Reverse Entropy: Chapter03

Preparations and Confrontations

Author Note: Gasp; have I actually finished another chapter? After what? 4 or 5 months? Productive aren’t I?

< Damn it, he’s following me, must assume that I’m going straight to the meeting place. Oh well. It’s not like he can follow me into the Rookery after all he can’t fly. > Klyznix came to a halt on a low ledge, it was empty but for a pile of rubble against the sloping wall of the cavern. “You’ll have to wait here if you want to follow me. There is no way for groundlings to get up.” Justrad nodded from his place three paces behind her. Klyznix jumped, launching herself into the air, her wide beating wings stirring dust into small cyclones as Justrad stood unflinching below her.

Up she rose into the air, swooping close to the wall she slapped a loose chain hanging from an opening overhead with the end of her tail. A rusty clanking sound was heard from a small head-sized opening in the cliff face. Golden eyes, nearly the same as Klyznix’s but much smaller and crueler appeared. They widened and a screech of recognition was heard along with a loud metal grating sound. Klyznix winced in pain at the noise and the greeting as an inset bronze door rose upwards.

From the dark a jabbering series of squeaks welcomed her into the place that she should have called home. “You’re back early. What did you bring me? Why are you here? You’re being punished aren’t you?” The fell elder inquired maliciously. The elder’s skin had faded to a dull brown, and her eyes had become glassy while retaining their viciousness.

“I will only be here a moment Katnak,” Klyznix said plaintively as she bowed her head and landed on the scored rough floor of the cave. She folded her wings and hunched herself smaller, attempting to appease and make a smaller target. Looking up she saw Katnak sneer at her, “You are a nothing, a disgrace to the clan, and you will pay for your insolence and disregard. No matter how useful you are to the Worms, they care nothing for you and will reward another just as well.” Katnak’s fangs were bared and Klyznix, realizing that a fight was inevitable, launched herself forward down the passage to the echoing cavern at the end. Katnak screeched and yowled in frustrated rage behind her. < There is no way she can catch me, she is too weak to follow me in the air, and not agile enough to pursue me into my burrow. I hope she will assume that I will be more vulnerable at later, and not lie in wait at the entrance. >

With a poof of air she emerged. Tunnels, small ones, large ones, ledges, all the size of the reach of a human child or smaller gnawed into and clung to the sides of the medium cavern. Torches and braziers lit it; they hung from the ceiling and walls providing a low yellowish ambient light. The bottom of the cave was filled with an oozing fuzzy liquid that steamed and created patched of foul fog in places. The ooze looked like a cross between a peat bog and an open septic pit. Most of the tunnels were high in the walls, away from the creeping death at the bottom, the higher the tunnel the better. Those tunnels were burrow entrances, tiny mazes with roosting rooms feeding areas and of course hiding places. A few fledglings flapped about the empty cave, screaming and fighting amongst them selves. The adults hid in their roosts sleeping, coming out only to find food or at the command of someone higher on the food chain.

Klyznix swooped low, her wings nearly touching the water, stirring the fog-like fumes. She was aiming for a tunnel low on the wall on the left hand side of the cave. It was distinctive for two reasons. The first was its proximity to the trickle of fresh water dribbling down the walls, perhaps the only open source of fresh water in a 50-mile radius. The second was that it was the lowest, and closest to the muck. Flipping her tail forward she first flared her wings then pulled them close, skimming over the murk feet first and shooting into the passage.

With a thump she landed on her rear on the dusty floor and slid past the small opening and into the open chamber beyond. Klyznix felt outwards in the darkness, usually she would have lit the rush torch in the bucket of sand by the wall, but with freedom this close instead she reached beyond the trap laden wall hangings for the ancient wand she had found. Carefully drawing the wand from it’s ledge she took a deep breath, smiled and with a wave and a few words created a fist sized globe of light. Standing she squared her shoulders and set off down the passage towards her personal roost.

