Skull Sylph

Skull Sylph

                High up in the mountain crags four small forms struggled amidst the rocks, clambering upwards wherever they could. They were expeditionaries from the town far below who had set out up the mountain in the hope of discovering gems or precious metals. A lucky discovery would make them rich and bring prosperity to their town.

                So far their expedition had not borne fruit. Only one of them found their progress pleasing – mostly from the angle of ‘at least no-one has died’, though. A couple of minor slips had happened, but surprisingly few given how many people disappeared on this particular mountain.

                The name the villagers called it had been told to them by the winged ones. Five-point Peak, after its unusual peak of five pointed rocks. Unlike the other mountains that surrounded the wide valley five-point was very rocky and a little out of place. It was also the least travelled and known – even the winged ones avoided it.

                “Ahah!” shouted the foremost in the expedition. He had just managed to find a way up to the ledge his companions were struggling towards, and on the far side of a small clearing was a cave entrance.

                “There’s a cave up here,” he called down to his companions. “And a couple of trees – a small clearing. It looks promising!”

                “Rock, that,” said the closest other member of the expedition between grunts, “is what you said about the last few caves!”

                “But I’ve-“ began Rock.

                “Got a good feeling about this one?” interrupted the third expedition member. “Can we skip the repeat bickering focus on climbing?”

                The second expedition member rolled over the edge of the ledge and lay down, breathing heavily. “We’ve finished climbing!” she yelled.

                “Good for you Wave,” came the reply. “I’d be there too if I wasn’t helping Dust.”

                “Ladies, please,” said Rock.

                “It’s Mite, not me,” said Wave. She shifted around a bit as she spoke. “I might nap out here while you guys head inside.”

                Right on cue the third member of the expedition, Mite, popped over the edge of the ledge. She immediately turned and heaved on a rope that trailed from her back over the ledge. After a few great pulls the fourth and final member of the group, Dust, is dragged up behind her.

                “Urgh,” groaned Dust. He looked up at the sky and added, “Can we camp here? I’m completely pooped.”

                “There’s so much further to go up!” said Rock. “We have to keep going.”

                “I’m not carrying him further,” said Mite. Despite her name, she was mighty rather than small. “I’ll get worn out myself.”

                “How about,” said Wave, “You two head into the cave and we rest out here? We should be fine by the time you guys finish poking around.”

                Everyone was silent for a little while. Rock broke the silence by saying, “I’m not sure the cave’s that big.”

                Wave waved towards the cave. “Go in and take a look around for fuck’s sake, I’m tired,” she said. Dust groaned in agreement.

                Rock looked to Mite. “We may as well,” she said. “It’s still less effort than climbing.”

                “Alrighty,” said Rock. He dropped his pack on the ground and took a handful of torches and a water skin from it. “You two keep an eye on my stuff.”

                “I’ll keep my pack with me,” said Mite. Due to Dust’s insistence on fairness, hers was as big as the rest despite her strength. As such it gave her almost no trouble.

                After one last long look at the dozing pair, Rock led the way into the cave with Mite close behind.

                Unlike the previous caves they had entered, this one was neither a single room nor a small group of caverns. It was a long, mostly straight passageway that almost randomly twisted and turned, but never forked beyond a few cracks Rock would be hard-pressed to squeeze through.

                “I’m pretty sure this isn’t a natural cavern,” said Rock as they continued deeper. “It’s too long and straight.”

                “Too bad Dust is collapsed outside,” said Mite. “When we continue on – or if we drag him down here – I’m going to take his damn pack.”

                “That’s a good idea,” said Rock. “He won’t get so tir-“

                “Hiiii!” came a voice suddenly, as they rounded a corner. Standing up beside a pool of water in a chamber just up ahead was an oddly flickering white form. It looked like a woman in a fairly loose white clothes, but the clothes were flickering as well. She seemed to settle down as Rock’s and Mite’s momentums carried them slightly into the room.

                “Uh,” said Mite, clueless.

                “A sylph,” said Rock worriedly.

                “Ahuh!” said the woman. She waved at them enthusiastically. “I’m Elladeer.”

                “They’re dangerous, right?” whispered Mite to Rock.

                “Mostly,” he whispered back. “We can see this one, though. She’s probably not that dangerous.”

                “So what should we do?” asked Mite.

                “Um, so who are you guys?” asked the sylph. “Oh! Come in. This cave is nice – there are seats and a pool.”

                “Say hello, I guess? If she lives up here she might know if there are gems or metals up here,” whispered Rock in reply. To the sylph he said, “Hi. I’m Rock, and this is Mite.”

                “Hey,” said Mite. She followed Rock as he stepped forwards into the cavern.

                Elladeer was right – it was a nice cavern. Small glowing stones had been set in the ceiling, and seats carved from the rock around the edges. Rock took a seat and looked at the pool. The water was almost crystal clear and seemingly without a source. Perhaps water flooded in from time to time?

                After carefully taking a seat, Rock noticed Elladeer peering at his torch with intense curiosity. “Um, it’s probably not good to be that close,” he said as she kept edging her face closer.

