Hecktore Read online

animals became more and more scarce. I would have given anything to taste a succulent Stow tongue or even Brihden tail. The snowfield of Tadega was the only thing that would keep me sane on my journey.

  One quiet moonlit night I lay asleep next to a small fire I had made from dead wood laying on the top of the recent snowfall. A snap in the distance startled me awake. Without thinking I grabbed my blunt dagger to fight off anything that was going to try to make me a meal.

  A moment of silence passed when I heard faint sounds of running feet from the West. A large shadowy figure was moving towards me very quickly; the creature got closer and I heard snorting. More out of curiosity then fear kept my wits about me as I stared at the shadow getting close. No fear, No fear…..

  The first firelight licked across a massive body and I stood in awe of the creature. The monster was wider than any wagon I had ever seen and stood taller than two men stacked. Four tusks stood straight out from its mouth like broken swords. Its fur was dark and sparse hiding a metallic sheen underneath it.

  I rolled out of the way to avoid its charge and found my feet on the ground looking for the next attack. I spent a second looking and listening for the creature but found no sign of it. A growl came from behind me and I realized that there was no chance I could take this beast on by myself. I frantically looked for the largest tree I could find and hoped I could climb it.

  I still felt no fear but had a strange sense of wanting to survive; this beast would not be my death. I spotted a very large elder tree not far away. I made a mad dash for it with the creature swiftly following my footsteps. I grabbed the lowest branch and swung myself up to it grabbing on with all my might.

  Gripping the large branch I heard and felt a load thud that almost shook me loose. I peered down to see that the monster had hit the tree with two of its tusks on one side. Thrashing and growling the beast desperately tried to break free of its own mistake. I saw my chance to take the animal and prepared myself for the leap.

  I hit it’s back hard barely able to hold on its thrashing body. I tried to reach around its bulky neck but couldn’t come close enough for a good strike. Fear had finally gripped me and the only thing I could do was hold on for my life. I dropped my dagger and grabbed tufts of fur in my hands tightly as the beast tried to throw me off its back.

  An hour passed, the creature began to tire, my bones were aching and my legs felt like twigs. All I could feel now was a low rumbling in its belly a monster beaten by its own size. I crawled to the top of its head and with every ounce of strength I pushed against the tree with my legs. What was I doing helping this monster? A strange urge pushed me to help this beast I could understand the force that was guiding me.

  The creature saw this and began to pull away from the tree. I don’t know why I tried to help the creature that was going to kill me but I did. Maybe I was curious, or had an affinity for strange creatures in any case I helped free this monstrosity not knowing what kind of ending I was in store for.

  Several minutes of pushing and pulling slowly moved the tusk out of the tree and when it jarred loose I fell to the ground in front of it. I jumped on all fours noticing two large yellow eyes were meeting me face to face. I began to sweat with anticipation waiting for it to go berserk again and finish me off.

  Finally, it gave a loud snort falling to its knees in exhaustion but still eyeing me warily. Its pudgy nose was bleeding from hitting the tree and began to mix with the snow on the ground. I moved to where my back was against the tree eyeing it ready for any sudden movements. At some point I passed out and slumped against the tree. The hot sun light woke me to see the creature still sitting there staring at me. I dared not move an inch it may be fully rested now and I would be killed without effort.

  I waited an hour into morning as it stared at me with its sickly yellow eyes. The creature snorted loudly and jumped its feet. It had been asleep with its eyes open! It moved to its feet slowly stretching its huge muscles letting out roars of contentment that caused the leaves to quiver nearby. Without warning it darted off towards another cluster of trees that came close to a forest line.

  I was tired, soar and bleeding. I had no meat and the fire had gone out exhaustion hit me very quickly; I grabbed what little belongings I had and curled up next to the tree and went to sleep. It was one of the rare times I had dreams; memories of my past would be closer to the truth.

