The Buried Past

Griffonstone
The Plunge into the Abysmal Abyss

It was a few hours after sunrise and the heat of the day had already begun to set in. Cliff and Maggie waited under King Grover’s statue waiting for Gilda. Cliff was studying the stone likeness of the late griffon king, while Maggie was humming to herself while looking around the town. It was an old song she used to sing when she was traveling the world. It told of a young girl lost from her home and the ones she loved, believing that she lost her place in their hearts only to return and find that they loved her more than anything. It gave her solace whenever she was away for months or even years at a time. She turned her attention to the village studying the crumbing architecture, wondering why there were some living in long dead trees. She asked why would anyone want to live their life in such a shitty place. Not that she used to live in the lap of luxury. She sighed and tapped her foot on the baked gravel shifting under the itchy dry heat.

“Where is that gal?”

Cliff shrugged nonchalantly. “She’ll be here.”

“She sure is takin’ her time…” She looked at the statue then to Cliff. “Wott’r ya doin’?”

“Just looking at the last ever King; kinda odd that there’s a statue of him here.”

“Wot’s odd about that?” Maggie asked while picking her talons.

“Why is it in the middle of a place like this?”

“Oi, I thought ya knew yer history, ‘e was born here, ya dolt.”

“I do, but this is the only statue I’ve ever seen of him.” He looked closer. “And his bottom beak is missing.”

“Weird.” Maggie noticed a large lumbering shadow enveloping her. She peered to the sky spotting Gilda gliding towards them with a backpack in her hands.

“Hey,” Gilda said as she landed in front of them stirring up a cloud of dust.

“Hey,” Cliff greeted.

“‘Bout fuckin’ time.” She flicked away the dirt she picked from her claws. “Wot took ya?”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“That’s not wot I asked…” Maggie sternly growled.

“Ladies, please.” Cliff intervened. Maggie folded her arms and stared at Gilda who dared not look into her eyes. “Good, now come on.”

“Where are you going?” Gilda asked slinging her pack over her back.

“Hm?”

Gilda pointed to a hut opposite to where Cliff was headed. “The shop is that way.”

“Oh... “ He chuckled, and pivoted. “Now come on.” Maggie and Gilda walked at his side. Gilda would steal a glance at her every now and then, but she kept her eyes forward. She couldn’t believe that this pint sized chick could break her off with nothing but a glare and a scowl. It made her equally curious and terrified what would happen if they ever did come to blows. For now she decided to focus on the smell of the baked clay beneath her boots.

“My dumb self forgot to ask,” Cliff started. “What are we getting anyway?”

“A harness. Wait, you guys have your own gear, right?”

“Yah, we’d come all the way up this parch’d mountain with no gear.” Maggie scoffed, her arms still crossed, her face set in a pout.

“Maggie…” Cliff looked over his shoulder. Maggie rolled her eyes and grumbled profanities. “Yes, we have our own gear.”

“Good, then we shouldn’t be too long.”

They approached to the hut on the shaded side. Little did that help dissipate the rising heat. A straw door barely holding to its hinges separated them from the inside. On it read “Sarah’s Surplus and General”.

“Surplus and General?” Cliff said to himself.

“Wot?” Maggie asked.

“I dunno. Just, odd wording is all.”

“Well, this is gonna be fun…” Gilda groaned. “Come on.”

Cliff and Maggie started towards the door, but Cliff stopped and turned to Maggie. She cocked a brow as she looked up at him. “I think it’d be best for you to stay out here.”

She dropped her arms, obviously offended by his suggestion. “Why?”

“I don’t want this one ending up like the last.”

Maggie tilted her head like a confused puppy before catching on to what he meant. “Oh, piss off! I didn’t do anythin’ to that cunt!”

Cliff slowly crossed his arms and gave her a mocking look of disbelief. “Sure you didn’t...”

“I’m serious! I didn’t do a thing to her the entire time we were there!” Maggie stamped her foot.

Cliff rolled his eyes and grinned. “And after I left?”

Maggie prepared a retort, but she stayed her tongue. She ground her beak looking for the right words to say. “Maybe I gave her a wee lovetap…”

“Define, ‘wee lovetap’?”

“Ya know, like a li’l tap on th’ shoulder.” She softly punched Cliff’s stomach as a demonstrative tactic, but her brother was no fool. All she earned was a cocky grin and a raised brow.

“Fuck it. I’ll wait…” she growled as she leaned against the wall, beside the door.

