The Pulptress Versus The Bone Queen: Blood and Bone

by Andrea Judy

  Chapter 12

  Turning and trying to catch a glimpse in the light, I barely caught sight of a sword ripping through Aramis' chest. The man clawed at the faceless person behind him, but couldn't reach anything. I fired toward the sword, and the sword and figure withdrew from Aramis.

  He coughed and hit the ground. Jackson dropped down to his side, trying to hold pressure against the wound even though no blood flowed from the gaping hole.

  "You should know better than to keep following me, Aramis. I thought you had learned your lesson years ago."

  I recognized the voice instantly as the Bone Queen’s.

  She laughed. "But here you are, still chasing after me."

  "Renata. This isn't what you wanted. You were trying to stop the plague, remember?" Aramis choked out, shakily trying to get back to his feet.

  She snorted, "See, even then you didn't understand, Aramis. Even before I had this power you didn't understand. I never wanted to stop the plague."

  "What?" Aramis struggled to look up.

  "I wanted to stop the dead rising again, not stop people from dying. Death is the only inevitable, is the only truth in this world of lies and disguises," she continued, and I felt something cold as a ghost by my side.

  Turning, I fired and heard the bullet hit something then clink to the ground.

  "You're a better shot than I remember, Pulptress." The Bone Queen laughed.

  "Renata, stop this!" Aramis called. “Our time is over. You have to know that.”

  "Oh, dear sweet Aramis. You never understood; you never wanted to understand," she said. "The only thing I believe in, the only thing that I belong with is death. I know you believe that you can save me, but I don't want to be rescued. I want to drown this world in death. When no one but the dead are left, there will be nothing left to worship but death."

  "That isn't what you really believe!" Aramis argued.

  "You don't know what I really believe," The Bone Queen growled.

  Aramis pushed Jackson to the side as the sword ruptured through his chest again.

  Aramis grabbed at the sword, the blade slicing into his fingers as he pulled the blade further into his body until finally, the hilt was flush against his chest and the Bone Queen appeared in the light.

  Her dark hair was matted, and her pale flesh had rotted further away to expose bone and hollowness under the skin. One eye was nothing but an empty socket surrounded by bone, and her jaw was partially exposed, hanging open in a gaping maw. Aramis looked over his shoulder at her, "I told you I would follow you anywhere," he said softly.

  "And you've done a fine job." Her mouth twisted into something that might have been a smile. "Collected all three gems for me, too."

  Something cracked and the Bone Queen tumbled backwards, and I caught a glance of Jackson, nightstick held high, and ready for another swing. I took the moment to fire several shots, listening to the thud of them ripping through the Queen’s hollow body.

  She laughed as the bullet-riddled body dropped to the ground and faded into dust. I took a step closer, and a raven burst from the dust and flew straight at me. Clawing across my face, its beak snapped at the necklace I wore, ripping it off of me and swallowing the glittering treasure.

  As I rushed after the raven, I crashed into a large rotted corpse. Jackson swung the nightstick again, cracking into its skull, and suddenly dozens more bodies began crawling from the ground towards us. I glanced at Aramis and Jackson; the three of us moved closer together, forming a circle as the creatures descended. I could hear the swinging of Jackson’s baton, and Aramis’ daggers cutting through paper-thin skin and bone, but my attention was on keeping my guns loaded and firing. The smell of sulfur burnt around me, a faint layer of smoke and kicked up dust and dirt filtering through the air.

  When stillness finally returned to the world, I caught my breath. For a few moments, I didn’t think I could tell up from down. Slowly the world stabilized and I could see Jackson saying something, but couldn’t hear a word.

  I shook my head a few times, and finally could hear Aramis.

  The sword in Aramis’ chest dissolved away to dust and he brushed himself off, coughing as he felt over his body. In the now exposed hollows of his chest I could see the glint of the gem flickering against the emptiness of his long dead body. He adjusted his shirt to hide the gaping wounds.

  “We need to go after her!” He yelled.

  I nodded, and let Aramis take the lead. We ran down the hallway. “She’s got the damned stone!” Aramis growled.

