by M A Bernier
“Speak your mind Odien.” Jyn-Taa’s voice softened, he was curious why his most faithful servant would suggest he take an action contrary to his request.
“The eclipse this night lifts the curse of spell preventing any within this temple from speaking of a creature imprisoned beneath its foundations.”
“No!” One of the Clerics yelled. “You fool, you don’t dare release….” His voice changed to a gurgle of short breaths as the rope around his neck tightened dangerously tight. Odien looked at the other captives, all were silent as he turned to face his master after having dealt with the cleric.
“Many ages ago a creature of darkness was imprisoned within this temple. It had disobeyed the one we worshipped. None here dared release it for fear of its retribution. Terror and fear are its weapons and what it feeds upon. If it pleases you, I can take you to its prison.”
“It pleases me Odien.” Jyn-Taa looked at the captives. He raised both hands, as the captives cowered in fear shadowy figures appeared and enveloped the captives. Odien released the ropes, Jyn-Taa spoke to the figures bowing before him. “You have one task to perform just outside the temple, and then you will go and find the descendants I seek. Find those in our midst whose fear and terror are greatest and bring them me.” Odien turned to the panic-frozen cleric punished by Jyn-Taa, the cleric began to float a few inches above the floor, Odien turned back to Jyn-Taa.
“The entrance lies beyond the coal chamber of initiation.” Odien said, he led Jyn-Taa to the far edge of the central chamber to a plain wooden door painted black and led him into the chamber beyond, the floating cleric followed as if led by an invisible string. The coal-black chamber was small, hardly large enough for three or four people to stand in, a single block of stone sat within the center. Other than the knee-high granite stone the room was lined with the black coal of the desert. Odien walked to the further wall where an image of Katanz, made up of small silver tiles, covered a small portion of the wall and pressed specific tiles. Jyn-Taa had scoffed at the tiles as wasteful display of self-importance. It never occurred to him that the image could have been more than what it appeared.
Odien stepped back from the image after pressing the final tile. A section of the wall the size of a door slid upward into the ceiling revealing an opening. The opening led to a ledge, Odien led his master through the doorway.
Jyn-Taa stepped through the opening in the wall and onto the ledge just beyond, he found himself within an immense hollowed out section of the mountain. The large open cavern extended several hundred feet above and below him. The diameter of the cavern was at least two hundred feet. Instead of total darkness, hand-sized white crystals spaced every thirty feet lit the cavern. The walls were natural rock, a staircase starting at the ledge on his left spiraled along the wall to the bottom of the cavern. Jyn-Taa walked down the spiral steps to the base of the cavern. The cavern the floor was smooth and tan in color. A single oblong object styled like an above ground sarcophagus occupied the center of the floor.
Outside the temple a large group of cleric and witches had gathered at the mountain entrance where days before Jyn-Taa had arrived. The order of Katanz were blocked by an invisible force when they tried to leave the mountain temple. Several of their friends unsuccessfully tried to rebel against Jyn-Taa, but it had failed and those who tried were now used as shadowy servants searching the world and returning with people of all ages. The clerics and witches tried various spells and incantations to break the barrier but, they all failed. They blamed their former leaders and the leaders of the past for not passing down the true lore of the power of Katanz. The present order could summon the power to contain or burn, but nothing more. Many of the order started to see themselves as they perceived the world saw them, a pathetic and weak group of people with limited power and influence.
After Jyn-Taa’s arrival, the followers of Katanz began to separate into groups, some loyal to Jyn-Taa, some not, and others whose hoped to escape. Movement from the entrance at the top of the rock stairs caught the eye of several members. More of the shadowy forms emerged however, instead of departing over and beyond the out wall of the temple these shadows moved slowly as they looked at the crowd below.
The shadow walkers moved and clung to the walls like spiders. They watched those below with heightened senses, in moments they found their targets and moved swiftly to them.
The clerics and witches watched as the shadow walkers seemed to stare at the crowd then suddenly move toward them swiftly. Several of the most frightened tried to use their powers to contain the shadow walkers as they approached from the ground.
