Lost Empire

by Jeff Gunzel

  Zhou leaned against the entryway as he gazed up at the mirrored ceiling. With deep breaths coming in labored bursts, his hand unconsciously fell low as he began rubbing himself. His head fell back against the wall as he closed his eyes for a moment before taking another deep breath and gazing back to the mirrored ceiling.

  The redhead ran a single finger around the dark-haired girl’s nipple in a series of tight circles, ending with a soft pinch before firmly palming her breast. She then ran her tongue slowly across the girl’s neck, stopping at her ear only to whisper, “Don’t be so afraid. After all, this is hardly your first time.” The girl’s trembling only worsened as she felt the other woman’s hand move softly down her flat stomach, cross her navel, and rest gently between her legs.

  The girl let out a sharp gasp as she sat up off the white-laced red pillow. The sudden penetration was not harsh or forced, but still... Light kisses up and down her neck soon became the long strokes of an impossibly long, wet tongue. The redheaded girl suddenly reared up with a hiss and clicked her tongue against the top of her mouth. A small blade appeared between her teeth as she gazed back down at the terrified girl, eyeing the white puckered scars that intertwined across her neck. They stood out boldly against her tan skin.

  Zhou’s hand abruptly stopped its motion as his face crinkled up with disdain. He knew this would happen, although hoped it wouldn’t. With his erotic pleasures suddenly ruined, he turned to leave. “Leaving so soon, brother?” the girl called out with her eyes never leaving her toy, her teeth still clamped firmly on the blade as she leaned down ever so slowly. “I find your jealousy amusing.” The other girl whimpered softly while turning her head to the side, allowing access to the white scars. She had been “asked” to do this many times and knew the routine.

  Zhou scoffed, waving away the absurd notion. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wouldn’t have been. “You mistake curiosity for jealousy, dear sister. I find it odd we have similar tastes in the fairer sex.” His lighthearted voice suddenly hardened. “When you are finished playing your game, come speak with me. I may have some important news.”

  Suddenly distracted by her brother’s words, she looked back up at the mirrored ceiling, blood already running from the corner of her mouth, her eyes both calm and questioning. Retracting the blade into her mouth for a second, she replied, “You may have important news? What does that mean?”

  He shrugged innocently. “I’m not sure. After all, you can communicate with that thing better than I. Best you ask it yourself.” He then turned and left. His sister mirrored his shrug before turning her eyes downward once more. With a wide grin, the blade popped back between her teeth.

  ****

  Morita stretched up lazily before drifting across the soft, thick carpet. Her long, messy red hair flared out while spilling down over her lightly muscled shoulders. With a quick flick of her tongue, the blade popped out from her mouth once more. She held it between her teeth while tying her hair back in a thick yellow ribbon. Once her hair felt secure, she pulled the blade free and licked it clean of any remaining blood, then flicked it across the room.

  She marched over to her closet and grabbed a thin green robe with a glittery yellow neckline and white ruffled sleeves. She threw it on rather hurriedly, remembering what her brother had said about possibly having some kind of news. Morita started to head toward the door but then turned back, deciding she could spare a minute to say goodbye to her less than willing partner. Her tongue turned red as she slid it lightly between the girl’s breasts and up across her chin, ending in a soft kiss. “Until I return, my dear,” she said with a sparkle in her odd yellow eyes. The girl lethargically rolled her head to the side across a red wet pillow and mumbled incoherently. Whether her weak response was from shock setting in or simply due to loss of blood was unclear.

  It was of no concern to Morita as she wondered out in search of Zhou. At a tad under six feet tall, her lightly muscled frame was hard to miss even at a distance. She floated down the hall gracefully as servants dropped down with faces pressed to the cold floor long before she passed them by, and remained there long afterward. With high cheekbones, flowing red hair, and full red lips, Morita was truly stunning in almost every way. Her green robe hugged her curves as her hips swayed with every step, yet her head never bobbed an inch as she drifted along like a wondering ghost.