  “We’re in trouble,” Jackson said.

  Aramis laughed. “We’re in an underground labyrinth being pursued by undead monsters while we hunt down their queen. I don’t think there’s any way this could not be considered ‘in trouble’.”

  I shook my head with a faint smile; he had a point.

  “How’s your leg?” Jackson asked me.

  “Fine,” I answered without considering the question. If I didn’t think about it, I didn’t notice the pain surging through my leg with every step. “Do you know where we’re headed?” I called to Aramis.

  “No,” He admitted. “But there’s only one hallway leading from that room, so…”

  “Here we are,” Jackson finished, keeping pace behind Aramis, and just a few steps in front of me.

  I heard something under us click, and the ground shook beneath our feet. I saw Jackson start to fall downwards and grabbed for her. She wrapped her hand around my wrist as all three of us began to plummet down through the trap doors that had just opened beneath us.

  Chapter 13

  Feeling a little like Alice falling into Wonderland, I wondered if the darkness I tumbled through would ever end. Aramis fell below me. I couldn’t quite see him but I could hear him yelling occasionally.

  I spread my arms and legs wide to slow my fall. My fingers grazed against the sides of the dirt tunnel, and I tried to claw at anything, but the few roots I managed to grab onto only jerked loose and offered no help. Jackson mimicked my movements, panicking as she struggled to grab onto anything to slow herself.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aramis straighten out his body to land on his feet. I heard the sharp crack of him hitting the ground and tried to brace myself. I tilted vertically and landed hard on my feet, then rolled to the side with my arms tucked up over my head.

  I heard Jackson hit something softer than the ground and then Aramis groan in pain.

  I scrambled back upright, ignoring the jolt of pain that shot up my leg and nearly stole my breath. “Aramis? Jackson?” I called.

  For several seconds, no one responded, then slowly, "You okay?" Jackson asked quietly.

  "Peachy," Aramis muttered.

  I followed their voices and found Jackson crawling off of Aramis, who appeared to have helped break Jackson’s fall. His leg was twisted and broken, and a few shards of ribs pierced through his shirt. He sighed, and winced when Jackson immediately set about getting them back in place.

  “It’s fine,” he grumbled.

  She shushed him and quickly pushed everything back into place.

  I said, “We need you moving.”

  Aramis just grunted as his bones slowly shifted back where they belonged. He let out a deep breath. “Everyone else okay?”

  Jackson nodded. “Thanks to you.” She offered a smile.

  “Oh, having a lovely woman fall on me is always my pleasure,” Aramis said with a wink.

  Jackson swatted his shoulder.

  “Come on, we need to move, we’ve got to find her,” I said, pushing ahead to look around.

  The room we’d dropped into appeared to be a small pit with no doorways leading in or out. I watched Aramis pace the room, noticing that when he approached the north wall, the gem exposed in his chest flickered to life with a burst of grey light.

  I looked at the wall, running my hands over it.

  “I think you need to sit down,” Jackson touched my shoulder.

  “I’m fine,” I responded automat
ically.

  Jackson sighed. "You've lost a lot of blood, and that leg. I'm worried that-"

  "Look, worry all you want, but there isn't a hospital down here and in case you haven't noticed, it's too late to turn back." I took a deep breath, "Thank you for your help, but until we get out of here, and destroy these stones and her, then we're not going anywhere."

  Jackson nodded, “I know, but... I just don't know how you're even upright right now, most people would be-"

  "I'm not most people, and I've had worse. Promise, I'll be fine just as soon as we're out of here."

  Jackson was quiet again before quietly asking, "If these stones keep Aramis alive...do you think it could heal you?"

  "What?" I froze mid-step.

  “What?” Aramis said, turning to face her.

  "I'm just saying. That stone in your chest is keeping you alive, Aramis, and now we've got it, what if it could heal you, Pulptress? You're still bleeding, you could die."

  "I'm not using anything involved with that damned woman for any reason," I growled. "No. I will drop dead before I let her magic keep me alive and walking around."

