The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1)

by Gwyndolyn Russell

  No one should touch it. Not a single soul in this universe should ever touch it.

  He stared at its surface, watching his reflection fade in as if he were looking directly into a mirror. His reflection was that of a scowl, fists visible.

  “What are you waiting for?!” The reflection snarled. “Take the damned thing! This is your moment! This is how heroes are made!”

  “Yeah. You’re right.” Jackal nodded. He swallowed hard and shoved his hands to the crystal. Through that invisible barrier. His fingers graced its surface. Squeezed it.

  Yanked from its pedestal, Jackal brought it to his chest.

  The little eos stopped attacking. They squawked at one another, slowly backing up from the intruders.

  A series of lights lit up on the shrine. Lilac hues lined the bodies of the serpents from tail to head where they brought the eyes to life. The cavern shook as if the planet was crumbling apart. Rocks fell from the ceiling and walls, crashing down into the wild water. A shriek resonated through the chaos, something like a whale with a voice of nails scratching down a chalkboard. It churned the marrow in their bones.

  The little eos screeched and turned tail. They ran as fast as they could away from the danger.

  “They come!” One of them squeaked.

  “Jurm!” Another hollered.

  “Munga!” Another chimed.

  Fenris returned to the edge, using one wingarm to brace itself from the quake.

  “Quick! Jackal!” It called.

  Jackal turned and ran for it.

  FIFTY-ONE

  That crystal called my name over and over. I couldn't ignore it. Not how it beckoned me to it like a long lost lover. Even when I was face to face with the crystal. Right within the reach of my shaking hands. I couldn't bring myself to touch it. I feared that my touch would break it. Tarnish it in some way. I was only a pathetic little human after all. Undeserving of the greatness that this thing exuded. I knew no one should ever touch it. No human. No eos. No soul. It should have been left alone.

  That wouldn’t have been heroic of me. The one item that could stop the eos. The one thing that could make them run screaming. Right in my reach and I couldn’t get the bravery up to snatch it from its pedestal.

  Take me. It called.

  I wanted to. My hands just wouldn’t move. I couldn’t make them move.

  “Take it!” Fenris roared at me. “You must take it!”

  I tried again. No. There was a magnet that deflected my fingers. Some sort of invisible force that kept me away.

  I looked closer to the crystal. If it wanted to be taken, then why was it forcing me away?

  I could see my reflection on its glassy surface. I almost didn’t even recognize myself. Thought it was a ghost rising out of the artifact. The reflection began to move on its own, separate from my own motions. It scowled and glared at me, throwing its fists around.

  “What are you waiting for?!” It yelled at me. “Take the damned thing! This is your moment! This is how heroes are made!”

  I nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  I took a deep breath and shoved my hands forward. Fingers curled around the crystal. I pulled it from its pedestal and brought it to my chest.

  As soon as I did, the statues that made up its shrine rumbled to life. The etchings in them lit up in lavender, starting at the tails and working its way up to the heads. Then the entire world shook. It made me think of a volcano erupting a mile away. Or the way the ship rattled when we were at top speed. Everything was caving in around me. Rocks fell from the ceiling. Shook free from the walls. Crashed into the water below that was now swaying side to side like someone were shaking a bottle.

  Then there was that sound. That shriek that made me cringe and cover my ears. Hollow and distant, something absolutely massive had woken up. All of the shaking must have been caused by it rummaging about. I half expected it to drop from the ceiling, or to burst through one of the walls, but I saw where Fenris was looking. The water.

  The little eos that had been tormenting us, were turning tail. They were screaming and I swear I heard some of them chirp human words.

  “Jurm and Munga!” I heard the squeaks. “They come! Run!”

  “Quick!” Came a more familiar voice. Fenris was standing on the edge reaching out one of his wingarms. “Jackal!”

  I ran for it as quick as my legs would carry me. I jumped over the rushing water to the first island. Then the second. The shaking must have thrown me off on the last jump. Fenris pushed its hand into my back and kept me going forward right over the edge. Once I hit the ground, Reaper and Vactubstein took off heading right for the exit.

