A Construct in a Box: Godspawn - Words Spoken

Prompt 10

The forest was deathly silent as the android and drakon traveled through it. K80 gently held a piece of bark under his arm. He did his best not to smudge the godspawn blood that he’d lined the carvings with. THe lines were all very steady and well made. K80 was glad he’d met up with Quillen in the middle of the woods. The poor doppler had been too scared to help him any farther, but the fact that Quillen knew of the symbol that would be able to help with stopping the godspawn was enough for K80. 

Paiko walked beside K80, jumping at every little noise. It made K80 feel rather protective of him. 

“Thank you for coming. You didn’t have to.”

“I know,” Paiko said, trying to sound firm despite his anxiety as the horrible mansion showed itself through the trees here and there as they wound their way down the path towards it. “I just want this thing gone. I don’t like being afraid everytime I’m in the woods and it’s doing this to other people too. Everyone in the inns and guild halls are talking about it. If we can banish it once and for all that means everything can go back to normal.”

K80 nodded. Banishing it. It seemed such a big task for just the two of them, but they hadn’t been able to find their way out of the woods to get more help, Slinkee had run off, and Quillian said he’d already faced the creature and he couldn’t do it again. 

So, the two of them it would have to be. K80 was still grateful that Paiko was willing to come help. “Let’s get this done, then.”

The path, as many paths do, finally came to an end in the courtyard before the huge manor. The old doors were completely closed and there was no movement to be seen in the courtyard or through the old windows. 

K80 took a deep breath. “Stay here,” he said quietly to Paiko, some of his fans starting up in his chest in response to his anxiety. 

He walked cautiously into the courtyard, eyes glued on the doors of the house. He carefully crouched in the center of the courtyard and laid out the piece of bark, looking away from the house for one heart pounding fraction of a moment as he did so. 

His chest pump working overtime, K80 looked back up and found nothing different or strange. He took a few steps back, clenching and unclenching his fingers. He could hear nothing but his own processors and fans for a long moment. He nearly jumped out of his parts when he heard footsteps behind him, but he quickly realized it was just Paiko.

Paiko came to stand next to K80 in silence for a long moment where nothing happened. 

After another silent minute K80 sighed. “If I have to go knock on the door, I’m going to cry.”

Paiko stared at the door, anxiously playing with the hem of his tabard. “Maybe she’s not home?”

“We need her here to be able to complete the ritual.”

Paiko frowned. “I’ll-I’ll go with you to knock, then.”

K80 looked down at Paiko in surprise. “Oh, if you’re sure.”

Paiko nodded and without another word, the two stepped together towards the door. Paiko stopped before the step up to the door. K80 didn’t think as he stepped up and rapped his knuckle on the door. 

The sound was soft and hollow, innocuous in the face of the huge house and forest. 

The sound that followed it was very much not. 

K80 and Paiko took off as a screech filled the air and the doors slammed open. The godspawn let out another ear splitting scream and K80 glanced back to see the horrible creature staring at the symbol left on the courtyard stones. 

K80 whirled around, speaking quickly now that she had laid eyes on the symbol lined with her own blood. 

“Serrated blades and writhing flesh, unborn creatures, noxious death, 

Deals of wealth and life forsaken, but ancient rules cannot be shaken.

Bound and loosed and bound once more, the old laws entreat thee, beast of lore,

Leave, begone, to god parent return. Your ancient house left to crumble and burn!”

There was silence for a long, long moment before the godspawn threw back her head, cackling. “Foolish little machine! Didn’t I tell you about my brother?”

K80 saw the house shake, felt the earth rumble, saw the doors break from their hinges, but his eyes did not want to record the details of what he saw next. 

He got the notion of tendrils and tentacles, ripping claws and teeth and vines writhing and reaching to catch its prey.

“INITIATE ESCAPE PROTOCOLS!” K80 screamed, turning and running.

“What!?” Paiko screeched in return, unable to take his eyes off the horrible creature coming out of the house, its vines singing and cracking through the air.

K80 scooped Paiko along, his mind filled with fearful static. “RUN!”