Spirit Blood: Genesis of War
Chapter 12

“Surely, it can’t be the Living Caves,” Jason said aloud.

He’d only heard stories as a child about the caves, but could still remember each detail of what he’d heard. Apparently, many men and women had gone looking for the caves only to die trying. Only a few had ever found them and each of them swore they could fly while in the caves. The caves were said to be one of the things you would run into as a test before reaching the underground city of VonTume, the City of Treasure.

The city of VonTume was said to have fallen into the earth after a huge earthquake trembled during the ancient Xythanian War. History stories stated that the city contained vast treasures belonging to all the great kings of the world that ruled at the time of the war and had later perished at the hands of many Diabolous Xythanians.

According to the stories, no one has ever found the city and the tests you must partake of to reach it were enough to insure no one ever would. The first test, of course, had been figuring just how to get across the gaping canyon in the Living Cave without a bridge. The next test, as Jason could remember it, was a test of wits and intelligence and the last test was one of true bravery and loyalty. What the two last tests actually were, no one knew since not one person had ever gotten that far and lived to tell the tale. No matter what they might happen to be, once you passed all three tests it was believed that a cave dragon still stood between you and the city. Quickly Jason turned around and headed back up the tunnel path to replace the others and reveal his newfound information.

Using his Elvin sight, Terrell peered down his tunnel as far as he could see. He was most grateful that the tunnel wasn’t covered in the Shroud Mist, otherwise none of them would have been able to see down. Using his extraordinary senses he was able to see a pale light coming from far down at the end of the tunnel. Terrell began to jog down the path towards the light finally coming to a large domed cavern space. Entering the room he was shocked by the presence of armor covered skeletal remains littering the floor in every direction. By the looks of them, they appeared to be the remains of humans from many years ago. As he looked around his eyes caught a glimpse of something shining in the pale light on the finger of one of the skeletons. Crouching down, Terrell found a large ring with the distinct ‘F’ of Roy Fringe engraved upon it. If his assumption was correct, then the Serpith creature couldn’t be Roy Fringe after all. And if these remains were indeed the late Roy Fringe, Albert’s story couldn’t be correct either.

Standing, Terrell placed the ring into his pocket with intentions of questioning Albert a bit further about the history of Fringe. As he turned to walk back up the dark tunnel Terrell noticed the source of the pale light coming from a group of glowing rocks in two separate corners opposite from one another.

“Those are Lumi-Stones,” he said out loud to himself.

As he walked towards the stones he realized they were illuminating a mural of great size covering the cavern wall. The picture revealed wasn’t visible until you approached the light of the stones. Before him he came face to face with the picture of a dark figure in flowing robes. His face was covered in darkness where only his glowing orange eyes could be seen. In a large iron hand, the figure was holding the sculpture of a planet so tightly that it was beginning to crack from the pressure. On one side of the figure was a large muscular serpent-like creature with long arms leading to four clawed fingers on each hand. Nasty spines covered its scaly body all the way down to its coiled end with a sharp spike at the tip of its tail. There were six eyes and a snout like a dragon with four fangs of different lengths protruding from its gaping mouth dripping with green saliva from each of its other assorted teeth.

The dim light made the figures on the mural appear alive and ready to attack their prey. As Terrell backed away from the mural he noticed the creature wasn’t coiled on the ground, but instead its body was positioned on top of dead bodies of elves and men alike each bearing the appearance of agony and defeat. One man’s hand even bore the ring he now held in his pocket. Swiftly, Terrell turned around and ran back up the dark tunnel.

Jason reached the top of his tunnel and leaned up against the wall waiting for any one of his comrades to appear. Abruptly, Terrell came shooting out of the middle tunnel headed for the exit out of the mine.

“Where are you going?” Jason yelled at Terrell quickly running to catch up with him.

Not stopping, Terrell answered back, “Back to Albert’s. His story is too suspicious compared to what I‘ve seen. I’m not sure the children are safe!”

