From The Dark

by Tobey Alexander

  The half-skull head fell to the floor and rolled across towards the edge. The hand slapped to the stone floor while the body crumpled to the floor.

  Vincenzo looked on in horror as the head rolled past his feet and tumbled off the edge of the platform, tumbling unseen down towards the boiling lava.

  ‘Who are you?’ Vincenzo scowled as he drew his attention back to his attacker.

  ‘My name is Nahem, and you have a debt to pay.’

  ‘I don’t know you!’ Vincenzo shrieked, his face contorted with confusion.

  ‘You burned my village to the ground, you condemned my grandfather to death, and you’ve been responsible for the deaths of many others along your violent journey to here.’

  ‘Impossible.’

  Nahem heard bone clattering on stone as the Nivag behind her closed her down.

  ‘Admirable but wasted I believe.’ Vincenzo sneered as Nahem turned her attention to the Nivag that stalked towards her.

  39

  Clash Of Enemies

  Claudia looked down to see the decapitated Nivag slump to the floor. Vincenzo’s move took him out of Nahem’s immediate reach but what caught her attention was the remaining Nivag now stalking towards her companion.

  Unsure of her ability to make the jump Claudia perched herself on the edge of the ledge and waited. As the Nivag moved it passed beneath her, and she launched. The air rushed past her face and Claudia did everything to keep her eyes opened as she dropped from her vantage point.

  It was a well-timed attack as Claudia landed on top of the Nivag sending it sprawling to the floor. Falling to the ground, Claudia was glad the Nivag had withstood her fall. Feeling herself skid across the floor Claudia righted herself and turned to look for Nahem.

  Feeling Nahem’s grip on her wrist, Claudia allowed her to help her up from the floor and turned to look at her.

  ‘Thank you.’ Nahem praised and brushed off a layer of dust from Claudia’s arm.

  Having no time for more praise, they both turned their attention to the Nivag that dragged himself up from a heap on the floor. The creature’s face was contorted into a menacing snarl as it rotated the exposed bone arm back into the socket at its shoulder.

  ‘And you must be Logan’s sister.’ Vincenzo said with a wry grin. ‘I can see it in your eyes.’

  Nahem pressed her back to Claudia’s as the Nivag moved beyond the reach of her Flagelli. As it moved, the two young women found themselves pinned between Vincenzo and the Nivag. Claudia now faced the Italian Veks and watched as he withdrew a pair of long-bladed daggers from behind his back.

  ‘You can fight or leave.’ Vincenzo smirked adjusted the weapons in his hands. ‘There’s nothing wrong from turning away from a task when you know you are not ready.’

  ‘Who says I’m not?’ Claudia snapped back and raised her sword out towards him.

  ‘So be it!’

  Nahem shared no words with the Nivag. She watched as it drifted around, its single eye fixed on her position in the platform's centre of rock.

  The Nivag moved as if to approach Nahem and smiled as she flicked the Flagelli out towards it in warning. As the metal rope cracked in the air, the Nivag rocked its head from side-to-side mockingly.

  The attacks came simultaneously and put Nahem and Claudia on the back foot. Vincenzo drove both his daggers through the air as he skidded across the uneven floor. The Nivag launched itself into the air towards Nahem.

  Nahem pushed back against Claudia sending her reeling forward and dodged aside in time to avoid the Nivag’s attack. Landing so close the limp Flagelli in her hands were of little use. Depressing a small button in each of the handles a thin, needle of steel popped out from the base of each. Stabbing them out towards the Nivag Nahem did her best to bury the needles into the flesh of the monster.

  Claudia’s unbalance had thwarted Vincenzo’s attack as Nahem had pushed her aside. Ending his attack with an energetic roll, the middle-aged man righted himself and turned to face his opponent.

  Claudia did not wait. Although the Veks moved with surprising speed and grace, she still had her own surprises. Crossing the narrow gap between them, Claudia cast out the sword in her hand and drove it down towards Vincenzo’s shoulder.

