Call of Kuyr

by J C Gilbert

  "And now it is time for you to go," said Martin. He unhooked a small ax from his side. It was silver and seemed to catch the light of all the spells which were being lunged around the place.

  In no time at all, he was upon Kuyr again. Could he really do it? My heart was high in my chest as I could not believe what I was about to see. Martin had the power all along.

  Martin rose the ax up in an arc and swung it down hard towards Kuyr's neck.

  But before the cut could occur, Kuyr started to transform. Still keeping his wings, he began to shrink, his features softening, his talons retracting into slender arms. From somewhere in the folds of reality came Mary in her crimson cloak.

  "Please," she said softly. She was crying.

  Martin hesitated.

  "Martin, no!" I yelled, but it was too late. Mary's hand was on his throat in no time. Martin struggled to break free of the grip, but Mary's fingers were closed tight. She was choking Martin. He dropped his ax.

  Kuyr laughed and carried the flailing body away up the temple mountain, towards its highest point.

  I couldn't wait there any longer. I had to get down. I went to the edge and tried to find a foothold. A wind blew past me as I tried to climb. I have never been any good at climbing. Heights are OK. I was OK with heights. The ground, on the other hand, was another matter, and this ground was haunted by the terrible presence of Aeoran, casually gobbling up the world's inhabitants before the end times.

  My foot slipped, and some rubble fell below. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and continued the descent. To my relief the climb got easier the further I got down as the temple sloped outward near where it became level with the battlefield.

  Once down, I searched about for Lilly and Trist. They did not appear to be on the pile of rubble where I last saw them. They could be dead? I tried to push the thought from my mind.

  The battle was dying away now. There did not seem to be many left on either side. This was truly the battle of the end times. I darted across the expanse as quickly as I could and sought shelter in the passages on the other side.

  "Lilly!" I called. There was no answer. Shadows were moving in the passage ahead, but I couldn't tell if they were human or gargoyle. It was a gamble using my magic with the world so damaged, but I didn't have time to play hide and seek.

  A cloud of fiery butterflies leaped from my palms and proceeded to fill the dark places in the passage. There was no one there. I ran forward, trying to find anyone that could help me. My eyes darted this way and that.

  "It was a good fight," said a voice, deep and gruff. I looked about to see Darion propped up against a pillar. His left hand was pressed into his side. Blood trickled through his fingers.

  "Where are the others? Are they safe?" I demanded.

  "I told them to get as far away from this place as they could. No sense us all dying here. For me, I am just content to have seen the Rams fight like Rams this one last time. Munrath would be proud. He is the god of fire and blood and chaos. Tonight was his night." Darion coughed and winced in pain.

  "Kuyr took Martin up the temple. I think that he-"

  "He fought well too, child. Do not mourn him. He has joined the glorious dead and has earned a place of honor in the halls of our fathers."

  "OK," I said. I didn't know what else to say? The man was clearly mad. "Which direction did the others go. Martin nodded down the passage ahead. "Do you need any help?" I asked.

  "I'll be fine. I'd like to say hello to this Kuyr fellow if he comes my way. There is still some strength left in this arm, I think." He raised it a few inches off the ground. "Nope, must be the other one," he said.

  "I'll be going then," I said. "Thank you."

  I took off down the passage as fast as I could, my butterflies leading the way. They reminded me distantly of the butterflies in the forest of Avonheim. Perhaps they were, in some weird way.

  I saw movement up ahead and ran even faster. Hank whispered to me all the things that might have happened to them. I envisioned finding their lifeless bodies among countless dead. Or maybe the World Snake devoured them and I would never find them. I tried to bring my attention back to the moment.

  Thinking about those things was not useful, and I needed my full wits about me. Just then my foot caught on a tree branch which had penetrated through time and stone. I fell, but a few random flailings of my hand caught on a low branch, and I righted myself.

  My bag flung open, and the charred Book of Martin skidded across the stones.

