//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Ryezing: Tome of Dreams // by ThatOneGuy0531 //------------------------------// “PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP!” “I CAN’T DO THAT IF YOU KEEP KICKING AROUND LIKE THAT!” “PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP! PULL ME-” “SHUT UP!” I think I started to get through to her on that last one. Her kicking didn’t stop and she is hyperventilating through her nose, but admittedly this better than hearing her say something useless over and over and over again. “Are you calm? Are you willing to listen now?” “MHMMM!” “Ok, good. NOW LET ME THINK.” I don’t think she has taken the time to notice that I too, am also hanging upon the precipice of my death. I managed to jam my left hand into a crevice in the side of the cliff before completely falling to our doom. To be completely honest, I would not have been able to catch her If I didn’t teleport over the side of the cliff. Even then, it was her reflexes, more so than my concentration, that latched her onto my right hand. I looked down to see what seemed like a bottomless wound cut into the Earth itself. the Late afternoon Sun hid the bottom underneath a deep, dark shadow. About twenty meters across the gorge is the cliff on the other side. The gorge itself is actually pretty thin, and about five meters below us the icy grey walls begin to close in on each other but never touching. If she had been paying a little more attention she might have been able to see the break in the snow. “Can you please hurry!?” She kept her voice low, but her terror raised it to an octave that I have never heard before. “I’m open to any suggestions that you might have at the moment.” “How about you teleport us out here!?” “I don’t think you realize how hard it is for me to teleport.” Especially in such a short time interval. Alicorns make this seem easy, and it doesn’t help that there are some unicorns too that are able to teleport to their heart’s content after years of practice. I am not one of those unicorns, and judging by her pleading eyes neither is she. “BUT YOU JUST DID IT!” “THE MENTAL ACROBATICS IT TOOK ME TO SAVE YOUR SORRY BUTT JUST NOW IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN JUST DO ON A WHIM, LULAMOON!” The snow shook after my little outburst. The last thing we need is a couple of feet of snow falling on top of us. “...It also makes me a little tired…” “Yeah, and also a jerk!” Looks like she got the memo that we should keep our voices down. “Are you able to find some footing near you? Something you can use to pull yourself up? “No…There are no cracks nearby.” This doesn’t leave us with a lot of options. “Ok then, hear me out. I need you to let go.” “What? Why?” “You see how the side of this cliff slopes toward the center. We’re gonna have to slide along it and jump to the other side.” The space between the two cliff faces at that point is only about a meter wide and the other side has a small space we can use to take a small break before trying to scale the rest of the cliff. Once you land on the slope use the sword and your other hand to slow your sliding as much as possible. Spread your legs out as well, just get as much friction as possible to--” “I don’t like this, are you sure you can’t just poof us over?” “It’s either this or option B. I let go, use you as a cushion, slide down and then I jump to the other side.” “Alright, I get it… Just let me get ready first.” “My arm is getting tired.” It really is. “Would you like me to countdown?” “...Sure.” “Five… Four… Thr-” “Start higher!” “I’ll start over! Five…” She started taking quick breaths through her nose again. If I could take your fear away, I would. I need you to be brave. “Four…” For your sake. “Three…” For my sake. “Tw--” “AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” “Hooves on the slope and fall on your butt!” Haha! She didn’t even wait! “Oooof!” “The sword!” She quickly pulled it from its sheath and jammed it against the ice glazed cliff. Deep orange-yellow sparks flew from the blade while she slid on her back and spread her body out approaching the chasm at the bottom of the slope. A steady scream escaped her mouth the entire trip down. “Lean forward! Put your legs together and get ready to jump!” Almost mindlessly she carried out these instructions. All the while, the terror from her mouth did not break. “You’re doing it Trixie!, Make the call!” The only one who can judge the jump now is her. She knows how fast she is going and she knows her mark. She was about one meter from certain death before she decided to lift her sword. She leaned forward and pushed against the slope with her hooves, launching herself like a cannonball to the other side. “Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh--Ugh!” She hit the face of the cliff before landing on a flat base sticking out underneath her. She laid there with her body sprawled out on the ground for a brief moment before quickly jumping back onto her hooves. “She’s done it yet again! The Brave and Adventurous Trixie conquers another obstacle in her path!” She boasted and jumped about the small base looking more like a school filly rather than a grown mare. The landing looked painful… I guess the adrenaline is kicking into high gear. “Arcane! Did you see that! Did you see the elegance that was Trixie Lulamoon!” I’ve got to admit, I was expecting her to fall. Maybe it’s my own adrenaline kicking in from watching but her energy is, kind of, contagious. “Hahaha! Yeah I saw it! You kicked that chasm’s butt!” “I know! I