by Scott Taylor
The cage door swung open finally.
‘Out you come!’
Fabian squeezed out of the bird cage and felt relieved to stretch his legs again after being cooped up.
‘Where’re we going?’ asked the prince as he was goaded to the exit. The other mages watched helplessly.
‘That’s for me to know and you to keep your flamin’ trap shut!’
◆◆◆
Sounds of thunder seemed to emanate from the vast arena. The ambassador sat dejectedly, his hands bound with metal restraints. He was soon joined by the one person he never expected to see again. His face literally lit up like a lively torch flame as he watched Prince Fabian being escorted into the room. He literally would have leapt up out of his seat were it not for the chains that linked his restraints to the stone wall.
Fabian, however, was less restrained at that moment and moved to embrace his lover.
‘I came here to find you’ the prince wept tears of relief and joy.
‘I’m glad you’re here. Thank the gods you are well’ was all Tør could say.
‘Touching’ spoke the guard, mockingly. ‘Well, any minute now you are going to enjoy a nice romantic meal together. Two delectable morsels such as you would make the night really special. The table’s been set, the candle’s been lit, a little music to help get in the mood…Now lets see how fast you darling lovers can run.’
The guard laughed loudly as he snatched Fabian by the arm, parting him from the hands of the ambassador.
‘Come on, lover boy, we have to fit you up. You’re going to get a nice new suit of amour. The Maumothax likes his food to put up a bit of a fight before he devours them whole.’
◆◆◆
The place shook as one footfall followed another. Katt looked back over her shoulder as the immense creature quickened its pace to match. It lunged with all its weight, charging like a bull, bursting and tearing through partitions, doors, and accesses with all its inhuman strength and resolve.
Its hideous cry sounded like nothing Katt had ever heard.
The mage turned sharply and made her hasty retreat through the gallery of pictures. Clumsily, the beast pounced, crashing to the floor in an awkward heap.
It soon shook off its confusion and began the pursuit again.
Katt looked back over her shoulder. She was not out of the woods yet, she thought, picking up speed.
Pictures swayed and tilted, or fell, scattering shards of glass everywhere.
Luckily, the cat-like mage succeeded in making it to the stairwell at the end of the hall.
Down the stairs she ran, her feet treading hastily as she negotiated each step. That monstrous thing burst through the partitions, straight through marble and stone as though the walls were made of paper.
Stone and plaster flew everywhere. The scattering debris tumbled, ending with a dull clattering sound as it hit the marble floor so far below. The creature hurled itself at Katt, using the iron banisters to swing from level to level like a limber simian. It was gaining ground quite fast.
Katt thought little of the danger. She had to gain some distance and quick. Swiftly, she lifted her foot up onto the banister and hoisted herself up…over she went.
The creature lunged at its prey, barely missing its intended target.
Katt began to free-fall. She swam through the air like a bullet, down through the centre of this winding stairwell. The mage plunged, holding her arms out to try to catch one of the banisters as she made her descent. She managed to grasp one, but as her hands gripped it tightly, her body slammed mightily against the side of the stair. A sudden cry of pain echoed upwards from the epicentre as the creature jumped from banister to banister, following the sounds his victim made.
The creature was above her, descending fast. It barked and clawed with its muscular arms and slender fingers, fingers that tapered into sharp-edged claws.
The mage and the colossal pursuer were both falling fast, falling inexorably it seemed.
Katt tried to brace herself with her arms flung out before her, then realised that she was a cat and would likely survive a fall like this than the creature immediately above her. The floor was coming up fast…It was all over in a second.
It was as Katt surmised. She had landed on her feet and hands. Quickly she scrambled out of the way just as the great beast came crashing down. There was a loud thud and then no sound at all. The immense bulk lay dead and motionless in the centre of the floor.
Katt watched the blood dribble from the fresh carcass of the beast. The pool was getting larger and wider as it spilled out onto the marble floor.
