by Brian Rella
She noticed a small dip in the table, almost like a cup or a small bowl, filled with cloudy green water. Next to that…
A set of rectangular stones lay on the altar. A book, which was not really a book at all. It was more a series of stone tablets. Thin slates, bound together with some ancient twine woven through holes in the stone pages.
The room was still and soundless. Jessie seemed to move in slow motion as she removed the top slate and held it with both hands in front of her. She looked it over and turned it around. There was nothing written on it.
She placed it down on the altar, glanced at the water pooled in the cup, and decided she did not want to get the tablet wet. She gently placed the ancient slate in front of the statue, away from the water, and looked at the next slate.
Hieroglyphics?
Jessie had no idea how to read this. These were pictures, not words. Her shoulders slumped and her brow furrowed as she turned to the next stone.
More hieroglyphics.
Frustration boiled in her. She had no idea how to read this…this…language, which was usually telling the story of an ancient people’s fucking summer solstice festivities. Now what was she going to do?
Defeat began to take root in her thoughts, which made her frustration and anger grow. She had come too far for this to happen. She had done too much to be stopped now. She would not let this happen to her. She would not be defeated by some primitive fucking coloring book!
Jessie slammed her fist down on the altar in frustration and screamed. Her fist landed in the puddle of water on the altar and splashed water all over her and the book. Some of the water got onto one of the pictures in the book.
The glyph came to life, glowing on the slate.
Jessie’s eyes widened and she dipped her hand like a cup into the water on the table and splashed the entire slate page.
The neon-green light grew until she was covered in its rays. The light enveloped her – and then she saw it.
The pictures made words in her mind, and she was instantly filled with the knowledge of the language of the book. The words were plain, flowing straight across a page of her mind’s making, like any other book she had ever read, and all she had to do was speak the words.
She raised her arms above her shoulders, closed her eyes, and sounded the incantation out in her mind, enunciating each syllable as she knew it should be said, setting the words free on the world.
“A’cha gth’na fru’a-um ikst’na Pasmet!”
Slowly, she opened her eyes. A chill went through the air as the underground cavern grew ice cold, a wind coming off the subterranean lake. It gusted and Jessie placed her hands on either side of the stone altar, bracing herself against its strength.
The light from the book gathered above the altar and shot out across the lake in a giant blast. The verdant glow from the lake was pulled with it, leaving Jessie in darkness. The light became a pinprick in the distance, like a green star in the night sky. The distant, iridescent star grew larger and a rumble shook the cavern. A rolling thunder sent chunks of rock and stalactites falling from the ceiling, splashing into the water.
The air became frigid and Jessie’s breath hung in clouds in front of her. A layer of ice formed at the edge of the lake and spread, moving out from where Jessie stood. A smile curled up the side of Jessie’s shivering face.
The wind gusted and howled, sending Jessie’s long hair behind her. She squinted in the arctic air that stung her cheeks. It intensified and Jessie clung to the sides of the altar, leaning into the gale.
In the distance, a shadow blotted out the light from the jade star at the far end of the underground lake. The shape drew nearer and Jessie felt no fear; rather, she felt enthralled as the shadow took form in the distance.
The lake creaked and groaned. Emerald icicles spiked out of the freezing water and dotted the lake as far as she could see.
“It’s working!” she cried, lifting her head into the air and laughing into the cold wind that continued to pound the shore. The wind squalled and she heard the distant call of the creature she had released. Nothing can stop me from fulfilling my destiny.
The wind reached a crescendo and a roar swept to shore on a final gust, echoing off the walls, and sending more rock fragments from the ceiling crashing to the cavern floor and the lake of ice.
In the shadow of the glowing lake, she saw its head first. Its pointed ears, bat-like on top of its head, scraping against the ice and rock of the cavern’s ceiling.
The shadow loomed over the great lake, racing toward her, and Jessie felt time stop. Its wings flapped gracefully, sending gusts of wind onshore. The creature’s strange features revealed themselves in slow motion and Jessie felt awestruck at the sight of the giant winged beast she had freed.
It finally reached the shoreline, and landed with a force so tremendous the ground shook beneath her feet.
Pasmet was eighty to one hundred feet tall, head to tail. Its head was the size of a compact car. It had a long snout, and a strange beard of tentacles under its chin.
Its body was the size of a school bus. Its neck was long and thick at the torso, thinner toward the head. A long tail stretched out behind it. It towered over Jessie, but Jessie felt no fear as the creature lowered itself down on all fours to its master.
Her back screamed with pain and she fell to the floor.
Pasmet roared and reared up on its hind legs, turned, then crashed down to the ground, its fore legs in front of Jessie, protecting her.
Stunned, she rolled onto her side, the faint realization that something had hit her crossing her mind as a second blue blast went under Pasmet and lit into her chest. She shrieked in pain as she was blasted backward into Pasmet’s hind leg. Another quick burst came under the beast and missed her by mere inches.
Instinct took over. She rolled behind Pasmet’s leg and hid behind it, caught her breath, and peeked out looking for the assailant.
