by D. N. Leo
“I think he can hold. Can you, Zanxi?” she cooed.
The baby wailed.
“Oh, no. Shss. Okay. I’ll feed you now,” Irish said.
After they calmed the baby down, Roy led the group closer to the way up to the hill. The mysterious path flickered. He couldn’t see it clearly. But he was sure it was there. He calculated the distance and counted the creatures that were visible to the path.
He looked over to the rock, strategizing a way to approach the temple gate. There was no way they could make it to the top of the hill as a group, especially with a baby.
“Wait here,” he said.
He crouched and braced his hands on the rock and commanded as much power as he could from his eudqi. Gradually, he could feel it gathering inside him. Waves of fire energy stormed into him like a tsunami.
He screamed and pushed his hands into the rock. Waves of supernatural forces shot out like a current, dug through the rock, ran across the bared rock hill and exploded all the way from the bottom to the top of the hill. The trees on the hillside caught fire, and Yakuz bodies and body parts flew into the air.
It looked as if the creatures were standing on a mine field when all the bombs exploded under their feet at the same time. There was no time for any of them to escape in one piece.
Mori’s, Sam’s and Irish’s jaw dropped.
“I told you I’ll take care of that,” Roy deadpanned and turned on his heel.
Roy and Mori came back after a quick search around the outside of the temple. “It’s safe to go inside.”
They cautiously pushed what was left of the temple door open. The last piece of wood crumbled as Roy touched it. The temple was eerily quiet.
“The main chamber is at the far end,” Mori said. She entered through the doorway, intending to lead the group, but Roy pushed her behind him. They had only gone a few yards when a string of men cut off the corridor. Sam swore under his breath and stood in front of Irish.
She rolled her eyes. “I can fight, Sam.”
“Not when I’m here and not with the baby in your arms,” Sam scolded.
Roy glanced at Sam, who was ready for a fight. “You take the back row, I’ll take the front row, and we’ll meet in the middle when we’re done.” Roy kept his voice as casual as possible. He didn’t want Mori to see he was worried.
Sam gave him a curt nod, then began walking toward his appointed gaggle of goons, trying to draw them out one at a time.
When Roy wasn’t looking, Mori turned and sauntered toward the other end of the corridor where she found a few men lurking. She kept one hand behind her back as she walked toward them. She paused in front of the middle person and smiled. Six feet still separated them, but she was close enough.
“You don’t look like a fox,” the first guy smirked.
“I can show you my fox form. But then I’ll have to kill you,” Mori said.
Silence met her statement. Her temperament rose. Finally, the line of creatures took on a fighting pose, ready to attack. She refused to be intimidated. She pulled her sword.
The first attack came from the far left. There were five of them, but the one on the end leapt into action, spinning a katana above his head as he began a complicated dance to move closer to her. He met his sword with hers.
He was lifted into the air and dropped down to the ground in a heap. He didn’t move afterward.
“Oops, I think I’m stronger than I look,” Mori grinned.
Even as the panic showed in the faces of the other fighters, they stood still and didn’t run. She swung her sword again and detached the arms of the next attacker from his body.
She turned to the three that were left. All three of them were advancing on her, weapons out. That put her at a distinct disadvantage. The first guy lunged at her with a katana, and she managed to squeak by without harm. Her return separated his head from his body.
The second one had nunchucks, and he was moving quickly toward her, swinging them in an impressive pattern. She blocked and the nunchucks fell into pieces after contacting with the sword. The third one had a crude bow and arrow that she thought wasn’t going to do him any good fighting in such close quarters. She swung her sword and watched as the weapon disintegrated in his hands.
He looked up at her incredulously.
“I suggest you run,” she said.
Two goons didn’t wait for the second invitation; they ran. She wondered what kind of creatures they were. They didn’t shift, so she couldn’t tell. She hoped they weren’t foxes because they were disgracefully bad.
Chapter 18
Mori came back to the main hall and saw that everyone had gathered there. Roy glared at her and said nothing. She knew he was mad because she’d sneaked behind his back and went in for a fight. But it was done now. She merely smiled in response to his scowl.
Seeing the tension between them, Irish smiled. “Glad to see you came back to join the party.”
Mori sneered. “Not much of a party for the creatures.”
Roy chuckled and pushed at Irish, “Come on, ready to let go of the baby?”
Sam mumbled something and shuffled along the corridor.
“Sam, do you know where you’re going?” Mori asked.
He shook his head, then stopped and waited for the group to catch up with him.
“Hello there, finally we can meet face to face,” Aro’s voice exploded from the right corridor. They turned and looked down the hall, but found no sign of him.
Sam had thought the voice and the echo were a bit odd, so instead of looking toward the right, he looked to the left, thinking the sound had perhaps bounced from the left in the opposite direction. He was right. From the left corridor, Aro darted forward with a gun in his hand and grabbed at Irish.
“We want the same thing, Roy, so there is no point in negotiating. I’ll make this lady here place the baby into the cot. When the key is revealed, I will take it. Now, one wrong move from you and I will put a bullet into the baby’s head first.”
