The Gift of Volkeye

by Marque Strickland

  Then Murlach disappeared behind a dusty black curtain, on route to warn Phyllamon and Helena.

  Though the castle was huge with every corridor and stairwell having more than one entrance or exit, Murlach knew it so well that he bolted through the maze of stone without even glancing at his surroundings. Several floors above, he found himself dashing towards Phyllamon’s bedroom. Not slowing as he came upon the door, Murlach threw all of his weight into it and broke off the latch. The door swung backwards, slamming into the wall behind. It then dislodged from its hinges and fell to the floor. Phyllamon was livid. Though they were leaving, he hoped to return someday, and he didn’t want the castle destroyed.

  “What in the blazes are you doing?” he huffed.

  “Master…” Murlach wheezed in between breaths, “Zynathian…is…here!”

  Phyllamon and Helena’s eyes went wide. “You’re certain?” he asked.

  “Absolutely. I have no idea how many are with him…we have only moments, Sire!”

  With all that had happened this day, Phyllamon didn’t put it past Zynathian to try for him at his home. As a result, he and Helena had already packed and were planning to leave within the hour, intending to rendezvous with Zephranie and Felix in Mashyuvah. From there they’d meet with Vlajdimir and head far across the Mashyuvian Ocean. However, Zynathian had shown far sooner than they anticipated.

  “How did he get in? We have people outside!” Helena said, frantically.

  “Dead, most likely,” Phyllamon replied. “Murlach, get Helena to the hovercar.”

  “Two are filled with luggage and money from the safes, Master. If you want, I can dump some of the Arhyz bags, so you can fit in with us!” Murlach said, watching Phyllamon pace back and forth.

  “Absolutely not, are you mad?” Phyllamon said.

  “Then you’ll have to take the only remaining hover, Master, and you’ll be alone,” Murlach said with unease. “Perhaps it’s safer for you to travel with us.”

  “The money stays! Where are the hovers anyway?”

  “The two that I’ve prepared are out front, at the ready. The other is still in the shed. I have no idea if it’s fueled, Master!”

  “I have some Arhyz right here, I believe.”

  Phyllamon quickly checked the pocket of his dress coat, making sure the rocks were there. They were. Then he heard the cries of rampaging beasts from below.

  “You’ve set them loose to find Zynathian? Good! Get Helena to the hover, now!” Phyllamon said.

  “Come, Mistress!” Murlach said, tugging Helena from the room.

  Phyllamon threw on a black cloak and ran to his oak chest at the end of the chamber. He opened a drawer and pulled a rusted, iron key from underneath a bundle of tattered clothing. It was the key to a bank vault overseas, which held his fortune. The key had a thin, leather strap attached to it, and Phyllamon put it around his neck. Suddenly, a massive explosion made the castle tremble. More desecration to his beautiful home!

  Damn you, Zynathian! Phyllamon thought, as he grabbed an old photograph from atop the chest. Though the frame was luxurious, he broke it without conscience and took the picture inside. Phyllamon sighed with disgust, as he looked upon a black and white image of Drakys Xyecah.

  Forgive me, father…I’ve failed this time, he thought, placing the picture in his pocket.

  Phyllamon bolted from the chamber and down the corridor. As he began descending the stairwell, he heard the rampant howls of his servants and beasts, echoing throughout the halls. Then more explosions rang out. There were several consecutively, and the vibrations threw him down in a corner.

  Darkness had fallen now, and as the moonlight from a window hit Phyllamon in the face, it suddenly struck him that he wouldn’t be coming back to his home. It was impossible, for Zynathian was soon to demolish it to the ground!

  Goodbye, my beloved castle…I will reap vengeance upon you, I swear it!

  Phyllamon picked himself up and ran down one more flight, exiting the stairwell at a narrow corridor on the second floor. The right side of the hallway was lined entirely with stained glass windows, showing the lineage of the Xyecah family throughout the ages. He ran halfway down and broke one of the windows, finding himself directly above the stone shed, adjacent the castle. Phyllamon dropped below, clueless that his every move was being watched as he ran along the roof of the shed.

