Dust and Bones

The terrors of the night were washed away by the light of day sending the horrid creatures lurking in the darkness skittering to the shadows.

The crimson sands of the forgotten battlefield lost their luster becoming once again a grim reminder of the past.

Harris rested at the top of the skull watching the sun lit up the grey sky's of the wasteland, the biting cold breeze of the desolate wasteland tore through his clothes sending a shiver down his spine.

He turned towards the rising star that shone it's light over the forgotten battlefield from the horizon.

A deep sigh escaped from his cracked lips as he stood up to continue his journey "Alright, let's get this done with"

...

The carriage rumbled on, its creaking wheels and the rhythmic pounding of the horse's hooves were the only sounds breaking the oppressive silence between Harris and Jack.

To jack, Harris was just as mysterious as the forgotten battlefield itself, the way he appeared from nowhere and his reaction to this desolate hell scape were like nothing he had ever seen, even now his thoughts escaped jack and an unfathomable distance existed between them.

And he thought

"What goes on behind his expressionless veil, what did he experience to have such dark eyes".

He turned facing Harris seeking to alleviate the tension, Jack spoke up first this time.

"Did you know that people in the settlement are actually from different worlds in fact, they are people who are from the same world but different period's of time".

Harris turned towards jack and said "How could i have known, I just got here"

"Right" Jack felt a little bit annoyed by his tone after all he was just trying to make a bit of small talk, that was it he was never going to talk to him first again, the wasteland was already unfriendly he didn't need Harris making it worst.

"What was your home like"

"What"

"The world you came from, what was it like"

Jack a little bit surprised by Harris sudden interest said "To tell you the truth.... I don't really know, I lived in the world but never really lived in it you know"

"Then tell me what you do know"

"What I know" maybe it was because it was just the two of them in the middle of nowhere but for some reason jack felt like he could be honest.

"The hearts of the people were wicked, they were cunning and shallow, they judged things by what they saw, the world I saw was dirty, dirtier than shit and it devoured anything good".

"Do you still want to go back"

"Yes"

"Why"

His mouth curled to a smile trying to hide his sadness"Because am hoping someone is waiting for me"

In this moment the way Harris viewed jack changed, he saw a little boy hoping that one day someone will be happy to see him and someone will acknowledge him.

"Don't worry am sure you will get the ending you deserve".

The nightmare he had forgotten freed him from his guilt, if he had heard these words before he would have been filled with pain but now they granted him relief from everything.

"You're actually sweeter than you lo..."

Harris was gazing back at the carriage, Jack curious turned to follow Harris's stare But instead of the familiar landscape, he was met with a wall of white smoke, billowing and growing with alarming speed. Panic set in as Jack grabbed the reins, urging his horse to gallop faster. Yet, no matter how hard they rode, the churning cloud consumed everything in its path, closing in relentlessly.

.....

Once a while a white fog would descend on the forgotten battlefield devouring everything and engulfing the world in white smoke, the humans of the settlement referred to it as the white death, it loomed over the people of the settlement like an harbinger of death inspiring dread and fear among them with it's mere presence.

"The settlement's residents are divided in their beliefs about the White Death. Some claim it's the work of a white witch, whose whispers guide those who listen. Others see it as a mindless monster, driven solely by malice. A few believe it's a natural phenomenon, akin to the sunset. But those who've braved the night in caves beyond the settlement's safety know the truth, the White Death is a force of dread, malice, and despicable terror."

.....

(Flashback )

The sun had fallen from the grey sky's of the forgotten battlefield allowing the darkness to have it's way, the terrors of the night came out of the shadows into the darkness searching for prey.

Jack stood at the entrance of a dark cave steeling his nerves, he held his rifle tightly in his hands and took in a deep breath stepping into the foreboding darkness.