  “Are you finished with your little toy?” came the irritated voice from behind her.

  She turned slowly with all the grace of a dancer. “For now, I suppose. Tell me, dear bother, what is it that has you troubled? If one of the servants is causing a problem, I will be sure to—”

  “If it were a servant, I would be wearing their skin!” he barked, clearly irritated with how lightly she was taking him. “I’ll let you decide for yourself. After all, I can hardly communicate with that thing.” He abruptly spun and started down the hallway. She followed behind, matching him step for step, although not appearing to be in the same hurry he was.

  They marched down the shimmering silver halls as wandering servants dropped to the floor the moment the two of them came into view. Morita reached out and flicked one of the lucid glass orbs as they passed by, making it sing a soft hum as it vibrated. The tiny blue being inside stopped its constant movement for a moment, as if confused by the sudden vibration of its prison, then promptly continued its never-ending path to nowhere, bouncing mindlessly around the globe.

  The siblings finally approached the long, steep flight of dark, lacquered wooden steps leading up through a narrow hallway. Bright torches flickered away in sets of two all the way up the golden stone walls, dripping tiny droplets of fire that hissed loudly against the glossy polished steps. Up they went through the uncomfortably narrow hall, bending and twisting to avoid being burned by the extended torches. At the top of the steps was a circular black stone door with random hieroglyphics painted in red and white, ancient designs whose meanings and general translations had been lost for centuries.

  “After you, sister,” Zhou said while gesturing an open hand toward the door. “I fear he likes you better than me anyway.”

  Morita sneered, but went ahead and placed her hands on the door. As large and heavy as it clearly was, it should not be an easy thing to open. But after few nonsensical mutterings, her hands began to glow a light green color while her yellowed eyes took on a faint glow themselves before rolling back up into her head. A few seconds later, the massive, thick stone door rolled to the side with a grinding sound before disappearing into the sidewall. The sickly dank air rushed into the hall as a pungent, sour odor filled their noses.

  The two of them strolled into the massive tomb with gritty stone walls that were constantly dark with mildew and moisture. Thick, blackened cobwebs hung from every corner, attached to silver-colored pillars no thicker than a man’s waist. Holding a hand over their mouths to help repel at least some of the stench, they cautiously approached the grotesque figure submerged in the wall just ahead.

  There before them hung the slimy brown glob of a being—one who was not pleasurable on the eyes at all, but who had proven to be most useful nonetheless. The rectangular-shaped metal frame attached to the wall looked to be filled with brown, wet mud. Bubbles swelled up from the gooey tar, to the point where it seemed they would burst, before receding back down in a sickening gurgle. Clear flexible tubes coiled around the monstrosity, pumping a clear liquid in a pulsing fashion. It gurgled and belched as the bubbles inflated then deflated, releasing a nearly unbearable stench into the air with each disgusting sound.

  “You speak to it,” said Zhou as he stepped back in disgust, all the while keeping a hand clasped across his face. It did little to help, considering the air was already saturated with the being’s stench. “I already tried and it mumbled something about sensing a change in the air. Some sort of imbalance has occurred with nature’s energy. I don’t know, it’s crazy, if you ask me.” He backed away even farther and let Morita approach the monstrosity.

  There wa
s a long series of gurgling noises sounding more like an animal being strangled than any real form of communication. Zhou’s mind would have had to be completely engaged with the creature’s through a simple form of telepathy to understand what it was saying. A gift, he had to admit, that was far more polished within his sister than himself. Not to say she was more powerful than he, but their multiple talents definitely lay in different areas.

  When the animalistic grumblings had finally ceased, she strolled back over too him with an unusual look of concern. “So what did that thing tell you?” he asked, rolling his eyes.

  “You’re right. This might be serious after all, but I must consult with Hashiki before I can be sure of anything.” She began to head toward the open hole in the wall with unusual haste before turning back around suddenly. “Oh, and brother,” she said with a sharp edge to her voice, “perhaps you should try showing a touch more respect when referring to that thing. After all, he is our father, you know.”

