The Serpent Cult (Heroes of Ravenford Book 2)

by F. P. Spirit

  Boom! A loud explosion suddenly rocked the building, the ground trembling beneath them. Glo shook his head in bewilderment. His spell wasn’t supposed to do that.

  “Oh, my gods!”

  That was Ves. She was staring upwards, her expression incredulous. Glo followed her gaze his own jaw dropping. The entire top of the lighthouse had disappeared. A large patch of blue sky was now visible where the floor of the lantern room had been moments ago. Daylight streamed in, clearly illuminating the inside of the structure. Large cracks developed in the walls, starting from where the top floor had been, and swiftly running down the sides of the lighthouse. Small chunks of rock began to break away and careen downward, and it wouldn’t be long before the entire tower came crashing down upon them.

  Abruptly, Aksel’s voice rang out. “Everyone out the front door! Now!”

  Lloyd reacted immediately, scooping up Maya and sprinting toward the entrance. At the same moment, Ruka grabbed Aksel, lifting him up as if he weighed almost nothing, and bolted after Lloyd.

  “I have legs, you know,” the little cleric protested.

  It was a strangely comical sight despite their impending danger, but Glo had no time to smile. Ves was suddenly at his side. She tried to grab him like Ruka had Aksel, but before she could, he looped his arm around her waist. Her face flushed with anger. “What are you doing?”

  “We go together or not at all!” he declared.

  The sound of straining metal caused them both to look up. The stairs above were coming apart and large chunks of the wall had now separated and began to careen downward. Ves immediately looped an arm around Glo’s waist. “Together then!”

  She rushed forward, dragging Glo with her. She was surprisingly strong for such a small woman, and he was hard pressed to keep up. They swiftly covered the distance to the doorway. The others had already passed through and waited on the other side. Glo and Ves were only a few feet away from safety when time ran out.

  Baroooooommmmmm! The ground trembled violently as something large smashed into the floor behind them. The stone beneath their feet buckled and shifted. The duo stopped in their tracks, struggling to maintain their balance. Glo nearly fell, but Ves somehow managed to regain her footing and held onto him. Yet they were far from safe. As Glo teetered over, he caught a glimpse of a huge boulder bearing down on them. If they did not get out of its way, they would be ground to dust! Ves must have seen the terror in his eyes, and reacted without hesitation. Her grip tightened around his waist and then she sprang forward, making a mighty leap toward the open door. They practically flew those last few feet and shot through the doorway, landing with a heavy thud on the ground just beyond.

  Baroooooommmmmm! The duo huddled together just outside the tower as the earth shook violently beneath them. Taking a quick breath, Glo pulled Ves closer, covering them both with his robes. Less than a second later, a large cloud of dust expelled through the doorway and blew out all around them. Glo and Ves lay there quietly until the tremors subsided and the dust dissipated. Finally, Glo opened his eyes. The cloud was mostly gone. He slowly pulled back his robes, uncovering Ves. The young woman coughed and sputtered for a few moments, then peered up at Glo.

  The two of them lay there, still holding onto each other, their faces mere inches apart. Her body felt warm and soft next to his. He could smell the scent of her hair, like a fresh ocean breeze and the heat of her breath fell across his face. Her eyes gazed into his, a mixture of emotions passing through them. Glo felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he stared back into those deep blue-green eyes.

  Abruptly, Ves pushed herself away. She quickly sat up, her face flushing furiously. Glo was still confused by the sudden rush of emotion. He sat up, as well, his eyes sweeping the area. Aksel and Ruka both sat on the ground off to their left. Lloyd was seated over to their right, still holding Maya in his arms. The young man let out a heavy sigh. “Phew, that was close.”

  Maya giggled. “Thanks for saving me again, but you can put me down now.”

  Lloyd smiled sheepishly, gently setting the little girl down on her feet. Glo gazed upward and saw a dark cloud of smoke rising from the top of the tower far into the blue sky above. The structure itself had a number of cracks running down the sides, and small pieces of rubble began to rain down to the ground around them. Aksel coughed out some dust before trying to speak. “I suggest—cough, cough—we put a little more space between us and the lighthouse.”

