by Ahadi, Kion
the main route would lead us to the surface, I did not know why but I felt impelled to trust my instincts.
“We go this way,” I said. Nadia groaned as she realised we were beginning to go uphill again. We kept moving, when Nadia tired I carried her, my will was strong, I wanted to get out and reach the surface. I missed the sunlight and blue skies. Most of all I missed my family, I would never take them for granted again. We made steady and silent progress in the darkness of the tunnel. Nadia slept in my arms as we trekked onwards and upwards. After a few hours we entered a large cavern. I could not see an exit, but on the far side of the wall there was a hole through which light was pouring in. I roused Nadia.
“Sweetheart wait here. I am going to investigate where the light is coming from,” I said, as I placed Nadia down gently. I made my way to the stream of light. The slit in the cavern wall was around ten centimetres wide and about two metres high. I looked through the slit and could make out a brightly lit room beyond. We must be near the surface. But how would we break through into the other area? I paced around in thought. The cavern wall was made of solid rock and, judging from the depth of the slit, the wall was around a metre thick. I could try an energy blast, but that could be dangerous and the effects unpredictable. If however I could focus the powers of my energy into a cutting beam that may be more effective. I stood before the thin trail of light and concentrated. I imagined the energy all around my body rushing towards my fingertips, I kept visualising more and more energy building up, waiting to be unleashed. The tension mounted as I generated more energy, the space around me sizzled and crackled, then I let the bottled energy fly from my fingertips towards the gap. A beam shot out and struck the rock like a laser. I guided it cutting away the rock around the hole, the solid rock just evaporated. After a few minutes of searing away the rock I began to tire and had to stop. What had been a narrow ten-centimetre slit was now about a metre wide. I turned and saw Nadia had walked over towards me. The new source of light illuminated the cavern.
“Cyrus that was incredible, how did you do that? I saw a blue light come from your fingertips,” Nadia said awestruck.
“I can’t explain it. I just willed my energy to cut the rock,” I answered. Nadia stood and stared at me, I could see her clearly again now as the light from the adjoining room streamed in. Her dark luscious hair was greasy and matted, her hazel eyes looked drawn and tired, and her skin was pale and lifeless. The white overcoat she was wearing was dirty and muddy. I took her in my arms and kissed her dry, cracked lips.
“I am so sorry this happened,” I whispered. She was silent. We stood holding each other in the light. I loved Nadia so much. We walked through into the adjoining cave; light was streaming in from several holes in the ceiling. There was a path in the corner leading upwards. We followed the path and emerged into a chamber. We navigated our way carefully across the chamber avoiding the holes in the ground. We reached the mouth of a cave which was badly boarded up. This had been the source of all the light. I kicked in the boards and the cave erupted with the full force of the sun. We walked out. Nadia fell onto the grass nearby and wept. I went over and comforted her holding her close to me. I looked around to find that we were in a wood. Ahead of us a few hundred metres away was a clearing, and beyond that I could see houses. It seemed to be early afternoon.
“Let’s walk to the houses over there and find out where we are,” I said to Nadia. She was still sobbing. I took her hand and pulled her up onto her feet. I glanced at her. She looked like a zombie. How would she cope with our ordeal psychologically? We walked towards the clearing. We reached the edge of a group of houses, by the look of things this was a small town. I was still wearing my tight black body suit and felt hot under the sun.
“We must look like a strange couple,” I said to Nadia in jest. She looked at me and managed a little smile. The town was very quiet and there was nobody around. After some random wandering, we arrived at a shop. Inside there was an old woman who looked at us with wary eyes as we entered the store. It was a convenience store selling groceries. I had no money to buy anything; all I wanted was to know where we were. The old woman had grey hair and wrinkly skin. She eyed me up nervously as I began to speak.
“Can you tell me how far we are from Valletta?” I asked her.
