by Paul Cude
Disappointed beyond belief at both the pain from his leg and everything relating to their current situation, the leader vowed to correct this instantly. Aware that he wasn’t going to be able to open the naga’s jaws and free his leg, of course nothing could be that simple, he decided instead to try a workaround. And so sliding his right hand into the slightest of gaps between the beast’s teeth, he pushed down as far as he could with his arm, whilst at the same time conjuring up as much of his magic as he dared. Deciding in an instant on fire, knowing that almost certainly this would be the monster’s Achilles heel, he unleashed a barrage of flame and heat directly down the fiend’s throat.
A bone chilling screech was the leader’s reward for a job well done, that and the immediate release of his leg, for which he was hugely grateful.
Snake-like skull crashing to the ground with a THUD, the game was nearly up for Marg. Mirroring his friend with a hugely charred forked tongue, the inside of his mouth very much resembled a pizza oven, without of course the Italian delicacies. Barely able to take a breath, what he did manage to inhale was mostly smoke, which only added to his already addled brain. Coughing, choking and wheezing, through the mire of his mind he searched for reality, hoping to do his friend one last favour.
Turning on a dime, washing away the pain from the needle sharp teeth marks in his leg with just a touch of ethereal power, he was then confronted by a huge prehistoric shape towering over him... his SON! Pleased at noticing the limp he still had, despite his change in shape, the leader took a few furtive steps back, considering his position and predicament. Ideally he needed his son, with all his new found powers and that intimidating dragon shape, to be on his side. What he could really do without, was going head to head with him here and now, not only because of what was to come, but because he really couldn’t be sure of winning, not without all of his power and the ability to take his natural form. Working on the puzzle, he tried to buy himself some time.
“Take a little time to think about what you’re doing, son,” he suggested calmly to the gigantic ancient shape hovering over him.
Man thought about it for a split second, but the vision of Marg’s tortured body writhing around in the background made him angry, more so than he could ever remember being, that and the fact that his father had tried to have his mother killed mere moments ago.
“NO!” he bellowed in a low, gruff voice, something so different from that of his human guise.
“What I’ve done, I’ve done for all of us, so that we can break free, and take our rightful place in the world again. Harsh choices had to be made, and there was no one else to do it. Don’t think I’ve taken those decisions lightly... I haven’t. They’ve tortured my conscience, and given me many a sleepless night.”
“Conscience?” scoffed Man, his huge dinosaur-like head weaving this way and that, tiny sniffles of flame skirting his nostrils as he did so. “You don’t have a conscience, in fact I’m surprised you even know what the word means. As for sleepless nights, I think the only thing that gives you sleepless nights is the fact that you aren’t free yet. I think you’d gladly sacrifice every last one of us here for your freedom, in a heartbeat.”
It was almost as if the young boy was a mind reader, thought his father, rather perturbed. And he was much more insightful and intelligent than he’d ever given him credit for. This was so not going the way he’d planned it. He needed an opportunity, and he needed one now.
Hugging each other tight, mother and son sheltered behind the massive, reassuring shadow of Man, an overwhelming sense of joy gripping them both at being temporarily safe, and having the person that they loved between them and their psychotic leader. Neither wanted to ever leave the comfort of the other two, now more so than ever, with both wishing the huge dragon in front of them all the luck in the world with the choice he faced about what to do next. In reality they knew a choice hardly existed, and that this was only going to go one way. In the end, he’d do what was right, they both knew, freeing not only them, but the rest of the community from a crazed and cruel leader. Not wanting to watch exactly how this played out, they knew that for Man’s sake they just had to. It was the least they could do.
In his mind, it was over. In all honesty, he should never have allowed it to get this far, should have done something before now. But it was difficult. After all, it was his father, and that made a huge difference. He imagined almost every being on the planet would struggle to go up against their dad at such a young age. But the time was at hand, and there could be no sympathy, no regrets, no hesitation. It had to be done, for his sake, his mother and brother’s sakes and of course for the good of the community as a whole. And so with absolutely no remorse, he called on his magic, hoping that it would be the last time he’d use it in anger. Fate just laughed, thinking that there’s wasn’t a chance in hell of that happening.
Through the haze of fiction and reality blurring into one, Marg did not know what he was doing. Unable to use his magic to heal any of his internal wounds because of the state of his mind, instinctively he did the only thing he could. He lashed out at his attacker, with everything he had.
Facing his son, expecting some sort of all out attack, he was momentarily caught off guard as the sensation of magic sprang into life behind him. Reacting with just the human senses that had been part of him for so long now, he dived off to his left, ducked into a roll and leapt up onto his feet, all in one long, swift move.
About to fry his father like a sausage on a barbecue, Man froze at the sight of brilliant, fluorescent green magic crackling into life just in front of Marg. Before he’d even had time to think, ‘What the...?’, wicked tendrils of poisonous, green, supernatural energy splintered out of the naga’s wavering hand, carving open the air molecules between him and his father. But that wasn’t the biggest surprise. That would have to have been reserved for the cat-like reactions of his father, diving and rolling out of the way, edging his way to safety. At that exact moment, Man realised the trouble he was in, facing the full force of what was left of the naga’s wrath.