The cave was filled with darkness making it seem like an endless void the sound of dripping water echoed throughout the cave sending chills down jacks spine, as he held to the jagged walls of the cave Jack walked slowly and quietly, his muscles twitched at even the slightest sounds, the thought of encountering an monstrosity in this darkness terrified him but he couldn't let fear have it's way, he pressed on ignoring the strange sounds of screams and sobs that came from within the cave's walls, the feeling of bones crumbling beneath his feet that had become familiar to him until he reached the end.

He brought out a piece of wood from his bag and tied a cloth around it liting it on fire, as the makeshift torch flared to life, the flickering light revealed a gruesome emblem a bleeding eye beneath a dangling skeleton, its presence so unsettling that he stumbled backward, landing hard on his behind.

Jack stood up from the dirt and studied the immaculate symbol, a bleeding eye drawn with blood, a skeleton dangling above, a cave that screamed of death.

"This isn't a symbol, it's a warning, this entire fucking cave is a death sign but then why..... why would they leave behind a key"

At the center of the eye where the pupils should have been was a key hole shaped like a shard not any bigger than the palm of his hand.

A wave of uncertainty washed over jack, his resolve and nerve buckled leaving behind only fear and doubts, he held the key in his hand but the thought of opening the door and releasing something that should be locked away made his blood run cold.

....at that moment, these were the only words on his mind.

"A single step could change fate"

He understood he had a choice but if he were to turn back now, he would never be able to face something like this again.

The moment jack made a decision he silenced his fears and his doubts, inserting the key and opening the door.

The wall parted ways revealing a secret passage, Jack steeled his nerves once again and held his rifle even tighter.

....

The loud screams became pitiful wails, the quiet sobs became cries, the sound of dripping water disappeared.

Jack stepped into the eerie passage leaving behind his doubts, and regretting nothing, the door closed behind him and the torches mounted on the walls lit up almost as if the cave sensed his presence, fear and dread creeped around his heart but he had made his choice.

The light from the torched lifted up the darkness revealing engravings on the wall, the engravings told a story of blood, death and hysteria.

The first image revealed a skeletal figure, its head encircled by a crown of twisted horns, shrouded in a chilling mist of white fog. The second drawing showed men, women, and children being forced into the fog's depths, their faces etched with fear. The third scene was one of unmitigated horror, the victims lay broken and mutilated, their bodies strewn about in gruesome disarray. Amidst the carnage, a lone figure stood out a pregnant woman, her eyes filled with a mix of terror and pain. The final drawing depicted a monstrous birth,a creature bursting forth from its mother's womb and the people bowed down in worship.

Jack muttered to himself "the white death and the white witch"

At first the end of this story was clear to jack, they were all devoured by the being they worshipped a fitting end for their sins but that was not the end.

There were a series of engravings drawn in blood, they depicted the people tearing each other apart, killing themselves and dancing in a sea of blood and corpses and then the bloody engravings would repeat, begining with blood and ending with blood, their depraved eyes hid a hint of sadness and despare, at least that was what jack thought.

The engravings eventually stopped, leaving behind a message.

"Only now have we felt their pain do we realise our sins, only now have we felt their fear do we realise their suffering, even death could not liberate us, please we beg of you end this hell".

The sound of their cries echoed in jacks heart, their words made his heart ache and his stomach twist itself to a knot, he could hear them now, not just their cries but their pleas too, a feeling of sadness gripped his heart and he said to them all

"In my eyes you've attoned, rejoice your hell ends today"

Before Jack stood an ancient door adorned with mysterious talismans and intricate symbols of protection. With a deep breath, he reached out and placed his hand on the stone door and it crumbled revealing an enormous chamber filled to the brim with bones and a cradle at its centre.

...

The sound of crushed bones beneath jacks feet filled the chamber as he marched through the sea of bones awaking the monster, slumbering within the cradle.

The torches mounted high up in the chamber lit up with a pale blue flame as the monster rose from it's slumber, it's black eyes immediately fixed on jack as it slid off the cradle towards him.