Roy opened his mouth to say something, but Aro cut him off. “I said no negotiation.”
Sam approached. Aro glared at him. He raised his hands in the air. “I’m not negotiating anything. I just want Irish. Okay? You want the baby, you want the key … that has nothing to do with us. I want Irish. Let her go.”
“Silence,” Aro snarled. “Now go.” He pushed at Irish.
“She doesn’t know where the main chamber is, so why push her?” Mori said. “I know where it is.”
“Then lead,” Aro said.
Mori walked. Aro followed, pushing Irish in front of him. As they walked past an altar, Mori swung her sword, slicing its blade at the bell rope. The bell dropped and landed right behind Aro, startling him for a second, but a second was all they needed.
Roy darted forward and pierced his sword through Aro’s body. He roared and dropped to the floor, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. In a short moment, his body stretched and widened, his skin turning rubbery. He shifted into a white shark and lay dead.
“Perfect example of a fish out of water!” Roy chuckled.
They heard a muffled cry for help. The sound was very familiar.
“Peter,” Sam said and darted toward the sound to search for his cousin. They found Peter tied up and gagged in a dark room at the end of the corridor. The wound on his abdomen was still bleeding. Sam rushed over and untied him.
“There are many others. They have weapons,” Peter exclaimed as soon as the gag was off his mouth.
“Don’t worry. Not many left,” Roy said.
“No, no, you don’t understand, there are many many of them out there. And … and they are not human…” Peter stuttered.
“We know. I’ve killed many of them. We have weapons, Peter.” Roy crouched and looked into Peter’s eyes, which were now flooded with fear and fatigue.
“The guy … the mummy looking guy. You can’t kill him with weapons. He’s invincible … you have to look out for him…”
“No,
he isn’t invincible,” Sam chuckled. “Roy here just killed him.”
Roy smiled. “He’s a creature. You need the right weapon and the right killing spot. Stabbing through the heart. That’s for him.”
“Are you sure?” Peter asked, his eyes still fearful.
“Yes, I am. Toughen up, soldier. You’ll be fine.”
“We’ll kill many of them. But there might be more fights. So, you stay here, but keep quiet,” Sam said.
Peter held a hand on his bleeding wound. “I’ll go with you.”
“You’re injured,” Sam said.
“I’ll fight with you,” Peter grunted. He braced a hand on the wall, trying to stand up.
“You’re in no condition to engage in combat,” Roy said.
“Give me a gun,” Peter said, insisting.
“No.” Roy stared at him.
“I’m not staying here,” Peter said, refusing to give in.
“Okay, you’ll go with us. But you carry no weapon and you stay behind,” Roy said.
“Man…”
“That’s the deal. Take it or stay here. I’ll knock you out if it’s necessary,” Roy stated firmly.
Peter mumbled some profanity and nodded. He traced his palm along the wall to keep his balance, then started walking with the rest of the group.
“We should go to the main chamber,” Roy said.
Mori nodded in agreement and led the way. They wound their way along another long corridor that ended at a double door leading to the main part of the temple. As Mori opened it, a beautiful woman stood in front of them, smiling.
Mori moved back and hissed.
Peter yelled from the back, “She’s the girlfriend of the mummy guy.”
“Well, if that’s the case, I’m sorry to inform you that your boyfriend can be turned into a real mummy now!” Sam said.
The smile faded from the woman’s face. Roy gripped at his sword and saw what he had hoped they wouldn’t have to deal with; magic.
Chapter 19
It was too fast for anyone to react. The woman reached her two arms out like two gigantic snakes and grabbed at Mori’s neck, pulling her over like a rag doll. She pulled Mori against her body, her fingers at Mori’s neck now morphed into five sharp steel blades.
Mori had been in this situation before. She knew what to do. But for some reason, her brain was numb, and she found it hard to control her body.
“Black magic,” she muttered before she started losing consciousness. She could see the look on Roy’s face. She knew magic was both her and Roy’s weakness. She tried to recall the last thing she said to him.
The pain stabbed at her heart. She scolded him and glared at him for not telling her about the key.
She was sorry for that. She knew he did that to protect her.
She tried to say something, but no words came from her mouth. Then the world blurred in front of her.
Roy could feel his blood boil, but for Mori’s sake, he had to control his temper. Mori was not in control of her body right now, and any miscalculated action by him would have catastrophic results. He said nothing. His mind raced hundred miles an hour, but he reached no solution.
The woman let go of Mori now. Mori just stood beside the woman, staring blankly into the nothingness. “I’m going to have to borrow her for a bit. Mori, go to the main chamber.”
Mori automatically walked toward the direction of the main chamber.
“Irish, take the baby and follow us,” the woman said. Irish followed in silence.
Roy frowned. There was no objection at all from anyone. He turned around.
The eyes of Irish, Sam and Peter were blank. They followed the woman like zombies.
Roy turned and looked at the woman, seeing her smiling at him. “You’re a strong one, aren’t you, Roy? I can’t control you, but it’s not necessary. If you make one wrong move, I’ll kill them. You might be able to save a couple, but not all.”
Roy clenched his jaw and followed.
