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Spreading Darkness (Warning: rated Teen)
Forum-Index → Fanmades → Fanfictions → Spreading Darkness (Warning: rated Teen)
Posted: Thu, 07/08/2014 03:05 (10 Years ago)
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Summary
Ten years have passed since the healing of the Crystal and the departure of the urSkeks. Gelfling have begun to flourish once more without the threat of Skeksis domination. Yet darkness looms on the horizon as history sets to repeat itself.
A young Gelfling boy sneaks into the abandoned castle in hopes of seeing the Crystal. Upon touching the object, powerful earthquakes grip Thra. Once again the Crystal cracks, the single shard disappearing to an unknown destination. As the castle dims, its walls become black as night, eight hunched figures materialize in front of the purple Crystal.
The Skeksis have returned, but without their urRu counterparts. Can Jen and Kira rescue their captured son? Or will Thra fall victim to the cruel intentions of the withered Skeksis in their quest for immortality?
Ten years have passed since the healing of the Crystal and the departure of the urSkeks. Gelfling have begun to flourish once more without the threat of Skeksis domination. Yet darkness looms on the horizon as history sets to repeat itself.
A young Gelfling boy sneaks into the abandoned castle in hopes of seeing the Crystal. Upon touching the object, powerful earthquakes grip Thra. Once again the Crystal cracks, the single shard disappearing to an unknown destination. As the castle dims, its walls become black as night, eight hunched figures materialize in front of the purple Crystal.
The Skeksis have returned, but without their urRu counterparts. Can Jen and Kira rescue their captured son? Or will Thra fall victim to the cruel intentions of the withered Skeksis in their quest for immortality?
"Wow, it's bigger than I thought it would be!" Hoz breathed, staring at the looming white castle before him. Fizzgig whimpered in his arms, obviously remembering what had occurred ten years ago. "Oh, it's fine. Nothing bad will happen, trust me." Running across the field separating him from the structure, Hoz deposited the shivering ball of fur on the ground. "Come on, we're almost to the Crystal." Growling, Fizzgig cautiously entered the castle, the young Gelfling following him.
After taking several wrong turns, they finally found the chamber that housed the Crystal of Truth. It hovered above a shaft filled with magma, steam wafting into the air. Both it and the walls cast a permanent glare that made Hoz squint. Slowly inching forward, he reached out his hand to touch the gleaming object. Yapping loudly, Fizzgig grabbed his trousers, tugging insistently. "Let go, you miserable pup!" Shaking his leg, the boy lost his footing and fell, narrowly escaping a deadly plunge into the magma. His fingers brushed against something cool, its texture like water. Peering through the haze, Hoz saw that he had made contact with the Crystal. "Ha, I told you nothing would---" Suddenly, intense tremors gripped the chamber, interrupting him. Jumping to his feet, the Gelfling watched chaos unfold around him.
Losing their brilliant sheen, the walls of the chamber quickly turned black, groans reverberating in the air. In front of him, Hoz saw the Crystal changing color, going from white to a pulsing purple while emitting what he thought sounded like a pained shriek. Recalling the legend his parents had told him of the sundering of the Crystal, he tried to swallow the fear in his throat. A hideous crack rent the air and a glinting object flew upward, vanishing out of sight past the triangle in the ceiling. "Fizzgig, let's get out of here!" Whirling to bolt from the quaking chamber, Hoz halted when eight beams speared the gloom, resolving into hunched shapes. As they straightened, he felt his heart sink, tears in his eyes. "S...Skeksis."
SkekUng took a deep breath, his keen eyes quickly focusing on the cowering Gelfling child. A cruel smile twisted his mouth, needle-like teeth visible. "It seems there is an intruder in the castle." Lithely advancing, he and the other Skeksis closed on Hoz, hissing. The Garthim-Master towered over the child, clawed hands extending to grab the Gelfling's throat. Pausing momentarily, skekUng glared at Fizzgig who was attached to his arm, snarling. "Insolent pup, begone!" Quickly shaking his wrist, he sent the animal slamming into the opposite wall, ignoring the blood staining his robes.
"Fizzgig, no!" Hoz yelled, suddenly finding himself restrained by skekZok, the Ritual Master. Razor talons sunk deep into his shoulders, the intense pain making the young Gelfling's knees buckle, whimpering. The sinister hum of the Crystal mingled with the cruel cackles of the Skeksis as Hoz was carried away to the dungeons.
