The Sword in the Cave
It had something of the shape of a man, but where the head belonged a cruel spiked horn sat instead, and its eyes
whirled on grotesque appendages in the place of arms. A maw, glowering with large fangs, gaped at her from it's
torso. She stared back at the thing in terror when it charged, horn down, as if to run her through. But she had a
moment, and a moment is enough for a sorceress. Another spell brought a fiery blaze that enflamed the thing and
caused it to beat itself with its eyes. Its howl broke the barrier of sense.
From behind Drea sprang another form, and went past her to the flaming beast. It was Tygg, sword out, keen for
the kill. He sliced off appendages, and the unholy shrieks of the dying thing just continued. Then it gradually fell,
sinking as the flames consumed it.
III
"The Seven Tribes of man built the Seven Kingdoms, each glittering and splendid,
each honoring Urseth and Boda with comely worship.
And the Endimm who had been loyal also came among men,
and sang to them, and gave the wisdom and grace.
And men regarded them as gods."
-The Sacred History of Cevalon, Chapter IV, verses 10-14
For a long time the looked at the flames of the strange beast, smelled the foulness of its ash on the breeze, before
they faced each other. Tygg wiped his sword on his oilcloth. Drea recalled the terrible flashes of image and sound
from her earlier vision, terrible hunger and dark blood spilled on account of the Sword in the cave. Finally she
asked him: "Why did you leave?"
"I do not believe a word of it," he replied, without turning back to her.
"How can you say that?"
"How can you say other? Those women -- if women they be -- put on a mime for us. We arrive, and they happen to
waylay us, and speak of how they waited for us, and then they tell us they know nothing? And you volunteer to
charge into the dragon's den for them?"
"What mean you, 'If women they be'?"
"They have no names. They have no old ones. They have no children."
"They are prisoners of an enchantment."
"How know you that? They said nothing of that.They said everything and nothing, and you leapt to answer them.
Something in that village is wrong."
Drea glared at him. In all their journeys together, he had never quailed at a task. Tygg had charged into battle
against fearsome and fell creatures with hardly a regard for his safety. What was different now?