by Alex Archer
Godwin eyed him and Annja kept to his other side. “This is over now,” she said.
Derek smiled. “Do you think so?”
“You’ve got no place to flee,” Godwin said. “Give it up.”
“Me? Flee?” Derek smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it. You, however, have far more pressing problems than I.”
Annja spun around and saw that during the melee on the dais, the robed followers on the floor had sealed off every exit and had armed themselves with all manner of bladed weapons.
Derek held up his hands. “We prefer the bladed weapons to firearms. It hearkens back to a time before such modern tools enabled any fool to be able to kill. These men have all studied their craft well and I would be proud to call any of them a warrior.”
Annja shook her head. “Yeah, well, that’s delightful and all, but if any of them make a step closer, you’re going to die.”
Derek shook his head. “As if such a thing even matters. My followers will kill you before you get two steps from the dais.” His eyes gleamed. “Whether you kill me or not.”
Godwin frowned and spoke to Annja. “Any ideas?”
Wishman stepped forward. “Is this a standoff?”
Derek smiled. “Not at all. If anything, you helped get rid of that pesky Hansen and several useless guards who clearly had not studied their weapons training very much. I should be thanking you for your assistance. However, we do have an agenda to keep to here.”
“You won’t be calling on Onur for help tonight. I’ll die before I let you do such a thing,” Annja said.
Derek laughed. “Even if you were able to stop me, it wouldn’t be like the other day, Annja. It wouldn’t be like that crazy little drug-induced hallucination you suffered through.”
“Explain yourself,” she said.
Derek eyed her. “You didn’t actually think that we were going to unleash a creature from the burial mound, did you? That such a creature would allow itself to be walled up in some grave site? Ridiculous. But Hansen, for all his treachery, was a master chemist and mixed a little something we like to call the Breath of Onur with the explosive charges. When they fired off, the drugs vaporized and turned into a very potent aerosol that was blasted out of the hole and infected you and the old man there.”
Annja glanced at Wishman, who had his eyes set on Derek.
Derek kept talking. “The old man simply fainted as soon as he took a deep breath of the stuff. But you—” he smiled “—you gave us a great show, running this way and that, hacking up the field and doing all manner of battle with a figment of your imagination.”
Annja shook her head. It wasn’t possible that her battle had been nothing more than some bizarre acid trip. Or was it? She hadn’t been able to see the creature except in her mind’s eye. If her mind was clouded by the drugs, then anything was possible.
“All it took was little bit of suggestion to imply the creature would be invisible to the human eye.”
Annja pointed at Wishman. “But he said that the Araktak did have a creature like the one you said was walled up there.”
Derek shrugged. “Oh that’s just some silly old legend. There’s no truth in any of those things. But there is truth in the great god Onur. Now throw down your weapons.”
Annja shook her head. “You know I can’t do that. It’s impossible for me.”
Derek nodded. “Yes, yes, good point. I had indeed forgotten that that very real sword is somehow mystical in nature. That will be a bit of a problem.” His voice trailed off and then he snapped his fingers. “Ah, I’ve got it.”
Godwin was still staring at him, and Annja wondered what he had in mind. She turned her attention back to Derek. “Yes?”
“You will simply throw yourself into the flames.”
“Excuse me?”
Derek nodded. “Yes. You will voluntarily give yourself over to the fires. Onur will be most pleased with your sacrifice. He craves it. You are a bastion of good and he will feed a long time on your soul.”
Annja cocked an eyebrow. “Just like that?”
“Is there another way you’d prefer to go out?”
“Yeah, with your head on a stick.”
Derek shook his head. “No, no, that won’t do at all. Here’s the deal. You sacrifice yourself and I will let your friends go.”
“I’m not falling for that.”
Derek frowned. “I give you my word.”
“What good is your word?” snarled Godwin then.
Derek ignored him. “You can choose to die here, Annja, or you will all die at the merest flick of my hand to my followers.”
Annja looked out across the massive room. Derek’s followers had them surrounded and there would be no way they could move.
Godwin looked at Annja. “Don’t be foolish. We can grab him and use him as a hostage.”
Derek shook his head. “My men would kill me just to get to you. It is part of our oath never to allow one to be greater than the others. Strike me down and five more will spring up to replace me.”
Wishman stepped forward. “Take me instead.”
Derek regarded him. “You are old and worthless to me. Onur would rather have the young one and her vibrancy. You are old and feeble by comparison and Onur would find you an appetizer and little more. But Annja, she would be a feast.”
Annja smiled at Wishman. “Thanks. I appreciate the offer to go in my stead.”
Godwin frowned. “You can’t seriously be thinking about this.”
She looked at him. “That’s long odds out there. Forty of them against us? I’m armed and you are, too, but what about Wishman and Nyaktuk?”
“We’ll be all right.”
“You’d die and then that would just be a waste.” She looked at Derek. “I want free passage for them out of the mountain. I want your word that none of your men will harm them in any way. Let them get out of here.”
Derek smiled. “Of course.”
“They leave now.”
Derek shook his head. “What promise do I have that you will honor your word to us?”