timed that jump perfectly, like some kind of master of jumping or something!” “It was definitely something! What a show!” “Few ever get to see such a feat so up close and personal so you can count yourself lucky!” “I’ll do that once I get over there myself, haha!” “WHOO-HOO!” The echo following her whoop of pleasure bounced aggressively against the two faces surrounding the chasm. I began to feel the low vibrations in the cliff increase in strength before reaching the mound of snow above me. My stomach dropped as I looked up and began to see the ice shavings crumble away from the large white mass. I looked over to Trixie and saw that her gaze was also fixed above me. A strange look possessed her face. When she switched her gaze to me I could tell she was trying to say sorry while also asking what she should do. A low tremor was growing where I couldn’t see. A low, monstrous tremor approaching from my side of the chasm. The mound of snow above gave way thrusting me into the slope beneath. “Arcane!” Is all I heard while I fell. A piercing pain consumed my right arm when I landed on my side. I rolled toward the center of the chasm; bouncing aggressively against the icy slide with each impact happening faster and faster. I caught a glimpse of where I was hanging between revolutions. It seemed like a great white monster had lunged itself in order to chase me; it’s prey. Its horn-like roar shook my insides more and more as the body of the monster followed the head in. The slide below me vanished and I knew I had my met my end. No final battle, no goodbyes, no friends or family by my side. Just a cold void below and the reality of my life being cut short sinking me further below. I knew my death would happen, I knew my time was short I just thought myself a little more prepared. I thought I would be able to welcome it like a friend and pass in confidence, but no. I was afraid. I was regretful. I still had work to do, I still had things to protect, I still wanted time. I reached my hand out in defiance and with all my might put my effort into my horn to make me safe. I bid it, save me. I demanded, time. A lavender glow filled my horn above my eyes. A typhoon of my will disguised as light surrounded me as I stretched my hand even further towards the sky. The light dancing around was about to reach its climax and then… darkness. The light disappeared. It felt as if a dagger had thrusted itself into my head as sparks piddled from my horn. Suddenly I was a child again. Afraid of the unknown, afraid of what to happen next… afraid of the dark. A dreadful pain filled my right arm once again. A force held me from the deep below. The agonizing pain compelled me to scream an ugly scream jolting my being awake. That’s when I saw her. The pony who just moments ago was scared stiff at the sight of the behemoth. She had grabbed my arm and defiantly pulled with all her might against the darkness that was dragging me below. She was still scared, but even more determined to win this fight against all the odds. She struggled, she knew she could not pull me up, but her effort sent terrible sensations from my arm to my body. That’s when I knew I was alive. “Raaaaaaaahhhhhh!” I let my cry fly loose and thrust my left arm onto the ledge she was holding onto me from. “Hurry up!” She begged, knowing that her life was at stake. With her help I pulled myself onto the ledge. I stood up and looked around as the world spun. My head felt light as she grabbed me and pushed me flat against the wall of the chasm. Some of the snow had reached the other side and scraped up to our knees, branches and rocks mixed within, but the bulk of the behemoth plunged into the endless abyss. We stayed in our position, her body pressed against my back, until we finally heard the beast let out its dying breath. We turned around and looked into the void again. The bottom remained hidden as a faint echo bounced against the walls. She turned toward me. The burdensome worry on her face was nowhere to be found. Instead, a manic smile began to creep its way onto her face. My lips mimicked hers, growing wider and wider until finally exploding with a force of dragon fireballs. “Hahahaha!” “Hahahaha!” “You almost died!” “I almost died!” “I saved you!” “You saved me!” She began jumping up and down like before. I jumped myself but stopped when a searing sensation sprinted up my right side. “Ah! Damn….” “What’s got you so bitter! The Swift and Heroic Trixie just saved your life!” Her little dance began to slow as her stare found its way toward my arm. “Yep, It didn’t look like this before the fall.” A large red-blue discoloration had appeared underneath the skin of my right arm just below the elbow. The flesh around it swelled up until it was just as hair wider than the elbow joint itself and a small bump could be seen pressing against the tender surface. “Here,” I motioned for her to take the sack I had with me. “There should be some gauze, maybe some kind of cloth we can use to make a, ah!.. Don’t touch it!” “I’m sorry, it just looks...awful! I’ve never seen that color before.” “Well don’t make me all self-conscious!” I looked back down at my arm. It’s throbbing rhythm pulsed endlessly toward my fingers and chest. She reached toward the bottom of the bag and pulled out an old cloth faded grey. “Is this fine? It’s the only thing in here.” “Better than nothing. We’re gonna need something stiff for a splint.” She started pulling branches from the snow and then looked over to me with a quizzical look. I nodded in approval and motioned for her to bring