  The two of them locked in battle, blades shimmering in the light they each moved, attacked and parried with ferocious speed. Their engagement dragged them away from Nahem and the Nivag who fought face-to-face

  Nahem danced the small handles through the air in various attempts to pierce the Nivag’s tattered flesh the needlepoint. Each time she would attack the Nivag would kick, thrust or snap itself away just in time to avoid each blow.

  Casting aside another attack Nahem adjusted her assault and brought one of the Flagelli high above her head. Expecting another attack, the Nivag thrust its fleshed hand up trying to grip the weapon.

  Having planned for this Nahem allowed the hand to pass across the side of her face. In an instant her nostrils filled with the stench of death and decay as the discoloured flesh moved close to her nose. As the Nivag’s elbow reached level with her chin Nahem twisted and pirouetted the Flagelli in the air.

  Before the Nivag could react the metal cord rotated in the air and wrapped itself around its forearm.

  Stepping backwards and away Nahem pulled the Flagelli tight and watched as the metal dug into the rotten flesh. To her dismay, the Nivag countered the attack and gripped the metal before it could tear into its flesh and bone.

  Matched in strength the two of them fought to control the Flagelli. Nahem felt the handle slipping in her grip as the Nivag wrenched back with the cord. Although the metal dug into the rotten flesh, the Nivag was unperturbed and continued. At last, the Nivag’s brute strength won out, and it ripped the Flagelli from Nahem’s hand.

  Staggering backwards she watched as the creature tore the metal from around its arm sending pieces of severed flesh falling to the ground.

  Claudia was oblivious to the event unfolding behind her as Vincenzo’s attacks kept her complete attention. Wielding the pair of daggers with expertise that surpassed Claudia’s she did everything to keep her opponent at bay.

  Their fight brought them close to the edge of the platform, but they remained safe enough from the drop into the swirling pit of molten rock. As Vincenzo delivered a flurry of attacks again, Claudia did her best to back away but found herself pressed against the wall of the cavern.

  As Vincenzo thrust out towards her head, Claudia narrowly escaped the shimmering blade as it lodged into the volcanic rock where her head had been. Taking advantage of the momentary pause, Claudia punched out and felt a wave of relief as her clenched fist slammed into Vincenzo’s face. With a satisfying crunch, the Veks stumbled backwards, his face covered in blood that poured from his broken nose.

  ‘Bitch!’ Vincenzo snarled as he spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

  Having relinquished the dagger embedded in the wall, Claudia took advantage of her position and closed down Vincenzo.

  Armed with only a single blade less than half the length of Claudia’s sword the tables had turned. Fighting back Claudia’s attack tip of her weapon close to his face more than once. Now on the back foot, Vincenzo inched closer to the edge of the platform, Claudia was relentless and continued to close him down.

  As the four of them danced and fought around the open space, none of them paid any attention to the movement on the far side of the cavern. Having emerged from a second opening that none of them had seen Logan appeared staggering and clutching his injured hand to his chest.

  ***

  Having been left pinned against the shack, the sting of pain as a droplet of magma burned into his flesh had dragged him back to consciousness. Dizzy with pain Logan had removed the knife from his palm and stagger around the side of the shack in time to see his father disappear into the cave opening Vincenzo and his sister had entered a while before.

  Wrapping the oozing wound in a piece of torn fabric Logan had discarded the dagger and staggered
out towards the edge of the plateau. Closing his eyes, he had allowed himself to sense the world around him and in an instant heard a familiar voice at the back of his mind.

  Guided by the gentle voice that begged for his help he had followed his instinct and allowed the Magdon to guide him in towards the depths of the volcano through a narrow fissure in the wall just beneath the plateau. Allowing the voice to direct him he had soon followed another dim lit path along twists and turns until the sounds of fighting had filled the air.

  Still weak and dazed Logan staggered along the narrow path until he had emerged into the antechamber some way off from the furious battle between his sister, Vincenzo, the Nivag and Nahem.

  Taking his position away from the ensuing fights Logan dropped to his knees clutching at his throbbing hand. The voice of the Magdon had been distant but clear, her soothing tone filled with fear and desperation.

  ‘You are here to protect me?’ She questioned as he knelt on the floor overlooking the chamber.

