear was still there, but it was sedated, controlled. There was no more thinking, only doing... He dashed towards the edge of the ship and leapt right off into the open air... The winds accepted him like a rushing river. He could feel the Pull trying to tug him down. But he wasn't low enough for its grip to take hold. Levitation spell flowing around him, he blasted skyward along with his fellows.
The Velken Warrior squinted as he cut through the sky. There was nothing but blue above and below. A cloud of blackness loomed ahead, residue of the explosive spells sent by the cannons. Three sets of burning crimson eyes made themselves visible through the darkness at that moment. All of the Drakes had survived... Turstin drew the blade from his back and held it to his right with one claw.
The Velkens swarmed thorough the air like a cloud of angry bees. Turstin's squad was in the lead, so they would attack the closest Drake first. The big one in the center... That looming shadow grew quickly as he neared, a huge black lizard with horns and scaly wings. It was at least as tall as twenty Velkens from head to tail, and each of its blade-like nails were a match for Turstin's sword in length.
Ignoring the thing's toothy smile, Turstin held out his left claw, channeling flame into his open palm. A glowing crimson orb appeared within, and Turstin could feel the warmth of the magic flow up his arm. Flanking the creature from a safe distance, the Velken shot the fireball with the force of a cannon. Five other orbs were fired at that time, and all bounced off the flying beast's black skin with muted plumes of flame. Of course, it was only a distraction. By then six Velkens had circled completely around the Drake, three of them landing on its back. They desperately jammed their blades into its hide and at the base of its wings, hoping to find that one soft spot...
None succeeded. Turstin gritted his teeth as he watched young Anselm plucked from the beast's back, a claw piercing his abdomen. The thing shook him once before tossing him aside, and the younger warrior fell downwards with a empty look in his eyes as the Pull claimed him. A full minute passed before he plummeted far enough into the mists that he was out of sight.
But Turstin could not afford to watch. The Drake glided his way, snarling with a maw full of fangs. The Velken flew straight up in response. The black beast followed, lashing outwards with its claws as it tried to catch Turstin's dangling tail. Outrunning a Drake was not possible, so Turstin spun around abruptly and slashed his sword at the blades sent his way, sparks flying through the air as the forces clashed. The flying monster overcame the Velken's altitude advantage quickly, and retaliated with a downward swipe from a claw as big as Turstin himself. The warrior blocked the blow with his sword, but the force of impact sent him plummeting downwards uncontrollably.
Turstin's heart skipped a beat when he realized how hard he'd been hit and how fast he was falling. Fly... Fly!! Willing all his essence into the spell, he began a slow upward arc after a moment of free fall. He could feel the pull snatching at his body, trying to yank him down into the void. But no, it was not his time yet. He struggled as he flew, eventually breaking free of the invisible shackles. By that time he was well underneath the battle raging above his head, and he took a moment to catch his breath as he began a wide lazy spiral upwards.
Blast... The ship was nearly directly above. The Drakes had managed to move closer to the flying vessel, despite the efforts of him and his fellow warriors. Turstin stole a quick glance to the other two battles raging on either side the Drake his unit was engaging. All over Velkens dove upon the black winged lizards like insects, stabbing with their tiny swords. Plumes of flame shot back and forth from their claws, sometimes part of coordinated attacks, sometimes haphazard spells cast out of desperation. It was chaos.
Suddenly, someone screamed and Turstin set his eyes and ears upward. A member of his unit had been stuck and was plummeting, much like Turstin himself a moment ago. As luck would have it, the falling warrior was directly in his flight path. Turstin held his arms against his sides and sped forward as quickly as he was able. He missed the injured fighter by mere feet so he arced downward, chasing his comrade as he spiraled. Still clutching his sword in his right claw, Turstin snatched the collar of his fellow Velken in his left, feeling his nails dig into the fabric. Lucian's head snapped up, his eyes full of fear. Yet pain laced through Turstin's injured arm and the cloth tore. Lucian began to fall backwards, his arms flailing.
Without a second thought Turstin discarded his blade and snatched Lucian's claw with his right, yanking his comrade upward. Their descent slowed, the barest hints of the Pull snatching at their ankles. Turstin forlornly watched the sliver of light that was his sword disappear into the mists. By then Lucian recovered to the point that he was able to carry his own weight, and the two soared upwards together.
No words needed to be exchanged, the gratefulness evident in the rescued warrior's eyes. The two nodded at each other then parted ways, Lucian beginning an arc around the Drake's left and Turstin around the right. Though he lost his weapon, Turstin still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
The warrior clasped his claws together and slowly drew them apart, a burning crimson orb materializing between them. The pain in his arm was getting worse, and he found himself thinking how wonderful it would be if Ellyn could heal him again. He shook the thought out of his mind. Why would it matter who did the healing? All of the healers were the same, anyway.
He snapped back into reality just in time to dodge a scaly black tail swiped his way. Blast it. Never daydream. Ever. His course knocked off balance, he let loose the orb of fire into the black lizard's side, the flames exploding outward in a bright orange plume, which apparently did nothing. Luckily two Velkens capitalized on his diversion and slashed at the beast's neck as its head was turned.
