“I can help you,” the voice calls to her, as if the rocks speak themselves.
Lucrezia steps closer to the rock formation, her body still aches from being thrown down the mountain. However, the sound of water trickling catches her attention. It is a peaceful sound that echoes in the darkness of the rock formation.
The sound of the water running draws her in, luring her in. It is the peacefulness that draws her in, forgetting the ache of her body and falling into the hands of fate to guide her again—trusting heart and instinct to help her.
Her movement is slow, dragging ached legs and sore hooves. It is not until she is in the middle of the rock formation—or maybe some sort of temple, she realizes—that there is someone else in here. Lucrezia’s eyes widen, large nutmeg eyes astonished, as she sees the other for the first time. He has two heads, but the longer she looks at the creature she is not sure.
“Drink,” he says. For the first time, she had not noticed how thirsty she was. She had forgotten about the need of nutrients and hydration. It was only saving her that she knew she must do—she must save her for Time. Lucrezia, without question, does drink. She drinks all that she can, but it isn’t long.
The rocks around here are closing and Lucrezia makes an awkward sound of helplessness. Her heart is racing and the air feels like it does not have any oxygen—she cannot breathe. Lucrezia looks around, wide-eyed again, for an exit of some sort. It was a trap, a very bad trap! Her mind races with anxious thoughts. She turns back to the creature, now noticing his head is just one with two faces on either side.
Lucrezia gulps as the faces move back and forth. The other face speaks now, promising of help and guidance. She is not sure if she should trust him, but there is something in his voice that gives her peace. It feels as if she had felt such a presence before—when she should in front of the gods of the Deserts—of a creature that knows more worlds than just the one she knows of.
Two doors open to her side, shimmering and holding two paths. Another opens behind her, and she hears the words that she could go back. “No,” she says quietly and quickly, “I cannot go back.” It was too late for that. She was already here, already made the decision to save her for Time. Time had chosen her for a reason she is not sure about but it was a good enough reason that she must stay. Then again, it is also her heart that tells her to stay. There is a sense of duty and a promise she made to Time that she would do.
She would not fail someone again.
I will not!
Lucrezia looks at the two doors on each side of her and the man god. She knows these creatures—the griffin is close enough to the sphinx tattoo on her hip—and she and just met something like this giant before coming into the cave.
He is gone in an instant, leaving her to make the choice. A choice was not always easy for her to make, but this one was simple. Lucrezia moves to the door that the griffin stands in—her heart beats fast but she is not feeling worried, only excited for what comes next and how she must overcome this new challenge. I am brave is the last thing she says as she steps into the shimmering door.
As she steps into the pathway, the door behind her slams. The icy cold temperature returns and quickly reaches into the organs of her body. Lucrezia shivers violently and she huffs loudly. Her eyes peer through the small cavern. There is little light here but enough for her to find her way through—she moves forward, using the dim light as her guidance.
Eventually, the path widens slowly, opening into a larger space. She did not notice the path become wider and a little bit brighter until she was in the center of a much larger path of the tunnel. A loud screech echoes through the quiet cave. Lucrezia abruptly comes to a stop in the middle of the hard stone pathway. Her eyes widen, searching and seeking out the source of the noise.
A loud screech is heard again. The pitch of the sound is louder and clearer now—the griffin is much closer now. Lucrezia shakes her head, letting the fear that creeped up into her mind and fill her heart with worry go away. She steps forward, feeling bolder and courageous to continue further into the tunnel.
It is too late before she moves again.
Her path is cut short as a shadowy figure steps forward. Lucrezia takes a step back each time the creature steps forward. The light begins to reveal the creature—the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle, and talons of an eagle on its front feet. The mare gulps loudly, noticing the griffin only has eyes for her.
Lucrezia tries to speak to the griffin several times, remembering that a familiar creature,sphinx, spoke riddles to her once. The griffin only screeched at her, thrusting his talon claws at her. Lucrezia lunged back as she barely missed the mythical creature’s attempt on her life.
Her pleas for trying to pass did not help again as she tried one more time. The griffin made its choice—either hungry or done playing with its food—he lunged forward at her. This time both talon feet ready to strike. The griffin’s beak ready to bite her. Lucrezia, out of instinct and protection, reared up. She had no plans to fight, always more of a peace seeker in such events, but if she must she would protect herself and to continue her journey.
Lucrezia thrusts a hoof forward as the beast lunges at her. She lets out a loud whicker, almost like a roar of a lion as it echoes through the tunnel. Her hoof hits the beak of the griffin just as one of his talon claws strikes her on her neck. The griffin quickly pulls back, its cat reflexes allowing the creature to move quicker than she would have liked. It pulls around, looping to regain its balance and strength. Lucrezia too ready’s herself, regaining her balance on the hard ground.
The griffin is quick to move and strike again, much the same way it did before. Lucrezia might not be an experienced fighter but she picks up on the repeated attempt easily. As the griffin comes forward, she swoops to his right and slams her whole body into his right side. Her teeth snatch onto fur and feather, as hooves kick and thrust at his shoulder. The griffin screeches and falls down. The attack was a surprise for the griffin, and it quickly stumbles down to the ground with a loud thud. A low screech—helpless and surrendering—exhales through the griffin.
Lucrezia is quick to back away, finding balance and distance from the griffin. She carefully watches him for a couple of moments. The griffin does not move again, only letting low screeches out—almost telling her to go. And with a twirl and loud hooves echoing on the tunnel floor, she is gone down the path again.
Her movement is fast. The tunnel becomes smaller again and the light becomes fainter as before. Her heart races and she dares not look back in case the griffin changes its mind. Lucrezia only has eyes forward, determined to fight and find her way through this tunnel.
