The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 21

He was reminded of The Glade, as if that place and his home were similar. It wasn't how it looked, because as he scanned the forest he was struck by how normal everything seemed. It was in how he felt, alive and full of energy. Curiosity and intrigue peaked as his eyes scanned and looked for anything out of place.

At first, he saw nothing odd, the same tall trees and scattered plants that dominated the forest floor. But, the more he studied his surroundings the more he started to notice the differences. The further in his eye travelled the less moss there was, and as he stepped forward, studying that minor difference he could feel the air growing progressively warmer, drier.

After nearly a dozen careful steps the evening chill was gone, and he felt like he was in the peak of summer. A warm breeze was blowing against his face, reinforcing that thought and reminding him of what it was like when he lived in Arizona. He laughed at the connection, surprised by the association as he remembered how it felt to leave an air conditioned building and enter the outside world.

The pressures were different, the outside so dry and warm and the inside so cool and refreshing. Within a second you could feel the heat deep in your body, sweat coating your flesh as you struggled to acclimate to the extremely different environment.

This was nothing as extreme as that had been, but as the thought occurred to him he could not help but think how appropriate it was. Looking in the direction of the breeze he found what he suspected was its source. He stopped for a moment, pistol drawn and eyes scanning, looking for any movement or sign of threat as his body came alive with magic.

Andrew was still not used to how different his clothing felt as the ward's magic seemed to make the loose pants resist his steps ever so slightly. The shirt was better, and Andrew was unsure why. He suspected it was because of how form fitting it was, and how his body directly and immediately manipulated the material, but whenever he brushed against anything he was reminded of the difference as the material resisted that outside force.

The terrain seemed to slope down towards his goal, what appeared to be a long unused trail with dry leaves scattered upon soft nutrient rich soil. Almost twenty yards from where he stood the land was just about devoid of plantlife, the earth darkening the closer it got to two large trees that rose high up into the canopy.

Looking up, Andrew could tell that the trees appeared only slightly taller than the others of the forest, their broad branches reaching out and filling the canopy that had been started by the trees that surrounded them. The most peculiar part was that for the first five yards from the ground there were very few branches, none of which grew between the two trees. The first branches that did seemed to fuse together, creating something reminiscent of an arch.

Upon that arch he noticed that the leaves were rippling in the steady warm breeze that flowed out from below. There was something discordant with it that unsettled Andrew for a few seconds until he realized that it was because none of the branches around it were moving in the same way. That unending exhale of hot air seemed to be belched out from the space below that arch, and while it caused those few leaves that rested at the top to shiver and shake, everything above moved with lazy and gently purpose, just like all the trees around it.

He remained still, listening to every detail and looking for any threat. It sounded quiet, and oddly peaceful. The more he studied his surroundings the more certain he was that there was no wolf or predator around. All he could see were trees and bushes around him, and the two trees that stood at the bottom of the steady slope that reached out before him. With careful steps he moved closer, his eyes continuing to scan what he knew was the passage to another world.

The moonlight provided him with only gray shades and limited detail, but it was enough for him to understand why more creatures had not come through to the Pacific Northwest. There were thick thorny vines criss crossing between the two magnificent trees, creating an intricate web of protection that was sure to disway the large creatures that Andrew suspected lived on the other side.

Part of him wondered how Thunderfoot and the wolf had even made the journey. There seemed to be no gaps large enough for either of the creatures, and while there were a few holes he thought he might be able to sneak through, leaves and flowers on the vines would have made him cautious, uncertain of what might be hidden on the other side.

He stopped and studied the plant for a long moment, its plentiful leaves rustling in the wind that flowed out around it. He felt nervous, but saw no immediate threats, so after a few more seconds of studying his environment he decided to holster his weapon and continue studying the passage.

