by K MacBurn
“The Croc monks try not to concern themselves with the day-to-day struggles of Nexus. They look at the bigger picture for the most part. Jarden has never been able to detach himself like that. He keeps himself involved in all the goings-on.
A long time ago, Ransidius’ father was the leader of the Sabres. He did a good job at keeping the Pride to the north. He didn’t want to rule everything, he just wanted to bring his people under one leader. He and Jarden were good friends, often going to the Monk for advice.
Ransidius grew tired of being under his father, and took matters into his own hands. His methods were much more brutal and cunning than the old Lord’s. He recruited outsiders to his cause; the Crow joined him, and with her came the potion that uses human blood to increase strength and speed.
Near the end, Jarden tried to negotiate a peaceful agreement, but Ransidius ended up killing his father and declared all of Nexus would be his.
Jarden then became the only voice of reason for the human’s being slaughtered to fuel his armies. He convinced the Croc monks to build the gates, and evacuate the remaining humans.”
Taylor could agree that, beyond his rough exterior, the Monk could be protective, and sweet-ish when he wasn’t being a dirty old man.
“Anyway, Ransidius and Jarden remained on speaking terms, even if they did not agree with each other. Mostly because the Croc acted as a messenger between the sides.”
Taylor frowned.
“Does he still do that?”
“No, he has been a bit of a hermit the last twelve years, letting the sides deal with their own problems.”
Twelve years seemed to mean something important; it took awhile for Taylor to piece it together, but soon she remembered Jarden had taken in Tarak after Ransidius killed his parents at the temple. He had been looking after and protecting the young Tiger.
They walked farther west for a bit before turning north.
They reached the cross roads a couple hours before Jarden and Bella made their appearance.
Chapter 8
“Finally!” Jarden whined. “This one likes to double back every couple feet. Annoying! My poor old bones!”
The Weasel huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.
“Oh please, you didn’t get off that cloud of yours the entire time.”
Jarden huffed back.
“You are just sour I wouldn’t let you float on it too.”
Tarak rolled his eyes.
“Can we please get on with this? You said you knew the area where those ruins located?” The Tiger demanded. Bella pulled out her map and laid it flat on the ground.
“There is nothing between here and the coast that would support large amounts of Animen. At least not on the surface. It got so hot on the plains that the inhabitants mostly dug and built their cities underground. There is one, a huge city, completely abandoned, here. Since no one has mentioned something like a gate around, perhaps it means there is no one left around to talk about it.”
“Have you been there before?” Tarak asked.
“Just to take shelter from a sudden storm.”
“A thief that doesn’t check out an abandoned city? Doesn’t seem like a good business plan.” Taylor commented. The Weasel scowled at her.
“Cities aren’t usually abandoned without reason. I was ill-equipped at the time to defend myself.”
The two females glared at each other.
“So, you only agreed to take us because you figured we could distract whatever is down there while you loot.” Tarak commented.
“I am a thief. That’s what I do, and I certainly won’t apologize to any of you for that.” Her face twisted into a sneer.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jarden scolded all of them. “The Weasel can take whatever she wants if she helps us find the gate and key!”
They knew he was right, but still didn’t like the fact their current plan rested in the hands of the sketchy individual.
For three days, the group trekked across the plains. The air cooled slightly, and stronger winds blew, bringing in storm clouds. Grass became shorter, and rocky outcrops appeared.
A subtle shift from dry heat to humidity was a welcomed change for the Canadian teen. She breathed easier, and had a spring in her step despite the desperate situation she found herself.
The only thing that was dampening her mood was the anti-human comments spewing from the weasel’s mouth.
“Just give it a little swat, maybe it will move faster.”, “Watch it Big boy, that thing might give you rabies or something.” Were some the ones that made her scowl.
Soon, they arrived at their destination. A deep slash marred the landscape at the base of a blue-black mountain. Rocky steps led deep into the earth while vegetation partially obscured the dark opening.
“That doesn’t look ominous at all,” Taylor muttered, thinking of the last cave she went into. The crazy old crone wasn’t forgotten easily, nor was that Tarak could have died.
Jarden chanted something then twisted his hands around a tiny sliver of wood.
A globe of flame-less fire burst through his fingers and floated before him. Taylor held out a curious hand out to see if it was warm. It wasn’t, just bright.
“That is so cool.” She muttered.
Jarden waved a hand, sending the light down the steps and into the dark cavern.
“Come on. No time like the present,” the old monk stated before creating his cloud ride. Once he flopped comfortably on top, he started downwards. Bella, tight on his tail, eager to see what treasures the underground city held.
Tarak pushed back his hood and eyed Taylor.
“Stay close, we don’t know what is down there. And if I tell you to run, I expect you to run.” Taylor was past the point of arguing with the Tiger about such things; he took his job seriously and was determined to protect her. She would not make that any harder for him than it already was.
She nodded and slid a hand around his bicep.
“Lead the way.”
The mismatched steps made it impossible to get a rhythm while descending. Instead, each one had to be carefully felt out, so the going was slow.
