TW: W3ap0n$, vi0l3nc3, bl00d
Verita stood in the middle of the throne room looking like she hadn't slept in days. She held up the thick, ancient tome she'd dug out from the depths of the library, recounting details about the gorgon to Tigris, the knights, and the king. Finn stood in the corner of the room behind the librarian, fidgeting with his armour.
"The gorgon acts fast, spurred by its wings and lithe form. It spits a potent, paralyzing venom and a single bite from its fangs will turn the victim to stone. You must also avoid the left side of its body. That side contains a corrosive poison that will destroy everything it touches, including your blades. Such a poison can only be cleansed with fire." the librarian explained solemnly, highlighted by a beam of silvery moonlight. She pushed back a stray strand of hair from her face, her eyes meeting Tigris'. "The gorgon transforms at midnight sharp and will remain in its monstrous form for a quarter hour."
Tigris gripped the hilt of her sword, meeting Finn's eyes. He nodded at her, looking haggard but determined.
The gorgon was going to die tonight. Kai would be avenged, and he would get the anti-venom he needed.
"How can it be killed?" their father asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Verita kept her eyes obediently downcast as she answered,
"The right side of the gorgon must be slashed first to drain enough of the healing blood. You may have to make multiple blows to drain enough blood out. Once that has been done, the creature can be killed like any other." she explained.
Finn frowned at the answer. "But how are we supposed to land a blow if the scales are infallible?"
"It's not infallible," Tigris corrected, her mind darting back to the last battle, "My sword managed to cut through."
The king nodded, standing from his throne. "Midnight approaches. Tigris, lead the battle. So far, you're the only one who's had any success in wounding the beast. Lead the knights and kill it once and for all."
As if on cue, the warning bells began to ring. Confusion flitted through the room.
"It's not midnight yet," Tigris mumbled in confusion. The king's brows furrowed.
"Go. Ensure no one is in the courtyard," he ordered sternly, "Send for more knights as needed."
"Thank you, father," Tigris curtsied deeply before beckoning for the knights to follow. She raced out into the winding halls, her pace picking up as the fresh night air caressed her face.
Tigris burst through the courtyard with her usual poise, her eyes instantly focussing on the group of pompously dressed nobles gathered in the courtyard.
"What is the meaning of this?" Tigris asked, her voice stilling the murmurings and chatterings of the gathered crowd, "There is a curfew in order! A battle is to occur in moments."
"This is important, my lady," a vaguely familiar voice assured her. The crowd parted, revealing a rotund, muscled bald man with eyes gleaming with hate. Draven stalked up to Tigris, holding something squirming in his hand.
It only took Tigris a moment to realise that his grubby fingers were currently holding a thick head of dark hair attached to a pale, shivering woman.
"Is this who you were searching for?" Tigris asked, swallowing her discomfort as the bounty hunter threw the woman to the ground. The inkblood cried out, delicate palms bloodying as they scraped against the ground. She was crying silently, stunning grey-blue eyes hazy as they peered up at Tigris with a strange kind of intensity that Tigris had only seen in two others before: Kai and Roche.
YOU ARE READING
The Way We Fall
Fantasy(Inspired by the hit BBC show Merlin) One thousand years have passed since humanity fell. From its ashes, the Faultless Kingdom rose. For many centuries, it was prosperous. Then the king enacted a new law: inkblood is a crime punishable by death. Ro...
