Slit throat

"It was a vision.

One stuck under his eyelids.

One he saw each night.

A dream.

The dream of something ancient. Old. Pulsing.

Something… Gigantic.

Under water.

Huffing and puffing.

Asleep. Deep inside him.

Eyes saw shut. Mouth binded by rusty chains, stitching his lips.

Growling.

Vibrating. All over.

And slowly coming to an awakening."

SHUT IT ! Shut it, shut it, shut it, shut it ! SHUT YOUR TRAP !

Schimmel took a deep breath over the water. Rain filled his mouth, caressed his face and dropped from every angle of his anatomy. Laughing. Murmuring. Making his heart go slower, making his blood grow colder. Soaking fear on and in him.

"The arrow flew, swift as the wind. And stuck itself in the flesh of the monster. Stopping his rampage. Cutting his heart in two. One less. Two left to rot." Whispered the drops in his ears. "And the monster slept. Heartbroken. In the abyss..."

Schimmel shook his head, hitting the rain in vain with the palm of his hands. His hooves were tickling. Bend in two, he pulled. And pulled. And pulled. His voice muttered a frail whine, his breath made wisps in the storm. The mud sticking to his legs, the river flowing around him… Everything was unbearable. He groaned when master Yuan pushed him forwards, sticking to his side with resolve. Since they entered this difficult field, not once did she let him. Pushing on his harness, drenched, eyes fierce under the deluge.

Soon after the departure of the cursed prince, the handlers decided it was time to go. It was time to enter the hardest part of this horrendous trip. And the centaur's ended up tacked to the enormous catapult once more. Under the heavy atmosphere, the silhouette of the machine almost seemed threatening. Sometime, Schimmel shuddered while imagining the giant arm of the engine suddenly detaching from the rest of the structure and falling on him. Smashing him to the ground in an instant. Above him, the sky was dark again. Lightning painting the horizon with a blurry white. The cloudburst was loud and violent. Torrents collapsing on their heads, as if the heavens wanted to crush them.

A creaking sound, like an old boat, came from the catapult. Schimmel stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. His companions were pawing and stomping the ground nervously. Their instinct, as prey, told them to flee. To scatter and never come back to this accursed place. They had to fight their heads, their own brains, to stay focused. Handlers were busy keeping them in check as much as possible, smoothing their pain, smoothing their terror.

The Centaur's were in agony. The harness biting their skin to blood. Their muscles so contracted, they were near cramping. The catapult creaked and dangerously tilted its head on the hill. The half-beasts whined in chaos. Schimmel gave a heavy trust onward, forcing his followers to continue their path. Stopping now would be a terrible mistake.

Schimmel munched his lips, trying to keep the rain words out of his mind. The abandoned city was far behind them now. Roads and trails, broken pavement and sand, were out of the question. All that was left to walk were dangerously slippery hills of endless bright green high grasses. Plains, torture by harsh winds. With nowhere to hide. Nothing to see except the sky and the horizon plunged in mist. A dizzying view. Most of the soldiers of the garrison were rendered silent by it. Afraid to be heard by the spirits inhabiting the place. After all, they were all trespassing on sacred mounds.

"We shouldn't have come here…" Schimmel whispered. And his master frowned before nodding, dazed by the sense of gigantism the plain was giving.

Legends said that under the lands of the Magmeld clan, right under their feet, resided the corpse of the Goddess Lehel. That the river was her very blood, pure and blessed. Everywhere the Lehel goes, which means most of the South, life flourished and perked like nowhere else. But what was really important was the source. Who controlled the source, controlled Magmeld and their fields. So, technically, also most of the South-lands, since Magmeld was the biggest clan around.

The Source was where the supposed head of the goddess was now rotting, six feet under. On the Koram mountain itself. But the Koram was a place where only monsters and ghosts resided. No humans could survive the trip to the source. Many had tried. And failed.

So, South and East ended up fighting over a crumb. A wanna-be source.

The waterfall of the Valley of the Resting Souls and it's lake.

And in a little more than a week… They will be there. Soon enough, Schimmel will witness the end of the war. And the pure blood of the goddess, tainted by axes and contempt.

Schimmel let out a longing sight. Hundred years of battle. Three generations of Emperor's to fuel it. Thousands of deaths. Ten years of raging bombing and combat for the white-beast.

And maybe, maybe… He will finally see an end to it in a week.

He couldn't wait. Whatever the outcome.

