The Path of the Future

[Moogie]

Chapter 6.


The girls had been walking steadily through the forest for several hours. The dry sound of countless leaves and twigs crushed underfoot played a tuneless marching beat as they travelled, a background sound which became almost inaudible as the long day wore tirelessly, endlessly on. After what seemed like an eternity of walking, the pain in Moogie\'s arm had become unbearable for her. She needed a place to rest, so they stopped at a nearby fallen tree and sat in the shadow beneath its arching bow. The ground was bare here, save a few rotting leaves and some shrubs growing at the base of the unfortunate stump.

Using Moogie\'s knowledge of simple first-aid, Leilani set to work gathering some strong sticks from the surrounding area in order to construct a splint for the broken limb. \"You know, my brother means everything to me...\" Leilani began, kneeling to pick up a small piece of wood from under a nearby bush. \"Do you think you can really get him back?\" She sounded doubtul as she returned to where Moogie sat, measuring it to the length of her friend\'s arm.

Moogie regarded the girl with sympathy in her eyes. \"I really hope we can, Lani... but I don\'t know. There\'s so much about this I don\'t know.\" She sighed. Her arm throbbed with pain, obscuring her thoughts, which struggled once again to piece together the situation, inevitably failing like they had many times before. Little vexed Moogie more than feeling so lost and helpless.

\"So what do you know?\" Leilani asked, searching the feline\'s pink eyes. \"You look like you\'re almost as clueless about all this as I am!\" she exclaimed, as she began pulling stray twigs and branches from the bark, stripping it as smooth as she could.

Moogie sat silently for a few moments, gathering her thoughts as Leilani carefully snapped another stick. She explained slowly, her mind drifting back to that cold night she had been working late. It seemed so long ago now. \"I... live in Ojaveda. I was returning home that day from work- well, if that\'s what you\'d call it. I was tracking him... Camazotz. My guild needs to know who he is.\" She told the girl. \"I was caught so off guard when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and took me. I guess he must have used some sort of chemical to knock me unconcious, because the next thing I remember was waking up in the sewers, my hands and feet bound. I have no idea how long I\'d been there, but I\'m guessing it was at least a few days.\" Her nose wrinkled as she recalled the pungent smell of the sewer.

Leilani listened with growing interest, urging her to continue. \"So what happened then? How did you escape?\" Moogie winced as the Ylian gently lifted the broken arm and placed it over a piece of wood. The girl stopped and looked around, searching for something.

\"Here,\" The feline offered, helping her. \"You\'ll need to tie it with something. Use my dress, I don\'t mind. It can hardly look any worse than it already does.\" She mused.

Leilani smiled at the remark. She ripped the material from the hem of Moogie\'s dress, using it to hold the sticks firmly in place. The two girls looked like they had been living in the wild for years; their dirty, torn clothes looking more suited to city street beggars.

Finishing the last knot, Leilani sat down next to Moogie and rubbed her hands together. \"All done!\" She smiled, proudly looking over her work. Moogie thanked her, checking the ties to make sure they were tight enough, before resting a while longer under the bow. Several rays of light danced and shimmered over the fallen tree like tears; the gaps in the canopy above mourning the death of the giant which once stood here, tall and proud. Its absence allowed the Azure Sun to penetrate the thick shield of leaves, illuminating the sheltered earth below. The feline looked around at the beauty of the scenery, momentarily forgetting everything, wishing she could live in such a serene place. Everything was quiet, save the rusting of the wind through the leaves all around them. Leilani, too, listened to the calm, taking in the magic of the forest. All of this was new to her, so wonderful and compelling. So much more interesting than the endless crop fields and the same old, crumbling buildings of her village. Her mind drifted back to her brother, and she wondered where the Xacha had taken his body.

Soon, they decided to continue their journey south. However, Leilani found it hard to stay as quiet as her friend, who had been deep in thought ever since. She watched the feline for several minutes, untill she couldn\'t bare the silence any longer.

\"So, carry on...\" She urged. \"What happened after that?\"

Moogie, shaking her head, cast her eyes down as she walked. She took several moments to reply, her troubled thoughts still clearly occupying her mind. \"I... guess I never really escaped. He appeared just after I woke up, and showed me a magical image through one of his Glyphs. My house... it was burned to the ground. All that\'s left are ashes...\" She spoke sadly, holding her arm once again. \"He said that some people wanted me dead, something to do with a prophecy... I still know very little about it, and I didn\'t believe him at the time. I ran away, trying to escape, but I didn\'t get very far. Those sewers... I don\'t know what gets dumped down there, but I ran into one ugly looking creature. It was Camazotz that saved me from it, or I probably wouldn\'t be here today.\"

The two were coming to a break in the trees. The undergrowth stopped abruptly, replaced by a layer of smooth gravel on top of a hard, packed dirt road. The road ran from the west and curved south, so they decided to follow it.