It didn't take long for his eyes to fall upon the ground between those two trees, where the earth was almost black and the soil seemed fluffy, as if it had recently been turned by a farmer preparing to plant seeds. There were rocks and branches sticking up in jagged and unexpected ways all over that dark rich soil, and he was forced to admit that he had never seen anything like it before.

With cautious steps he moved forward, and the closer he got the more he could smell it. The earth so rich and full of nutrients that even he knew that the soil was fertile and capable of sustaining the heartiest of plants. He suspected that because the two trees lived at the bottom of what seemed to be a crater, that the trees and the vines were provided with an abundance of food from the forest that surrounded them.

Death was a staple of the Olympic National Park, and every time it rained much of that decaying biomass must have been swept down into that pit, where it kept those sentinels alive.

His eyes squinted as he drew close to the gateway, the breeze becoming almost a gust as it whistled out between the vines that protected it. At first, he thought that the vines were overgrown raspberry or blackberry bushes, but they were far to thick and looked somehow different. The blackberries that grew wild in the forest were already bearing fruit, while this vine seemed to have just flowered. The differences didn't stop there, the local fruit vines were rigid and densely interwoven, and as he tried to look between the thick skinned ropes that stood before him, hoping to catch a glimpse of another world, he could tell that these vines were soft and malleable by the way they swayed and moved in the strong wind that flowed through its tangled mass.

Andrew was desperate to see through, eager to know what Thunderfoots home was like, and it was to that end that he crept ever closer to the gate. The ground was just as soft as it had seemed, the earth delicate and fragile like fresh snow on a dry winter morning. He thought nothing of it, his feet sinking into the soil a few inches, compressing it down and forcing the jagged and uneven rocks to the side.

Moonlight shone through those few shifting gaps in the vines, brighter than the place he stood and with a strange tone that seemed colorful and somehow inviting. His gaze pierced further still, wide, tall pines that seemed familiar and yet felt odd in unexplainable ways coming into view. Beyond that he saw a sky full of more stars than he knew existed.

It was like the sky from his dreams, stars clustered together so tight that they created a tapestry of color, as if the milky way had been painted there just for him. He gasped at the beauty of it as he continued to walk forward.

He was captivated and intrigued, the thin view he managed through the vines captured his attention and egged him forward, promising more fantastical discoveries if he could only get closer. It wasn't until he stepped forward, his foot resting on a large round stone that his attention was broken. At first it seemed strong and sturdy, well rooted into the ground and fully capable of supporting his weight, but he was wrong.

The moment he leaned into it, a loud cracking noise filled the air, and the rock shattered. Andrew fell forward, his hands coming out and preparing to catch him when he got his first close look at the ground he had been walking through. The soil was indeed soft and dark, rich beyond any measure, but it was not due to runoff from the forest that surrounded it, but the bones and bodies of countless animals that had died there.

What he had mistaken for rocks and branches were bones. Thousands of bones, some fresh and many old, weather worn and collapsing within themselves. He was only a yard from the passage to Thunderfoot's home, the warm air promising a new and majestic world, but as he fell to the ground, arms sinking into the nutrient rich earth he came face to face with the truth of it. Nothing gets through that gate, not alive at any rate.

His face was half coated in the ebony earth that surrounded him, his attention drawn to movement as he raised his eyes and saw a snake slithering beneath the surface. He had never been more grateful for the strength or agility he had gained since bonding with Sara as he was in that moment.

Andrew's body lurched back as his hands and legs propelled him away from the gate. It was difficult getting purchase in that soft terrain, but his sudden movement had prevented the creature from sinking its fangs into his skin, a fast movement causing the earth to jump as it lashed out towards his hands.

He was on his knees, a sharp pain screaming up his arm from where it had almost got him. Four thin marks were left on the black surface of his sleeve, the ward having protected his arm from the creatures fangs, but failed to stop if from glancing his hand as he pulled it away. A razor thin wound had broken through his flesh but had not reached muscle. Despite that, he felt like his hand was on fire. He was pretty sure that snakes needed to inject their venom for it to be effective, but that creature must have come through the gate, and was dangerous in ways he probably couldn't expect. The pain in his arm warned him of the creature's fatal capabilities.