  “Good idea,” Glo agreed.

  The six of them retreated along the path up the hill their attention focused on the burning lighthouse behind them. No one spoke until they drew near the dock. Aksel was the first to break the silence.

  “Well, there goes our ride.”

  Glo turned around and saw their rowboat completely submerged underwater with a large stone in its very center. He let out a heavy sigh. It was a long swim back to the shore. Not to mention they needed that boat for their salvage operation. Suddenly, another explosion rocked the island. Flames now shot skyward from the top of the tower. It now looked more like a giant torch than a lighthouse.

  Aksel glanced up at Glo. “A bit of overkill there?”

  Glo’s eyes remained fixed on the spectacle before him. His spell was definitely not supposed to do that. “Not intentionally. Just exactly what were they storing up there anyway?”

  “Um—oil,” Aksel said as if the answer should have been obvious.

  Glo’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”

  There was not a hint of mirth in the cleric’s expression.

  Glo was dumbfounded. “Why would anyone use oil? Why wouldn’t you just use magic?”

  Aksel’s hand went to his forehead. “Remember, spell casters are not common here on the east coast. That’s one of the reasons we came out here in the first place.”

  The realization hit Glo all at once. If spell casters were rare, then so was magic. Things he took for granted, like magical lights, would not be as commonplace out here. He suddenly felt quite stupid. “Oh...”

  “Well, I think it looks pretty,” Maya said clapping her hands together and jumping up and down.

  “I kind of like it, too,” Ruka agreed.

  There was a short pause then Ves chimed in. “I also agree.”

  Glo arched an eyebrow. Ves did not appear to be the type to approve of wanton destruction. The young woman appeared somewhat startled as their eyes met. She quickly glanced away from him, her face reddening slightly as she continued to speak. “Not that it’s pretty or nice, mind you. Still, I also don’t think you should be blamed. After all, you were just trying to protect us.”

  Glo was at a loss for words. He was touched by the unexpected support from the three sisters. He finally managed a quiet reply. “Thank you.”

  Aksel’s tone had lightened as well. “Oh, well, there’s no helping it now. But you have to admit Glo, you do have a certain affinity for fire spells.”

  A thin smile crossed Glo’s lips. Aksel did have a point. This was the second time he had blown up a tower with a spell involving fire. He was about to agree when Lloyd interrupted them.

  “Look at that!”

  Glo followed the young man’s gaze. Something came flying out of the flaming tower and landed on the ground not a dozen yards in front of them. Whatever it was, it was huge.

  Demon

  It was goblin-like, with hard yellow eyes, long pointed ears, and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth

  Adozen yards back down the trail lay a large smoldering ball of fur. It was still for a few moments, then slowly uncurled itself and rose up onto all fours. A pair of baleful eyes fixed on them, and a menacing growl escaped a rather impressive set of jaws. The creature had the appearance of a wolf, but nearly twice the size, yet it was the face that sent chills up Glo’s spine. It was goblin-like, with hard, yellow eyes, long pointed ears, and a mouth
full of razor-sharp teeth.

  “What is that thing?” Aksel asked, his tone betraying a mixture of curiosity and fear.

  Lloyd’s response was grim. “I don’t know, but I don’t like the way it’s staring at us.” The young warrior moved forward, drawing his blades and positioning himself between the creature and the rest of the group.

  “Barghest,” Glo hissed. Now that he saw it face-to-face, he remembered reading about it. The pictures in his father’s books did not do it justice.

  “Barghest?” Aksel repeated. “A demon?”

  Glo nodded. “A shape-shifting demon. They take on the form of goblins, or wolves, or even mix them.” He paused and gulped, his mouth suddenly dry. “But make no mistake. It is neither. It is all demon. Hell-bent on killing and devouring innocents, body and soul.”