The Shadow walkers moved swiftly from the wall, to the group of near terrified individuals who parted at their approach. Red spheres appeared around them as they searched for their targets. The sphere dissipated as the shadow walkers passed beyond the futile barrier around them, each one found its target and pointed.
Several of the clerics and witches found themselves standing alone, their former friends no longer stood beside them. Those targeted tried to run only to fall to the ground as shadowy hands emerged from the rocks and sand beneath them grabbing their legs and feet. They pleaded and clawed at the ground for their friends to help them, but none intervened. The crowd watched as the others were dragged off of the ground and into the air by their feet, legs, arms or waist and taken within the temple emitting screams of terror as they were carried away.
In less than an hour Jyn-Taa, Odien, followed by the, floating, panic stricken cleric reached the bottom of the cavern. Jyn-Taa walked forward to what was appeared to be a sarcophagus made of granite. Odien informed him that the procedure was simple; melt the seal which kept the lid upon the coffin. What no one had was the power to contain the creature’s rage once released. As he walked the length of the granite coffin he could see the lid had been sealed to the coffin with a layer of molten rock. Jyn-Taa looked closer at the layer of cooled molten rock, tiny symbols had been etched the entire length. He placed his hand upon the granite top, the power trapping this creature saturate his entire body like a buzzing sensation. Jyn-Taa pushed his mind beyond the barrier of that power, within the coffin the creature’s essence burned with hatred and anger. The power that the creature radiated was intense despite being dead.
Jyn-Taa stepped back from the coffin, Odien remained behind him and the cleric they had brought with them remained frozen in fear on the floor. Jyn-Taa raised his hands and concentrated on the metallic seal, it began to glow red. As it changed from red to white it dripped down the side of the granite coffin. When the last of the seal was burned away Jyn-Taa lowered his hands. The slab lifted itself off of the coffin and slowly levitated away from it then settled without a sound on the floor. Jyn-Taa walked to the open coffin and peered inside. He saw a skeleton with patches of dried skin covering various parts of its remains. The knife, completely carved from wood, was exactly how Odien described it. The point of the knife was embedded through the rib cage and pierced the remains of what must have been the creature’s heart. More of the same symbols were etched upon the entire length of the knife. Jyn-Taa was not sure why, but he knew this knife would be the key to gaining some control over this creature. He grasped the handle, pulled the knife out and placed it within his robes. The wound in the dried heart healed instantly, the skeletal head turned to Jyn-Taa and its hand moved to the edge of the coffin where it grasped the side and pulled itself into a sitting position. The heart began to beat slowly within its chest, the creature’s skeletal looked around and viewing its surroundings.
Jyn-Taa turned to Odien and gestured to the cleric, Odien wordless guided the cleric, floating him across the floor and set him just outside the granite coffin in sight of the creature. The skeletal figure swept its legs over the edge of the coffin and onto the floor below. As it stood Odien and Jyn-Taa could see it was over seven feet tall. It looked down at the cowering form of the cleric and opened one of its skeletal hands reached out to him. The cleric’s body relaxed and removed itself from a
fetal position, he looked at the skeletal hand, then placed his own within it. The cleric stood with the assistance of the creature, his face now devoid of any fear. The creature placed its hands on either side of the cleric’s temples. A mist of white energy began flowing from the cleric and into the creature’s mouth and nose like smoke slowly rising from the ashes of an old fire. It then moved its mouth the clerics neck where it sank two of its larger teeth. When the creature had drawn all it could of the cleric’s essence and blood it dropped the lifeless, dried up body to the floor, then it turned to Odien and Jyn-Taa.
Jyn-Taa watched as the creature’s skin, eyes and body regenerate before his eyes. Within moments of dropping the lifeless form of the cleric, the creature appeared whole again. Its skin was deathly gray and its eyes blood red. What Jyn-Taa thought was dead skin formed into a black cloak covering the creature from its neck to its feet.
Odien, seeing the creature’s gaze move toward him, pulled his cloak hood down over his eyes so the creature could not seduce him completely as it had done to the cleric. It stepped towards Odien’s master and held its hand to him.
