Atticus & The Blade King

by M K Drake

  As the doorway appears, a putrid gust of air shoots upwards and around the chamber.

  Hel wallows in the odour, enjoying the smell of death surrounding her. “Only those cloaked may enter. I would love for you all to go, but, if you are not cloaked, you will not last long. And I cannot leave the gate open for too long. Head straight, follow the red beacon. Do not venture anywhere else, and do not stray from the path. I do not only take the souls of man. I take the souls of monsters, and there are many, from your time and before.”

  Atticus looks at the others who are not cloaked. “Guard the entrance, keep each other safe. We will be back as soon as we can.”

  “We will be fine boy,” Alfatun says. “Go get your friend.”

  Atticus smiles, nods, and jumps into the pit, followed by the others, leaving General Crawford, Monty and the Blade King standing guard at the entrance.

  # # #

  Atticus lands on what appears to be moist, boggy ground. He finds it difficult to see—there is barely any light, but there is definitely a smell. He almost retches at the strength of it. He focuses and composes himself, and lights a dim fireball. The other Majjai are just behind him, reacting almost the same way.

  Pali opens a bag to her side. “I thought it might be dark down here, I have these.”

  She hands out small monocle-like devices to the others, which they promptly put on.

  Atticus is impressed, through the lens he can see the terrain, he can also see the red light in the distance and its approximate distance is displayed in a readout in front of him. “Two miles that way, this is going to take some time. We need to be quick, but discreet. Joyce, you think you can speed us closer, but also quietly?”

  “I can,” Joyce replies before encasing herself and the others within a spherical shield.

  They begin to journey inwards. Atticus looks behind them carefully, ensuring he remembers the way back.

  Helheim is certainly odd, their route appears empty, quiet. Atticus feels it is almost too quiet. This journey is far too easy, as if this pathway has already been cleared. He looks at the ground around them as well as he can, Joyce moving them along far too quickly for him to take things in properly. He spies some signs of battle, but can’t make out what caused it. He shakes his head, knowing this is no time for sightseeing.

  Joyce slows as they reach rockier terrain that is not passable for the giant ball.

  Atticus looks ahead. The beacon appears to be just over this hill. The protrusions are sharp, and there is no ceiling above them. A sky of a dark clouds, swirls high above, and what looks like thousands of ghostlike apparitions float in the opposite direction.

  Sounds begin to echo around them, bouncing off of the much more uneven ground in this space.

  Atticus grabs some of the rock ahead of him and starts to climb. The others begin to follow him.

  Ju Long goes up ahead, floating just ahead of the others, keeping an eye below them, too, to make sure everyone is still together. He peers down for a moment as a mist begins to obscure the view lower down. Something is disturbing it, something big. He motions to Atticus with hand signals, informing him that he is going to take a closer look, trying to stay as discreet as possible.

  Atticus nods, but does not want him to go alone. “You guys keep going,” he whispers to the others. “Ju Long and I are going to make sure we are not being followed.”

  Ju Long hovers next to his fellow Majjai, staying just out of earshot of the others. “I think we are being hunted.”

  Atticus uses his own flight ability to float down with Ju Long. Something is big is moving in their direction, they see the eyes first, glowing a piercing gold through the mist, then the snout.

  Atticus signals to Ju Long to float back slightly, he knows they are still cloaked, so hopes whatever this thing is can’t see them.

  Ju Long gets closer to his fellow Majjai. “What is it? It looks like a giant crocodile!”

  “It’s a Machimosaurus Rex. A dinosaur!” Atticus replies.

  “Well, Hel did say there are monsters down here. Looks like she has been collecting for quite some time.”

  Atticus, curious at seeing such a creature floats a little closer, confident that the beast cannot see him, but, what he doesn’t notice is that this beast is not hunting by sight. The Machimosaurus pauses its climb, sniffing the air next to it, then its eyes widen, as it tries to focus on the space around it. Atticus floats closer, not realising the danger, mesmerised by the sight of a creature he thought he would never see.

