"I so choose."
Eli smiled, "Come. Remove those clothes. Bathe with me."
Eli stepped back into the lake, with his arms stretched wide, and a loving grin, "Join me beloved."
Eliza placed her thumbs around the elastic of her cotton pajamas—ready to pull them down. As they fell to her ankles, a sharp pain pierced through both of her shoulders. The blood flowed from her body, at once. She was lifted into the sky—screaming, "Eli!"
"Eliza!"
Eli sprung from the water, as the clawed being carried her off into the night's sky. The wings jettisoned from his back, and he'd begun to take flight. A clawed figure swooped down from above Eliza and banked into Eli—sending him crashing violently down into the water beneath him.
Eliza watched the lake for as long as she could while she was dragged off by the bone of her arms. After some moments of struggle in the bubbling water, the lake fell silent.
Nothing and no one had risen from it, in time for her to see. Her living fantasy had become a hell.
The clawed figure cawed, in jubilation, and flew off, with her clasped in its grasp.
***
Cezar sprung from the glistening lake, with Eli wrapped around his back. Tomlin stood at the edge of the water looking terrified, and periodically gazing up—in case more Diggers had stumbled across them, "Your majesty, kitty-kat. I'm sorry to rush you but, we ought to be bloody fucking going!" He said as Cezar laid Eli flat on his back just beyond the shore. Tomlin had been fidgeting—bouncing up and down like a child with sweets, "I don't think that now's a good time for a checkup!"
Cezar had huddled over Eli and been giving him a quick diagnostic. Tomlin's whimpering cries annoyed him, "For Christ's sake you whiny little brat, would you make yourself useful and find Eliza. She's probably hidden in the forest somewhere."
"But what about my..."
"Now!" Cezar's roar consumed the bay and worked to wake up the unconscious king. He choked and spit up an insurmountable heft of lake-water and blood, "My king! Eli! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Cezar. Did you catch the Digger?"
"No. We were caught by surprise. I'm sorry, I should've..."
"Don't burden yourself. They caught me off guard as well. And Eliza?"
Eli rushed to his feet. His eyes grew aflame, and his wings struck into the ground—ready to leap to flight, "They took her. I can still catch them if I..."
"Don’t be foolish," Cezar said, "We can act impulsively or rationally, the two bode very different consequences. Think. We don't have much time. Do you have any idea where they'd be going?"
"I know of a million places. None of which would hold sway over another. However," Eli paused and stared into the lake, "I may know someone, close by, who does." Eli thrust himself forward and hovered over the lake. He'd been searching but hadn't said what. Cezar and Tomlin looked on, bemused. "Do we really have fucking time for this lad?" Tomlin quipped, "What is he, bloody fucking fishing?"
"Shut up, Tomlin!" Cezar ordered. Despite his faith, he couldn't help but wonder whether or not Eli had gone insane, as he hovered. He stopped abruptly—in the center of the lake—and dove head first through its surface.
"Alright, he's dead. He just bloody king just killed himself while we watched. If you don't mind, I've got a brother to bury." Tomlin said, trying to turn back to the campsite.
Cezar grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him close, "If you abandon us now, you won't have to worry about anything. I'll kill you myself." Cezar gripped Tomlin's shoulder until he broke through its scales and it leaked blood.
"Alright, Alright. Jesus!" Tomlin pleaded. "You could've just bloody-freaking asked." Cezar released him and returned his attention to the lake where his king had disappeared. The two looked on, losing faith that the king was safe. "I'm going to get him," Cezar said. Tomlin looked at him as if he'd been signing his own death warrant.
"Listen, kitty, If Eli is dead, I'll be just as devastated as the next man. But losing an Oracle won't do us any good either. Think of the kingdom. You all can't just dive into oceans, trying to save one another."
His sincerity was surprising, especially to Cezar, "I appreciate that, but" Cezar untied his robe, "What must be done, must be..." Before he could disrobe, a burst of flame shot into the air—evaporating the surface water around it. Eli thrust out, carrying a limp body in his hands. "Well look at this shit!" Tomlin exclaimed. Eli floated over the lake, searching for the two. Once he'd laid eyes on them, he made his way to the shore—dropping the body at their feet before he landed.
"Cezar!" Eli said.
"On it, your majesty."
The body looked like nothing but a charred skeleton, with the wings of a crow, and battered bones. "What in the fucking?"
Eli landed beside them, "I thought the same thing. Thanks for waiting, Tomlin. I know that you didn't have to be here if you didn't want to."
"No problem, your majesty," Tomlin bowed, "I would never abandon you in such a dark time." Cezar leered at Tomlin, briefly, before reaching into his robe, and retrieving his flask "I'm not sure how long we'll have when he comes to. Tomlin, I need you to drop a knee onto his chest."
"What in the hell?"
"To keep him from trying to run. Do it! Now!" Cezar said. Tomlin complied and buried his kneecap into the demon's chest cavity. Cezar poured droplets of the liquid into its porous jaw.