  As he came to the ledge, Phyllamon climbed down and yanked open the old, worn doors of the shed. The last of the three surviving hovers that had escaped Murlach’s foolish error, sat before him. He pulled off the dust cover and climbed inside, digging in his pocket for the Arhyz. He hastily shoved it in a small compartment that sucked the rocks down to the vehicle’s engine, melting them instantly as he hit the ignition button. Not even waiting for the hover to warm, Phyllamon raced from the shed, speeding to his freedom.

  I’ve slipped through your fingers again, Zynathian Volkeye!

  However, Phyllamon’s boasting was premature. Not a second after the thought crossed his mind, did an explosion cripple his vehicle, sending the hover flying into a tree. Phyllamon sailed through the windshield and now lay nearly slashed to pieces. No matter. The fact that he was absolutely harmless now would grant him no sympathy from Zynathian, who’d just closed in on him.

  3

  Jamese ran down the hall, rapping on the servant’s doors. Frightened faces peered from behind each door, one by one.

  “Jamese, what’s this racket? Are the creatures loose?”

  “I always knew they would get out someday and eat us alive!”

  “What are we gonna’ do?”

  For a moment, Jamese couldn’t even get a word in, as she was bombarded with one question after another. Finally, she asserted herself.

  “Quiet, you fools! Listen! …Zynathian Volkeye is here to help us escape!” she said, pointing down the hall, so they would believe her.

  Zynathian addressed them.

  “You all must hurry! Any minute now those creatures will be up here to rip us limb-from-limb!”

  “Right, so get your winter clothes on in the next sixty seconds!” Jamese added.

  However, being as startled as they were at the sight of Zynathian, instead of the servants preparing for departure, they began piling into the hall to get a look at him. Zynathian sighed and rolled his eyes, thinking that his celebrated presence was likely to get these people killed. However, it wasn’t until a new string of roars came up the stairwell that some of the servants slightly stirred.

  Jamese lost it, slapping three of them across the face. “DO YOU ALL WANT TO DIE?! No? Then grab your coats, along with one or two belongings that you can’t live without, and get your asses out here, NOW!”

  At this, they got moving.

  Meanwhile, Jamese looked down the hall at Zynathian, finding him in an attack pose, bomb in hand. She thought to run and help him, but he rebuked her.

  “Stay where you are, Jamese! They are your priority!”

  Zynathian patiently awaited the precise moment to attack. Though his heart was racing, he breathed easy. Never taking his eyes off the entrance, it wasn’t until a large shadow appeared on the wall in the stairwell that Zynathian knew it was time. He hurled two of the bombs hard as possible.

  Several of them were blown to pieces instantly, while others were engulfed in flames and subsequently buried by the stone that had collapsed upon them. The stairwell was now closed, so Zynathian made his way back to Jamese. The servants were now emerging from their rooms, flocking around her.

  “That will buy us some time,” said Zynathian, “but you all need to get moving, for I’m certain there are many other passageways at their disposal!”

  Though they were extremely pressed for time, they couldn’t resist bombarding Zynathian with phrases of gratitude. Some of them ran up to hug him. It warmed his heart that they doted on him so, and although he very much wished to lead them out the front door himself, there were more pressing matters at hand. He was likely to miss Phyllamon i
f he stayed any longer!

  He gave a curt nod to them. “Good luck to you all…hurry!”

  Then Zynathian turned to find Jix restlessly pacing the hall. “Jix, you know Phyllamon’s scent…take me to him!”

  This way!

  At this, Jix leapt from the floor and took off with Zynathian behind him. As they disappeared around the corner, Jamese turned to dozens of frightened faces, piled into the hallway.

  “All right, everyone, grab hands. Do not get separated!” she said, pulling one of the bombs from her laundry sack. Jamese took off running, with the rest of them right at her heels.

  Surprisingly enough, they were able to make it to the first floor (through three different corridors) without any resistance. However, as their freedom was in sight, with the oak double-doors only a few dozen yards ahead, they were surprised by a razor sharp tentacle, which crashed through the courtyard window on their left. They couldn’t see the creature wielding the limb, for it remained outside, on a ledge above the window. The tentacle whipped back and forth slashing at anything it touched.

