by Ralph Smith
“Nothing else would make me happier.” David said, and then they lied down on their mossy bed holding each other close.
“Tell me about somewhere we can go when all of this is over.”
“Once when I was hiking in the mountains, I found the most beautiful waterfall. The water is crystal clear coming from the melting snow above and runs down through the rocks. It falls at least 50 feet into a small pond surrounded by trees, and a grassy meadow. The water is nice and cool on a hot summer day, perfect for a refreshing swim. Then we could relax in the sunshine warming up while we have a picnic. There isn’t anyone around for miles, and in the morning the sunrise glows a brilliant orange red so we could camp there overnight.”
Aurora said in a contented voice, “That does sound nice.”
“There’s a stream that carries the overflow water down the side of the mountain to a large lake. On the lake is an inn, and at night after we eat we could dance.”
Sounding a little groggy now Aurora said, “I can’t wait until we can dance together.” Then she squeezed him tightly.
“I think you would like it there; the people are very friendly, the food is good, and we can sit by the large fireplace, and look out over the lake as the sun sets.”
Aurora didn’t say anything she had drifted off to sleep. David closed his eyes, and imagined the two of them there without a care in the world, and then he too was asleep.
Tartaros
When they awoke the sky was grey and cold. It was an ominous reminder of what lay ahead. They ate a small meal and sat quietly next to each other. They both knew today was the day. Even though they felt apprehensive, waiting weeks to make this last leg of their journey would have been worse. They hadn’t had time to contemplate what they would face, but were resigned to the fact that whatever it was would come. They couldn’t change it, but soon enough it would be over one way or the other.
They gathered their things and loaded the horse. David turned to Aurora, placing his hands gently on her arms. Then taking her hands in his he said, “I just want you to know that no matter what happens I love you with all my heart. In case I don’t get to tell you again, please don’t forget that.”
Aurora wrapped her arms around him, and melted into his embrace “I love you too, and I’ve never been so happy.”
David looked at her and smiled, “Are you ready then?”
“Yes I am.”
They mounted the horse and headed out. Once out from under the canopy of the tree the air was damp and cold, but they did not hesitate. They headed north along the road towards Tartaros. They rode through another war-torn forest, and found themselves entering a desolate plain. It was littered with small rocks and very little grass. The further on they went life seemed to have abandoned the area completely. After a couple of hours, they reached the top of a barren plateau and could see their destination.
They looked down into the valley of Tartaros. It was smaller than they expected, and they saw in the center a rough-cut rock tower. This was not something forged by the hands of men. It looked as if it was forced up through the ground, like the head of a stone arrow. Jagged and uneven, its cold black color was anything but inviting. A swampy bog wrapped around it in a perfect circle, as if it grew out from the keep. The blackened landscape was darker at the center and became slightly lighter by degrees. It was spreading out like the rings of a tree until it met the desolate plateau above. The evil inside appeared to be poisoning the ground. It was devouring all life in its path and seeping ever farther outward from his lair, a stain spreading across the land. The road wound its way down the bowl of the valley to the bog, where a barely distinguishable land bridge provided a path to the center. At the edge of the bog, where the road pierced the ring, stood two enormous figures, its gatekeepers.
David turned to Aurora, and said “I think we should go on foot from here. We’ll let the horse go free. Bringing him down there can only mean his death.” She nodded her agreement and dismounted. David followed her. They grabbed their packs and weapons, leaving the bedrolls and extra supplies. David removed the bit from the horse’s mouth, and turned him back in the direction they came from. Then he smacked him on the hindquarter, so he trotted off. They stood watching him go for a moment then turned to face their destination.
“It looks horrible, like death itself.” Aurora said.
“Or worse, when we get down there don’t do anything unless we’re attacked. We don’t know what to expect, so until we have some idea it’s probably best if we don’t invite any extra trouble.”
“Extra trouble; how much worse could it be?” Aurora asked nervously.
“I have no idea. Here,” he reached up, and took off the cross his father gave him, and placed it into Aurora’s hand. “Just in case we get separated, please give this to my mother if you see her and tell her to put it on.”
Aurora looked at him with fear in her eyes, “what do you mean get separated? I’m not leaving your side.”
David said, “Aurora we are bound together, and no matter what happens don’t forget that. But one thing I would guess about what is coming is that this will be a test of our faith and our wills, not a battle of swords and arrows. Together we are stronger than we are apart, so if it were me, I would separate us to try to find a way to weaken that bond.”
“It won’t work.” Aurora said firmly.
“No it won’t because you are in my heart, and whether you are next to me or 100 miles away nothing can change that, but make no mistake he’ll try.”
“You are in my heart too, and no matter what happens I’ll never give up.”
David pulled her into one final embrace, and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”
She whispered back, “I love you too.”