Jack gazed up at the monstrosity, his eyes locked in grim determination. The creature's upper body was a twisted fusion of dark, shiny scales that covered its back, while its front was exposed, revealing pale, almost translucent skin. A grotesque maw yawned open, lined with jagged teeth capable of consuming a human whole. Twisted tentacles sprouted from its head like wild, serpentine hair, writhing ominously in the air. The lower half of its body coiled into the powerful tail of a serpent, elevating the creature several meters above Jack, casting a dark, ominous shadow over him.

Jack spat on the broken bones and pointed his rifle at the creature "What are you waiting for, what should offer myself to you on a plate" his eyes and voice filled with disdain for the monster but instead of attacking and reaping this feeble creature limb from limb, it stretch out it's arm almost in a friendly manner if you ignored the razor sharp claws.

Jack sensed no blood lust but even so before him was a monster even if it was born of a human that fact did not change and he had come here to collect it's head.

While jack was confused the creature suddenly writhed back in pain, scratching and tearing apart it's own flesh with it's fearsome claws, it plummeted unto the bones letting out an unbearable scream from it's maw and in an instant rushed towards jack, it propelled itself with it's tale shattering the bones beneath it but jack quickly activated his enchantment and blocked the attack with a barrier tossing the creature back towards the cradle.

The unbelievable force of the creature shattered the barrier leaving jack surprised but the creatures scream quickly woke him up, he hung his rifle over his shoulder and unsheathed his machete, there was no time to think, no time to hesitate, the second attack was already coming, the creature weaved it's tentacles into a twisted spear launching it at an horrific speed but jack was ready, he quickly side stepped and rushed at the creature holding his machete.

The creature charged towards jack sliding across the bones and in an instant his blade met it's claws sending a deafening sound echoing In the bone chamber. The creature left arm swung at jack threatening to rip off his neck but he twisted his body dodging with only a small cut simultaneously bringing his blade down on the creatures neck but it was more flexible and easily dodged the attack and lounged at jack with it's right arm but jack quickly stepped back surviving the unslut by the skin of his teeth.

The creature immediately brought back his spear, unravelling it to hundreds of strong tentacles bringing them down on jack but again he shielded himself with his barrier pushing each back, the monster growled in annoyance while jack already short of breath let out a weak laugh and smiled.

"Surprisingly am pretty hard to kill so you gonna have to work a bit harder if you want to stuff me into that disgusting maw mouth of yours".

"Qui...kly k...kill me"

Jack frowned "shut.....up, don't rush me"

The next second each of his tentacles sprinted into the air and fell down to the sea of bones like a volley of arrows, each capable of piercing through bone and stone.

"enchant bodily functions, visual acuity, muscles, bone strength,reflex speed" in an instant his bones broke apart and put theirselves together, stronger than before, his muscles ripped, teared and restored themselves in a cycle of destruction and restoration, his eyes burned turning bright red as blood streamed down his face, the pain was too much but then he thought

"If it means I survive, if it helps me get closer, if it helps me free them, I'll do it whatever it takes, I don't care, I'll do it"

In one single step, jack dashed forward narrowly evading each and ever tentacle in his path, the ground seemed to shook with each step, the monster felt it, death approaching, it moved it's scales from its back to the front but it was too late, Jack stood behind it holding a bloody blade.

The upper half of it's body fell unto the bones, Jack stood above it and raised his blade into the air to butcher the creature.

"Thank you, it's quiet, after so much time, it's finally quiet".

"Shut up"

The monsters voice was shaking and broken, it was filled with guilt, sadness and pain but also relief like a burden had finally been lifted off it's shoulders, Jack felt nothing but hate towards it because it reminded him of himself.

"I thought I could free them, I thought I could free her, my mother still rots in body and soul, in a prison of fog of her own making, waiting for him and I wonder did she ever spare me a thought"

"I said shut up, you're are nothing but a monster, this was always how it was going to end" he said but there was no response, it was already dead, Jack dragged it's body across and tossed into the cradle, sparing one last glance, he left the bone chamber and the despicable dark cave behind

But little did he know it's burden was now his to bear.