  “No. Let that stone touch you and that’ll be the end of you.” Aramis shook his head.

  “You’re still here.” Jackson argued.

  “That doesn’t mean you won’t turn into something you don’t like if you try to use that as a heal all.” Jackson said, “I’ve seen it happen.”

  “You’re still you.” Jackson protested.

  “And I fight every second to keep it.” Aramis snapped. “You can hear her calling for you all the time.” He shook his head. “No. There is no good use to these damned things.”

  "Are you sure?” Jackson asked. “It could-“

  "No, and that's final!" I shouted at Jackson.

  She flinched backwards, but didn't argue with me again.

  Chapter 14

  Aramis took a few deep breaths before he began pushing his fingers into the dark wall where his gem glowed the brightest. After a few seconds he was able to push his hand through the wall. He frowned and pulled back.

  “I can feel an open space behind this wall,” he explained.

  I pushed my arm through the wall and after getting elbow deep into the dirt, my hand burst free on the other side and grasped at the air. “Help me clear this space,” I said.

  Jackson and Aramis moved quickly and the three of us began digging with our hands through the dirt packed wall. Within a few moments, the dirt crumbled away to reveal a narrow hallway.

  I didn’t wait before starting down the hall. She’d made a fool of me ripping the stone from me like I was a pathetic baby. I clenched my fists. I would stop her no matter what.

  Aramis and Jackson stayed right at my heels.

  We turned a corner and a sharp beam of light pierced the darkness. Instinctively, I threw a hand over my eyes.

  "Okay, tell me you see that light at the end of the tunnel too?" Aramis said.

  "Yeah. Yeah, I see it. Is that daylight?" Jackson asked.

  "Somehow I doubt that," I said. "It's probably a trap of some sort."

  I closed my eyes for a moment and just listened, hearing the distinct scratching of metal against stone.

  "Stay back," I said.

  Aramis frowned at me. "You're hurt," he reminded me.

  "I am aware." I grunted.

  “Let me look first at least,” he offered, and stepped toward the light before I could stop him. I waited only a second before going after him. Behind me, I heard Jackson curse, then follow after me.

  Aramis stepped into the light, and I heard him take a sharp gasp of air. I rushed in, gun at the ready.

  A man I hadn't seen before stood up. He wore a long black robe and his head was covered in pale blond hair that lingered down and looped around his chin into a beard. Most of his teeth were missing and his skin sunk, pale and yellow against his bones. He gave me a toothless grin as he pulled his sword from its hilt. "Ah, the Pulptress. I see you still keep good company, Aramis."

  "Been expecting us, I take it?" I asked, carefully stepping into the room, keeping a safe distance from the tall, thin man as I made my way to Aramis’ side.

  "I've been waiting quite a while for you to get here," he confirmed as he held his sword at his side and shifted his weight from side to side on his feet.

  "So sorry to make you wait, I hate being late," I said taking a slow step forward and raising my pistol.

  "Going to shoot me where I stand?" he asked, still smiling.

  "Why wouldn't I?" I replied, aiming between his eyes.

  “Don’t.” Aramis put his hand over mine and slowly lowered my gun.

  The man grinned again. "So you do still have some sense left, Aramis.”

  “More than you,” Aramis said. “What are you doing here, Eten? I thought you were long dead and gone.”

  “I was, but she has a way of bringing you back, doesn’t she?” he asked, looking down at his hands where the skin had started to peel back from his bones.

  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow him to kingdom come right this second,” I demanded of either man.

  “Because I'm the best chance you have of finding what you're looking for." His grin widened as he spoke. "You're trying to find her, trying to kill her, trying to stop death."

  "And you're working for her," I said, keeping my gun ready.

  "And I know where she is," he said simply, scraping his sword across the ground. Sparks jumped from the blade to the stone floor before flickering out again.

  "And you're just going to tell us?" Jackson finally spoke up, peering out from behind me.

  He laughed. "Oh no. She's told me all about you, Pulptress. All about how you stopped her in Paris."