  We dodged falling rubble all the way back. At times the ground ripped open under our feet, making us jump. I held onto that crystal like it was a football, tucked under my arm, tight against my body. I was just gonna gun it for the entrance of the cave and pray that my legs would do all the work without much of a thought. At least I had Fenris backing me up.

  Or so I thought.

  The wolf was suddenly not at my side. I heard a thump and he was gone. I feared the worst. Turned around to see him standing there, pulling forward, but unable to go anywhere. His cloak had gotten twisted up, keeping him from turning around fully. More rubble collapsed from the ceiling, completely blocking the way back.

  “Fen?!” I hurried back to him.

  He growled and pulled, trying to twist around.

  His cloak was stuck under the rubble.

  “Fuck. Fuck. Take it off!” I said, reaching up to his shoulders to unclasp the cloak. I found nothing there. The cloak was attached through the different layers of his armor. His wingarms bent backwards and scratched at the debris, but there was too much weight even for him to lift.

  I did the only thing I could think off. I cradled the artifact against my thighs and chest and used my knife to cut into his cloak. The moment I stabbed it through, not only did I see black blood ooze out, but Fenris uttered a hiss of pain.

  “Fuckin’ Christ.” I exhaled. “It’s part of you?!”

  “Go!” Fenris snarled, using one of his wingarms to push me away.

  “Fuck you!” I snapped at him. “Shut the fuck up.” I glared and stabbed the knife down. “It’s gonna hurt, but it has to be done.”

  I cut away the furry cloak until Fenris was freed. The tunnel was collapsing around us. The shaking only got worse. I got the sense we were being followed. Somehow the creatures we woke up knew where we were and were waiting to bust right through to us.

  Fenris kept pulling on himself and I kept cutting until finally, he ripped the last bit of fur away. Back up to my feet, I ran ahead with Fenris right behind me.

  “Jack! Fen!” Reaper called from the entrance.

  I had never been happier to see a light at the end of a tunnel before. The brilliant blue hue was blinding. It was our only solace as the cave around us came down. I ended up right into the rushing water of the ocean. Sliding across the wet basalt until splashing into the sea foam.

  Fenris used its wingarms to brace itself over the water and climb part way up the basalt cliff. He reached down to help me out of the water and even pushed me up above him.

  Yaaranam was up at the top, pulling her father up over the edge. She held her hand out for Reaper, waiting for him to grab it. Mjolnir was up there as well, helping Vactubstein away from the cliff to safety.

  We were free. We fucking made it. I gave a winded cheer as I climbed up the basalt. Getting down was the easy part. Getting back up this stuff? It was practically impossible. The sea water made it too slippery to grip anything. I have no idea how Reaper and Vactubstein made it up. If it wasn’t for Fenris I would’ve been back in the water a hundred times. Every step I took, I slipped back two more.

  The sky must have been clouding over. The ground around me darkened. I couldn’t even see Fenris’ shadow anymore. Rushing water was overtaken by the sound of water pouring down. I figured it was over all the pillars.

  “God save us al
l…” I heard Reaper gasp.

  Then I was up in the air, yanked right from the basalt. Fenris had picked me up with a wing arm and chucked me like a baseball up towards the top of the cliff. I kept the artifact against my chest with one hand while kicking my feet and other arm. I don’t know if it helped me catch air, or move me forward through it. All I knew is, I was well over the ground and I did not want to take that impact at the full force I knew the gravity of the planet was going to make me. I hollered all the while as if it would help me do anything at all.

  Then I stopped.

  Midair.

  The openness around me caged in by way of bones, bigger than me, conical with needle sharp points. A searing pain rushed up from my thigh straight to my heart. I couldn’t get my free arm to budge in the slightest, pinched between two of the dozens of bones. Something scraped over the top of my helmet, keeling my head backwards. I could hear the sound of nails scratching metal. Where I came to rest was wet and squishy. I sunk into the moist surface as it rolled against my back.