Cliff chuckled and turned to enter the shop. “We’ll only be a second.”

Maggie scoffed.

The shop was much cooler than the outside yet it teetered on the edge of uncomfortable. The scent of sandalwood and varnish permeated the small earthen hut as well as dust from the baked clay floors. Tools were organized, for lack of a better term, on the walls counters and shelves. Belts, harnesses, knifes, food, and miscellany gave it a cheap yet rustic mountain shack atmosphere. It felt like the kind of place ones parents would spent three hours in during a really boring family vacation, in between rounds of getting lost and arguing over what to have for dinner. They approached the desk finding an unamused brown and salmon Griffon with a blue beret counting three bits on her counter.

Gilda whispered to Cliff. “Now, usually I can haggle with her, so let me do the talking.”

“What do you mean, “haggle”?” Cliff whispered back.

“We call her Gimme More cause all she does is ask for more and more bit’s no matter how many you give her.”

“Well you may as well name the whole village, “Gimme More”.

“I can hear you two…” The griffon spoke in an uncharacteristically gruff voice.

“Right,” Gilda leaned on the counter and looked the griffon squarely in the eye. “I need a full body harness.” She stared into the griffon’s stale dead eyes.

“Do you have any bits?” the gruff lady asked, with her hand held out.

“Yes, now how much for the harness?”

The griffon flexed her fingers.

Gilda fished around her many pockets and put a small sack on the counter. The griffin eyed it, picked it up to test its weight, and looked back to Gilda. “Got any more bits?”

Cliff raised a brow and eyed the bag.

“That’s one hundred bits. Take it or leave it.”

She looked at Gilda with a glassy unamused gaze.“I’ll take it, but I’ll need more bits.” She set the bag down and held out her palm.

Gilda groaned.

“How many bits do you want?” Cliff asked.

“How many have you got?”

“A lot.”

The griffin emphasised that her palm was still held out and empty. “You gotta be kidding me…” Cliff sighed, burying his face in his hands. He fished around his pocket and pulled out his pouch and sat it in her hand. She tested its weight, set it down and held out her palm. “You’re shitting me!”

She pointed to her palm. Then the door creaked open. All eyes fell on Maggie. “Hey, Cliff, Shithead, I found what we're looking for. What size’re you, Shithead?”

Gilda didn’t answer.

“Well?” Maggie asked.

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response.”

“Just go with it…” Cliff sighed.

Gilda pinched the bridge of her beak. “A medium?”

Maggie looked up and down the wall and snagged two harnesses, a wilderness knife, a first aid kit and one of the candy bars on the checkout desk, then took them outside. She shut the door forcefully kicking up a plume of dry dust.

“Uhh…” Cliff looked at the griffin who ran the shop. She was unfazed keeping the same expression she had when they entered. “Well, uh… I hope those bits cover that,” Cliff chuckled nervously. The griffin didn’t speak. She only looked to the bags on the counter and shrugged. Gilda cleared her throat and started towards the door. Cliff stuck around thinking of what he could say to remedy what was basically theft. The Griffon just kept on staring, not even blinking or breathing for that matter. Cliff rolled his eyes around and coughed before sticking his hands in his pockets. “Well, thank you for your time.” He said as he hurriedly shuffled to the door. Before leaving he looked back at the Griffon who had her eyes glued to him, or the door.

Maggie stood outside eating the candy bar she swiped with a smug grin as Cliff joined them.. “See? ‘nd I didn’t lay a finger on her.” She took a bite and pointed to one of the harnesses. “Try it on.”

Gilda took the harness and looked it over. The leg holes seemed too small and the torso straps too short, but she decided to give it a try.

“How did you know where that stuff was?” Cliff asked as he picked up the first aid kit.

“Th’ place has no windows. Wasn’t hard.”

“There.” They looked to Gilda. She checked herself making sure she put it on right. “I dunno. It feels a little tight.”

“Maybe ya can stand ta lose a few?”

“Maybe you can stand to shut the fuck up?” Gilda spat back.

“Speakin’ of standin; I’m surprised ya can walk at all.”

“Ladies!” Cliff’s voice boomed over their squabble.. He looked between them landing on Maggie, shooting her a fatherly gaze. “Apologize…” he growled.

Maggie sighed. “Sorry for tellin’ ya the truth about yerself.” She chomped down the last bit of her candy bar and discarded the wrapper. “I’ll be waitin’ for ya back at the camp.” She took to the sky leaving Gilda’s mind buzzing with curiosity and animosity.

