The Awakening

by Tony Mazzarella

  Adrian finally got to his feet as his senses started to return. He could see Corrado, still lying to his right, not yet recovered from whatever force rebounded on them as they attacked Drew and Cait. His anger returned as he tried to summon the strength of his power to finish Cait and begin the awakening. Suddenly, he heard the sound of her anguish, and he paused for a moment as he watched her holding Drew in her arms. He tried to make sense of the last few minutes. He recalled Cait standing defiantly to protect Drew, much like the defiance Khaheet had shown when she had approached him thousands of years earlier. Cait’s sobs continued, and once again he paused, recalling his own grief and anguish when Khaheet died. He began to feel that same anguish in his heart as he watched the scene before him. This was different than anything he’d felt before. He wasn’t feeling his own grief—but Cait’s. Not just the pain of the last few minutes, but the pain she’d felt her whole life and all of the sorrows she’d endured. Every moment of her life’s journey was relived in Adrian’s heart. He winced as he felt the powerful love she’d had for her father. His knees buckled when he relived, in seconds, the powerful emotion of her relationships with Tom and Drew. His empathetic connection startled him as he tried to make sense of all of these things. His emotions welled up and brought him to his knees.

  Cait turned slowly toward him as their eyes connected. She looked at him with sorrow and loathing as she gently laid Drew down onto the floor and stood. Adrian bowed his head in shame as he realized the pain he’d caused her and the error of the path he was on. No words could express the sorrow he felt for his actions. His connection with Cait transcended her physical life, and he knew why. Part of Khaheet lived within her and called to him even then to return to her in the light. It all seemed so simple to him, and he couldn’t recall why he had felt so much anger before. He wanted nothing more than to go back to Khaheet, back to the light, back to his father.

  A large stone tumbled off of the top of a shattered pillar as Corrado pulled himself into a standing position. He looked at Cait and laughed, seeing Drew’s crumpled body below her. He looked at Adrian, and he could see instantly his brother’s remorse and indecision. “We must finish her and begin the awakening,” he said, his voice weakened. “It’s time, brother.”

  Adrian rose to his feet, still locked onto his gaze with Cait. He walked slowly to where she stood and saw the steady stream of tears coming from her eyes.

  “Finish her!” screamed Corrado with a guttural howl, shaking the cavern as his strength began to return.

  Adrian wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of his hand as he stared deeply into her eyes.

  “No!” Corrado shrieked as he tried desperately to summon his powers.

  Adrian ignored him and spoke softly. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t see the truth sooner. You tried to help me. I know that now. Khaheet tried to save me through you. I’ve been a fool, and now I’ve caused you the same pain that I felt so long ago.”

  Sand fell from the ceiling as the cave began to shake violently. Corrado’s beast broke through the floor and stood beside him.

  “Listen to me,” said Adrian, still not looking back at his brother. “It’s too late for me now. But it’s not too late for you. There’s still hope, and I will give my last bit of life to see that you’re safe. I have to make this right and atone for what I’ve done.”

  Cait fought through her emotions to find compassion for him, but it was difficult. He’d killed Drew and Kirby through his actions, and countless thousands over the eons. But something in her soul told her it was okay, and this was all necessary. Just then she could see the red glow of fire begin to emanate from Corrado’s fingers, and his beast approached.

  “I’m sorry, Father,” said Adrian as he looked upward. “I’m sorry, Khaheet, my love. I wish I could return to you, but it is not to be. I love you with all that I am. I’m sorry.” Adrian’s green eyes glistened with sadness as they welled with tears.

  Cait fought through her anger and grief and was finally able to speak. “I forgive you. Go back to the light. Go back to her.”

  Adrian nodded in solemn understanding of how hard this must have been for her to do with all he had taken from her. She’d sacrificed herself for Drew and was now selflessly offering forgiveness to him. He’d not understood before the power of such acts, but he knew now what he had to do.

  “You have to get out of here,” he said. “I’ll hold them off as long as I can. Corrado can’t begin the awakening. Only I can. So it’s just him and his beast. I have to see them destroyed, but I’ll be greatly weakened.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  As the words left her lips, a blast of flaming energy shot from Corrado’s fingers. Adrian raised his left hand, and a wall of blue light deflected the attack, shielding Cait.

  “Because,” said Adrian, putting his right hand to his heart, “I give you back your love.” He appeared to be drawing white light from his heart, and it began to coalesce into a vibrant white ball in his hand. As the glowing energy poured from him, the shield began to weaken around them. Cait closed her eyes and could feel the power of the energy he harnessed. It was all of his love and everything that was good and just in his being. It contained the things he’d forgotten for so long and only at this desperate moment, remembered. He offered them and a part of his soul in sacrifice for what he’d done, knowing it would drain him of the strength he needed to survive. He looked at the glowing mass of vibrant light and then reached out his hand as it began to flow into Drew’s heart.