A shadowy figure darted along the path where the rock ended and the sand began. Something blue glowed in the figure’s hand. Someone was attacking her.
Pasmet shifted its position, putting itself between Jessie and the attacker and bellowed so loud that Jessie had to cover her ears.
44
FRANK
October 21, 2015
The Tomb of Pasmet, Illinois
He was too late.
From the path, Frank shot bursts of energy at the girl and Pasmet in a desperate attempt to kill or injure them both. She had succeeded in freeing the giant, but that did not mean it was over. He still had a chance, however small it might be.
He was in the open at first, sending wave after wave of energy against her and hit her twice, maybe three times, before he moved to some cover behind rocks twenty yards to his left. The cavern was bright with the iridescent glow of the now frozen lake.
Frank’s katana glowed between his fists as he glanced above the rocks, trying to glimpse the woman, to see how badly he had injured her, and if he could move in to kill them both.
Pasmet stood over the shadowy figure of the woman, protecting her, its green, scaly legs forming a shield. In the glow of its skin, he saw the white of the girl’s face peek out from behind its leg. She glowered in his direction, searching for him. He risked giving away his position and sent another blast at her. It struck the beast instead and Pasmet roared with disapproval.
The woman glared at him and he knew he had to move quickly or this would be the end of him. The beast lowered its head and he saw its body beginning to glow.
Pasmet opened its jaws and a bright green dot formed in the blackness of the beast’s throat, growing in size and intensity. It shot out at him. He ducked below the large boulder from where he was attacking. The green burst of energy sprayed over the rock, freezing over it in sharp knives and chunks of green ice. Frank cowered, waiting for the monster’s icy breath to finish.
The blast continued, frosting his skin, causing him to shiver. The ground beneath him froze, and flakes of green i
ce and snow swirled around him. Frank’s hand burned and he pulled it away from the ground reflexively. He adjusted his position before being frozen in place and saw the green glow of the wall of ice growing around and behind him.
Finally, the beast’s breath ran out and Frank had his only chance. Crouching low, he dashed from behind his hiding place back the way he had come. His feet slipped on the ice and he fell to the ground. The woman shouted and Frank knew another blast of arctic energy was coming his way.
He leaped as far as he could, landing a few yards to his left, and scrambled away, his feet catching rock just in time for the blast to miss him.
Frank raced against the forming green ice behind him, his skin burning from the frigid blast, his chest aching from sucking in the cold air.
When the blast had finished, he stopped, turned and shouted, “Lufthwaa, ah’ nansal!” with his hands above his head.
A giant ball of fire formed above him. He flung the fireball a dozen yards in front of him and fell to the ground.
The ball of fire hit the green ice and the air hissed with steam and fog, which spread out into the cave.
Frank turned and ran, the fog providing cover for his escape. He charted a new path among the boulders and stalagmites, darting back to the entrance of the tomb. He had to seal the room and get above ground. He could not take on the girl and her minions. His only chance was to escape and fight another day.
The seconds passed like hours. Finally, Frank was able to see the door he had come through.
His legs burning, he pushed himself toward the door, a sense of relief growing as he was a dozen feet from the exit.
His feet left the ground and his shoulder exploded with fiery pain. He screamed in horror as he reached for it. Still hollering, he saw the clawed, black, hand digging into his shoulder as he was hoisted into the air and then thrown against the wall, falling to the ground in a heap.
Dazed, he was lifted in the air again and tossed back into the cavern, crashing into cave’s rocky floor.
Bones snapped in his arm and side, and he howled in pain. Blood filled his mouth and he choked on it, spitting it onto the ground.
Something huge landed next to him, grabbed him like a rag doll, and violently turned him. Frank came face to face with glowing red eyes and a ram’s face.
Arraziel.
Blood was streaming down Frank’s face, blinding him. He could feel the demon’s hot, foul breath on his face. Stunned, his mind swam for a way to escape as the demon held him there.
His good arm dangled between them. He raised it as high as he could, formed his katana, and stuck it into the demon’s side.
Arraziel wailed in Frank’s face and thrust him back and away. Frank used the last of his strength to slash out, opening the demon’s chest with his katana.
Arraziel’s chest exploded with a spray of black blood that covered Frank as he flopped to the ground. Arraziel fell back on his knee, holding his chest.
Frank tried to retreat to the stairs behind him, but the demon lunged at him, ramming Frank with his horns, and sending him flying across the cavern into the rock wall on the other side of the room. Frank’s head and shoulder screamed out with pain as the air was forced from his lungs, and he fell to the cave floor beneath him, drifting into unconsciousness.
45
JESSIE
October 21, 2015
The Tomb of Pasmet, Illinois
Jessie shrieked as she watched the man cut Arraziel open. She ran to Arraziel as he vaulted himself forward and into the attacker. After striking the man, Arraziel fell to the floor, his breath sending puffs of dust and rock from the cave floor flying.
Jessie fell to her knees beside him.
“No!” she cried.
She ran her hands over his battered body, searching for the wound. Her hand came away wet with black tar-like blood that oozed from his wound.
