The Redmadafa

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The Redmadafa Page 33

by Gary Foshee


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  Dr. Gary Warren Foshee

  struck by courage, courage unknown to Slithler’s forces, as ser-

  vants clashed with the enemy rushing through the breached wal .

  Vines weaved through the battle and wrapped around their

  legs, pulling them into The Redmadafa, as Bugler fish and other

  river creatures torpedoed out of the water slamming them from

  every direction.

  “Traegor, the line is giving way. There’s too many of them,”

  yelled Oka, the Plant King.

  “Hold the line Oka, we must hold the line.”

  Mushrooms piled into baskets and catapulted over the wal .

  They sacrificed themselves by releasing a toxic cloud of poison in the air, inflaming throats and choking others.

  Viper broke through the wal , crushing both armies merci-

  lessly under his feet. He crossed the courtyards and punched the temple over and over, breaking off numerous towers.

  Urium flew into the temple, through the chapel, down the

  hal way, and up the stairs searching for Caboose. Rounding the

  corner he found him standing in Onuka’s chamber, helping him

  gathering the rest of his things. The room shook violently each

  time Viper struck the temple.

  “Caboose, you must get in the tunnels now.” Traegor can’t

  hold them back much longer. The line is falling.”

  Caboose reached into his pocket and fished around for some-

  thing. He searched all over…

  “What are you looking for,” asked Urium?

  “The dragon claws. They’ll help Traegor and the others,” he

  said, still searching his pockets. “I can’t find them Urium, do you have them?”

  With a puzzled look on his face, Urium replied, “Dragon

  claws? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know what I’m talking about?

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  The dragon claws you gave me. You know, ‘ pull them out, cast them about!’”

  “Caboose, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never

  gave you any dragon claws.”

  Confused Caboose grabbed him, “Of course you did. You

  gave me dragon scales to heal my wounds. You gave me dragon

  intestines to scale down Dead Man’s Drop. You gave me dragon’s

  blood to renew my strength and Seven gave me dragon claws to

  help fight for my friends.”

  Urium looked at Caboose and shook his head, “Caboose, I

  never gave you any of those things.”

  “But… I used them in the colosseum. What’s going on?

  Urium, what’s going on?”

  Urium, realizing what had happened, smiled and affirmed,

  “What you experienced was not of this world. It was not by

  might, nor by power that The Augur helped you in the valley, it

  was by His Great Spirit. It was His power that delivered you from death. It was His power that renewed your strength. It was His

  power that gave you the courage to scale down the cliff at Dead

  Man’s Drop. And it was His mighty hands that fought for you in

  the colosseum.”

  “His Spirit? I don’t understand?”

  “You wil ,” said Urium. “After all of this is over and The Augur pours Him out, you wil .”

  The ceiling above them cracked and buckled in the middle.

  Onuka and Caboose ran out of the room as it caved-in and they

  raced down the hal way, dodging falling debris. Stairs crumbled

  beneath their feet as they headed for the tunnels, causing Onuka to fall to the ground, pinning him underneath a wood beam.

  “Keep going,” said Onuka, “You have to make it.”

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  Caboose, didn’t listen. He grabbed the beam and lifted with

  all his might but it was too heavy. He looked for something to

  give him leverage, but found nothing.

  Rinox appeared at the top of the stairs, which was col aps-

  ing, and jumped. He landed on the stairs, which had partial y

  col apsed behind Caboose, and swayed back, about to fall into

  the gap that had opened up. Rinox teetered back just as Caboose

  grabbed his arm pulling him to safety.

  “You must get into the tunnels. The wall has fallen and crawl-

  ers and trol s have already entered the sanctuary.”

  Rinox and Caboose lifted the beam off of Onuka and turned

  to run, just as a troll dropped down on Rinox thrusting him to

  the ground. Rinox’ stood up and stabbed it in the side with his

  horn. The troll jumped back on Rinox and pinned him to the

  ground again. Caboose jumped on its back rolling it off Rinox

  and down the stairs—Caboose rolled out of the way just as the

  troll slammed against the door, blocking their route. Rinox fol-

  lowed suit and rammed it again before it could get up, stabbing it in the stomach. He moved the large troll out of the way with his powerful neck muscles leaving a crack large enough for them to

  squeeze through.

  Crawlers oozed down the sides, scampering to join the fight.

  They spewed webs from their mouths but missed, as Rinox,

  Caboose, and Onuka squeezed through the crack and ran down

  the hal way to the hidden door leading to the tunnels. Onuka

  counted the torches on the wall as he ran by and then reached up and pulled a torch holder that looked like the talons of an eagle.

  He twisted it around to the right once and then to the left twice.

  “Were not going to make it!” yelled Caboose, waiting for the

  door to open.

  “Go,” said Rinox, “I’ll hold them off.” He wheeled around and

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  charged the crawlers ramming them against the wal . Their hairy

  legs beat against his back as they spit webbing all over him trying to free themselves. Trapped, he looked back at Caboose and

  yelled, “Close the door! Close the door now!”

