by Steve Lang
The sun rose early the next morning. Mac laid still and quiet, admiring the beauty of the planet Eritria. It was untouched by the technology that had destroyed earth, and although there was magic here in this foreign world, it seemed in alignment with the natural elements. The magic felt normal somehow, as if it had always been in the universe, unseen until now. Everyone was affected by the planet’s energy. He was a wolven human, Kim had become a mind reader, and possibly a telepath, and if Stephanie was still alive he was sure something had occurred to elevate her consciousness as well. As terrifying as the encounter with the terapod had been, he knew there was no turning back. Mac liked these people, the wolven. He felt a new connection with them he hadn’t previously, like they were family. He knew that if the time came, he would fight with them through any battle. But now he would be fighting not only for humanity’s cause, but because they were his blood. Dante and Ramos woke up, first nodding to their new brother. Then Gregor and Kim were roused from sleep by a chattering squirrel.
“Are there squirrel men on this planet, too?” Mac asked.
“No, they were too unpredictable and irritating. Always storing nuts for winter, I think the problem was that they never relaxed. The records show that only about fifty out of the six hundred races of animals were advanced during the scientific mission here.” Gregor said. He stretched and yawned.
There was still some deer left from the night before, and they broke fast, eating it before continuing on their quest. Fresh air greeted them on this new day in the Wasatch woods, a perfume of wild flowers and scents given off by the pines and oaks.
“I love this world.” Mac said. Dante heard him and nodded in agreement.
They traveled through the woods all morning and made it to the plains by late afternoon. The grass was tall and blowing along with the breeze, lilting in the wind like a soft blanket of green from far away. Mac could see the Poseidon sitting in the field undisturbed, and even though they’d been gone less than a week, to him it felt as if he had not seen the ship in a month. The large round metallic disk and bubble dome seemed to absorb sunlight as it perched on three legs, staring into the sky like an alien eye.
“Looks like we’ve got a place to sleep for the night.” Mac said.
“I’m afraid I have to leave for the Cave of Shadows now. My torment will increase with each passing day until I either go mad or tear myself apart.” Ramos said.
Ramos gave his brother a hug and bowed to Gregor, who grabbed him and pulled his son in for a close embrace.
“Your mother would be proud of you, my son. Follow your heart and never look back.” Gregor said, and then he pulled a locket from his robe and hung it around Ramos’s neck. Ramos looked down, recognizing the locket as his mother’s and felt a pang of loss in his chest. Mac couldn’t help but consider his own motherless children, and felt waves of empathy. Gregor put a hand on his shoulder and then moved it to Ramos’s cheek.
“Thank you father. I’ll take care of this.” Ramos said.
“Open it when your back is against the wall and evil is upon you. The magic contained within will carry you short distances away from your enemies.” Gregor said.
Ramos bid them farewell and diverted northeast toward the Tovia mountain range as the other four approached the Poseidon.
“Farewell my son.” Gregor whispered.
“He’ll be back, father. We need only wait for his successful completion of the trials under Mount Tovia.” Dante said.
“Your confidence lifts my spirits, Dante, but I fear for his soul. Asura went in to the Cave of Shadows long ago, and from my reading of the scrolls he was much like your brother. A shaman offered him the same choice, but when Asura went in there something changed him into the evil monster he is today.” Gregor said.
Dante knew his brother would be forever changed even if he could survive the gauntlet of challenges awaiting him, but Gregor seldom worried about anything, and his concern now bothered Dante. Dante looked east to the mountains where Ramos traveled and he felt an anxiousness he could not explain.
“We can sleep in here for the night and continue on in the morning if you want. The Poseidon will get us past the Bog Lands.” Mac said.
In the distance, running across the plains was the figure of a woman holding something in her arms. Mac saw her first and grabbed his binoculars.
“It’s Stephanie! She’s got the TSA-2056 with her, too!” Mac yelled.
“Oh thank god!” Kim said, and whispered, “this nightmare is almost over.”
“I wouldn’t speak too fast, she’s got company!” Mac said. He could see she was being followed by libmoks and running just in front of them. The star gate was clutched in her arms as she sprinted away, but Mac could see that the libmoks were gaining. He turned wolven in a matter of moments and darted across the prairie.
