“Do you think they saw us?” Branwen peaked around the door frame. “I don’t think so,” Edmond whispered. “That was close. It’s too early for our cover to be blown.” “Are they gone?” Branwen had ducked back into the room, out of sight. “Yes, the sheriff loaded them into his truck.” “The wolf and the llama too?” “Yup,” Edmond leaned out the window of the dilapidated and abandoned cabin. “They’re headed into town.” “That was close. We’ve been monitoring them for months. ^1 ^2 ^3 If they had spotted us it could have ruined our plan.” Branwen took a deep breath. “He knows what he needs to do, but he’s not ready.” “The reverie, in the cave, was a good idea. We planted the seed but left enough uncertainty that his choices will be organic. Do you know what he has left to accomplish?” “I have no idea, only that he’s still got time left on his clock.” Branwen stepped out of the room into the living room. “Okay, let’s get out of this house before it falls down on top of us.” “Agreed. Having a building collapse on us once is enough for me.” ^4 The two young men walked gingerly down the stairs and as they stepped into the warm sunshine they let out a collective sigh of relief. “So, we’ve located the Nyxihungar. Now we need to figure out how to get Andor there to confront it.” Edmond sat down in a patch of sun soaked grass covered with dandelion puffs and began plucking them. “I don’t see why we can’t just kill it ourselves. We have Asi.” Branwen pulled a sword out of the sheath which was strapped to his pack and gazed at the hilt etched with ancient symbols and garnished with several large colorful gemstones. “King Vishnayam said the sword was imprinted to Andor – only he can unleash its full power. He’s the one to wield it. We are merely delivering it to him…” Edmond blew a handful of dandelion puffs sending a shower of pappus up into the bright blue sky. Branwen sheathed Asi and sighed, “You’re right. We have to stick with the plan. No improvising.” Edmond looked up at Branwen and smiled. “What’s the rush anyways? Got somewhere to be?” Branwen winked, “The only place I have to be is in your arms.” Then he sank to his knees and pushed Edmond gently back into the grass. For a moment they gazed into each other's eyes then their lips met. --- “Mom!” Vanessa yelled from the bathroom “Why is the internet out again!?” “Oh I don’t know - maybe because we are in the middle of a war?” Vanessa’s mom replied curtly “Come downstairs and eat breakfast. You’ll just have to post another selfie to the Twitter tomorrow… or next week when the internet comes back on.” “Ugg mom you’re such a dinosaur. Twitter is no longer a thing.” Vanessa stomped down the stairs. “Good morning sweetie.” Vanessa’s dad set down his coffee mug and smiled. “Good morning daddy.” Vanessa smiled back. “Can I have twenty bucks?” “Umm… What do you need twenty bucks for?” Her dad asked dryly. “So, I can buy lunch at the cafeteria.” Vanessa batted her eyelashes coyly. “First off fifteen year old girls who talk to their mother like that don’t get any money.” Her dad replied but was cut off by Vanessa’s protest. “But daddyyyy… “ she wined but stopped when her father raised his hand motioning for her to be silent “ANDDD secondly lunch is free at school and has been all year. Do you think I’m dumb? What do you really need the money for?” Her dad continued glaring at her. Vanessa stared at the plate of food. “Uggh! Fine, I don’t want your money.” she huffed as she got up from the table. “Aren’t you going to eat your breakfast sweetie?” Her mother called after her as she stormed out. “Can’t – the bus is here!” she yelled over her shoulder as the front door slammed closed behind her. *At least there’s a seat in the back.* As she walked down the bus’s hallway she overheard two girls crying “I can’t believe Danny and Beth are dead!” One sobbed “They’d just signed up a few months ago and now they’re dead.” “I hate this war,” another girl said to her crying friend “It seems like we’re having funerals all the time now - and with empty caskets.” “Why are people so angry? Why do they think killing one another is going to bring life back to the way it used to be before the meteorite… and the alien?” The crying girl asked no one in particular as she blew her nose into a tissue her friend had handed her. Vanessa put her headphones on; she was sick and tired of all the death too and she had lost so many friends to the war. In a few years she would be old enough to be drafted but right now she was just thankful that she was a freshman in high school. *Hopefully by the time I turn eighteen the war will be over.