  Caboose hesitated at the door. “You can make it Rinox. You

  can make it.” Onuka pulled him in and closed the door as Rinox

  said, “You’re the one Caboose— until the last breath.”

  The door closed. Rinox backed up, roared, and slammed

  the sides of the wal s as hard as he could. The crawlers turned to escape his fury, but it was too late. The ceiling caved crushing all of them beneath the rubble.

  Outside, Viper blasted the temple. He hit it over and over,

  spewing lava from his mouth, melting the wal s, caving-in the

  sides. The temple crumbled under his blows and struggled to

  maintain its foundations.

  Over the horizon, the earth delegations approached the outer

  wal s of Thunder Juice Town. Rocks, trees, plants, beasts, crea-

  tures and humans marched through the holes in the wal s and

  raced through the Eastern streets to the temple valiantly fighting along the way. Arsonon broke from the fight and found Legion

  standing outside the temple wal , observing the destruction

  inside.

  “Reinforcements have arrived from the East. What should

  we do?”

  “Take the second battalion and strike them head-on. Divide

  the third, and flank them from both sides. Don’t let them reach

  the temple.”

  Atrokus and the rest of the Northern celestial guard remained

  hidden over the temple, covered in a protective invisible shield keeping their presence unknown. Atrokus left the shield and flew ove
r to Miaphas who was in the middle of the garden protecting

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  key individuals His Majesty had ordered to stay alive. “Miaphas, they’ve arrived,” said Atrokus. “Look, Zoma is leading the charge.”

  Stumpy, perched high in a tree given orders to those on the

  ground, yelled down at Traegor, “Traegor, look; our friends, they fight for us. They fight for us!”

  “It’s too late. They’ll never make it to us in time. Have every-

  one climb the trees.”

  Stumpy looked at him awkwardly.

  “Just do it, and hurry Stumpy. We’re running out of time.”

  Traegor broke from the fight and ran through the outer

  courts. He jumped over dead bodies and ran up and over a

  magondrea and then under a crawler slicing its bel y with his

  claws. He jumped on top of a gog and broke its neck with his

  paws. Dozens of howlers pursued him trying to reclaim his life.

  Traegor ran into the middle of The Redmadafa, spun around and

  called out:

  “Mighty river

  Cumber and red,

  Rise from your slumber,

  Protect us from the dead!”

  Spikes rippled across the water. Rumbles filled the air, shak-

  ing the temple mount and all of Thunder Juice Town, as The

  Redmadafa erupted high into the sky. A tidal wave ripped into

  the outer courts flooding it, drowning Slithler’s army instantly.

  Others struggled to stay afloat as wave after wave pummeled them.

  Leviathan lunged around the bend and entered the outer

  courts plucking beasts out of the water like mushy marts being

  gobbled up by younglings.

  A large column of water, shaped like a hand, thrust from the

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  river and punched Viper knocking him off his feet and into the

  temple. Viper stood up and spewed lava but The Redmadafa was

  too powerful. It punched him again, sending Viper crashing back

  into the temple mount—or what was left of it.

  In the middle of the river, a whirlpool opened. Viper fought

  violently, punching at the water and clawing at the temple, but

  the more he struggled the further he sank beneath its torrent.

  Viper disappeared beneath the majestic, red waters, extinguish-

  ing his flames, quenching his fury.

  The water receded from the outer courts, revealing the aftermath.

  Traegor and the remaining temple servants looked around in dis-

  believe. Slithler’s army had been swept away by Leviathan and the waters of The Redmadafa, but the war was far from over. The temple lay in shambles—its massive wal s left unsecure and gapped.

  The beautiful botanical gardens, sculptures, porticos and cisterns all destroyed, ruined by the pride and disobedience of man.

  Stumpy and the remaining army climbed down from the

  trees.

  “Secure the wal . Hurry before they attack again,” ordered

  Traegor.

  The courtyard came to life again with trees, plants, and rocks

  using their bodies for supports to close and seal up the gaps in the wal s. The remaining delegates from earth assembled inside

  the wal s and laid out new battle plans.

  Legion, turned to Slithler and snarled, “What now Master?”

  “Unleash the Shadow of Death. They have foolishly played all

  their cards. Finish them off; don’t leave any survivors.”

  Legion pulled out a dragon’s horn and blew. His army gath-

  ered around the temple wal s and waited.

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  Dr. Gary Warren Foshee

  * * * * * * *

  Inside the tunnels, the people were puzzled. They did not know

  what had happened outside. The sudden quietness, which should

  have brought a sense of calm and subtle peace, turned deathly

  peculiar. The noise outside had stopped. Ears twitched and lis-

  tened, wondering if it was over. Speculation filtered through the tunnel, was it over? Were they safe? Conclusions were dim, dangling faith by a thread.