“Wait for us!” Dante said. Mac closed the distance between he and Stephanie and saw the look of terror and confusion on her face as he got near. She looked like a woman between a rock and a hard place.
“Don’t worry, Captain. It’s me, Mac!”
Without time to explain he darted past her, knocking the lead libmok off its feet and tearing the creature’s throat out with his sharp claws. Two more of them remained and faced off against him with their quills raised, each of them grabbing a poisoned sword from their backs for defense.
“Not this time, boys!” Mac said.
He rolled forward and slashed up with one powerful strike into the next one’s stomach, disemboweling the surprised libmok. It took two steps back and fell over in a heap. Dante grabbed a quill off the first dead libmok and stabbed the last one through his chest. It uttered a squeak in retaliation and dropped to the ground as dead as his brothers. There were no more assailants, but Mac sensed something was still not quite right. The wind carried with it an ominous, foreboding doom, and Mac could smell something foul coming from the edge of the Bog Lands three hundred yards away. He stopped moving and sniffed the breeze.
“Yawl is watching us.” Dante said. “That’s the foul stench you sense. I have smelled it every time he is near.”
“Do you think he’ll attack?” Mac asked.
“No, he’s a dog for Ragnok and was sent to follow your friend back to us. I’m almost sure of that.”
“I’ve got the controller for the TSA-2056. They let her go.” Mac said.
Stephanie was frightened and confused as the two wolf men discussed the recent turn of events. One of them sounded a lot like her commanding officer.
“Mac…is that really you? Colonel MacDonald?” She asked. Stephanie was ten feet from them, still clutching the TSA-2056.
Mac turned toward her and changed back to himself again; he was gaining more control over his ability to do so each time. The shock to her mind, and exhaustion from her journey sent the blood rushing from her brain. The ship’s doctor dropped to the ground unconscious. They scanned the countryside to see if there were any more libmoks hiding, and after determining the coast was clear the two relaxed.
“I think you scared her silly.” Dante said. He was laughing.
“Oh, crap!” Mac said and walked over to pick her up from the ground. “Let’s get her back to the ship and close it up for the night. There’s been enough drama for one day.” Mac said. He changed back to wolven form and lifted Stephanie, carrying her like a baby. The TSA-2056 was still in her arms.
Dante dragged the carcass of a libmok back to the ship with them. Hearing the grass rustle, Mac turned to see what he was doing.
“Wolven’s gotta’ eat and these are damned fine in a pinch.” Dante said, grinning.
They built a small fire to roast the libmok. As the sun set on another day they all entered the Poseidon for a night of safety and good sleep. Mac closed his weary eyes, and for the first time in a year he did not dream.
Ramos had missed the confrontation with the libmoks by twenty minutes as he turned his focus toward the trials ahead. He strode across the plains where his forefathers battled Broad Axe, the li
zard king, and his army of the undead, hundreds of years before. He felt the ghosts of his fallen ancestors whirling around him, engaged in mortal combat as wolven warriors allied with the Minotaur and mole men fought valiant battles against centaur, reptilian and undead hordes locked in heated battle. He could hear the distant sounds of Swords clanging together as foul spectral warriors clad in steel armor fought to gain conquest over the wolven continent of Eritria. Ramos walked through a scene frozen in time, hearing the deathly whoosh of arrow volleys hurtling toward live targets. The odor of death touched his nostrils as Ramos neared the Cave of Shadows. He was now half in and out of this dimension.
He could see Mount Tovia and the small black entrance where the cave opened. This mountain was host to a myriad of troublesome enemies for those who ventured too close. The top of Mount Tovia was the home of Krill, the fifty-foot tall ice giant, a formidable foe and recluse. His isolation from the world was intentional, and adventurers who neared his lair were never seen again. In written history, only two had ever faced the ice giant and survived: Dante and Ramos, he thought nodding to himself. Ramos steeled his nerves and quelled the rising fear as the cave mouth, now enormous, beckoned to him to enter and face his fate. The siren’s song, low and sweet, sang his name on the breeze. He let go of his worry as he unslung his crossbow, placed it on the ground, and walked inside the cave.
