Endure

by M. R. Merrick

  I pulled my head back into the lake. The water hurt as it warmed my skin and a shiver ran through my body. Rayna shook her head at one archway and swam past me toward another.

  We spent an hour moving from archway to archway across the bottom of the lake. As we rounded the mountain and the next section of lake came into view, the number of doorways multiplied. There were dozens of doorways every few feet and we were immediately overwhelmed. There had to be an easier way. I floated weightlessly in the water, closing my eyes and repeating the scroll’s translation in my mind.

  *

  Fire spills from rocky peaks, its base a ceiling for dower

  Confined within are vessels of purity, around a crypt for the highest power

  Wakes of purple roll above, below a key to fate

  Which arch shall close the Circle of Light and create a pact that cannot break

  *

  This wasn’t right; we were missing something. I waved Rayna up and we both floated to the surface. The wind had picked up, but it was still warm compared to some of the places I’d just seen. The water became rough, peaks of white rapids splashing around me. I kept my legs and arms moving and my head above water, spitting out mouthfuls as they sloshed into my mouth.

  “This is ridiculous.” Rayna pulled her hair back with her hands, water streaking down her face.

  “Tiki said he didn’t know the last word—straticalla. That has to be the key.”

  “Ca means below. We know it’s below the surface of the water, and we know one of the archways is the door, but which door?”

  Rayna stared at me, lost in thought. The wind picked up and the clouds rolled on the air, but the thunder still couldn’t be heard between arcs of lightning.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  “What if the archway isn’t the door? What if they’re all just decoys?”

  “Seems like a lot of trouble to go to, don’t you think?”

  “Maybe that’s the point. The first line of the scroll makes me question the rest of it. “‘Fire spills from rocky peaks, its base a ceiling for dower.’ The top of the mountain is where fire spills, so the base of it would be the ceiling. If the base is the ceiling, then whatever we want is below the mountain. In that case, the archways have nothing to do with where we need to be.”

  I studied Rayna’s face while replaying the words in my head. “Okay…say that’s right, then how do we get below the mountain?”

  “How can we breathe underwater?” Rayna smirked. “Magic.” And then she was gone.

  I took a moment to look at the world around me. Magic. It was everywhere. It formed the blades of red and blue grass, the green sky, colored suns and pale moons. It created creatures that only nightmares could form, and made them civil and terrifying all at once. It made friendship a possibility, it made pain a constant in so many lives, and yet it allowed us to live. Magic let us come to life in these worlds and experience them. The pain, the sacrifice, the journey, it was all because of magic, and no matter how bad things could get, you would fight every second of every day for just one more moment of it.

  The thunder came loud and fierce as though the gods themselves grumbled above. Sheet lightning flashed in the gray bubbles that rolled and churned, making them look animated. But it wasn’t fake. A storm was coming, both physically and emotionally. There would be thunder, rain, and hail. The arms of Mother Nature would reach out and slash those in her way. We would have to fight to keep the magic, we would have to fight to stay alive, and we would have to endure the storm.

  A jagged spear of light tore from the clouds, striking the earth in the distance, and then came the rain. Small pellets slapped the water and in moments, the lake was being hit so hard it looked like it was boiling. Splashes of water rolled over one another while waves coiled fiercely against the increasing winds. Colorful leaves of a distant forest fluttered into the air, the wind tearing them from their branches.

  The ground rumbled, angry and fierce, causing panic to spread in my loins. Grey pools of smoke floated out of the volcano and the wind tore them away. The ground shook again and I waited for black soot to shoot from the mountain, but it never came. The panic settled as I realized the volcano wasn’t shaking the ground, Rayna was.

  I dove into the lake, swimming hard and fast to reach the bottom. Rayna floated a few feet from the base of the mountain, her magic tearing holes into the lake’s floor. Her power reverberated through the water, the earth shook, and rocks and clay burst through the sandy bottom with tails of white rippling behind them

  She glanced up at me, threw her magic forward and another assault of rocks and sand broke away, but still nothing. Rayna pulled her magic back as I approached, frustration painting her face.

