Path to the hunting ground part two.

Posted on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 @ 2:43am by Commander Sthilg & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik
Edited on on Sun Nov 8th, 2020 @ 10:48pm

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
1763 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Gary breathed a sigh of relief as Lia spoke to him. She seemed to have been in a trance for the last few minutes so having her back with him was a weight off his mind. "Will do." He answered as he lit his candle, breathed deeply, closed his eyes and waited for whatever came next.


In the hunting grounds, the gorn was feeling rather confused. There was no sign of the two ancient gorn he was supposed to see, yet this was their cottage. Wracking his brain he thought back to the scroll and what he could have missed.

Gary looked to the CMO, "Doc? What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked. If there was he didn't know if there was anything he could do help the CMO but he would certainly try.

" Yesss sssomething is wrong. Two of the gorn eldersss are sssopose to be here, but...." the old medic said as he wandered around the stone cottage. He stop dead in his tracks as his eyes fell on the blade sitting upon the table. " What thisss isssn't right." he said the confusion in his reptilian voice being unmistakable.

Gary came up alongside the CMO ,"What do you mean this isn't right? How can it not be right. More importantly what can we do to make it right?"

" I don't know. I'm sssuppossse to recite the prayer to the old onesss. The sssword is here yet it's for the gorn that have chosen the warriors path. " The gorn said as he walked back and forth scratching his head as he tried to think of what had gone wrong. " I'm a doctor not a sssoilder." he yelled out to the rocks as if that would shift them.

"Wait a second Doc. You weren't always a doctor were you? I mean at some point in your long life weren't you a warrior at one point?" Gary asked. He felt like he was clutching at straws but he didn't know what else to do.

" Yesss i've always been a doctor, true i've killed sssome people, but only in ssself defenssse of me or my patian...." The gorn replied though he pushed at the last bit. " Well apart from one..."

"Could that one be the reason why the old ones aren't here?" Gary pressed the CMO, hoping his asking questions would spur the CMO on to finding the answer.

" I don't see why that would make them make take the warrior path. She was a frengi slave trader who's skull i crushed after she lied to my face about how she'd been treating her victim. " the gorn said his words echoing slightly.

"Don't know Doc. But there has to be a reason these old ones aren't here. Maybe it was how you killed her, in cold blood and not in combat that they take issue with?" Gary asked the CMO.

" Maybe, but that doesn't......" The gorn replied before a howl echoed around the hills. A look of terror spread across his face as he grabbed the blade and looked back to Gary. " Run down the mountain track the houndsss are coming. This is my fight alone." he yelled with panic in his voice as a thick mist began to drift down from the mountains.

"What?" Gary asked. It wasn't like him to abandon a fellow officer. However he heard the panic in the CMO's voice and started down the path and stopped, "No. I won't leave you alone to face the hounds. What can I do to help you?"

" Then stay behind me." Sthilg said hoping his bulk could shield the commander. " The houndsss come for the warriorsss who walk the path to tessst there metal."

Gary did as instructed. "These hounds will find I'm no coward." He told the doc as they awaited the hounds appearance.

Something whizzed out of the fog and snapped into the gorn's side. He let out a scream of pain as the fleshy tendril dug into his body. It started to pull him towards the fog though he still had the sword which sliced through the tendril. " Come on. I won't go quietly into the night. Come face me." He said the image of his wife burning in his mind.

Gary grabbed the doc by his shoulders and began to pull him back "NO!" He screamed at the fog. "Damn you! No!"

Another fleshy tendril shot into the gorn as they pulled him towards the fog. He brought the blade around and sliced through one severing it and causing the remained to shreak back into the fog. Another flew out of the fog shooting towards Gary. " No," Screamed the gorn as he tried to slice it in mid air.

Thunk.

The sound echoed around the valley as it struck something. Something hard.

Out of nowhere had appeared what could only be described as an Orion warrior woman decked out in furs and tanned hides. " Get away from him you bitch." She yelled as she flung as a golden spear into the fog causing a scream of pain from the monster. " Commander Taylor take this. " She yelled as she tossed him the hilt of a short blade made from some black shining stone.

