And Then They Trembled!

Chapter 5: To Escape the Barn

 The black smoke swirled fantastically as I waited in anticipation for Ash to emerge. He was taking longer then I expected.

 "Ash. Ash come out there! We need to go. There's a critter outside that needs our help. Quickly . . . now." My voice trailed off. Something stepped out of the black smoke. But it wasn't ash.

 It was the same species as whatever Ash was. Except this one was almost twice as tall with three times the muscle mass. The tips of his horns stood two feet above his head. They were black and splattered with red. Giving him a look like he had just finished goring someone. Below them was jet black hair. Where Ash had been black and green, this one was black and red. The long locks looked almost greasy as they fell straight down his chest in sections. His face was sharp. A dark scar running across his face and onto his neck. He wore something resembling a long kilt made of black bear skin. Sprouting from his back were the black wings of a dragon.

 "Who are you?" I said. My voice trembling.

 He stepped towards me. His ten foot wings snapping as they expanded like a bird trying to intimidate it's prey. It worked splendidly.

 I crawled backwards on my hands and knees before freezing. My muscles seemed to lock up on themselves no matter how hard I tried to move them. Like trying to run in a dream just to have your legs feel like they were filled with stone. The great brute scoffed at me.

 "Pathetic." It said. It's voice low and harsh. "You are no queen."

 "I never said I was." I said sheepishly.

 PUFF.

 Another cloud of black smoke appeared inside the barn.

 "Grundroth!" Ash said as he jumped out of the cloud. He place himself in between me and the giant. "Leave her be!" He turned towards me, urgency etched his demeanor, "Is it true?"

 "Is what true? What's going on Ash?" I said.

 "The cowering one knows you by cognomen?"

 "We met the other night. Yes." said Ash.

 "BETRAYER!" Grundroth lifted a hand and from it came black smoke. Form the black smoke rose a sword. One taller than I and probably weighed more. It produced black smoke around it like an aura of nightmares. It pointed the massive shimmering black blade at Ash, "The company you choose will act as a disease on our people."

 I half expected Ash to produce a sword of his own and defend me, or maybe I was just wanting to see it. Instead, he dropped to his knee. placing a fist on the ground and keeping his head low. I caught the sense that this was some sort of respectful curtesy in their culture.

 "She is not like the others Grundroth." Ash said. His voice wasn't pleading. He wasn't filled with any of the fear that I felt within my own skin. He was steady. Calculating. "You know this as well as I. She is prophesied for greatness. A prophesy that has already set itself in motion as we stand here now."

 Something wavered within Grundroth. "Explain."

 "She didn't do it."

 Something was communicated between them. Something I couldn't pick up on. Grundroth lowered his sword. Then pointed it directly at me.

 "If you're wrong. She dies." 

 "Understood." said Ash.

 Grundroth smirked, "And you."

 Ash paused, and then nodded.

 A puff of black smoke and Grundroth disappeared from the barn.

 "What . . . the hell . . . was that?" I said in between large breaths. I felt like my heart would begin to smoke itself with how fast it was beating. My lungs tried to take in as much oxygen as possible as an attempt to slow its pace.