Without question, Jason quickened his speed as both men raced back into town.

It seemed like hours had passed since Ben and Lockefren walked through the door in the tunnel. They hadn’t seen any other evidence of the presumed person they were tailing. Only the fact they had reached a set of spiral stairs heading even further down kept them from turning back.

“If this goes on too much longer, we’re going to hit the very center of Krysala,” Ben spouted in a bored and irritated tone.

“I don’t think so Ben…Look!” Lockefren said pointing down.

Just below them they could see a large chamber filled with empty cells like a dungeon.

“Um, why would a mine have a dungeon?” Ben asked wryly.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lockefren answered looking around at the skeletal remains in the cells. “Look Ben,” she said pointing to one of the skeletal bodies, “some of these remains have flesh on them still. Obviously the mines haven’t been completely abandoned for a hundred years.”

Before Ben could answer, a soft warm breeze brushed passed them both. Up ahead was a large opening in the rock. Slowly and quietly the two walked into the opening and saw freshly lit torches aligning the walls of a domed chamber. Using their Elvin gift of stealth, both of them hid themselves along one wall as they took in their surroundings. Before them was a narrow strip of stone making a walkway to a bloody altar set up on a platform thirty feet ahead of them. Immediately they began to perspire from the intense heat in the room.

“Where’s this heat coming from?” Lockefren mouthed barely above a whisper to Ben.

After glancing around, Ben proceeded to point to one side of the chamber where rows and rows of eggs lay. The heat rising up from off the eggs were visible even in the slightly darkened room.

“Over there,” he whispered back without looking at her. “It’s a hatchery!” Ben added in shock.

Just then, two robed figures entered the room from somewhere behind the altar carrying an unconscious young woman. The two men laid the woman on the altar and strapped her down upon it. Sheathing her sword, Lockefren drew out her bow and readied an arrow aiming at one of the figures that carried a large knife in his hand.

“Let the girl go!” She yelled out.

Ben also readied an arrow and aimed it at the other robed figure. The armed figure looked up, his face shrouded in the darkness of his hood, and merely pointed a finger towards Ben and Lockefren before he continued with his preparations to sacrifice the woman. Ben and Lockefren released their arrows simultaneously only for them to be deflected by something large still hidden in the darkness of the room. A creature emerged from the darkness, slithering along the ground, until it reached the altar where it Spirit blocked the robed men from their aim. Rising up to show its immense body, six eyes glowed an eerie green and a echoing sound of a snake’s hiss and an owl’s screech filled the room as the creature stood off before the two elves.

Without haste, Ben and Lockefren, knowing this must indeed be the Serpith in which they were hunting, made a dash out of the room back towards the spiral staircase. The horrifying cries of the beast echoed in the cave as the Serpith burst out of the chamber, half slithering and half walking on its clawed hands, quickly behind them in chase.

“It doesn’t seem to be able to move as fast on the stairs,” Ben panted as he and Lockefren bounded back up the staircase.

Because of its enormous size the Serpith was having great difficulty moving up the staircase as quickly as the two elves. The creature let out a series of shrieking howls in frustration falling so far behind his prey.

“Not anymore!” Lockefren yelled out looking down at the creature propelling itself up the staircase now using its powerful arms instead of trying to slither up. “We must hurry!”

Almost to the top of the stairs, Lockefren, with a great bounding leap in the air, jumped up the last seven steps to the top and turned with her bow at the ready letting loose three arrows at the gaining creature. The arrows didn’t seem to penetrate its thick hide, but the howls of pain thereafter certainly proved they at least hurt. Now desperate and in pain, the Serpith gripped the steps with its hands and lunged itself up the ten steps between it and Ben. The force of the creature’s landing forced Ben off his feet and crashing down on the steps before him. With great agility, Ben thrust his body into the air and flipped over the creature landing just two steps behind it. As precisely as Lockefren had, Ben shot two arrows in rapid succession sinking them deeply into its chest. Howling in a high pitch of pain the two had not yet heard, the creature fell back and over the banister to the ground at least forty feet down. Ben and Lockefren looked down at the creature hoping they had been successful in defeating it, but instead witnessed the injured creature pull the arrows from its chest and slither back towards the chamber howling in pain.