“What’s her deal?” Asked Gilda, struggling to get the harness from around her thighs. .

Cliff moved in to help. “I don’t know most of the time. She’s… complicated…” Cliff sighed.

“She’s a bitch. What’s so ‘complicated’ about that?”

“Hey! She’s still my sister. She’s just… let’s just get this over with.”

“Uh oh…” Gilda tugged at one of the harness’ tightening straps. “It’s stuck! I can’t get it off!”

“Well, it was cheap. Hold on.” He pulled out a knife and cut her loose.

“Thanks,” she sighed. She held the harness wondering what to do with it. With no other options she stuffed it in her pack. She then went to try the second harness on while Cliff looked up to the sky. Maggie was acting more hostile than usual, and that was the girl who liked to break chairs over folks backs for looking at her funny. They hadn’t even descended into the abyss yet and he was thinking that asking Gilda to tag along was a mistake.

“Got it!”

“Hm?” Cliff turned to her.

“She got one that fit,” Gilda said, while giving herself a full body check. “Well,more or less. Kinda tight around the thighs, but eh.” Cliff glanced at her thighs then back at the wrapper being nudged by the slight hit breeze. “Alright. I think I’m good.” Cliff picked up the first aid kit and gave it to Gilda. “Why are you giving this to me?”

“I don’t have any more space in here, besides,” He picked up the knife, twirled it with one finger and put it in his pocket. “I got this cool new shiv.”

“Nice… well. Let’s get this going.”

~^*^~

Maggie stood at the edge of the abyss with her harness secure and her pack. She forced a lump down in her throat as she looked down into the inky black pit wondering what could be resting on the bottom or if it had a bottom at all. Her feathers stood on edge, chilling her with the occasional eddie that spun up from the turbulence below. And she was going to be rappelling down with no knowledge of what will be there. Perhaps it extended to the very depths of hell. She took a deep breath. “No prob, Maggie. You’ve dun shit hundreds of times as daft as this…” She peered down into the abyss again. Chills ran up her spine, and her head swam. “Looks like a long way down, though.”

“Trust me, it is,” Gilda said from behind her.

Maggie nearly jumped out her feathers and took a claw swipe at Gilda. “Easy!” she cried.

“Fuck you! Scarin’ me like that!”

“I thought you knew I was there, Mag”

“Bullshit! And don’t fuckin’ call me Mag. That’s Maggie to ya!”

“Guys, come on.” Cliff landed giving the two a judgemental glare. “Can you act like adults for more than a minute?”

“I was mindin’ my own business!” Maggie seethed.

Cliff buried his face in his palm. “Do you two need a moment to calm down? We can do this another day.”

Maggie and Gilda shared gazes seeped with venom. “Sorry, bro,” Maggie sighed. He turned to Gilda and held out her hand. “Well?”

Gilda looked at her hand, then into her eyes. She felt uneasy again and quickly returned the gesture.

“Good, now, let’s get started. Maggie, how much rope do we have?”

“Uhh… maybe… two, three hundred feet?” Maggie shrugged.

“Let me check. Find something sturdy that we can use as an anchor.”

“Hey, Maggie.”

“Yes, Gilda?” She spoke through her beak.

“Your harness is on upside down, unless your butt is in your head. Otherwise, you’re solid, shorty.”

Maggie bit her tongue and exhaled deeply. “Thank ya kindly, ‘nd don’t call me short or else I’ll knock ya down a few inches.”

“You find anything yet?” Cliff called.

“Still looking!” Maggie replied. She started walking while taking off her harness. Gilda shook her head. Maybe she should have asked for a bit or two. Dealing with that witch was going to be a bigger ordeal than her first visit to Equestria. She looked down into the abyss, thinking back to the day she lost the idol. She soon felt a creeping feeling deep in her gut. It wasn’t a feeling of anxiety or fear, but one of imbalance. For her entire life this open wound on the parched face of gaia has festered and no one dared to test its depths. In a way, she felt excited to take a stab at the abyss again. But fear was still a factor.

“Hey,” Cliff approached her with rope wrapped around his shoulder the gear that they brought, “do you know how to use any of this?”

Gilda looked at the d-clips, cleats, and icepicks. “Yeah, I’ve dabbled with this stuff from time to time. Though, I don’t see a snowcapped mountain around here.”

Cliff chuckled. “Still good to have ‘em. You never know what could happen.”