  The shield became even weaker as Adrian fell to his knees, still fighting the attack that grew in ferocity by the second. Corrado’s minion slammed against the shield, trying to penetrate it with its fiery tentacles as his master increased the intensity of his barrage. With one final push, Adrian channeled the last bit of light into Drew’s lifeless body and then raised his other hand to try and keep the shield up.

  “You have to go now,” said Adrian weakly as he struggled against the attack. The shield now began to flicker in and out as his power faded. Beams of red light from the attack began to break through the shield like water bursting from a dam.

  Cait looked into Adrian’s sorrow-filled eyes one last time and quietly mouthed the words, “Thank you.” Drew began to cough as he started to pull himself out of the rubble.

  “What happened?” he asked as he rose to his feet. Cait embraced him and began to sob.

  “I’ll explain later,” she said as she regained her composure. “We have to get out of here now.”

  Drew assessed the scene and quickly regained his senses as she pulled him away from the battle being waged in front of them.

  “Maybe we can drop back down into the tunnel,” she said, still pulling him forward. “It’s our only chance.”

  Drew looked around the tomb to the dislodged stone where he’d been thrown earlier. He immediately knew what it was.

  “Cait, no!” he shouted, pulling her back. “The stairs…Hagiel’s stairs. That’s our only way out.”

  They looked back to see even more breaks appear in the shield as Adrian fought desperately to hold it in place. The creature’s tentacles were now breaking through and whipping Adrian as he cried out in pain.

  Drew tried to pull the stone that was already halfway out of the wall. In his weakened condition, it was extremely difficult. Cait began to pull with him until it broke free and exposed the small chamber at the base of the wall.

  “This has to be it!” said Drew as he tried to recall Hagiel’s instructions needed to ascend the staircase. He’d recalled the details of Kirby’s journal as best he could in that short amount of time, but his mind was still cloudy.

  Cait watched as the shield flickered and then finally disappeared, leaving Adrian totally exposed to the ferocious attack. He tried to fight the creature as a weak beam of light flew from his fingers, but just then, a blast of energy came from Corrado, slamming
him against the wall as he screamed in agony.

  “No!” shouted Cait as she stood, ready to go back to protect Adrian. Drew grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, knowing nothing of the events that had happened while he lay lifeless. Adrian continued to try and fight, but it was becoming clear he had little strength to continue the fight much longer. Cait knew they had to escape, or Adrian’s sacrifice would be for nothing.

  “Let’s go!” Drew said, helping her into the narrow rectangular opening at the base of the floor. She had to lie perfectly flat on her back and edge her way in slowly. She barely cleared the top as Drew helped push her through. When she finally disappeared through the opening, Drew lay flat and started to work his way in. He was much bigger than Cait and found it difficult to clear as he squeezed between the top stone and the floor. Cait pulled on his tactical vest to try and help as rock began to fall around him. Drew took one last look and saw molten rock begin to form from several spots on the tomb floor as more of the creatures emerged on all sides of the battle. He watched as Adrian fell to the floor with one last blast from Corrado. Drew was sure the fight was over now as the creatures surrounded him. Just before he broke through to the other side, he saw something strange for just a split second. Through one of the tunnels created by the creatures, a large furry creature ran through into the tomb. He thought it almost looked like a giant white dog but was sure his eyes were playing tricks.

  “Drew!” shouted Cait. “What do we do now?” she asked, lying perfectly flat in the dark. The ground shook violently as the battle somehow continued to wage just through the wall.

  Drew recalled the pattern in Hagiel’s notes that Kirby had translated.

  “We have to turn ninety degrees. Can you feel an opening? It should be to your left.” Cait reached out and could feel a similar rectangular opening to the one they’d just entered. As she ran her hand along the floor, she could feel the stone rise slowly into a smooth cylindrical shape.

  “Well never fit through here. It’s too small to crawl through,” she said, feeling panicked and claustrophobic. Drew could hear the fear in her voice as she struggled to squeeze through the opening.

  “Cait, calm down,” he said taking hold of her hand. He spoke calmly and reassured her it was going to be okay. This was the voice that just a few moments earlier she thought she’d never hear again. It soothed her and allowed her to find the strength to calm her fears.

  “What do we do?” she asked as the floor again shook violently. This time it sounded as if something slammed into the wall just a few inches from them.

  “Turn your body until you’re parallel with the opening. Once you’re lined up, slide in on your stomach and roll up over each of the cylinders.”

  Cait did as Drew had asked and squeezed into the first chamber. She pulled herself up and over the first and then reached her hand into the next opening. She felt a similar cylindrical rise and began to navigate that one the same way. Drew followed behind, struggling to fit into the small chambers.

  “You’re doing great,” he said, trying to keep Cait calm. “Clearly Hagiel didn’t eat very well. He sure didn’t build this escape for a guy that likes a good burrito every now and then.”

  Cait smiled as she continued to fight her fears. The battle still waged inside the tomb, but the sounds were becoming more distant as they worked their way toward the stairs. Cait pulled herself over the last cylinder and into a larger space where she was able to stand. She could hear Drew trying to pull himself through and reached in to help him.