Rapidly the feral, fir lined face began to morph again, receding back to a human shape. The body of the large beast shrank, the hairy pelt reverted back to the bronzed rough skin of the man, the man Katt could only describe as the one known as Aspasian. But he was not dead, merely immobile. That she soon discovered as the tiny serpent-like heads began to poke through the bloodied and open wound of the man lying prostrate. He was regenerating, casting off the huge husk as though it was merely useless skin. The snakes emerged further into view and began to slither off in all directions, leaving a trail of blood side winding along the floor. Katt began to back away while the serpents took to the shadows and the cracks in the walls. They would require little time to merge together and to restore themselves fully.
◆◆◆
It was almost unbearable, the roar of the crowd as the two prisoners entered the arena. There had been nothing like this in the whole of Mondorian history, at least nothing that remained on documented record. This was truly barbaric. What were these heathens going to make them do to each other anyway? Were they going to force two star crossed lovers to fight to the death for their amusement?
Fabian and Tør remained overwhelmed as they watched the throng, the sick, the twisted, and the social cretin, all in the mix who had paid a pretty penny to come watch the slaughter. Many bashed their fists upon the stalls sending up a terrible rhythm that filled their ears. Cougar Chuko accompanied by a slave girl sat beneath a raised canopy gloating like a fat Caesar at the head of the mob.
‘Release the Maumothax!’ commanded Chuko.
Upon this command the crowds roared even more loudly than before. The sound of metal chains clinking directed the attentions of the two victims as they watched a large rusty grating slide upwards, revealing a dark and forbidding tunnel in the corner of the arena. The mob went silent suddenly, replaced by the rapid bloodcurdling, thunderous cry of something very large.
Fabian picked up the metal spear at his feet and stood ready to greet whatever horror that was about to present itself. Likewise, the ambassador slowly picked up the tiny sickle and net. Between the two of them he was the one who felt the least protected.
They both stepped back a few paces. The sound of a large animal could be heard by it’s would-be victims. Two or three loud snorts from the unseen beast in the darkness gave one the impression it, whatever it was, could smell the fear of the two humans in the showground.
There was a short uneasy pause and then, without warning, the Maumothax exploded from the dark tunnel, raging, and snapping its bloody jaws. The ambassador fell backwards. Fabian had a clear shot to the side of the creature’s neck. He took his opportunity and buried his spear in the creature’s fur-lined pelt. The Maumothax bawled out in pain and turned its head, knocking the prince to the ground. The ambassador, realising the attentions of the creature had moved to Fabian, decided to make his move. He climbed up onto a raised platform and then pounced on the monster’s back. Okay, so the tiny net was going to be of little use to him, and the sickle may have proven to be as effective as a spear made of cardboard, still, he hadn’t really given it much thought.
The beast bucked and tried to dodge the human hanging onto its back for dear life. The crowd was amused and so was Chuko who sat and watched the spectacle with abysmal glee.
◆◆◆
Katt watched the two guards from her vantage point on the ceiling.
Her long tail was wrapped around a pipe as she hung there. The two guards who were securing the prisoners were completely oblivious to her presence.
Katt had a plan. Moving like a dart she clung to the head of one of the guards and licked his face. The other guard raised his rifle to attack the intruder, but Katt looked round at him, thumbed her nose disrespectfully, sticking her tongue out, and then leaped clean out of harm’s way just as the guard pulled the trigger. The resultant blast made a clean hole where the other guards face used to be and the guard holding the rifle was left wincing at the damage. That was when Katt came back round and sank her sharp teeth into the leather crotch of the man, bringing a spate of tears to his eyes.
Quickly, Katt removed the key chain from his belt and shuffled to free her companions from their respective cells. Justas Marl of course had been alerted ten minutes earlier to Katt’s arrival. His tattoo bird had returned, adhering itself to the side of his face. When Katt asked how he knew, Marl simply replied,
‘A little bird told me,’ and then tapped the right hemisphere of his face where the tattoo sat with his index finger, and winked at her.