Upon entering, the daylight receded and his way out became blocked by a black wall of impenetrable magic. He was engulfed in darkness as if a veil had been drawn and there he stood, alone. Purple gems illuminated a pathway through the darkness, showing him the way into the cave. Ramos felt the temperature drop so low that he could see his breath chuffing out in little white clouds. As he stood watching the little gems pop to life, one after another, disappearing around a bend, Ramos began to feel a tremor in the floor beneath his feet and a surge of nausea swept over him. He stooped, hands on knees, riding the wave of pain in his stomach when a mind-bending cramp seized him. Ramos doubled over with the force growling and blew out his last breath as the soul contained within his fleshy body rose free into the chill cavern. Ramos stood emotionless over his still breathing body, and then he turned and glided forward through the ether.
After following the spiral path downward for some time, a white light appeared before him, shimmering in the dark and reflecting off the stone walls. When he came around another bend, he saw a female humanoid that resembled, in great detail, the humans from earth. She was bathed in white light. Her complexion was fair; her long blond hair hung down around her face and she was wearing a loose fitting white peasant shirt with white pants. Her appearance was attractive as humans went, and she sang a song he did not recognize in a language he had never heard. The ethereal angel stopped and stared at Ramos for a moment before speaking.
“Welcome traveler, you have come a long way for the trials. I am a spirit of the Cave of Shadows, Kahli.” She said. Her voice was soft and reverberated as it echoed through the cavern.
“It wasn’t that far away, actually. I got here in no time.” Ramos said. His dry humor was lost on her.
“Come with me.” Kahli said.
He followed her downward until the tunnel opened up to a large brightly lit cavern. A temple carved from the cavern walls loomed above them. Its height was impressive, but the ornate carvings of deer, fox, owl, and bulls were awe inspiring. Their lifelike statues decorated the balconies like omniscient guardians, and their shadows swayed as if they were watching Ramos’ every move.
“All you see before you were carved from a single rock face hundreds of thousands of years ago by my people.” Kahli said. She pointed to a large set of double doors.
“Are you restrained within the walls of this cavern?” Ramos asked. The question seemed odd to him.
“My people came here from the planet Ogan a long time ago to discover faraway planets and gain scientific understanding. We crash landed here and were marooned with no way of reaching home.”
“You built this temple?” Ramos asked.
“Yes, and much more. We came here with massive land-moving machines and built a central city above the ground that mimicked our capital on Ogan. There we prospered and multiplied. Have you seen the city? It is to the northwest and houses a grand temple in the center.”
What she described sounded like the sunken temple, but that was in the center of the Bog Lands and was now surrounded by trees taller and far older than some in Wasatch forest. How long had these people been down here? Ramos thought.
“No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen your city. How did you come to be down here? I would think living above ground would be more suitable.” Ramos replied. Kahli continued on as if the answer were irrelevant.
“I was married to the ruler of our people, Ramesh, but I was in love with his brother, Ravi, and in a stupid lover’s plot we decided to kill Ramesh so that we could be together at last, but my husband found out about the plan to murder him. Ramesh colluded with the ice giant Krill, and when we were on an expedition into the mountain above, Krill drew down upon us. He is a magic user, and cast the power of soulessness to detach the souls from our bodies while Ramesh got away.”
“So you’re trapped here.” Ramos said.
“It’s been a bitter existence, and yes,” she said.
Ramos saw piles of bones from hundreds of animals strewn about the floor, some of them wolven, some centaur, and a number of reptilian skeletons scattered about. A large set of double doors began to open at the base of the temple, and now Ramos saw the form of a man as he floated a few feet above the floor.
“Ravi will show you the way forward.” Kahli said.
Ravi beckoned him forth, and as he drifted toward the mate of Kahli, he could see that the man was garbed in a black robe with gold trim with planets and stars threaded within. A hypnotic melody began to play in Ramos’ conscious mind, luring him into a slow loss of memory and identity. The temple was closer, larger, and something unseen beckoned to him as he drifted toward those doors and into the black void beyond. Ravi was waving him in with a smile on his face, as if guiding Ramos toward the Promised Land. He was between dimensions then, a galactic traveler going beyond the simple confines of the rock walls that had, only a moment ago, held him. Reality began to slide away until Ramos was someplace peaceful where flowers and wolven women draped over couches smiling as he walked by, calling to him.