“Oi!” Maggie called. “This old tree looks pretty sturdy!” Cliff picked up the gear and went to investigate with Gilda in tow. He inspected the old dried up trunk. There were marks near the base. He wondered who before them tried to brave the abyss. Then he gave it a good kick and a shake to be sure it would hold.

“What do you guys think?”

“Well, there isn’t anything else to attach the slack to, so. Yeah. Let’s give it a go,” Gilda replied.

“Alrighty then.” He set the gear down. “I’m going to go grab my pack. You guys can get us set up.”

He returned to the campsite to check that the fire was out and they didn’t leave anything behind. He grabbed his pack and questioned if asking Gilda to come with them was a mistake. Her and Maggie’s bickering was going to drive him insane. Again, he wondered why she was being so crabby. He desperately wanted to blame it on her cycle, but that would only earn him a decent slap. But it was too late to tell Gilda to turn back. She was suited up and ready to go. He dismissed the thought and focused on the reason why he backpacked across the entire continent in the first place. Back at the tree, Gilda was finishing up by tossing the rope over the edge.

“You get everything set up?” Cliff asked as he donned his harness.

“Yeah,” Gilda replied with a nod. “Hopefully this tree will hold though.”

“We aren’t that heavy. Should be fine.” Cliff put on his pack and pulled out a couple of headlamps. “Here.” He tossed one to Maggie. “Hold on. I may have brought an extra.” He dug deep through his cluttered supplies. “Ah, here you go.” He tossed it to Gilda.

“Uhh? It looks a bit small.”

“Sorry, that’s all I got.” He put on his lamp. “So, who’s gonna go first?” Gilda and Maggie didn’t say a word. “Alright… guess I’ll brave the hellhole first.” Cliff attached his clips to the main line and looked over into the hole. “Okay…” He rolled his head, cracking a few vertebrae, and took a deep breath. The wind whistled through the canyon as he lowered himself in. He tugged on the line, took a breath, and rappelled down. “Ah! Shit!” he cried as the full force of the wind battered against him. He could barely see or hear over the gale force gusts howling through the canyon.

“I’m gonna try and keep going!” He pushed himself off the smooth walls and deeper into the gorge. The deeper he ventured, the more violent the wind became.

Gilda noticed the line was moving and jerking around. “Cliff! Are you okay?”

She heard only muffled responses.

Maggie approached the edge as well. “Bro! Are ya okay?” There was no response. Then, they saw him climbing back up from the darkness. “Cliff!” Maggie hung over the ehde and held her hand out. She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him out of the hole.

“Wow… you weren’t kidding about the wind,” He gasped while shaking granules of pulverized rock from his head feathers.

“Well, wot are we gonna do?” Maggie asked.

“We go down there.”

“But ya’ said that th’ wind’s a full blown gale.”

“Well, all of us can weigh it down enough.” He stood up and glared down into the pit, feeling as if it were looking back at him.“Count to ten, then come down after me.” He hyped himself up and went back down again by hopping in place and taking several short breaths. He approached the edge and began making his way down again. Gilda watched him slowly walk down the sculpted walls until he was shrouded by the dust flying through the chasm.

“Seven…” she counted. Cliff descended further out of sight. “eight… nine… ten. Alright,” Gilda called as she tugged at the line. “You’re up next.”

“Wot?”

“Are you scared?” Gilda teased.

Maggie looked over into the abyss. All that could be seen was the faint light from her brother’s headlamp. “I’m not scared.”

“Then, hook up.” Maggie sighed and hooked herself up to the line. “Wait!”

“Wot?”

Gilda unhooked her and set her up the way that she’s supposed to be. “There, now take is easy at first. And whatever you do, don’t rappel at the same time as Cliff.”

“‘Nd how in th’ ‘ell am I s’posed to know that?”

“You’ll be able to tell. I’ll be right behind you.”

Maggie took a deep breath, steadied her nerves, and started down into the hole. Just as Cliff experienced, the wind ripped through the canyon battering her small frame. “Fuck!” she cried.

“Maggie! Can you hear me?” Cliff called.

“K-Kinda!”

“Just take it easy, alright? I’m right here!”

“That’s not exact- shit!” the wind swept her off her feet, tossing her small frame as if she were a doll. Gilda jumped on the line, Using her weight she was able to secure Maggie’s footing.

“Go! I’m right behind you!”

