He awoke, no, no, please no.
He knew: he was in a dungeon, the flickering torch outside the cell, the bare damp floor, the mouldering straw bed, and the stink of death.
Voices, many voices, Creap’s prominent ‘BRING HIM OUT.’
The clang of the door swinging open, hitting the wall, and footsteps, many footsteps. Rough hands, forcing him up, pain, pain, pain, everything about him ached. He was nothing but searing pain. He wished he were dead. Heavy chains were clamped upon his wrists, more chains on his ankles, and he was dragged up steps. More steps, along torch illuminated corridors that were filled with noise, the noise of heavy boots, swords slapping against armour, laboured breathing, rough, uncouth voices, swearing, strong hands gripping, and hurting him, a calloused hand slapping him, a fist hitting his back. Then through a set of large double doors, and he was being dragged down a great high ceiling hall. He caught glimpses of great thick wooden beams, fantastic enormous statues of the gods, crowds of rotrobbers and fierce warriors, screaming people and workers hurling abuse at him, gigantic paintings of the gods, heroes, heroines and past wizards. And he was thrown to the floor and the pain was more intense than anything he had ever felt. Then he was engulfed in a yellow light and the pain vanished. The relief was instantaneous. He could relax, he could feel relief.
Suddenly everything was silent, and he could focus his eyes, he turned onto his back and sat up, but could not stand, the chains were too heavy.
‘So Snorker, where have you been for the past week?’
He looked towards the origin of the deep, reverberating voice, standing some way away was the enormous figure of Lord Zanatos, dressed in his customary black leather blouse with dark jewel encrusted belt and scabbarded scimitar, black leather pantaloons tucked into knee high black leather boots. His black hair, with two silver streaks, just above his eyes, was swept back and went past his collar, his eyebrows were jet black above small black probing eyes, and just as Elijah knew he was ugly, Lord Zanatos was the opposite, handsome beyond belief, a countenance even the gods would be jealous of.
‘I will ask again Snorker, where have you been for the past week?’
For the past week? He tried to speak, but could only croak.
‘Answer me Snorker, Lord Zanatos commands it.’
He felt a green light come out of Lord Zanatos’ hands and felt his body strengthen and his confidence heighten.
‘M-my Lord, I was only lost for one night.’
‘You lie Snorker, or else your mind has been befuddled by another wizard, which is it Snorker?’
‘No my Lord, I was lost.’
Lord Zanatos laughed, ‘I know Snorker, I know, you found Worlyn the Worm, who has been waiting for you for a hundred years,’ he laughed, and everyone sycophantically laughed with him. ‘Worlyn the Unwise has had this deranged idea that the hunchback who comes to him will restore him to power, will defeat Bagarnack and restore Dionysus back to a god. You forget my power Snorker.’ He slowly raised his right hand, his smile twisted into a ruthless leer, and spread his fingers out, the two middle ones closed and lowered, his forefinger and little finger raised. Everyone moved back with fear and delight, they were to witness Lord Zanatos’s power.
Elijah remembered, and tried to run, but it was impossible, the chains held him down, and where could he run?
He fell to the floor as a million long sharp invisible needles thrust into every part of his body, (STONE, STONE, STONE) he screamed in pain, and his mouth and tongue were pierced, his eyes shot open and his eyeballs were pierced with tortuous pain, he wanted to die. Then it stopped, and the relief was wonderful.
‘Not too much Snorker, I’m merciful, but I can make the pain last for weeks, months, even years. I’ve other curses, and I can keep you down in the dungeons for years, until your death, you’ll never see the light of day again.
‘Now Snorker, tell me everything, what did Worlyn the Worm tell you?’
Elijah took a deep breath, he could not stand the torture, he could not stand the thought of being imprisoned in the dungeons, not seeing the sky, the sun, the trees, the animals he loved. ‘My Lord, I saw a blue light behind the first waterfall in the valley of the two waterfalls, I found a tunnel behind it.’ Oh forgive me Worlyn, forgive me Esme, I am a coward. ‘I climbed through and it came out onto an underground blue lake. There were eunicons, beautiful eunicons, with golden horns.’