  The barghest remained still, growling ominously as it continued to stare at them. Its malevolent eyes shifted around intelligently, assessing the group. Deep down inside, Glo was petrified, yet he pushed down his fear and moved forward, taking up a position next to Lloyd. He was not about to let this thing get anywhere near the sisters. The creature was staring at neither him nor Lloyd; instead, staring past them. Glo chanced a look over his shoulder. The demon was staring directly at Ves. Strangely, the young woman did not appear afraid. In fact, she stared back at the demon, her eyes burning with anger.

  Glo did not know what to make of it. These three sisters were not easily frightened. Glo turned his gaze back toward the demon. The creature was now acting rather oddly, shifting uncertainly on its four legs. It gave one angry snort, then spun around and broke for the water. It loped across the isle and reached the water’s edge before any of them could react. The creature then leapt into the air and dove into the sea. Lloyd led the way as they rushed to the water’s edge. They had almost reached the spot where the demon entered the water when the creature resurfaced. It was fifty yards off shore, and took off west at a fast pace toward the mainland.

  “We could be in for more trouble if it’s going for reinforcements,” Aksel noted.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll find out what it’s up to,” Ruka responded. She pushed her way through them and ran to the edge of the isle. She paused a moment, turning toward them. “You better keep an eye on Maya while I’m gone. If anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible.” Her eyes shifted from Lloyd to Aksel then Glo. She then spun around and launched herself into the water, disappearing beneath the surface.

  They stared in silence after the blonde girl. About a half minute later, she resurfaced about one hundred yards west of the island. She swam at a pace to rival the barghest. These girls were fast swimmers indeed. They were nearly as fast as their dolphin friends.

  Lloyd turned toward Ves. “Will she be alright?”

  Ves appeared genuinely surprised by the question. “Ruka? Don’t worry about her. She can handle herself.”

  Glo stared at Ves, his eyes narrowing. Is she serious? A barghest is nothing to trifle with. Yet Ves appeared completely unconcerned. A vision of the large stone breaking on Maya’s shoulder flashed through his mind. He also remembered how easily Ves had dragged him around the lighthouse. In fact, she had practically flown him through the door with that last leap. Furthermore, the barghest ran from them without a fight. That was definitely not demon-like. The creature had appeared almost scared—right after it had locked eyes with Ves. Maybe it sensed something they did not about the three sisters. Yet if that were true, what was it about them that they could scare off a demon?

  His thoughts were interrupted by a heavy stomping sound. The Boulder had finally reached the island. The stone golem stopped next to the rowboat and lifted it out of the water. Water drained through the boat’s bottom as the golem held it aloft. The Boulder then carried the now-empty boat to shore. It trudged up with it onto the beach and gently laid the boat down on dry land. The golem then stood back and went still.

  When they reached the boat, they saw a large hole in its very center. Aksel stepped into the boat, stood over the gap, and cast a spell to mend it. A magical aura appeared around the hole and the gap shrunk considerably, but was still too large to make the boat seaworthy. Ves stepped into the rowboat alongside Aksel, and cast a mending spell as well. The two of them continued until the hole was completely closed and had vanished. With the boat now repaired, they both disembarked.

  “There,” Ves said, admiring their handiwork. Without warning, she bent down and picked up the boat, easily lifting it into the air as if it weighed nothing. She walked with it out onto the dock, bent down, and placed it gently back in the water.

  Glo was incredulous. He cast a glance at Aksel. Aksel stared back at him with an eyebrow raised. He shifted his gaze to Lloyd. The young man’s mouth was agape. Glo peered back at Ves. She still stood there, a pleased expression on her face.

  Glo slowly walked up to stand next to her. “Um, Ves?”

  Ves peered up at him with a pleasant smile on her face. His expression must have betrayed his thoughts, though, for her eyes suddenly went wide. Her hand went to her mouth, and she began to blush furiously.

  “Oh, my,” she gasped.

