by F. G. Adams
“The entity recognizes us as an extension,” Fedor reverently tells as he lowers himself and pauses. “Brenton, I will need you for the task.”
“I am here, brother. Let’s take a look and see what is required of us so we can leave. I’m anxious to return to Jadzia.”
The transmutation emerges with ease this time. I walk upright, nearing the intricate formation. Running my palm over the velvety, smooth surface and searching for an abnormality, any clue as to what the next step should be. A sleek, polished stone catches my eye. I’m drawn to the spectrum of colors in the center. My thumb grazes the middle, and instantly, the stones come alive, displaying a message of sorts in hieroglyphic symbols.
“Ancient script as old as time,” Fedor supplies.
“Can you interpret the meaning behind all the little pictures and wiggly scripts? I’m drawing a blank here. What does it say?”
“It’s been some time, but I do believe it is possible, my friend. Let us see,” Fedor thoughtfully projects. “’What will never fail turns back and forth with no avail. A constant reminder of truth and love, a perfect selection which fits like a glove. The truest form of endless peace, and one that can bring you to a pinnacle of heat.’ What do you think it means, Brenton?”
“Not sure, give me a sec. Hmm, maybe a description of the place the crown was given?”
“I do not think so.”
“Maybe a gift she gave you?”
“A token, perhaps, but unlikely.”
“My gut tells me it has something to do with both of us,” my voice echoes in the vast space.
“I’m not in your gut, Brenton. You should be aware of that by now.”
I fondly chuckle. “It’s a human saying for ‘instincts.’”
“I see. Well, then, I guess your thought process makes sense. Jadzia did say we would both be required to solve the riddle. Back and forth with no avail…”
“I have witnessed her referring to both of us as her warrior.”
“My warrior. Yes. It fits,” Fedor rushes excitedly. “Try it.”
“My warrior,” I say out loud, and we both wait. Nothing happens. Moments pass, and my anxiety ratchets up a notch. “This is crazy. What am I doing wrong? Should I place my hands on the stone or…”
“Allow me.”
That is the only warning I get before there is a tingling sensation and my right hand transforms into a massive animal paw. “What the—”
“Place your left hand over mine and say the words with me, Brenton.”
Apprehensively, I do as he instructs, and we recite the words together. “My warrior.”
At once, the ground beneath us moves, dust smoke plumes, and an opening in the wall appears. Coughing, I wave my hand back and forth trying to clear the small particles from the air.
Reaching into the encased metal frame, I retrieve the Crown of Freya. Delicate, intricately woven gold strands incase the circular headdress. Adorned with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds placed in a layered formation along the crest. A beautiful piece of art, created by the legend Freya herself.
“We have it, my brother. It’s time to blow this joint.”
“But why would we want to do that?”
“Shit. I keep forgetting the lingo barrier. I was trying to release some tension and tease you a little. ‘Blow this joint’ is another way to say ‘leave.’”
“I’m beginning to think of you as a court jester, Brenton. But I understand. I am ready, my friend.”
Fluidly, we shift from Brenton the man to Fedor the jaguar beast. I pick up the crown carefully in my mouth, safeguarding it until we make it up topside.
Scaling the deep cavernous walls, I bounce from rock to boulder, once again heading out into the open.
With the last jump, I glide out of the crevice and land beside a fragile, weakened Jadzia. Her face is pale, and I realize at once time is running out for all of us.
17
“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the small, quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” ~ Brenton Fedor Fox.
“We must make haste, Fedor. My power is waning, and I’m afraid Baako is aware of our location. I can sense he’s drawing nearer as we speak. I’ve sent a message to Marcus. He will be outside when we exit the realm, waiting with the others to protect the prize. Baako cannot be allowed to steal the crown,” she verbalizes, exhibiting her dwindling state. The exhaustion in her demeanor is apparent in her expression as her shoulders slump further.
“I have you, my Goddess.”
“Thank you. Please hurry. Time is not our friend. The portal is beginning to slowly collapse on me.”
