Box of Runes An Epic Fantasy Collection
Page 8
“A crowd had gathered in front of the coliseum, carrying banners bearing clan sigils.
“‘I hope you have satiated your hunger and your lust,’ said the Dark One. His cold laughter shook me to my soul. He appeared on my right in a full-length black robe. The hood covered his head, permitting the red glow of his eyes to escape.
“‘Place me in my challenge or let me begin my eternal rest. I tire of your games,’ I said.
“‘You are in no position to demand anything. However, you approach the threshold of your existence, a crossroads. If you survive this final challenge, I will place you back amongst the living to do my bidding. There will be time to explain this in detail if you succeed. If you perish, I will hold your soul for all eternity. You will become a lifeless corpse destined to wander these streets forever. I snatched you from the embrace of the Earth Goddess and spared you the maggots in the grave. Do not disappoint me.’
“A sentry took me by the arm and led me down a spiral staircase under the coliseum. Thunderous vibrations forced the torches to dance on the wall. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, gathered on the stone benches above my head. Cages lined the arched ceilings of the dungeon. The sentry did not look at me or ensure that I headed in the right direction. I glared at the demons in the cages as we walked past.
“‘Come a bit closer so I can see your eyes,’ said one.
“‘No, come over here and let me smell you,’ said another.
“I felt the tug of their mind-bending suggestions and forced myself to catch up with the sentry. At the far end of the dungeon stood another door. I stepped through it into an armory, where the sentry dressed me for war. He snatched the weapons I acquired on the street and threw them to the ground. He placed a silver helmet on my head in addition to a bloodstained breastplate. I selected weapons from an extensive cache, sheathing a light rapier on one hip, and a heavy short sword on the other. With both hands, I unhooked a battle-ax from the wall.
“‘You will be summoned. Stand on that block,’ the sentry said.
“I moved towards the alcove and stepped onto the block. The sentry left the armory, the door locking behind him, and the block came to life. It grumbled, shook, and began to rise. The cacophony of noise from the surface surged in my head. With each level I rose on the block, the mental noise grew. Above me, another stone slid from left to right. Bursts of embers filled my vision as the stone beneath me locked into place on the floor of the coliseum. I gazed at the monstrous entity before me.
“Thousands of creatures stood on their feet, screaming. I turned in a complete circle, in awe of their sheer numbers. I had never seen so many beings in one place before, in the land of the living or the dead. An enormous grandstand at one end of the coliseum floor drew my attention. The Dark One sat upon a throne of skulls, and sentries stood on each side, holding his sigil on a banner. I looked down to see pools of blood drying on the paved stone. Bodies and limbs littered the massive arena floor. A thousand soldiers could do battle on that stage, and it appeared as though many had.
“In the distance, another figure arose from the stone floor of the coliseum. A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd and threatened to split my skull. A beast greeted the figure, who mounted it and moved towards me. I gripped my battle-ax and turned to face the attacker. A short distance from me, he brought the beast to a halt.
“‘I must destroy you,’ he said. This creature wore armor of the highest quality. A red velvet flag contained his embroidered sigil, and his sword reflected the burning glow of the Sun God. Silver spikes protruded from his boots and his dagger dripped flame.
“I trembled and met my fear of death. ‘I will not surrender,’ I replied.
“We stood in our battle stance, facing each other. I wanted to eliminate his steed and put us on even ground. Even if I could, his weapons outmatched mine. It would not be a fair fight. The beast cried and charged towards me. I held my position and did not move. I waited until I could smell the foul breath of that animal and, at the last possible moment, I dodged to my left. In one movement, I spun the battle-ax in a backhanded motion, putting it between the charging beast and my back. The underside of the blade sliced through the front legs of the beast while its back legs trampled my chest. I felt the rider meet the ground and heard the beast utter its death cry as I rolled to my back, gasping for air. The rear legs of the steed had stolen the breath from my lungs.
“The warrior stood over me, blocking out the Sun God. He raised his sword into the air as the crowd dove into an orgy of bloodlust. I blocked the attack with the handle of my battle-ax. The handle burst into a ball of splinters as the blade of his sword glanced off the top of my helmet. I rolled onto my feet and drew my rapier as the warrior bellowed laughter from the depths of the underworld. Everything froze in my mind. I could see spittle flying from the mouths of spectators. Sweat lunged at the ground from the nose of the warrior in front of me. Fear threatened to consume my senses and paralyze my system. I screamed, breaking the trance.
“‘I will not perish in this foul place,’ I said.
“The warrior did not speak, striding towards my position with a sneer. His mighty sword cast a bladed shadow on my chest as he thrust forwards, moving towards the kill. I ducked under his attack and dove between his legs. Before the warrior could spin and face me, I slashed both of his heels with my rapier. Rust covered the blade and tore ragged chunks of tendon from his legs. His knees buckled. He dropped his sword while his forehead slammed off the stone pavement. Cries of agony filled my head as the warrior tried to stand but could not. Spectators gawked and mumblings grabbed my attention, their initial excitement having turned to apprehension.
