Fragments

The Dare

Prompt:
The mobile city of Theodine. It houses the last of the Ancients on the back of the last Pemmaaksee. The city holds the last documents and magic of the times before the great war. Those who have risen from the ashes of the World Before all seek the hidden knowledge that the city holds, but none have gotten close, none except for you.

Answer:
The wind was blowing something fierce and my hands were already going stiff from holding onto the rope for so long.

I dug my toes into the ledge just before the beast moved again sending my whole body slamming into the side of the leg. It took all my strength to keep my hands from slipping on the rope. What I would have given for real climbing shoes...

"Hey!"

I started and looked up just as the beast finished the step, sending me rolling against the armored leg.

A girl looked over the edge of the watch tour that had been implanted on the beasts leg armor. A mass of dark curly hair surrounded a cinnamon dusted face.

"You alright down there?" She called to me.

My biceps burned as my feet grappled for a foothold. When I finally was able to stop myself from spinning I looked back up at the girl.

"How did you get below the Deanitium?" She asked. The grappling hook of my rope was set right next to her shoulder.

"The what?!" I called back.

"The stabilizing spell?" She answered as if it was obvious, "why are you even down there in the first place?"

I swallowed hard. She didn't know I was from below. As much as it surprised me, I realized that she wouldn't have ever met someone from below. No one had ever made contact since... well no one really knew when.

"Can you help me?" I begged, "I don't know if i can hold on much longer!"

"Oh!" She blinked, "yea of course!"

Her head disappeared and when she came back i saw a long silver stick in her hand. I craned my head back to watch as she mouthed some words.

Suddenly my body felt lighter. I swore as my body began rising upward. A laugh bubbled up inside me as the rope went slack as it curled upward with me as I continued to rise. There was a little pop in my ears about five feet down and the movements of the beast stopped being noticeable.

Oh this was incredible.

Finally the spell set me down right next to the girl. A proud smile on her face.

My weight came back and I collapsed on the floor. My arms and fingers were shaking as I laid there. Completely ignoring the masses of gear on my back and around my belt.

"What were you trying to do? Run away?" She laughed, "the high council won't like that. You know how they feel about abandoners."

I turned my head to look at her. She had her arms crossed over her chest and that silver stick was still clutched in one hand. I don't know why it surprised me that she was wearing a tunic and armor. Maybe it was her age or her gender. But I had never met a guard who looked only 17, my age. But that stick... no it couldn't be one of the fabled Wands, could it?

"What is it pretty boy?" She asked, "why the look?"

I rolled onto myside and Unclipped my backpack so that it could slip off my shoulders.

"Sorry...it's just..."

"What?" She asked.

"Did you just call my pretty boy?" I actually cracked a smile.

"Only cause you are younger than I thought you'd be," she said with a gesture towards my tunic.

I had really been going for sneaky-manly look when I had chosen the tighter black tunic. But it looked like that didn't work out too well.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Calvin," I said, forcing myself to get up into a standing position, "and you?"

"Shay," she said, "you're a long was from the civilian zone. What are you doing all the way down here?"

"Um," I glanced over the edge of the wall towards the hulking drop. I could tell the foot was moving but I couldn't feel a thing. "It was a dare." It was certainly not a complete lie. "Stupid, I know."

She sighed, "well I won't disagree with you there. What's with all the stuff?" She waved her wand towards my gear and I stiffened expecting it to turn into pigs or something but nothing happened.

"It was an overnight dare," i grinned, hoping it sounded believable.

"Well did you do it?" She asked.

I looked around us. The walkway of the tower wrapped around the beasts leg and stairs led up towards the city above. The ancient city.

"Yea," he smiled, "I made it."