nowbound

Part Two - The Seach For Trimus

Cain, Ako and Darkhawk watched the sky platform crash beyond the nearest saw toothed ridge. A smoky haze drifted up from the crash site breaking the monotony of the endless white plain. No vegetation, no sign of habitation for as far as the eye could see.
"How far back did you drop Trimus and Jodotha?" asked Cain scrabbling to the top of a rocky ridge.
"Not sure." Replied Darkhawk. "The platform was moving fast and there was no time to look for landmarks."
"All we know then is that they are somewhere south of us." Cain squinted as the sun reflected off the mirror bright snow. "Wait, I think I see something." He pointed south at a tiny black spot moving across the snow. "Follow me."
Cain set off using a fast loping stride that barely seemed to break the crusty surface of the snow, while Darkhawk and Ako followed behind, ploughing a furrow through the snow. They were soon left behind following the mystic's light footprints as he ran on ahead.

Cain ran in the direction of the movement stopping occasionally to check his orientation. His concentration on his quest prevented him from spotting the white furred ape that sprung from behind a snow-robed boulder. Cain was bowled over by the impact but gained his feet swiftly. He waited for the creature to attack and swung and ducked away from the creature's claws before responding with sharp stunning blows of his own. The creature fell backwards into the snow, unconscious. Cain left it there and ran on towards the movement he spotted earlier.

"Who are you?" The mystic thought as he ran southwards. "Another of those beasts, Trimus, Jodotha, a fighter from the sky platform or something else? We shall see soon enough." He continued south and spotted the movement again just as it left the snowfields and moved onto a rocky ridge. He followed it into the rocks and started to climb. Just then a noise on the wind caused him to pause and look up. Was that movement on the ridge beyond? Had he climbed the wrong one? A sixth sense made him duck and another snow ape flew over his head. Cain grasped one of its legs and slammed it into the ridge stunning it. Whipping a rope from his pack Cain tied the creature's arms and legs and slung it over his shoulder and moved on. Pausing only when he glimpsed a flash of light from the snow to the south. "What was that." He thought. "The sun glinting on metal? Something that fell from the sky platform or…" The light flashed again, then Cain made out a dark figure moving across the snow. "Jodotha." He guessed, "Or one of the crew of the sky platform. Either way he is heading this way."

Balancing on the crest of the ridge with a heavy snow ape on his shoulder wasn't easy, even for a mystic like Cain but he continued until he saw another ape on the crest of the ridge before him.
"Fight, me will fight you." Bellowed the ape.
"I don't want to fight you" Shouted Cain in an approximation of the ape's language while pointing at the bound and unconscious ape at his feet.
"Me chief. Me strong!" called back the ape, banging its hands on its chest and the rocks.
"Come down here." Answered Cain.
"Fight you. Leader!" The ape didn't seem to want to respond to the friendly overtures Cain was giving.
"Have you seen others like me?" Cain asked desperately, but then the ape leapt into the air towards the mystic.

Back to my home page.
Back to the story's contents page
The Next Chapter

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page