Then holding hands they stepped onto the road together, standing tall and confident ready to face what lay ahead. As soon as they crossed the unseen border the air felt thick, and warm like wading through water. It was oppressive, and weighed heavy on their hearts. Breathing it in left a foul taste in their mouths, like something spoiled or rotten.
***
Aurora found herself remembering horrible things. It was as if each step she took pulled another dreadful memory to the surface. She could see the faces of men she had killed, and worse yet, men who fought by her side who had died.
“Do you feel it?” She asked David softly.
“Yes, are you all right?”
She didn’t answer. As clear as could be she saw a farmhouse. They had come upon it, finding the burned remains of the family that had lived there. The woman huddled in the corner of a room unable to escape the blaze. The man was lying on the ground in front of the building his arm reaching out for help that never arrived.
“Aurora, are you all right?” David asked, the sound of his voice penetrating her thoughts.
“Yes, it’s just this place is horrible.”
As they passed into another darker ring of earth, she saw a family that had been brutalized. The man was beaten to death, bloodied, and his arms and legs broken, splayed out on the ground at odd angles. Inside his wife was on the bed, the look of torment still on her face at what they had done to her. She was covered in so much blood it was clear her death had taken a long time.
The closer they got the worse it became. She remembered too many children dying in her arms, woman who had been tortured mercilessly, men who had been gutted like animals. Ten long years of the horrors of war flooding her memory, each one more terrible than the last, they were suffocating her.
***
David could feel the despair too, but he was lucky. His worst memories were those times of emptiness and loneliness, and of course when he thought he had lost his parents. As his memories flashed before him, he was able to find comfort knowing his father was home and safe. His mother was alive, and if there was any chance, he was going to save her. And he had Aurora by his side. It took all his concentration, but he was able to hold them at bay.
***
They were getting closer now, and Aurora was struggling desperately to keep moving forward, then it came. Suddenly it was if she were standing in her childhood home, before her eyes she saw the men burst through the door of their house. She watched as they beat her father, broke his cheekbone, and blood splattered across the room. She watched as they killed her mother, as she lay on the floor choking to death on her own blood, her throat slit wide open. Then as her father screamed in anguish over her death, they drove the sword into his heart. She was inside the cabinet frozen with fear. Then she was kneeling next to their lifeless bodies, her hands covered in their blood. Sobbing uncontrollably at her loss, she tried desperately to stand, but her legs wouldn’t move.
The vividness of her vision caused her to sway unsteadily. She felt as if she might vomit or collapse.
“Aurora… Aurora, are you alright?” David asked. He held her by the upper arm, and giving her a slight shake stared into her eyes.
The sound of his voice seemed to pull her back, enough to allow her eyes to work again. She could see him standing there, the look of concern on his face.
She struggled to speak, “my parents.”
David having fought his visions, realized what she must have seen, and somehow her pain helped to clear his mind. She needed him, and that lit a spark in him “Aurora it wasn’t real, look at me. Try to breathe.”
She looked at him struggling to clear her mind. She took deep breaths, and started to see their surroundings. She was not at her home she was with him in this accursed place. That was not a comfort, but it allowed her to push the memory back. It was still gnawing at the edge of her thoughts, but it allowed her to regain herself enough to speak. “It … It was so real, I...”
“I know, I’m sorry, we need to keep moving can you go on?”
“I think so,” and they started forward again.
As they got closer to the bog, the damp musty air carried the smell of death. In spite of it, holding hands tightly, they moved ahead. The sentries were watching them apparently unconcerned by their presence. They reminded them of General Grog. Gigantic man like creatures with blackened skin stretched tightly over their skulls. Arms the size of David’s waist, and shoulders nearing four feet wide, they were an imposing sight. Both of them had large battle-axes on long poles at the ready, and they each bore the scars of battle. When they reached them, the one asked in a growl, “What do you want?”
David mustering a confident voice said, “We’re here to see Him.”
The sentry grinned like an animal eyeing its prey, and said, “You must be the two He’s expecting.”
“I thought He’d be expecting us.”
“Yes.” The sentry said, grinning even wider.
“I see then, I suppose we shouldn’t delay.”
The sentry laughed a little, and said, “I wouldn’t be so anxious if I were you.”
The sentry turned, and headed down the path towards the tower. David and Aurora followed him in silence. The other sentry walked behind them, thankfully not too close. The smell of the bog was foul enough, but these two brutes had their own putrid odor, combined with the bog it was almost unbearable.
Thankfully the visions had stopped, and David and Aurora were able to think more clearly now. It was little consolation because it was obvious things were only going to get worse.
The stagnant water in the bog showed no signs of life, but David was sure he saw shadows dart past here and there. He knew without a doubt that he did not want to end up in it. At the base of the tower was a cave-like opening, tall enough that the sentries could walk through upright. It was pitch black, and he was wondering how they were going to see once inside.