"What in Satan's name is that?"
"An elixir." Cezar said, as he spun the cap back on its top, "It's meant for temporary access into higher plains of existence. Essentially, it recollects the soul and the pieces of an existent past."
"English, you bloody wizard!" Tomlin quipped.
Eli interrupted, "It helps you to recall past lives. Though, I've never known it to work on a corpse."
"That's the good thing about Diggers," Cezar said, "They aren't alive."
The skeleton figure shook, trembled, and seized. "Hold him still!" Cezar urged and placed a paw on the skeleton's skull to keep it in place.
A treacherous screech bellowed through the holes of its chipped teeth. A mix of expressions shifted its bones, "Easy brother. Easy," Cezar said. The skull looked to him. The seizing quelled.
"It hurts! It hurts!" The skeletal figure screamed
"I know it does. I need you to calm yourself." Cezar stroked the head of the skull, "Easy my friend."
"Cezar?" The skeleton relaxed. "Where am I? Where's my body? What's happening?"
Cezar frowned and looked at the figure with pity, "You're dead, son. Based on the state of your decay, I'd say that you've been this way for some time. We've just brought you back. It's only temporary. Soon, you can rest again." Tomlin lifted his knee from the corpse.
"Did we win the war?"
"We're still fighting it. I'm sorry to say, that you were a casualty. They've been using your remains as a vessel. You're possessed." Cezar said. The skeleton fell silent, then looked at Eli, "My king! I'm sorry!”
“Don’t be sorry. You fought valiantly and served your people well. Your family should be honored by your sacrifice. But, brother, there isn’t much time. We need your help again. We need you to tell us where they’ve taken the girl.”
The skeleton began to scream in agony, “So many lives. So much pain!”
“Please, brother.”
It began convulsing uncontrollably—scratching at the ground, and trembling at Eli’s feet. “Brother!” Eli screamed. The skeleton reached a hand into the sky, threw its head back. All at once, it fell back to the ground—dead and silent.”
“Well, that was a bloody fucking bust.”
“My king.” Cezar stood beside Eli, “You have to burn the body.”
“This man has committed no crime!” Eli protested.
“I agree. But better that, then he is used for evil any longer.” Eli stared at the charred corpse and took a deep breath. As he exhaled, a stream of fire shot from his mouth and disintegrated him—into ash. “What do we do now, Cezar?” Eli asked.
�
��I don’t know.”
The two lamented in the moment, while Tomlin inspected the corpse. A triage of shooting stars glided past them as the wind blew. Tomlin noticed something, “I’ve actually got a few thoughts on that.”
Beside the mound of ash, was a small caricature, carved into the ground, “The crafty bastard must’ve drawn it before you made him go poof.”
Cezar kneeled down beside the drawing. It was crude. A triangle, on top of a square, with a “t” scribbled inside of the shape.
“The church!” Cezar exclaimed. “Come. Quickly!”
***
The Digger released its talons from Eliza’s shoulder and dropped her at the foot of the chapel. The area had been less luxurious than where she’d been stolen from. Amidst a sea of dead trees, tombstones, and animal corpses was a single rotting building. It looked far too decrepit to occupy, and vastly out place—considering the abundance of nature that had gone before it.
The chapel was dark on the inside, lit only by a single torch that had stood just beyond the open path—where doors should have been. Eliza checked the wounds, left on her shoulders by the beast that had captured her. They were large, gross-looking, and had already begun to leak a puss other than blood. Though they pained her, they weren’t fatal.
She looked back, hoping to reason with the demon that had brought her there. His face had been mutilated and charred. His wings were brittle. Each seemed to have a mind of its own, as they disjointedly flapped and fluttered, “Are you going to kill me?” Eliza asked.
The beast didn’t answer. She stood up from the ground—slowly. “I’m not going in there,” she said, hoping to beat her way past the monstrosity. She took a forward step and was met with the outcry of its fiendish scream. She jumped back as the beast lurked toward her and let out another callous howl.
“Now, now, you bag of bones. You shan’t be hurting the lady. She’s more valuable than all of your lives combined.” The voice walked out from the church. When he spoke, the beast jerked, “Go now! Leave us.” The demon followed direction. It howled as it took flight, straight up into the air, and out of sight.
“Terribly sorry about that dear girl,” the man laughed. “You have no idea how hard it is to find some decent help around here. Believe it or not, old beasty there is the politest of his brethren.” He stretched his arm to Eliza, “Join me. We have much to discuss.” The man was thin, and covered in scars. He’d worn a Stetson hat and dressed as if he’d jumped straight out of the late 1800’s. Eliza did trust him.
“I think I’ve done enough discussing for the day. What do you want with me?” She said.
The man smiled, “It isn’t so much what I want with you, but what you should want for the future of your kingdom. Now, if you please, it’s freezing out here. Let’s talk by the fire.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I don’t even know who you are.”
“Really. I’d have thought the Cezar might have worked his magic on you by now. No matter. I’m not one to consider myself above an introduction. My name is Drakin. The “true king” of the Else-Realm. And you...what do they call you in this life?”