\"So why were you following him? And what did he want?\" Leilani pressed, eager to hear more of the tale.

\"...I guess it doesn\'t hurt to tell you,\" Moogie shrugged, after some hesitation. \"Apparently he was the last person to be seen with a very important Hydlaan figure, an Enkidukai called Seperot Darkstorm...\" Leilani\'s expression was one of blankness. It took Moogie a second to realise the girl must have lived a very sheltered life in her village if she hadn\'t even heard of such a prominent person. It was no wonder her desire to leave home was so compelling. \"He was a guild leader, an important one. He was... just someone I used to know. So this mission was more urgent than usual, that\'s all.\" Leilani shifted her eyes to the passing floor and shrugged.

\"Anyway,\" Moogie continued, \"Camazotz explained that some people, apparently a cult following of the Black Flame legend, have some sort of prophechy involving me and their destruction or downfall. I guess he believes it too. Though I don\'t know why he\'s bothered so much about me; we\'ve never even met before. He says he\'s some sort of Seer, and that he\'s seen the future.\" She shrugged, still unsure whether she could believe such a story. Seers were myths; there were none known to be alive in this day and age. Anyone who claimed to be able to tell future events were tested by elders in the guild of the Arcane Order, and always proven to be false.

The young girl nodded in acknowledgment. \"Yeah, he told me that too. Do you think he can really do that?\" She questioned, playing idly with the flower in her braid.

Moogie shrugged as she walked. \"I don\'t know. But just after he explained this, there was a huge explosion. We could\'ve been killed, but he carried me away from the flames and...\" Moogie\'s words trailed off. She remembered the dream she had seen, staring into the approaching flames. The girl in the dream... she stopped and turned her gaze towards Leilani, who looked back oddly at her.

\"...Moogie? What\'s wrong?\" The girl asked with concern.

The look in her friend\'s eyes was difficult to read, but Moogie quickly glanced away and nodded. \"Sorry, nevermind.\" She dismissed. Leilani frowned, unconvinced, but stared silently at the ground again as her friend resumed down the path, a little quicker than before. The girl fell into step beside her as she continued the tale.

\"I passed out before I saw what happened, but Camazotz must\'ve escaped; the next thing I knew, I was lying by a campfire, out in the fields near your village. Oh..!\" Moogie suddenly stopped again, this time looking into the distance. The edge of the forest was near; she could see the road laid out beyond where the trees stopped, and bare grass beyond. The girls glanced at eachother excitedly, before racing down the road and towards the light. Before long, they were jogging out into the open air, the sky above welcoming them back from the dark undergrowth as they slowed to a walk, breathing heavily through their joyful laughs. The air was fresh and sweet out here; a pleasant breeze drifted by, ripping the grass that covered the hills before them. The road they had been following wound its way towards the distance, leading to a huge visible structure which Moogie instantly recognised.
\"The Winch!\" She exclaimed happily, pointing ahead.

\"Wow, what is that?!\" Leilani gasped, staring wide-eyed at the horizon.

Moogie took a step forward, hands clapsed together as she spoke. \"The Winch, we\'re at the edge of the level! Beyond that building there is just empty space, all the way down to the very bottom of the world!\" Her voice was filled with excitement and wonder. The center of Yliakum was truely an awesome sight, no matter how many times one visited the edges.

\"And we\'re going there!?\" Leilani jumped excitedly beside her. Moogie grinned and nodded, moving on with a newfound enthusiasm down the road, Leilani following along quickly. The building before them seemed almost as wide as the sky itself, growing bigger the closer they drew.

[Under the moon]

Excellent! You don\'t need me anymore. I love the way you describe the forest and resting spot. Beautiful. And the interaction between characters is perfect. I\'m really starting to get a sense of who they are.

[Drey]

yay! more story. now only another 5 hours or something of school left. fun!

[Moogie]

Moon, I have mostly you to thank for showing me a new way of structuring dialog and making the whole thing flow smoothly. It has helped me more than you can possibly imagine! In the past, my bumpy, awkward style is what often lead me to give up; it simply took too much energy to fiddle with chapters untill they could sound bareable enough to read. But now there\'s no stopping me!

Since I\'m in a thankee mood, I\'ll say that Ayshe also deserves a huge Hug of Gratitude +5. It must cause waves of dread every time I say \"I\'ve finished a chapter!\" because Ayshe knows what comes next... \"will you read it through for me?\" Hehe. If it wasn\'t for his critiqu? and encouragment, I wouldn\'t have gotten so far. Thank you.

Oh, I almost forgot... Drey! You... um... you\'re good too.

Now to start on Chapter 7. ^^

[Moogie]

I loved writing every minute of this. Camazotz is fast becoming my favourite character in any story I\'ve ever written.