With a look of seriousness, quite uncommon for him, Ben turned to Lockefren after ascending up the staircase, “Lockefren, you must go back up to the top and tell Jason and Terrell what we’ve found. If they don‘t show soon then you need to leave at first light and get the children out of this town.”

“No! I’m not leaving you alone here Ben!” Lockefren answered defiantly while shaking her head.

“Lockefren,” he started with a warm, yet stern glare, “you don’t have a choice. You have a duty to those children. That creature isn’t done yet and it’s probably making its way back to the top of the mine as we speak. You must do this for them!”

“And what are you going to do down here alone?” She asked hoping to replace a reason he should come back with her instead of staying here alone.

“I’m going to try and head it off and, hopefully, save the woman in the process. Be careful and hurry!” Ben added before turning to descend the stairs taking three steps at a time.

With tears falling down her face, Lockefren lowered her head wishing there was a better solution. Her duty was not only to the children, but also to the friend she now watched traveling alone towards a powerful foe. Letting out a sigh and turning her head towards the path she knew she now needed to take, Lockefren ran at full speed toward the top of the mine and the dear children she needed to protect.

It was almost nightfall before Jason and Terrell reached the town and both men were beginning to tire out. By pure adrenaline and fear, both men continued running. As they reached the gate of Albert’s house it swung open invitingly, as it had done before, but instead of walking with fear and nervousness, the men sprinted up the hill bursting through the front doors. Startled, Albert and the children jumped from their seats as the two men entered the sitting room.

Gaining his composure and stroking his hair back, Albert blurted nonchalantly, “You two scared me.”

However, his grin left him when he looked up and noticed the faces of fury residing upon the two men. Jason walked over to the children and placed them behind him never taking his glare from off of Albert. Terrell reached into his pouch and pulled out the ring with the crest of the Fringe family. Walking up to Albert and grabbing him by his shirt, Terrell pulled him close to his own face presenting the ring before Albert’s eyes.

“I found this on some skeletal remains lying in the mine. Maybe you can explain to us how I could have possibly found this ring in the mine.”

Terrell’s cold yet calm tone of voice sent shivers down the children’s spines. Their kindly host began to stammer before finally sobbing.

“I lied about Roy Fringe!” Albert yelled out falling to his knees and out of Terrell’s grasp. “That’s the only way I can explain it.”

Terrell threw the ring at Albert missing him by mere inches and causing Albert to flinch away.

“Why?! Why did you lie to us?!” Terrell yelled out, feeling betrayed.

“I don’t know! I‘ve been alone for so long I’ve dramatized every story I’ve ever heard,” Albert sobbed.

“Then why don’t you try telling us the truth now,” Jason commented calmly trying to relax the bellowing man.

“The truth is…Roy Fringe was a warrior like both of you. He came after hearing about the Serpith’s reign of terror and even succeeded in stopping it at one time. The people renamed the town after him and, since it was a mining community, paid him back in riches. Years passed in peace until finally the killings started again. Roy was called upon to fight, but by this time he was old and needed assistance. He hired some mercenaries to help him destroy the beast. The mines had to be shut down because the creature’s lair lies deep inside of it. When Roy and his mercenaries went into the mine to fight the beast he wasn’t as successful and only a few of his hired men came out alive. They, however, ran out of the town so quickly no one knew exactly what had happened until years later when a young band of adventures decided to help us replace out. Only one in their party of seven came back and he lived only long enough to tell us that Roy’s remains were in the mine still resting with the beast. The fact you guys came back at all is a huge shock to me…but a welcome one!”

