Chapter 21
Thyzil took the red and yellow crystals out of his bag and held one in each hand, and then smiled.
“Crystals touch, then boom in about 10 minutes,” he said, making a large circle with his hands to illustrate an explosion.
“About ten minutes … as in maybe seven or eight minutes?” I asked.
Thyzil laughed. “Don’t worry wizard. We have plenty of time.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” I said excitedly. “What if one of Moon’s lap dogs comes along and throws the crystals out a window, or worse, it throws them at us?”
“This is not possible,” Thyzil said. “Crystals weigh more than building. Except for us Zeshtunians, doggies can not pick up.”
“But only ten minutes?”
Thyzil laughed again. “You worry too much wizard. Ready?”
Alura nodded. I hesitated and then nodded, hoping we would get out of the building in time. Granted, the weapon was designed to not harm humans or Zeshtunians, but I still had to contend with my natural paranoia which told me 10 minutes may not enough time to get clear of the crystals, especially if we encountered fur balls along the way. The very idea of having molecules race through my body and possibly put me in a comma was not a pleasant thought.
“Okay, here we go,” Thyzil said, then put the crystals on the floor and pushed them together.
There was a snap of electrical energy and the crystals melded together. A couple seconds later, the crystals started to pulsate with red and yellow light in synchronization to a humming noise.
“Now we leave wizard, yes?”
Thyzil did not need to ask a second time. We headed for the nearest stairway, but stopped after opening the door and hearing lycanthropes running up the stairwell. Alura jumped into action grabbing two grenades from one of the belts strapped across her chest, pulled the pins, and tossed them down the stairwell. The grenades thumped down the stairs and exploded setting off whimpers and howls, but more lycanthropes kept coming. Not satisfied with the results, Alura took both belts off holding eight more grenades, pulled all the pins, and threw them into the same stairwell. We closed the door and quickly stepped back. Seconds later, a massive explosion collapsed the stairway and completely sealed it off with large sections of concrete and steel.
“So much for that exit,” I said. “Anyone have another suggestion, because I think more fur balls are coming up the other stairway across the room.”
“Yes wizard. I say we fight,” Thyzil said.
Why did I even bother to ask?
The lycanthropes reached the stairway door. I pointed my staff toward the ceiling and said, “Raza zitum,” releasing blue-white saw discs hovering above the top of my staff. I moved my staff forward toward the stairway door and shouted, “Aktum,” sending the saws through the door into the lycanthropes. The saws ripped through their arms, legs, heads, and swirled in circles for repeat attacks. As more lycanthropes appeared, the saws also attacked them in fierce rapid motions tearing them to pieces until all in sight were burning piles of ashes. Smoke and ambers rose from what was moments ago 20 or more angry fur balls.
More growls continued coming from the stairway, but no lycanthropes came near the door. I guess they understood the consequences and decided to hold their ground out of sight. The magic saws swirled in circles above the ash piles, and with nothing nearby to chop up, they flickered and disappeared.
Exiting the building through the one open stairway was no longer an viable option, at least not if we wanted to stay alive. Using magic in such a tight area would destroy the lycanthropes, which was fine, but it might also kill us, which was not so fine. Hand-to-hand combat would also be difficult and risky with fur balls crawling over each other to get us.
If the thought of battling more lycanthropes wasn’t bad enough, one only needed to listen to the crystal weapon pulsating faster from behind us. We were to close and time was running out.
Great, we get to decide between being fur ball dinners or risk having a crystal induced comma.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt that fighting fur balls was a better choice, but wanted to get a consensus just the same.
“Okay, do we wait for the crystals to fry our brains or take the stairway and fight hordes of fur balls?” I asked.
We looked at each other and said, “stairway,” and moved toward the door, but stopped when the office lights and computer monitors turned on showing Moon’s face.
“I hope that’s only a creepy screen saver,” I said.
“Mr. Zane, you certainly can be a persistent complication. It would appear what has developed into a personal matter between us will have to be settled tonight.”
“Well, well, if it’s not my old pal Moony. Are you ready to get dusted?”
