A Dawn That Never Breaks

Evil beasts have grown unruly and have started attacking passersby in broad daylight. Haunting human-shaped statues seem to line every footpath. The work of gorgons. Though not the most adept warriors, they possess the ability to petrify any being which meets their gaze.

A curious thing: snails flock to these statues. Something about them beckons these tiny creatures near. One brave adventurer follows the trail of slime left in their wake, hoping to find a worthy opponent...and to rid the region of gorgons. In the last face-off with one such serpent he held aloft his shield to hide his eyes and braced for the blow. The blow, however, never landed.

Instead, a horrible wailing bounced off the trees. Somewhere above, an eagle called out. Carefully peeking out from the shield, he realized the gorgon had petrified itself and in the process turned into a slab of rock. He wondered if his shield was imbued with magick or if it was divine intervention. Either way, he seeks a new foe to battle. Follow the snails, he whispers.

He has been on the hunt for a few days now. An eagle's voice rings from the sky. An alert. He gathers his spear and shield closely as he ups the pace. He must know. Is the shield magick?

Down in a small valley at the edge of the stream; another gorgon. At a full sprint now, he draws his spear and raises his shield. Charges headlong towards it. Bashes into it with the shield. The gorgon falls back into the water and quickly regains its composure. It strikes back. A glancing blow. Blood gently flows from the rended flesh. Our hero steps to the right and lurches forward. The gorgon shrieks. Wounded, it turns to meet his gaze. Instinctively he moves his arm in front of his face...and waits.

The wailing begins. The eagle cries out once again. He hesitently lowers the shield. It has become a round slab of stone. Same as the last time. This shield must be magick, he whispers. He whistles. The eagle swoops down and lands on his arm. The bird leans in and quietly caws into his ear. He nods. They continue hunting.

As his reputation spreads, townsfolk rush to meet him as he passes through their villages. Songs are sung. Festivities are held in praise of the Gorgon Salter, or at least that's what they call him. He rarely speaks, preferring solitude to a party.

One evening as the stormclouds roll in he sees it - the Matriarch. Mother of the gorgons. One final battle to end the torment of this kingdom's people. His footsteps masked by the falling rain, he moves forward to strike. Countered! Sharp pain rippling outward from his side. A deep wound. Crippling. He struggles to stand as the Matriarch prepares a killing blow. The eagle swoops down. Talons rake across the gorgon's face. THUD. The ground trembles.

Using the eagle's distraction to his advantage, he lunges forward again. The gorgon shrieks. Impaled. He raises his shield to cover his eyes just in case. The Martiarch collapses, not long for this world. He waits. And leaves nothing to chance.

Surveying the field after the battle, his eyes land on something out of place. An unusual stone formation. As he approaches he realizes what it is. His eagle companion entombed in stone. Mid-flight. Falling to his knees, head in hands, he cries out. Will dawn never break? Are his deeds not enough? What more is wanted of him?

Carefully, he gathers stones and fallen branches. Constructs a shrine to his fallen companion. The only soul he was close to. His faithful guide. Now a lifeless statue. He whispers something private. Personal. Then continues his journey. Always onward to the next adventure.

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Completed for the May 2026 Dungeon Shamble with the following parameters:
- total instruments/patches: 5
- total songs: 7
- total album length: 13-20 minutes
- style: battle synth
- theme: wars, battles, and other bloody clashes
- special (optional): incorporate silence into at least 2 songs, use each instrument/patch as if it were monophonic - use only one note at a time, do not use any reverb

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In memory of Cupcake and Pumpkin. The best companions one could have.