***
Aurora was watching David in front of her putting all of her focus on him, and trying to block out everything else around them. She had made her up mind she would see this through to the end. Although she thought if he wasn’t with her she might not be able to go on. It was one thing to be brave in battle, but this took a different kind of bravery. Walking slowly into the belly of this horrible place was terrifying. She wondered how David even managed to speak. She didn’t think she could utter a clear word right now. All the awful memories and visions she had seen had sapped her strength, and she was amazed her legs were propelling her forward at all.
Arriving at the entrance the sentry called out “Festus. They’re here.”
The four of them stood there waiting, the sentries were motionless unconcerned about what their ‘guests’ were doing. After a few minutes, there was a faint flicker of light dancing towards them. Then in a high pitched screeching voice they heard, “I’m coming. You better be right; otherwise He will be most displeased.”
Appearing in the entrance was a small man-like creature standing maybe four feet tall holding a torch. He was scrawny with razor sharp teeth and nails. He too had the same burnt and blackened skin, pulled taut over his emaciated frame. His eyes were wide, and his ears came to a small point giving him a bat-like look. As he came out from the entrance, the two sentries instinctively took a step back. David thought it was odd that this creature would intimate these two giants, so there must be more to him than meets the eye.
Festus looked up at David and asked, “Who are you?”
David said, in a voice far more confident than he felt, “I’m David and this is Aurora, we’re here to see Him.”
Festus looked into his eyes for a long moment and had a curious expression on his face. Then he walked over to Aurora, and looked into her eyes, and gave the smallest of grins. “Follow me.” Festus said.
The three of them walked into the entrance, leaving the sentries behind. They could feel warm air floating up to meet them as they snaked their way through a passage heading down into the keep. Up ahead there was a low light marking the end of the passageway, and when they stepped out they found themselves in a small chamber. There were two hooded and cloaked figures standing waiting for them. A couple of torches on the wall lit the chamber enough for them to make out the rough rock walls. They could see that other than its inhabitants it was empty. There were two passageways leading out of the chamber one to the right and one to the left.
“Take the girl, and put her with the other one. Remember He wants her unharmed,” then with a devilish grin he said in a hiss, “for now.”
Aurora gave David a scared look, and he gave her a small nod telling her not to resist. The hooded figures silently led her down the passageway to the right, and Festus went on to the left. David followed him. He watched Aurora heading into the passage, and she turned her head to give him one last look. He tried giving her a small smile of encouragement, but his muscles weren’t working properly. It was clear she was barely holding herself together, and he wished could say everything would be all right, but his confidence was waning.
***
David’s heart broke for her, but he knew this was not the time or the place to fight. He had no idea what they were up against. He followed Festus travelling deeper into the keep. He imagined they were well below ground now, and the heat emanating from the direction they were heading was becoming stifling. The passageway opened up into a massive chamber littered with stalactites and stalagmites. There was a large clear area on the ground that formed a semicircle against the back wall of the room. He could see that the ground dropped off before it reached the back wall and steam rose up from the chasm. Standing there facing the wall and rising steam, was a man.
Festus led David over towards him and stopped short of the man, keeping his gaze on the ground. David stopped too watching him. He was wearing a dark cape, and his long blonde hair ran down past his shoulders to the middle of his back. He appeared to be well over six feet tall with broad shoulders, and he stood perfectly motionless. There were torches around the room casting a soft orange glow on the walls and floors. David realized that coming up from the fissure against the wall was the red and orange light of fire, dancing on the stone.
Looking down still, Festus said, hesitan
tly, “Master he is here.”
David stood still watching the man, his apprehension building. He was trying to remain calm so he could think clearly, but his mind was racing. For all he knew, when the man turned, he could attack David or just strike him dead on the spot, then what would happen to Aurora?
After what seemed like an eternity the man began to turn. David saw his face, and he was momentarily stunned. He was handsome, even regal looking. If he met him on the street, David would never have thought he could have come from here. David looked up into his eyes, and saw the darkness, pitch black a cold lifeless void of light, and then he saw the man for who he was. What once was a handsome face now looked old and spotted, his expression showing his contempt and loathing at the man standing before him. David could feel the hate exuding out of him like waves of heat.
***
Aurora was taking calming breaths trying to keep from passing out. Her anxiety was welling up inside her, and it took all of her control to keep it in check. The memories and visions she had walking into the keep were haunting her, the weight of it all making it hard to breath. She was afraid of what was going to happen to her, but even more so she hated that they had been separated. She came here knowing she could die, but if they were standing together when it happened, it would be one thing. The thought that perhaps something would happen to him before she saw him again was like a knife twisting inside her.
They arrived at a room where there was no one standing watch, and it didn’t appear to have a lock. The robed man opened it, and gestured to her to enter. She walked in, and the door was shut behind her. The room was bare except for a table, two chairs, and a pile of rags on the floor. Standing there not knowing what to do, Aurora was startled when the pile of rags began to move. She stood frozen waiting to see what was there, fingering the knife on her belt, when a woman’s face peered out from under them.