He imagined the most terrifying creatures he had ever seen from his roleplaying books hiding beneath that soil. Sara had once told him that the best monsters in horror movies were the ones you didn't see till the end, and he was forced to agree with her sentiment. Since he had yet to see what was attacking him his mind was concocting the most terrifying snake ever, and he knew he could not risk staying there any longer.

Forcing his attention from the wound on his hand, Andrew hopped up on his feet and took a step back. Just as he turned, preparing to run, something caught his rear leg as it lifted into the air. For a moment he could feel resistance as he heard the sound of sharp teeth dragging across the impervious surface of his pants, several points of contact releasing a dull vibration into the air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

The resistance shifted his weight as it held his foot aloft, forced him off balance, and as one of the teeth settled into an imperfection along one of the seams of his pant leg he was once more dropped to the ground. Unlike the last time he was prepared, one arm digging into the soft soil while he curled his free leg up under himself, providing a chance to fight being dragged back.

Andrew was careful which arm he used to anchor himself into place, ensuring that it was his off hand that was free. It was for no other reason than that was the hand that had access to his knife, and just as his body settled against the ground the knife was drawn.

Sharp pain radiated through his calf as the snake took hold, several fangs applying extreme and constant pressure, forcing the fibers of his pants apart and slowly but steadily piercing his flesh and sinking into the muscle. Just like his hand, the wounds began to burn with an unnatural fire, the pain quickly crawling up and down his leg with agonizing intent as the toxin coursed through his veins.

He wished it had been some kind of viper, anything that attacked with sudden and quick strikes. The ward would have stopped that, could have stopped that, but the unyielding force that was bearing down around his calf was different. While his magic drained, attempting to resist and protect the fibers of his pants, the distance between those threads grew, allowing more of the fangs to sink in.

Andrew expected to be pulled back, and was shocked when no such move was made, instead his stomach lurched as a strange feeling crept through the pain. Looking down he finally saw what had grabbed him, and it was not a snake, or even an animal at all, but a vine from the plant that protected the passage.

It squeezed his leg and that uneasy feeling he had just experienced doubled as he watched the vine pulse, blood getting pulled out of his body and sucked back towards the trees in a grotesque and macabre display.

His heart raced, sweat coating his brow as the pain reached his foot and hip. Andrew swiped down with the knife, its razor sharp blade gliding across the plants leathery skin and barely scratching its surface before it skated across his pants and did nothing more than further deplete his reserves.

Andrew screamed with frustration, dropping the knife and instead focusing on getting away from the unnatural creature. His hands dug deep into the ground while his foot pushed through the soft earth before finally catching on something solid. He made it a couple of feet, his heart racing and thoughts growing numb before his assailant fought back.

Just as quickly as he had moved forward, Andrew was stopped. He could feel another vine snaking up along his body, curling and gliding around his other leg until it reached passed his hip, under his torso and up over his shoulder. He watched with horror as it came up next to his face, each long and venom filled thorn seeming to avoid his body as if on purpose.

It looked so soft, like the entire vine was made from the petal of a leaf, but that gentle beauty was proven false by the lethality of the thorns. They were shaped like claws, hooked with razor sharp points. On the underside of the bark like talon he saw a series of holes, and as it passed his ear he swore he could hear a slight sucking noise coming from within.

Tears streamed down Andrew's face as the vine pulled away from his body, twisting an inch from his skin before it pulled back against him, dragging nearly a dozen thorns across his warded turtleneck. The shirts fibers were more tightly packed, causing the vine to drag for much further than the one on his leg, but one by one each talon found an opening. Pain shot through him as the stretchier material made way for the intruders, allowing the thorns to dig in with less resistance than the ones on his leg.