During the course of their limited training, they’d covered shields, but not in much detail, having only spent an hour or two practicing. Marg had decided that was enough, and that their time was better spent training on how to use offensive magic. And so here Man was, about to be inundated with spiteful, poisonous power, intent on revenge and killing, not at all meant for him of course, but still presenting him with a predicament and one he only had a moment to decide what to do.
All they’d seen from behind Man’s hulking great body was a flash of bright, brilliant green light, and then their deluded, deadly leader diving out of the way, off to the right as they looked at it. Still holding each other tight, they both wondered what the hell was going on.
With no other thoughts or plans and deflecting away the oncoming threat with magic not an option, the elder of the two brothers followed in his father’s footsteps and decided to get out of the way of certain doom. Knees already bent, he pushed off, and with one flap of his mighty wings, had taken fully to the air, out of any immediate danger, although that’s not what that tiny voice, the one that only made an appearance when everything felt wrong, screamed.
Off to one side, the leader, back on his feet, watched in total admiration, tinged with more than a little jealousy, as his son pounced skyward, or in this case, ceilingward. Memories of times gone past flooded his mind; immediately though his attention was drawn back to the here and now, a sliver of a smile breaking out across his harsh features.
‘Oh dear,’ he thought. ‘I don’t think they’ve accounted for that.’
Huddled together, mother and son were absolutely dumbstruck to find a shocking, spider web array of fluorescent green projectiles heading directly for them as Man lifted off into the air and out of the way. Frozen solid with fear, their mother’s thoughts were only with her sons, glad that one had got to relative safety, scared for the other, knowing that he didn’t have the courage or the convictions
of his sibling. In an act enabled only by a mother’s love, she grabbed Josh’s hand tight, and as she mouthed the words, “I love you,” she jumped in front of her son, holding him tight.
Doubling back on himself in the tightest of turns, only then did he realise exactly what had happened and how, by avoiding the attack, he’d put those he loved in the way of danger. Helplessly, Man watched as the magical cascade of poisonous missiles closed in on Josh and their mother. One thing was certain, they didn’t stand a chance. And then, quick as a flash, she sacrificed everything, throwing herself in front of her youngest son, a self sacrifice she was only too willing to make for her offspring, a mother’s duty fulfilled, forgoing everything she’d ever known for love and the chance for her children to have a better life.
Off to one side, still smirking, counting himself lucky to be alive, the leader watched the wicked naga magic meant for him slam into the back of his children’s mother, infiltrating her with an array of toxins, causing her skin to blacken and harden, eliciting a high-pitched scream that cut through everything around them. With all the poisonous darts having either hit the icy walls, or been absorbed by the self sacrificing mother, a decision was made, one that reeked of havoc, vengeance and fury.
Man dropped like a stone out of the air directly in front of his father, his face a twisted grimace full of rage, thoughts of revenge consuming him fully.
Shocked at not having more time, the leader took one step back, trying to assess his situation. It wasn’t good, that was for sure.
One thought, and one thought only, made him open his mouth. Right at this very moment, he knew that his life depended on him appearing to care for another. A brand new experience for him, he gave his all in his pretence.
“Oh my God... what’s happened?” he voiced, shaking like a tree in the wind.
“DON’T YOU DARE GIVE ME THAT!” roared the dragon form of his son, stomping closer.
“She’s hurt, she’s hurt... we have to save her.”
Still Man closed in, brilliant, bright yellow and orange swirls of flame washing around inside his mouth, tiny sparks washing out through the miniscule gaps between his teeth.
“I’M GOING TO RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND PEE DOWN YOUR NECK,” Man bellowed furiously, closing to almost within striking distance.
Here it came... the single biggest lie of his life, and one that he hoped would keep him in the land of the living.
“I can save her... it’s still possible. But we have to hurry.”
That stopped the hulking great prehistoric form in its tracks instantly. But would it be enough?
Collapsing in his arms, Josh watched wide-eyed as blood spilled from between his mother’s lips and dribbled precariously down her chin.
“NO!” he pleaded.
But as she slipped through his arms and slammed to the ground, a distinctive green aura enveloped her, as crusty, black patches of withered skin started to appear across her body.
“MAN... HELP! She’s dying, we have to save her, we have to do something!”
His brother’s voice ringing in his ears from behind him, Man knew better than to turn around and present his back to his father.
“I can save her,” repeated the leader, “but there’s little time. It has to be done quickly.”
“THEN DO IT!” Man demanded, stepping off to one side.
Here it comes... the gamble that might or might not save not only his life, but that of the planet as well.
“If I’m going to do just that... I need something in return.”
Man was incredulous, although knowing his father he really shouldn’t have been.
“You want to bargain at a time like this, when you yourself have stated that time is of the essence?” he ranted, his voice quivering with fury, about to blow his top.