< I’ll just grab my books and inks, the scrolls, and my fighting leathers. The dimension pocket should do as a trunk. Then I’ll be out of this hellhole. >

            < What’s taking her so long? Monianor is going to provide every thing that we need. Even things that we don’t need, if he hasn’t forgotten what he wanted us to do given his mental stability. > Justrad turned looking back along the path that he and Klyznix had come along. Noise came echoing down from above, turning slightly he looked upwards at the still open portal and listened to the noises coming from within. Several voices could be heard, growls of offended rage and strident squawks. Foremost among them was the voice of the one who had accosted Klyznix when she had first entered. < Sounds like a mob is forming. Apparently she isn’t well liked among her own kind. This could be a problem. > He turned back to examine the opening. It was perhaps 30 feet above the platform on which he stood, more than 60 feet above the upper slopes of the floor of the cavern. His gaze lowered to examine the rough wall, and the rubble beneath the opening thoughtfully. < I wonder. >

            Klyznix tied the dimensional pocket containing her belongings about her waist then shifted it around so that it rested above the base of her tail and far enough below the ridges of muscle that supported her wings that it wouldn’t get in the way. Grabbing an empty leather scroll case she looked regretfully at the wand lying on top of her nest of rags. With a sigh she picked it up and stuffed it in the scroll case. Looking around she nodded to herself. All of her meager belongings were gone. There was nothing left.

            Her eyes trailed over the dismal sandy hole. The lack of furniture and the sheer number of wall hangings were distinctive to say the least. The hangings were all dull brown and served only to muffle, insulate and hide the cold sandstone and traps beneath. All of the bright hangings of her childhood memories had been traded for necessities, or given away as bribes in the hopes that they would prevent those more powerful than her from attacking. That attempt failed, they only left her alone when they understood that she had nothing left to give. Even the traps, her only defense while sleeping, behind the hangings were primitive and nearly worthless, inherited from whatever damned soul had lived in this murky lower cave last.           

The globe of light seemed alien and it’s light seemed only a pallid glow in the small roosting cavern. Klyznix moved away from the bed/nest and started down the sloping passageway. Emerging into across corridor she entered the maze like set of passages designed to foil intruders. The tunnels intertwined about each other like a Gordian knot made of stone, not only did the tunnels split they also went up and down, sometimes crossing over other passages, missing others by mere inches. In some places tiny murder and peepholes were bored into the walls behind curtains. Sure of her path, and the absence of any threatening life Klyznix traveled downwards, then up, left, then right and so on towards the exit to the main clan cavern. The light globe traveled at her shoulder struggling to keep the darkness at bay. Entering into another anteroom with a series of connected doors she could hear the trickle of water from the falls outside, and the distant murmur of fell voices. Pausing she picked up a reed and rag torch from the side table and lit it with a flint from her belt pouch. Waving her hand she canceled her light spell and headed towards the exit with only the flickering red light of the reeds to guide her.

Emerging into the long runway that led to the exit opening she dashed the reeds out against the roof of the cave, and in the darkness dropped it off to the side of the hall. Crouching she readied herself, and then ran as fast as she could towards the light of the clan cavern. Nearing the lip of the tunnel she jumped as high as she could and flared her wings, transferring running speed to flight and upwards on the thermals generated by the lake. < I’m free. Out of that rat hole at last, and soon, soon, out of here for good. Once I’m out of the clan area none will think to stop me from leaving, or have the authority to do so! > Beating heavily she reached the peak of her flight, and began to glide downwards towards the Clan Gate. < Soon. > Landing on the scarred deck leading to the gate into the main cavern she was already moving into the Gate rooms before her feet touched ground. Walking fast, almost running, around a double corner she was into the middle of the guardroom, and the waiting mob of her peers, before she could stop. Freezing she clutched at the scroll case containing her wand, bringing the case up in front of her like a shield.

“Well, well, where are you going so fast Klyznix of the lowest cave of the Clan of Kra’nokoth?” Katnak asked acidly. “Are you perhaps running from your duty to your Overlords? Or more importantly your clan? Explain and abase yourself scum, or find yourself caveless and wingless.”

“I am on a… a uh, task for his lordship Monianor. I must hurry, or he will be displeased with the clan and myself.”

“I know of no Lord Monianor, and you carry no proof. You will face clan punishment for your disobedience.” Katnak smiled as the crowd of indifferent fell closed in upon the terrified Klyznix, “I’ve been waiting this day for a long time brat, and there’s no one here to shield you this time.”