  Caboose walked down the tunnels, attending the sick, look-

  ing for his mother and sister.

  “Young grunter, did you just come from outside?” asked an

  old frail voice sheeplessly tucked away in a corner.

  Caboose stopped and acknowledged the elderly woman,

  comforting her, reassuring her everything would be alright.

  By the time he had finished talking, another voice reached out

  to him.

  “Koby?” This time a young human girl addressed him. “Is

  that you?”

  He focused on her face—her voice unfamiliar.

  “It’s me, Brook.”

  Her face looked different—better—alive. “Wow, you look dif-

  ferent. Good. I mean, you look real y good.” I didn’t think she knew me especial y my real name, he thought.

  Brook began to cry. She stood up and wrapped her arms

  around him. “It is you. It’s so good to see you.” She stepped back from him for a moment and looked him over and then hugged

  him again. “You’re alive. You’re alive.”

  Caboose was at a loss for words. He hugged her back and

  smiled. “Are you ok? I mean, is everything alright?”

  “It is now. Your Papa, have you seen your Papa?”

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  Caboose drew his face, puzzled that she was asking such a

  strange question. “Yes, I have seen him. How…”

  She interrupted him, “How is he? Is he ok?”

  Puzzled he asked, “You know my Papa?”

  Brook dropped her eyes and straightened her shirt. “I…left

  home several months ago and found this gate.”

  His chest heaved.

  “I was in the middle of this tree about to drop my last silver

  coin into a stone when your Papa came busting through the door,

  knocking the coin out of my hand, yelling at me to never touch it again. At first, I thought he was crazy. He explained to me that he had been there before, and how it was all a lie. Anyway, long story short, He saved my life. How is he?”

  Caboose stood in shock. He didn’t know how to tell her his

  father was dead. He searched his thoughts and rubbed his hands.

  “Brook, my Papa is…dead. He gave his life, protecting me in

  the pit.”

  She froze. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her

  rosy red cheeks, full of color and life. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She thought for a moment and then replied, “A rainbow. Your Papa

  was a rainbow of many colors.”

  Caboose never expected to hear his Papa described so,

  colorfully.

  “He was a great man. He changed my life and the life of my

  family forever.”

  Brook, remembering what Chesty said about a song coming

  from the heart, stood up and to ease the tension in the tunnels, sang:

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  Dr. Gary Warren Foshee

  Yel ow is a golden crown

  Of precious jewels placed all around,

  That someday I will lay at his feet.

  Green is the breath of life

  Carried by the wind,

  Whispering his name for all the earth to hear.

  Purple adorns His Majesty

  The proof that he made all things,

  I am now a child of the King of Kings.

  I thank you Lord, for blessing me abundantly;

  I can see the many colors

  The colors of the rainbow

  Shining brightly way u
p in the sky.

  Red, blue, yel ow, purple and green

  A promise made for eternity,

  A promise that we can all be free

  A promise that, I was made to do Great Things.

  Blue is an ocean

  Waving in the distance,

  Guiding me through the storms of life.

  Red is the crimson flow

  That reminds me of my savior,

  And the blood that he shed for you and me.

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  THE REDMADAFA

  I thank you Lord, for blessing me abundantly;

  I can see the many colors

  The colors of the rainbow

  Shining brightly way up in the sky

  Red, blue, yel ow, purple and green

  A promise made for eternity,

  A promise that we can all be free,

  A promise that, I was made to do Great Things.

  Outside, atop one of the broken statues, a small mushroom

  began to drum vigorously. He jumped down and ran through

  the ranks, pushing his way to Traegor. Climbing up his leg and

  across his spiky back, he whispered in his ear. Traegor whirled

  around and climbed back up a tree. His formidable eyes scanned

  the eastern mouth of the mountains. His heart bubbled and his

  tongue rejoiced, his body tingling with joy. With a strength that transcends understanding he shouted:

  “Behold, The White Wooly! The precious Lamb of God!”

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  C H A P T E R 1 5

  The Shadow of Death

  Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where

  is thy victory?

  AURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! The Redmadafa

  vibrated, its waters rippled with thousands of Bugler Fish

  sounding their trumpets, rupturing the eardrums of Slithler’s

  cryptic army. Trees snapped, water clapped and rocks tapped.

  Mushrooms drummed, flowers hummed and grasses strummed.

  Glory shone, praise rejoiced, jubilee danced, and victory shouted!

  The Southern Celestial guard stood at attention, their hearts

  and minds backwashing with memories of times past, waiting

  for justice to smite its evil enemy. Miaphas’ eyes glossed with the sight of White; he had waited faithful y for the signal. With victory in his voice and triumph filling the air, he towered into the 330

  THE REDMADAFA

  sky, and as the invisible shield fell revealing the Southern celestial guard, he prophetical y proclaimed:

  “A trick for the trickster,

  A cross for the dross.

  His death has brought life,

 

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