  Dorcey, the doctor, had his arm removed, and next to him a woman was stabbed in her midsection. The tentacle lifted her into the air and pulled her towards the window. She kicked and screamed for help, but Jamese didn’t want to throw a bomb at something she couldn’t see and risk killing the woman in the process. Just then, one of the cooks, who had a special blade on his person, pulled out the knife and hacked off the tentacle just as it was about to pull the woman outside. She fell to the ground, and he yanked the dead end out of her stomach, throwing her over his shoulder.

  There were thunderous cries coming from outdoors, and Jamese knew that the creature would venture within, seeking retribution. Now that she had an opportunity, she didn’t hesitate.

  “Down, everyone!”

  She threw the bomb so it would hit just above the window frame, knowing that she’d at least further wound the beast. However, it picked exactly the wrong moment to crawl inside, and the bomb hit it right in the center of its back. Before their very eyes, the beast erupted into thousands of miniscule pieces, followed by the demolition of the wall upon which it sat.

  “Come!” Jamese yelled at them all.

  They got moving quickly, as they were invigorated by the closeness of their freedom. Jamese didn’t flinch as she heard the heavy oak doors at the end of the corridor crash open. There were over fifty different creatures charging them (many wounded from the first stairwell blast, though they showed no less conviction in their purpose). Now understanding the strength of the bombs, Jamese saw no need to be reserved, as Zynathian had given her plenty of them.

  She threw two at once, flinching at the explosion of debris and severed limbs. As the beasts lay smoking amidst a pile of rubble, Jamese was curious as to whether or not they were dead or simply buried. She threw two more just to be sure they were corpses. However, these latest blasts caused the floor to collapse, sending everything ahead of them to the dungeons.

  Since the floor had been blown away so near the front doors, their footing would’ve been unsure. Jamese decided that they’d exit from where they stood. She ordered her friends back and then blew away a massive portion of the stone wall before them. Ignoring the smoke and the last few falling stones, they rushed to their freedom.

  Jamese waited until they were all outdoors before following, as she wanted to be sure that no one was left behind. Upon entering the garden she looked about and found Zynathian to her far right, hidden in shadow amongst the trees. As the clouds slightly shifted, rays of moonlight illuminated him, and she noticed that he was waving her off. Clearly, they weren’t far enough away for his taste.

  Overwhelmed at Zynathian’s kindness and bravery, Jamese couldn’t move another inch without expressing her gratitude. “Thank you, Zynathian! God bless you a thousand times!”

  He nodded.

  With this done, Jamese urged them all forward. They made it past the gate at a slight jog, and most of them were sprinting as the thickness of the trees lessened. However, Jamese stopped abruptly as she heard Zynathian use one of his bombs. This was quickly followed by the sound of something crashing. Though she was tempted to go check on Zynathian, Jamese knew better. She left to catch up with the others.

  Upon passing the edge of the garden, they ran for a few minutes and made it out into an open field. When Jamese finally caught up, she found her friends pointing upward at a passing hover van, headed back to the castle. This was followed by the most mindboggling spectacle any of them had ever seen.

  Just a moment ago, a gigantic bird of magnificent beauty had swept from the sky! It landed before them only to reveal another strange creature, which was upon its back. Laden with battle gear, the beast hopped from the bird’s saddle and addressed them.

  “Bloody hell, there’s a great lot o’ ya! You’ve been cooped in that blasted place all ‘dis time?” Maugrimm asked, pointing to Castle Xyecah, which towered above the treetops.

  “Yes, but listen. Two of us are terribly wounded!” Jamese said as she ran forward, motioning in the direction of the woman and Dorcey, the doctor.

  Maugrimm winced, seeing Dorcey’s left arm, severed at the deltoid. His doctor friends had tied a belt around his wound to stop the blood flow. Now they stood at his sides as support. Although Dorcey was weak, he was still faring much better than the woman that had been stabbed in her midsection, for she was completely unconscious. Mawg was aghast at the sight of her pale skin, meaning that she’d lost much more than an acceptable amount of blood. At this, he raised the comlink.