“Okay!” Maggie inched her way down trying to keep her eyes open amidst the violent gusts. Soon after she started down, Gilda began to descend as well. They soldiered on into the abyss the wind growing more and more fierce the deeper they plunged. Maggie kept her eyes closed tightly, not like she could have been able to see anyway. She could feel the small granules battering against her fur and feathers and her beak. The hollow scratching driving her insane the whole way down.

“Hold on!” Cliff called. He looked around with the headlamp on high. “The rope stops here!” He saw a ledge just large enough for them. He stepped down and unhitched himself from the line. The wind here was at its most intense. He shimmied along the ledge until he found an opening that led into a open grotto. He shuffled back to the line and shined his lamp up at the still descending girls. They watched intently to where he was pointing. He ducked into the opening sighing in relief at the calm atmosphere. “Cliff!” Maggie called.

He went back to the entrance and helped her into the grotto. “Thanks,” she sighed. “Where are we?”

“Where’s Gilda?” Cliff asked as he took off his harness.

“She was right above me.”

“Where are you guys?” Gilda called, her headlamp darting around the entrance. Cliff went back to the entrance again and pulled her in with them.

“Man… well. We made it to wherever this is…” Gilda sighed.

Their headlamps danced around the grotto reflecting off the slick walls. Hollow drips of water echoed through the hole accompanied by the deep bellow of the wind lapping against the entrance. Cliff and Gilda were awestruck by the beauty of the stalactites protruding from the ceiling.

“Have you ever been down this far?” Cliff asked slowly as he looked around.

Gilda whispered something, but it was lost to the wind. She spoke up again, yelling to be heard over the wind, “No. Never.”

Maggie snickered. “Doesn’t surprise me.”

“What?” Gilda asked.

“Nothin’...” Then, she noticed an odd shape in the darkness. She reached for a nearby rock, and threw it.

“Careful, Maggie.” Cliff covered his head. “These things could fall at any moment.” He looked down to where she threw the rock and noticed an old withered skull with stalagmites sprouting upon it. He leaned in for a closer look. “Good eye sis.”

Maggie nodded and took her holsters from her pack. Cliff ran his fingers along the skull. “Wonder if there are any more?” He noticed a winding tunnel shrouded in darkness. “Come on!”

“Wait,” Maggie called. She placed a gun in each holster and put her pack back on. Gilda and Cliff gave each other a curious look. “Ya never know wot ya might run into. Betta safe then sorry.”

Cliff gave her a nod of agreement and started down the tunnel. The air grew colder the deeper they journeyed. The ground was slick yet dry and the walls were smoother than polished stone. Then, the ceiling begun to squeeze them in until they were reduced to a crawl. “Maybe we should turn back?” Gilda suggested.

“You two wait here. I’ll see if it continues to get narrow up ahead.” He continued on, feeling the walls tightening around him until the walls suddenly vanished and he tumbled down a shallow hill. “Ah! Shit!” He cried.

“Cliff! Are ya okay?” Maggie called.

“Yeah! Come on through. Mind the hill!” He stood up and dusted himself off. “Well, we’re definitely back in the main cavern.” He spoke barely above the wind. Up above a sliver of the blue sky could be seen. Suddenly, he felt something hit his leg. Gilda was on her back, clamoring to get up. “I told you to mind the hill.” He helped her to her feet just as Maggie came sliding in behind them.

She got up and dusted herself off. “That was fun.”

“Where are we now?” Gilda asked.

“The main cavern. It’s strange though. The wind is less intense down here.” He looked around wondering where they should go next. As soon as he took a step forward, he noticed that he stepped on a thin stone. He looked down, thinking it to be some ancient carved instrument or weapon, but upon closer examination, it proved to be far more grim. Half a tibia, belonging to a fully formed Griffon skeleton. The bone appeared to be cut. He looked around finding more and more skeletons. “My goodness…” he gasped.

Maggie looked down as well, noticing that she was standing on a ribcage. “Fuckin!” she recoiled.

The area around them was littered in the dead

“I’ve definitely never been down here…” Gilda said with awe.

“D’ya think these are th’ folk from the legend?” Maggie asked, minding her step.

“I don’t know. They look like they were running from something.” He looked opposite of where the bodies were facing. “They must have came from there.” He started off with Maggie and Gilda silently following behind. Every step they took landed upon some poor souls fossilised remains. Gilda wondered what killed them. What could they have been running from? How many more lie dead? Whatever it may be, walking over the remains of whoever called this dark ravine home. “Where exactly are we headed then?” Maggie asked.