“I believe my correct response should be: ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch’. Is this the correct expression to use Mr. Zane?”
“What do you want Moony-boy? We’re a little busy here, so make your point and buzz off. Don’t worry though, we’ll soon see each other face to face, or fur to face in your case. I’m guessing you’ll be a pile of burning ashes in a few minutes from now.”
“Very well Mr. Zane, as you insist. As I see the situation you are in, you have two choices. The first choice is to take your chances using the stairway to escape. The second choice is to take the elevator which will bring you to a specially designed hunting area buried 500 feet below the surface of this building.”
A bell rang and an elevator door opened from behind a hidden wall panel. At the same time, all the computer monitors began displaying a large underground area the size of at least five football fields. It had trees, rocks, and a number of structures resembling the 16th century. The area was dimly lighted like what might be produced by a full moon.
“This hunting arena is where my partners and I get in touch with our ancestry,” Moon said. “Many have visited us here, but sadly, no one has ever left. I very much would like you and your friends to join us for a game of survival. Should you win the game, you will be free to leave as you came, hopefully not too badly damaged.”
Lousy choices. I looked back at the pulsating crystals knowing time was not on my side. After a long pause, Moon grinned and spoke again.
“Mr. Zane, please don’t be concerned about your interesting toy. The discharge may very well destroy my pack, but it will not reach my partners and me here. Since you have come to my place of business to share quality time and to get better acquainted, this is the opportunity to fulfill that purpose, however, you must make your decision quickly Mr. Zane.”
Now we have three options: brain fry, stairway slicing and dicing, or playing in a lycanthrope reality show.
“Decisions, decisions … what should we do?” I asked, rubbing my chin as a sign of indifference and to tick off Moon.
“Perhaps this might help you to make a decision,” Moon said.
The camera at the arena panned to an area showing three human hostages chained to a wall. There was a man, women, and young child.
Moon has hostages – that certainly narrows down our options.
Anger built up in me triggering a reaction on my staff amulet that created sparks and intense illumination. I again recalled what Alura told me about controlling my emotions with magic. I concentrated on calming down and my staff amulet became less intense.
Moon presented us with no real choice. If we did nothing, our brains might turn into mush. If we chose the stairway, we’d likely become wolf chow, the hostages will die, and Moon would escape to kill more humans. If we chose the hunting area, it is also likely we’d become wolf chow, but there’s a chance to destroy Moon and maybe save the hostages. We had to go to the hunting arena.
“The crystals will destroy the lycanthropes inside the building and Lieutenant Mack will be sure none escape,” Alura said. “We must take this fight to Moon and finish it.”
Thyzil raised his sword. “I never fought inside an arena. Sounds exciting … count me
in. Besides, you need my protection, yes?”
Alura rolled her eyes. “Who’s going to protect you from me?”
Thyzil laughed. “My warrior princess is … how you say … a tough cookie, yes wizard?”
“She sure is,” I replied and Alura smiled, then I pointed my staff at Moon’s face on the monitor. “We’re coming for you fur ball.”
“An excellent decision Mr. Zane. I look forward to our sharing quality time on a more personal level.”
The computer monitors went dark and we entered the elevator. There was only one button, obviously programmed to bring us to the arena. Or maybe just blow us up. Moon was a hunter and had us trapped. It’s not likely he would find much enjoyment blowing us up when he can hunt us on his own grounds, traps and all. Even so, I still considered the likelihood we were being taken to an underground tomb with no arena.
If there was an arena, it didn’t mean Moon would actually be there. The last time Alura and I were in this building, Moon appeared on a monitor that could have been broadcasted from anywhere in the world. This time was different. Moon had a plan, and as any evil dark lawyer would do, he puts his business first. Plus it was more personal now. He wanted to rip out my heart and eat it while I watched. Moon will definitely be at the arena.
Alura kept both Desert Eagles ready to fire and I tightened my grip on my staff as we entered the elevator. Thyzil, on the other hand, was checking out his smile on the side of his shinny claymore blade.