Chapter 7.


\"What am I doing...\" The Xacha muttered under his breath. His fingers flipped another page of the old tome that lay before him, eyes closely scanning the text within. His black leather gloves rested nearby on the old oak table, tiny particles of dust from its ancient surface spiralling into the air as another page was turned. One of many. Glimpsing light for the first time in untold centuries, the paper\'s fragile, yellowed surface was observed by a pair of searching red eyes; and then, just as quickly, buried in darkness again.

His sturdy hat had also been removed and placed to one side, allowing a few strands of long, white hair to fall freely infront of his face as he read; his features were sharp, cold, but suprisingly youthful, despite his aged voice. The rest of his ragged hair was held back in a loose ponytail, hidden beneath his long coat. A small brass gas lamp sat beside the open book, its weak glow patiently burning ever since he had arrived. An hour ago, though it felt like a lifetime. Its yellow flame flickered through the cobwebs that clung loosely to the aged glass, wispy tendrils waving softly in the air.

Another page turned. Camazotz sighed impatiently. It had to be here somewhere. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, furniture that hadn\'t seen use in countless years. He couldn\'t remember how long it had been since he was last here. His old home.

The room was small. Stale air and a musky odour clung to every object. A heavy wooden door filled an aperture in one of the walls; two thin strips of grey light crept through gaps underneath it, barely penetrating the darkness. A strong wind could be heard howling outside, but the air within remained still- all save for the occasional turning of a page, and a tired sigh from the seated figure hunched over his cluttered desk.

\"This is all wrong...\" He brooded. This wasn\'t the path his visions had shown. This isn\'t how things were meant to be happening. The Strangers couldn\'t possibly have known where he had taken Moogie on the night of the explosion, and Sam should have been killed outright that day. As for himself, he should already be at the cult\'s doorstep, his retribution at hand, his freedom conquered... He had seen it!

He had seen it...

He rubbed his temples, frustration showing in his brow. He closed the old tome and set it aside. Without a pause, he reached for the next in line and carelessly threw it open somewhere in the middle, resuming his unwavering search.

\"It\'s got to be in one of these acursed texts...\"

The stone walls were cold; their cracked surfaces flat and bare, yet much of the crumbling interior was hidden behind tall bookcases that nearly reached the roof- not that this dark hovel boasted much of a stature. The old shelves were filled with all manner of books, thick and thin, tall and short; their covers packed together in messy lines all the way across, spines displaying titles in some old archaic font.

There were books piled everywhere. Some open at a particular page, others left to clutter the floor, thrown away in neglect and forgotten. Stacks of books balanced precariously on the table, on the floor, in corners of the room. Forlorn, quilted in cobwebs. Undisturbed for decades.

Camazotz suddenly jumped to his feet, throwing the chair back across the floor. \"There!\" He exclaimed at the page, his voice shattering the icy silence. His finger urgently followed the words as his eyes reread the sentence, doublechecking his discovery.

\"Finally!\" He announced, as a triumphant smile spread across his lips. This was just what he had been searching for.

Swiftly, he grabbed the book and made his way around to the front of the desk. Here on the floor, a small, rusted circle of metal formed a handle, and as the Xacha pulled it up, a whole section of the floor swung open heavily, groaning as it shifted. A choking cloud of dust was thrown into the air as the hatch was opened, and it dispersed slowly, revealing a stone staircase that lead omniously down into the dark. Without hesitation, he slipped inside, book held firmly in his hand.

He decended into darkness. But this place was not dark for long. His presence seemed to trigger a hidden mechanism; wheels could be heard turning behind the walls, moving and clattering, the sounds echoing in the pitch black as if nothing else existed. Suddenly, a flame exploded outwards from a torchhead in the stone. Then another, this time on the opposite wall. And another on the first wall, further along. And again on the opposite side. As each torch burst into life, the previous settled down to a gentle flicker, and gradually the way forward became gently lit in a warm, orange glow. Camazotz proceeded quickly as the last of the torches were lit, making his way through the tunnel ahead towards a small, dome-shaped room at the far end.

A large chandelier hung, suspended from the ceiling of the circular room, by a long, rusted metal chain. Its branched arms, four twisted tendrils of metal, held a number of candles that burned a ghostly blue light, illuminating the rocky walls with a tinted hue. Directly below stood a long slab of polished marble; its length took up most of the floorspace, draped with a thin, black sheet of material. It seemed there was something hidden underneath the silky fabric; something that had been laid there not long ago.