[R.I.P J2 (Granny), aged 105]
Posted: Tue, 12/08/2014 19:33 (10 Years ago)
"Don't wander too far!" Jen hollered, startling a pair of girls who were on the verge of crossing the bridge spanning the water. As they turned toward the village, powerful quakes rattled the ground and made the entire platform sway. Hysterical yells snapped Jen's focus from the frightened children, eyes widening as the pure Castle rapidly dimmed to sooty black, swirling clouds appearing in the sky. "Oh, no! The Crystal, it's---"
"Jen, where's Hoz and Fizzgig?" Kira cried while village elders herded everyone to safety, trees falling around them. Quickly grabbing a teen Gelfling by the shoulder, she demanded to know where her son was. "You hang out with Hoz everyday, Ver. Did you see where he went?!" The boy shook his head, tears in his eyes. Pushing Ver away, Kira saw that Jen was on the other side of the river waving to her. Carefully walking across the slippery bridge, she joined her husband just as the water drained down a hidden fissure. "What are you doing?"
"I have a theory!" Jen said, taking her hand and sprinting along the grass in the direction of the Crystal Castle, abruptly skidding to a halt when he saw five figures heading for them. Three were large reconstructed Garthim while the other two were obviously Skeksis. "Come on, we need to get back to the village before they do!" Feet scarcely touching the ground, the Gelfling couple reached their home in time to watch the crab-like creatures traverse the bridge with the Skeksis behind them.
******
SkekUng snarled at the smaller Gelfling foolish enough to stand in his way, skekZok releasing low hisses to those who ventured too close. Gaze zeroing on two familiar faces, the Garthim-Master ordered his Garthim to retreat while he slowly approached. "It seems you meddling Gelfling have been prosperous in our absence. At least one of you had the sense to enter the Castle and crack the Crystal before your kind ran unchecked." Brows knitting in thought, the Skeksis grinned humorlessly, his long tail twitching. "In fact, the child looked exactly like you, Jen."
"Y-you lie!" Jen said, courage failing him in the presence of his most feared enemy. Though no matter how much he wanted to deny it, all the Gelfling villagers had been accounted for except his son. Forcing himself to meet skekUng's glare, he felt something inside his break. Unleashing a pained roar, he leapt at the Garthim-Master who merely struck him aside, growling. Breath coming in wheezes, Jen saw that skekZok had Kira in a chokehold, ceremonial dagger held to her chest. Unable to stand without falling again, the Gelfling refused to flinch when skekUng placed a clawed foot on his back to pin him down. "Let us go!"
"I don't believe you are in a position to be making demands, Gelfling!" the Garthim-Master barked, talons shredding Jen's clothes and flesh. Casting his eyes around the village, he noticed that the majority of them were young. Teeth barred in a feral smile, skekUng released the Gelfling and allowed him to shakily stand. "Give us half your population, and your precious offspring won't be harmed. Deny my wishes and condemn your race to extinction once more."
"No, Jen!" Kira yelled, skekZok's arm tightening against her throat while his dagger pricked her skin. Vision going dark, she dimly heard her husband agree to skekUng's demand before air rushed into her lungs. Knees giving out under her, she shrieked as the Ritual Master's nails cut into her back, the scent of her own blood making her gag. Shoulders trembling, Kira covered her ears while the Garthim returned to select the Gelfling for slaves to the Skeksis.
[R.I.P J2 (Granny), aged 105]
Posted: Fri, 15/08/2014 14:50 (10 Years ago)
"Let me out of here, you brainless lizards!" Hoz screamed, banging on the metal door even as his hands went numb. The scraps of cloth binding his injured shoulders came loose and fluttered to the dungeon floor. Once air hit the tender flesh, the boy hissed through clenched teeth but kept assaulting the door. Before he could deliver another blow, the portal slid open to reveal the imposing figure of skekZok.
"Quiet your tongue, Gelfling, unless you wish me to remove it for you," the Ritual Master snarled dangerously, hand coming to rest on the hilt of one of his various daggers. Huffing when Hoz clicked his jaw closed, he entered with long strides until he was in front of the boy, inwardly gloating as the Gelfling tried to retreat only to encounter the wall. Fingers closing around his quarry's neck, skekZok hoisted him to eye level and bared his fangs threateningly. "Consider yourself lucky, child. We are forbidden to harm you physically, but not mentally. In fact, Emperor skekUng wishes to speak with you."
Acutely aware that the Garthim-Master was larger than the Skeksis currently holding him, Hoz struggled to free himself despite being vastly outmatched. His feet barely touching the ground, he was carried throughout the Castle until he was thrown roughly to the floor. Coughing to clear his throat, the Gelfling froze as a massive shadow fell over him. A hand tangled in his dark hair and yanked him upright before releasing him. Dominating his field of view was skekUng, red eyes narrowed. Now alone in the same room with the two most powerful Skeksis, Hoz felt hysteria bubble inside him.
"Bring in the prisoners!" skekZok roared, his command reverberating in the eerily quiet air. Almost immediately, a hidden door opened to allow several chained Gelfling entrance. Noticing Hoz shaking violently, he grabbed the boy to steady him, talons ripping more gashes in the fragile flesh. Neck snaking down, the Ritual Master placed his beak near Hoz's ear. "If you value your life, do not close your eyes."