  They’re getting closer.

  Someone get inside him; do not let him destroy us!

  Leave him! a voice commanded. He will not destroy us; he will save us and the creatures we bore. The Protector will save everything we created and once held true.

  Something shifted inside me and pain rocked my mind. A flare of heat exploded inside me and the pain vanished. I could see everything around me, but I had lost complete control of my body once again. I panicked, fighting hard and fast to reach into my soul, but whoever had taken over was working as fast as I was.

  Without my command, magic coiled through my veins and my body swam toward Rayna. Something had taken me over, and with a single glance, she knew something wasn’t right. She pushed off the lake bottom and swam in the other direction.

  Fire and ice cut the through me as the untrained spirit forced them into my chest. I tried to remain calm, searching for the soul that clung to mine. When I found it I pulled, but it resisted with an unmatched force. I swam forward and Rayna’s arms moved frantically back and forth, speeding ahead. My power surged and my arms and legs kicked harder. The fire and ice faded and the earth element rose. It was rough and painful as the magic rolled up my torso and I screamed inside my own mind.

  The scream didn’t seem to distract the god that possessed me. It moved faster after Rayna until suddenly it stopped, breaking away from the chase and turning toward an archway. It stood near the base of the mountain looking as weathered, if not more, than the others.

  The power is in the words. The voice whispered through my mind. “Straticalla!” Water bubbled from my mouth and the voice that came was a man’s, but it was not my own.

  I fought back trying to tear it from my soul, but it wouldn’t budge. My arms stretched out and the magic pooled in my palms. A green glow formed over each of my hands and stretched toward the arch. The energy was powerful, floating left and right, almost out of the spirit’s control. When it reached the archway, it wrapped around each post like a vine until they met at the top. In the curve of the stone a word formed, engraved as though it had always been there. The word Straticalla was molded into the arch, and the magic intensified, seeping into the word and making it glow.

  Straticalla, the voice said again. Illuminate your path, for magic leads the way you seek. Below the door are answers to a secret you must now keep.

  I didn’t need to pull it back. The voice vanished and the soul broke away, disappearing into the swarm of souls inside me. The image around me grew hazy and when it cleared, control of my body returned. Rayna treaded water a few dozen feet away, her eyes wide and focused. But before either of us could move, the light on the archway flared, sending a ripple of heat through the water, and then it was gone.

  The earth shook and sand clouded the water. Cracks formed around the stone arch and it turned counterclockwise. Lifting from the ground like a screw, it rose higher in the lake, a pillar of earth pushing it up. Roots jutted out of the column, swaying in the water, and before long, the archway was above the surface.

  A sheet of light flashed above, followed by a crackle of thunder. It came with a deafening crash and another blaze lit up the entire lake like a spotlight. Bright magic danced around the earthy column, spiraling downward, jumping and mo
ving like a living force. When the lightning reached the base, earth exploded. Chunks of rock and spears of hardened sand sailed through the water. They whistled past me in a trail of white bubbles and when the debris cleared, a hole had torn away from the base of the column, and a new stone archway had been revealed.

  Rayna swam toward me, both of us cringing at the next crackle of thunder. My entire body tensed and we both froze, staring at the doorway. Just beyond that arch laid the key to finishing the rite. The power to stop Riley was within reach, and the thought of the end didn’t excite me like I’d hoped. It didn’t fill me with determination and satisfaction. It scared me. The end was coming. I was left to hope that whatever lay beyond that door really did give me the power to stop a god.

  The earth shook again, but it was a small quake compared to earlier. Confusion warped Rayna’s features and a pang of anxiety twisted inside me. I hoped the volcano wasn’t responding to the magic, but when I reached the surface, I realized I should’ve hoped for more.

  The original arch was high in the air on the top of a column of earth, but now it had been broken. The top curve had shattered, leaving only two stone pillars. Arcs of energy coiled up and down the posts, and the clouds above struck out at the world around us with flashes of heat.