Under them, the boiling parts of the Lehel flew in multiple underground veins, sometimes rising in powerful geysers and exploding beautifully, adding burning tears to the ice cold rain. Making the moor thick and difficult to walk on. Between Schimmel hooves, a cascade of water was eternally rolling down, coming from under and above. Mowing the legs of any air-headed soldier or centaur.

It was like walking at the bottom of the ocean. Everything looked like water. Everything felt like water. Everything was gray or blue. And oh, so terribly cold. All of the humans were trembling like leaves.

And the rain ! The rain was chanting in his ears, as always. Chanting something he couldn't understand. A language he found familiar, yet impossible to translate. So, when Bone-Sack opened up and started talking, he welcomed the conversation with relief.

"The Goddess Throat… Eternally bleeding..." said the Akhal-Teke. "I would have liked to avoid this place. I don't like mud and even less ghosts stories."

"Me too." confessed the white-beast, an edge in his tone.

"Why is that ? Is there something wrong with this place ?" interjected a chewing voice.

Schimmel took another painful step while glancing towards the energetic and talkative new guy. The red centaur, after the events of two days ago, was now pretty much stuck. He had been punished for his crime of fleeing the garrison and was all chained up. His back supported a saddle, itself tied to the catapult with some hooks and locks. His hands were bound in his back by a large cylinder of metal. His mouth was opened with a sort of wooden gag to stop him from biting the handlers or talking back to them. Which proved to be utterly useless, as he didn't stop yapping since he was harnessed with the pullers ! But the worst, probably, was that the vibrant red traces of the whip were still visible on his dark skin… Blood washed away by rain.

Schimmel was once beaten and bound that way, at the beginning of his "career". For an entire month. At the end, his cheeks were open from ear to ear because of the bridle and bits, carving a laugh into his contorted face. It took all of master Yuan care and money to heal him back to what he was. And an enormous amount of luck.

It was the first time he was used as a cavalry horse… And not the last, unfortunately.

All that to say, the pain caused by such an attire could have been enough to tame more than one, or drive any centaur crazy with pain. Still, the small red-beast burned with a strange vitality. His mane was dense, crimson bright, tied with uncountable braids made of pearls and crystal shards. His body, stock and firm, skin black as wood, he worked with pride along the herd. His back was straight and noble, his nose long and pointed, his brows thick. Giving him a harsh and superior expression. In his pink eyes, an illustrious flame was dancing.

Schimmel realized in horror he couldn't stop himself from feeling bitter.

Can't wait for these eyes to become dull and hollow, he thought. Can't wait for it. So I can prove myself to still be alive, somehow. So I can think of myself as more than what I am…

A slave.

Walking and heaving the catapult, Schimmel wisely decided to let Bone-Sack answer the reddish Haflinger. The new guy was part of the golden-beast trail after all, not his…

"These lands are… Mysterious." he said, eyes squint and voice low as a schemer. "South and East avoid them since two armies collided here, at dusk. The entire night, not a howl was heard from the battlefield. And when dawn came… No one was in sight. Not a single person. Nor a single weapon. The grass was untouched. Nothing. They disappeared. Scouts looked all day, but the only thing they noted was a far-away singing… And low gurgling coming from beneath. The word was quickly sent to never take foot around the Goddess Throat as a result. But here we are… Foolishly trying for the short-cut. It's that or the battlefields… But all things considered, I think I'm missing the front-line."

The red centaur eyes grew round and wide with agitation. He looked around him nervously.

"Nonsense… Nonsense ! Legends and antics ! Two armies do not simply vanish this way !"

"You're not from around here, buddy ? I thought you would know that things in the South are… Well, pretty peculiar. Unlike our East Empire, where magic is not everywhere, the South literally bleeds with it..."

"You dare think I could be from such a… Scenic place ?" Replied the scandalized Haflinger, spitting the word "Scenic" like an insult. "For I am not ! I am Cellphone of the Ritanota stables ! One of the four coach horses of the noble mistress Suana of Natae, knight and guardian of this milady. I am not meant to be here, trotting in mud and weeds. And that, I already told your foul Handlers, but they..."

"How did you end up as a conscript if you're so precious, my guy ?" asked Bone-Sack drily, cutting the speech of the one rightly named Cellphone. The guy couldn't stop himself from chatting... But a silence stretched before he answered, much pitifully.

"... I got lost and recovered by your group against my wish, I'm afraid."