“I will not fail you, my beloved. Only a little further until we reach the doorway.”
With the speed and agility of an Enchanted Immortal combined with the power of the albino jaguar, my massive feet graze the soft ground beneath me as I scale the slope in the direction of the portal. The urgency to safeguard my beloved is paramount. In this mammoth form, the journey is easily attainable.
As for Jadzia, her light is dimming. I can feel her power slipping further into the abyss of darkness. I’m thankful for the arch of my back in the giant body I wear because she is able to nestle in and won’t fall off. I fear for her safety and the upcoming confrontation. The amount of activity to keep the portal and Baako at a distance has expended so much of her resources. For now, carrying her safely back is all I can do.
“Faster, Fedor. We have to make it to the exit; she’s declining rapidly and needs more blood. We have to help her, and fast. What you gave her earlier was not enough. She didn’t take as much as she needed. Damn her. Most likely, she didn’t want to weaken us. She was worried about the effects on us.” Brenton has remained quiet since we retrieved the talisman. The fear in him resonates through me, and I would panic if I didn’t recognize the area.
“Quiet down, my friend. We’re almost there,” I relay, glancing in the direction of the gate.
“If anything happens to her…” Brenton worriedly projects, unaware of the progress made.
“It won’t. Look up ahead, past the lower branches. See? The doorway is within our reach. Almost there.”
Running at full acceleration, I leap high into the air, sailing through the awaiting iridescent, shimmering portal. The purple hues turn pitch black instantly, and then a bright white flash of light appears as I coast through the air into the flowing waterfall back to the earth realm, landing gracefully on all fours upon the rocky path with a weakened Jadzia lying across my back.
Standing just at the entry way is a welcoming sight: Marcus and Aldin, along with several of the legends, are guarding the portal.
Marcus swiftly moves with unnatural velocity to where we land. His expression is grim.
“Quickly, Aldin. Come here. Help me. We must move her off with the utmost of care. I can feel her pain in waves. She requires replenishment. Hurry, my son.” Marcus’ edgy tone resonates his alarm at the sight of his sister’s still form.
Without thinking of himself, Marcus rips open a vein for Jadzia to drink and heal. He holds her delicate head in the crook of his arm and places his open wrist flowing freely with his strong Immortal blood to her mouth. Jadzia latches on and begins to drink her fill. Relief swamps me as the color returns to her cheeks and the chalky-white fades and is replaced by a flushed pink.
The next instant, all seven hells break loose. In the midst of our transformation, we feel the contact before we see the lightning strike. I morph abruptly back into the albino jaguar body and dispatch a large ferocious roar of agony. The pain lancing down my front leg burns, but my vision reddens with fury as my eyes connect with Baako’s vicious smirk.
“You are mine,” I angrily sneer, watching Baako’s expression change to weariness.
My large head swings to the right of him, locating Jadzia and Marcus’ vulnerable position. Only to find Aldin is standing over them with his impenetrable shields raised high around them. Protecting
them from danger. Veles, the legend of the forest, calls for the mighty trees to block them from Baako’s view. As the branches and twigs move swiftly to cover them, forming a cocoon of sanctuary, Talooth and Chaac remain on this side of the hidden foliage, primed and ready for battle.
Letting out another earth-quaking roar, I pace back and forth over the rocky path. My long, thick tail alternates from side to side, swishing behind me. Power exudes from my heavy gait, traveling throughout every limb of my body. A diversion pops into my mind as I wait ever so patiently for Baako to make another move. I need to distract him, long enough for Jadzia to recover using the blood Marcus is supplying.
“What do we have here? The great rare albino jaguar, Fedor,” Baako snidely jeers. “With what? Only two minuscule legends. Pfft. What can you do to me? I’m so scared. Really. My power shadows your little flimsy excuse for existence.”
“You may think us beneath you, Baako, but know we will fight to the death if that is what is required of us. We are prepared to stop you at all costs,” Talooth calls out as he moves closer to my furious pace, standing sentry, composed and primed to do what is needed to defeat Baako.