  I had a bird’s eye view of everything below. Everyone was much smaller than I remembered. I could see some sort of blue serpent the size of a battle cruiser, attacking them. The sight of its cone shaped teeth made me think of the ones surrounding me.

  I was in the mouth of one of them.

  Fucking Christ. I was in its mouth! I screamed for help. I could have maybe stabbed it, but that meant letting go of the crystal. Now that I had it, my body wouldn’t even let me let it go.

  Fenris was holding the fangs of the other serpent, pulling its head down against the basalt pillars. His wingarms braced it against the stone.

  The creature was just like a snake. Covered in blue scales with an endless body that delved deep into the ocean. It was decorated with malleable fins and whiskers. Horns stretched out from the top of its head. Four soulless orbs on either side of its head for eyes that glowed a brilliant white. At first, it didn’t even look like an eos. Its body was perfect. Lacked any scars, or marks of combat. As more of its body rose out of the water as it struggled against Fenris’ grasp, metal armor poked out. Even the little bit I got to see was larger than one of the trucks.

  So, this was the end for me. Right back to where we started. I thought that maybe telling the story would ease the pain of passing away, but it didn’t. My heart is still pounding, ready to explode at any second. All of my thoughts are jumbled up and bouncing off the walls like a kid on a sugar rush. I don’t know what to do.

  This can’t be what it means to be a hero. I haven’t even done anything remotely heroic! It’s like I ran nose first into a brick wall. I got stopped as soon as I started. I’m not sure which is worse. Never achieving my dreams, or leaving behind all of the people I had grown to know and even love. I may not have been much in their lives, but they all meant something to me. It felt like I was letting them all down.

  I was trapped in the mouth of a giant monster that probably had no idea what I was. It only cared about the crystal. Since I still had it in my grip, it would swallow us both. I can only watch helpless as my bird’s eye view changed to a more ground level view, then to one even lower.

  If you’re real, say something. Give me a sign. Is this really how I’m going out? Tell me! I don’t want to go like this! I thought you wanted to hear my story! I thought that would convince you to give me another chance. I know I’ve always doubted you. Can you blame me?

  I grew up on the streets without a family. The things I saw no kid should ever see. No one should have to live like that; digging in the trash for bones, worried about the bigger kids stealing what you scrounge up. I never had faith in you…

  How do you expect anyone to believe in you if you just sit there quietly and watch us all suffer?! It doesn’t matter how loud, or how frequently anyone prays. You ignore it.

  Why would you even come around to begin with if you just wanted to watch? Why did you make me think you were listening?

  Even as this water rises to my neck, I still can’t just accept this. Does it humor you? You looked into my soul, a thing I didn’t even know existed until recently, and read me like an open book. Like I wanted to relive everything. Like it would help.

  It didn’t.

  It didn’t help me at all.

  It only made me realize how much I fucked up. How much of an asshole I really am and how I never amounted to anything.

  So, what’s going to happen to me now? Now that it’s all over. We’re back here. Is Death a real person? Is the grim reaper going to manifest before me to wisp my soul out of my body and take me to Hell?

  Will I end up like Sparrow? Die and crystallize. Become a monster. Is there really another side to get to, or is this just it?

  I can hear your voice. I hear you calling my name. The darkness is closing in around me just like the water. My suit doesn’t have a lot of oxygen left. I can feel my body growing colder. Each breath is getting harder to take. My lungs are on fire and my lip is stinging.

  Just between all of the teeth caging me in is a light. It’s growing brighter as the darkness envelops me. I would come if I could, but I’m stuck. I’m trapped here in this monster’s mouth. Help me.

  Please.

  I don’t want to die here.

  Not like this.

  Not alone.

  Please, help me.

  I’ll fight until I can’t anymore.

  Just give me something! Anything! The strength. The willpower! Break me out.

  Fenris...where are you?