  "Alex! No!" called a voice. It was Lilly. She was looking terrified at something behind me, something big.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  I dove for The Book of Martin and tried to get a look at whatever it was behind me. The face of the World Snake filled my experience. From this close, I could see the way its individual scales shone like moonlight. Its eyes were filled with intelligence.

  Aeoran moved like lightning. I tried to dodge it but was too slow. I felt its ghostly form move through me. I was being devoured. There was a flash of light, and then I was standing a few feet from the snake. The snake looked up at me, puzzled and then lunged forward. I could feel that there was a part of my mind where this magic was happening. It lunged at me, and I tried to teleport again, but this time control where I ended up.

  There was a flash and the world dissolved and then reformed with me in it, but a few feet from where I had been standing before.

  "Well, that's different," said Lilly.

  The snake looked clearly confused. It faced its head toward the temple and made a strange throat noise as if it were calling.

  Lilly and I watched as the snake listened. With one last look at us, it slithered off into the night.

  "Thank goodness you are OK," I said, wrapping my arms around Lilly.

  "Where have you been?" she demanded.

  "I was caught on the other side of the battle line. I was with Martin when they arrived. Where is Trist?"

  "Back that way, playing hero," said Lilly. "Is Kuyr still-"

  "Yeah, I'm afraid so."

  "I thought that Martin had him for sure."

  "I saw Kuyr kill Martin and carry him off. We need to get Kuyr and his chalice out of here. This world only has moments."

  "What happens if we get caught inside?"

  "I really don't know," I said.

  There was a flash as one of the gargoyle's pistols were discharged nearby. "Yee-ha!" called Trist.

  "No, I draw the line at yee-ha," muttered Lilly.

  Martin fired the pistol a few more times. It then went dark. He pulled the trigger twice more. The passage echoed with the empty clicks. He looked at his gun, threw it at his foe, and then ran towards us, a silly smile on his face.

  "I like that weapon," he said as he approached, "move move move!"

  From behind him came storming a group of gargoyles, led by the one larger gargoyle that escaped. Trist drew his light sword, and it hummed.

  "Alright, don't move," he said, joining us. "Nice butterflies, by the way."

  "Thanks," I said. I pulled an invisible sword from my side, and it became real as flame in my hand. The fire tickled slightly against my skin. The butterflies fell from the air around us.

  "No fair," said Lilly, regarding the mundane ax in her hand. I could have been mistaken, but it looked like the silver ax which Martin had carried. I wondered if she knew.

  "Little pig?" called a voice

  I spun to look out of a window facing towards the inner temple. Kuyr was landing gently on the ground outside, surveying the battlefield. "Little pig?" he repeated.

  I looked desperately at Lilly. "Go," she said. "We will be OK."

  I nodded and made for the nearest exit on the inner temple side. I was tired now, body and soul. I paused at the passage exit, took a moment to acknowledge Hank. 'Thanks for trying to keep me safe,' I thought.

  I stepped out into the night,

  Kuyr began to clap. "There you are," he said. "Turns out you did know something about thi
ngs. I don't like the snake, you know. He is annoying. Always turns up just as things are getting fun."

  "Please, Mary. There isn't much time. If I don't have the chalice soon, then this world will be finished forever. You don't have to do this."

  "I'm sorry to break it to you, kid, but Mary ain't driving this thing. It was way more fun when I handed over the reins. Oh, how she cried after each kill. But she continued to kill whenever I asked. What does that say, hmmm?"

  "It says that you are a monster," I said.

  "Boring," said Kuyr. "I think I might kill this Mary soon. She is not even playing anymore, and it is no fun when I'm doing all the work myself."

  "Was that you or Mary that killed Martin?"

  Kuyr laughed. "Killed Martin? He is not dead. He is taking the slow road."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I tied him to the temple. He will still be bleeding out. He looked very picturesque up there in the starlight."

  My thoughts raced. This all sounded suspiciously like an auspicious death. If Martin died up there then exactly what would step into this world?