Schimmel almost screamed in hilarity, choking.

"You got what ?" The young half-man grinned maniacally, jumping two feet forward in his amusement, causing the centaurs of his line to complain as they quicken their rhythm. "How the fuck, do you end up lost in the middle of nowhere ?"

"It's a long story, friend." answer the haflinger. "See, sir, I was…"

"Whoah, whoah, whoa ! I'm gonna stop you here. I'm not, absolutely not, your friend. At most, I'm your boss." Interrupted Schimmel rather cruelly.

But to his stupefaction, Cellphone merely giggled before waving the air with his hands.

"Don't be ridiculous ! You saved my life ! I am eternally indebted to you. Such a link makes us bound by honor ! You are a friend to me and my House, as much as my respected leader."

Schimmel snorted, before whizzing. Bone-Sack joined in the moquery, tearing up from laughing too much.

"Did you hear that right, Schim ? You got yourself a devoted follower ! And he want you to be his best pal ! Probably to stop you from asking for his meal, or worse, when time comes. Afraid Schimmel is a bully, piss-for-brain ?"

Cellphone screeched before hitting Bone-Sack rump in retaliation with his hoof, making the Akhal-Teke almost kick him in the face in surprise. The golden-beast widened eyes stayed stuck on the new-guy, speechless for a moment. He finally stuttered on his words, but still very much laughing.

"How dare you hit me, you piece of work ? Don't you pride yourself in your manners ?"

"I will let you know, noble fellow, that my position needs much work on the physic and on the spirit. If you dare doubt the purity of my intentions and the intensity of my loyalty, I will have to duel you to the death for my honor !"

"Not taking note of the insult ?" Asked Schimmel with curiosity.

"Not at all, good sir. This mere scratch on my nerves is not enough to take offense, as this is only but a pathetic attempt of this centaur to provoke yours truly."

"Wait a minute… A duel to the death ? Seriously ? In what world does this guy live ?" interrupted Bone-Sack, bewildered.

Schimmel shook his head as his friends' brows rose so high they almost escaped his face. He made a gesture towards the newcomer, trying to point without much discretion, that he thought the Haflinger was completely nuts. Schimmel only shrugged as an answer and continued the conversation with no hesitation. The more he heard this red guy talk, the more Schimmel found himself amused by his… Strange way of being.

"I don't think a duel will be needed this time around, Cell. But take my advice : Try not to be… You, as long as you are here. Bone-Sack is only teasing you. But others will be much happy to oblige your demands. And kill you. Which could only bring more troubles to me and Bony..."

"I appreciate your concern, dear friend and I do not wish to put you in any trouble. And so, I should take it to heart to not offend any of the peasants implicated in this belligerent trip ! Rest assured, sir, that I will be the most pleasant companion you ever wished to have !"

"Oh boy." whispered Bone-Sack, now finding it impossible to fade the grin on his face. "I love him so much already."

"Against all odds and despite your provoking jests, I also appreciate you very much, brave and noble creature. Friends of my savior, are friends of mine and milady De Natae ! Trust, dear Mister Reiter, that she will reward you plenty for having saved my pelt in the demonic forest. And I, of course, engage myself to protect you and your friend from any harm, as long as we will be together in this quest for nobility. I swear on my lady's name !"

"Mister Reiter ? Who's that ?" asked Bone-Sack with a dead-glance.

"The other part of my name." Interjected Schimmel. "My full name is Schimmelreiter. But it's too long. No one says it. But how do you know that, pal ?"

"Mistress Mei Yuan, your charming handler, told me. Schimmelreiter… The white rider. What a highborn name. Truly a fine choice from your father."

"You know about my father too ?"

"Like I said, sir, your master told me everything !"

Schimmel gave her a glance and she smiled before shrugging.

"But… She is mute. How could she…"

"I have my own resources, dear sir Reiter. Mastering sign language is just one of those."

Schimmel stare dropped on his handler once more. Master Yuan nodded in validation, before putting a hand on a stranded lock of her tied hairs, getting it out of her face. Cellphone smiled widely under the rain.

"Really, what a charming master, sir. And so scholarly ! She could have her place by the Emperor's side in court, no doubt."

Yuan Mei seemed suddenly pleased and gave the centaur an enthusiastic thumb-up. Schimmel snorted, shaking his handler with brutality.

"I dunno pal, never talked to her more than five minutes a day. And never about anything other than work. Don't really miss it, too."