◆◆◆
The Maumothax bucked suddenly, throwing the ambassador from its back. The boy lay there silent where he had fallen, unconscious.
Fabian was roused suddenly. Quickly noticing the small cube-like object on the floor next to him, Fabian recalled that he had placed the holographic projector that belonged to Tør in his pocket. It must have rolled out as he fell, he reasoned as he snatched the device.
The terrible Maumothax held its ground before the boy. It snorted, dragging its left forefoot in the sand like a bull before making a charge.
It began to stampede. Its mighty layers and muscles rippling beneath its hairy pelt as it neared the helpless boy.
Pressing the switch on the small holographic device, Fabian hurled it at the great beast, throwing it completely off balance. That was nothing however compared to the disorientation it felt as the device activated, emitting a blinding light. The creature howled out in fear, unsettled by the holograms that were suddenly emitted, altering the very nature and appearance of the arena and the world surrounding it. Unable to comprehend what it was seeing, it bayed and barked like an animal afraid and confused. Remarkably, the Eiffel Tower appeared surrounded by a great open space, trees, fountains, people—an alien environment of strange and incredible wonders! Paris loomed in all directions, taking shape, fading out all evidence of the arena. It was all rather implausible, but there it was. These holograms appeared from all sides.
The beast looked this way and that, trying to make sense with its small brutish brain what in the devil’s name had happened. Even the vast audience rose from the seats and began to chatter and cry out in confusion. Chuko conversely was aware that some technological diversion was at work here. He rose along side his aids and shouted instructions to put an end to this disruption immediately.
Closing his eyes and believing in his true power, Fabian decided that the moment was right to call upon the help of his alter ego. He began the transformation into the Dragon Tolan.
Cougar Chuko’s expression changed dramatically, witnessing the impossible sight. The dragon stood before the throng and at that moment the spectator’s shouts faded to a silence.
The Maumothax thundered, thumping its fists on the turf irritably. The holographic cube was quickly crushed under the weight of the monster. In an instant the arena returned and the Paris facsimile vanished. It no longer mattered. The Dragon Tolan slowly raised one clawed hand, showing the Maumothax its index finger and motioned as if to say ‘come and get me’.
The Maumothax seemed only too happy to oblige. Kicking up tons of sand with its back legs it prepared to charge its new enemy. It thundered across the arena, snorting like a bull. The Dragon Tolan inhaled a generous amount of air and then let rip. Plumes of fire exited its mouth. The Maumothax was caught suddenly, unable to stop in time, and was almost incinerated.
◆◆◆
The ambassador stirred, becoming conscious finally. He looked up and witnessed the Maumothax fighting another monster, a great winged dragon, and wondered if he was still dreaming. The dragon however was extremely familiar: the large webbed hood that fanned outwards from its head, the vermilion eyes, and the face—it was the same dragon that had abducted him in the marketplace! He was certain of it. And here it was, saving their lives from this terrible brutish creature…But what had happened to Fabian in all of this chaos? Was he dead? Had he been vanquished? Tør hoped to the gods this wasn’t so.
◆◆◆
Katt had sprung the other mages, though escape was proving to be difficult. One of the guards hit the alarms just as another one of Chuko’s men, a cybernetic creature known as Mugshot, moved into the room gradually, clanking like a slow moving tin can.
This was a Head Hunter with mean streak. Half man, half robot, he moved in ahead of the assembly of guards, parting them with his hands as if to say, ‘steady, lads. Leave these miscreants to me. I’ll deal with them.’
The mages noticed the odd creature known as Mugshot, the steel amour that he wore, almost similar to that of a knight’s but with wires and tubes accentuated around every curvature of metal.
‘Transform!’ he thundered in a very robotic manner.
‘Transform! Fire! Fire!’