  ‘I am,’ he replied.

  ‘You were once here to kill me, I sensed that when you came and you are torn.’

  ‘I was once here to destroy you, yes, but not now, not now I know what we can become together.’

  ‘Your mind is foggy, your decisions not as concrete as you feel.’

  ‘I am here to protect you, those down there are here to kill you.’

  ‘They are your kin, your blood, your family. They are the ones who killed my mother as were you.’

  Although Logan could only hear the voice, he felt uncomfortable.

  ‘That was before...’

  ‘And how am I to trust you?’ The Magdon’s voice interrupted.

  ‘You can see my intentions.’ Logan pleaded, his own voice echoing through his mind. ‘See what I am saying is the truth.’

  ‘I can.’

  Before Logan could answer again, he felt hot breath against the back of his neck. The hairs on his skin stood on end as he felt the Magdon behind him. He felt the furred hand rest upon his shoulder and Logan closed his eyes.

  ‘You are here to help yet you fear me, fear I would crush your skull within my jaw.’

  ‘Why shouldn’t I fear?’ Logan answered, this time speaking instead of thinking his words.

  Logan stood himself and turned to face the Magdon.

  Her appearance surprised him. The last time he had faced the formidable beast she had towered above him by many feet. The Magdon before him now was very much smaller, her size matching that of his own and her presence not even half what it had been of her predecessor.

  ‘Because I am yet young, I am not formed in my mother’s image yet.’

  The Magdon released her grip on Logan’s shoulder and stood facing him. Staring one another in the eye Logan felt a deep connection with the creature before him. What doubts he had now evaporated in an instant as he realised the Magdon’s survival rested with him. Tilting her head to one side, the Magdon read his thoughts, and after some long heartbeats, she spoke to him again.

  ‘My fate rests in your hands Logan, that is something I do not give lightly.’

  ‘I know.’ Logan stammered, and with his uninjured hand he reached out to her canine snout.

  Logan hesitated but placed his hand against the bristled fur and stroked across it towards the back of her head. Although she was a beast, a monster born from thousands of years of adaptation and evolution, right then she was something else. Resting his hand against her skin told Logan she was real. As the fur tickled against his hand, he felt the electricity of their connection.

  ‘Logan! No!’ His father’s voice pierced the air, and in response, the chamber fell silent, and all eyes turned up towards Logan and the Magdon.

  40

  To The End

  Logan felt the tremendous heart beating in the Magdon’s chest as he closed his eyes. The power from beneath her chest filled him with a sense of wonder. Still cradling his injured hand tight to his chest Logan listened for a moment. He was only dragged from the draw of the powerful heartbeat by the voice of his father.

  The fur on her torso bristled at the voice and as the chamber fell silent all that could be heard was the bubbling lava far below. Opening his eyes Logan kept his hand against the Magdon and turned to look for his father.

  Gabe stood a third of the way around the cavernous room at another opening. Perched on a narrow ledge Logan could see his father dirt-stained and weak. Beneath him on the main floor of the chamber Nahem, Claudia and Vincenzo all looked up towards Logan and the Magdon that stood beside him.

  She was not grown, her smaller stature had her only a few inches taller than Logan. Her features appeared under-developed but the snarl that grew on her face exposed the rows of jagged teeth and emphasised her presence as a hunter.

  ‘Logan what are you doing?’ Gabe bellowed. ‘Get away from it now.’

  ‘No!’ Logan released his hand from her chest and moved to the edge of the rock on which he stood. ‘This is not the way it was meant to be. You were never supposed to interfere.’

  ‘How were we supposed to not when you’ve lost your way son?’

  ‘Son!’ Logan spat. ‘You still call me your son after all of this, after everything?’

  There was venom in Logan’s eyes as he held his bloodied hand out for his father to see. Where there had once been tears, a sadness aimed at Gabe, there was now a burning fire of hatred.

  ‘Vincenzo, it is time for us to leave.’

  The Veks beamed as he watched Logan in awe. The Magdon stood proud behind him, her muscular physique casting an immense shadow on the wall behind them. Seeing the pair of them stood high above filled him with a sense of pride. Vincenzo could only have dreamed that all the pieces he had laid would fall into place so perfect.