“Do not underestimate the force of three, Baako. That will be a grave mistake,” Chaac staunchly announces, as he remains in his spot, protecting the four behind the tangled web of bushes.
“Ah, yes. My mistake. Well, then, let’s dance, shall we? And by that I mean annihilate each other. Get them,” he demands with a shout-out to his horde of followers exiting from the trees behind him, like ants on a scattered ant pile.
Unable to control the unhinged violence raining within from both of us, I launch an attack with inhuman acceleration, plowing into Baako before he realizes what’s transpired. Pinning him down on the dusty dry ground with my forepaw on his chest, I go in for the kill by chomping down on his carotid artery at his neck. The only thought I have is to eliminate the threat he poses to my mate. I want to rip his head off and shred him into millions of pieces. The animalistic urge overwhelms me to a point I no longer want to resist.
Baako’s warriors freeze at the implication of their sire’s impending death.
“No, brother,” Brenton implores. “We can’t. Not yet.”
I stop momentarily from pressing further into Baako, the red-hot haze of fury subsiding some because of Brenton’s grave insistence.
“Why not? He has caused enough pain and suffering. It ends by my hands today!”
“Fedor. If we kill him now, every soul he has captured will be lost forever. Zenon and Augusta will be lost to Jadzia as well. She will suffer insurmountable pain at the loss of her twin.” Brenton pleads, “I feel the same way you do. The hatred, the desire to rip him to shreds, but we can’t. His time will come soon. I promise you. Vengeance will be served to Baako, and we will both be there to mete it out.”
A familiar hand touches my shoulder blade, and I swing up, dragging a struggling Baako with me to see who it is, and come face-to-face with a brooding Marcus.
“Be still, Fedor. For the time being, our work here is finished. It is time for us to depart from this place and leave. We have what we came for: the crown. Come, my friend. Let us depart here and go home. Jadzia needs her mate.”
Nodding to Marcus, I drop the limp piece of garbage from my jaws, the bitter taste of tainted blood remaining on my tongue. Its demented owner stained his crimson profusely over my once white fur. I continue to hold him down with my paw, lowering my head until my snout is a hairbreadth away from Baako’s face. His eyes are open, portraying gut-wrenching fear. Good dog.
I bellow out a thunderous growl, a deafening, ominous roar, and show off my long, sharp fangs that were wrapped around his throat only seconds before, still dripping with his essence on the parched dirt below. The cringing god is powerless, cowering under me with his eyes tightly closed. An adequate response, for now.
Marcus leads me to the awaiting party, possibly unsure I won’t return and finish him off with a death blow. My eyes zero in on my beloved Goddess. “Jadzia.”
Once we are within reach, Jadzia envelops me with her dainty arms around my furry neck. Her love for me floods over the rage and anger, applying a soothing balm only she can give, and I am content.
Home.
Peace.
Forever love.
18
“There is no choice. You have to be at your strongest, even when you’re feeling at your weakest point.” ~ Goddess Jadzia
The sweet, life-giving taste of the coppery liquid flows freely down my dried, parched throat, igniting and strengthening my whole vessel. The unique blend belongs only to one. Maarku, my brother.
My aching eyes flutter open slightly, and I attempt to focus as his face comes into view. Licking the gnarled, puckered skin, I see the anguish within the depths of his Immortal eyes as I sense his pain on the inside. He’s trying to hide his sorrow from me.
“Thank you, my brother. You have saved me once again.” I gently pat his arm. He has sacrificed so much to keep everything from falling apart. His strength has enabled the worlds to continue when we believed all was lost.
“Always, cherished sister. But I cannot take all the credit. Although I would love to. Fedor brought you through the doorway just in time, like a white knight. I was extremely worried about you. Your essence was ebbing away from me. You are fortunate the time portal did not collapse with your weakened condition. My entire being was cold down to my bones with worry. You took too many chances with yourself. Too close for my comfort.”