Jyn-Taa could feel the creature’s mind trying to dull his thoughts. He raised a single hand, the creature immediately sensed the invisible barrier that had been placed around it, he grew enraged and hissed at Jyn-Taa while it clawed with its sharp talons at the invisible barrier. After a few moments it closed its eyes and calmed itself. When it opened its eyes again it was looking calmly at Jyn-Taa. “Release me.” Its deep voice hissed. “I must feed.”
“You will feed.” He replied. “But at my command.” From the center chamber Jyn-Taa could feel the presence of the shadow gatherers approaching with their victims. He summoned them to come forth to where he and Odien awaited. The creature looked upward sensing the fresh victims as they entered the cavern.
Upon seeing the creature that had been released the clerics and witches held by the shadows struggled and cried out in vain as they were brought to the cavern floor. One by one they watched as the others were calmed, their will suddenly gone, then had their life essence drained from them. Jyn-Taa was giving this creature its task when Odien noticed movement from the corner of his eye. The first cleric consumed by the creature was rising to its hands and knees, the sound from its throat was that like a rabid dog as it leapt at him. Odien reacted quickly by raising his hand in front of him holding the creature suspended in mid-air. The vampiric cleric snarled and snapped with its teeth at Odien, chains formed from the rock floor encasing his feet and hands and drew him to the far corner of the cavern. The chains were just long enough to allow it to stand, more chains formed on the arms and feet of the others not yet risen.
“What are you called?” Jyn-Taa asked the creature from the coffin.
“I am Vuuaan.” The creature said slowly, his voice hissing as he spoke.
Jyn-Taa looked to Odien, knowing what his name meant Odien explained it to him. “It means Devourer of life and soul in the old tongue of my former order. Vuuaan is the offspring of Katanz and the witch goddess Vamira. The story passed down taught us Vuuaan chose to favor Vamira over Katanz for affection, Katanz imprisoned Vuuaan for his favoritism.” Jyn-Taa turned to Vuuaan.
“I have a task for you Vuuaan.” Jyn-Taa stepped closer to the creature.
“I know your desires.” It hissed. “Spare those with the mark, bring them here. All others are mine to feast upon.” Vuuaan rose a few feet from the floor of the cavern, and for a moment his eyes glowed brighter. His body exploded in a mass of black smoke that twisted and churned upon itself. Vuuann’s incorporeal form hovered closer to Jyn-Taa, a small tendril of smoke snaked outward toward Jyn-Taa who inhaled it, Vuuaan then swiftly rose and passed through the secret entrance and out of sight. Odien smiled briefly as Jyn-Taa turned and shared with him what Vuuaan had agreed to and the gift he had given him.
Koth returned to the center chamber from the task the demons had given him. The descendants they were searching for may also be part of the order of Katanz. Koth’s first task was a watchdog to Jyn-Taa and a reminder of who he served. His second task was to search those in this temple for the symbol of their ancestry, none had been found, so far. As he shuffled his way past the pillars a dark form entered from one of the open doors at the far end of the chamber, for a moment it hovered over him before leaving the chamber. Koth knew his masters would not be pleased when they learned what had been released. Koth walked over and looked through the open door, the memories of the body he inhabited told him of the secret entrance. Jyn-Taa would answer for his actions.
Jyn-Taa and Odien walked the spiral steps and passed through the initiation room and into the central chamber where Koth was waiting for them. “The masters will be displeased with you.” His voice no longer slurred as it had when Koth first inhabited the body.
“I was not aware they would be displeased with efforts to complete the task they set before me.” Jyn-Taa’s hands were behind his back, he moved them slightly in a motion Odien recognized. He bowed his head slightly lower and took an indiscriminate step backward. “I have compelled this servant” Jyn-Taa gestured to Odien, “to tell me all things which may serve me in this temple.”
“Perhaps I can compel you to speak of your plans from now on.” Koth motioned for Jyn-Taa to take his place just outside the ring of pillars in the center chamber. Koth walked to the center of the pillars, as before he turned and faced Jyn-Taa. Odien stayed further behind and knelt with his head bowed low. As before, swirling winds marked the opening of the gate and the translucent from of the Demon Wind appeared behind Koth.