  FIFTY-TWO

  As Fenris and Jackal climbed up the basalt pillars towards the safety of solid ground, a great shadow was cast over them. Two monsters, larger than any mountain they had seen before, rose from the depths of the ocean. Cold water poured from their heads and frills that decorated them. Their mouths sparked with electricity as they opened up. Reaper fell to his rear, staring up at the colossal beasts. Their bodies thick in writhing muscles kept squirming through the crushing waves, the fins and frills folding back and forth in the wind. Soulless, white orbs for eyes pierced down at each one of them. They could hear the equivalent of a hiss rumbling from the beasts’ bodies.

  Fenris did the only thing it could think of. It snatched Jackal up in the hand of one of its wingarms and chucked him up towards the edge of the cliff where the others were waiting. Then it began to ascend on its own.

  It did not think the serpents, Jurm and Munga, could react quickly enough. The moment Jackal was airborne, kicking and screaming, one went for him. The other for Fenris.

  Forced to defend itself instead of protecting Jackal and the artifact, Fenris hit the basalt hard. Teeth clamped down against one of its legs. It braced itself with its wingarms, keeping the beast from yanking it effortlessly off the pillars. It bit down into the beast’s nose and grabbed hold of its nearest fangs.

  Now the serpent struggled against Fenris’ great strength. For such a small creature in comparison, it was easily overpowering the sea serpent. Its body writhed and coiled in on itself to better pull away, but Fenris did not budge.

  Fenris dared to push a wingarm back further up the pillars. Then the other. A third time. Slowly, the valkyrie would pull the serpent from the safety of the ocean where it hoped the beast would be weakened.

  Mjolnir clambered down the pillars, hammer in hand. He could do nothing to help Jackal, but if they could take out one of the serpents, perhaps then they could rescue Jackal.

  “Jack!” Reaper called, rushing to the edge of the cliff.

  They could only watch as Jackal reached out from the mouth of the serpent. It descended slowly into the depths of the water. Barely even leaving a trace of bubbles at the surface.

  A few hits from Mjolnir’s hammer had the other serpent reeling. Yaaranam fired a burst of flames at its face, making it rear back further. Fenris let go as it slipped down the pillars, saving itself from dropping into the water. It kicked at the last few pillars, barely keeping itself on solid ground. Mjolnir grabbed it by the fur around its col
lar and hoisted it back up.

  The other serpent submerged, disappearing into the sea foam.

  “Liam!” Reaper screamed. “Fuck! God, no! Please! Please, no!” He ran towards the edge to jump off.

  Yet Yaaranam stopped him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled, dropping to her rear to bring him down and keep him from committing suicide.

  “There’s nothing you can do! There’s nothing we can do!” She said, squeezing him tight.

  Reaper tried to shove her away, crying out. “We have to do something!” he scratched at the dirt. Reaper was losing more than just a good soldier. He was losing a friend. The greatest friend he could ever ask for. They fought together. They survived together. For years they thrived with one another, beating down every obstacle and rising through the ranks. He couldn’t bear the thought to lose him now. Not when they were still so young. Not when they still had a job to do.

  “God, please.” He cried.

  Fenris stood at the edge, staring down into the ocean. The artifact was gone. Somewhere down there, either resting in the gullet of one of those serpents, or sitting on the ocean floor. It thought about taking the dive. Going after those serpents. Going for Jackal. For the artifact. How could they come away with nothing to gain for their losses?

  Was it even worth it?

  Fenris could not make its body move. The water was deep. Empty. In its heart it knew what it had to do, yet its mind screamed the opposite. Its nerves flared with fire. Muscles yanking in the other direction. Its lights were flashing brightly, asymmetrically. It could not even control the khexide flowing from its body.

  “Fenris!” Reaper snapped. Yaaranam still held onto him to keep him from going over the edge himself. “You have to go after him! You have to save him!”

  Fenris gave him no response, or even acknowledgment.

  “Goddammit all!” Reaper slammed his fist into the dirt. “Fucking do something!”

  Mjolnir’s ears dropped, his tail limp. What could any of them do? Fenris barely even scratched the one he had hammered.