He would have been lost to the siren’s song had he not had the constitution to fight back against it. When he returned to his senses, Ravi was standing before him, a gaunt skeletal ghoul. Ravi grinned with a mouth full of fangs and eyes of a snake, with a hypnotic yellow glow that fumed and pulsed. Ramos turned around and saw that Kahli was standing behind him, and her appearance was much the same, but her eyes were no longer shining and they had sunken into her skull. Ramos turned back to Ravi, wondering what fresh new hell had befallen him, until he saw a purple orb resting on an iron pedestal inside the temple. There was something mysterious about the orb, an ancient artifact from another world and time. Without any knowledge that he had found what he sought, Ramos moved on instinct and dodged Ravi as he sprung forth to devour his soul. Ramos raced inside the double doors before they could grab him and held the orb with both hands. The energy within the purple ball pulsed outward, seizing his spectral arm while rivulets of purple light consumed him, burning his soul with the intensity of its flame.
“No! Ravi, grab him! We have to stop him before he…” Kahli screamed.
“I feel such…power! Ramos said, as his soul convulsed in the purple spectral light.
“Too late!” Ravi yelled.
Ramos howled as his eyes turned a shade of deep lavender, and in that moment he could hear the dead in the cavern speaking to him, whispering his name. Calling to the necromancer, king of the undead, summoner of lost souls. Far away, at the mouth of the cave, Ramos’ heart stopped beating, and as Ravi attempted to grab for him, he vanished, appearing a moment later over his deceased body. With Khali a
nd Ravi in pursuit, he dived into his own body and reanimated himself as the trapped spirits of the cave began to close in. Ramos stood upright, glaring at them with glowing purple eyes, enraged. Purple orbs emanated from his hands, spinning and floating like tiny planets above his outstretched paws. The cursed lovers stopped and looked at him with fear in their eyes.
“Any last words before I destroy your souls?” Ramos said. He wasn’t sure if he had the ability to do such a thing, but they seemed fearful of him now, so he was going with it.
“Please don’t do this; you now have the power to release us!” Ravi said.
“You reanimated your own dead body, completing the trial of undeath, Ramos. You have power over the dead and can release us from our hell. Please, don’t do this!” Khali pleaded.
“We are cursed to feed on the souls of those who enter our domain until a necromancer sets us free.” Ravi said.
“Give me one reason why I should spare you.” Ramos said. He was growling as purple fire danced in his eyes.
“Asura is the only other necromancer to have completed the trial of undeath and he refused to free us. He laughed as he walked away, pleased by our eternal suffering.” Khali said.
Ramos concentrated on their request, and then the purple spheres he’d conjured began to change to pink, and he tossed one at each of them. The orbs exploded in a shower of light and washed over the imprisoned souls. He walked toward the cave opening and could see that night had fallen across the land outside.
“We’re free. Thank you a thousand times Ramos.” Ravi said.
“In return for your mercy, we have information about an ancient artifact that can aid in your quest against the dark one, Asura.” Kali said.
“Yes, it’s the Robe of Dragaz, and it is imbued with the power to resist dark magic, collect the energy and reflect it back to the enemy. You will need protection against his magic.” Ravi said.
“Where is this robe?” Ramos asked.
“It is below our temple, but you will have to speak with Inga to obtain it.” Ravi said.
“With it, you will raise the dead and have the power to resist Asura and his hordes.” Khali said.
“What do I have to do?” Ramos asked.
“You must answer Inga’s riddle.” Khali said.
“Has anyone ever passed this test? How did they get past you two?” Ramos asked.
“When adventurers come here for the robe, they face a far worse foe than either of us. If they answer her question they may go free, but if they fail, the dragon banishes them to the shadow world. Five others have attempted to answer her question and have never returned.
“Who is this Inga?” Ramos asked.
“Inga is a great green dragon and protector of the light. She came millennia ago and built the shadowlorn tract to protect that robe. She lives in a deceptive area of this underground labyrinth that appears to go on forever into a realm of mist and shadow.” Ravi said.
“All I have to do is answer her riddle?” Ramos asked.
“That’s it. But you will have to seek her out and face your destiny, necromancer. You will find her down the corridor of bones and past the rune wall.” Ravi said.
“What now for the two of you?” Ramos asked.