“Whatever it was that these griffons were running from.”

“I can see that, but wot about th’ Idol?”

“Yeah, that too,” Cliff said with a smile. They journeyed on until the sliver of daylight above closed plunging them into perpetual darkness. “Lamps on.”

~^*^~

Hours seemed to have passed as they continued along the highway of bones. More and More they wondered what drove these griffons to flee in such a hurry. “Oof!” Cliff gasped. He walked straight into what seemed like a curved wall.

“What happened?” Gilda asked.

“Whatever this is got in the way.” Cliff felt along it, noticing that it didn’t feel like normal rock. He took a step back, finding a colossal one eyed skull. “Holy crap…”

“Is that Arimaspi?” Gilda asked in awe.

“One’f ‘em.” Maggie replied.

“What do you mean? I thought there was only the one.”

Maggie shook her head. “It’was an entire race’f beasts that hunted griffons down to steal their riches. They were pretty good at it, too.”

“How could you defend yourself against something that… big?” Gilda looked into the eye socket of a giant skull.

“Pretty sure the highway of bones answers that question…” Maggie snidely answered. “Where to now Nature Boy?”

“I’m thinking…” Cliff examined the skeleton finding that it had ossified like the other remains. But something seemed off. The wind blowing through here was still pretty strong so how could these bones turned to stone not have been eroded away over the last millennium. Now that he thought it through, the skeletal remains seemed too solid to have been here for only a short thousand years. It takes millions of years under pressure to fossilize even the smallest of skeletal structures, yet here these were made of the same material at the ravine’s walls.

Maggie tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hm?”

“Any day now?”

“Right, well. I say we keep following the trail and see where it takes us.”

“That’s good, or we can start lookin’ for the idol,” Maggie suggested.

“Maybe we’ll find it if we keep moving forward.”

“Or, maybe we ask th’ bimbo we dragged with us where it is?” Maggie pointed to Gilda who was inside of the skull.

“Gilda!” Cliff called.

“Yeah- Ah!” she tripped over the edge of the eye socket. “Yeah?”

“Do you know where the idol fell?” Cliff asked.

Gilda scratched her head. “Not exactly, but maybe we could have passed it?”

Maggie took a deep breath and exhaled sharply with an annoyed smirk. “That woulda been nice ta know b’fore we spent th’ better part of two hours spelunkin’ this chasm!”

“Has it been two hours?” Cliff asked.

“Yes, I’ve been keepin’ count.” She glared at Gilda, sizing her up. “Nary a peep about “Hey guys, it could be ova there” or “I rememba it fallin’ just over that skull, ya can’t miss it”!” She sighed and rubbed her temples. “Absolutely fuckin’ useless…”

“Hold on now,” Cliff started. “Gilda, when was the last time you saw the idol?”

“About a year ago…” Gilda said quietly.

“Ya really gonna believe that bro?”

“Gimme a sec, Maggie. So, you do remember seeing it right?”

“Yes. My friends were about to fall and I had the choice to grab the idol, or let them go so I saved them, but the Idol fell along with an Arimaspi skeleton. It could be this one.”

“Do you know what the idol looks like?”

“Cliff…”

“Maggie…”

She folded her arms and kept her beak shut.

“Okay, what does the idol look like?”

“It’s gold, has orange-ish gem in the center, and the base looks like a claw.”

“Does that match your book’s description, Maggie?”

“Yeah, sure…” Maggie said blankly.

“There. All we need to do is keep searching.”

Maggie huffed and growled, “Lead the way, Cliffy…”

They continued on past the skull. Gilda stayed close to Cliff with Maggie a few steps behind them. The path grew darker and colder the deeper they went, until even the ferocious winds that swept through the cavern tapered away. Now, all that could be heard were the hollow drone of the gale behind them, and the haphazard clunk of their boots. Maggie was slowly growing more and more uncomfortable the further they went. This place didn’t fit right with her. The skeletal remains had stopped a ways back, but she could still feel death’s cold unrelenting grip begging to take hold of her and her brother.

She moved closer until she was shoulder to shoulder with him, even going so far as to grab his arm.

“Are you okay?” Cliff asked.

Maggie gave him a thumbs up. They aimlessly traveled deeper until something shiny caught Maggie’s attention. She let go of Cliff and stopped to get a better look.