“Really Thyzil … we’re about to be torn apart and you’re worried about your smile?” I asked.
Thyzil kept checking his teeth like a dentist and was unmoved by my insinuating he was vain.
“One never knows when time is up,” he said. “If my time is up, I shall look good when Zeshtunians gather to honor me.”
“They are not going to see your teeth Thyzil,” Alura said. “Your mouth and eyes will be closed at your funeral.”
Thyzil lowered his sword to his side and frowned.
“Is this so? Too bad, I have good looking teeth.”
Alura rolled her eyes and shook her head at me. “You gotta love the big clutz.”
Thyzil laughed. “Yes, I am lovable, like big teddy bear,” he said and pulled Alura close to his side.
A bell rang and the elevator door opened. It took a few moments for our eyes to adjust to dimmer light as we stepped out onto a wide ledge about fifty feet above a forest. I looked up at the ceiling that was a couple hundred feet higher from where we stood. The ceiling had stars and a moon that created artificial light. Crickets were making noise and the sound of a distant owl could be heard. There was even a gentle breeze blowing making the leaves in trees rustle. Everything looked very real.
“This is good place to die,” Thyzil said, taking in a deep breath of air as if today was like any other day.
I raised my eyebrows at Thyzil from being surprised to hear this renowned Zeshtune warrior may have a death wish. Thyzil noticed and grinned.
“Not me wizard, those big doggies.”
“Oh … yeah, that’s a much better way of putting it.”
A moment later the area shook.
“The crystals went off,” Alura said. “Any lycanthropes inside the building above us are now dust.”
“Good to know,” I said. “At least we won’t have to fight our way out of the building above, assuming we ever make it out of this hell-hole.”
As I thought about our possible doom, a light turned on behind us. We turned to see where the light was coming from and there was Moon with two other lycanthropes dressed in their expensive business suits. I recognized Moon’s companions from a large portrait in his conference room during our first visit. They were his law partners and the three of them were now standing in a skybox about thirty feet above us. I thought for a moment to blast them out of the box with magic, but Moon spoke before I decided.
“Good evening and welcome to our special hunting arena.”
Moon must have known I was thinking about blasting him to smithereens because he told me not to waste my wizardry talent. Evidently we were seeing only his reflection coming from behind a fortified wall where the three fur balls actually stood.
“I didn’t take you for the cowardly type Moon,” I said. “Are you and your partners afraid to come out and fight like big boys?”
“On the contrary Mr. Zane, my partners and I are very much looking forward to joining you in the arena – you can count on it. First, however, you will need to consider the other invited guests you saw earlier. Should you and your friends survive and find the humans, we will be close by to engage you in a final resolution. Be quick Mr. Zane. There are dangerous things in this arena.”
The skybox dimmed and blended into the background. I turned back facing toward the arena and saw a path leading from the ledge down to the forest floor.
“Looks like that’s the way down,” I said. “Come on, let’s go find the hostages. I doubt Moon will keep them alive very long, so we best not waste even a second of time.”
“We will find them Azul, and save them,” Alura said. “And when they’re safe, we’ll put an end to Moon and his partners. This very day is the last those beasts will live.”
We began the descent from the ledge on a narrow path of solid rock. It wasn’t steep, but jagged at spots required careful balancing to avoid falling. A few minutes later we reached the forest floor and looked up at tall evergreens that created a thick canopy.
There was only one path visible through the trees, leaving us no choice but to take it. The moonlight sprinkled through the tree canopy creating a chilling effect and reminded me of one of Lon Chaney Jr.’s old black and white werewolf movies. I expected to the actor to jump out from every corner we turned. Damn spooky place.
There were sounds of things rusting in bushes, causing us to raise our guard up, at least for Alura and me. Thyzil looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. It was times like this when I truly appreciated Thyzil’s confidence and lack of fear. If he were surrounded by a pack of lycanthropes, I’d expect him to wave them forward to attack while laughing and swinging his sword in the air as a taunt.