                “Huh?” she said, turning to him. As she turned her ‘hair’ flared out a little. Some of her hair went through the fire as she turned.

                “Ouch!” she yelped, grabbing her hair. An audible breeze blew over her hands as she looked at it intently.

                “Are you okay?” asked Rock.

                “Yes,” said Elladeer. “I um. I haven’t seen fire on a stick before. It’s cool!”

                “How have you managed that?” asked Mite.

                “Oh, I just don’t leave the caverns much. I can’t get around like my little sisters can,” she said. “At least, not when I’m using my special power.”

                “There’s more of you?” asked Rock.

                “Not quite like me. They’re um. Lesser sylphs!” said Elladeer, remembering the correct term. “And I’m just a sylph.”

                “What’s the difference?” asked Mite.

                “Oh, well, they can, um,” said Elladeer.

                “They’re weaker but they can hide themselves completely,” said Rock.

                “That’s it!” said Elladeer. “I haven’t had visitors before, sorry. I’d be better at answering your questions if I had.” Elladeer frowned, disappointed in herself.

                “So where are your sisters?” asked Rock.

                “Oh, they’ll be out somewhere. They look for flying people to chase usually. They talk about it sometimes,” said Elladeer. Suddenly something occurred to her. “Oh no! If they come back they might attack you two!”

                “We’re not winged ones,” said Mite. “We’re humans. No wings.”

                Elladeer pursed her lips in intent thought. “But… Don’t… Some winged ones not have wings all the time?” she asked.

                “Yeah, they have ‘emergency wings’ they can pop instead of the big bird ones,” said Mite. “We can’t do that because we’re humans, though.”

                “Do you know what humans are?” asked Rock.

                “Yes! I don’t really understand how you’re really different from winged ones though,” said Elladeer. “My sisters go on and on about how mean winged ones are but they only talk about humans sometimes.”

                “If they come back can you tell them that we’re human?” asked Rock.

                “Sure!” said Elladeer. “So where are you guys from?”

                “Vale’s Edge, a village a short distance from the bottom of the mountain,” said Mite.

“We’re exploring the mountain,” added Rock.

“Oh! Maybe I should visit,” said Elladeer. She was enthusiastic about meeting more people.

“Sure, but you have to get all the way down the mountain,” said Rock.

Elladeer frowned. “I guess I can leave the gems behind when I come down,” she said.

“Gems?” asked Rock, suddenly very interested. Mite leaned forwards as well.

“Oh! My special ability. I can slowly polish and clean and cut gems if I eat them,” said Elladeer. “Then I spit them out when they’re done!”

Rock and Mite looked at each other. Rock was feeling a little grossed out. “Wanna see?” asked Elladeer.

Before Rock had a chance to complain Elladeer’s gut made a whooshing noise and a perfectly round red gem popped out of her mouth. She expertly caught it in her right hand.

“This one isn’t quite done,” she said, rolling it between her fingers. “I have to cut it to shape first.” She held the gem out to Rock.

After peering at it closely to ensure it was dry, Rock took the gem. It was a ruby – a very rich, deep red ruby at that. Large enough to be worth a few years pay of almost any job. “Wow,” murmured Rock.

“Are there more like this?” asked Mite, turning her gaze away from the gemstone.

“I have another red one in my belly,” said Elladeer. “Um, some more of other colours too.”

“Sorry,” said Mite. “I mean to say, how many cut gems do you have? And where did you get them from?”

“Oh!” said Elladeer. “Well, I use the gems for making things sometimes but I have a lot of spares. Um, maybe a dozen or so of each colour. I have a lot of colours though! I find them when I’m down in my mine from time to time.”

“You have a mine?” asked Rock, looking up from the gem.

Elladeer nodded. “I dig for fun!” she said. “My sisters say I’m weird but I really like digging. I toss the dirt out the other side of the mountain ‘cause that’s where I dug in from, but this cavern is nice so we live over here mostly now.”

“I see,” said Rock.

“What sort of things do you make?” asked Mite.

“Oh, I decorate things my sisters bring me,” said Elladeer. “Do you want to see some?”

“Sure,” said Mite.

Elladeer smiled very broadly. “Yay!” she said, clapping her hands together. “I’ll be right back.” She turned and ran off down one of the corridors. As she disappeared in the distance the pair of expeditionaries noticed that she was glowing slightly.

“I’ll bet she has some of those glowing stones in her stomach,” said Mite.

“Mm,” said Rock, continuing to examine the gem.

“So are we going to be rich?” asked Mite.

“Yep,” said Rock. “We just need to clear a path up the mountain a bit and get digging. Hopefully Elladeer can point us in the right direction.” He pocketed the gem.

“Don’t nick it,” said Mite. “Just ask her if you can keep it. She’s sweet enough to do let you take it.”

“I suppose so,” said Rock. He retrieved the gem from his pocket. “It’ll help convince people we’re telling the truth, though.”

Seeing Elladeer returning in the distance, Mite shrugged. “Just ask.”

“I’m back!” said Elladeer as she returned to the cavern. In each hand she carried small sacks, dyed in a mix of bright colours.

