Crunch-crunch. The gravel was far from soft, but it wasn’t exactly sharp either. _The roof of the cavern is getting lower._ Crunch-crunch. At first, the glowing, dancing mushrooms lined the path every few feet—now they were becoming sparser. N-85 turned to look back. _Wow! I can’t see Ruth’s grotto—just the waterfall pouring from the ceiling._ Crunch-crunch. N-85 stooped over. “Just keep following the mushrooms, I guess.” Crunch-crunch. “Is this really the way to go?” they questioned aloud, dropping to their knees and beginning to crawl. Crunch-crunch. After a while, they came across a fabulously large mushroom with a red cap and white polka dots. Mesmerized, they watched as the dots flashed from white to a bright fluorescent purple. A drop of water plinked from the roof onto their head, snapping them out of their trance, and they continued crawling. Crunch-crunch. As they passed a tiny green mushroom, they froze. “There’s no more mushrooms!” They tried to turn around, but the tunnel was too tight. Is this really the way I’m supposed to go? They shuffled forward a few inches into the dark. “Did I make a wrong turn?” Their mind raced as uncertainty gripped them. “What’s that?!” In front of them was some sort of soft barrier. They reached out and touched it. It felt cool, slightly damp, and rough. _I think it’s moss._ They took a deep breath, pushed through the mat of moss, and felt wind on their face. Looking up, they saw stars. All around them grew thick grass, the tall kind with soft tufts of fluff on the tips. The air smelled like sun parched grass after a heavy rain. N-85 took a deep breath as they stood and stretched. _It sure feels good to be out of that tunnel._ Then, behind them, came a snort. Turning slowly, they strained their eyes, trying to glimpse the source of the noise. A puff of wind caused the grass to sway and bend. Out of the tumult, a beast emerged from the shadows—its body plump and feline, its every movement precise and restrained. It lifted a paw and licked it. When it did, the great folds at its sides unfurled, revealing wings—vast and feathered—pressed close against the swell of its round belly. Its claws were hooked and gleaming, the kind that could shred bark from trees or tear flesh with ease. N-85 gulped and began to back away. But then they stopped, for in an instant the threat of its talons dissolved: its face was alight with an impossible expression. A grin, broad and joyous. Eyes shining with eager devotion. It looked upon them as a faithful hound might gaze at its master—overflowing with loyalty and unrestrained delight. But this was no dog. It was unmistakably a large cat with wings. This must be the Great Griffin Ruth told me about. N-85 straightened as breath returned to their lungs. “Hello there, old friend.” They extended their hand slowly, hoping those eyes dripping with devotion were not some sort of trick meant to lure them closer. “Are you the Great Griffin Ruth told me about?” The animal leapt joyfully into the air, chased its tail, then slunk over and rubbed its head against N-85. “I’ll take that as a yes.” N-85 chuckled. “A bit different than I was expecting, but oh my—your fur is soft.” The Great Griffin lay down, and N-85 rubbed their face into its deep, plush fur. They could feel the beast purring. Then, with a great yawn, they fell asleep, nestled in its warmth. ![[asi-iii-fomalhaut.jpg]] N-85 blinked and rubbed their eyes. Above them, the sky was filled with a million twinkling pins of light. There are a lot more stars than before… How long have I been asleep? As they rolled over, they recoiled in shock and yelped, “We’re flying!” Far below stretched the tops of puffy clouds, some lighting up as they belched lightning. Instinctively, they grabbed a handful of fur and held their breath. Then the Great Griffin began vibrating softly. “She’s purring,” they said aloud, relaxing a little. With a great big yawn, they stretched and fell back asleep. --- “Hello, N-85.” A firm yet kind voice pulled them out of a wonderful dream. N-85 winced as they opened their eyes. It was clearly midday. Momentarily blinded, they sat up, rubbing their eyes until their vision returned. They yawned, stretched—and gagged. “What in the name of fuck is that horrific smell?” Covering their mouth with their arm did little to mask the stench. “Oh, right… that.” The man who had woken N-85 offered them a cloth to cover their nose. “You’ve arrived at the outskirts of the Samudra Manthana—a churning of the ocean, so to speak. It is the great cosmic struggle between gods and demons, marking the end of our epoch. War is a messy, smelly affair, I’m afraid. I’ve grown accustomed to it. You will too—just give it time.” N-85 climbed off the back of the Great Griffin and slid to the ground. “Thank you, great one, for the ride,” they said, patting the soft, furry belly. The beast turned and licked them, then began snacking on a white puffy flower. “She likes you,” the man mused. “Most of their kind don’t like anyone or anything. They are very private creatures… You are fortunate.” “I see.” N-85 ran