“Maggie?” Cliff noticed the glint of gold as well. Maggie approached it and wiped away the dust revealing an orange `gem, nestled within a golden wing that wrapped around it supported on a base with a claw.

“Holy shit…” She raised it to eye level. “This is it. We found it!”

“Awesome!” Cliff cheered. He nearly ran to his sister to get a better look at the idol. “It almost looks like a trophy or something.”

“It’s got a bit of weight to it.”

“Well, it is solid gold. Gold is very dense.”

“I know, Cliff...”

“Wait…” Gilda interrupted. “How did it get all the way back here? It fell near where we rappelled down from.”

“Part’f me wants to know, but it’s overshadowed by the part’f me that don’t give a shit.” Maggie was about to put it in her pack when she noticed something engraved on the wing. “Wot’s this?”

“Hm?” Cliff leaned in for a closer look.

“It looks like somethin’ written in an ancient tongue, but I can’t make it out.”

Cliff noticed the runes as well, but it wasn’t anything that he was familiar with.

“It looks t’be… ancient gryphon, but it’s worded all weird.”

“How can you tell?” Cliff asked.

“I read a few books on th’ matter. I’m no linguist, but I recognize it. If we can get to a library I could try ‘nd make it out.” Suddenly, the idol began to glow faintly. Maggie turned off her headlamp and Cliff’s.

“What are you doing?” Cliff tried to turn it back on, but Maggie swatted his hand away.

“Look.” She presented the idol to him, noting that the gem was pulsing and the gold was gleaming. “Oi, shithead! Turn yer lamp off.”

Gilda frowned.

“Well? Turn it off!”

Gilda cocked a brow and crossed her arms.

“Just do it. We’re trying to see something.” Cliff came and turned it off. Gilda too noticed the faint light coming from the idol.

“Whoa… what could it mean?” Gilda asked, eyeing the idol.

“Magic?” Cliff shrugged.

“Griffons don’t ‘ave magic,” Maggie retorted. “Either way. We got what we came for. Let’s go.” She turned her lamp on and started out the way they came. Just as she did, the idol lost it’s glow and the gem no longer pulsed.

“Maggie, wait!” Gilda called.

“Wot now?” Maggie groaned.

“The idol isn’t doing whatever it was doing.”

Maggie turned off her lamp again, surprised by how dark it became. “An astute observation indeed, shithead,” She jeered before turning her lamp back on and starting off.

“Wait a second,” Cliff spoke up.

“Fuck! You too?”

“Walk back over here with it; I want to see something.”

She sighed and walked back to them. Just as she did, the Idol began to glow and pulse again.

“That’s interesting.” Cliff took the idol from her. “Come on.”

They continued down the path. With every step the idol grew brighter and pulsed faster until they came upon a chamber with giant stone gates. Each one rose high into the cave and was adorned by stonework of Grover holding the idol high over his head with his followers beside him.

“Holy shit…” Maggie gasped.

“Indeed..” Cliff gasped as well. Gilda was the first to approach the structure. Disbelief, wonder, and a sight hint of anger filled her soul as she gazed at the gate. She reached to touch the generations old masonry. It was smooth to the touch and surprisingly warm.

“Hey Gilda.” Cliff called. “What do you think?”

“Mind… blown... I mean, look at this! And it was under my feet this whole time…”

“Sometimes the most wonderful things are hidden in plain sight.”

“Ugh, that whimsy was so forced I think ya made me cringe into a singularity…” Maggie gagged.

Cliff chuckled and turned his attention to the gates. “How do we get in?” He looked down at the idol and back to how Grover was standing.

Maggie too was looking at the carving of grover. “There’s one thing that’s throwin’ me though.”

“What’s that?” Cliff asked.

“Why does everyone celebrate Grover when Guto was th’ last king?”

“Because Guto lost the idol,” he rubbed smooth metal, “without this, everything fell apart.” He looked back up at Grover and mimicked his stance; holding the idol high and proud while flaring his wings.

“Wott’re ya doin’?”

“Trying something,” Cliff answered, not daring to move.

“Well, ya look daft.”

“Hey! I found something!” Gilda called from the top of the gates. “Let me see the idol!”

Cliff flew up to meet Gilda with the idol. There was a small hole where the Gem on the idol was supposed to be. “Do you think it’ll fit in there?”

Cliff looked at the base of the idol. “No, but.” He stuck his hand in the hole finding that it felt like he was reaching into cold slime. “Eugh, what is this?” He asked, shuddering at the squelching sounds emanating from the hole.