  Once I heard my father talking about these creatures in the deep woods far from his farm. He spoke of them with a strange reverence I never heard from him. I was never able to understand why he cared for those animals more than his own son. I was nothing more than a pack mule a worthless piece of equipment not his flesh and blood, his only son! He could do what he pleased while I worked myself to death and for what? A sliver of bread and water every night and a beating in the morning. The only comfort came from the days he was sick and could not get up to torture me. Rampant images of those haunted me never letting me get too comfortable and giving me very little rest.

  I woke from my leap in the past to find that night had fallen again and the beast had returned. It laid down a few feet from my side gnawing on what looked like a giant stag it had pierced with one of its tusks. It gnawed on one of the legs dangling from its tusk; the beast gave a low grumble and scooted another leg towards me. The fire had burned out so I had no way to cook the meat so I tried to eat what I could which was easier than I thought.

  The wind become so cold it burned my skin. I forced myself to curl up to the beast, I didn’t realize that the creature was so warm and surprised me how it did not smell. A full stomach and a warm spot to sleep never thought I would have moment of rest next to a monstrous killer………….

  I woke at daybreak fully rested and ready to travel. The beast stirred next to me waking from its deep slumber. I tried to snack on some of the leftover meat but it was almost frozen. I decided to gather what I could and lay it across the beasts back. I mounted the beast with some difficulty but I managed to find a comfortable spot to sit on, right behind its front shoulder blades. With a little kick it came to its feet and with a small tug of its fur I began to move towards the East.

  Nothing but snow, I tired of this repetitive weather it began to put a strain on my sanity. I began to have conversations with my new transportation. Mating seasons and molting were the topics of interest for about a week my mind had become very thin. Sometimes I wondered if it was talking back because of the timely grunts to my constant questions this was very odd, for an animal.

  The sleepless nights were becoming annoying as well I did not dream for an entire week. When I thought my mind had finally gone I peered at the horizon and a shimmer of metal in the distance. I thought I was hallucinating so I paid it no mind, later that day I saw it again but it was closer than before. I started to head north towards the shimmer. It was morning when I came upon a large tower made of stone and metal, it spiraled high into the sky. I tried to see the top but it gave me a nauseating feeling.

  The base of the tower was wider than my father’s house; at the center of the stone cylinder was a pair of metallic doors that shined in the light. It was so large that three of my beasts could walk side by side through them. The top came nowhere near its head it would take a Lithna with their longnecks to reach the top of these doors.

  Standing in awe of this structure my stomach began to growl and my mind began to waver into sleep, fearing I would not survive much longer I began to yell for the owner of the tower. My voice was hoarse from my lengthy conversations with my mount. I waited a moment and yelled once again, I thought my voice was not being heard on the inside so I left my beast and walked to the door.

  I banged on the door with the hilt of my dagger still waiting I turned to look at my steed. There was a dark line of clouds in the sky moving towards us, a storm was coming and I needed shelter. A click from behind me made me jump and spun around ready to defend. The doors slowly slid open; the sound o
f metal grinding rock ripped the teeth from my mouth. Dust fell through the air it was so thick that I gagged and coughed, suddenly I became sleepy my heart began to race I struggled to maintain but it was too much and I collapsed.

  I woke up in a dark room; all I could see was a single lit candle on a small wooden end table. I noticed I was on something soft, I felt like a bed of feathers it was so comfortable I didn’t want to move but the smell of cooked meat began to fill my nose. The urge for food overwhelmed my need for sleep.

  I tried to find the floor but I felt nothing but air I swung my feet round and jumped off the feather bed I fell a few feet and landed on a hard floor. It felt like ice to the touch I fell to my hands and knees from exhaustion. The little amount of light I saw from the candle reflected off the floor it appeared to be metal. I pushed myself up and looked around the room; the end table which held the held the candle had four legs and was three feet tall. It stood right next to 2 beds stacked on top of each other a ladder was set to be used to reach the top bed.

  I couldn’t see much else of the room so I got up and grabbed the candle from the table. With candle in hand I began to search the room only to find