‘Eunicons, golden horns, underground?’ Lord Zanatos sounded surprised.
‘Yes My Lord, one pushed me into the blue lake, and I was dragged deeper and deeper by the current. I awoke in an enormous room, and a dragon.’
‘A dragon?’ Zanatos interrupted again, he was beginning to sound irritated.
‘R-Really a dragoyle, My Lord, a cross between a dragon and a gargoyle, Worlyn said he was trying to breed the best of both. It landed on my chest, and, and, Worlyn spoke to me.’
‘What did Worlyn look like?’
‘Old, My Lord, very old, with strange tattoos covering every part of his body.’
‘Tattoos, yes, I see now, Bearbert. Go on.’
‘He offered me food My Lord, he told me he had been waiting for me for a hundred years,’ he hesitated, he didn’t want to say the next bit, but also didn’t want Lord Zanatos to torture him anymore. ‘He told me I was to challenge you to a magical duel.’
‘HA, Worlyn the fool. How could you, a slave with no magic whatsoever, challenge me, the greatest wizard of the three continents? Go on.’
‘He left My Lord, told me not to wander, but I did, I found strange rooms with strange animals in, a skeleton with horns that tried to grab me, a half dog, half fish with gills in a water tank, then he found me and put me into a sleep. The next morning I awoke to him cooking pigmoor trotters and dragon’s livers, but he had difficulty eating them because his teeth kept jumping out of his mouth and trying to run away.’
‘HAA, YES,’ triumphantly, ‘my spell, that has lasted a hundred years. What else?’
‘He kept forgetting things, didn’t seem to know where his bed was, didn’t even seem to know what his name was.’
‘Yes Snorker,’ his voice was as unctuous as honey, ‘you are doing well, tell me everything and I’ll be lenient.’
‘He told me about the gods.’
Lord Zanatos voice changed, it was deep, menacing, ‘What did he tell you about the gods?’
‘He said there are many gods, and they’re just like people.’
‘THE GODS ARE NOT LIKE PEOPLE, THEY ARE GODS.’
Elijah cowered, sunk to the floor and curled into a ball.
‘Stand Snorker, stand I say.’
Elijah was lifted to his feet.
‘What else did Worlyn say?’
‘He said there’s The One, a Supreme God, the creator of everything.’
‘And did he mention the name of this supreme god.’
‘No My Lord, he doesn’t know it.’
‘I KNOW IT, IT IS BAGARNACK, BAGARNACK IS THE SUPREME GOD, BAGARNACK, BAGARNACK.’
His warriors, sycophants, workers, rotrobbers and slaves joined in, shouting the name of Bagarnack, raising their swords and shields in unison, banging their swords against their shields.
Elijah collapsed and tried to make himself as small as possible.
‘Snorker, you’ve done well to tell me these things. Stand, I’m speaking.’
Elijah, against his will, was raised off the floor into a standing position.
‘I’ll be lenient, because I’m merciful, although you must spend time in my dungeons. Punishment must be seen to be done; I’ll send you the finest meat dishes my chefs can prepare. You’ll have LAMB, CHICKEN, BEEF, PIGMOOR, VENISON, you’ll have the best meats, and when you tire of them my chefs, with my knowledge, will provide you with more exotic meats.’ He grinned maliciously, because he knew.
Elijah looked at him horrified, he’d been condemned to death, Lord Zanatos knew he wouldn’t eat meat, his faith and belief was being put to the test, eat meat and survive, or refuse
and slowly starve to death.
‘MY SUBJECTS,’ Lord Zanatos shouted above the growing talk of sadistic glee at Snorker’s plight, silence was immediate. ‘The festivities are not over, tonight you’ll marvel in the wonder, in the glory and majesty, you’ll tell your grandchildren I WAS THERE. For the King of the Gods has been in our midst here tonight,’ he stopped to let his words have dramatic effect. He was pleased at the look of fear upon his subjects. ‘No one’s to leave, anyone who tries will be killed by my wizards and rotrobbers.’