Without his sword there was little Turstin could do to injure the monster. However, he was determined to provide as many openings as possible for his fellow warriors. He circled the creature once, formulating his plan of attack, and then began to send forth orb after orb of burning flame. Each time he completed a loop around the Drake, he caught a glimpse of the thing's hateful crimson eyes. They stabbed into his soul with a burning rage, and he could not help but cringe. Yet the Drake's attention was stolen by another Velken's attack every time. So Turstin continued throwing fireball after fireball, striking the monster in the chest, talons, wings, wherever he saw an opening.
This continued for several moments, and the battle raged endlessly. It was a stalemate, with neither side willing to back down.
And then the Drake did something unexpected... As Turstin circled around front, right before he anticipated to lock eyes with the frightening monster once more, the beast threw its head up and screamed. It was not a normal battle cry or a bellow of pain. It was a deafening screech so intense it seemed to ripple the very air in waves. All of the attacks ceased right then and there, and the swarming Velkens were knocked backwards as if they'd been hit by hammers. Turstin folded his ears and clasped his claws over them, curling up to a fetal position as he tried to shut out that horrible, horrible noise. He was only paralyzed for a few seconds after the cry ended, but when he opened his eyes his heart sank.
The Drake had broken free of the cloud of still stammering Velkens and had singled him out amongst all the others. It was so fast... The monster stretched his claw wide, the five nails like swords, and slashed through the tiny warrior.
It didn't hurt. It just felt cold. Very cold. Through blurry eyes, Turstin watched the menacing black form of the Drake get smaller and smaller. His comrades recovered and resumed their attacks, though they were getting too small to see. And then there was the looming ship, which was now just a black smear. Shrinking and shrinking... Weakly he brought his claw to his chest, the warm blood soaking his fur, gushing through his fingers. But even that feeling was growing cold.
Turstin didn't have any regrets as he fell to his death. His only wish was that he could have been more useful. It was his fault he was hit, and only his. Using the last bit of levitative magic left in him, he willed himself to turn over. He wanted to see what was down there. All his life he wondered what was beyond those infinite cerulean mists. At last, he would find out.
He could feel the Pull latch around his arms and legs. Like a chain it pulled him downward, faster and faster. Drowsiness began to overtake him, but he fought it off. He had to see... He just had to...
The Pull seemed to revel in his acceptance. It yanked him greedily downward. The air seemed to thicken, the blue becoming darker, yet still there was nothing but blue. It was so cold... He teetered on the edge of consciousness, but that was one battle he would not loose.
Suddenly he was yanked upwards by his collar.
"Turstin!!"
Ellyn?!
The white robed healer latched onto his robes with both claws, desperately trying to pull him up. No! What are you doing?! Turstin tried to speak as he looked up into her gleaming gray eyes, but all that came out was a muffled moan. The Pull! He had fallen too far! There was no way it would let go, not now!
The healer did not give up. She wrapped her arms around his chest, trying to levitate them both. The two continued to plummet. Ellyn let out a startled gasp when she saw the front of her robes stained red, and tears flowed from her eyes. The Pull gladly accepted the two of them, and they were sucked downward.
Turstin could not stand it. She had doomed herself for his sake. How could she be so stupid? No, it was his fault that she was going to die along with him. Turstin pushed away the comforting drowsiness, shaking away the calls of death for just a few short moments... His claws suddenly grasped her shoulders, and her eyes lit up when she saw life return to his face.
Up! Up! Turstin summoned all of his strength for one final push. He cast the levitation spell as strongly as he could, fighting the chains pulling them down with all his might. Ellyn did the same, her own upward force joining with his. Their descent seemed to slow. Turstin focused on the black dot high above that was their ship. It was so far away... But they had to make it. They had to...
For an agonizing eternity the two struggled against the Pull, each trying to carry the other up. No one had ever returned from flying so low, and Turstin knew it. Their descent continued to slow... Turstin's entire body ached, and he felt he would burn out and die from overexertion. He didn't care. As long as Ellyn made it back... The fall slowed just a little more...
And then that was it.
Both their powers left them entirely. The Pull grabbed them and threw them down so hard the two were nearly torn apart. They had failed. They hugged each other tightly as they plummeted into the blue nothing.
They peered downward, the fierce wind blasting them in their faces. There was nothing but blue in all directions. Would they simply fall forever? Was there anything down there at all? It was an agonizing wait, and Turstin felt weaker and weaker with each passing second. But no, he would see this through with Ellyn. His vision blurred to the point it was difficult to see the healer's face before his. Everything was growing darker. Perhaps it was his growing delirium, but the air below him seemed to turn a different color. A mesh of greens and browns... Then he lost his vision completely and the world went black.
----
The animal stirred, slowly lifting his head. Every inch of his body ached. Confused, he turned to see his mate lying next to him. Foreign sounds filled his ears, and odd scents were everywhere. He sluggishly rose to his feet, clumsily walking on four paws. The ground seemed strange to him, and he scratched at an errant blade of grass. He was surrounded on all sides by tall woody things that blocked out the light. Bewildered, he sat back on his haunches and studied them for a while, his tail kicking up dust as it flicked up and down.
Then as if suddenly coming to a realization, he stepped towards the closest one, a tall cylinder that sprawled upward. Timidly, he tested the bark with his right claw. It held firmly in place. Latching on his other claws, he shimmied up the tree with ease, leaping from branch to branch until he reached the highest one. His mate joined him shortly, and together the two gray foxes regarded the blue sky above.
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