  "Lilly!" I called, "you need to get to Martin!"

  Trist and Lilly ran out of the temple passage, weapons waving and gargoyles in pursuit. "We are kind of occupied," said Lilly.

  Kuyr laughed and shook his head.

  "He is in the center temple!" I yelled.

  "I don't know what you are trying to achieve," said Kuyr, "but you know your friends aren't going to get up there alive, don't you?"

  Kuyr thrust a talon into the air, sending purple sparks flying. The Rose of the Raven glowed brighter where he had set it in his chest armor.

  A silence hung over the temple as several of the lingering battles became quiet. My heart thudded in my chest. Just then, the whole swarm of gargoyles spun towards where Lilly and Trist were standing.

  I had to think quickly. Thrusting my hand into my pocket, I found the Cheathr Ark. "Lilly, take this!" I called. She caught it and looked at it.

  "I didn't know I could catch," she said, "what do I do with it?"

  But it was too late, the gargoyles were upon her. She screamed as they clawed with talon and tooth.

  Kuyr laughed. He took up a few pebbles from the ground and started hurling them at the swarm. "Catch, Lilly, catch!"

  Tears welled up in my eyes. I tried to think of what I could do to stop them, but there was nothing I could think of that wouldn't also cook them alive.

  There was a sudden whoosh of breeze, and the swarm vanished. Kuyr stopped throwing rocks. "My toys," he said, his face looking dejected. He turned on me. "Where are my toys?" he asked with a growl.

  There was another whoosh of wind and Trist appeared with Lilly in his arms right where the swarm had been.

  "You should really keep snacks in there," said Lilly, weakly.

  Trist looked alarmed and powered up his sword. "I waited as long as I could!" he said desperately, "she needs help!"

  The only way I could help her now was to finish this, and that meant getting Martin into The Library. I focused on the temple above and teleported.

  "What the-" said Kuyr. A fallen piece of rubble gave away my position. I looked back in time to see Kuyr take flight. I looked ahead, chose a spot, and then teleported there. Each time I saw The Library for a fleeting instance.

  I felt a sinking feeling in my gut as I realized that I had teleported off the ground. Desperately I focused on another point higher up. I then found myself falling again. Fine, as long as I was getting closer to Martin.

  Between flashes, I could see the temple layout below. The battle had taken place on the second of the three tiers of the temple mountain. The highest level was the grandest with four great towers surrounding a colossal monument in the center. I couldn't quite make out Martin, but I knew in my heart that he was atop that monument.

  "No fair!" called Kuyr, "how are you doing that?"

  I reached the four towers with my next jump. I wasn't far now. I could just see in the broken starlight that there was something tied to the monument. The monument itself was three snakes, coiling about each other. They looked suspiciously like the World Snake.

  One more jump and I was there. Martin wasn't moving. His arms were spread out either side of him and tied behind the head of a snake.

  "Martin," I said, "I gotta get you out of here."

  "I knew I would die today," he said weakly, "it is my destiny, shepherd."

  "No, I have a way. I can save you and this place. If you die - "

  "Goodbye," he said, "you have a compassionate heart. I like that."

  Martin closed his eyes, and the world shook.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  The temple was collapsing. I desperately tried to bring Martin around, but it was too late. I was too late. Kuyr was flying overhead, laughing.

  "You are great!" he said. "The best entertainment I have had in years. Of course, I've been stuck in this thing," he waved the chalice, "for a millennia, so there's that. But nevertheless, I am enjoying this."

  This was it. There was nothing more I could do but get back to the lower level of the temple and try and bring as many people through to The Library as possible. I teleported again and again. The whole way, Kuyr's laughs were punctuated by the sudden silence of a peaceful library.

  Once I had landed on the second level, I stumbled and collapsed. There was nothing left in me. But I couldn't rest now. I had to get up.

  "Lilly!" I called.

  "Over here!" yelled Trist.