“What?” Gilda asked. Cliff reached around the moist hole. Every squish and squirm sent unpleasant shivers down his spine. The feeling of the goo dancing in between his fingers dared to bring his breakfast up. He fished around until his finger brushed against some rough metal.

“H-Hold on! I got something!” He forced his hand deeper into the hole gagging as the fluid inside seeped out. The tip of his finger caught the metal rod before he was able to get a tentative grasp on it. He pulled, losing his grip thanks to the now putrid slime coating his shirt. He forced his arm in again, the slime sounding a flatulent growl.

“Ugh!” Gilda gagged while covering her nostrils.

“Got it…” Cliff groaned. He found a firm grip on the metallic piece. With a heave he pulled surprised that it gave way clicking slightly before stopping. “Hold on…” He tried twisting it to the left, no response. He attempted a turn to the right. The clicking resumed.

“Oi! There’s somethin’ openin’ down here!” Maggie called.

“Go see what she’s talking about Gilda.”

Gilda descended upon Maggie. “Look.” Maggie pointed to a small stone door opening at the seams of the gate.

“Well!” Cliff groaned. “What is it?”

“We dunno yet. Keep doin’ wot yer doin’!” Maggie shouted back. Cliff tightened his grip and continued turning the lever all while more and more goop oozed out. “This is so damn disgusting… What’s going on down there?” There was no response. “Guys?” Still nothing. “Hello!” Suddenly, there was a low groan resounding through the cavern. Rocks crumbled around him and the door shuttered. He quickly withdrew his arm from the hole, dodging the crumbling ceiling as he returned to Maggie and Gilda.

“What the hell did you do?” He yelled over the cacophony of destruction surrounding them.

“This thing opened ‘nd we put the idol in th’ hole!” Maggie pointed to the Idol, which was glowing fiercely in the slot. The rumbling grew frighteningly more intense as larger and larger boulders rained down upon the three. Each of them danced around narrowly dodging a what could hopefully be a quick death. With every earth-shattering slam of the rocks above, the gate slowly moved open. Maggie noticed the laborious drag of the stone megaliths and took off towards them. “Come on!” she shouted. Cliff and Gilda followed without question, but Cliff stopped. Realizing that he and Gilda left their packs on the ground. He dashed back, dodging boulders left and right all while trying to see through the dust now filling the room. He grabbed his, but Gilda’s was pinned by a large dense stone. He tugged and pulled with all his might, but the rock was unyielding in its grasp. Maggie looked back through the gates. “Cliff! Wot th’ ‘ell are ya doin’! Bring yer arse!”

Cliff let go of Gilda’s pack and clamored to the door. Debris ranging from small pebbles to large stones pummeled him as he fought his way through the dust cloud. He pushed on with zero visibility. Dust clogged his lungs yet he did not relent until he found himself in his sister’s arms.

“Wot th’ fuck were ya thinkin’ ya daft cunt!” Maggie scolded intensely. “T’was bad enough th’ whole damn thing was comin’ down on us!”

“S-” He hacked and coughed then took a large gulp. “Sorry….” Behind them the grumbling grew softer until it ceased. Cliff turned his headlamp back on finding where once a gateway stood was now a pile of rubble. “Fuck…”

“Now wot?” Maggie asked, trying her best to mask her perturbance.

“Now we find a way out,” Cliff answered simply. “And a way to get whatever the hell this stuff is off my arm.”

Maggie covered her nostrils. “Yeh, that shit’s pretty fuckin’ rank. Like, feet mixed with a corpse….”

“Well, find something to get it off! Don’t you have a towel?”

“Yer fuckin’ crazy if ya think I’m lettin’ my towel touch that,” Maggie scoffed.

“Just use your shirt,” Gilda suggested. Cliff sighed, took off his shirt, and wiped away the dust riddled goop. “What is that stuff?” Gilda cringed.

“Could have been some kind of lube for the mechanism.” Cliff dropped his shirt on the floor. “Wait! Where’s the idol?” Maggie shrugged while Gilda shook her head.

“It was still in th’ door when it was openin’. I dunno where it is now.”

“Fuck...Fuck!” Cliff took a deep breath. “It’s fine, but we need to focus on finding a way out.”

They all turned to the long dark road ahead. Cliff headed the trio again, with his company lagging behind due to a certain unpleasant odor. Again they plunged deeper into the black, uncertain of who or what to expect next in this forgotten subterranean tomb.