  The earth continued to shake, almost a constant vibration that moved through the water. A rain of dirt burst into the air, moving like a mole beneath the earth. Rocks and grass ricocheted off one another, and any fear I’d had about the end had been amplified and changed—the Visceratti were here.

  Chapter 25

  A dozen Visceratti slithered along the edge of the lake. Their hisses and screams were angry and sharp. Their red eyes shined with madness, and their power pressed against my skull. Images of my friends slaughtered and torn to pieces flooded my mind, forcing me to put more effort into my shields. Rai screeched through the air and a blast of lightning flashed from her talons. Earth exploded in massive chunks, and the Visceratti hissed in response.

  Rayna and I didn’t waste another second. We plunged beneath the water and swam with all the energy we had. I propelled myself deep into the lake and demons were already in pursuit. I expected them to move slowly through the water, but with their arms pinned at their sides, they cut through the liquid like eels.

  Adrenaline surged and I paddled deeper. When I reached the new arch, Rayna was a few lengths away. I reached toward her, the Visceratti closing the distance. We linked hands and I pushed her through the doorway, following after her. The tingling sensation swallowed me whole and on the other side was solid ground.

  Pure darkness hung in front of us but we didn’t hesitate. I searched the air, finding a wall and using it as a guide, we ran. The slimy bodies of the Visceratti echoed behind us, as if the sound itself could chase and tackle us to the ground. My heart lurched as the slurp of their bodies became more prominent and a shiver moved down my spine.

  I called my fire element and a ball of red energy manifested in my hand. I hurled it back, a fireball ignited and flew toward the demons. For a brief moment, the corridor was bright and alive with flame. All the Visceratti had come through the archway, slithering after us with demonic speed. I cursed under my breath and stopped, tearing my hand from Rayna’s grip.

  “What are you doing?” she screamed.

  The earth element rose and I drilled it into the earthy tunnel. The corridor was wide enough for two of us but only one of them. Those odds worked in our favor, but that left us little room to fight, forcing me to create a plan B and try to slow them down.

  My magic reached deep into the earth as I tore it down in front of me. Rocks and dirt showered us, bars of stone firing from each side of the corridor and crisscrossing to create a barrier. I walked backward, pulling more stone blocks from the ground and closing the path behind us. The Visceratti cursed, smashing their fists into the obstacle and littering the ground with rocks and dirt. It wouldn’t hold forever, but it gave us a head start.

  Fire coiled around my arms, lighting the way as we ran down the corridor. It winded left and right, darkness filling the voids around us. Tunnels veered off randomly and I had the urge to create more barricades to buy us time, but after hitting several dead ends and being forced to backtrack, I thought better of it.

  One tunnel linked to another, then another, and I felt the hum of power grow in my soul. I followed it like a game of hot or cold, letting the vibrations fill me as we neared its source. I’d completely lost track of time when the walls stopped, opening into a vast pool of blackness.

  “Chase?” Rayna whispered.

  “Yeah?” I asked, bringing my arm around so the fire shone over her.

  Rayna’s hair was wet and clung to her face. Streaks of makeup had run from the corners of her eyes and she squinted from the light. Her shirt hugged her body in a waterlogged embrace and her jeans squeaked with each step.

  “What are we going to do? We can’t fight them all off, and that rock won’t hold them for much longer.”

  “I know,” I said. I didn’t have any other answers. The sound of the Visceratti ricocheted through the tunnel and made my stomach tense.

  I walked forward, swinging my arm from left to right, but I couldn’t see anything. The darkness pressed against my fire and rather than lighting up the entire room, it swallowed more of the light. I found another wall and walked along it until I located a steel bar sticking out of the earth. When I used the flame to examine it, it caught my fire and flickered to life.

  Flames reached into the air as the torch burned and lit up a section of empty space. I ducked beneath it and continued forward. As I came to the second torch, something pressed against my shoulder. I jumped and cursed, but it was only Rayna.

  “Sorry.” She cringed.