  “Watch out!” Ju Long shouts as the beast lashes its massive tail.

  Atticus reacts quickly, moving out of the way just in time, but the noise alerts everything around them.

  The dead are awake.

  The screams echo throughout Helheim, and they are getting closer.

  Atticus knows they are strangers here, the living who dare to infiltrate the world of the dead. He looks up to see the others just reaching the top of the rock face they are on and signals to Ju Long to soar high and catch up.

  The giant prehistoric beast tries to strike again, launching its powerful jaws towards Atticus.

  The Majjai veers out of the way, but not fast enough, the beast catches Atticus with its tail, sending him flying to the ground hard.

  Atticus manages to slow his descent just in time, narrowly missing a sharp piece of rock, he turns and launches a fireball towards the Machimosaurus, but it barely phases the creature.

  The giant dinosaur lands next to Atticus, shaking the ground around him. It tries to bite him again, but the Majjai manages to roll out of the way. He needs to get away, the screams of everything else in Helheim are getting closer, but the sounds are loud, beastly. Based on what he has already encountered, he doubts there are any human dead here. Hel has sent them right into the heart of her Dinosaur graveyard.

  Atticus uses his sword to drive the Machimosaurus back, slicing at one of its legs. But there is barely any effect. How does one fell a beast that is already dead? Atticus knows he needs to think differently.

  He sees a charred tree trunk behind him, and immediately cuts it down, and uses it as a giant bat to launch at the dinosaur relentlessly chasing him down. He manages to daze the beast, and uses the opportunity to fly up as fast as he can, narrowly dodging the jaws of a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex and a flock of Pterodactyls.

  It takes Atticus a minute or so to reach the plateau the other Majjai are waiting on. He lands, out of breath, but thankful for not being lunch for a bunch of extinct creatures.

  He takes no more than a moment to compose himself, knowing that it will not take the flying beasts he just encountered too long to find them. He looks around and notices the armour littering the ground.

  “I think these guys found another Hell after this one,” Olof says, picking up a helmet from one pile.

  Atticus looks over the ledge. Several creatures have begun to climb up from below. Those that can fly, are trying to find enough of an air pocket to glide upwards. The smarter ones appear to be using their clawed wings to climb up like the others.

  “We need to leave here quickly.”

  Safaya looks up to the dark skies. “I guess we still follow the red beacon,” she says as she points to the light ahead of them.

  Atticus nods and is about to give the instruction to proceed, when he feels a heavy gust of wind behind him.

  One of the Pterodactyls has reached the plateau. It grabs Atticus by the shoulders, trying to carry him away.

  Atticus attempts to wriggle free, he puts his arms on the beast’s legs and tries to pry them off of him, but it grips harder and pierces his skin.

  Atticus cries in agony, as the others try to reach him.

  Ju Long morphs into his dragon form, but is blocked mid-transformation when the Machimosaurus also reaches the top, flicking its massive tail and knocking him to the ground.

  The giant prehistoric crocodile then focuses its attention on the others and is about to strike, when suddenly, out of nowhere, tw
o blue flashes appear, and the beast falls back, dropping off the cliff.

  Another two blue streaks of light appear and hit the Pterodactyl, forcing it to drop Atticus and fly away.

  The Majjai, relieved, turn around to see who their rescuer is.

  “You should not have come here, you fools! You could all be dead! Like me!” Mage Callan berates. “But... it is good to see you.”

  Atticus runs to his former mentor and hugs him tightly. “I’m not apologising for this.”

  Mage Callan smiles. “I guess this is supposed to be some sort of rescue then? Unfortunately, your armoury and powers are not much good here. You need the weapons of the dead to have any form of impact. I learned that the hard way. Stole a few swords from fallen soldiers, and have been using whatever else I can find to survive these beasts. How did you get here?”

  Atticus steps back, and relaxes for the first time in what seems like an age. “Hel, she let us come get you, as long as we gave her Loki.”

  Mage Callan’s face scowls at the mention of the Norse deity’s name. “It’s that damn trickster’s doing that I’m here in the first place. I’m glad he is not a problem anymore. Okay, so, where do we go to get out of here?”