She looked at me blankly. So I repeated the question emphasising Valletta. She said something I couldn’t understand and disappeared into a room behind the counter. I looked at Nadia, she stood devoid of emotion. A man appeared from the room followed by the old lady. He was middle-aged with dark tanned skin and very rugged looking.
“Can I help you?” he asked me.
“I want to know how far we are from Valletta,” I said again. He scanned me up and down slowly, and then stared at Nadia.
“You are in Casa Paula. Valletta is about twenty minutes’ drive from here,” he replied, speaking good English.
“What is the day today?” I asked.
“It is Thursday,” he said. We had been gone for eight days!
“We have lost our money. Can you help us get back to our hotel? I have some money there and can pay you for the trip,” I said.
“Why should I trust you?” he said staring at me sardonically.
“Phone the hotel they can confirm I am staying there,” I replied.
He considered my suggestion for a moment and then reached behind the counter. He pulled out a handgun. Instinctively I stood in front of Nadia.
“Stay calm,” I said to the man.
“I don’t want to shoot you, but I will if I have to. I know you have come from the woods. Every time we see someone who is from the woods or wearing an overcoat like the one your woman is wearing bad things happen around here,” the man said coolly.
“Yes we have come from the woods. We just want to get back to our hotel. We mean you no harm,” I said, as sincerely as I could.
“People sometimes disappear when they go in those woods. Everyone who lives around here knows not to go exploring there. The cave is an evil place so we stay out. Our elders say it is a doorway to hell. I think some things are best left unknown. Anyone who has come from those woods is not someone we would want to help. Now leave,” the man said firmly.
“Please give the hotel a call. You can hold the gun on me when you drive us there. We just want to get home,” I said with rising urgency in my voice. I was beginning to get impatient. I wanted to hit the man and take his gun.
“We will cause you no trouble. We have suffered enough,” Nadia said out of the blue.
The man studied Nadia carefully. The old woman nudged him and whispered something in his ear.
“Ok, I will help you. I don’t want to disappoint my mother. She says one as beautiful as you couldn’t be an accomplice to evil,” he said still looking at Nadia. He turned and said something to the old woman in Maltese and she disappeared into another room. He kept his gun pointed at me. The old woman returned with a mobile phone and keys. She handed the man the mobile.
“What is the name of your hotel and what is your name?” he asked me. I told him and he dialled a number on his phone. He spoke in Maltese and asked for our hotel. After a short pause he was through to the hotel, he gave my name. He nodded on the phone looking at us with his gun still pointed in our direction. Then he finished the call and put the phone in the pocket of his jeans. He took the keys and motioned towards the door with his gun. Nadia and I walked out of the shop. Outside he indicated we should walk up the pavement to a car.
“Open the door and get in, your woman stays with me,” he said.
I did as I was asked. Once I was seated, he opened the back door of the car. He ushered Nadia in. The man got in and sat next to her in the back seat. He handed me the car key. I could see in the rear view mirror he still had his gun pointed at me.
“Drive to the end of the road, then take the left turn,” he said.
I started the car and followed his instructions. He gave me further directions to Valletta. It took us about
thirty minutes to reach the hotel. The journey was tense and there was no communication between the three of us, apart from the man commanding me which way to go. We arrived at the main entrance to the hotel.
“Stop here and leave the car turned on, then get out,” the man said. I parked the car and got out. He also got out and told Nadia to do the same. His gun was tucked in his jeans now, no longer pointing at me.
He walked around to the front of his car.
Just before getting in he said, “You were both lucky. Go home.”
“What about your money?” I asked.
“Keep it,” he said and muttered, “Stupid tourists,” under his breath.
I watched him drive off. I looked at Nadia, she was quiet and subdued. I took her hand and we walked into the hotel reception. It had only been eight days since we had last been here, but it felt like a lifetime ago. There were a few people around and we got the odd quizzical glance. I went to reception to get a key to our room. The female receptionist was the same woman from the day of Nadia’s disappearance.
“So you found her then?” she said with an unsure expression on her face, as she digested my appearance and then Nadia’s.