People looked around, and there stationed at the doors were the despicable rotrobbers, neither human, animal or spirit, but unthinking killing machines, cannibalistic beings that fed on the pain that occurred at the moment of death.
Elijah glanced over to them; they were big, ugly and monstrous creatures, holding an assortment of vicious looking weapons from swords and axes to spiked balls on chains.
‘Be assured,’ continued Lord Zanatos,’ that none will die here tonight, because the King of the Gods, Bagarnack, does not wish it. But also be assured, you will die if you do not recognise Bagarnack as the King of the Gods.’
Elijah watched as Lord Zanatos backed from the head of the great hall, his head bowed, and, Elijah could not help but look as a gigantic tarantula appeared, so enormous it’s legs spread from one side of the hall to the other. There were screams, thuds, as hundreds of people fainted and hit the floor. Then, the giant spider scurried towards him, its mandibles were like two enormous scimitars, clicking in front of him. He was frozen, unable to move, even if he had wanted to.
‘Ah Snorker,’ the gigantic spider clicked, ‘do you recognise me?’
Bagarnack’s voice chilled Elijah to his bones, a voice filled with ice-cold poison. Then before his eyes the spider became...him, a gigantic Snorker, a hunchback, with a lop-sided face. More people screamed and even Lord Zanatos was surprised.
‘However, Snorker, look upon the real me.’
‘No please, please, no.’ He panicked; he didn’t want to be burnt alive.
Slowly, Snorker’s gigantic figure melted and changed. Elijah clasped his hands over his eyes and put his head on the floor.
‘No, Snorker, remove your hands,’ Bagarnack’s voice changed, now it was deep and reverberating.
His hands shot away from his face, he tried to force them back, but they wouldn’t move. Fear gripped his insides, making them squirm, he began trembling.
‘Open your eyes,’ he commanded.
His eyes sprang open.
‘Stand and look at me.’ Dust seemed to be dislodged from the high rafters at his voice.
He was on his feet, looking at the gigantic figure of a barbarian warrior, in full bronze and leather armour with black battleaxe. His black hair and beard were long and plaited, held in place by white human thighbones.
‘See Snorker, you’ve not burst into flames, because it’s not my wish. Although I’m here to give you a warning, do not challenge Zanatos, if you do, you will die.’
‘Oh Great Bagarnack, I’ve never wished to challenge Lord Zanatos.’ Elijah whispered the words, unsure if Bagarnack could hear him.
‘Oh yes you have Snorker, it’s been your greatest wish, cause you believe that defeating Zanatos will eventually bring about my downfall, and you’ll defeat me. We both know Snorker that there’s no such a thing as good or evil, it’s a human concept, limited by their understanding of the universe. We both know there’s only the Order. We both know that the Order is very flexible. I only wish to balance the Order in my favour. I’m half way to doing that, but there’s one thing that stands in my way.’ He stopped and looked at Elijah, as if waiting for the question, but Elijah was too frightened to ask.
‘I’m sorry Snorker that you’re not on my side.’ He waved his hands and became the gigantic spider and the hall seemed to erupt with the cries of ‘Bagarnack, Bagarnack, Bagarnack.
‘Zanatos,’ his booming voice silenced them, ‘You’ll lock Snorker in your deepest dungeon, you’ll give him no food whatsoever.’
‘Yes, my God-King.’
‘Rotrobbers will guard him twenty-four hours of the day. Twelve rotrobbers will be on guard duty at all times. There’ll be no deviation from this. Do you understand?’
‘I do my God-King.’
‘As a further measure I’ll be placing even more enchantments on his cell, no living thing will be allowed to enter his cell, not even a spider, he’s to have no living company whatsoever. And, he’s not to be harmed.’
‘Yes My God-King.’
There was a sudden flash of light and the enormous spider disappeared, the crowd gasped, even the rotrobbers grunted and growled their appreciation.