Camazotz already knew what it was as he approached, grabbing the fabric with a spread hand and yanking it to the side. It flew gracefully from the altar, crumpling as it landed on the gritty surface of the floor. The man stood silent, observing before him the cold, stiff body of Leilani\'s brother Sam. Still perfectly preserved, yet it was only a matter of time before the herbal potion wore off. His limbs could no longer easily bend, and his features were sunken. Dark grey circles encompassed the area around his staring eyes, his mouth slightly open, dry on the inside. Nothing but a corpse. The girl would break in two if she saw this, he reflected morbidly.

Placing the book carefully on the edge of the smooth marble, beside a lifeless hand, he focused again for a few moments on the text he had found hidden amongst its pages. Camazotz closed his eyes, and raised his arms above the altar; palms down, fingers outstretched, like the claws of an animal as it bears down on its prey. All was silent, as even the crackling torch flames seemed to hush down in anticipation. With a deep, unearthly growl, he began slowly to read the passage aloud. He was fluent in its language; each syllable rolling from his tongue with knowledge and understanding.

\"Muh\'rah ke hush\'kunta, ha khara\'mi tash\'ara... Humah\'rah tuhm harala, tehrei kanna hush\'rala.\"

There was silence as he finished. He stood motionless and gradually opened his eyes.

The ground rumbled.

The chandelier, watchful from above, began to shake from the vibrations. The flames of the candles suddely grew to twice the size, reaching furiously into the air and glowing brightly as they licked the metal chains. The torches behind the Xacha were blown out, snuffed by an invisible wind that picked up as the atmosphere became darker, and the world seemed to fade to black. All that was left were Camazotz, the altar, and the body, basking in a burning blue light.

Camazotz remained motionless as the corpse\'s eyes rolled in their sockets to face him, a gargled groan escaping its crusted lips. Necromancy. Purest, darkest magic. The Glyphs in the Xacha\'s pockets buzzed angrily at this surge of innate energy. Burning... He let it flow through his body freely to his fingertips. The Xacha kept his arms raised, gritting his teeth with the effort of sustaining the power.

\"Show me of your death, soulless cadaver!\" He commanded.

[Drey]

Dirty Magic \\o/

Its true, Camazotz is interesting. he even has cool z\'s... two of them  

[Ayshe]

*jaw hits floor*

Fantastic...

[Under the moon]

WHaT?! Somehow I missed an update?! Luckly I caught this or I may have lost my self imposed title of \'Reader of Everything\'. Musta been my narrator distacting me. :rolleyes:

That being said, *agrees with Ayshe*. Good to see that good ole Cam\'s feathers can be rufled once in a while too.

[[Ignore any typpos in this post, as it was posted when I should have been sleeping (or maybe am). Thank you for the lack of sleep Moogie.]]

[Moogie]

Why... why is it so long!? The first part is... meh... it had me stuck for many days due to its unmovingness. Thankfully it decided to move on and I wrote the entire second section in one day. I had to split the two into seperate posts because it went over the character limit. Rejoice, for it is the first time it\'s ever happened to me! xD Enjoy~


Chapter 8.


The Winch was a truely impressive structure. Built in centuries past by the first settlers of Talad\'s capital city, Hydlaa, it provided essential transport between the first and second levels of Yliakum. It was called the Winch because it used a unique system for moving groups of people and many tonnes of cargo at a time: Gondolas. Pulley-controlled storage cars as big as the average Ylian city house. Many thick cables of finest quality woven Tefusang-hide rope served to support the weight of the Winch\'s multiple pulley systems. While one Gondola was at the station below, its counterpart would be here at the top. There were five pairs of these, aptly named Docks, lined up along the deck with spacious halls linking them to the main building. The marble floors echoed the sound of hurried boots as people passed through, and though it was all very man-made and industrial in its design, the administrators had made an effort to add some colour to the dreary metal structure by adding hanging plants, potted flowers, and other greenery to the walls and floors.

People of all races hurried back and forth through the building, each with their own important missions, deadlines or adventures to reach. Nolthrir nobles conversed with Ylian legislators, Enkidukai parents scolded their cubs\' restlessness as they tusled and played. A lonely dwarf with a large sack slung over his shoulder watched the crowd as they waited for the next transport to arrive from the level below, their shining armour glinting in the light, backpacks full to the brim with supplies and rations.

The cliffs stretched out to the east and west of the Winch for hundreds of miles, curving ever so slightly as their outline disappeared into the mists of the horizon. Winged and feathered lizards soared, glided, and swooped about in a dazzling display of colour over the bottomless expanse of air, darting away as mounted Pterosaurs arrived and left carrying passengers and cargo from level to level, sector to sector. It was a bustling hub of import and export, travel and communication; by far one of the most important structures in the entire world.

Moogie sat quietly in one of the many glass observation domes, gazing through the clear windows at the beautiful view beyond. It was spacious and peaceful here. Cool air breezed through openings in the roof, carrying with it the sweet smell of summertime flowers. The cream-coloured seats were luxuriously soft and comfortable; Moogie couldn\'t help but lounge back and be soaked into the soft, fuzzy material as her tired body ached from exhaustion.