  I moved to go to him, but Kuyr landed between us. "Well, every good thing comes to an end," said Kuyr. Mary's face rippled over his own, "time to lose your arms," she said.

  A great roar echoed through the crumbling temple. Kuyr looked back towards where we had just been. From the place where Martin had been tied up, there was now the glow of orange flame. At the center of the flame was a beast.

  It must have stood ten feet tall. Fire kissed every part of its muscled body. Gigantic horns protruded from its head.

  "Martin?" I asked, softly.

  "Munrath," said Trist.

  "Bugger that," said Kuyr.

  The monster roared with its bestial snout and started bounding down towards us.

  "Playtime is over," said Kuyr, "naptime, please."

  With that, he started to glow. It seemed like he was transforming back into Mary, but something else was happening too. The form of Kuyr was being pulled into the chalice. It fell to the ground. Glowed for a moment and then went dark. Mary fell to her knees.

  "The chalice!" I called to Trist. He took one look at Lilly where he had her propped against a stone and ran for it. Mary gazed up at the chalice with unseeing eyes. Trist dived and grabbed it with both hands. Mary did not seem to care.

  The War God Munrath continued his descent. The remainder of the company were nearby now. They had come to fight Kuyr and instead they faced something entirely different.

  Trist stood up and regarded the oncoming storm. "A God of Peace?" he asked with a smile. It seemed out of place given the circumstances. "I think Martin may have been wrong about a few things."

  "Don't worry about that. Give me the chalice and get all these people into one spot. I can help them. Don't ask me how, but I can."

  Trist gave me a sad smiled. "I'm sorry Alex, but I can't let you have this," he said, looking down at the chalice.

  "Wha- what do you mean?"

  "I have what I need, so I guess there is no point sticking around," he pulled out his sword and cut through the air. A portal opened up, its edges sizzling with energy. Trist took a step into the portal and looked back. "Tell Lilly I'm sorry," he said.

  "Trist?" I said, stepping forward. But it was too late. The portal was closed, and Trist was gone

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  There was no time to lose. I pulled Mary to her feet and rushed to Lilly's side. She looked pretty beat up but was able to stand.

  "Where is Trist?" she asked.

  "Safe, I think," I sa
id, trying to hide my anger. Had Trist been playing us this entire time? Just who exactly was he, anyway? There was no time to think now. The beast was on the rampage, and it was coming this way.

  "Come on," I said, pulling them away toward the place where Martin and I had meditated just a few hours before. Meditation wouldn't save us now.

  Munrath continued to charge through stone and foliage, setting small fires as he went. At last, he reached the second level. He jumped into the air and then landed on the World Snake. Aeoran howled in pain. The beast picked up the snake and hurled it through the air. Munrath spun towards us, we dived again. I fell back onto the ground, the wind knocked out of me.

  "Well, that's a sight," said Darion from the nearby shadows.

  I could feel my consciousness slipping away. The scar on my wrist throbbed with more intensity than ever. I was on my back now, gazing up at the sky. There seemed to be a lot more nothingness and a lot fewer stars. Vaguely I was aware that Aeoran was curling off into his own dimension and that the god of fire and rage was coming our way.

  My eyes closed. I was strangely peaceful in this place of terror. I wondered if this was just what dying was like for people.

  Then I became aware of a figure stooping over me. She looked at me with sadness in her eyes. She was out of place, dressed as she was in a flowing black gown. The figure knelt beside me and put a hand on my forehead. She then whispered something. The words seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite understand them. I found myself mouthing them, and then saying them.

  "Claudere Caelum!"

  I sat up, and Elaine vanished. A beam of pale white light shot out of me. Munrath was almost upon us now. One more bound and he would be here. The beam reached a point in the sky and then started forming a dome all around us. Munrath collided with the silvery shield with a zap. He fell backward in rage.

  I looked about in wonder. There were not many Rams and Ravens left now. I noticed that the old woman was still here. The filth of battle covered her garments, but she was otherwise unscathed.