  As Vincenzo moved his path was blocked by Nahem who raised the thin spear of steel and pushed it against his throat. Nahem glared at Vincenzo as he she pressed the metal against his skin and pierce it enough to let a trickle of blood trace along the thin blade.

  ‘He’s going nowhere,’ Nahem declared in defiance. ‘None of us are while that beast still lives.’

  Taking advantage of the room’s split attention Claudia made her move. It was a cheap move and not something she was proud of but it was necessary. The shift in attention and the arrival of the Magdon had drawn the Nivag into submission. Upon seeing her presented the Nivag had dropped to its bony knee and lowered its grotesque head in honour of its master.

  The Nivag had not moved and now as Nahem pinned Vincenzo in place it was time for Claudia to even the odds. Claudia thrust her sword out and buried it through the back of the Nivag’s skull. As the blade pierced the skull pieces of shattered bone exploded out of the Nivag’s face as it slumped to the floor.

  ‘Coward!’ Vincenzo barked as Claudia ripped the sword free from the Nivag’s skull.

  Not chancing anything Claudia kicked out at the lifeless body and watched it tumble over the edge of the rock and into the bubbling lava below. As flames engulfed the body and the molten rock enveloped it, she could not help smiling as she turned back to face the Veks.

  ‘One less thing to worry about.’ Claudia declared and shifted her attention to her brother.

  ‘Fools!’ Logan spat. ‘Everything you do is a pitiful cycle against something we cannot destroy. What we have the chance to do, here and now, is form a unity with her and show her what our worlds can become.’

  ‘You can’t believe that Logan.’ Claudia argued. ‘This world is not that simple, please don’t do this.’

  Logan considered her words for a moment before he reached around his back and withdrew something his audience could not see. In his one good hand Logan held it out for all to see. Gripped in the palm of his shaking hand was a small grenade, the pin half pulled out and hooked on the end of his thumb.

  ‘Nahem, if you would release Vincenzo for me.’

  Nahem pressed the blade harder against Vincenzo’s neck and did not yield. Looking from the grenade and ba
ck to her prisoner she had no intention of letting him free.

  ‘Please,’ Logan began, his voice a little softer. ‘Don’t make me do this.’

  ‘We aren’t making you do anything, you are doing this all by your own choices.’ Gabe countered but his words fell on deaf ears.

  ‘LET HIM GO!’

  Nahem refused, Vincenzo looked up towards Logan as he realised the boy would have to act on his threat.

  Logan knew what he had to do. As the Magdon soothed his turbulent mind with her promises of shared growth and harmony, he knew what he had to do. There was no hope if he let her die and while Logan was connected to the Magdon, he knew he needed Vincenzo’s guidance if he were to tame the Magdon.

  Removing the pin Logan pulled his arm back and threw the grenade out into the air.

  Gabe felt sick.

  Looking across at his son he realised they had lost him, there was nothing now that connected them and as he watched Gabe was certain the Magdon’s snarling lips looked to be a twisted smirk. Seeing it almost in slow motion Gabe watched his son remove the pin from the grenade and pull back his arm to launch the deadly device.

  As Logan propelled his arm forward and released the grenade from his hand Gabe had to act. As the metal ball left Logan’s hand all in the volcanic cave knew where the bomb was aimed. Flying its path arced before it dipped and flew towards the precarious narrow ledge where Gabe was stood.

  Gabe had less than a second to act. As much as he may try to deny it, he knew what Logan intended to do and had already moved before his son released the pin and tossed the grenade towards him.

  Gabe launched himself from the ledge as the grenade descended towards where he had stood. As the metal collided with the rocky floor, he was already halfway across the gap and now above the bubbling lake of molten lava.

  Gabe felt the explosion before he heard it. Mid-flight the concussion tossed him through the air and he realised he would not make the distance he had intended. Plummeting down he stretched his arms and took the full force of the impact along his left side. Gabe had reached the lip of the main platform of rock but his lower body dangled over the ledge.