At least she no longer had to worry about her arm. She happened to bump into someone she knew here when they first arrived; Zabeal, a powerful Dermorian female. Zabeal had set out on a journey of discovery from her village, and was waiting by the main entrance of the Winch, suited up in heavy armour. On noticing her friend\'s injury, she presented a glyph of the Crystal way, a gift from her people, and healed Moogie\'s broken arm perfectly. Refusing the small sum of tria the feline had offered in return, she left the Winch and set out on her quest.

Moogie watched the birds outside as they chased eachother. Such beauty and elegance, she marvelled. Nothing but life itself troubled these little creatures. They had no busy meetings to attend, no deadlines to reach. They didn\'t have to travel all over the world just to earn money to live. They simply existed, the way life intended. Moogie breathed deeply, wishing her own life could be so simple. No secret cults trying to kill her. No demons chasing her, no prophecy weighing heavily over her head, and no dead bodies left behind in its wake...

She wondered how Leilani was truely feeling. Ever since they arrived here, the young girl had been touring the building like a sightseer on holiday. Cheerfully greeting everyone she met, skipping through the halls and curiously peering at all the strange technology. Moogie kept watch from the dome, brooding silently. Did Leilani know that her brother was technically dead? Did she just not accept it, placing her full unquestioning trust in Camazotz\' ability to find his soul, reunite it with the body, and all live happily ever after? Moogie doubted that it could be so simple. The girl\'s youthful energy masked any hint that she had just lost her brother. Her face showed no sign of ill emotion. No sadness. No grief. To Moogie, the demeanor seemed most unhealthy.

She took a sip of milk from her glass, placing it back down on the smooth table infront of her with a \'klink\'. She licked her lips thirstily; Warm and refreshing. She felt much more relaxed sitting here than wading through the forest, watching the shadows stalk her and listening to the trees whispering secrets to eachother in the gloom. It was crowded in the main buildings. Many eyes, watching everywhere. A deadly assasin would surely be noticed before he got anywhere near his target.

Or at least, that\'s what she hoped.

A head suddenly poked inside the doorway, startling her. To her relief, it was Leilani, wearing a big grin that grew even wider when she saw the feline\'s reaction.

\"Hehe, sorry Moogie!\" She cherped. Moogie shook her head dismissively as the Ylian sat down beside her. \"This place is so big! I almost got lost twice and somehow ended back at the Docks,\" She said, testing the bounciness of the seat. Moogie watched her silently.

A short Dermorian man in a pristine uniform appeared in the doorway, bowing politely. \"My Lady Moogie, your car is about to arrive.\" He informed them, his hands held behind his back respectfully. He gave Moogie a warm smile and bowed again before turning to leave.

The title struck Leilani as odd. \"My Lady Moogie?\" She questioned, eyebrows raised.

Moogie giggled and felt her cheeks flush bright red. \"Yes, umm... well I used to come here often. I was a full-time cleric and healer of Aliathi back then. I spent most of my time tending to wounded travellers.\" She explained.

Leilani nodded and decided to resume testing the chair springs. \"So,\" She said, in between bounces, \"Are we going go to before Cama gets back, or wait for him?\"

Moogie wasn\'t quite sure. He had told them to travel south, to trust he knew the direction. He obviously knew they would reach the Winch. But were they supposed to decend to the second level? She shrugged her shoulders and stood up.

\"Well he would have told us to wait here if not,\" She decided. Leilani agreed, and together they left the dome and headed for the Docks.

The milk in the glass rippled. The birds outside fled suddenly. A dark mist filled the room; it swirled together, sucking the light from the air around it, gradually solidifying, forming a sinister outline. Its malevolent purple eyes burst to life, feiry orbs that followed Moogie as she padded towards the Docks.

[Moogie]

*********


The Gondola car made its way slowly down the face of the rocks. It rattled and clattered, jostling its passengers as it lowered itself steadily down the rope path. The people inside sat in rows of wooden seats, shielded from the jagged rock face by its protective frame as it decended. Some large crates and sacks sat unsteadily on the roof, strapped tightly together by criss-crossing straps of leather.

There were seven passengers in this particular car. In the seats next to Moogie and Leilani sat an old Ylian man and his chubby wife. She fussed over his suit, adjusting his tie and brushing dust from his shoulders. His brow furrowed in silent protest, but he didn\'t dare speak up.

Behind them were two teenage Diaboli girls; the one by the window grabbed a twig as it passed by in the rock, snapping it off and bringing it in. Her friend scolded her, saying it was dangerous to reach out of the windows. The girl did it again some minutes later, sticking her tongue out in mocking spite at her friend.