“You have the same assurances as I. If I renege, then you can go outside the mountain and hunt down the three of them. Most likely they’ll be easy pickings for your men. The weather is horrible outside and they’d be easy enough to follow. You’ve got nothing to lose by letting them go.”
“Perhaps.” Derek mulled it over for a moment. “Very well. If we have your word on it.”
“You do.”
He nodded. “Then your friends are free to go. There have already been plenty of bodies thrown into the flames tonight. They are no longer needed.” He turned to Godwin. “Take the old man and Nyaktuk and leave. Now.”
Godwin looked at Annja. “I’m not leaving you.”
Annja shook her head. “We can’t make it out of this together. You take Wishman and Nyaktuk and go.”
Godwin gritted his teeth. Annja could see the hesitation in him. This wasn’t like him to leave someone behind. She put a hand on his arm. “Tell me one thing before you go.”
“Anything.”
She tried to smile. “Who are you?”
“Canadian Intelligence.”
Annja’s eyed widened. “Really?”
He nodded, his voice a whisper. “We’ve been wondering about this mining company for about a year now. I was sent in to find out what they were up to.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, it took me too long to figure it out.”
Annja smiled. “It’s not your fault.”
“It is.”
“Don’t live a life of regret,” Annja said. “It’s not worth it. There’s far too much to do in this lifetime without being burdened by it all.”
He looked into her eyes and then bent forward to kiss her on her lips. Annja tasted his desperation and pressed herself to him. Then just as quickly, she pushed him away.
“Go,” she said. “Before I change my mind.”
Godwin backed away and looked at Derek. “We aren’t finished yet. Not by a long shot.”
Derek grinned. “I have no doubt.” He ushered over a guard. “Show them the fastest route out of here. The exit by the base of the mountain should suffice. Then get back here. We have unfinished business with the woman.”
The guard nodded and waved for Godwin to follow him. He held a flickering torch aloft and then, as Annja watched, Godwin, Wishman and Nyaktuk left the dais. The sea of followers parted for them, and Annja watched them walk back down the tunnel. Soon enough, the flickering torchlight died and they were gone.
Leaving Annja all alone with the cult and its hungry fire pit.
38
Annja could feel Derek watching her intently. She glanced over at him. “Something I can help you with?” she asked angrily.
“Are you ready to carry out your end of the bargain?”
Annja looked at the room. Derek’s followers had shown no signs of getting impatient, even though they’d been waiting for the better part of twenty minutes since Godwin and the others had left. Annja wondered if Derek had some sort of hypnotic hold on them.
“How long does it take them to reach the mountain entrance?”
Derek shrugged. “Perhaps ten minutes. If you were wondering how Dufresne got here before your party did, that’s how. It’s significantly more convenient than traipsing up toward the pass, eh?”
“I’ll bet.”
Derek smiled and then noticed someone entering the cavern. “Ah, your friends’ guide has returned. You see? They are all safe and sound. They’ve left the mountain, and I have upheld my end of the bargain.” His eyes narrowed. “Now it’s your turn.”
Annja started toward the fire pit, but Derek held up his hand. “Wait!”
Annja looked back at him. “What’s the problem?”
Derek shook his head. “We’re not ready yet. There is a ceremony to be carried out.” He nodded at several new guards who flanked the dais. Each one lit a new set of torches and a waft of incense blew over the room. Annja found her head going light. She blinked back the sensation and bit into her lip, determined to keep her wits about her.
“I see you recognize a bit of the Breath of Onur,” Derek said. “We find it helps us achieve the proper mind-set for the summoning.”
“Summoning?”
“Our ceremony to bring Onur forth on this plane.” Derek held the giant diamond aloft and now spoke to his followers. “Behold the Soul of Onur!”
A collective chorus went up from the remaining men. Annja gazed at the diamond, spellbound by its beauty. Each facet seemed to twinkle and bewilder. She lost her gaze looking at it, and it seemed as if all the light in the room was reflected through it. What an incredible piece, she thought.
“So, that was the whole push to get to the kimberlite, huh?” she said.
Derek shushed her but nodded. “We knew it had to be somewhere where there would be naturally occurring diamonds. When we found the kimberlite, we knew we had it. Our people at Ekati had turned up nothing, so it was a logical assumption.”
“Lucky for you.”
Derek turned back to his people. “We have the Soul of Onur and now all that remains is to call forth our god from his place of slumber.”
One of the guards approached the dais with a bottle of wine. Derek removed the cork and poured much of the wine into the fire pit. The wine barely made an impact as the flames continued to lick the sides of the pit. All of the blood that had been spilled earlier was nothing more than a charred series of stains on the stonework.
More of the incense wafted over the room. Annja struggled to keep herself composed. The effect was a heady one.
I’ve got to keep it together, she thought. Otherwise, I actually will sacrifice myself.
She’d never intended to kill herself. Not for a freak like Derek. But at least she knew that if she volunteered, then Godwin, Wishman and Nyaktuk were guaranteed to be safe. If she’d opted otherwise, there was a chance all of them would die here in this cavern.
Now, when Annja unleashed herself, it would be one against the many. And she would probably die, but at least she would have the pleasure of taking a lot of them with her. She also wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally cutting anyone friendly. She could go berserk and not care.
