Ruined
Explorer
Tréan - 5th of Enkilot, yr. 150 A.V.
Tréan’s attention quickly returned to the hippogriff standing before them. She despaired for Mitran, but being killed by this enemy would serve him no good purpose. She lowered her spear, jabbing as the creature’s talons arced forward. As she did this, Helena stepped to the other side of the creature. The creature could sense its predicament, moving it’s eagle-like head back and forth between the two women.
The hippogriff launched itself towards Tréan, scoring her arm with one of its sharp talons. She grunted and stepped back, her spear plunging into the beast’s wing. The hippogriff cried out from her assault, and once again from Helena, whose silvered spear had punctured the creature’s breast. Both women withdrew from the hippogriff to ready a new attack, but the beast collapsed, its breath ragged and labored. Tréan considered ending its existence, but foremost in her mind was Mitran.
Scouring the horizon, she and Helena spotted the shape of what they hoped to be Mitran and the hippogriff descending onto a high section of rocks. She looked at Helena, whose face was still smeared with blood from the earlier assault.
"Can you travel?" she asked. Helena gave a solemn nod, wiping her face with her hand.
The two quickly gathered their two horses and prepared to ride. They considered leaving Mitran’s horse behind to save time, but the animal looked ready to bolt from the wounded hippogriff at any time. They tethered the horse behind them and soon were off to where they had last seen the shape in the sky.
They dismounted at the base of a large hill. It reminded Tréan more of gigantic boulders dropped from the sky than actual mountains. Knowing that the titans had freely roamed the land merely one hundred and fifty years before, this was all too possible. Thoughts of such primordial power caused her to shudder. Helena seemed to have similar thoughts.
"Hippogriffs. Creatures wrought by Golthagga, the Shaper."
It felt blasphemous to even speak the names of the Titans. They were all sundered and imprisoned by the Gods, yet they could not be slain. This left that small, nagging fear that one day one would awaken and return, and the destruction would be wrought anew.
The two women scanned the top of the hill, but they saw no signs of the beast or their companion. After Helena invoked a blessing of Madriel, they began to ascend the rocks slow and cautiously. Tréan could feel the urgency to save Mitran, but the last thing she wanted was to alert the remaining hippogriff and have it harry them while they were climbing in armor. That was a sure path to death. Soon enough the two clerics of Madriel clambered over the flattened top of the rock and spotted their quarry.
About twenty yards across the rock rested a makeshift nest large enough for the two hippogriffs. Tréan caught her breath when she saw Mitran’s boots extending out of the top of the nest. Watching over the nest was the remaining hippogriff, which spotted the two females and issued a warning cry. Tréan and Helena were quick to action, launching smaller javelins at the beast. One struck the beast, but the others clattered against rocks as it soared into the air.
"I’ll go for Mitran!" Helena said as she ran across the stone.
Tréan studied the hippogriff as it spiralled and dove at her. She braced her spear against the rock beneath her, but the speed of the beast’s attack was too quick. The bulk of the beast crashed into her, sending her sliding back towards the edge. She scrambled to keep from falling off, scraping her hands in the process. The bird dove for her again, and she rolled away just in time. Fortune favored her spear this time, and she pierced the neck of the creature. She kept hold of the spear as the beast wrenched itself free and watched it plummet to the ground below.
Tréan rose to her feet and quickly moved over to Helena and Mitran. Helena held his head in her lap, but Tréan noted that he was breathing, resting in a deep sleep. Helena had no doubt used the gifts of Madriel to heal him, foregoing her own wounds. The trio remained silent as they rested atop the fallen boulders.
* * *
Much of the remaining travel went without problem. True to Helena’s plan, they had not stopped at any of the major cities while within Lageni’s borders. A small village named Dandsburg was their only break from travel until Calastia. They had only intended to stay for a few hours, but a problematic childbirth begged their assistance. Tréan smiled at Mitran’s discomfort through the ordeal; he still had much to learn about the ways of Madriel.
A few days beyond had taken them from the lands of Lageni and into the Calastian city of Pahrae. Helena had gone to trade the horses for fresh mounts, allowing the other two to wander the city. Mitran had wandered and taken a particular interest in the military academies that resided in Pahrae. Tréan spent much of her time at the markets, looking at the wares offered by this new city. Soon enough, the horses were handled and they were on their way on the path to Zathiske.
As they crossed the heartland of the Calastian Hegemony, they were occasionally stopped by military patrols. They seemed interested in their actions, but begrudgingly allowed them passage once apparent that they were an envoy of Madriel. They crossed the border into Ankila and approached the walled city of Sussephra. The name of the city rang in Tréan’s mind. She had heard it between Helena and Maester Tairgral, but had not recalled it to be a city. Now as they approached, she wondered if there was any significance to it.
"We’ll be visiting the temple here," Helena remarked as they ventured into the city. Sussephra was well cared for, with sturdy cobbled streets and clear fountains resting between ancient buildings. They rode towards the heart of the city. Tréan didn’t know of an established temple of Madriel within Ankila. She soon realized her mistake when she saw them approach a columned building bearing the symbols of Hedrada, the Lawgiver. She was confused, but kept her silence.
They were greeted by an acolyte of temple nearly the age of Mitran. After a small exchange, he left to retrieve one of the temple elders. Within minutes, an older man who had long since lost any hair walked forwards to meet with them. He was clothed in very simple robes, but Tréan noted that the staff he walked with had a balanced set of scales at its top.
"Good fortunes to the favored of Madriel. I am Judge Underwood." He waited for Helena and Tréan to introduce themselves, but his attentions were fixed upon their companion.
"And you must be young master Mitran. Good fortunes to you. We have anticipated your arrival."