“We will return home. Thank you for releasing us from this curse, Ramos.” Khali said.
Ramos could see a white light surrounding the two and felt a wave of peaceful energy surround him as the two lovers faded before his eyes. Where they went, he had no clue, but he was certain he would see them again when he crossed into the spirit world.
Ramos walked back down the path, placed the purple orb inside the temple, and continued toward a hallway lined top to bottom with the bones of many animals.
“This had better be worth it.” Ramos said to himself.
Piles of skulls were scattered like sacrificial offerings along the corridor with the odor of foul death permeating the air. After a short while, Ramos came to a rock wall where runic symbols had been engraved with ornate perfection by tools he suspected his people had never seen before. As his hand neared one, it glowed lime green, another one shone orange, and the third shimmered red. Seven runes adorned the wall in a circle, each glowing a different color as he passed his hand over them.
“It’s a puzzle.” Ramos said to himself.
He studied it closer and realized there was a method to the shapes. They symbolized the seven teachings of the wolven people, common knowledge about how all people were to treat one another and live in peaceful coexistence with nature and other creatures. They were out of order, but he remembered the story that Gregor would tell Dante and him when they were children.
As the story replayed in his mind, Ramos began to picture the shapes in order. The deer symbolized the need to respect nature as they had once been wiped out by over-hunting, but eventually returned strong. When the creator was about to destroy the world because his creatures could not stop fighting each other, he sent an ibis to fly around the world and see if any love still existed. When the ibis flew back he reported that the wolven race still had love for one another and the animals. The bilichuck, a creature resembling a beaver, was master of water and wood, symbolizing wisdom. The wolven ancestors had gained all of their knowledge of medicines by watching the bilichuck. Honesty was represented by the faerie people, for they were given the responsibility of watching over all life on Eritria, and their honesty encourages all people to be honest with each other. Next was courage, represented by the Minotaur for their power and fearlessness to do the right thing and take care of their families and one another. The star shining light upon Eritria represented truth, because the sun, like the creator, is true and no one in the infinite dimensions of space-time could change the sun. Things that are true never change. The wolven teach their young humility, to think things through and to always be cautious. Elderly wolven are never alone; they help one another. Wolven teach their young that they need to look back on their lives and learn from it.
Ramos began to touch each symbol in the order of his father’s tale, and as he did they lit up until all seven were alive with color and the wall vanished before his eyes. Beyond the wall was a short corridor that opened up to a larger cavern that extended far into the blackness. Inside the cavern, he could hear a very large creature snoring in the darkness. Ramos willed a purple orb into existence that lit the path before him and as he walked forward, it moved alongside him like a torch. The air was dank and cold like a crypt, but he feared nothing in this place where he knew the dragon would give him what he came for. As he moved into the cavern, claws scraped the hard stone floor and he could see two golden eyes staring back at him. Ramos stopped moving as he considered his next move.
“Welcome necromancer.” Said a female voice.
A spark in the darkness ignited a large torch mounted on the wall, and then another, until the entire cavern was illuminated by the lights on the wall, and Ramos could see that he was but a speck compared to the enormous green dragon before him. She was the biggest creature he had ever seen, and Ramos was dumbfounded by her size and beauty. But he still resisted feelings of intimidation.
“I am Ramos of Wasatch Woods and I have come seeking the Robe of Dragaz.”
“I know why you’re here necromancer, for I see all in my dreams and I have been dreaming for a long time. I have protected this planet for longer than your species has existed, and I have kept the robe since your last great war with Asura.” Inga said.
“Forgive me, but I am captured by your beauty. I have never seen your like, madam.”
Inga was seven stories tall, with luminescent green scales that shimmered in the light as if she were made of emeralds. Ramos saw a distorted image of himself in her mirror-like armor, and for the first time since his change, Ramos saw the purple fire in his eyes through his reflection. It was exhilarating, foreign, but powerful. Inga emanated waves of peaceful energy that seemed out of place for a creature that may doom his soul to a world of shadows for eternity. But he
was drawn to her illusion of comfort anyway.
“Flattery will get you everywhere, young man.” Inga said.
“I wish to possess the Robe of Dragaz.” Ramos said.
