Or so he thought.
Zephyr's eyes snapped open as his fingertips brushed against something other than rock. A root! He latched onto it immediately, feeling the wood splinter into his skin as his body weight threatened to tear it from the cliffside.
It burned. But Zephyr prevailed, clinging desperately to the root. The wind howled around him, making his cloak whip and snap like a frantic banner. He dared to look down, only to see an abyss of swirling fog, the darkness below promising his death.
Zephyr tried to pull himself up, but the root loosened slightly, sending dirt and pebbles cascading into his face. He shook his head, blinking away the grit. From this precarious position, he could see he wasn't far from the top.
There was a small ledge, one wide enough to plant his feet and climb from there to the top of the cliff.All he had to do was pull himself up quickly before the root snapped.
Before Zephyr could put his plan into motion, however, he noticed Naexi was still there, brushing down her furs. The elf would just push him back down once he got up.
"What?"
Zephyr frowned. Naexi was talking to the trees again.
"Where are they?" Her head whipped to the side. It was then Zephyr smelt it—smoke. Fire engulfed the enchanted forest, crackling and roaring with ferocity.
The Dark Forest was alight, flames painting the sky with an ominous orange against the night. The blaze was devouring everything in its path; the air grew thicker with the heat. They were both transfixed by the growing destruction.
More dirt crumbled along the cliffside bringing Zephyr's attention back to Naexi. She was back stepping, raising her spear. "Stand back!"
She charged forward and out of Zephyr's sight, but the sounds of fighting echoed back to him. It sounded like there were multiple opponents.
"Ugh!" Naexi cried out as she toppled backwards, her head flopping over the cliffside. Her spear slipped from her grasp, spinning wildly before plunging into the depths below.
"Cuff her." It was Ace's voice.
Naexi was forced onto her front, arms strained back. She stared wide-eyed at the Slinktail still clasping onto life as hard as he did to the single root below her.
She winced as the cuffs were put on her wrists, and blood from a wound on her head trickled down the side of her face and dripped from her chin.
The she-elf glared at Zephyr but didn't say anything. What was there to say? She blamed him for the destruction of her home, and it was clear his death was swiftly approaching.
Naexi was wrenched back and turned around. Ace Chance strolled forward and grasped her chin. "You might not think this. But you're safe now."
Naexi spat at him, and one of the hunters smacked the side of her head. Her head drooped slightly, and her legs stumbled, but she tried to stand tall and glare at the enforcer.
"Aren't the demons trying to take over the Dark Forest?" Ace continued in that unbothered tone that was grating to the ears. "We're purging them."
Naexi said nothing, looking down like the weight of the dying forest fell on her shoulders.
Ace clasped her chin and moved her head from side to side, observing her features.
"She's a pretty one." The hunter who smacked her claimed brightly.
"We could have some fun-"
"Nobody is to touch her. Nobody wants a sullied woman." Ace ordered before releasing her chin. "Remember this moment…You fought hard to kill that Slinktail, but it was in your territory. We were just doing the clean-up job you failed to do."
Ace abruptly turned, and the hunters dragged Naexi away. More words were spoken about Naexi being the last one they would capture and exit the forest before it burned them all alive.
Zephyr had bigger problems right now than listening to that bitch's fate.
The root loosened, and his body jolted, dropping sharply. Zephyr's heart pounded as he shifted his weight, using the momentum to stretch his other hand upward. Just as his fingers closed around it, the root sprung free.
His breath caught in his throat as he remained suspended in the air for a single second before gravity yanked him into the darkness below. The air rushed past him, the fog dampening his clothes, hair sticking to his scales as he plummeted towards certain death.
The fall appeared eternal until his cloak snagged on something; his tail tried to wrap around that something, briefly slowing his descent before it tore through the material. His back slammed into the ground with a bone-jarring thud.
The air whooshed out of his lungs, and the darkness snatched his body under instantly.
✧ ✧ ✧
A fizzing noise surrounded him. Zephyr couldn't feel his body. He couldn't see his body or anything for that matter.
It was like he was nothing more than emptiness in this dark void. Zephyr couldn't tell what way was up or down. Everything was dark and cold.
He actually felt the cold, unlike before, in that Slinktail body.
Was this… death? Nothing but a black space, and he was an alone soul left with his thoughts? That fucking sucked.
'I granted your wish… wish…"
The whisper echoed in this dark void.
What the…
'Granted you possession of this body… body…"
'And this is how you thank me… me?'
'SHUT UP. Whatever, whoever you are. Let me die in peace. Or is this the part where you to drag me to hell?'
'Die?' The voice cackled maniacally, the sound bouncing around this void of emptiness. When the laughter died down, it spoke again. 'You're not dead, boy.'
'Then why are you lecturing me?'
'Because you're still so weak… weak.'
'Rise up. And do what you're meant to.'
Meant to? What does that mean?
The voice's words whooshed away like water crashing over a sandcastle on the beach, leaving nothing behind.
✧ ✧ ✧
Zephyr gasped with life.
What the fuck was that?
The Slinktail blinked away the sleep and grit in his eyes and breathed through the pain radiating from his back and head. Sunlight streamed across his eyes, the fog ever-present far above him. He began moving his fingers, wiggling his toes and flapping his tail—the tail didn't work.
Zephyr frowned at the odd sensation on his backside where his tail was. It felt… empty, and pain radiated up his spine from it.
Am I… Paralysed?
Zephyr jolted, moving his arms and sat up. He breathed heavily and moved his head. He wasn't paralysed, but everything hurt like a bitch!
How did he survive that fall?
Zephyr looked up again. Now, in the sunlight, he could see how high it was.
Was it that magical mushroom?
"Oh, look. He survived."
Zephyr reached for his sword, twisting around at the familiar voice, but there was no weapon, and instead he held his tail.
His… decapitated tail.