We soon came to a small clearing with a log cabin with a fenced in section that looked as though it housed livestock at one time, but now was empty. Our eyes had now fully adjusted to the moonlight and we could see well ahead in all directions up to the tree line. I started to move forward and Thyzil put his hand on my shoulder stopping me.
“Let me go first wizard. Could be trap.”
“Okay, if you insist big guy. Alura and I will cover your back.”
Alura’s had her Desert Eagles pointing at an angle toward the ground and I gripped my staff tightly in both my hands ready to release the magic I stored up. When we reached the front porch of the cabin, Thyzil stopped.
“Wait here,” he said. “I will check little house,” he said.
Thyzil exited the cabin a few moments later and leaned against a porch post with his head hanging down. His face was pale and he had a distant look about him. Something in the cabin frightened him.
Thyzil frightened? Not possible. No, his look was shock, not fear.
“What is it Thyzil?” Alura asked.
Thyzil didn’t reply and kept looking down at the ground with his head hanging.
“Thyzil, what did you see? Alura asked and still there was no response.
Alura and I looked at each other knowing that whatever Thyzil saw, it had to be horrible. Alura and I went inside the cabin and our eyes widened in horror. Three dismembered heads were on a table next to their skeletal remains sitting in chairs. It was as if the bodies were a warning to anyone entering entering the cabin.
Alura gasped when she recognized the bodies were dressed in the same armor Thyzil was wearing.
“They are Zeshtune warriors,” she said. “They are our people Azul. It is likely Thyzil knew these men, perhaps as close friends. Look, they each have the same tribal insignia on the hilt of their claymores.” r />
“How long have they been here?”
“A very long time,” she said as her eyes filled with tears. “There is no record of any Zeshtune warriors who have gone missing for thousands of years. These men died here long ago.”
“What about Thyzil? He went missing, didn’t he?”
“Yes, but not after achieving recognition. These Zeshtunes warriors are from days long past and died after recognition. There should have been some record of their disappearance.”
We left the cabin and saw Thyzil still leaning against the porch post and looking at the ground. Alura went over and hugged him with tears running down her checks. They stood there in silence as I sat on the porch floor and stared out into the forest.
What happened here? How could three Zeshtune warriors be defeated? I’ve seen Alura and Thyzil take out dozens of lycanthropes as if they were nothing more than annoying flies. Three Zeshtune warriors defeated and killed like this seemed impossible.
Alura wiped her tears away and looked up at Thyzil.
“We need to go Thyzil. We’ll come back for them, I promise. We will bring them back to Keob and one day to Zeshtune. They will be remembered as heroes and honored by our people for all time.”
Thyzil lifted his head and looked into Alura’s eyes. He wiped a tear off her check and nodded, then looked back at me.
“Come wizard, we will destroy the beasts that did this terrible thing,” he said, then looked at the cabin door. “Our children’s children will tell stories of your courage brothers. We will avenge your deaths and come back for you soon.”
Thyzil turned and began walking toward the new path at the tree line. His walk was clearly more determined and I had to pick up my pace to keep up. Alura remained quiet and in full alert mode ready to take action, her tears now replaced by anger.
Thyzil stopped just before the tree line and looked around. Alura did the same and I felt the hairs on my neck and spine tingle. Thyzil then raised his sword above his head.
“What are you waiting for?” he shouted. “We are here. Come forward and die.”
Not exactly the strategy I would have used.
“Thyzil, do you think you should be yelling out like that?”
“They watch us wizard, from behind trees since entering this place.”
I looked to the tree line and saw two yellow eyes blinking. Then there were four more, then ten more, and then dozens of wolves watching us. Growls and howling sounded off along the tree line. We started backing up while keeping our eyes on the trees and more growling sounded off from behind us – we were surrounded.
One large wolf walked out from the trees and stopped twenty feet in front of us. It was a regular Alaskan type wolf on all fours, not a lycanthrope. These guys were at the bottom of the lycanthrope pack hierarchy and once human. A single bite or deep scratch by a lycanthrope turns humans into solider wolfs that become slaves to their pack alpha. Since Lupzarro was dusted, it was most likely that Moon is the new alpha who pulled the strings of these wolves.