* Her house was the last stop and the song drowning out the girls talking about Danny and Beth wasn’t over yet when the bus pulled up to the school. Vanessa was stuffing her pack in the locker when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Hey Vanessa,” she heard Bobby’s voice behind her and she smiled. They had been friends since the first grade, but lately she had begun to feel differently about him. Now she had an overwhelming desire to kiss him - and smell him. After football practice she loved it when he hugged her. He smelled like a man and the way his muscular arms held her tight tied her stomach up in knots. “Hi Bobby.” she stammered as she closed her locker so he wouldn’t see all of his photos she had taped up inside. Bobby started to say something but was interrupted when an older boy threw his shoulder into his back sending Bobby’s books all over the floor. “Hey watch out jerk!” the older boy said with a smirk as he kicked one of Bobby’s books on the ground. “Hi ya Vanessa.” the older boy winked at Vanessa. “You’re a real jerk, you know that right?” Vanessa stepped towards Bobby and helped him pick up the books off the floor. Then glaring at the older boy she barked,“You and me are never going to happen so just drop it alright?” The older boy huffed and stormed away. “So, what do you want to do today after class?” Vanessa asked Bobby, already knowing what he wanted to do, but she wanted to hear him say it. “I think we should go to the river. It’s a nice day today.” “Ok,” Vanessa bit her lip. Swimming in the river meant Bobby would take off his shirt. “but as long as you drive.” Bobby, who had just gotten an old truck from his Dad, was more than happy to oblige Vanessa’s request. “Alright if you insist.” Bobby's eyes were dreamy. Thankfully the bell rang and Vanessa turned just in time so he didn’t see her cheeks flush red at the twinkle in his eyes. --- Up the valley from Vanessa’s small town high-school, an abandoned mine shaft lay shrouded in vines and moss. In its prime, the mine had yielded a paltry fortune from the silver hidden in its depths. With its fortune extracted a long time ago it was no wonder its entrance had been forgotten by time. Now decades later, the rock had decayed, turning the air within into a poisonous toxic soup. Poisonous for men, that is. For the nightmare curled in its depths, the vapors were a balm, healing wounds left by the shrieking, winged creatures that had hounded it relentlessly since it had been wrested from its home by the inescapable maw of Fomalhaut. Now it slept—if the horror filled dream state it inhabited could be called sleep. Its belly rumbled, preventing a deep dreamless sleep from taking hold. The herd of deer it had devoured last fall had kept it alive through the winter, but now it was famished. Hunger was unfamiliar. Violence, hatred, anger, fear—the venom that had fueled the black magic which had compelled it into existence was what it knew. Hunger, though, gnawed at it in ways it had never known, sharpening its foul temper. The fumes had helped to heal its pain. Cradled by the darkness deep underground had kept this world’s torments at bay. Leaving this refuge would mean the winged tormentors would soon descend again. But the gases had healed it enough for the hunger to no longer be readily ignored. With a rasping hiss, it opened its eyes and in a foul rage the Nyxihungar slunk towards the mouth of the mine in search of something to devour. --- The truck doors closed with a loud thunk, and a flock of small sparrows fluttered into the sky from a nearby bush. It was a peaceful afternoon as puffy white clouds floated across the sky. Vanessa and Bobby could still smell the rain from last night. They didn’t normally come this far up the canyon, but their usual swimming hole was already teaming with kids and they wanted to be alone. So, they had kept on driving up the old logging road. Vanessa took off her shoes and tossed them in the bed of the truck and squished her feet into the cool loamy soil. The feeling of it mooshing between her toes was delightful after wearing her old worn out sneakers all day. Bobby came around the truck, his bare chest glowing under the summer sun. He had filled out in the past few months and his muscle tone was quite distracting. When he smiled and took her hand the butterflies in her stomach fluttered. “I found this spot the other day. You’re going to love it!” Bobby casually guided her through a gap in the ferns. Hand-in-hand they stepped into the cool forest of cedars, firs, and the oh-so-delectable smell of sugar pines. Above them a hawk let out an eerie mournful cry – then dove before throwing its wings out and landing softly in its nest. As they drew closer to the river the roar of the water grew louder. Through a gap in the carpet of ferns and moss they saw their destination: a spectacular waterfall. It leapt off the cliff and plunged into the chasm filling the small gorge with a cloud of mist which played with the sunlight creating a