them over “Tear the cloth so there’s enough to cover my arm.” She struggled a bit, then pulled her sword from its sheath and managed a fairly clean cut. She wrapped my arm so that there was just a bit of pressure. “What’s next?” “Cut another piece off the cloth off and place it under those two branches.” The movement of her wrists was a lot smoother this time around. She placed the branches on the cloth meticulously. I placed my hand onto the branches and she placed another two over them while I held my arm in place. “Wrap it.” She secured the cloth with two sturdy knots; one below my elbow and the other above my wrist. There was a finesse in the movement of her fingers. A combination of accuracy and urgency that made me confident in the strength of the final splint. I don’t think I could have done it better myself. Well, maybe if I had both arms. “Alright, there. What else?” “That should be good, I can make a sling from the rest. This is really good. Done this before?” “No, but I made a lot of things that I would use to hide cards and stuff in my sleeves.” “Got any on you.” She rolled up her sleeve but there was only a small pouch underneath--a couple of inches below the wrist. “They are usually a little more complicated when I do a show, but I usually ditch them when I travel from place to place to make my load a little lighter.” She smiled as she looked at the small brown pouch. There was a shine in the lilac of her eyes; indicative of a strong sense of pride. She rolled her sleeve back down. Her face changed when she looked back toward me. “So how do we get out of here?” “Can you climb?” She looked up toward the top of the cliff. Small crevices littered the face; they continued all the way to the top. A novice climber could meander their way to the top with the right guidance. “Yeah, I can climb...but what about you?” “Well, how much can you carry?” “I’m not even entertaining that idea.” “I think you might have too.” “Nope.” “Look, if you can-” “Nope.” “If we work together-” “Nuh-uh.” “Would you let me-” “If you don’t shut up, I’m leaving you here. Trixie does not carry ponies. Besides how could I?! You’re like a full head taller than me!” “Well, it’s simple really. I’ll just take some of the weight off you.” “I don’t follow.” “I’ll lift us up, with magic, while you carry me.” “You could fly this whole time?” “It’s not flying. Let’s make that very clear. Pretend that the state of me being on your back is similar to us being a big rock.” “Uh-huh…” “But this rock can move--that’s you by the way--in any direction, specifically up. You will move the rock while I pick up the rock with magic.” “I thought you couldn’t use magic because your head hurt or something!?” “Any baby unicorn can pick up a rock, this rock is just kind of big, and moving.” “I don’t like this.” “Come on! I can’t climb like this! What kind of plucky, faithful apprentice would leave their master cold and alone to freeze at the bottom of a chasm.” “I’m going to let you know that you are not helping your case right now.” She stood up and started walking toward the cliff. I think she might actually be considering leaving me here. “Wait wait wait wait wait.” She’s not waiting. “Without me, you won’t know who to talk too.” “Talk to about what?” She started touching her toes in preparation of her climb.” “Talk to about the bits. You know, for the job that we are on?” She stopped in her tracks. I couldn’t see her face but it seemed like she was thinking. I could only hope that I could appeal to her desire for money, if not her morality. “I guess you don’t want to leave here, get bits, and then get famou-” “Hahaha! I got you good Master! Did you really think the Faithful and Loyal Trixie would leave you to rot?” She held her inflection on the last word and partnered it with an unsettling ear-to-ear grin. I responded with a cheeky grin of my own; feeling quite satisfied with her response. She sighed and then turned back toward the cliff. She crouched, leaned forward and hung her arms behind her back. “Hurry up before I change my mind!” I rested my legs into her arms and slung my left arm over her head, finally nestling it just above her chest. My bad arm followed shortly and found comfort just below my good arm. “Watch it.” “Relax, I can’t feel anything.” “What!” “My bone in my arm is broken, Lulamoon. It might have some trouble working properly.” The nerves still work though. “These bits better be worth it.” She started to look for good footing. “The second we have it, I’m done.” “Need I remind you that it was you who forced yourself into this agreement.” “Are you going to help or not!” “Only if you say please.” She loosened her grip on my legs and I started to sag toward the ground. It felt like my skin was trying to rip itself apart. “Ok, close enough.” My head felt like a golf ball was pressing against my skull while I lit up my horn. It was distracting, but nothing I couldn’t treat later once we set up camp. She managed to find some good footing and began her climb. She struggled every once in a while but she was determined to get out. I found myself restrained, at least for this climb. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge me as she was fixated on her climb. I did what I could but it would be wrong of me to suggest that I was pulling my fair share. More often than not I found myself following her fingers as they pressed down against rough rocks. She’s got some potential. It’s not from any magical talent, but it’s not something I’d like to see disappear. I’ll just hold off on that obituary for now.