Tréan’s attention quickly returned to the hippogriff standing before them. She despaired for Mitran, but being killed by this enemy would serve him no good purpose. She lowered her spear, jabbing as the creature’s talons arced forward. As she did this, Helena stepped to the other side of the creature. The creature could sense its predicament, moving it’s eagle-like head back and forth between the two women.
The hippogriff launched itself towards Tréan, scoring her arm with one of its sharp talons. She grunted and stepped back, her spear plunging into the beast’s wing. The hippogriff cried out from her assault, and once again from Helena, whose silvered spear had punctured the creature’s breast. Both women withdrew from the hippogriff to ready a new attack, but the beast collapsed, its breath ragged and labored. Tréan considered ending its existence, but foremost in her mind was Mitran.
Scouring the horizon, she and Helena spotted the shape of what they hoped to be Mitran and the hippogriff descending onto a high section of rocks. She looked at Helena, whose face was still smeared with blood from the earlier assault.
"Can you travel?" she asked. Helena gave a solemn nod, wiping her face with her hand.
The two quickly gathered their two horses and prepared to ride. They considered leaving Mitran’s horse behind to save time, but the animal looked ready to bolt from the wounded hippogriff at any time. They tethered the horse behind them and soon were off to where they had last seen the shape in the sky.
They dismounted at the base of a large hill. It reminded Tréan more of gigantic boulders dropped from the sky than actual mountains. Knowing that the titans had freely roamed the land merely one hundred and fifty years before, this was all too possible. Thoughts of such primordial power caused her to shudder. Helena seemed to have similar thoughts.
"Hippogriffs. Creatures wrought by Golthagga, the Shaper."
It felt blasphemous to even speak the names of the Titans. They were all sundered and imprisoned by the Gods, yet they could not be slain. This left that small, nagging fear that one day one would awaken and return, and the destruction would be wrought anew.
The two women scanned the top of the hill, but they saw no signs of the beast or their companion. After Helena invoked a blessing of Madriel, they began to ascend the rocks slow and cautiously. Tréan could feel the urgency to save Mitran, but the last thing she wanted was to alert the remaining hippogriff and have it harry them while they were climbing in armor. That was a sure path to death. Soon enough the two clerics of Madriel clambered over the flattened top of the rock and spotted their quarry.
About twenty yards across the rock rested a makeshift nest large enough for the two hippogriffs. Tréan caught her breath when she saw Mitran’s boots extending out of the top of the nest. Watching over the nest was the remaining hippogriff, which spotted the two females and issued a warning cry. Tréan and Helena were quick to action, launching smaller javelins at the beast. One struck the beast, but the others clattered against rocks as it soared into the air.
"I’ll go for Mitran!" Helena said as she ran across the stone.
Tréan studied the hippogriff as it spiralled and dove at her. She braced her spear against the rock beneath her, but the speed of the beast’s attack was too quick. The bulk of the beast crashed into her, sending her sliding back towards the edge. She scrambled to keep from falling off, scraping her hands in the process. The bird dove for her again, and she rolled away just in time. Fortune favored her spear this time, and she pierced the neck of the creature. She kept hold of the spear as the beast wrenched itself free and watched it plummet to the ground below.
Tréan rose to her feet and quickly moved over to Helena and Mitran. Helena held his head in her lap, but Tréan noted that he was breathing, resting in a deep sleep. Helena had no doubt used the gifts of Madriel to heal him, foregoing her own wounds. The trio remained silent as they rested atop the fallen boulders.
* * *
Much of the remaining travel went without problem. True to Helena’s plan, they had not stopped at any of the major cities while within Lageni’s borders. A small village named Dandsburg was their only break from travel until Calastia. They had only intended to stay for a few hours, but a problematic childbirth begged their assistance. Tréan smiled at Mitran’s discomfort through the ordeal; he still had much to learn about the ways of Madriel.
A few days beyond had taken them from the lands of Lageni and into the Calastian city of Pahrae. Helena had gone to trade the horses for fresh mounts, allowing the other two to wander the city. Mitran had wandered and taken a particular interest in the military academies that resided in Pahrae. Tréan spent much of her time at the markets, looking at the wares offered by this new city. Soon enough, the horses were handled and they were on their way on the path to Zathiske.
As they crossed the heartland of the Calastian Hegemony, they were occasionally stopped by military patrols. They seemed interested in their actions, but begrudgingly allowed them passage once apparent that they were an envoy of Madriel. They crossed the border into Ankila and approached the walled city of Sussephra. The name of the city rang in Tréan’s mind. She had heard it between Helena and Maester Tairgral, but had not recalled it to be a city. Now as they approached, she wondered if there was any significance to it.
"We’ll be visiting the temple here," Helena remarked as they ventured into the city. Sussephra was well cared for, with sturdy cobbled streets and clear fountains resting between ancient buildings. They rode towards the heart of the city. Tréan didn’t know of an established temple of Madriel within Ankila. She soon realized her mistake when she saw them approach a columned building bearing the symbols of Hedrada, the Lawgiver. She was confused, but kept her silence.
They were greeted by an acolyte of temple nearly the age of Mitran. After a small exchange, he left to retrieve one of the temple elders. Within minutes, an older man who had long since lost any hair walked forwards to meet with them. He was clothed in very simple robes, but Tréan noted that the staff he walked with had a balanced set of scales at its top.
"Good fortunes to the favored of Madriel. I am Judge Underwood." He waited for Helena and Tréan to introduce themselves, but his attentions were fixed upon their companion.
"And you must be young master Mitran. Good fortunes to you. We have anticipated your arrival."
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Definately high quality work.
