Six Pillar's Oath

Chapter 4 & 5

Chapter 4- Tern

Tern’s nails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists. He wanted the pain. Needed it to stop this nightmare. The ash which fell around him. The stench that filled his nose. Burning, wood and … more. The heat of the ground against the sharp cold breeze. Tears traced spiderwebs across his sooty cheeks. The silence. It was too hellish to be real.

Tern’s breath started to crystallise in the air, light was fading and the heat was finally leaving the ground. Finally a deep breath of cold air spiked pain in his lungs and the haze broke. This was real. He was alive, and he was the only one. The rest of Kwepper was gone, no ruins stood, no bones to be buried. Just Tern and a circle of ash a mile wide.

The silence broke.

“What happened here laddie?... Good gods, you’re naked. Here wrap yourself in this.”

Tern felt a scratchy heavy material lie across his shoulders and back, without thinking he wrapped it round himself. He could not bring himself to look at the speaker. Their voice was soft, it had an aged quality, and was stern but not reproachful, just like his grandfather’s had been. No matter the words spoken it always meant “I know what’s best, whether you like it or not.”

Hands guided Tern out of the ashen wastes, his bare feet shuffled through the remains of his home. Occasional remnants of stone scratching his feet. The comforting voice spoke.

“Don’t worry laddie, I’ll be keeping you safe.” But all Tern could hear was the unanswered question.

“What happened here laddie?”

In truth he didn’t know, last he recalled was heading to the market for some bread, but from the darkest recesses of his mind a growl came. You did.

Chapter 5 - Lila

It was easy to fall into a rhythm in Hopsley, one of the few places Lila had ever felt at home. There was a time when it had been home, she and the others had spent six months laughing, brewing, working the land and watching the stars at night. The simple life had been good, but none of them were made for staying still and peace never lasted in those days. Now Lila roamed alone, she’d forgotten what it was like to spend so much time with another person, at times it was a comfort, not to be alone. However Daisy did not do quiet and she was intent on making the most of her two weeks.

Daisy never stopped asking questions or making commentary, she also took notes and insisted on trying things out herself. She was a good student, Lila couldn’t deny that. By the end of the first week she could do sutures unsupervised and had been great help delivering the baker’s twins. She even held back throwing up when one of them came breach. Lila could see Daisy becoming the strong healing woman Hopsley needed, a sharp wit, immune to nonsense and not to be dismissed. Being from village stock would make her welcome, and protect her from some of the problems some healers face. Lila had to just teach her to become a little more discrete.

They had been chatting away as they worked along the hedgerows of the field, collecting berries, mushrooms and herbs. It was nearing the end of Lila’s two weeks and she wanted to take some time teaching Daisy what natural remedies were at her fingertips.

“I really have learned a lot watchin’ you, and I’m not ungrateful, but I know there is so much more you could teach me. I’m not really expectin’ you to stay here. I was thinkin’…”

“Daisy” Lila finally managed to get a word in “While I am happy to be leaving Hopsley in your very capable hands we need to talk about the… well about the talking.” Lila tried to be careful, the girl had taken everything she said to heart and did not do well with criticism.

“I know not everyone likes to listen to me ramble on about this and that. I do try. I just can’t stand the silence.” Daisy moaned.

“I understand that, and by all means ramble, but be careful what you ramble. As healers we become privy to some very sensitive matters and you cannot accidentally share them all over the place.” Lila tried to explain.

“Well everyone knows everything round here, I’m not sure there is anything that is privy.”

Lila took a deep breath and tried again. “You recall how young Mrs Whistle came by with that rather personal rash? And we gave her a mix of cammine flower and layel weed?”

“Yes.

“And then a few days later Mrs Mason came by and we also gave her the same concoction and she asked it she could have an extra for her husband who had the same rash?” Lila pressed hoping that a girl smart in so many practical matters would have a bit more common sense.

“Yes?”

“Well you so helpfully suggested that she speak to Mrs Whistle about it if she required any more. And then the next day we had to bandage up both Mr Whistle and Mr Mason? You didn’t think there was any connection there?”

“Wait, what? I Didn’t did I? But that rash was… I can’t believe I… I didn’t think” Daisy turned white as a snow. “Well I am also disappointed in Mrs Whistle and Mr Mason… I see what you mean. If I want to be like you I am going to have try and hold my tongue a little aren’t I?” Daisy hung her head low to her chest.

“Yes you are dear. Whilst your ability to fill silence is very charming perhaps you could do with learning to appreciate the small sounds like the birds singing on an autumn morning.” Lila waved her hand around at the nearby trees where birdsong serenaded them.

Daisy looked up and listened, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Just the slightest cloud of cold escaped from her mouth. Lila listened too, they stood for a moment taking it in.