The cyborg transformed itself into its cannon mode. Its arms and legs doubled as struts for the body and neck that doubled as a field gun barrel. The strange creature’s head was about to detach like a separate projectile.
‘Fire now!’
The head lunged from the barrel and almost missed the escaping prisoners as it soared towards them. The bulkhead exploded above the escapee’s heads, raining metal and debris down on top of them. Mugshot reloaded.
His second head emerged…ready and primed. It volleyed from the barrel, detonating along the bulkhead, blocking the mage’s getaway. Mugshot quickly transformed back into a humanoid again.
‘No escape, you’re coming with us’ the bombastic Mugshot spoke with a smile on his refreshed head that quickly emerged to replaced the other two that had been spent.
One of the guards advanced on the mages, taking hand restraints from his belt to fit each of them.
Tweak, who had been standing behind the other mages, slowly reached into his service belt, and removed a small smoke pellet.
It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was a sharp sound like glass breaking and then the dense shroud of grey smoke filled the corridor.
‘Hurry!’ Marl commanded, taking this opportunity to escape. In the deluge and confusion Centorionn managed to deliver a rather heavy cloven hoof which landed squarely upon Mugshot’s foot, the resulting effect was his third head lunging from his neck like a cannon ball only to bury itself in the ceiling above. The severed head was lodged unable to move.
‘Oh, no’ the decapitated head spoke with dismay. ‘Not again!’
The resulting explosion forced half the upper level to collapse in on top of Mugshot’s body. This creature that could turn himself into a mortar at will was buried under tons of debris finally.
The other Head Hunters had drawn their pistols and had begun blasting away at the thick smoke, hoping to hit something. They did. They hit a gas mains and the whole room exploded, sending other Head Hunters reeling backwards onto the rubble.
As the mages escaped onto the next level they heard another explosion. It was obvious this section was becoming unstable. They hurried, making their way up many flights of stairs before they came to another prisoner cell block. Before them was a stockpile of weapons, spears, swords, maces, as well as various suits of armour, and helmets. There were even gladiatorial helmets which strongly indicated that there must have been some kind of showground nearby.
Grabbing a weapon each, the mages hurried along a long dark corridor, which led them eventually to a large metal grating. The sounds of battle could be discerned beyond. A blood sport of sorts was evidently
taking place. With a slight prestidigitation Tweak managed to raise the grating using a little magic. As the mages strolled into the arena they recognised the Dragon Tolan instantly, and another monster, obviously somewhat subdued. The dragon held the creature upside down and then began to swing its body round by its tail, round and round, and round, picking up speed, before letting go. The Maumothax was hurled into the crowd, and the crowd dispersed in a panic to escape.
Cougar Chuko was on his feet and was already calling for his guards. The side of the stadium erupted into flame as the great beast landed. The bloodthirsty spectators were all extinguished in a split second. The rest of the throng absconded. People were falling on the ground as others in a mad bid to discharge themselves, stepped on them and trod their bones into the earth.
His wrath abating, the Dragon Tolan transformed back into a boy. Fortunately the ambassador did not witness the change in time. In the confusion he looked and saw Fabian standing there, and mysteriously the dragon was gone.
‘What happened?’ the confused emissary asked. ‘I saw a dragon appear…It happened so quickly.’
Fabian watched the destruction, the mob still scrambling for safety, as well as the fire that tore through the arena without mercy.
‘Magic’ replied the prince to his lover, as though this word held the answer.
Justas Marl caught the attention of the two young men as they looked around. The other mages, including Tweak, ran out to meet their companions.
‘Okay, that’s far enough’ Cougar Chuko interjected, holding up a loaded pistol. His troops had joined him and moved swiftly to surround the mages. Marl rolled his eyes. There was very little time for this.
‘Do I bore you?’ asked Chuko sounding somewhat peeved.
‘You have no idea’ answered Tweak, making a yawning sound on purpose.
‘Well, you won’t be bored for long. First I’m going to shoot you, all of you. And then I’m going to…’