The fire orb wasn’t the only source of light once they hit the bottom of the cavern. Huge, natural skylights sent beams down through the hollow mountain, lighting up patches of crumbling stone buildings. Massive vines crept their way down as well, encasing much of the lighted areas in green.
The roar of a water fall to the west drowned out their footsteps as the group crept through the streets.
After a while, Tarak deemed it safe to speak.
“The temple should be a large ornate building, but I see nothing here bigger than a storage house.” Tarak pointed out.
“Yes, but I think they would have done more than just hide it in plain sight. What if the temple is in another cavern, or a secret entryway? Let’s follow the walls, see if there are any more openings.” Jarden instructed.
As they broke apart to search, Taylor got the impression, it wasn’t the temple Bella was leaving to look for. She had got them there, true, but that seemed as far as her loyalty to them would go and she was most likely out to see if there was anything worth taking.
Tarak and Taylor started to the west where they could see an underground river opened, only to plunge into a dark hole in the stone; how far it went down would be anyone’s guess. After a second pass around the whole cavern, Taylor felt a ping of disappointment.
“Don’t worry,” the Tiger tried to reassure her. “This is only the first place we checked; Jarden said himself it’s been a long time and might take a few tries to get it right.”
Taylor nodded. He was right, but seeing as the Crow Witch had already tracked them to the Walled city, it seemed likely they would catch up again.
A sudden whoop made the two jump. They spun around until they saw Jarden, standing in the distance waving to them.
As they approached him the Croc cracked a huge grin. One moment he was standing there, then a single step, and he was gone. T
aylor stepped back surprised.
“What is this magic?” Tarak demanded.
“Not magic, Fur-face,” Jarden cackled from somewhere nearby. He stepped into view again. “The entrance is carved to look like the wall, unless you know where to look you could walk by it a million times and not even see it.”
The teen stepped forward until her hand rested on the stone, then looked left and right. Sure enough, there was a narrow walkway tucked between the walls to her right.
“Camouflage,” She whistled, “They outdid themselves”
The trio walked down the walkway until it opened into a second chamber, about a third of the size as the main one. The difference being this one held only one structure: a temple carved out of a massive stalactite.
“Now that looks like a place that might have something shiny,” the weasel snickered from behind them. Before Jarden could say anything, though, it was Tarak that rounded on her.
“You will keep your paws to yourself unless I tell you otherwise. This is a place of my people and I will not let you desecrate it!”
For once the Weasel seemed to be ashamed of her actions, because she nodded to the Tiger and took a step back. Taylor has missed the subtle flex of his claws; Bella had not, and wasn’t about to defy such a powerful opponent.
“Well the first thing we must do is find the gate and make sure it is not damaged. No point looking for the key if the gate isn’t any good.” Jarden said. Tarak nodded, and they entered the temple at a snail’s pace. The Tiger and Monk checked each tile for traps.
Once they made it into the main chamber, they could see a beautiful marble gate standing in all its glory.
“The gate is fine,” Jarden breathed as he ran his hands over the surface. “Let’s see if we can find the key.”
From the main chamber there was several routes to try. The Tiger seemed to know where everything was, though, as he went directly for a large stone slab. Tarak placed his hands on the door and gave it a shove. The stone groaned then eased off to the side.
“Follow me and nobody wanders off.” Tarak snapped to the others while he took Taylor’s hand and placed it on his shoulder.
The trek inside was pitch black, even the light from Jarden’s magic seemed to absorb into the walls.
Several minutes passed before they saw the first sign of light. It came as a soft blue glow in the distance. The group surged forward, but Tarak stopped and sniffed the air. A deep growl escaped his lips.
Taylor would have asked what was wrong, but she got her answer soon enough. The whole inside chamber was bare and what couldn’t be taken had been burnt.
On top of the piles of debris a layer of dust laid untouched, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling.
“Sabers were here a long time ago.” Tarak whispered as he traced his claw along the floor. “I can also smell blood, Sabre and Tiger.”
A silence followed this statement. The tension coming from Tarak was unmistakable, and not even Bella had enough guts to say anything to him at that moment.
Tarak circled the room all the while sniffing the air. He disappeared into the other rooms, returning only when he found the bones of the dead guardians.
“The key is gone. Stay in this room. It is, at least, shelter for the night. I will return shortly.” He declared. He paused, and regarded Taylor. “Will you accompany me?”
The teen did not hesitate.
She followed him into the next room and picked up the awkward bundle he pointed to. It was the remains of one guardian but for Tarak’s sake she didn’t flinch away from it.
The route he took through the temple was musty, and the tunnels were often so dark, Taylor couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. They delved deeper under ground.
Soon, they reached a dimly lit room at the end of the tunnel. The walls were covered with old plaques, and statues of real animal tigers stood at the corners like sentries.
“This is the guardian burial ground. Each temple holds the past generations of that family.” He explained. “These remains must join them.”
Tarak took them to the far end of the room where there were blank plaques. He set the remains down carefully before he dug. Taylor followed his lead.
Between the two of them, it only took an hour to dig two holes deep enough for burial. Tarak laid them in, and spoke a few words of prayer before covering them in dirt.