Mite raised a hand in a friendly wave, and said, “Can we keep the gem? Rock wants to show it back at our town. People might come visit you if we do.”

“Oh! Sure! That sounds great!” said Elladeer. She smiled sweetly at Rock. “You can keep it.”

Rock smiled back and pocketed it. “So uh, you made the bags?” he asked.

“Oh, no, I just dyed them,” said Elladeer. “My sisters brought them up here.”

“They’re quite pretty,” said Mite.

“Ohh, thanks,” said Elladeer. “But it’s these that I want to show you.” She reached into one of the sacks and pulled out a human skull; painted, and with gems set into it. If it wasn’t what it was it would have been kind of pretty.

“Uh,” said Mite, shocked.

“They’re cool, aren’t they?” said Elladeer. “My sisters bring me them sometimes. They say they get them from the winged ones!”

“So, um, your sisters,” said Rock, worried. “They’ll be back soon?”

“Maybe,” said Elladeer. “They wander around for a few days most of the time they go out. But they come back more often since poor Munimare died.”

“We’d better go,” said Mite. “That skull is very pretty, though.”

“Thank you!” said Elladeer. She was exceptionally happy. “Do you want to keep one? I won’t miss it – I have fifty or so. And some other bones because they’re so nice to work with.”

Rock started nodding. “We have to go, but thanks for talking to us,” he said. Elladeer held out the sack she hadn’t opened yet and he took it, half on instinct.

“Come visit me again!” she said. “I’ll be up here for the next few months.”

“Okay,” said Rock. He started moving immediately, heading back into the long, winding corridor.

“I’ll try to,” said Mite. “Tell your sisters about how we’re not winged ones, okay?”

“Sure!” said Elladeer. “Bye-bye!”

“Bye,” said Rock half-heartedly as he turned the corner.

Mite took the effort to wave and said “Goodbye!” loudly as she too disappeared.

Elladeer smiled. They were nice.

                The journey out was a lot quicker than the journey in. Knowing that there were no dangers to be avoided Rock and Mite almost rushed out, barely talking as they went.

                They did briefly wonder how many winged ones – or humans – Elladeer’s sisters had killed, and how many there must be to strip skulls clean. Though when Rock mentioned the latter Mite pointed out that Elladeer might do the cleaning herself.

                When they reached the exit of the cave, Wave and Dust were dozing lightly in the sun. “Wake up!” yelled Rock, standing over the pair of them.

                “Huh? What?” asked Dust, waking up. Wave blinked her eyes wearily and looked at Rock questioningly.

                “There’s sylphs around,” said Rock. “Lesser sylphs that kill winged ones. I hope they won’t come after us but they’re probably why people keep disappearing.”

                “Did you run into one?” asked Wave, getting up quickly.

                “We ran into a sylph,” said Mite. “She’s nice, actually. But the other ones are definitely dangerous.”

                “There’s a fucking skull in this bag,” said Rock, shaking the sack around. He quickly picked up his pack, as Mite helped Dust up.

                “Let’s get out of here,” said Wave, already making her way to the ledge.

                Quickly the group fled over the ledge, making their way down far faster than they had come up. As they went they heard a faint sound in the distance – a whisper on the wind. “Oh fuck,” muttered Rock, mid-climb.

                A gust of wind blew over them all, pressing them against the cliff. Wave went into a panic – she kept moving even as the gust grew stronger. Worse than that; she moved faster.

                “Hold the wall!” yelled Dust. “You’ll fall off if-“

Even as he said it Wave slipped and fell. She screamed for a short while until she hit the cliff again, thumping along it until she reached the less sheer, rocky area below. The expedition stared down at her, failing to notice that the wind had let up. The sylphs, too, were staring.

Wave wasn’t moving. “Shit,” muttered Rock, starting to move again. It hadn’t looked like she took any massive blows – just a lot of slapping into the cliff. If she was lucky…

“Welllll,” whistled a faint voice, “A bunch of humans.”

“We can’t be sure,” said another.

“We’re humans, damn you!” yelled Dust. “Let us help our friend and be gone from here.”

“That is what a winged one would say,” said the second voice.

“They didn’t fly, Hanahare,” said a third voice. “They’re humans. Surely one would have saved their emergency wings, at least?”

The deliberations of the sylphs faded into a cacophony of whistling voices as the rest began to speak up. Luckily they didn’t resume their wind, giving the expedition time to reach Wave. Rock checked her over as soon as he arrived. She was alive but in bad shape – a few broken bones and probably concussed.

“Help me make a couple of splints,” said Rock, prompting Mite and Dust to begin helping.

When they were about half way through binding Waves broken bones a voice suddenly spoke right behind them – the first one they’d heard. “We’ve decided to let you go,” she said. “Don’t come back.”

“Fine,” said Rock. “We won’t come back.” He finished splinting Wave’s ribs. “Mite, we’re going to tie her to your back.”

“Good,” said the voice. That was the last speech they heard from the sylphs.

But as they tied Wave carefully to Mite’s back, they heard them moving into the cave up above; a distant, whistling wind. Rock, and all the other members of the expedition, hoped they’d never hear it again.