  “Zynathian, we gots ta’ be movin’! There’s two here that’ll die if they don’t get some medical attention! After all ya’ been through to get ‘em out of that place, me knows you don’t want any to die on ya’, so hurry!”

  Maugrimm waited some time but got no response. Just as he was about to call again, Zynathian’s voice came echoing over the howling wind. His voice arrested their attention like a clap of thunder, angry and godlike.

  4

  When Jix heard the window break, he flew around the side of the castle to inspect the matter. Sure enough, it was Phyllamon going to the shed. Jix went to inform Zynathian, and together they went to a better hiding spot behind the trees in front of the shed.

  Although he’d only just made it inside, Zynathian was startled at how fast Phyllamon’s hover darted from within. He hurled a bomb at the earth and had to duck out of the way as the explosion caused the hover to spin out of control. It flew above him, crashing into a tree several feet away. Zynathian knew he was lucky to be alive.

  He got up and went over to Phyllamon, finding that he’d flown through the windshield. However, Phyllamon’s injuries meant nothing to Zynathian as he sat atop of him to bludgeon him into the next life. Though he realized that he could’ve easily killed Phyllamon with another bomb, there was something about this kill that he wanted to be hands on. He pummeled him without conscience, as he proceeded to commit a deed twenty years in the making.

  However, assuming that Murlach and Helena had left without Phyllamon, Zynathian was unwary of his surroundings. Some twenty feet above, Murlach’s hover crept upon him in stealth mode. Helena, who hadn’t made an effort to exert herself in weeks, mustered the strength to squeeze herself into the back seat of the hover, arming herself.

  Jix, having the extremely sensitive hearing that he did, noticed the hovercar above. As soon as its door opened, he darted above, talons at the ready. However, by the time he arrived, Helena had already kicked several bags of Arhyz and luggage from the back seat of the vehicle. They were spot on, all of them beating Zynathian over the head and down his back. He was nearly flattened, whilst Phyllamon lay protected beneath him.

  When Jix made it to the hover, Helena was already closing the shield. Being as angry as he was, he underestimated the amount of speed he needed to beat the door closing. Consequently, a small piece of his left wing was clipped off, sending him flying to the earth in pain too terrible to imag
ine. He landed next to Zynathian, and both of them lay squirming.

  Meanwhile, Murlach set the hover down next to them and got out, kicking Zynathian from atop Phyllamon. He pulled his master to the hover. Once he had him packed awkwardly within, he closed the shield and ran back to the pilot’s seat. This came not a moment too soon, as the next thing Murlach knew, the rest of the Volkeye family had arrived. As he rose into the air, darting away, they swept down from above in a large hover van.

  Though Murlach was in mind to get their escape underway, he stopped midair, wondering whether or not he’d been seeing things. When the door to their ship opened, he could’ve sworn that he saw Felix!

  Blast! he swore to himself, knowing that it was impossible to leave until he’d confirmed this information. Their next course of action weighed heavily upon it.

  “Murlach, are you mad? Why are you turning around?” Helena asked, panicking, for she knew it would be the end of them if they remained any longer.

  “I think they’ve got Felix.”

  “What?!”

  “…And if they do, that means that Vlajdimir and Zephranie are both dead, and we no longer have any reason to rendezvous with them,” Murlach said, grabbing Felix’s binoculars.

  Murlach gazed through the lenses of the binoculars and saw Felix held at gunpoint by a black male, who, of course, also had a weapon merged with his arm. The whole family appeared to have come along. Nauseated, Murlach observed a young girl with incredible strength, grab Zynathian up with one arm and stand him tall, pointing at them.

  Helena watched in horror, hands over her mouth. Murlach shook Phyllamon awake as the Volkeyes’ hover rose into the air threatening to give chase. A large platform had just extended from the inside of their ship, upon which they all stood. Phyllamon urged Murlach to take them closer, as to be sure that it was Felix they held. He wouldn’t have believed such a thing through the lenses of binoculars.