  Chapter 11

  Athel and Jacob sat in silence as the fire fizzled and popped, releasing tiny sparks that floated high into the air before being swallowed up by the cold darkness. Jacob had considered looking for squirrels or some other kind of meat, but Athel promptly talked him out of it. For one, it was too cold, and the odds of finding anything weren’t very good. Her reasoning was sound enough; they still had some rations left, and it would be hard to find anything just hopping around in this frigid weather. But in reality...she just didn’t want to be left alone. Not even for an hour or so.

  True, she simply didn’t like being alone, and Jacob’s company had a very special effect on her. She figured he probably made all girls feel that way, but this was different. She didn’t want to be alone because of the odd changes she was going through. She was not even sure she trusted herself anymore. Even now, she could smell him perfectly even though he was several feet away. She could even see every small detail of his face, as if they were standing in sunlight. But what could she do about it? She trusted Jacob as much as anyone she had ever met in her life, but how could she begin trying to explain all this to her friend without even understanding it herself?

  Jacob was also battling demons of his own. He sat quietly while poking the fire with a long stick, the end now blackened and charred. It was just a way to distract himself from all that had happened since arriving in this forsaken land. At his lowest moment he had even considered taking his own life rather than face this world alone. If he had not found Athel when he did... Best not to think about that. His head was still pounding from the bizarre hypnotic song that took away his free will. Again you saved me.

  As he turned his gaze away from the fire, it was only then that he realized she had been staring at him the entire time. Without averting her eyes or making any attempt to, she scooted along her leaf bed and moved closer to him. “Jacob,” she said with a pained expression, “I need to tell you something.” She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. “Something is happening to me. A change I can’t even begin to expla—”

  He suddenly jumped back, as if her hand were covered in scorpions. “By the Gods!” he whispered, scrambling backward on his hands and feet.

  “Wha—what is it?” she asked with her hand still outstretched. She got up on her knees, whipping her head around frantically to see where the apparent danger was coming from. But when she turned back, it was clear he was staring right at her.

  With his gaze unblinking, he inched back toward her, moving slowly with undeniable caution. This time he reached out and touched her face. She slowly pinned his hand with hers and gently leaned into it. Tears of hurt and confusion ran down her cheeks as she whispered to him, “What’s wrong? What is it?”

  “Your eyes,” he whispered, “I’ve never seen anything like—”

  She threw herself backward with a giant leap, landing several feet away. Kneeling low on all fours like some sort of beast, she raised her back and hissed like a cat. Her tongue slowly swept across her silver teeth as a low, gurgling growl bubbled from her throat. Jacob leapt to his feet as his dagger flashed in his hand. Looking out into the darkness, he slowly backed toward Athel, determined to protect her from whatever made her react like that. The truth was, he didn’t see or hear anything.

  Seconds felt like minutes as he gazed out into the darkness with one hand on her shoulder and the other probing his dagger back and forth. The puny weapon felt so useless in his hand he might as well have been holding a weed. Suddenly, his blood froze as a set of large green eyes materialized from the darkness. He fought hard to control the terror swelling up within him as the beast moved toward them in complete silence.

  The flickering light from the low fire now fully revealed the giant black cat as it stood tall before him. Thick black and gray fur covered the muscular beast, making its body look like a bulky panther, but its large black head resembled that of a jackal, with long wide ears that looked too big to be standing strait up the way they were. Its long, thin snout crinkled up as it growled in a low rolling gurgle, exposing crooked pearl-white teeth dripping with clear saliva. Jacob pushed back against the growing terror as he reminded himself that Athel’s life was in just as much jeopardy as his own and he needed to protect her no matter what. Reinforcing his dagger with a palm braced against the hilt, he hunched down low in order to make himself a slightly smaller target.