‘You have heard Bagarnack, the King of the Gods speak, you have seen his greatness, I say to you now, marvel at his majesty, and visit his temple and make sacrifices. Because you do not want to incur his wrath.’
The crowd cheered, clapped and laughed, more with relief that they had not been burned to death by the sight of the giant spider, which many believed to be the true image of Bagarnack.
Lord Zanatos raised his hands for silence, which was immediate, except for the slobberlobber witches, who could not be silent, because they, and their descendants, were forever cursed (by Bagarnack) to cough, sneeze, vomit, have snot running from their noses, blow bubbles with their saliva, and bring up great globules of yellowish green phlegm, which were expelled from their lungs with the speed of a crossbow bolt in all directions, impervious as to which face it hit. Which obviously meant that they were never invited to christening, birthday parties, weddings, work’s do’s, hen nights, retirements or anything? But Bagarnack had specifically requested them to be here, to Lord Zanatos’ dismay.
‘Snorker, you heard what our God-King Bagarnack said. Take him away.’
Elijah wasn’t aware of much as the rotrobbers rushed towards him, as rough, powerful hands grabbed and lifted him into the air. Their stench was overpowering, it made him want to vomit, it was the stink of rotting flesh.
His fate was solitude, deprived of the things he needed, light, air, plants, freedom to roam, the land, the sky, people, even insects.
He was in a torch lit corridor, carried down torch lit stairs. A fist hit his face, pain, yellow explosions in his eyes, in his mind, and a voice screamed, ‘Bagarnack told us.’ He was aware of nothing except movement and agony. Another fist into his hunch, more pain, more agony and all hell seemed to break loose, there was fighting behind him, he fell to the floor and was kicked in the face, his nose became wet, yellow lights flashed before his eyes. Shouts, curses, axes swinging, swearing, the rotrobbers fighting amongst themselves. A bloody mangled head, with bloody staring eyes landed in his lap. Two hands roughly lifted him into the air, a bloody arm somersaulted past his face, spraying him with blood. And then it stopped, the rotrobbers were frozen in mid battle, one had an axe embedded in his head, the blood stopping half way down his face, another was half way through decapitation, another’s axe was frozen in mid air, there seemed to a foot sole thick layer of blood across the rough flagged floor.
Elijah didn’t move, but knew magic had stopped them; he kicked away the head that was between his legs.
‘My God-King, I am so sorry, so sorry.’
‘Be quiet Zanatos.’
Elijah looked up to see the giant barbarian god Bagarnack standing before him with Lord Zanatos on all fours at the side of him, whimpering.
‘It is not your fault, it is mine, I should have realised Snorker would be too much for the rotrobbers to control their basic instincts.’ He pointed a finger at Elijah and the pain left him, the cuts and bruises healed, and a warm satisfied feeling swept over him. ‘Rise Snorker, there’s your cell. It’s with some regret I do this, but you must not be allowed to tamper with my plans.’
Elijah did not want to look into those eyes, but he couldn’t help himself, he looked up, and they were not as he expected, they were kindly, understanding, but moreover, sad.
‘I will chan
ge the Order, because I want the order to be in my favour. Your cell, Snorker.’ It was not a request.
But something rose in Elijah’s chest, a rebelliousness that was tangible.
‘Do not force me to act Snorker, please go in voluntarily.’
‘No,’ he surprised and almost shocked himself, ‘you’re supposed to be the King of the Gods, and you say please, no god would say please to a human.’
Bagarnack raised his hand, and before he even realised it Elijah was walking back into the cell, back until his calves encountered something hard and he fell back, landing on something soft. The door slammed shut with an almighty crash that seemed to echo in his mind, and then he heard their voices.
‘Be warned Zanatos, no living thing, and that includes you, will be allowed to enter that cell.’
And then there was silence, and the silence was absolute, as was the darkness, and a terrible tiredness came over him, and sleep, glorious sleep was instantaneous.