“I threw my rapier to the ground. Our eyes met, his fate staring him in the face. A burning red light shot from his orbs, the creature’s last defiant stand. His arms grasped for a piece of my tunic or strap from my armor, but found nothing. Realization of true death drowned the warrior’s will to fight. He knelt before me and lifted his head, exposing the unprotected flesh of his neck. This creature desired to die with honor on the field of battle. The crowd ramped up its fury once again. This time, it was clear they demanded blood to be drawn, and it would not be mine.
“I planted my feet and spread them the width of my shoulders. I grasped the bottom of the hilt with both hands, my biceps twitching in response to the weight of the weapon. I brought the sword above my right ear and held it there. Twisting my waist to the right, I brought the sword down in a furious motion. The blade opened a red line on the warrior’s neck, which vomited blood on his breastplate. His body froze, eyes locked on mine. His head toppled backwards while his torso collapsed to the ground. Chaos erupted in the stands; creatures shrieked, laughed, bit, and fought. A sea of red flesh and blood pulsed in front of me. That image burned itself into my head as I lost consciousness on the killing floor of the coliseum.
“‘Wake,’ said the voice.
“I opened my eyes, hoping I was beyond the Region of the Dead.
“‘I knew there was power in you,’ the voice said. The Dark One sat on a high chair at the end of a rectangular room. ‘You passed through the nine levels of the gauntlet. As promised, I am returning you to the land of the living to do my bidding. Listen to my words. The prophecies of mortals foretold your arrival. There will be death, destruction, and madness. You will revel in it and your reign of terror will know no boundaries. Neither man nor the Earth Goddess will be able to alter your course. Lead with the knife. You will carry my regenerative powers with you on the field of battle. Those who wish to terminate your existence can do so only with godlike energy. You will not perish with the frailty of mankind, but with the tenacity of the Dark One. However, your dead flesh is not impervious to destruction. Guard it and protect it as you did in life. Lay waste to the mortals and claim their souls in the name of the Dark One.’
“Once again, I lost consciousness. I woke as a young boy in a remote farming village of the Eastern Kingdoms. My die had been cast.”
“It is as the Dark One foretold. You will sit at my right hand when we deliver the powers of doom.”
Chapter 16
Gishwan chased Ri through the tropical jungle. The Sorceress of the Wind sensed another and they set out to rescue this being. Jealousy subsided in Gishwan. After many leagues of travel through the trees, the two women came to a clearing. Two wagons were parked to the side, and the drivers tended to the horses pulling them. A body lay between the two carts.
“What happened?” Ri asked the nearest driver.
“We were transporting this bitch to the gallows when she fell out of the carriage. Luckily, the horses trampled her underfoot and spilled her entrails into the dust. Are you a medicine woman? If so, you’d better call for the local undertaker. Her soul departed.”
“Her crime?” Ri asked.
“The practice of sorcery, witchcraft.”
Gishwan’s eyes flashed at Ri, an unspoken message delivered and received.
“May we tend to her wounds?” Ri asked while flashing her bright green eyes at the driver.
He shuddered and moved his hand towards his groin. “Do what you like, my lady.”
Ri bent close to the woman’s face and felt a trace of breath exiting her body. “She lives, but is at death’s door.”
Gishwan walked towards Ri and knelt beside her.
“Take the red powder from that flask and sprinkle it in her mouth and nose.”
Gishwan obeyed the command.
“Remove the cotton wrap from that bag and stop the flow of blood from her wounds.”
Gishwan followed the instructions without speaking. The woman’s chest fluttered, followed by her eyes.
“She comes back to us,” Ri said. “My fine sir, may we take her to the local healer?” she asked the driver.
“Not unless you hold an affidavit from the village elder that permits her release into your custody.”
Ri stood and brushed her wavy, black hair from her heart-shaped face. Beauty and radiance engulfed the two drivers. They froze as she sauntered towards them. Her white cotton wrap fluttered in the breeze, which allowed the two men a glimpse of her breasts behind it.
“You know I don’t have that,” she said, placing her hand on the driver’s shoulder. Her long fingers traced a tingling line from his shoulder to his neck. He winced with pleasure as she massaged the back of his head.
“Then—I can’t. I can’t,” the driver said.
“You can’t what?” asked Ri, singing her question. “You see that this woman is dead. I will take her body and dispose of it. This will save your village elder from the work and expense,” she said while her hand moved around his shoulders. Her lips brushed against his as she spoke, and he smelled the sweet aroma of her breath. His manhood pleaded for release.
“Yes, she is dead, I’m sure. I know—I’m certain our elders would not want to touch her tainted body,” he said.
“Yes, that is correct,” replied Ri. She held the driver’s attention and molded his responses like wet clay.
“Take her cursed remains,” the driver said.
“We are honored to serve you and your elders,” replied Ri.
The driver’s eyes never left her. His mouth fell into an open shape as she spun and turned away. Both drivers walked back to their respective carriages. They mounted and moved down the path, back towards their village.
“Move her off to the side. Her condition worsens and is worse than I anticipated. We will need to fashion a gurney to transport her back to the dwelling.”