“We should put something on their headstones.” Taylor whispered when Tarak turned to leave. He turned back and looked at the blank wall.
“I do not know their names, but I can put how they died.” Taylor nodded. Using his claw, the Tiger wrote out a few lines on each plaque.
‘Here lie the remains of the last two guardians of this great temple. Both killed in battle in a bid to control the gate’.
Satisfied, Tarak turned to leave, but, before he had even made two steps, a warm hand slid into his.
Taylor gave him a soft smile.
Back in the main chamber, they found Jarden and Bella making themselves comfortable and settling in for a stay.
Even after they ate, Tarak remained on edge and dark. Taylor knew she couldn’t make him feel any better, but she remained by his side as a silent support.
Jarden soon announced it was time for them to find rest.
“After we sleep, we will try for the temple in the North. It is said to stand on top of a three-peaked mountain. That should be enough to at least start us in the right direction.”
Tarak and Taylor nodded their understanding before lying down on the stone floor to sleep.
Bella remained silent.
It was much later, as the fire dwindled down to ash and coal, before the female Weasel moved from her spot. With a quick look at the others to make sure they were asleep, she crept from the room and out of the Temple.
It was still dark when Taylor woke up. She was tucked comfortably under Tarak’s arm with his cloak spread over them both. Safe and cozy, yet something didn’t feel right.
In the dying embers of the fire the teen could make out the sleeping form of Jarden, but to his right the floor was bare. The weasel had left.
“Tarak?” Taylor asked, unsure if this would be a problem. The Tiger stirred to the sound of her voice, but then bolted up when a louder roar echoed through the ruins.
Jarden was quick to his feet, showing that great deal of agility again. The two Animen looked at each other for just a moment before they gathered their belongings with haste.
“We will get to the Temple’s hidden entrance before they find it then sneak up through the south west slope; it is unlikely that is the way they came in.” Jarden whispered.
“There is no way she can get up the south west slope. It’s a vertical climb.”
“That’s why she is staying with you. I will draw to fools away. Not only can they not catch me, but they don’t have the magic to hold me. Now stop arguing and trust me.”
Tarak nodded and pulled up his cloak so it wasn’t dragging along the floor, and latched it at the shoulder. Just as they stepped through the stone temple doors, a sound made them jump and turn as one.
“Jarden, darling! You have been a hard one to pin down.”
Lingering moon light illuminated the top of the temple, showing a scarcely dressed Crow witch and a mountain of a beast. A Gorilla, standing over eight feet tall, with ink black skin and fur, and hands the size of platters. Dangling from the beast’s right arm, was a petrified Bella.
“I told General Godwin that putting a price on your head would lead us to the human. For example, this little rat couldn’t wait to run to us with your location.”
“Avis. I wish I could say it is a pleasure to see you, but we both know that would be a bold faced lie,” Jarden snapped back. “If Bella was kind enough to point the way to us, why do you have her held over a rocky forty-foot drop?”
“The principal of it, really,” Avis drawled, a finger running a line over the weasel’s face. “If she will break a contract with the Thieves guild, then what
use would I have for the traitor?”
Taylor could see the Crow’s point; she was not a fan of Bella’s, but watching the Weasel writhe in the Gorilla’s grasp, with death on her doorstep, Taylor couldn’t help feel bad for her. The thief was just trying to make money to survive, but this was clearly the wrong decision.
“So, Jarden, are you going to hand the human over, or are we going to do this the hard way?” The Crow Witch smirked as a dagger played through her fingers.
The Croc scoffed at her.
“As if a pigeon and a walking turd pile will convince me to give Ransidius a human.”
With a wave of his hands, smoke exploded all around the top of the temple where the Crow was standing. Clouds billowed out, blocking vision and making the air too thick to breathe, but it did nothing to stop the General from dropping the weasel. A scream could be heard right to the rocky end.
Taylor heard it and paled, but Tarak had already grabbed her by the hand and was leading her out of the inner chamber.
“Straight out, Fur-face. No standoffs in this place; just keep running.”
“Agreed.”
The speed at which Tarak was going was the only thing that saved him from the first fire ball that sizzled passed his face. The Crow Witch had brought reinforcements. Half a dozen other Crows were swooping in through the natural skylights.
The cavern was still dark, but the fiery projectiles lit up the walls and buildings for seconds at a time.
It didn’t take the forces long to zero in on Tarak and Taylor, but Jarden was doing well enough to keep their attention divided. Forks of lightning added to the dizzying light show.
One Crow took a bolt right through the chest and fell like a limp doll to the cavern floor.
Rocks exploded over head and showered them in sharp splinters as another fire ball hit the stone. A second came too close and singed a line across Taylor’s exposed forearm. The teen hissed in pain as Avis’s shrill voice echoed off the walls.
“Watch it, you fool! Ransidius will not thank you if it comes back injured.”
Being referred to as an item up for possession wasn’t lost on the girl, but, in the middle of a firefight, it didn’t seem like the right time to take offence, so Taylor kept running.