Then, finally, after what felt like a long time, she finds herself in a bright white room.
Lucrezia steps closer to the rock formation, her body still aches from being thrown down the mountain. However, the sound of water trickling catches her attention. It is a peaceful sound that echoes in the darkness of the rock formation.
The sound of the water running draws her in, luring her in. It is the peacefulness that draws her in, forgetting the ache of her body and falling into the hands of fate to guide her again—trusting heart and instinct to help her.
Her movement is slow, dragging ached legs and sore hooves. It is not until she is in the middle of the rock formation—or maybe some sort of temple, she realizes—that there is someone else in here. Lucrezia’s eyes widen, large nutmeg eyes astonished, as she sees the other for the first time. He has two heads, but the longer she looks at the creature she is not sure.
“Drink,” he says. For the first time, she had not noticed how thirsty she was. She had forgotten about the need of nutrients and hydration. It was only saving her that she knew she must do—she must save her for Time. Lucrezia, without question, does drink. She drinks all that she can, but it isn’t long.
The rocks around here are closing and Lucrezia makes an awkward sound of helplessness. Her heart is racing and the air feels like it does not have any oxygen—she cannot breathe. Lucrezia looks around, wide-eyed again, for an exit of some sort. It was a trap, a very bad trap! Her mind races with anxious thoughts. She turns back to the creature, now noticing his head is just one with two faces on either side.
Lucrezia gulps as the faces move back and forth. The other face speaks now, promising of help and guidance. She is not sure if she should trust him, but there is something in his voice that gives her peace. It feels as if she had felt such a presence before—when she should in front of the gods of the Deserts—of a creature that knows more worlds than just the one she knows of.
Two doors open to her side, shimmering and holding two paths. Another opens behind her, and she hears the words that she could go back. “No,” she says quietly and quickly, “I cannot go back.” It was too late for that. She was already here, already made the decision to save her for Time. Time had chosen her for a reason she is not sure about but it was a good enough reason that she must stay. Then again, it is also her heart that tells her to stay. There is a sense of duty and a promise she made to Time that she would do.
She would not fail someone again.
I will not!
Lucrezia looks at the two doors on each side of her and the man god. She knows these creatures—the griffin is close enough to the sphinx tattoo on her hip—and she and just met something like this giant before coming into the cave.
He is gone in an instant, leaving her to make the choice. A choice was not always easy for her to make, but this one was simple. Lucrezia moves to the door that the griffin stands in—her heart beats fast but she is not feeling worried, only excited for what comes next and how she must overcome this new challenge. I am brave is the last thing she says as she steps into the shimmering door.
As she steps into the pathway, the door behind her slams. The icy cold temperature returns and quickly reaches into the organs of her body. Lucrezia shivers violently and she huffs loudly. Her eyes peer through the small cavern. There is little light here but enough for her to find her way through—she moves forward, using the dim light as her guidance.
Eventually, the path widens slowly, opening into a larger space. She did not notice the path become wider and a little bit brighter until she was in the center of a much larger path of the tunnel. A loud screech echoes through the quiet cave. Lucrezia abruptly comes to a stop in the middle of the hard stone pathway. Her eyes widen, searching and seeking out the source of the noise.
A loud screech is heard again. The pitch of the sound is louder and clearer now—the griffin is much closer now. Lucrezia shakes her head, letting the fear that creeped up into her mind and fill her heart with worry go away. She steps forward, feeling bolder and courageous to continue further into the tunnel.
It is too late before she moves again.
Her path is cut short as a shadowy figure steps forward. Lucrezia takes a step back each time the creature steps forward. The light begins to reveal the creature—the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle, and talons of an eagle on its front feet. The mare gulps loudly, noticing the griffin only has eyes for her.
Lucrezia tries to speak to the griffin several times, remembering that a familiar creature,sphinx, spoke riddles to her once. The griffin only screeched at her, thrusting his talon claws at her. Lucrezia lunged back as she barely missed the mythical creature’s attempt on her life.
Her pleas for trying to pass did not help again as she tried one more time. The griffin made its choice—either hungry or done playing with its food—he lunged forward at her. This time both talon feet ready to strike. The griffin’s beak ready to bite her. Lucrezia, out of instinct and protection, reared up. She had no plans to fight, always more of a peace seeker in such events, but if she must she would protect herself and to continue her journey.
Lucrezia thrusts a hoof forward as the beast lunges at her. She lets out a loud whicker, almost like a roar of a lion as it echoes through the tunnel. Her hoof hits the beak of the griffin just as one of his talon claws strikes her on her neck. The griffin quickly pulls back, its cat reflexes allowing the creature to move quicker than she would have liked. It pulls around, looping to regain its balance and strength. Lucrezia too ready’s herself, regaining her balance on the hard ground.
The griffin is quick to move and strike again, much the same way it did before. Lucrezia might not be an experienced fighter but she picks up on the repeated attempt easily. As the griffin comes forward, she swoops to his right and slams her whole body into his right side. Her teeth snatch onto fur and feather, as hooves kick and thrust at his shoulder. The griffin screeches and falls down. The attack was a surprise for the griffin, and it quickly stumbles down to the ground with a loud thud. A low screech—helpless and surrendering—exhales through the griffin.
Lucrezia is quick to back away, finding balance and distance from the griffin. She carefully watches him for a couple of moments. The griffin does not move again, only letting low screeches out—almost telling her to go. And with a twirl and loud hooves echoing on the tunnel floor, she is gone down the path again.
Her movement is fast. The tunnel becomes smaller again and the light becomes fainter as before. Her heart races and she dares not look back in case the griffin changes its mind. Lucrezia only has eyes forward, determined to fight and find her way through this tunnel.
Then, finally, after what felt like a long time, she finds herself in a bright white room.
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