“Bring me the blood,” Derek said.
Another guard approached bearing a container of blood. Annja grimaced at the sight of it. Derek poured it into the fire and started chanting in some unknown language. Annja thought it sounded vaguely Scandinavian, but she was unsure which language it might be.
Derek’s voice rose and fell much as Wishman’s had when he had chanted over Godwin’s hypothermic body back at the camp. But whereas Wishman had helped heal Godwin, there was no doubt that Derek’s motives were far different. His voice sang out and cried for a million unintelligible things.
From the dais, Annja watched as his followers moved closer en masse. Their cowls shielded their faces, but Annja could feel the mixture of excitement and fear. What was it they had been promised that would make them forsake a good life in pursuit of the resurrection of an ancient evil god? Annja shuddered to think of what they had given up or promised in exchange for the chance to be part of this.
She frowned. None of these men deserved any mercy. The blood had presumably been obtained by killing an innocent or innocents. That meant they had engaged in murder.
Derek looked at her. “Yes, you see what we are now, don’t you? You know that we have hunted good people for centuries and dragged them here to be part of this process. It has taken us years to get to this point, but now we are ready at last.”
Annja’s mind swam. How had Derek heard her thoughts?
But he only smiled at her. Any answer would not be forthcoming and he merely gestured to the fire pit.
“Look at it, Annja. You see how it grows in anticipation of your touch? It can smell you. He can sense the goodness that flows in your body, the spirit of resolve you possess that separates you from most of humanity. He desires you and wants to feed upon your flesh and make you feel pain and agony such as you have never felt before. And when he is at last finished, he will rise from this pit and reclaim his place on this plane. All will yield before him. He will smite the nonbelievers and allow his faithful to gain the power they crave and deserve.”
Annja felt hotter. The heat of the cavern seemed overwhelming. She could smell the incense and it was overpowering her senses. Derek’s voice became like an insistent gentle prod in her ear. She felt her mind starting to switch off.
She wanted to die.
“Arise, Onur!”
She wanted to jump into the fire pit.
“Arise and claim your victim! Take her into the depths of Hell and feast!”
She wanted to be with Onur.
“Then join us!”
Annja stepped forward.
The flames lapped at her. She could feel their gentle touch. It didn’t hurt. She could step right off the edge and it would be over in an instant.
She looked down into the fire pit and there, amid the yellows, reds and oranges, she saw something else. Something amorphous and black. A shadow that grew as the flames rose and fell. She could sense its presence, coming for her. Wanting her. Its wanton desire unmasked.
The energy of the room throbbed as Derek and his followers started a new chant.
Annja took another step.
It would be over soon.
Come to me….
That voice…It spoke inside her head…. Annja blinked. The scene changed. She was covered in sweat. The heat overpowered her. But still, the black shape in the fire pit seemed to rise faster.
Onur was rising.
“No!”
Annja felt the energy flood back into her body. She whirled and whipped out the sword. Derek’s eyes were wide and white.
“You must not deny him!” He drew a wicked dagger from the nearby guard and rushed at Annja, screaming, “You’ll ruin everything!”
Annja sidestepped and Derek’s dagger slashed through empty air. Annja
turned and cut down, cleaving through Derek’s body, her sword not even slowing as she did so. The air exploded with gore and blood and Derek shuddered, falling into two distinct pieces.
He toppled forward and fell into the flames, his final screech dying as the flames took him.
The giant diamond—the Soul of Onur—skittered across the dais. Annja picked it up and regarded it for a second and then threw it into the fires, as well. “You wanted this so badly, here you go.”
Annja whirled around and stared at Derek’s followers. They surged forward, ready to take her on.
Annja grinned. “Well, if this is how it’s going to be, cool. Let’s get it on, boys. Don’t keep a lady waiting.”
And she leaped into the closest bunch of them, hacking and slicing. Bodies fell around her, but she hardly registered the carnage. Her sword sang as it cut through flesh and bone alike. For all their supposed skill, not one of Derek’s followers could touch Annja.
Her blood coursed through her veins and her heart pulsed and kept her moving as if in another world.
And for all of them, it was the last thing they ever saw—her grim face and the bloodred blade that cut through them as Annja made her way toward the back of the cavern and to the tunnel that led out of the mountain.
She could see the tunnel.
From behind her, she heard something that jarred her out of her state. There was an awful thunderous boom and she risked a glance back. From the fire pit, the blackened shadow that she’d seen with her own eyes rose up, blocking out the light of the torches.
An awful voice sounded across the cavern, speaking some ancient tongue. Derek’s followers clamped their hands over their ears and screamed. Annja kept cutting down more of them as she hacked her way to the back of the cavern.
Three of them tried to bar her way. Others were screaming that Onur had risen. Shadows loomed over the cavern, and as Annja cut down the three men with fierce strikes, she paused to look back again.
Onur, if it was him, had seeped out of the fire pit and was casting his shadow over the few living followers who had remained standing because they’d been too far away from Annja’s sword. The great shadow fell upon them and Annja heard a sickening sound of feasting as they screamed. Onur was sucking their very souls from their bodies.