Opposite them, snoozing quietly, a balding Ylian man in brigadine armour held his sword between his knees to keep it secure. His breath reeked of ale and he mumbled endlessly about unruly vagabonds.

Leilani sat beside Moogie in the car, shivvering slightly.

Sensing her fear, Moogie gave a reassuring smile and put her arm around the girl, hugging her tightly. \"It\'s okay, Lani, it won\'t take long...\" She told her. Leilani nodded nervously. Her stomach felt like it was tying knots in itself.

The Gondola snagged against a stone jutting out from the cliff and shook violently for a few seconds, causing the Ylian behind them to rouse groggily from his sleep and Leilani to shriek and practically jump into Moogie\'s lap.

\"Shh, shhh it\'s okay, we\'re safe, we just hit a stone is all, it\'s normal.\" Moogie comforted, sliding the terrified girl back into her own seat. Moogie chuckled to herself; she remembered being this nervous on her first Gondola ride.

It took a while for Leilani to settle again, but after ten minutes she had forgotten about it and occupied herself with the view through the window next to her seat. Moogie took a deep breath, lay her head back, and closed her eyes. Perhaps she could nap for a while untill they reached the level below.

Or perhaps not.

The car suddenly shuddered to a halt. Both Moogie and Leilani turned towards eachother quizzically, then to the other passengers, who were looking equally as confused. Their hushed murmers turned into paniced screams as the car groaned, lurched, and began to drop sickeningly downwards.

It stopped abruptly, as if caught on something that held it up, precariously dangling there in limbo. The jolt threw them all to the floor. Heart racing and eyes wide, Moogie leaned over the curled, shaking ball of hysterics that was Leilani, and poked her head out of the window.

Nothing but cloud beneath them; if they fell, it would be a *very* long way down.

She turned her gaze upwards. They had come a long way already; the Winch was difficult to see through the mist, but something seemed odd. The line that held the car was... shaking? Moogie squinted, unsure what she was seeing. Was something... climbing down the ropes towards them? The car rattled as the disturbance travelled down the line, coming ever closer.

\"Moogie!\" Leilani cried, hugging her knees fearfully. Moogie pulled herself back inside and held the girl in her arms. \"What is it? What did you see?\"

\"Something... something\'s coming towards us...\" Moogie whispered closely, not wanting to panic the other people. If they start rocking the Gondola now, she thought...

\"What\'s that you say!?\" The balding man behind them roughly rose from the floor, thrusting his upper body out of the window and peering up towards the sky. The other passengers held eachother. The Diaboli girls weeped fearfully.

\"Is it someone coming to help?\" Leilani asked, sounding vaguely hopeful. Moogie shook her head. Even if someone was stupid enough to climb hundreds of feet down a thin rope, it certainly wouldn\'t do anything to help their situation.

Something landed with a sharp thud on the roof. Then there was silence. Moogie held her breath; this wasn\'t good.

The Ylian man yelled suddenly. His limbs flailed inside the car, hands gripping the edges of the window as he was viciously dragged outside. Moogie darted over the top of her seat and tried to catch hold of his legs, but she was too late; he was gone. All of them cowered as they heard a bloodcurdling scream and a sickening crunch. A limp figure fell lifelessly passed the window, disappearing into the mist below.

\"Oh Rogde, what are we going to do!?\" The old wife blubbered, huddling against her husband. They moved away from the windows, crouching in the central walkway. Moogie held Leilani protectively; her mind raced, eyes darting about the small car, desperately searching for safety. But there was none.

Before she knew what was happening, a creature appeared through the window and reached in with its long, skeletal claws, gripping Leilani\'s head with such raw aggression she thought it would be crushed. Realisation dawning on her like a crack of thunder, Moogie recognised this demon. Callicantzaros.

\"No! LANI!!\" Moogie shrieked, pounding the creature\'s arm and trying to wrench its fingers away.  The girl kicked and screamed, her skin pale and clammy as she struggled in blind terror, but her efforts were in vain. With a cruel, bloodied grin, the creature snatched Leilani out of Moogie\'s protective grip, carrying her back to the roof in the same fashion as it had the doomed man.

Moogie no longer thought; she just acted. Overcome with emotion, she clambered through the opening after it. Had she been more aware of her actions, the act of scaling the outside wall of a Gondola several thousand feet in the air would have made her faint then and there. But as she pulled herself onto the roof of the car, all she could see was Leilani\'s frightened eyes, and the wicked claws that covered her mouth chokingly.

\"Let her go right now! It\'s me you want, well here I am! Come and get me, demon!\" The challenge rang loud against the stone. The evil eyes of the Callicantzaros flared hungrily at the feline, its primary target, and it grinned maliciously. Its plan to lure her out of the Gondola had worked deliciously.