The woman’s eyes glowed with insanity the closer they got to the main chamber.
They entered the room.
At the far end of the room, on a raised platform, a cot that looked like a throne sat regally.
“Irish, place the baby in the cot,” the woman said. Irish obeyed.
As soon as the baby was in the cot, light poured down from above. Roy squinted. The room was exploding with bursting light and heavenly sound. The air was lit up. Colorful rainbows flew around the walls, bouncing on the altar, the floor and curtains.
The woman looked as if she had tears in her eyes.
Roy hadn’t been to heaven, but he was sure it might look a bit like this at the gate. The only missing part was the angels. Instead, he saw devils.
The woman looked as if she was mesmerized by what was happening in front of her. Taking the chance, Roy pulled his sword.
But the woman turned around and swung her arm toward him. It was like being electrocuted. He saw stars. His body was lifted in the air and smashed into the far wall. He had a feeling that his organs had turned into mashed potatoes.
He pushed shakily to his feet, but lost his balance and slumped to the floor again. Something was surging inside him. He projectiled a stream of bruised black blood. His energy was leaving his body in waves; as if the woman was sucking the life out of him.
He shoved his hand into his pocket and copped another hit from the woman.
He rolled on the floor, hearing his bones rattle.
“I’m not pulling a gun at you. I just want to take the shield out,” he managed to say.
“What shield?”
“If you take the key out of the key hole without placing a shield, it will collapse a dimension and destroy the Earth.”
The woman turned and looked at Roy. There was some hope. He saw some compassion on her face.
“You can take the key. I just want to place the shield on the key hole.”
“You don’t want the key for yourself?”
“No. I’m a soldier. What do I want the key for?”
The woman picked him up from the floor and pulled him hard so his body pressed against her. “Do you know who I am?”
“No.”
“I’m not surprised. Even the idiot Aro didn’t know. He thought I was his girlfriend.” Disgust crossed her face. “Listen, Roy, sexy mixed blood creature …” She purred and slid a hand underneath his shirt.
His legs went to jelly. His body had stopped obeying him.
“You know Hoyt Flanagan, the god of all bad creatures? I think you know of him. Everyone is working for him. He’s the number one enemy of Ciaran LeBanc, right? The two gigantic characters in the cosmos. Ciaran is your king, am I right? Well, I’m Hoyt’s God!”
She laughed.
“He worships me because I could grant him immortality. Regardless how powerful he is, he could wield magic, he could time travel, he could travel across dimensions to retain his youthfulness. He cannot create immortality. I am the creator of many creatures. Hoyt kisses my feet for that.”
“So, you’re a goddess?”
“Goddess, fallen angel, whatever you want to label me with, I couldn’t care less. I am here, in this woman’s form for the baby. And I’ll collect the key for Hoyt because it’s convenient. I don’t belong to any world. I am immortal. Do you think I care about your little shield, your little Earth and whether you little people live or die?”
“What would Zanxi give you?”
“I can tell you, but then I will have to kill you. Given that I don’t intend to leave anyone here alive … I’ll tell you.” She smiled at her own cleverness. “In … say, a very short moment, the power will come to the baby. That’s the life force of the universe. It comes every hundred years. That’s what I want. That’s how I collect and build immortality. Well, I have to kill the baby afterward. But again, I don’t care.”
“There is one thing you don’t have.”
She lifted a perfect eyebrow. “Is that so? Name it. If you’re correct
, I’ll let you live.”
“Pleasure.”
She laughed. “I told you a man like Hoyt kisses my feet. Do you think I have trouble finding pleasure?”
“I am sure you don’t know what real pleasure means. Men are threatened by you. Whatever they’ve been giving you is fake. I am not talking about love. You shouldn’t want that because you wouldn’t have it. But genuine pleasure can only come from a man who wants to give you that for a returned pleasure. I quite like the earthy form you are taking. And I’m willing to try.”
Her eyes flicked down his body, considering him. When they met his gaze again, she asked, “If I like what you’ve got to offer, can I keep you?”
Roy chuckled. “No. Given that you’re going to kill me anyway, I’d like to have some pleasure before I die, preferably with my wife, but I understand you wouldn’t allow that. So, why don’t we give this a try? If you like it, then you let one person live.”
The woman contemplated. “Interesting proposition. Who do you want to trade?”
“Irish.”
She seemed surprised. “What? Not the baby? Not Mori?”
“No. Irish. If you like what I offer you, you let Irish live.”
Chapter 20
Mori flexed her muscles. She could feel her fingers move. She understood what Roy was trying to do. He was distracting the woman as much as possible so that she could regain control of her body. How long could he hold back from the woman’s attack, she didn’t know. Whether others in the group could regain control the way she did, she had no idea.
But she could tell, Roy was trying hard.
“Why Irish?” the woman asked Roy.
“You wouldn’t let the baby live, so there is no point in asking. There is no point you letting me go; it would kill Mori. We’re married. If she dies, I don’t want to live. Lastly, Sam and Peter should leave the only chance to live to Irish, simply because they are gentlemen. Does that sound reasonable?” Roy asked.