Flash Fiction: The Vault (Procession)

Alright! Two left for this set of flash fiction pieces. This piece is inspired by Nightwish's 'Procession' from their Human Nature album. You can listen to the song here. I am hoping to be done the last two flash fiction pieces for this little collection before the new year. I'm making quite good progress on my first novel though so I've been prioritizing that lately.

The Vault

Year 6170 AC
In a solitary prison
Far below the Kingdom of Krogia

Larissa Ralon picked her way through the dim cave. She’d created a small ball of light to follow her, but it wouldn’t stop flickering. There was more powerful magic at work in this place. From the modest illumination, she could make out the ragged, earthy walls and looming ceiling. Both were covered in thick-looking vines her herbalist mother would’ve warned her against touching.

“You should not have come here,” a deep voice boomed from further in. Accompanying the sound was a gust of warm, putrid air that raced through the corridor and almost knocked her backward. The ball of light wavered and went out.

She squared her shoulders and squinted hard at the darkened passage. She hadn’t realized how close she’d already gotten to the imprisoned Ancient. “I’m not here to disturb you.”

“And yet, you are doing just that.” 

Larissa’s lips quirked up; Earth was as surly as ever. “I’ll have you remember with whom you are speaking.” 

Earth snarled from the darkness, “Insolent mortal.” The sound of nails scraping over stone filled her ears and she winced. A rock further into the cave crashed, followed by a skittering noise that made her shudder. The Ancient spoke again, “The uibixa’s vault opened today. It is exceptionally perilous for you to be here now.”

“Why do you think I’m here? I felt it immediately.” Larissa ventured further into the cave, allowing her memories of visiting this place to guide her movements. As always, the closer to Earth, the worse the place smelled. It was getting harder to breathe and that was when she stopped moving.

Earth sounded frustrated, “Then why have you come to me? I have no desire to hear your voice.”

She leaned against one of the walls, wet and slightly sticky, and she regretted it immediately. The smell of rotting flesh threatened to overwhelm her, and her eyes watered as she opened her mouth to speak, “I was hoping you knew how to put them back.”

A caustic laugh, “Back? There is no way to do such a thing. The Creator did it once, with my kin’s aid, mind you. But he is gone, and we are trapped so far beneath the earth as to be myth. There is no putting them back.”

She bit her lip, thinking. “What if I released you so you could help?”

More scraping, “Surely, you must know what you are proposing. The uibixa running wild is a far lesser threat to the continuance of the mortals than releasing us to run amok in this world.”

“You’ve told me before you have no care for mortals, and surely there is a way to control the others-”

Earth cut her off, “There is no commanding us. You are lucky I allow you to be in my presence for even a moment, let alone allow you to leave alive. You mortals are all the same, thinking that something as powerful as my kin would ever let you order us around like dogs.”

Larissa rolled her golden eyes. “Fine. I’ll find a different way to stop them. I just figured you should be the first one I spoke to about this. After all-”

“Do not start that drivel. I will not hear of it again.” Earth’s voice was strained. It was the first bit of emotion Larissa had heard from the Ancient since she’d stepped foot into the cave.

“I could release just you. Weren’t you always bragging about your superior powers? Surely you would be enough to put such evil back where it belongs.”

“You come any closer and I’ll kill you. Leave me here.” Earth’s voice was firm, resolute.

Larissa straightened up and pushed off the wall. “Then I’ll be going.”

Earth didn’t say anything and she took that as her cue to leave. Of course, the Ancient had been no help. She wasn’t exactly sure what she had hoped the outcome would be, but she knew it was not this.

It didn’t matter. She’d find a way to lock the uibixa up again if it killed her. Which, she thought grimly, it probably would.

(art made with Artbreeder)