Moogie already knew it was a trap, but she didn\'t care. \"I said let her GO!\" She yelled again, eyes resolute and fixed forward, fists clenched in defiance.

The creature looked down at its prey, considering. It shrugged, turning its gaze back to Moogie, and tossed the girl over the side.

Moogie\'s heart skipped a beat. She couldn\'t even scream. Her eyes followed Leilani as she fell into the abyss.

[Drey]

:O  cliff hanger h8


i think this may be my faveourite chapter yet, i was liking the description of the poeple on the docks and also the beginging of the journey.

no you must write the next one super fast.

[Ayshe]

Oh wow...

This tale started pretty good, then just got better and better. You\'re quite the storyteller, Moogie.

Clifhanger... weep! Now we have to wait two weeks to hear of Leilani\'s fate!


Heh. Top stuff.

[Under the moon]

Two post chapters, I know all about them. Though I did kinda find a way around that pesky 12345 limit. My last post in \'Soul\'s Mirror\' happened to be 26700+ chars.

But on to the compliments! Brilliant portrayal of the bystanders. And the creeper...wow. And I do so love a good \"cliffhanger\".  


*goes off grumbling to himself*

Darn Moogie, stealing all the reviews. Well, if I can\'t beat her in reviews, I shall beat her in shear volume.

*begins writing next chapter*
*writes nearly the entire next chapter*

Also in edit, clean out your inbox, Moogie!

[Moogie]

Short in words, but as the Great Ayshe did say: not lacking in action.


Chapter 9.


Leilani couldn\'t scream either. Her breath escaped her silently as she slipped through the air, falling through oblivion towards certain death. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and images of her short life flashed before her eyes... settling on one memory of her brother. He stood before her now, in her vision, smiling his brotherly smile. He was always so proud of me. He always protected me. The image vanished; he was not here to protect her this time.

She watched her hair as it reached up towards the sky, rippling and waving as if it could somehow hold on to the air, somehow stop the decent. Her thick braid flapped about before her eyes, untill the flower her mother had given her ripped from the material, too weak to withstand the force of the fall. She left it behind as it began floating down on its own. Too slowly; it mocked her with its weightlessness. Soon it was gone. She felt a twinge of sadness, and a single tear escaped her eye. Her mind gave in to the realisation that she would never see her family again. She realised she was about to die.

Lights danced about infront of her eyes. More visions? I don\'t want to feel the grief anymore. Let me just disappear, she pleaded to the Gods. She couldn\'t stand having failed to bring Sam back. She couldn\'t stand losing her mother\'s precious gift. To see their faces again would be- No, but these looked different. They looked real. Her eyes focused; time quickened again. She felt strangely warm as the lights multiplied and gathered around her.

She wondered if this was a trick of the mind. Perhaps she had died already? Maybe this is what it feels like? She felt as if she was slowing down, resisting the pull of gravity. Slightly, ever so slightly... but it quickly grew stronger. She realised how sickened her stomach was before, because now she felt as light as a feather. She felt safe, in the grip of an ethereal hand that encompassed her in its gentle energy.

Soon she had stopped falling completely. The braided flower fluttered slowly past her; its petals had become remarkably withered and colourless. To her suprise, she began moving upwards again. The phenomena frightened Leilani. What\'s going on? How can this be? In her confusion, the girl barely missed the sight of a large, black creature plummeting past her. Her pained eyes fixed on the shape. No, please... please don\'t let that be the demon...

She watched from above as the creature spread its leathery wings, turned in mid-air, and began speeding back towards her. Panic filled her thoughts, and she began struggling in the magical binds. However, they continued relentlessly to power her ascention towards the sky, gaining speed as the creature below drew ever closer. But she wasn\'t gaining enough, and she couldn\'t free herself. Even if she could, she would just fall anyway. Either way, she was still going to die; this wasn\'t her day.

The strong beat of enormous wings was upon her, now moving roughly the same speed as her helpless body. She closed her eyes in suspense, not noticing the glow around her as it faded. She was softly released, but the drop still made her yelp in suprise, untill she was caught by something- but not the vicious talons of a murderous beast, as she had expected. In reality, she was now sitting on its back, and she realised it wasn\'t the Callicantzaros at all. Infact, she had seen one of these particular creatures before. Some merchants favoured these over Pterosaurs, being able to more swiftly carry passengers over harsh terrain. It had a small head, attatched directly to its thickly furred torso. The leathery wings looked almost skeletal, with long, boney fingers outstretched, a thin membrane attatching each digit to the next. They pumped the air powerfully, propelling it upwards at amazing speed. A Megaras. Which means she was now sitting with its rider.

Still fearful, she craned her neck up to see who had caught her. A familiar grin met her eyes, brimming with all the usual emotions; confident, cocksure, arrogant. But now it seemed also genuinly pleased to see her.