“Yes,” I replied wearily as I took our key. Without a further word I took Nadia back up to our room. Nadia stood silent in the darkness. I turned on the light.
“We will wash, pack and then leave for the airport. I want to take the first available flight home,” I said. Nadia nodded. I would not let her out of my sight again. I hoped the androids would think we had been killed or lost in the tunnel. I walked over to Nadia.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” I said, as I began unbuttoning her overcoat. She pulled away from me.
“What’s the matter,” I asked.
Nadia stared at me blankly. I moved towards her again and took off her overcoat. This time she did not try to resist. I held her close, pressing her naked body against me. She was trembling. I examined her puncture wounds. They were scabbing over and healing. I stared into her eyes while holding her face in my hands. Without warning images of what she had gone through popped into my mind. I had to turn away, as it was unbearable to fully realise how scared and vulnerable she had felt. I led her into the bathroom. I started the water and began filling the bathtub. I undressed and we got into the tub together. Nadia sat in front allowing me to wrap my legs around her. I gently washed her hair and body from my position behind her. She was jittery and jumpy like a frightened child. I caressed her gently and kissed her neck in between rinsing the dirt away from her body, but in my heart I knew what had happened to her would not wash away so easily.
Chapter 6
“Redemption”
You found love diabolical one,
You pleaded to be with her dark one,
You begged for mercy wayward one,
You were judged evil one,
You were reborn without knowledge forgiven one,
You chose light when tested remorseful one,
The cycle is ending,
Go now and fulfil your promise,
So that you may be redeemed…
Nergal, Wren and Ofriz kneeled in front of the bottomless pit in the Chamber of the Black Void. The acolytes remained emotionless as the air about them became dark and oppressive. Anyone in a physical body would have wailed in despair at the feelings of futility and hopelessness that heralded the emergence of ancient and negative energy beings from the pit. Two minor Gods of the Black Circle materialised, appearing like huge ebony-coloured clouds. They hovered above the androids.
“Why did you fail to entice Teerzad back under our service?” echoed the gods in a severe tone.
“Terrible ones, he tricked us, he has chosen to turn his back on the Ari-an Empire,” Nergal answered.
“Make him pay for his betrayal,” the gods boomed in unison.
“Great ones, he escaped and went into the tunnels leading to the Zendari feeding pits. He is no doubt dead. He will not be a threat to our plans,” Nergal said.
“Prepare the Draco body for Dajjal,” the gods commanded.
“As you wish magnificent ones,” Nergal answered hiding his agitation.
“Leave now servants,” the gods ordered.
The androids stood and left the chamber of the black void.
“Why did you not tell the gods we know that Cyrus lives?” Wren asked Nergal as they walked towards the breeding dens. The androids had been told by an informant that Cyrus and Nadia had returned to their hotel and left Malta.
“They would punish us for what was Dajjal’s error. We will deal with Cyrus when we need to. Let us see to the gods’ wishes,” Nergal replied, annoyed. He despised the thought of empowering Dajjal any further. Nergal had instructed his acolytes to monitor Cyrus. His escape was not Nergal’s major concern now. In fact it could prove useful, the cunning android thought. Nergal knew they had little time before the earth changes took full effect, heralding the end of a cycle. He had to arm and prepare the invasion force. Once the cataclysms began on the surface, the humans would be in disarray. Plenty of neutral energy would be ripe for conversion and enslavement.
***
We caught the first flight available from Valletta back to London. We managed to get on a late flight the same day we had returned to the hotel. I knew I couldn’t go to the authorities after what I had done to the officer at the police station. I seemed to have got away with the assault and so I did not want to push my luck. Besides, I knew the Ari-an had human accomplices everywhere on the surface of the planet. I had come to realise what was going on in the world. There was a battle going on between light and darkness for the energy of humanity. Who could I tell? I would be labelled deranged. Evil reptilian creatures living underground all over the world; I mean who would believe me? The majority of humanity was ignorant of the reality of our existence and those who suspected were seen as crackpots. Others with knowledge were in league with the dark forces. I didn’t want to provoke any backlash from the Dark Gods of the Black Circle, which would be likely if I drew attention to their underground base. Escaping the underground facility had been exhilarating, I had discovered and used powers people read about in comic books, but what was my purpose now?
