dusk (vedette)
Every jagged tooth of the increasingly narrow cavern was a reminder. Koe did not feel he needed those reminders, but they were there all the same, pushing and testing his will. The idea of transforming into a dragon in this cave system was entirely out of the question. Even so small as he was, he would either collapse the delicate network of caves or he would impale himself on the stalactite he did not see. Either would do to end his journey in this world. Magic was a strong thing, and if there were no dragons down here - entirely likely - then there would be no need to transform himself into one. At least, he hoped there would be no need. If there was a need, he would probably find himself dying on gray rock for a vampire's oddly personal battle.
Well, there were worse reasons to die.
Nothing had been said since they'd started this journey into the deep. If Horon had something to say, he was doing a good job of hiding it. Add to that the fact that neither he nor Iluq knew precisely what to say to make this situation better - to make it right - and the silence had lease. There were no pots and pans here, no instruments of life save the instruments that Koe carried on his belt. Or instrument, he should have said. Only the ocarina would be needed here. And he did not want to run out of the space he needed to work because he'd been greedy in his choice of instrument. There was no reason to think he would have more space than that which he had now, if it came to a fight. Prepared. He was prepared to fight.
Koe was yet uncertain if he was prepared to die.
Horon's mastery of the tunnels was on full display, now he'd discarded his armor. There was no need for it in the bowels of the earth, growing warmer with each passing second. He was the only one among them who did not sweat. And he was the only one among them who did not seem to need rest, or anything approaching rest. There were questions he had not for Horon, but for a vampire. What did it feel like to gaze up at the sun, giver for most creatures of life, and know that it could destroy you utterly? And yet he was so human in his values. My two sons, he'd said. Kill her. The ultimate price was set to be paied, and the only thing that kept Koe from questioning his motives was the pain in his eyes. Pain that he'd never expected to see on the face of the living dead.
There were a thousand tales of life among them. Of the contrast and commonalities between dragon and vampire. One represented the height of life, the other of death and fate. There was no avoiding the immense power of either; but what was power without the will to use it? Horon seemed to decline to use even the most basic of vampiric advantages. And he had access still to the magic of the dragons, which had been given him in another life. Did he regret his choice? How could he not? That song was becoming clearer and clearer all the time. A whisper of flute, passionate and ebullient at first. Slowly growing slower and slower, more akin to the dirge of brass, but played by the same soul - played on the same flute. He did not think Horon would appreciate having a song for his trials.
"We're nearly there," Horon said.
"You are there," a voice called out.
It was then that Koe realized. No rough stone prodding at his legs. No hiss of leather on rock as he slid through another narrow passageway. They were in a great belly of the earth, cavern unfolding all around them. Water bubbled through in streams he could not have imagined seeing before or since. And the moss, cool to the touch in this otherwise hot place, felt welcome. It reminded him that there were green things upon the face of this world, and even beneath it. Something he did not realize he'd forgotten until his fingers brushed the surface of it. Yet he could not see the edges of this cavern, any more than he could see the way clear to go home.
"Show yourself!" Horon bellowed.
"You will not name me," the voice answered. "You will not name me, Horon?"