“Eliza.” She said gritting her teeth.
“Really? Well, I suppose it’s fitting. Eliza, you and I are fated to be together. As the queen of the terrane-world, the two of us will connect the realms, and bring about the dawn of a new age.”
“Yeah,” Eliza said, “Nice try buddy. I’ve already seen my past lives. You aren’t in any of them.”
“Maybe not in this form, but...To hell with the fucking games.” Drakin jumped forward and snatched Eliza by the arm. “Let me go!” When she struggled, he pushed his thumb into her would, “Help,” Eliza screamed.
“No one will hear you out here, dear girl.” He dragged her into the church. It'd been emptied of its pews and paintings. The stained-glass-windows had been broken. The remnants of what the building had used be, were all but long destroyed and decayed. All that remained was an altar that stood just behind the single torch, "Let me go!" Eliza screamed.
Drakin had literally swept her off of her feet and been carrying her toward the torch. "I can't do that my dear. We haven't much time to consummate our union." Drakin slammed Eliza onto the altar.
As she squirmed and moaned in pain, he began to strap her down to the slab of marble—her arms tied together over her head; her legs spread apart and individually strapped to either side of the table. "Stop! Please!"
Drakin ran his fingers through her hair, "So sweet. So precious. So divine." As he panted over her he gazed at her body and placed a hand over her stomach, "Yes, this shall make a fine womb."
"Help!" Eliza screamed again.
"Stop it, Eliza!" Drakin demanded, "You don't to ruin the mood, do you?" He cackled as he ripped off her clothes. Eliza screamed until she'd lost her breath. Drakin took pleasure in her helplessness. Eliza screamed again until she lost her voice.
Drakin positioned himself between her legs, "This won't take but a minute. Try to enjoy it." He whispered into her ear, and licked her cheek.
His eyes had turned a devilish shade of red. His pupils stretched into sharpened ovals. Scales rose and layered over his skin. "Shh." He said in a low and sinister tone, then grabbed the back of her knees to pull her close.
"Drakin!" A voice called from the chapel hall, just before his penetration "You starting the bloody-show without me?"
"Not now, Tomlin. We'll speak once it's ended."
"That would be great mate. Cheers. But, we've got a bit of an infestation, if you catch my meaning.
Drakin roared, "What the fuck kind of infestation would be so important, as for you to disturb me?" Drakin dismounted from the altar and made his way toward Tomlin.
"The royal dragon kind."
"Is he dead?" Drakin gnarled.
"Nearly. But the deal wasn't for me to kill the man. It was just to get close enough to him. You want more? You've got to pay me for it." Tomlin crossed his arms and leaned on the frame of the door, "Otherwise, I can watch you make sweet forced-love with angel face over there. I'm not terribly opposed to that either."
"You peasant swine!" Drakin grabbed Tomlin by the neck, "Take me to him." A puff of smoke blew into Tomlin's face, while he directed Drakin into the woods.
Eliza breathed a sigh of relief.
Followed by a river of tears.
***
Eliza shook and pulled at the chains that bound her. She'd hoped to escape before Drakin's return. Then, she'd remembered what Tomlin had told him. She worried for Eli and Cezar. The thoughts gave way to a second wind in her spirit. She pulled and yanked, hard enough to burst through her skin. When nothing worked, she'd nearly given up again—forced to accept her fate. It was then that she heard the purring.
He grew from the side of the table, "Eliza, are you alright?"
"Cezar," she could barely speak through the crying, "Cezar, please get me out of this."
"Of course, Eliza. Of course." He broke the chains from her legs and arms. And handed her, what was left of her clothing, "Did he?"
"Almost," she pulled her ripped shirt down over her head, "But, I think he got distracted."
"Yes. Tomlin's an untrustworthy prick...But his loyalty can be bought. Now, hurry. We have to go."
"What about Eli?"
Before Cezar could answer, a ball of flame incinerated the roof of the church. "Eliza, now!" Cezar pushed. She ran with him to the door and stopped just in front of the church. The forest had been engulfed in flames. Cezar was frozen in his own astonishment—watching the ancient trees burn to the ground. "For the greater good," he said, as if trying to convince himself. "For the greater good."
Booms and roars bellowed through the skies, followed swiftly by bursts of flame and raining droplets of blood, that burned through whatever they'd landed upon. "The king," Cezar mumbled to himself and pulled Eliza close to his side to protect her. "That fool."
The church continued to burn behind them. When they looked to the sk
ies, Eli and Drakin had been biting and clawing against the backdrop of the moon. Eliza could barely believe what she was seeing but had also found the sight familiar. "This has happened before," she said to Cezar, as, he too, watched in peril. "Too many times, Eliza. More than I could count."
A body came flying at the church. At first, it'd seem stable, but it quickly became apparent that whoever it was had been, was severely hurt and crashing down toward them. Another floating figure glided behind it—blowing fire and cawing, in a manner that sounded victorious.
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