  Atticus points to a faint point of light in the distance, where a tiny pillar of the world above shines down.

  Mage Callan shakes his head. “Normally, this would not be a problem, but it appears you have woken up half of the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods. Unless...”

  Mage Callan walks up to Ju Long, who is has finally changed into his dragon form. “You look like them in this skin. Phase us into your belly, and fly us to the light.”

  “I am not going into his belly,” Olof shouts. “I’ve seen what he eats!”

  Atticus winces, but also knows the plan could work. “It’s either his belly, or theirs,” he says, pointing over the ledge where an army of dinosaurs are waiting.

  Olof grimaces, but also relents. “Very well, Joyce, any chance of a shield?”

  Joyce laughs. “Ha! Sorry, you boys are on your own. Only enough space for us girls, we don’t want to make Ju Long too bloated now.”

  Atticus can see Ju Long smiling, as he stands over his Majjai friends, and phases them all into his body, with only the sounds of Olof trying not to retch out his last lunch as they disappear.

  Chapter 45

  The Escape

  Ju Long flies high, as close to the darkened sky as he can get with the extra weight inside of him. He can see the dinosaurs below him, all still giving chase from the ground. He is glad that he can fly much faster than they can run, and also much faster than any of the Pterodactyls also giving chase.

  It takes a few minutes to reach the spot that they came in from. The dinosaur dead are some distance behind, but still coming.

  Ju Long expels everyone from inside his belly, phasing them out, before morphing back into his human form.

  Joyce brings down her shield, revealing that she, Safaya, and Pali survived the ordeal of being trapped in the belly of a dragon with barely a blemish.

  Olof however, vomits violently as he watches Atticus, who was also able to shield himself, look as clean as the girls.

  Only Mage Callan is covered in the same gloopy slime as him.

  “How is it...bleurgh,” Olof holds his stomach tightly. “How can you stand it?” he says, pointing to Mage Callan.

  “My dear boy, after the time I’ve spent down here…, let me tell you, I’ve encountered much worse,” Mage Callan places a hand on Olof’s back, patting out any remaining liquid inside of him. “We do not have much time, come on, let it all out.”

  Olof coughs and looks sternly at Ju Long. “You deliberately placed me nearer the side of your rear end!”

  Ju Long laughs. “Dude, you’re just lucky I didn’t have those beans today!”

  Olof stands and composes himself. “I smell like the anus of a pig! My revenge prank on you for this will be worthy, I promise you that.”

  Atticus shakes his head, he just wants to get out of this hell pit as soon as possible, he looks up and shouts. “We are here! We have Mage Callan, hurry! Get us out!”

  “Uhm, Atticus,” Olof interjects. “I think we have made even more noise than we thought.”

  Atticus looks around him and the other Majjai, it appears now that not only are the dinosaur dead approaching, but everything that lives in Helheim. The endless number of tortured souls press forward like a zombie horde.

  Atticus looks up again. “Hurry!”

  But there is no response from the entrance above.

  “They can’t hear you!” Mage Callan shouts. “Ju Long, fly up to the entrance, tell them of our predicament.”

  Ju Long does not hesitate and soars up to the Hell gate entrance as quickly as he can.

  Atticus looks around. There are weapons and shields on the ground around them. He picks up a sword and watches as the others follow his lead.

  “I’ve already died once recently, I don’t think I want to do that again please,” Mage Callan quips.

  Atticus smiles. “Don’t worry, we are all getting out of here. And if we don’t, Ju Long can come get us with his belly again.”

  Olof shakes his head. “I think I’d rather die than endure that again.”

  Safaya covers her nose. “When we get back to the Manor, I’m throwing you into the shower myself.”

  Atticus concentrates as the horde of the dead swarm closer. “Here they come!” Atticus leads the line, cutting down as many as he can, using the sword of the dead, along with fireballs, telekinesis, everything he can muster. The fallen begin to pile up, but they just keep rising, over and over.