“I’m not going to save her only to find that you try and kill me. What would be the point of that?”
Desperate, and barely able to believe a word his father said, out of the corner of his eye, he could just make out his mother lying on the ground, tossing and turning, looking in as much pain as he’d ever seen another being. Pain from the sight of this forced his thinking to become clear, knowing that if he wanted to save his mother, there was only one thing to do... agree to any and all demands his father had.
“What is it you want?”
“I’m going to say a sentence, and you’re going to repeat it.”
“And what’s the catch?”
“It’s a magical declaration, one that will stop you from killing me. If you say it with your willpower and magic behind it, then you’ll be no threat to me, and I can gladly save your mother.”
“But it’s no guarantee that you won’t kill me, is that right?”
“It doesn’t work both ways... no.”
‘Of all the things...’ Man thought. ‘If I agree to it, then I can’t kill him. How will he be stopped? But if I don’t agree and quickly, Mother dies... this is unbelievable!’
Of course there really was only one choice and both beings knew it. There was only ever going to be one outcome, that’s how much Man loved his mother.
“Let’s do it, and quickly. And by the way, if you fail to save her... I’ll find a way, on that you have my word.”
Nodding his head, the leader understood the threat to his life. Delving deep into his vast repository of magical knowledge, he trawled the very dark depths before finally coming up with the information he needed.
“You need to repeat after me exactly, as well as adding a significant amount of your willpower and magic. If you don’t, I’ll know.”
Nodding in understanding, Man closed his huge eyelids, and waited for it to begin, dreading the consequences of what he was about to do, all the time fearful for his mother’s life.
“Et ego vos moneo acquiesco, et venientes ad pedes vestri, ita ut colonus erit usque ad finem dierum,” the leader stated carefully, sure to pronounce every word correctly.
Swallowing nervously, Man flooded himself with magic, mustered up all the willpower he could under the circumstances, and repeated every word, still not entirely sure to what he was agreeing.
“Et ego vos moneo acquiesco, et venientes ad pedes vestri, ita ut colonus erit usque ad finem dierum.”
In effect what he’d done was bind himself magically to an agreement that, when translated, went something like this.
“I acquiesce and proffer myself at your feet, agreeing to serve you until the end of days.”
As the last word rolled off Man’s tongue, an uncomfortable tingling sensation, starting at the talons on his feet, spreading to his head and encompassing his arms and the rest of his body, pricked his skin and boiled his blood. Magic molecules collided within him, wrapping around his very core, bonding him to his word. It felt as though at the back of his mind, a very different type of morality sat their waiting to override any of his decisions. Unusual, ancient magic working in the background was how best to describe it.
Back in the present, already regretting his decision, he turned to face his father.
“Save her,” he implored.
“I can’t do that.”
“WHAT!” barked Man.
“But I can show you how to.”
“Go on.”
Deep inside the leader, he savoured the moment in all its deliciousness. It was truly his crowning glory, both magnificent in its timing and fantastic in the turnaround that it had presented over the course of a few minutes. Fate, as he well knew, could be a fickle mistress, but on this occasion, here and now, had acted more like a benevolent god towards him. Determined not to squander the chance, he ploughed on.
“To save her, you have to neutralise the poison seeping through her body. There’s only one way to do that... FIRE!”
“WHAT! YOU’RE KIDDING!”
“No. I’m telling you how to save her. You have to run your flame across the whole of her body, keeping it at a very steady temperature. If done correctly, the poison will burn off and slowly start to seep
and evaporate out of her. It has to be constant, and probably at the lowest temperature you can maintain. Three or four long slow passes should do the trick. I wouldn’t wait much longer if I were you, otherwise it will be too late.”
At that precise point in his very short lived life, his father’s suggestion seemed like the absolute definition of insanity. But what other choice did he have? Reaching out telepathically, hoping not to gain any sort of attention, he tapped into his brother’s mind and told him what his father had said, waiting to hear his opinion.
“If he says that’ll work, I’m sure it will.”
“But does it sound right?” asked Man, confused conflicted and running out of time.
“Why wouldn’t it?” replied Josh.
“Think, dammit, think, Josh! Although our magical knowledge maybe limited, we’ve learnt the basics over the last year or so. Nothing like this, I have to admit, but our studies have included the sciences. What he suggests sounds to me as though it couldn’t possibly work. Think about it as a whole, disregard the magical aspects if you like. Could it, or should it work? Tell me your opinion.”
Under more pressure than he’d ever been in his entire life, the younger brother thought about his sibling’s question, trying to remember all the work he’d done in class, trying to remember things he’d not even learnt yet. Try as he might though, the answers he was searching for just wouldn’t come. That is, until he received an almost imperceptible magical nudge that tipped him over the edge.
“It’s right,” he uttered across their link for only Man to hear.
“Are you sure?” asked his brother.
“I am,” he replied confidently.
A smile of epic proportions spread out across the leader’s mind, not making a dent in his stoic physical face.