  Glo was completely bewildered. She looked like an ordinary young woman, but there was no denying the feat of strength he had just witnessed. Not even Lloyd could have lifted that boat so easily.

  He spoke to her in a soft voice. “Can we talk?”

  “Okay,” she answered, her voice filled with trepidation.

  Glo ushered her to the end of the dock. Ves folded her arms across her chest and turned away from him. Her gaze was firmly fixed on the mainland as if she were unable to look him in the eye.

  “Ves?”

  She slowly turned around. “Yes?”

  “I really don’t mean to pry. After all, you are entitled to your privacy...”

  Ves stared at him with those vivid blue-green eyes. Glo suddenly found it hard to concentrate. “...but we are in this together... and as you may have noticed, we do try to watch out for each other...”

  She continued to stare at him a trace of a smile appearing on her lips. “I have noticed.”

  “Yes...” Glo cleared his throat. He had completely lost his train of thought. “Well, um...” What was he was saying? “It’s just...” Something about watching out for each other? Yes. That was it. “...it’s hard to look out for one another... if we don’t know each other’s strengths... and weaknesses...”

  “Ah-ha.” Ves nodded. Her smile widened just a bit as she continued to stare at him with an innocent expression.

  Glo opened his mouth to speak again, but then stopped. Why is this so hard? He took a deep breath and cleared his mind, then reached out and gently grasped her shoulders. “Look, Ves, we are just trying to look out for you and your sisters. You agreed to help us, and we want to make sure you get through this safe and sound.”

  “I can see that,” Ves replied. Mixed emotions played through her eyes, but then swiftly faded. She gently pushed his arms away. “But it is really unnecessary. My sisters and I can take care of ourselves.”

  Glo felt disappointed by her sudden coldness. “I am coming to realize that. Look, as I said before, you are entitled to your secrets, but I thought we’d proven you can trust us.”

  “If only it were that easy.” She let out a deep sigh, then turned away again, folding her arms across her chest once more.

  “It is,” Glo insisted. “We are all different. I’m an elf. Aksel’s a gnome. Lloyd’s a human. You haven’t met Seth yet, but he’s a halfling. We all come from different races and backgrounds, but we have learned to trust and even depend on each other.”

  Ves spun around again, though her arms were still folded across her chest, and her expression remained impassive. Glo continued despite her apparent indifference.

  “And that is because we all believe in the same things.
Everyone deserves to be treated fairly no matter what his or her background. No one has the right to impose their will upon another, be it through force of arms or any other means. We have spent the last few weeks taking down monsters and people who believed otherwise. And we will continue to do so.”

  Glo had gotten a bit loud there at the end. His eyes briefly flickered toward the isle where he noted Lloyd and Aksel staring back at him, both wearing curious expressions. Glo merely shrugged and turned back to Ves. Her arms were still folded, but her expression had softened. He might have cracked the ice after all. Glo took a deep breath and tried one last time.

  “One thing you can count on. No matter how different you are, we will be the first people to accept you.”

  Ves eyes began to glisten with moisture, her hands falling to her sides. After a moment of silence, she spoke. “You are indeed extraordinary people. Against my better judgment, I do find myself trusting you.” She paused for a moment as if searching for the appropriate words. “It is obvious that my sisters and I are different, yet—somehow I do believe that you would understand if you knew the truth.”

  For a moment, it appeared as if she were going to say more, but then she stopped herself, her eyes falling toward the dock. “Alas, I cannot. My sisters and I are on a quest, and I made a promise. A promise that I would not divulge our true nature to anyone until that quest is over.” She glanced back up at him, her internal struggle quite apparent on her face.

  Glo felt suddenly torn at the thought of hurting her. “I am truly sorry. I did not mean to cause you any distress. Forget I even asked.”

  A smile spread across Ves’ lips. She reached up and wiped the moisture from her eyes. “You are a true gentlemen, Glolindir. I will swear this to you. Once our quest is over, I will seek you out and reveal the truth to you. Perhaps then you can even come and meet my father, as you wanted.”