  I swallowed my heart back into my chest and lit the next torch. The fire ignited in each of the steel bowls until a dozen torches threw light across the entire room, revealing a massive dead end. Concrete blocks stood upright along the walls like vertical coffins buried in the earth. I pushed on the one closest to me, but it wouldn’t budge. “A crypt of higher power.”

  Rayna swept away a spot in the center of the room, showing a slab of white marble that reminded me of the Otherworld where I’d met Serephina. Deep holes were drilled into each corner, but there was nothing else around it.

  “What’s this for?” Rayna asked.

  “Just wait…” I said, moving toward the last torch. As it wrapped itself in flames, the ground roared. Dirt fell around one of the stone slabs and it began to move. It creaked against some unseen pressure before being drawn into the ceiling. Stones ground together until the doorway had been lifted entirely, revealing a small opening. Inside stood a white stone pedestal with a thick book lying on top. Rayna and I each grabbed one side and dragged it into the middle of the room. Each of the four legs was perfectly round and we lowered them into the holes over the marble plate.

  A loud crash echoed behind us, followed by laughter and screams. I could practically hear the sound of the demons slithering across the floor and goosebumps danced along my arms.

  “I can’t read it,” I said, looking at the pages. “It’s written in some strange language. We need more time!”

  “Time’s up,” Rayna said. Her whip made a tink as it hit the ground and her eyes were narrowed on the darkened tunnel.

  The hissing came first, then the slop of wet scales. I reached for my daggers and hesitated as the first demon burst from the shadows. Her breasts swung from side to side, slapping against her chest. Scars littered her body and both her arms were stretched out, claws tearing at the earthy walls on either side of her.

  I opted for magic over silver and called my elements. Earth came first, stretching from my left hand. The ground shook and shards of rock came out of the tunnel walls. One jagged stone tore through the chest of a single Visceratti and she screamed, but the other demons dodged the stony attack. Fire flourished in my right hand, coiling and burning at my fingertips. I didn’t le
t it build up in my palms. I pushed it toward them and let the element crackle through the tunnel.

  The demons roared and three of them dove into the room, their skin smoldering from the flames. Low rumbles reverberated in their chests and they rolled across the floor. Tails whipped through the air as they tried to smother the flames; the rest of the demons weren’t so lucky.

  The stream of heat set the tunnel ablaze. The demons tried going the other way, but the earthy spears that they’d once avoided now blocked their path. Slate grey claws tore into the blockade and piece by piece it began to crumble; it was too late—they couldn’t escape the fire’s wrath. They collapsed to the ground in a firework of red and orange sparks, and I pulled the element back.

  Black blood stained the floor, quickly becoming decorated with flakes of grey and white ash. The remaining three demons had gathered their wits, their flesh steaming as they rose up on their snake-like bodies.

  Rayna’s magic flourished. Her black whip glowed an eerie dark green as she channeled the power into it. Blades of rock broke away from the walls, clinging to the whip like armor. She flicked her wrist and the whip cracked through the air, the demon dodged the strike, but an assault of stone blades followed like homing missiles. Each stone stabbed her in an assault of earthy power. Splatters of blood erupted from her arms and torso, painting the walls. The snake-demon responded, lunging forward, claws ready to strike. Rayna spun away and snapped the whip upward. The claws caught the demon under her chin, and like a fishing line, Rayna pulled. The Visceratti’s head jerked and she screamed as her body was lifted into the air. Rayna wrenched the whip back and the bottom of the demon’s chin tore away, her face smashing into the ceiling. The Visceratti fell to the ground, and although she didn’t burst into flame and ash, she wasn’t moving.

  The second demon didn’t wait; it slithered up behind Rayna and shoved both her hands into her back. Rayna stumbled forward, hitting the wall and falling to the ground. As the third demon moved in to strike, my air element took over the room. The two standing demons were torn from the floor and pinned against the wall. Dirt and rubble rained over them and my element stole the air from their lungs, muffling their sounds. Red eyes darted back and forth, drops of blackness tearing down their cheeks. Their mouths hung open, gasping for air, but there was none to be had. Tiny chunks of black and grey flesh were stuck between their jagged stained teeth, and they chomped at the air.