“Yes, but you must answer my riddle first. There were a great many foul beings set forth on Eritria after the Tablet of Destinies was lost, and what you seek contains power greater than ten armies. Five travelers have come before you, and five have been banished to the Shadow World for eternity. Are you sure you’d like to continue?” Inga said.
“I’ll have your riddle now, if you would, please.” Ramos said. He hoped in vain that his fear of what could happen if he was wrong went unnoticed by the dragon. It didn’t and she smiled.
“Very well, you have two opportunities to answer my riddle, and if you fail I will banish your soul to the shadow world where you will wander for eternity.” Inga said.
“Guess I better be right then. When you’re ready, Inga.”
“What begins the day on four legs, then two legs, then three?”
Ramos thought about it for a moment as Inga watched him with patient, calculating eyes. Her smile curled the sides of her maw.
“Give up?” She asked.
“A wolven man or woman. We walk on four legs as puppies, then on two legs as adults, and then on two legs with a cane when we grow old.” Ramos said.
The dragon reared back for a moment, as if stunned by his answer. Ramos began to feel as if he had made a horrible mistake, but then she lowered her head to three feet in front of him. Her white fangs popped through her lips as she sneered.
“That’s right!” She said. Inga was grinning with pleasure. “You answered my riddle, but only time will tell if you possess the ability to don the Robe of Dragaz. What you are about to receive can not only destroy our world, but can twist your soul in the process, making ascension to higher levels of consciousness difficult or impossible upon reincarnation. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I will do my best to do my duty to you, Eritria and myself. I’ll not fail.” Ramos said.
“We shall see.” Inga replied.
Inga whispered an incantation and a dark portal opened. Through it Ramos could see the void of space and the shape of something approaching him from the other side. The robe drifted through the portal and into his arms as he reached out and caught it on the way through. The Robe of Dragaz was maroon, with beautiful runic patterns sewn in with gold thread into the soft terrycloth-like fabric. He wasted no time putting the robe on while the portal shrunk to a speck and disappeared. As he put his arms through the sleeves, his energy level spiked like a volcano erupting within him, and he felt an exhilaration that seemed impossible to contain.
“The robe will amplify your energy Ramos. If it is good energy, then you will experience what you feel now, but fall into the trap of anger and it will reflect that by one hundred times. A great responsibility has been bestowed upon you necromancer. Do not let me down or I will rise out of this pit and make you sorry you ever put it on.” Inga said. Her smile faltered at that last statement.
“I will not let you down.” Ramos said. He donned the hood, and as he did, all that was visible were his glowing purple eyes.
“Asura finally has a formidable foe. Go now and restore peace to this world, but be warned that your trials are not over, and even if Asura is eliminated, there will be hidden dangers on your horizon.” Inga said.
“Thank you for your aid, Inga. I wish to return and speak with you once this battle with Asura is over.” Ramos said.
“After you have sorted this out, I will return to the world once more and we will have many opportunities to speak, Ramos the Necromancer. Go now and seek your destiny. Your friends are waiting.” Inga said.
Ramos bid the dragon Inga farewell and began to walk back to where Dante and the people from earth were camping. Along the way, he found five libmok corpses that looked like fresh kills, so he stopped for a snack. A few hours later he was approaching the space craft as the first rays of sunlight were striking the reflective metallic surface. Dante emerged from the craft and ran to his brother, lifting the larger, older wolven in a warm embrace.
“It’s good to see you again, brother!” Dante said.
“You as well, little brother. War is fast approaching and we will need to be prepared. I have learned that Yawl and his centaurs are only the beginning of this trouble.” Ramos said.
“When do we start?” Dante replied. Ramos grinned and knew that even now, just like the old days, he and his brother could overcome any odds.
On the other side of the Bog Lands, Yawl had informed his master Ragnok that the people from earth were hiding out in their ship from the stars and that the star gate had been reunited with the control mechanism that would activate the device.
“That’s good news, Asura will be pleased.”
Ragnok said.
“Should we begin the invasion?” Yawl asked.
“Prepare our armies for battle. Two problems will be solved when this is over: an end to the wolven and death to those who oppose us. Ragnok said.
Ragnok had thirty thousand soldiers ready to attack the wolven lands, and in the morning their march toward the open plains would begin.
CHAPTER 12
