The Origin Of Mount Woe Chapter 10
Trouble In Paradise
By Nanaki
12,015 B.C.
Vigo woke with a start. As lightning flashed through the window, he saw that some unusually high clouds were causing a storm outside. Zeal stirred restlessly next to him. Suddenly, in the strobe like flashing of the lightning, he saw his bedroom door opening. Vigo was relieved to see Schala tiptoe in the door, looking frightened. Then he was surprised to see her go on into the next room. Rather than stop her, he decided to see just what she was up to.
"Can't sleep-" then there was a crack of thunder, "-the black wind." Now Vigo was puzzled. What was she talking about? His eyes grew wide as she rummaged through his drawers and came up with the key to the Sun keep. She tiptoed back out of the room and closed the door. Vigo followed her back into the hall a moment later, but there was no sign of Schala. She must have teleported. He had never seen his daughter act like this.
He teleported to the Sun keep. He hid behind one of the pillars as Schala entered the building. At least she had not been able to break his magical barriers. But his smile vanished as she walked up to the Sun stone. Since she could not lift it, she put her arms around it, and a frustrated look came over her face. "He still doesn't trust me! Even with the black wind! Well, fine daddy..." Suddenly, the room was filled with bright colors, and Vigo realized Schala had just destroyed every barrier he had put on the Sun stone the day she was born.
Then she closed her eyes, and Vigo was blinded by a huge purple flash. A second later, stars appeared outside the windows. Schala silently left the Sun keep. Vigo was puzzled. Schala was only three years old, but she had just done something that no one but himself or Maro should have been able to do. If she was this powerful now...
She had been babbling something about "black wind" during the storm, but even with the lightning, it had been surprisingly still. He shook his head. His daughter was as mysterious as her mother, and if tonight was any indication, even more magically powerful. He walked back to his room, pausing occasionally to check the weather. There was no sign of the storm; Schala had done a god job.
When he arrived back at his chambers, he found the key right back where it always was. He would have to find out how Schala knew the location. Zeal was awake in bed when he finally returned. "Where have you been? There was this huge purple flash... It seemed like a battle was starting."
"No, well, not really. But Schala just used the Sun stone to get rid of our storm."
"What?! With all the barriers you put on that thing? She's only three!"
"I know." Zeal was speechless. Vigo smiled. He bent down and kissed the nape of her neck. "Schala is such a gifted child." Zeal smiled. "It seems a shame not to have any more." Her smile vanished.
"Please don't ask me to go through that again Vigo. Schala is wonderful, but that... that was hell."
"I know it was. But things would be different this time."
"Still, I can't. I'm sorry Vigo."
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"Karak! Karak, wake up!"
"Huh?" Karak bolted upright in his bed. One of his warriors was standing inside the entrance to his cave. "What's wrong?"
"Some kind of large beasts are invading our caves!"
Karak grabbed his sword. "We just finished this excuse for a new home! I'm not gonna let some monster take it away!" He rushed out of his cave and started running upward.
"Wait a minute sir!" Karak turned around. "You're going the wrong way!"
"What? But the entrance is-"
"That's the strangest part. They didn't come through the entrance! They appeared right in the heart of our lower chambers!" Karak just shook his head and ran the opposite way. Many frightened people were rushing past him. He ran down to the bottom of the cave system, the best part of their new home. He found several men lying on the ground, blood radiating out from them.
Three yellow beasts were sniffing around, pawing up the dirt and knocking over furniture.
"Hey!" Karak shouted at them. They turned and reared up on their hind legs. Karak rushed at them with his sword before they could charge. He jumped into their midst, slashing all around.
He was tossed around by a set of horns, and landed hard, but fortunately, he wasn't gored. In a few seconds, only one of the beasts remained standing.
Suddenly, two larger beasts charged into the scene. One was a bright red, the other, a cold blue. They trampled down everything in their way. Karak turned and ran back out of the area.
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Vigo woke up for the second time that night. He quietly got out of bed and left the room. He heard a commotion down the hall. "Sir, I'm sorry, but the King cannot be disturbed now!"Vigo walked down to where one of his men was arguing with someone.
"Its all right. I'm up." Then he looked up. "Karak?! What is it now?"
"There are some freaky monsters running amok down in, well, we can't really call it Allegan anymore. Anyway, these beasts are running us out of... this Algetty. They've already waylaid some of my best men."
"Did they take over the whole cave?"
"No, just the best part."
"Then I'm afraid I can't help you. You're the one who always scoffed at soft living, remember?"
"But..."
"You've still got a place to live. There's no need to mount a war against these things."
Karak was about to say something else, but shut his mouth as a little girl with silvery blue hair came down the hall. "What's going on daddy? Why are you up again?"
"Its just a restless night honey, go on back to bed."
"Who's this guy?"
"Don't mind that now. I see your mother down the hall. Go wait with her." Schala obedientely ran back to where Zeal was opening her door. She looked at Schala with questioning eyes.
"Daddy says its a rustle night." She said, as if that explained everything. Zeal just sighed and closed the door.
Karak made an odd sounding noise. "Hey man, I've got a life to live here now. I'm not gonna risk losing it so you can have a slightly warmer cave."
"Huh. Well, congratulations. I won't bother to try and get you to keep your word again."
"You don't need our help! If you really can't stand these animals, dig another cave. Now, I've got a family to get back to. One of my guards will send you back down." He turned around, and left Karak standing there. He heard a whooshing sound behind him, and Karak was gone from sight. Vigo sighed. Life might be more comfortable up here, but sometimes he missed the simplicity of Allegan.
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"You feel it too? Don't worry, it'll be all right." - Schala
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