a hand through their hair, wet with Great Griffin saliva. “Pardon me, but what’s your name?” They were glad they remembered to ask right away, unlike their conversation with Aiōn. “My name is Theudebald.” He extended his hand. N-85 took it, nearly having their arm ripped off. He was a mighty man, at least twice their size. Some sort of leader, clearly. “Nice to meet you, Theudebald. Do you know how long I’ve been asleep?” “The land of plains and caves, where Ruth’s grotto lies, is pretty far. I’d say you’ve been sleeping for at least two cycles.” “Is that a long time?” “Since you awoke in the desert until the time you climbed onto the Great Griffin was one cycle. So yes, it was a long nap.” Theudebald smiled. “Wow… that is a long time.” N-85 was shocked. “But how do you know where I’ve been? And how do you know my name?” “Great Griffins have a sleep-inducing effect on those near them.” Theudebald yawned. “Perhaps we should distance ourselves before I, too, fall asleep.” As they walked uphill, N-85 grew more alert. When they turned to wave goodbye, the Great Griffin was gone. “There, that’s better.” Theudebald plucked a blade of grass and chewed it. “We know all about you because we’ve been looking forward to your visit for quite some time.” “Oh… I see.” Before N-85 could say more, a great roar shook the plains. They spun around to see what had made such a great noise and caught sight of a streak of light – orange -- then green, flying through the sky before disappearing over the horizon. “What was that?!” N-85 crouched in fear, wanting to collapse and hide, but Theudebald hadn’t flinched, so they reluctantly remained half-standing. “That is the reason you are here. King Vishnayam has chosen you to relinquish the enemy of their great weapon.” “Wait!” Dread filled N-85’s voice. “Why me?” “Honestly, I don’t know. But when King Vishnayam makes up his mind, it’s best to obey.” “What if I don’t?” N-85 gulped. How the hell am I supposed to destroy such a great weapon? “Oh, nothing. King Vishnayam doesn’t force anyone to do what they don’t want to.” Theudebald met their eyes. “Well, great. In that case, I want to leave. I don’t like this one bit.” N-85 crossed their arms, trying to look defiant. “Well, that is your prerogative.” Theudebald stroked his chin. My reservations about using a baseline organic being for this mission are confirmed. They don’t have the capacity to fight in such a conflict. We’ll have to go with plan B. “If I were you, I’d head in that direction.” He pointed to a large knoll. “Climb to the top and you’ll see a desert. From there, follow the sand in any direction you like. You’ll be safe.” N-85 turned. “Ah, yes. I see. Thank you. It was nice to meet you.” Without looking back, they started walking. But after only a few steps, the grass turned sharp and painful beneath their feet. In a flash, Aiōn’s words returned: Many people prefer the starkness of the desert rather than the uncertainty of what lies beyond. Many have succumbed to that fear, braved the sharp grass, and returned… The place where they came from before, they lived their life in fear. Therefore, fear followed them here. “This is wrong,” N-85 said aloud, stopping. “Wait!” They spun around. “Yes?” Theudebald’s lips curved with a faint smile. “I overcame fear once, and I was alright. I don’t want to return to the desert. I’ll push through and at least hear King Vishnayam’s plan.” “Well then, let’s not keep him waiting.” --- “What is that?” N-85 whispered, pointing at the night sky. “That’s Fomalhaut. It passes overhead once every thousand cycles. An infinitely dense point in space that draws all matter into itself,” Theudebald replied, rolling onto his back to gaze at the great black hole. “Fomalhaut is why our world has two suns and two moons. It pulls us away from the red sun, until the gravity of the cooler blue sun pulls us back again. Because of this, our orbit through the cosmos resembles a figure eight.” “I don’t like it,” N-85 muttered with a shudder. “It’s actually a good omen,” Theudebald said, sitting up to adjust N-85’s rucksack. “Every time it appears, it brings luck. That is the primary reason the attack had to be tonight. If we missed, we’d have to wait another thousand cycles.” “What’s the other reason?” N-85 sighed with relief—the adjustments to the ruck eased the pain in their shoulders. “Well, as we shift orbits, the cycles around the colder blue sun are longer, and our world cools significantly. Tomorrow, winter will envelop our realm.” Theudebald rubbed his hands in gleeful anticipation. “How long will winter last?” N-85 asked with a shiver—the night air was already growing colder. “One thousand cycles… though the winter cycles are longer, closer to twelve hundred summers. It will become much more difficult for the enemy to attack when the storms of winter swallow this realm.” “I see,” N-85 said. “Well, we should get moving then.” “Agreed.” Theudebald rolled onto his belly and crawled into the night, N-85 right on his heels. ### Next Chapter: [[19 - Destruction 🔥]] ### Previous Chapter: [[17 - Eagles Nest 🦅]]