  Jacob felt Athel stand and press herself against his back while wrapping a single arm around his stomach. Before he could tell her to start backing away slowly, her grip around him tightened. He felt the air rush from his lungs as she lifted him up with ease. She turned him in the air and placed him back down behind her as if he were a five-year-old. He wasn’t really hurt, but the sudden loss of air combined with the shock of her nearly impossible show of physical strength brought him down to one knee. He looked up with a desperate pleading in his eyes, but didn’t have the air to tell her to run.

  A long, slow hiss filled the air as she slowly drew her half-moon blades from her back. She crossed them over her face, making a tiny clink as the blades lightly touched, then began stalking toward the beast. Its fur rippled in waves down its side as a gurgling growl vibrated down the giant cat’s body. Jacob was only now getting to his feet, yet he still had no air to call out to her.

  But as Athel drew near, she took her crossed blades and held them out wide to her sides, exposing her body to the giant cat as if daring it to tear her to shreds. Jacob could only watch in horror as she did the unthinkable. The blades fell from her hands, landing with a soft thud on the cold, hard ground. He wanted to scream, to rush in and give his own life in exchange for hers. Why would she throw her life away so recklessly?

  However, nothing happened as the two stood nose-to-nose, staring into each other’s eyes. In a strange mocking fashion, it began to mirror every subtle movement Athel made. When she slowly weaved her head to the side, it did the same, as if not wanting to break eye contact. As she lowered her head while placing her hands flat on the ground, it also lowered its powerful body to the ground and mimicked her stretching. She let out a hiss as her tongue swept across her teeth, which was met by a returning growl. Jacob just watched in awe. “By the Gods,” he whispered under his breath. Athel could never have explained how she did it, but her mind then reached out to the beast in silent communication.

  You’re the one, aren’t you? The one who keeps invading my thoughts whether I wish it or not. The one who warned me Jacob was in danger. But through her bizarre communication with this cat, not a single word was ever used. Just a series of snarls combined with mental images was somehow enough to form a link of communication between them.

  You don’t yet know who or what you are, do you? You have no idea what you’re capable of.

  Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Why is this happening to me? I didn’t ask for any of this.

  His large green eyes bore into her like nails through wood as his long snout crinkled up into something between a snarl and a smile just befo
re his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. The humans are coming. They will be here soon.

  This time Athel’s eyes narrowed as she returned his glare with one of her own. What humans? What are you talking about?

  At first they will fear you, but that is of no importance. You will need to go with them in order to discover your true potential. He reared his head back and let out a long, sorrowful howl that echoed through the chill night air, then turned and lumbered off into the darkness.

  “Wait, don’t go,” she shouted. “How will I know—”

  Your friend is with them. Go with them and you will find her.

  Her jaw fell open as she simply watched the beast disappear into the night.

  He can’t be talking about Jade…is she alive?!

  ****

  The cool, moist air burned his nose as he inhaled deeply. Sitting on the cold, damp ground with the backs of his wrists resting on crossed legs, Eric let his mind reach out as dark memories swirled about his head—memories he would have deemed pleasant at one point during his staged childhood; memories that were no more real than the stories he would read as a child when he would lock himself in his room and get lost in the adventures of his favorite characters. He exhaled slowly, imagining his former life drifting into the night air along with the cloud of vapor.

  With an abrupt surge, he pushed off the ground in a sudden leap as Spark flashed awake in his hands, erupting in deep red flame. The blazing tornado whirled around his body in three complete circles before his feet ever touched the ground. He landed with the grace of a cheetah as his body remained in constant motion. The deadly blade gracefully danced the forms he had practiced since childhood. It felt natural in his hands as it sliced hungrily through the air in a twirling spiral, searching desperately for flesh.

  No matter how hard he tried to push them down, to distract himself, the fleeting thoughts invaded his mind anyway. He thought of his father...Corelle Nenkara. He whirled Spark in sweeping circles, faster than ever before as it cut through its own trail of fire made a fraction of a second earlier. The forms flowed together as he whirled and leapt across the cold ground.