Master Yuan jumped to give him a gentle tap behind the head. His friends laughed, out of breath, before returning to their pulling, focused on trying to get out of these muddy waters. Schimmel gasped for air before folding his spine. The Catapult swayed, its wheels blocking on every lump of grass, before jumping forwards with the help of the centaur's strength. Eyes on the horizon, Schimmel thought hard about what he just said. He wasn't really lying about not talking with his master much. It wasn't just a joke. Even if master Yuan was gentle and caring, she still only bounded herself to Schimmel as a lack of a better option. As a way out of the war as more than a dead-weight soldier, but as a Handler. All her care was for the prestige and the glory it would bring her family.

After the war, she will have no use for him anymore… And he will be either sold to the market or sent home. And home was, of course, out of the question. No slave ever went back to where they belonged.

There weren't any great escape routes for him, he feared.

The rain drops from his ears, catching his fur, fixing itself on it. Whispering. Drop after drop. Cold rivers inside his head. Driving him slowly over the edges.

"Around…

In the deeps, deeps, low gutter of her throat…

Lie her chanting vocal cords...

Listen, listen… Don't you hear it ?

Will your friends hear it ?

Will they die ?

The Goddess's voices…

Watch out !

Here they are !"

Schimmel blinked, perplexed, before coming to a forced halt. Unphase, he tried to force the catapult to move, thinking it was but another patch of plants intertwined with the wheels. But his efforts were useless. Whatever jumping and kicking he did, the weapon refused to move. Not because of the land, he realized. It was the herd.

"What are these shenanigans ?" shouted Cellphone, authoritarian. "Where are these calls coming from ? They are giving me a terrible migraine ! Let us resume our travels, companions !"

The small Haflinger tried to push forward, but he was literally stopped by the immobilized Bone-Sack, who refused to move an inch. He was all focused on something invisible, blinking furiously and twisting his head right and left. Schimmel ears twitched as the rain sighted and whimpered. The catapult was immobilized, its arm lifted toward the sky like a hand provoking the gods. Slowly, the machine oscillated, the weight of the engine making it groan a sinister creak. Unable to pull the catapult by himself, Schimmel felt the heavy mass fall behind, straining his harness and forcing him to flex his muscles. A sweat crack on his forehead. He looked behind him in anguish. And everyone was...Disturbed. The humans were slowly drifting away from the group or sitting on the hill. The pushers were all around the catapult, looking at the plains, hands stretched before them, as if blinded. The pullers were motionless, themselves very busy darting their gazes towards the void. Their handlers were acting wild, pressing their skull, their eyes, their ears, as if something was hurting them. Even master Yuan, eyes reduced as slits, was focused on everything but the catapult at the moment, scratching her temples with fury. Blood seemed to fall from her ears.

But Schimmel realized that except for the rain and the machine, and unlike the others, he couldn't hear a thing. Schimmel gave Cellphone a worried look and the small red-one returned it back.

"What is happening, Sir Reiter ? These vocalizations seem to fascinate our comrades."

"I can't hear a thing, Cell. What is it ?"

"You can't ? How odd, sir ! Please, let me describe it for you. It's a choir ! Very feminine, maybe a dozen persons. Coming from… Underground ? Everywhere ? It's ambient, loud and very unnerving if you want my point. Never liked vulgar imitations of the Cantando Pájaros Blancos, and it's clearly a reap-off of one of their most popular tunes ! I know, for I had the pleasure to…"

"Not now, Cell."

Turning towards Bone-Sack, Schimmel groaned. The centaur too, had his ears covered in blood.

"Bony, what is happening ? Do you hear the same thing ? Do you even hear me ?"

His golden friend frowned, giving him a doubtful look.

"Did you say something ? I can't hear right you over… The songs !"

"What songs ?"

"What ? The songs ? Oh… You probably don't know, yes… The… The Fanfare of Vesuna Night-Hunt…"

"Night-Hunt ? Impossible ! How can we not hear the same thing ? Or, nothing at all ?" retorted Cell, dubious. But Bone-Sack was already back to his scrutiny. He seemed more and more uneasy, but unable to stop. Cellphone slowly tried to move him with one of his hoofs, calling to him. But to no avail. His eyes turned stiff and unresponsive as Schimmel bit his cheek and moved his hand in front of him.

"I don't like this…"

He turned towards the herd, took a deep breath and screamed at full force, draining his lungs.

"Hey ! You all ! Don't you hear me ? Hello ?"