As it pulled his struggling body back towards the gate he could feel the vine synching tighter with unnatural strength, the thorns tearing through his muscle as they pulled him towards death. His power was still draining into the wards which seemed to be doing nothing for him, so he dropped his connection to them and felt no difference in the vines, their strength unchanged and their influence on his body unaffected.

His hands dug through the earth searching for anything that he might use to give himself enough purchase to pull free. He knew that he had not the strength to fight it, but he could not stop himself from trying. Part of him knew he was going to die, and his only happiness was in knowing that Sara and Karen would be spared having to see him like that. Though his heart still broke at the pain he knew it would cause them, feeling every moment of his fear and panic filled murder.

Andrew found a few rocks and bones that came up easily as he was being dragged slowly back, but that was it. The pain was all consuming by that point, fire seeming to flow through every vein of his body. In a panicked frenzy, he reached out with his mind and grabbed every object he could find. Bones and rocks lifted into the air all around him, his knife joining them as they all sailed back and stabbed violently into the ground just behind his legs.

It had taken a lot of his magic in doing that, and looking back he saw no movement from the plant. Nothing to indicate that his efforts had been anything but futile. He was about to give up when he saw something that gave him hope, the root of a set of antlers was sticking up out of the ground off to his side.

He grabbed the top and pulled, finding that it was rooted deep and might just give him the leverage he needed. Reaching his other hand in the soil, trying to find another point of purchase on the potentially life saving discovery, he traced along the curving and uneven ivory surface.

There was not much below his hand before the antler branched, most of it descending into the ground where it became solid and impossible for him to penetrate, but there was one small horn that shot off to the side. Andrew continued feeling along it, hoping to find a solid and smooth spot to grasp, his heart pounding in his chest as a cold sweat washed over him.

His pulse was slowing, and he could feel it.

As his fingers traced the short horn that came off of the antler, he was amazed to feel it grow not only smooth, but cold like steel. He had been working with the stuff long enough to know how it felt, and he could have sworn it was tempered steel that he was running his fingers over. Reaching out his mind, he once more used telekinesis, and quickly moved the loose soil away from it, seeing a sharp blade forming from the small horn that came off from the side of the antler.

He knew that was his chance, his one last hope to save his life. It seemed that weapons from his world were ineffective against the vine, but perhaps that supernatural blade would prove more useful.

Both of his legs were caught by the creature that was devouring him alive, so he gripped the base of the antler with both hands and pulled with everything he had. The vine fought him, and its thorns dragged slightly through his flesh, further lacerating him in the process.

Even as he tried to use his gift to dig up the earth and free the antler it was not enough. Beyond a slight shift, the antler remained buried in place as his hands slipped from its course surface. He wasted a huge amount of energy trying to dig the antler free, only to find the process slow and costly. His body went limp as he gave up, and the vines stopped their movement as they sensed his resignation.

Just as Andrew was about to dive into his mind, to try and say his farewells to his mates, he could sense them coming. Looking up he could see Sara nearly there, her face white and panicked as she caught a glimpse of him. He knew that Karen was not far behind, her body in pain from the falls she was taking trying to get to him in the dark.

He tried to yell to Sara, to tell her what she needed to do, but his voice would not come out. He had not realized how weak he had become until that moment, the last of his profound strength having been spent trying to pull the antlers free.

In his mind he focused on Sara, yelling, "You need to use the antler to cut me free!"

He could sense her confusion at that statement, but pushed forward not daring to waste time explaining.

"Don't get too close to the vine. If you can't free me, than stay back!"

No sooner had he thought his message than his head fell to the side, coming to rest on the soft and welcoming mattress of soil. As his eyes began to close he saw Sara pull the antlers from the ground as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

They must have come from a young elk, because there were only four points on the lean looking horns. What struck him most was how shiny and metallic the branches of it were, each one long and lethal looking as they crossed his fading vision.