She smiled back at him. \"Thanks, Cama...\"

Camazotz tipped his hat, and gave her a wink. \"I was just passing. Thought you might need a lift?\"

\"Oh no!\" The girl\'s smile suddently vanished as her mind fell back to reality. \"Moogie! Moogie\'s still up there with the demon!\" She cried.

\"That\'s where we are headed now.\" Though calm, his voice held a sense of urgency. The Xacha kicked his heel into the side of the Megaras, pushing the creature to the limits of its strength. It had been a tough decision, to choose whether to save Leilani from falling to her death, or lose her and ensure Moogie\'s valuable survival. He had passed Moogie on his way down the cliff; she spotted him, eyes brimming with concern as he decended into the deep mist. In doing so, he had put the Prophecy at risk; Moogie may already be dead by now.

Leilani felt nauseated. They were travelling fast, but she could only just make out the bottom of the Gondola car in the distance. She feared they would be too late. How long can one possibly survive, standing suspended thousands of feet in the air, on a square platform with a bloodthirsty monster trying to kill you? As the Megaras drew up level with the car, she got her answer: as long as it takes.

Moogie half-stood, knelt on one knee, near a corner of the car\'s roof. The boxes under her feet shook as the Callicantzaros charged at her again; she barely dived out of its path, receiving long gash across her face. It matched the others she already suffered on her leg and chest, dripping blood down her cheek as she winced in pain. The demon would have fallen off the roof from the miss, had it not the advantage of its wings, which it used to turn in mid-air and take a more powerful swoop towards the helpless Enkidukai. A thunderous bolt of electricity sent it crash-landing onto the cargo, thwarted by Camazotz\' everpresent Glyph collection.

Moogie turned to him and limped to the edge of the Gondola. \"Quickly, catch me!\" She cried. The stunned demon shook its body and pulled itself to its feet, quickly recovering. The Megaras moved in close and landed on the side of the car, its huge wing claws piercing the frame as it held on. The screams of the passengers inside was audible now, their calls no longer drowned out by booming wingbeats. The sudden weight of the creature started the Gondola rocking unsteadily, and Moogie barely managed to stumble onto the animal\'s back, helped on by the others. Pulling at the Megaras\' reins, Camazotz took them into flight again. Now he had a score to settle.

With fierce eyes glowing like hot coals, the Xacha commanded his mount to grab the Callicantzaros with its claws. The huge bat screeched in delight, lunging at its prey with cruel playfulness. The demon darted about the platform, narrowly avoiding the razorsharp talons that thrashed and sliced the cargo boxes in their wake. Meanwhile, Camazotz quickly grouped together several Glyphs and started to call on their combined power for a more potent spell- one that Moogie instantly recognised.

With a shocked gasp, she pulled his arm back as he raised it to begin casting. The action disrupted the spell, causing him to nearly drop his Glyphs as his hand became burnt with the discharge of the spell\'s unreleased energies.

\"What are you doing?\" He yelled, turning to her in annoyance. \"Don\'t you want it to die?\"

\"You were going to cast Flameburst! What are you thinking?\" Moogie gestured urgently towards the car. \"There are people in there! They would be burned alive!! Ah!\" She was forced to grip his waist tightly as the Megaras took another swipe at the demon. The Callicantzaros took to flight, swinging around to flank the more cumbersome flyer and charging relentlessly at its passengers. The attack was met with the Xacha\'s re-casting of the feiry spell, that sent a ball of explosive fire hurtling towards the monster.

Barely pulling away in time, the bat and its riders narrowly escaped being engulfed in the flames of the resulting impact. To Moogie\'s utmost horror, however, the Gondola was not so fortunate. She watched as the explosion ripped through the open windows of the car and instantly burnt through the cables holding it safely in the air. The screams of pain and horror echoed endlessly in her ears as she watched the destroyed car plummet down the cliff.

Camazotz made no effort to follow. They were unimportant to him. Staring intently at the thick black cloud at the center of the dying flames, he saw that the demon was gone. Not even its charred corpse remained for him as a trophy as the smoke lifted. But he knew that it had survived, unsummoned by the Strangers that controlled it, who were watching them even now from the Winch station above. He threw an expressive hand sign to the sky, growling in anger as he signalled to the Megaras to start decending.

Leilani cowered before him, and Moogie held on loosely from behind. Their tears streamed freely down their faces. Moogie, in particular, felt a pain like no other. Those people had nothing to do with the Prophecy. She wanted to save their lives. She thought she had. She had stopped Camazotz\' casting- she warned him that they would die. But he did it anyway. He didn\'t even glance down as the rope had burned through and released them. He... killed them.

\"...You killed them all...\" she whispered.

[Drey]

:O people dies.

other than that i am lost for what to right, not because it was bad. My brain is just broke.