Shrike: Out of the Darkness

Published Feb 24, 2022, 10:09:39 PM UTC | Last updated Feb 24, 2022, 10:09:39 PM | Total Chapters 1

Story Summary

Remember me love when I am reborn, as the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn.

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Chapter 1: Out of the Darkness

The screeches of the Vihs and their stryx bounce off the cave walls, louder than the clanking of the chains around his neck and legs. He is close this time, he can tell by the tenor of their shouts. So many times has he tried to flee, so many times have they dragged him back into the darkness, deeper and deeper each time. They try to break him, but they cannot. They starve him until they think he cannot fly. But he can.

 

They will not break him, he will die before they break him. But he will not die yet, not until he sees the sun again, feels the wind beneath his wings.

 

He is close now, he can smell it. The darkness lightens and suddenly he shoots out into the open sky.

 

Held captive in darkness for so long, the sunlight blinds and disorients him. He finds himself spiraling dizzily and quickly pulls out of it. He picks a direction and puts everything he has left into putting as much distance between himself and his prison. He doesn't know where he's going, and he's sure he's not going to get far.

 

His vision is slowly starting to adjust; he's able to make out the blurry shapes of spires around him. It's pure luck that he hasn't run into anything, but his luck is about to run out. A shadow looms over him.

 

She is here.

 

With a roar she is upon him. He twists, managing to avoid her first lunge by sheer luck. He rounds on her and goes right for her throat only to get a mouthful of spines.

 

He recoils in surprise and she strikes, sinking her talons deep into his back. Folding her wings against her side, she dives. He roars in pain and fury, thrashing and biting at every part of of her he can reach. She doesn't waver as she plummets toward the valley floor.

 

At the very last moment, she releases him. She pulls up while he crashes through the roof of an ancient temple, one of the many ruins that cover the floor of the valley. The ground gives way when he hits it, the very last thing he sees before he’s buried by rubble is a great black shadow against the clear blue sky.

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