heavenly rainbow. Around the waterfall a graceful carpet of thick green moss with a smattering of Inside-Out Flowers unfolded. Vanessa gasped. “This is so much nicer than the other swimming hole.” She stopped and Bobby’s hand slipped out of hers. Standing transfixed in awe, her mouth slightly agape at the garden of Eden spread out before her. A whoop of glee brought her back to her senses and she saw Bobby’s feet disappear under the surface of the crystal clear pool. A moment later he resurfaced from his dive. She could see his bare chest dripping with water and it sent a chill down her spine. She had forgotten her bathing suit in the truck but seeing Bobby in the water she stripped down to her bra and panties and jumped into the pool. It was a hot day and the water felt oh-so cool and refreshing. Giggling and splashing each other they played in the water. ![[asi-ii-beginningOfTheEnd.jpg]] Vanessa shivered. “I’m going to warm up over there.” she pointed towards a table sized flat boulder in the sun next to the water. With a deep huff she lay down on the soft boulder. She was laying on her back wringing the water out of her hair when she noticed Bobby was staring at her. “What are you staring at?” She sat up slightly but when she did her breast slipped out of her bra. Embarrassed, she clutched her arms to her chest and put it back under the pink fabric, her face turning bright red. For a moment her celadon eyes wandered up his body, his stunning physique made her self-conscious. *Does he think I’m pretty?* “I’m staring at you, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Bobby stepped gingerly out of the pool being careful not to slip on the slimy rocks. He stood next to her, a bit awkwardly. She waited for him to move but then a bolt of courage flashed through her and she sat up, pulled him down, kissed him on the lips – pressing her tongue into his mouth. When she pulled him close she felt his hard penis grind into her hip. *Oh my god, he’s such a good kisser. Am I?* A gasp of desire escaped Vanessa’s lips when she felt Bobby’s hand begin to fumble with her bra strap. After a hearty attempt at multitasking - kissing and undoing a bra strap Bobby stopped kissing her and focused intently and awkwardly on the strap. Mercifully, Vanessa reached behind her back and deftly undid the strap. She breathed a sigh of relief as the too-small undergarment released her imprisoned burgeoning breasts. With a desperate longing their hands wandered across each other's bodies. When Bobby’s hand ran down her abdomen tentatively at first, then slipped under her panties she felt as if her heart would explode. Vanessa’s moaning was ragged and her leg began quivering uncontrollably as a warmth built up between her legs spreading in waves of ecstasy her body had never known before. When she felt his hand tugging at her panties she lifted her butt ever so slightly and they slid off her wet hips. *Things had never gotten this far between us. Once or twice I’m pretty sure he came in his pants while we made out on my bed…* She reached down to pull off Bobby’s swim trunks and was surprised when they slid effortlessly off his hips. *He’s a lot bigger than I expected and doesn’t look anything like the biology text book illustrations.* Her heart began to pound as Bobby pressed his member against her crotch trying to find the entrance. *Did I take my birth control this morning? Yes, I did right before I came downstairs.* She wrapped her arms around his back and clutched him tightly, which pulled him into her. The pain was more than she had expected but at the same time she felt a rush from deep inside her as he filled her and held her close. Their tongues danced as their hips pressed against each other. Then Bobby shuddered and she could see goose-bumps flash across his chest and abdomen. He gasped then crumpled on top of her his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. *Is that it?* A twinge of sadness seeping through her. *That can’t be it?* Before she could decide what to do next Bobby sat up with a jolt. Vanessa looked up at him, curious why he had moved so suddenly. The look of horror on his face made her stomach drop and instinctively she screamed. She tried to roll over to see what he was staring at but it was impossible to do with him inside her still. Her mind began to run wild. *It’s my parents! Oh my god my parents found us.* Instinctively she wrapped her arms around her breasts as the nausea of that possibility welled up inside of her. She pushed Bobby away. He was frozen in-place with fear etched across his face. As he fell onto his back she saw his flaccid penis throbbing and dripping then she felt a warm liquid running out of her. *Oh god, I am going to be grounded for the rest of my life!