Since we had returned from Valletta I had become obsessed with finding out more about my past. The crystal I had used to access the Akashic records must have been tampered with as I had been unable to view certain parts of my previous life. Nergal had taken the crystal away from me so I had to learn to view the Akashic record without it, I knew it was possible. I spent hours of my time canvassing bookshops specialising in spiritual and esoteric literature. I wanted to learn all I could about energy, crystals and out of body experiences. I picked up another book from a shelf, flicking through the pages with keen interest. There was a whole chapter about astral travelling. This would be useful. I was practicing how to leave my body, but it was not easy. I just didn’t understand the trigger or process properly. Nadia had started having her dreams again, immediately following our return from Malta. They were becoming more vivid and I knew they were connected to me. I was beginning to suspect what Dajjal had meant when he had said “kill her again” during the sacrificial ceremony. He had also mentioned being with me at the end in Clyses? I just couldn’t quite connect it all together yet.
I walked over to the cashier to pay for the book.
“That will be £9.99 please,” the nerdy-looking guy behind the counter said.
I handed over my card and he processed the payment. I was running out of money quickly! My boss had been offended when I handed in my resignation. He had gone out of his way to let me work from home. I didn’t care. I could not cope with working in some meaningless job and living a lie like the rest of the masses of humanity.
On the bus home I absorbed the pages of the book, which described in detail how an out of body experience could be induced. I grew impatient wanting to try it out. I had spent the last few weeks trying to assimilate my new self-knowledge, as well as filling
in the gaps. Things between Nadia and I had become increasingly strained. I was trying to avoid her until I knew what to do next. I had kept her in the dark deliberately about what had been the cause of our abduction in Valletta, because there were still so many things I didn’t understand myself. If she didn’t know the extent of the situation, or my role in it, things may get back to normal for her quicker. Unsurprisingly, she was not the same. Her joyful outlook and happiness had been replaced by depression and introspection. I wanted to try to help her come to terms with what had happened, but I couldn’t seem to comfort her.
Once home, I put the key in the lock to our flat and opened the door. I paused at the sight of suitcases in the hallway. I rushed into the bedroom and saw Nadia packing her handbag.
“What are you doing?” I asked feeling a lump in my throat.
“I need to leave Cyrus. I can’t pretend anymore that everything is ok,” Nadia said looking at me.
“I don’t understand, after all we went through you want to leave me?” I said feeling nauseous.
“Cyrus this is hard enough. I don’t feel like I did before, something inside me has changed. You are never here anymore. You sneak around. I need to understand what happened for myself,” with those words Nadia closed her bag and walked towards me to leave the bedroom. I grabbed her arm.
“Wait a minute, where will you go?” I asked feeling a rising panic.
“I will be with my parents, now let go of my arm.” I couldn’t let her go. I tried to hold her. My mind couldn’t accept what was happening. I loved her. I wanted to make her stay.
“Cyrus let me go, you are hurting me,” Nadia said as she tried to free herself from my grip. I held her firm and looked into her eyes. There was determination in them. I had to let her go, but I couldn’t. I felt weak, like I had been shot through the heart, like it would stop beating without her.
“Cyrus let me go,” Nadia repeated. She looked at me coldly. I had never seen her this way. I released my grip. She was unhappy. I couldn’t force her to stay against her will. Nadia walked out of the bedroom and into the hallway towards her suitcases. I stood watching her as she opened the front door. She glanced over at me briefly and then she was gone. I fell to my knees in the hallway. It felt like all the energy had been sucked out of my body into an abyss.