  “This must be it,” said Drew, breathing heavily and reaching into his pocket for the small flashlight. As he snapped it on, he could see the tiny space they were in. As he panned the light to his right, he could see the stones rising up into the circular staircase described in Kirby’s journal. He turned to Cait and could see her face and hands scraped and bruised. He looked down at his own hands, and they were bloody from trying to pull himself through the small openings. He started to head for the first step when Cait grabbed him.

  “I love you, Drew,” she said as she embraced him tightly.

  “It’s okay. We’re going to make it. I love you too,” he said, not realizing she’d thought she’d lost him forever just a few minutes earlier. As they released their embrace, the noise from the then-distant battle stopped, and an eerie quiet fell upon the pyramid.

  “What does that mean?” asked Drew.

  “That means it’s over, one way or another. If Corrado was successful, then Adrian is dead, and we still have to deal with him. He said Corrado can’t begin the awakening; only he could. I think humanity is spared either way.”

  She could see by the look on his face that Drew wasn’t convinced that it was over.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  He paused for a moment, recalling what he’d seen during their escape.

  “Just before I pushed through the wall, I saw something strange. I’m not sure what it means.”

  “What was it?” asked Cait, putting her hand on his cheek.

  “I saw more of those creatures emerging from the floor on all sides. What if Corrado was able to get them to turn on Adrian? What if he’s able to control them?”

  Cait thought hard about his words. “Corrado wasn’t supposed to be able to start the awakening. Adrian seemed certain of it, but if that were true, why would these creatures be there, awakened from their sleep. Kirby had said the legend told of two creatures on either side of the earth, directed by Adrian as to whether to summon the rest. If he had turned them to his side, then all is surely lost,” said Cait.

  “There’s something else,” said Drew. “Right before you pulled me through, a furry, white…thing, emerged from one of the tunnels created by the creatures.”

  “What kind of thing?” she asked, concerned.

  “I don’t know. I only saw it for a split second. It was massive and looked a lot like…”

  “Like what?” she asked, seeing Drew wrestling with his memory and trying to put it into words.

  “Like a big dog,” he said, knowing it sounded crazy.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I think so. It was only for a split second but this…thing came running out of the tunnel with something on its back.”

  “Something?” asked Cait. “What was it?”

  “I don’t know. I only caught a glimpse of it. Hell, I don’t know what I’m saying. That’s crazy, right?”

  “After what we’ve seen, nothing is crazy. I’m not sure what it means, but let’s get the hell out of here,” said Cait as she climbed the first few steps.

  They climbed for what seemed like several hours. The journey was slow and tedious as the space was obviously not designed for anyone but an emaciated slave. They barely spoke on the journey upward. There was so much uncertainty from both of them on what would happen next. Was the awakening over? Did Corrado win? Was Adrian dead? These were all unanswered questions that they weren’t ready to face until they made their escape. And what of the fate of their friends? They knew there was little chance that any of them had survived.

  As Cait pulled herself up, the stairs ended and a small ray of light shone through a small crack in the stone above her.

  “Drew, look!” she said, pointing up as he rounded the stairs below her.

  “That’s got to be the exit,” he said, squeezing past her. He pushed on the stone above the ray of light, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “Help me push,” he said as Cait came up beside him. They both tried to remove the stone but it was no use. Thousands of years of gravity and sand made the once-loose stone impossible to remove from the inside. They could see the light through the crack gradually start to fade along with their hopes of survival as night poured over the Great Pyramid.

  Chapter 26

  Cait lay with her head on Drew’s chest
as the hours passed agonizingly slow. She sipped the remaining water from her canteen, knowing that death would certainly come soon without any water and no hope for escape. They said nothing, knowing there wasn’t really anything more to say or do. They were together in their last hours of life, which was at least some consolation. Drew fell off into a restless sleep as the exhaustion finally overtook him.

  She stared at him as he slept, pondering all of the things that had happened. She felt a strange numbness and acceptance of their fate, knowing it would be okay in the end. She stroked his hair gently as he stirred and then fell still once again. In her mind, she tried to reach out to her father and Khaheet for answers, but the connection she had to both of them earlier was gone. The inevitable questions of what this meant flashed through her mind. Was Adrian dead? Was Khaheet off grieving for her lost love? Was this all for nothing? Was the world going to end?

  She was snapped back to reality by the sound of faint voices and the scraping of metal against stone.

  “This has to be it,” said a faint voice from the other side of the wall. She thought about calling out but realized Corrado or his men could be out there. Who else would know where they were? She gently woke Drew and quickly put her hand over his mouth so he wouldn’t make any noise.

  “There’s someone out there,” she whispered.

  “What?” he said, still disoriented from sleep. He listened as the scraping sound got louder.

  Cait pointed downward. “Maybe we should go back down the stairs to the tomb.”

  “I don’t think we can,” whispered Drew. “From what I saw, I’m sure the way is blocked. Everything was caving in around Adrian.”