Gary looked at the woman even as he caught the the short sword. "Thanks." He yelled to the woman. "Doc who is that?"

" No idea, but right now i don't care." The gorn said as he pulled himself to his feet.

" Back to back you two now." The Orion yelled with a hint of a sss in her voice. " There's one still out there and he's mad I've sstung his mate."

Gary didn't aske any more questions. He turned so his back was to the CMO's back. He hefted the short blade in his hand. "I'm ready." He whispered.

" Here he comes. " the orion yelled as the ground shook as the beast charged from the fog. It's face a mix of tusked pig and viper it bellowed at the three.

" CHARGE...." Sthilg screamed as he charged at the hound the orion keeping pace with him.

" Cut the tendrils and it will flee." Yelled the orion

"Well shit!" Gary said and joined the CMO and the Orion warrior in charging the beast

The hound bellowed as a mass of fleshy tendrils shot from it's mouth towards the three. Sthilg did his best as he deflected and sliced away.

The orion swirled like a hurricane her limbs slicing and dicing the mass of worldly tendrils at such a speed the eye couldn't keep a track.

For his part. Gary took his sword and sliced, cut, hacked and punctured anywhere he could. Anything he could do to assist in killing the monster and helping the Doc on his quest.

With one final slice from the doctor's blade, the beast crawled as it began to slink back into the fog which began to lift. The scenery had changed and they were now standing on the edge of a sea it's waves gently washing against the shore.

Gary looked around, "Well, that was interesting. Where are we Doc? This sure isn't the forest."

" I think we're at the ssshoresss sssea of the vanished. Where thossse who vanish may be welcomed back. " he saaid before turning to the orion, He was about to ask her her name before he caught her eyes. Her mother's eyes.

" Gedes?" He said weakly

Gary heard the name Gedes and he racked his brain to remember where he had heard it. Then it came to him. "Gedes? Isn't that the name of an Orion goddess?"

The orion sheaved her weapons before looking a warm smile on her face. " It is commander. It's the name my mother and father would have given me." She said as she turned to look at the gorn " Hello, dad." She said before the now sobbing gorn wrapped his arms around her. Father and daughter reunited at last.

"Well, how about that?" Gary said to no one in particular. A happy smile on his face as he looked on at the tearful reunion of father and daughter.

The gorn gripped his daughter what felt like hours before he finally pulled away. They did have limited time. " Your mother is ssshee..."

" She's waiting for you dad, but we must hurry. The dark one is abroad and he really doesn't like you." came her reply.

Gary was getting more confused by the minute. "Gedes? Who is this dark one and why doesn't he like your father?"

" The dark one was the husband to the all mother. After he tried to eat the first children born she banished him into the dark. He now exists as a corpse searching for scraps that he can snatch away. As he tries to steal children during childbirth he really doesn't like doctors. " The Orion explained as she pointed to a road leading away from the beach. " Come we must head for the bridge of Zalal."

Gary nodded as it was explained who the dark one was. "Okay, then what are we waiting for? Lets get to your mother before it's too late."

The gorn nodded as he lead the way along the coastal trail. Gedes talk constantly wanting to know everything about her father that she had never got the chance to know. As the trail turned inwards the three paused as the massive stone bridge that was stretching onwards before them into the horizon.

" Here, it is. " the doctor said feeling slightly nervous. Looking over at the commander he noticed he was starting to fade. " Well, commander looksss like your time is almost up. Thank you for helping me with this sssection." The gorn said holding out his hand to shake it.

Gary smiled, "You are most welcome Doc. I wish you continued good luck." He smiled at Gedes, "It was nice to meet you Gedes. Take care of your father. What do I do now Doc?" He asked,

" You just need to...." The doctor began but it was not needed as the commander faded out of existence and back to the world of the living.

Gary looked around he was back in the Doc's quarters with everyone else. "Wow. What a trip that was." He commented and wondered who would be the next to help the Doc on his quest.

Alicia was next round from Gary as he opened his eyes she took a deep breath noticing something strange. “Commander is that your sword?” She motioned to a sword that lay beside him. “I guess that’s my queue” She lit her candle and closed her eyes.