“You know deep inside it would take a lot more than this to take me out completely and render me obsolete.” I squeeze his hand and smile, feeling cared for. He remains protective even to this day. “Besides, I had complete faith in you and my mate’s abilities to see the quest to the end. You should have seen them, Maarku. They were both incredible in the other realm. I’m very pleased.”
“Excuse me, Goddess. I hate to interrupt your reprieve, but we need to move. I fear Fedor is fighting Baako as we speak. I imagine it’s in our best interest to intervene before Baako is torn from limb to limb,” Aldin interjects.
“Where is he? Hurry. We must help him.”
Marcus stands, summoning me with his helpful hands. At his command, Veles calls out to the gnarled branches and twigs covering us, and they open wide in a canopy of cover to a frightening spectacle. The scene unfolding in front of me is brutal, fearsome. Fedor has managed to secure a lifeless Baako on the ground with his enormous jaws around his neck, holding him completely still. His gigantic paw covers the entirety of Baako’s chest. Talooth is utilizing the power of the sun to blind the savage underlings swarming in a circle around them, delaying them from charging forward. This isn’t good. Father Zenon, Mother Augusta, give us strength. He’s going to kill him.
“Ready yourself, sister, for calling the portal back to the temple. I will secure Fedor, while you support Aldin in maintaining the protection wards,” Marcus directs. His calming appearance helps me to do the same. Although I’m feeling nothing of the sorts.
“As you wish, Maarku. Please hurry,” I reply and stay in position, prepared for his direction.
In a flash, Marcus appears beside Fedor and Baako, putting himself in a precarious position between the corrupt soldiers and Fedor. Without a second thought, he lays his hand on the great beast. The huge shoulder muscles Marcus touches ripple as the jaguar perches himself and angles his head toward him. All the while keeping a tight grip on the section between his enemy, Baako’s, throat and shoulder, dragging him up like a rag doll.
Recognition sparks in Fedor, as Marcus whispers softly to the creature. Dropping a battered Baako to the ground with his paw still pushing on his chest, the giant albino jaguar roars an ear-piercing growl into his face. Marcus keeps his hand on Fedor as they turn and walk away in our direction.
A maddening cry comes from Baako as he rights himself on his two feet. Blood oozes down the front of his shirt from the puncture marks on his neck caused by a ferocious, an
gry Fedor.
He tosses lightning bolts of the purest energy in frustration, one after the other, toward the path the men are traveling. Each one bounces off the protective covering of power, which infuriates the wounded god even more, and his expression turns menacing. Not a good combination for his already fragile mental state. I want to scream in frustration as I stand on the edge unable to participate in my weakened state. Even with Maarku’s blood replenishing me, it is taking time.
Through each volley, the armor Marcus provides holds up strong and true. The pair continue their approach until our defensive wards merge with Marcus’, providing added strength against Baako.
“I’m so glad you are safe, my warrior. Thank you for not harming my wayward brother. His madness warps the one I care deeply for.” I wrap my arms around his smooth, massive neck and snuggle up against him. His woodsy scent brings serenity and a lightness in my soul that was missing for some time.
“He will come around or be dealt with. We have no other choice. One way or the other, Baako’s reign of terror ends. Either way, let’s depart from this barren place and return to our family. Let us go home, my beloved.” His damp snout nuzzles into my embrace, but I don’t mind. He is with me, we’re together, and that’s all that matters to me.
With one hand still holding on to Fedor, I reach within to summon the portal gateway, and we vanish into the glimmering light, leaving behind a screaming mad Baako and his evil army for another day. My misguided brother, we shall meet again soon. I pray for your guidance to see the light before all darkness consumes you.
The doorway closes as we reappear inside the cavern within the sacred temple pyramid. We are greeted by Wren, Candie, Mashoki, and Shaya. My heart swells from the smiles the ladies welcome us with. They are the reason we fight. And they are the reason we continue until we wipe Baako’s menace from the realm.