Only Bill answered, immediately.

"Shut up !"

Not the result he desired, but still reassuring enough.

"Bill, what the fuck is happening ? You hear something, too ?"

The hoarse voice responded with irritation.

"What ? No ! But everyone else is ! And it's driving them crazy, making their head bleed ! I'm alone at the back now, I just put on the wedges ! I'm coming to you ! Don't move, dickhead !"

Schimmel groaned before untangling his harness, letting himself free from the catapult.

"Who's listening to you, asshole ?" He mumbled as his belt fell at his feet. As he got out of the line, Cellphone jumped on his spot, nervous.

"Sir, please ! You can't let me here ! I can help !"

"Stop dreaming. I don't have the keys to open your locks."

"The locks are only stopping my hands, but you can undo the hooks to let me walk free !"

"I will have to let Bony go first and I'm not sure I should…"

He looked at his friend, who was now out of breath, trying to move blindly towards a random spot in the vast moor. His legs were giving out, but he still was craving to flee away. Cellphone pointed a hook with his chin.

"No need to let him ramble aimlessly ! Just bound his harness to mine. I'm tougher than a rock, he will never be able to run as long as I'm here. And he seems too much out of it to use his hands."

Schimmel considered the idea. Cellphone nodded.

"You will need every bit of help and someone who actually can hear the danger, sir. Please. I can help you."

Schimmel clicked his tongue before proceeding, slowly untying Bone-Sack before hooking his harness to the one of Cellphone. The Haflinger walked out of the right line and sighed in content, moving his shoulders vigorously in a harmony of cracking sounds. As the heavy gallop of Bill announced his arrival, the four centaurs stayed side by side, brows frowned in worry. Bill groaned, looking around the chaos of the caravan, slowly dissipating.

"If this shit goes on, they will all end up stranded in the valley. What the fuck is making them so agitated ?"

"I dunno. By the way, Cell, maybe you can tell us why you seem to be the only one able to stay sane while hearing the thing ?"

The red half-beast shook his mane.

"As a knight of my lady, I've been trained since my youngest days to only listen to the four virtues of the East Chivalry. Voices of god's are those of external and forbidden influences. I'm used to them and to not abide by their illusions and rules."

"At least one mystery down." said the white-one.

"But it does not help us with our actual main problem ! Even Bone-Sack is affected. We have to regroup people, take action or something."

"And how the heck are we supposed to do that ? There are only four of us ! Pardon-me, three. As you said, Bony is out of it."

"Good sirs, please. No more of these dry debates ! Let me tell you the way of my righteous order. In my stables, we learn to not treat the symptoms. But the sickness. I can't put any origins to this horrible rip-off I hear, that is true. But, we have this noble Akhal-Teke, visibly drawn to a certain place in these beautiful plains. Perhaps we can find the voices and stop their annoying cries, using this poor one tortured mind and his leash."

Schimmel's eyes wandered on the golden coated slave. Slowly, a rain-drop murmured :

"Don't you love the sound of screams ? Of ghosts and specters ? Do you hear them ? Do you ? Do you hear their complaints ? They call for help. They call for help. They call for you. For him. For all. Something's stuck… Something's stuck, deep inside… Don't you hear it ? Don't you feel it ? It makes the world turn dark."

Far in the moor, something moved. Undulating in the weeds. And some lost soldiers suddenly vanished from sight. Suck by the earth. Schimmel saw. But decided to keep quiet. Panic was the last thing he desired at the moment. The caravan was now vastly abandoned, except for some people, strong willed enough to resist the urge to roam.

Schimmel bared his teeths and ordered :

"At this rate, they will all... But we don't have any better plans. Let's hope they will gather by themselves once the voices are shut down. And that nothing is truly dangerous here... Or else… Anyway, let's do that. Let's follow him."

Not even Bill tried to argue. Letting some rope loose for the madman, they all started running after him.

And, as they proceeded with caution in the land, they grew stunned and surprised, for before them, surging from nowhere, rested a vast crevice, plunging deep into the earth, only letting out shadows and silence. The wind was strong, blowing and whistling from below.

And towards this dooming fall, Bone-Sack headed, blind and whimpering, before slowing down and taking a step towards the pit edge. Slowly, walking on a fine line of sediment and rocks, he entered the Goddess Throat by a narrowed path waving in the grim depths.

In a terrific silence, the three sane centaurs followed him beneath the moor and into the unknown.