* She rolled onto her stomach and reached for her underwear. As she did she too froze in horror at what was watching them from the far side of the pool – it was much worse than her parents. Much worse. --- The two figures made their way through the woods silently. Something was wrong – their sensors had been triggered at the mouth of the old mine. They stopped when they came to an overlook. Far below them they could see a village tucked into a small valley. “It’s probably just a rabbit or maybe a snake.” Branwen whispered. “Yup, that’s what it was the last time and the time before that….” Edmond’s voice trailed off. “It’s nice to see that the Wormwood event didn’t destroy all the beautiful places here.” Branwen motioned towards the village. Edmond was about to say something when Branwen froze. “Shhh! Did you hear that?” “Hear what?” Edmond whispered. A moment later, in the valley below them they heard a blood curdling scream. “That!” Branwen sprang up and ran closer to the edge of the overlook Edmond right behind him. “There!” Branwen pointed down into the valley where they could see a waterfall far below them.”It’s the Nyxihungar and it’s trying to eat those people!” “Fuck! Looks like our cover’s about to get blown.” --- The Nyxihungar leapt over the pool and landed next to the boulder where Vanessa was frozen in horror. Its gaping jaws exposing razor sharp teeth. Its breath was horrid - the smell of rotting flesh and sulfur mixed with bile and all manner of filth. Vanessa gagged at the smell. The nightmare raised its claw in the air to crush the life out of the tiny naked girl. Bobby who up to that point had been laying on his back frozen in fear snapped out of his stupor. In a chivalrous act of devotion he lurched onto all fours and dove on top of Vanessa in a vain attempt to shield her from the horrifying claws. He screamed in agony as they raked down his back flaying his flesh mercilessly. Vanessa gagged as her lover's blood gushed across her naked body. Then there was a flash of light and an impulse that felt like a strong wind but made no sound. The force pushed the monster back, unleashing a terrifying guttural roar. Then, it stood on its hind legs ripping an old tree stump out of the ground before lobbing it at its aggressors. A moment later Bobby and Vanessa saw the stump slam into the hillside and shatter into a thousand splinters. The din of the battle echoed off the cliffs before another voice cut through the furry and screamed, “Fuck you!” Then they heard another man’s voice bellow, “RUN!!!” Bobby grabbed Vanessa’s hand and lurched to his feet. They were both stark naked and covered in blood but they didn’t notice - adrenaline was coursing through their veins like bolts of lightning blinding them to everything but the desperate need to live. Bobby’s legs buckled under him when he stood. His blood loss was too much for his young body. The Nyxihungar claws had torn up his backside too badly. Vanessa wrapped her arm around his chest and tried to pull him to his feet. *Where did the monster go?* Vanessa spun around trying to see where the nightmare had gone. It was then that she saw two figures standing next to the pool. They were tall, muscular, and wearing olive drab military fatigues. The blonde one was holding a sword – he took a swing at the demon but missed. The Nyxihungar let out a terrifying roar and flung a large boulder at Bobby and Vanessa. In a flash the brunette man appeared next to them and held an opaque energy shield above them. When the boulder struck the shield it turned to dust and rained harmlessly around them. “RUN!” The brunette commanded again. The force of the exploding boulder threw Bobby and Vanessa to the ground. The brunette picked them both up with his free hand and screamed “Get out of here! We’ll hold it off!” Vanessa ran half dragging Bobby through the forest towards their truck. The ferns and branches slapped at them and ripped their flesh but they were only focused on escape. A fear they had never known gripped them and blinded them to everything but the desire for survival. As they fled through the forest they could hear the battle raging. Explosions. Roars. Swearing… Silence. They didn’t dare turn around to see what was happening. Bobby, who was in no shape to drive, crumpled into the seat as Vanessa helped him into the cab before she clambered into behind the wheel. The truck started up on the first try and she mashed the accelerator to the floor spraying mud and rocks from the large spinning tires. In the rear view mirror Vanessa could see the monster, it was retreating up the mountain side green ooze spewing from its hind quarters and the two men were chasing it into the forest. ^1 [[3 - Summer 🌻]] ^2 [[10 - A Bountiful Land 🫎]] ^3 [[13 - The Visitors ☃️]] ^4 [[9 - Window of Time ⌛️]] ### Next Chapter: [[]] ### Previous Chapter: [[]]