“Speak Koth.” The demon demanded.
“The Jyn-Taa has released Vuuaan.” Demon Wind’s face grew furious. Through Koth he wielded his power which burst forth in a column of shadow and smoke, it wrapped itself like tentacles around Jyn-Taa. Odien watched as the power around his master forced him to his knees in pain. He wished he could understand what was being said by the Demon Wind, it was evident he was displeased.
“Were it not for the task you have to complete I would destroy you Jyn-Taa!” The demon bellowing voice shook the entire chamber. “Your body will reflect the consequences of your actions.” Jyn-Taa felt a greater surge of pain in his hands as he realized Wind was inducing the crippling effects of old age. Wind withdrew his power and the rest of Jyn-Taa’s body was released from the pain. His hands still hurt a great deal, but not as much as he thought they should, he smiled inwardly. “You will have to answer for yourself once your task is complete.” Demon Wind’s image was replaced by the Demon Shadow.
“The Horde is ready.” Shadow addressed Koth who now faced him. “Choose the vessels and bring them to this gateway.”.
“As you wish master.” Koth bowed low, the wind ceased and the demon’s imaged faded. Koth turned to Jyn-Taa. “Remain in the chamber until I return with those who will become the horde.” Koth left the two of them alone, Odien walked to his master.
“Vuuaan’s essence. Did it help ease the pain?” Odien asked as he bowed before Jyn-Taa
“Yes.” Replied Jyn-Taa, “Stand and face me Odien.” Odien stood. “Vuuaan’s essence may release me from the demon’s hold in time. Time however is short and Koth watches my every move.”
“How may I serve you?” Odien asked.
“Odien, Vuuaan will not harm you.” Jyn-Taa as he momentarily rested a hand on Odien’s shoulder. “I have commanded him to obey you as if the words were spoken by me.”
“How will that help you Master?”
“Koth does not watch your every move. You can watch for Vuuaan and each time he returns you can be a vessel for the essence he will be imparting to me. To carry his essence will be painful.”
“I will endure and serve you always.” Odien bowed his head. “What must I do?” Jyn-Taa placed his hands upon his servant’s head. For a moment his hands glowed softly red, Odien flinched as a stab of pain passed through his body. Jyn-Taa removed his hands and stepped back.
“All you need to i
s allow Vuuaan’s essence to enter your body. You will carry that essence until it can be placed within mine.”
“The pain will be nothing, I will carry it for you as long as you need.” Odien and Jyn-Taa knew Koth would not be long. They walked along the edge of the table to the opposite side and sat down in silence. Jyn-Taa took advantage of this time and contemplated his past, present and future. He already felt the pain waning in his hands. Vuuann’s essence would free him. The demons would have no hold over him and he would be free to act in all ways to serve his own needs. He lightly touched the ancient wooden dagger hidden within his robes. Koth would find his dead heart pierced by betrayal and the wooden dagger. Vuuaan offered a gift to Jyn-Taa in return for his unhindered freedom. Jyn-Taa was not sure he could believe the ancient creature. Vuuaan, however powerful, could not hide behind lies with Jyn-Taa, so Jyn-Taa accepted his conditions. Within the realm of the demons he had been unable to think clearly or control the rage he felt inside. Now that he resided outside their world he began to plan his revenge. When Vuuaan’s power joined with his own he would put in motion his plans for immortality and control over the elemental demons who now controlled him. Jyn-Taa planned to take control of the body he had been part of before the void. However, even with that body it was unlikely he could have escaped, or prevailed against the anger of the demons. He could never have foreseen learning of Vuuaan and what Vuuaan could do for him. In time he would be able to channel the demonic energy through Vuuaan’s power that he harnessed. With it he could sustain his present body indefinitely, and in time stand against the demons that held his life in their hands. If all went as planned he would free himself of their hold and steal the soul and power from his other living half. He desired also to return the elemental demons back to exile. Jyn-Taa knew his goals may be difficult to complete. With careful planning all will be done to his satisfaction, but it would need to be done before the second and final ritual.