The Menyarian Project

PHOENYX

I'm wakened by a scream resonating through the chamber. "Harlot? What's wrong? Who's there?" When she doesn't respond, I start to panic. "Harlot?!"

She speaks; her voice is right next to my ear. "Phoenyx, I'm right here. It was… a nightmare. I'm sorry I woke you." I reach out to her, attempting to comfort her, but I feel empty air instead. "Phoenyx, are you okay?"

Before I can answer, a growl is heard — quiet at first, but then louder. Something smacks against the wall across from us, and for a moment, I can't tell what it is. Then I realize. It's the ladder. They hit the ladder down.

"Phoenyx, the Wolves. They made a way out." Harlot starts to stand, but I grab her wrist, stopping her. There's something strange about the Wolves' behavior. "It's a trap," I tell her. 

"But the ladder… I'm sure we can outrun —"

"No!" I whisper harshly. "They're faster. Deadlier. They could kill you the instant you make it up that ladder. They're smart. They know we're trapped."

"So they've trapped us further."

"Maybe. We might could wait it…" I stop as I hear a large rock drop down to the bottom of the hole. "Harlot, what was that?"

"One is standing on the edge. The others have the pit circled. The one on the edge almost fell in. Honestly, are you blind? Can you not see any of this?"

I ignore her stab at me, grab my weapon, and nock an arrow. I listen for movement, adjust my aim, and fire. The sound I'm searching for, the one that tells me I've hit my mark, never appeared. "Damn," I mutter. An idea hits me, and as dangerous and scary as it sounds, it might work. 

"Put the fire out, Harlot. Quickly. I have an idea." I hear Harlot's breathing quicken, sounding just as scared as I feel. My heartbeat races when she tells me that the embers are put out, and my hands begin to shake as I walk toward the ladder. 

"Phoenyx! What are you doing?" Harlot whispers; I ignore her and put a finger to my lips to quiet her. If I let her try to talk me out of this, I won't do it, and we'll both die. 

I begin my climb up the ladder, holding an arrow between my teeth, my bow across my shoulder. A couple of Wolves let out excited barks, anticipating their next meal. Don't kill me… oh please don't let them kill me. The climb up is a frightening one - my palms sweat, my heart beats rapidly, and a sickness starts at the bottom of my stomach. 

A few rungs below the top of the pit, I stop, entangling my legs and part of my torso in the rope ladder. Slowly, I take the bow from my shoulder and the arrow from my teeth and place the arrow on the bow's string. My usual routine follows through. Listen. Adjust. Fire. the arrow makes a solid hit, and I fire two more in succession, all within a split second of each other. I choose my next target and repeat the process.

The death of the second Wolf brings a smile of triumph to my face. The smile only lasts until I kill the third Wolf. A small vibration starts at the top of the ladder, and before I can fire at it, the rope ladder drops a foot before swinging, wih me hanging on by my legs. A Wolf had cut through one side of the ladder, and is now working on the other side. My heartbeat speeds up even more, and my hands shake on my weapon. 

Hurriedly trying to nock an arrow, I listen and feel for the next vibration and fire my arrow toward it. The hit never comes. Its because the ladder is swinging. This time, I adjust my aim before the ladder starts swinging back, and fire. A sharp yelp tells me I hit the Wolf. As the swinging slows, I kill a third and fourth Wolf. I hear no more movements from above, so I entangle myself from the ladder and begin my descent. 

"Harlot, it's safe now," I say in a shaky voice. A loud growl tells me otherwise. But this time, it doesn't come from above. It comes from the pit. "Harlot, where are you?" I whisper. Nothing. No sounds except  movement. The Wolf is now completely silent, and I freeze, trying to listen. A small whisper sounds from the other side of the room. 

"Phoenyx. Move."

I move aside as instructed, but not fast enough. The Wolf had silently stalked me, and lunged for my throat. Its teeth grab hold of my neck, and its hold stays firm. I attempt to reach for an arrow, but the Wolf pins me against the wall, making it impossible to retrieve a weapon. I hear Harlot's footsteps run closer, and then a sickening sound as I assume she stabs the Wolf with her knife. 

"Ha…" I try to call out her name, but the Wolf's hold is too tight. Do what you did last night, I plead silently. Please, find a way to hurt him with fire. The pain around my neck burns tortuously. I have the same sickening feeling as I had on the ladder - the feeling that I'm going to die. 

Surprisingly, I hear a faint echo of Harlot's voice. Not with my ears, but with my mind. I focus on one word and scream it in my head, hoping I'm not going crazy. Fire!

Harlot gasps, but stops for a moment. A second later, a fire's warmth surrounds me, making the Wolf yelp and release my neck. The pain is unbearable, but this is my chance. I draw an arrow. "Harlot, move!" I feel her warmth beside me as I fire an arrow and hear the familiar thunk. Two more arrows put an end to the animal. 

"Phoenyx, your…" I don't hear the last part. The air rushes around me as I fall.