Gishwan and Ri lifted the woman to the side of the path. They stalked through the jungle, gathering twisted vines. Ri removed a cotton blanket from her pouch. Using leather straps and the vines, the women constructed a mobile cot. They placed the injured woman on it and moved through the jungle towards the dwelling.
“How did you do it?”
“All in time, my love.”
“But the men, they froze as if by a spell.”
Ri lifted the front of the gurney over a fallen tree before replying. “A spell of sorts, yes. It is not much different than the natural persuasions we posses. A man’s rational thoughts cannot compete with his swelling member.”
Gishwan giggled.
The women stopped to eat berries and check on the health of the injured woman. She drifted in and out of consciousness, sometimes accompanied by gibberish. The Sun God threw his last rays upon the Earth Goddess as he completed his measured journey. As the Light of the Lady appeared inside the purple smear of twilight, the women carried the cot the final stretch to the threshold of the dwelling.
“We must secure her, like you,” said Ri.
“I thought as much. Where will I stay this evening?”
“You will come with me,” replied Ri.
Gishwan’s heart sputtered. “Will we lie together again?” she asked. Her eyes twinkled and her voice fluttered.
“We have work to do before the Sun God returns if we want this woman to live. Her physical condition deteriorates, but she possesses some of the necessary powers for survival. All will unfold in due time.”
Gishwan found the discarded chain and padlock and fastened them to the door while Ri moved the woman from the gurney to the cot. She fastened her wrists to the supports, ensuring the woman would not wander in an injured stupor. They prepared the dwelling in the candlelight. Gishwan followed Ri out of the room and towards the Great Sea, where the beach stood in stark contrast to the water. Sand met the surf and wrestled it back into the sea. Blue crabs scurried across the lapping waves, competing for territory and food.
“Where are we going?”
“Sit,” said Ri. The two women sat on the beach, out of reach of the night tide. “How do you feel?” she asked.
“Content. The men that abused me drove the will to live from my body. Your rescue provided me with hope. I’ve also felt a pressing desire to lay with you again.”
Gishwan felt the wetness between her legs, and Ri reached through the encroaching night, pulling Gishwan’s lips to hers.
Chapter 17
The chief elder reconvened the council. This time, the Soothsayer joined them without invitation.
“Elders, Soothsayer, and members of the council, we spent time gathering information, seeking public opinion, and wrestling with our intuitions. It is time we make decisions that will affect the People of the Sun. Would any of you like to begin?”
The men remained silent until Trojen spoke.
“Apathy eats away at the villagers. Some see the situation as hopeless. News of the omens spreads. These folks think that their destiny is foretold and will pass into the Book of History regardless of their actions. Other villagers live in a state of complete denial. Like the great bird of the desert, they stick their heads in the ground and pretend their lifestyle will not change. This is the pulse of our people.”
Trojen’s words sunk into the air.
“Is this the vibration you felt from your peers? I can understand this attitude from those with the most to lose, your fellow businessmen and traders,” said Fasha.
“I admit that my report is colored with the tint of my own vision. That is true for me and will be true for all of you as well,” Trojen replied.
The chief elder interjected. “Fasha, what is your sense of the people?”
“Sir, my sense is not that different from Trojen’s. Those who pay attention to the movements of the heavens continue to interpret one sign. Nede, the Sign of the Serpent, comes up over and over again.”
Machek felt the words in his mouth struggling to break free. He could not restrain their birth. “I must speak my mind on this matter. If we do nothing, we send ourselves beyond the Region of the Dead. We must act now. We must pull back the reins on our extravagant lifestyle. We must begin to organize a sta
nding army, one of strength, not sloth. We must free our minions from the bonds of subjugation. The People of the Sun cannot lord over the One World any longer, or it will be at the cost of our own children.”
The Soothsayer placed his hand on Machek’s shoulder before speaking. “The Jaguar Knight speaks the truth. Divinations showed me one blocked gateway, but I have no way of identifying this obstruction. The omens have begun, and the Spirit tells me they will continue to their logical end. Desi, what do you have to share with the council?”
“More of the same. The custodians of the Earth Goddess tell me that our crops are failing. Generations of food production have abused the soil, and it cannot regenerate to meet demand. Our Empire has grown too large, and we can no longer feed our people. In addition, many of our outlying dominions populate the edges of the Great Waste. Almost all of these people rely on food produced by the People of the Sun. Whether we want to admit it or not, many will move beyond our reach.”
The elders chatted back and forth as meaningless conversations emerged within the council. Heavy smoke clouded the faces of the men, mingling with the scent of the tent’s rawhide skins. Machek sat motionless, staring into the flame of the ceremonial fire.
“Tonatu,” said the chief elder. He attempted to bring order back to the palaver with the customary salutation.
“Tonatu,” replied the others in the hut.
The chief elder delivered his thoughts. “I am enacting several ordinances. First, we will halt all food production and distribution to our subjugated tribes. Only our tribe will eat food produced by our farmers. Second, I am commissioning Machek as lord major of the Jaguar Knights. He will institute a standing force and all will answer to him. Third, I will deliver a proclamation to all of our conquered peoples. They are now free from our bonds. This may not save us, but it is what we must do.”