“Lila… The birds have stopped.” Daisy tugged on Lila’s sleeve.

Lila looked around the birds had stopped, everything had. A shiver went down Lila’s spine, instinctively she reached for the small knife on her belt.

“Ah well, back to what I was saying earlier, I was hoping that..” Daisy happily began chatting away again.

“Daisy shut up.” Lila snapped whipping around just in time to see the light of sudden flames rise in the fields. “Take my healing bag, crouch low, hide. When I call, only when I call come running. Stay Hidden!” Lila spoke quickly and firm before she took off running through the wheat.

Instinct took over, blood pumped in her ears as Lila ran towards the sounds of men screaming and the plumes of smoke from burning wheat. Lila’s mind raced to prepare as she ran. Wolves? No fire. Bandits? They wouldn’t attack in the day.

A roar shook the ground and made Lila’s bones tremble as it broke the air. Another flash of flames followed and Lila finally broke into the clearing.

The monstrous beast before her was an impossibility, they had been hunted, contained by the knights. A chimera. A lion, then goat, then snake head loomed over a clearing strewn with charred and bloodied bodies of men, all three joined at the neck to the shoulders of a Lion. The front powerful lions claws struck the last man standing as he turned to run, his eyes locked with Lila and she saw pure fear in them. The back haunches of a goat gave the beast a strong leap forward, it’s snake’s tail whipping through the air. The beast landed all six of it’s eyes fixed on Lila. Unsure which head she would need to dodge Lila hesitated in choosing a direction, too late she chose to dive forwards and under, the fangs of the snake ripped through her tunic and into her shoulder. She did not feel the depth of the cut just the burn of the venom as she rolled through the dirt and ash. Seeing a chance Lila thrust her small knife upwards into the belly of the beast. The blade snapped against it’s flesh and Lila Saw stitches across the beast’s chest made of thick strands of silk.

“Shit.” Lila rolled to her right across bodies of men she hoped were not lost. “I’ve seen this done.” She told herself trying to recall how a chimera could be beat. She slowed her breathing and sent her mind back through the centuries.

“I’ll keep the heads distracted you go for the feet.”

Lila jumped backwards as lion’s claws reached for her.

“They have strong noses, burn the dixy root.”

Lila looked down at her excuse for a sword. This wasn’t just like the old days. Strong smells, still feet. Light caught Lila’s eye from the maw of the goat and she dove left just in time. The ground where she had stood was now ash. Pain shot through Lila’s shoulder and she reached back, her hand came away sticky with blood, trying to flush out the venom. She was loosing blood quickly and would have to be careful she was already feeling faint. Lila turned her head and the strong smell of hops broke through her haze, the taste lingered on her tongue. Strong smells.

First things first. Lila buried her hands in the dirt as she stood up again, “Endrix” she growled loudly at the earth. Rocks floated into the air around her and cause the beast a moment of confusion. They quickly fell to the ground as Lila tightened her fists covered in dirt and ash. Spears of rock erupted from the ground around the beast encasing it’s legs in stone and piercing it’s flesh. Where the skin broke a strange green gas seemed to escape. Lila allowed herself a small smile as the beast thrashed against its shackles, but she also felt her legs begin to tremble.

Dropping to the ground and rolling as a stream of flame came towards her Lila kept going until her back was to the town. She winced as her shoulder crashed into the ground repeatedly. Lila shook the dirt from her hands and spread her arms wide and backwards planting her feet and bracing herself.

“Othelsair.” she projected in a stage whisper bring her arms forwards pointing towards the beast. A strong blast of wind flew from behind Lila knocking her to the ground and she held back a scream. By the strange mangled hiss, whine and bleat Lila knew, he strong smell of the brewery had distressed the chimera. It wouldn’t last though.

Lila pushed through the pain and began to run forwards. As she did she drew the broken blade across her cheek. “Dixonae” she crooned. As the shard drew blood from her cheek it crystallised lengthening into a short sword of shimmering black. Running up the rocks and along the chimera’s back Lila nearly faltered when she saw more rough stitches across it’s necks. However, momentum carried her forwards and powered her arm as Lila plunged her sword in-between it’s shoulder blades, dragging it up the back of the goat’s head.

Screams burst from each head followed by more of the green gas, Lila tried not to breathe it in however she was already faint, as the beast collapsed she tumbled to the ground. Weakness over took her body as she felt the heat spread into the ground from her shoulder. She managed to reach out a hand and just touch the limp snake’s tail. “Ixate” she mustered and flames spread from her fingers consuming the body. As Lila’s vision began to blur she could have sworn a rune had been carved in the melting flesh of the beast. Resurrection.