  "More like slowed her down it seems," I muttered, tightening my grip on my pistol, feeling the tension of the trigger under my finger. "Get to the point, dead man walking."

  "If you shoot me, I'll fade to dust without telling you a thing," he said.

  "And what? If I let you go, you'll tell me what I want to know?" I shook my head. "That's not happening."

  “Eten, be reasonable,” Aramis started, but stopped when the man raised his hand.

  "I don't want you to let me go," he said after a few moments and looked to me. "I want a burial."

  I frowned. "You want a what?"

  "I want a proper burial. I never got one in life. I died and was raised again to be at her side, and then my bones were lost to time. She found me and raised me again, but all I want to be is put to rest," he said.

  Jackson looked between me and Eten, "If we kill you, you'll fade to dust and-"

  "And to the bone she raised me from. I want that bone buried. I want a plot of land to rest, a headstone. I want to be remembered."

  I frowned. "That's all you want? A funeral and grave?"

  "I'm a simple man. Or I was," he said with a sigh, and a weak laugh. “We both once were simple men, weren’t we, Aramis?”

  Aramis didn’t respond, but stepped closer to the man. “What has she done?” he asked softly.

  "I tried to stop her, but I couldn't, and even now I'm still powerless to stop her from the path she is set upon. I was supposed to lead but I can’t stop her. Now, I just want to rest, and to meet death. I think the goddess of death is the only one who can stop her from this path she has set herself upon." He stood up to his full height, sword in hand, and at the ready.

  I tensed and raised my gun again.

  "We’re going to stop her," Aramis promised. “I know in life we never were friends, but now,” Aramis looked down at the exposed pit of his chest, “but now-“

  “We are brothers.” Eten nodded. “Useless brothers bound to the same woman.” He shook his head.

  “We’ll bury you,” Jackson said, stepping forward. “I promise. When this is all over, I’ll bury you. I’ll even come bring you flowers.”

  Eten smiled faintly, a gapping toothless smile. "You are a dear sweet child.” He looked at me. “And
you. You are touched by death, painted by it. Who is to say you are not acting as the hand of the goddess to stop her fallen child?"

  "I'm no one's puppet," I growled, bristling at the very thought.

  He tilted his head. "I can see the touch of Mene upon you. Though you do not carry her gem now, it still taints you just as it taints my lady.”

  "I'm not her," I snarled, curling my hand tighter around the pistol and taking a deep breath. "I'm nothing at all like her."

  He smiled. "You are more like her than you'd care to admit." He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "But that is neither here nor there. If you stop her, then you have fulfilled the will of Mene and of death. Stop her." He opened his eyes and looked at Jackson. "You swear you will bury me?"

  Jackson didn’t hesitate. "Yeah. I'll get you a real plot with a headstone and everything, promise."

  He smiled again, this time his lips stretching wider across his face. "Thank you."

  "Tell me where she is," I demanded. "That's your end of the bargain, right?"

  He nodded. "Of course." He took a slow deep breath, then said, "She continues down this path into a room that is locked. I finished the old tunnels already here, and built new ones to let her rag and bone warriors wander. I helped her raise these dead for her then was left to guard her. The lock that leads to her will only open with my sword as its key. Use my blade to unlock the door at the end of this tunnel. Leave the sword and continue down the stairs there. She will be at the altar at the bottom with the stones she has."

  "She's waiting for us?" Aramis asked.

  He shrugged. "She always waits for those gems to return to her, it's all she knows anymore. Living dead is not a sustainable life."

  Aramis nodded, reaching out and taking Eten’s hand. The two men embraced, patting one another’s back before drawing apart. “Make it a clean shot,” Aramis told me.

  "Thank you, Pulptress." Eten closed his eyes and bowed his head.

  I aimed carefully and fired. The bullet cracked through his skull just between his eyes. His eyes flew open for just a moment before his pale, dirty skin faded away and he dissolved into dust that floated across the air before dissipating. All that was left behind was a fragment of skull just in front of my feet. I tucked my pistol away and wiped my hands off on my jeans.