The demon grunted, trying to speak, but no words came from his lips. Panicked, Jessie frantically tried to think of what she could do. She racked her brain for a spell that might heal her demon hero, but none came to mind.
Heal. Maybe he can heal himself. He needs to feed.
She ran to the man who had attacked them. She found him battered and unconscious by the far wall of the cave and started dragging him toward Arraziel.
Maybe Arraziel could heal himself. Maybe he could take this man’s life force and heal.
She pulled the bastard with all her strength, heaving him along the rocky ground, blood trailing behind them.
She was nearly to Arraziel’s side when another blue blast struck her in the chest. Her skin sizzled and she yelped, dropping the man to the ground, and falling onto her back. Another blast and she would be dead.
“Pasmet!” she screamed desperately.
Blackness threatened to overtake her. She fought through her agony, trying to regain her balance to stand. The cave spun and she crumpled onto her side on the floor, crying out in pain again.
Her vision doubled and she felt consciousness slipping away. She rolled to her side to call to Pasmet again and felt the earth tremble beneath her body.
Pasmet roared and landed in front of her, blocking another blast from the entranceway under the stairs.
“Pasmet,” Jessie cried. “Take us out of here!”
The monster grabbed her and Arraziel in its hands, turned, and with a hobbled run, flapped its wings, readying for flight.
“Frank, come on!” Tarek shouted. “Move!”
46
FRANK
October 21, 2015
The Tomb of Pasmet, Illinois
Frank heard someone call his name through the sea of semi-consciousness. He swam through it and opened his eyes. The cavern was blurry and dark. He rose and fell, rose again, and finally limp-ran toward the escaping demons and their master.
“No! Wait!” Tarek shouted, but it was too late. Frank was already bounding toward Pasmet and Jessie, his glowing sword raised over his head.
The blue energy blasts from Tarek flew by him, smashing into Pasmet, knocking him off balance, and keeping him on the ground. From the glow of Tarek’s blasts, Frank saw the girl cowering in the monster’s hand. Her lips moved and the beast’s legs shifted beneath him.
Pasmet’s tail flew through the air and gashed at the ceiling.
Frank heard a rumble and had time to look up before the ceiling came down on him.
47
JESSIE
October 21, 2015
The Tomb of Pasmet, Illinois
Ancient dust and rock fragments came crashing down around them. Jessie hid her head behind Pasmet’s enormous finger as the ceiling fell in great chunks and onto the ground. The cavern floor vibrated with each impact. Dust filled the air, and she coughed, struggling to breathe.
Arraziel was across from her, and she wrapped her arms around Pasmet’s strong hand as the cave began to settle.
The cavern behind her had been buried. She could no longer see the doorway leading out of the cave. Enormous boulders and debris covered the area. There was no sign of the men who had attacked her.
She tried to shift in Pasmet’s hand and pain streaked through her. She fell back and ran her hands over her wounds.
Her left side and chest were blackened and scorched. She could smell the burned skin and hair on her body. She touched her side and when she took her fingers away, the skin stuck to them.
She moaned in pain and anger at the realization that she was badly injured and disfigured.
“Arraziel,” she growled. Her demon hero looked at her and she thought she saw him wince in pain. She steadied herself against Pasmet.
She glanced again at the back of the room and saw some movement. It was Tarek. He was crawling over the rock and rubble.
Jessie’s face grimaced with anger.
“Tarek! But how… You’re dead!” she spat at him.
“Not dead yet, demon whore,” Tarek said through clenched teeth.
She looked over at Arraziel. “Fi
nish this fucker already!”
Arraziel snorted and his body evaporated into the shadows. Jessie glanced behind her again and saw Tarek crawling toward her. She grinned as the black fingers of Arraziel’s hand wrapped around Tarek’s neck and his eyes bulged.
The demon sucked the life from Tarek. His cheeks pulled inward and his eye sockets became deep wells. His mouth took the shape of an O, but he didn’t even have the strength to scream.
Arraziel’s side glowed red-orange as his wound healed. When there was nothing left to take, Arraziel squeezed Tarek’s brittle, lifeless neck, snapped it, and his head fell to the rocks and disintegrated into dust.
Fully healed, he dropped Tarek’s body and disappeared into the shadows.
The rubble behind Arraziel shifted. An arm appeared and then the man Tarek had called Frank began to rise from the rubble. He glowered at Jessie and raised his hands in front of him.
Jessie saw a blue glow form between his hands. “Let’s go!” she shouted at Pasmet.
Jessie felt wind against her as Pasmet flapped his wings and jumped into the air, avoiding the blast. The monster flew out beyond the range of assault.
“Go,” she said, and then, her strength about to fail her, whispered, “Hurry.” The beast raised its head to the ceiling and roared. She glanced behind them and she could no longer see the shore. She saw only the green glow that covered the surface of the frozen lake.
She closed her eyes, her mind racing with what had just happened.
Watchers. They want to kill me.
Her body and mind finally gave out and she fell unconscious in Pasmet’s hand.
I have you, my princess. You are safe, the familiar dark voice said to her.