  No matter how many the Majjai chop down, they just keep returning.

  “How do you make dead what is already dead?” Olof screams.

  Atticus thinks for a moment, he looks at Olof. “Maybe we can’t kill them again... but we might be able to freeze them.”

  Olof smiles. “I’ll need time to build up enough energy to blanket the horde.”

  “We will give it to you!”

  Alfatun’s voice sounds behind the Majjai as he jumps down from the Hell gate along with Ju Long.

  The Blade King unsheathes a pair of massive chains, with blades attached to their ends. He begins to launch them into the horde attacking them, cutting them down. “I made these especially for a fight against the dead! But I never thought I would actually get to use them!” Alfatun laughs out loud.

  The other Majjai follow through with more attacks, buying Olof as much time as they can.

  “General Crawford is at the gate, Hel wants to close it, her pets are too close, she fears their escape!” Alfatun says as he launches his chains again.

  Atticus nods and looks at Olof. “Ready?”

  Olof winks. “Move back now!” he shouts as he unleashes a giant blast of ice, covering the dead, instantly stopping them in their tracks.

  “This won’t hold them for long, but it should give us enough time to get out,” Mage Callan says. He looks at Ju Long and Atticus. “Fly the girls up, then come back for me and…, I assume this is the Blade King?”

  Alfatun bows his head. “It is an honour to meet you, Mage Callan. I’ve heard much. I hope the sacrifice is worth it.”

  Mage Callan raises an eyebrow.

  Atticus can see him pondering, wondering what Alfatun means.

  The young Majjai wastes no more time and takes Safaya and Joyce up to the entrance and returns with Ju Long who helped Pali to the top.

  After they return to General Crawford, Mage Callan looks around. “Where is Khan? Is he still recovering from the poison?”

  Hel closes the gate, causing a vacuum to be sucked back into it, and forcing a silence around her and those in her presence.

  Atticus bows his head. “Khan is gone sir. He sacrificed himself to save us all after we fought Loki.”

  Mage Callan’s face turns from the jubilation of surviving death to the sadness of losing a friend. “Was this to save me?”
>
  Atticus nods.

  “Fools! I am not worth a tenth of your souls! You are the Majjai Six!” Mage Callan shouts. “My sacrifice is nothing, yours, every single one of you, you are everything!”

  “But...” Ju Long tries to interrupt.

  “But nothing! The risk is too great to lose any of you! Existence itself is at stake, and you play with it for me? The choice was wrong!” Mage Callan storms towards the Blade King. “And you! You would know this, and you allowed it?”

  “Atticus needs to lead and learn. He needs to realise what is at stake.”

  “But at what cost? This, the loss of one of the Six! The loss of one of our own. One of our best,” Mage Callan drops to his knees, broken at what he has just heard. “I’m not worthy, not for anyone. I would give my life for any of you. But I do not expect the same!”

  “And that is why we came for you,” Atticus says. “There was no order, no one was forced. We came for you, for the same reason, we would give our lives for you. It’s what makes us better than Razakel. It’s what makes us who we are. Our love, and willingness to die for each other. To protect our family.”

  Hel walks over to Atticus and Mage Callan. “No matter what you think of me, I understand loss greater than you could imagine. When souls pass my gate, I feel what they feel. It pains me, but it is my duty, my role in all things. The Majjai Six of old, I knew them, too. And not all of them bore the mark. You have one such among you who is worthy,” Hel looks to Pali. “But right now, you do not have much time. Razakel is the strongest he has ever been. You need to find the Sparks, and you need to find them quickly.”

  Hel raises a hand and opens a portal back to Wysardian Manor. “Now leave, I have to go and bury my father.”

  Atticus helps Mage Callan to his feet, and quietly, without a word, walks through the portal as the others slowly follow him back.

  Chapter 46

  Empty

  Atticus sits in the Majjai training room. A day has passed since their return from Helheim. Mage Callan is recovering in the medical ward with the help of Madame Healsey and Serenity. The others are in the next chamber, preparing for Khan’s funeral.