"D-don't do this!" the young Gelfling cried, watching helplessly as skekUng approached the shackled members of his village. Tears flowing down his face, Hoz was forced to witness the brutal slaughter of friends by the hands of his enemy. One woman wailed so loudly that the boy's ear rang after her death. Starting as the Garthim-Master appeared before him, he recoiled when a blood-stained hand ran across his cheek, leaving a trail of crimson. Chest heaving in silent sobs, Hoz faintly heard the Skeksis call for someone. A third creature entered the room holding a device that the Gelfling failed to recognize in his petrified state. Icy metal encased his neck while a chain was placed in skekUng's hand.
"Excellent, skekNa," the Garthim-Master rumbled, suddenly yanking his arm so that Hoz was torn from skekZok's hands. Clicking in his throat at the dozens of weeping wounds littering the boy's body, he turned toward the Slave Master. "See to it that the Gelfling's injuries are properly taken care of." SkekZok claimed his attention by clearing his throat meaningfully, slightly bowing. "You want to tend to him? Fine, take him."
When the chain fell into the Ritual Master's hand, Hoz saw the evil glint return to his eyes, aimed solely on him. Hauled to where the slain Gelfling were, he was pushed into the slowly congealing blood, bones spearing his hands and knees. Whirling to glare at skekZok hatefully, he quailed at the sight of a large knife, its blade shinning in the light. Numbly letting himself be pulled from the room, he secretly wished for the relief of death.
[R.I.P J2 (Granny), aged 105]
Posted: Wed, 20/08/2014 20:50 (10 Years ago)
"Look!" Ver whispered, edging dangerously close to the shaft leading to the lava far below. The others crowded close to see a portion of the Crystal's dark surface clear to show an image outside the Castle. After a quick glance, the young Gelfling inhaled sharply, brown eyes widening when an elder Gelfling turned as though knowing he was being watched, a shard in hand. A piece of the Dark Crystal!
"Slaves! You are not--What are you looking at, boy?"
Instantly recognizing the voice as skekZok's, Ver felt his blood run cold. Whirling swiftly, he found the Ritual Master scarcely a foot away, a serrated dagger already withdrawn. Once the Skeksis' gaze had momentarily focused on the Crystal, the Gelfling bolted for the exit. He had only gone halfway when pain blossomed in this shoulder, the force of the hit knocking him into the wall. Reaching a shaking hand behind him, the slave felt the jeweled hilt of skekZok's knife. The other captured Gelfling were huddled in the corner, watching the Ritual Master advance in Ver's direction, inch-long talons trembling with rage. Grasping the weapon firmly, he wrenched it free of his shoulder, an involuntary yelp escaping his throat.
Barking a humorless laugh, skekZok slapped the dagger from Ver's hands before grasping him by his shirt. "I knew you would be a nuisance the moment you set foot in the Castle. Time to dispose of you before you spark a rebellion against us." Easily hauling the squirming Gelfling to the thousand-foot shaft, the Ritual Master held him suspended above the river of molten rock. The claws of his free hand crept to Ver's neck, abruptly sinking into the tender flesh while he jerked his arm back, uttering a battle roar that shook the walls. Dropping the slave's dead body, skekZok faced the remaining Gelfling, flicking blood from his hand. "Clean this mess unless you want to join your friend."
*****
Scroll-Keeper skekOk raised his head at the sound of a knock. "Enter!" The door creaked open, Hoz entering with a stack of books and scrolls. "Ah, these must be the papers skekSil mentioned! Come, boy, set them over here." He noticed a bleeding gash on the boy's arm, one that looked fresh. Rising slowly as to not alarm the Gelfling, skekOk walked over to him and carefully inspected the wound. "How did this happen, Gelfling?"
"I, uh, bumped into a wall," Hoz said, the Scroll-Keeper's kindness surprising him. Finding himself under incredulous scrutiny, he sighed heavily as the small Skeksis bound his arm. "On my way here, I ran into a patrolling Garthim that lashed out and caught my arm in its pincer. I somehow managed to hold onto the papers and run the rest of the way."
"With such an injury, you should not be standing!" skekOk screeched, going to the door and inputting a complex code that sealed it. Returning to his desk, rummaged in a drawer and found a curved piece of metal. "This will do nicely! Come here so I can take that collar off." Quickly unlocking the device, the Scroll-Keeper let it fall to the floor. "See that cot along the wall? Rest for the evening to regain your strength. No one will disturb us if the door is sealed."
All but collapsing on the cot, Hoz pulled a blanket to his chin as his body relaxed itself. Eyes fluttering closed, he slipped into a light doze, the scratching of skekOk's quill reassuring him of his safety.
[R.I.P J2 (Granny), aged 105]