Terrell shook his head pacing back and forth in the front room, “What’s wrong with that story? There are still missing pieces from what you first told us.”

Albert looked away from all of them and lowered his head, “Also, my family has always lived here in Fringe, even before Roy Fringe showed up. My father was jealous of how much everyone fawned over Roy so, when everyone assumed Roy was dead and never coming back, my father took over this house and the fortune Roy had earned from the town. Not letting anyone stand in his way or stop him, my father began to bully everyone and helped to bring it into the destitute state you see now. My family is the one everyone hates, not Roy Fringe.”

Terrell nodded in understanding, but looked up as he asked one more question, “Then why did you lie about the old man from the hotel? He must have liked you well enough to bring you groceries.”

Albert closed his eyes and clinched his teeth in anger, “That big mouthed old man!”

Everyone looked at Albert in shock. None of them had witnessed him ever lose his temper or get angry.

“I told him not to tell anyone he had been leaving my house that night since after he left he had been attacked. As it was, everyone thought I had caused the Serpith’s attack on him.”

Terrell narrowed his eyes looking into Albert’s face, “Why would anyone think that?”

Before Albert could answer Lockefren came bursting through the door heavily panting from the long run.

“Benthalas…and I…saw the Serpith,” she managed to breath out. “He’s still down there with it!”

“What do you mean you saw the Serpith?” Terrell asked curiously. “Are you sure it was the Serpith you saw?”

Lockefren nodded still catching her breath, “It has to be! That thing is merciless and moves like a super fast snake with arms.” In desperation she yelled, “It matches Albert’s description perfectly!”

Jason walked towards her and gripped her arms with his strong hands.

Calmly he told her, “I believe you.” Looking deep into her eyes, he continued, “Now we must gain our composure, so we can be of more help to our comrade.”

Lockefren nodded with understanding as she lowered her head in sorrow and guilt for having left Ben in the first place.

Pulling Terrell and Lockefren to the side, Jason whispered to them, “I believe we need to get back to the mines and help Ben out. As much as I want to get the kids out of here immediately, I don’t believe they are in any immediate danger.”

“I agree. The children are safe here for now; first we must help Ben,” Terrell whispered back.

Without another word spoken, the three started towards the door and to their friend in need. Before Jason left, he looked back one last time at the children and gave them a faint smile of encouragement before heading off behind his comrades.

The children plopped themselves back down into their chairs and stared vacantly into the large fireplace before them. Albert also fell down unto his chair worried that he may have to care for these children if their caretakers failed to return. All three stared into the fire without speaking another word desperately lost in their own thoughts.

Ben ran back through the entryway of the chamber room believing he was tailing the Serpith. When he entered the room he saw the two robed figures still looming over the unconscious woman’s body, but the Serpith was nowhere to be found. The figure holding the knife was facing Ben’s direction with the dagger held high in the air while chanting a prayer over the woman. Seeing this, Ben drew his bow and, with swift accuracy, loosed the arrow deep into the chest of the armed figure. When the man fell to the ground, the second robed figure quickly turned from where he was standing and faced Ben who was still making his way towards the altar. Ben came to a complete stop when he saw the face of the robed figure looking back at him in shock and fright. The man before him was no other than the old man from the motel, Chuck.

Without lowering his ready and aimed bow, Ben yelled at the man, “What’s this about!”

Standing straight up and looking less feeble than before, the old man put up his hands in defense. His face looked of fright, but his body seemed relaxed and confident.

“This was to be the Serpith’s sacrifice,” Chuck stammered. “It was to help the people of Fringe be able to walk the streets safely for awhile.”

“So, that thing is the Serpith?” Ben questioned. “”Why are you sacrificing someone for it?”

“Because it is the only way my master would be truly satisfied. If I did not do this, his wrath would be on me. I was the chosen one to carry out such rituals and the creature left its mark upon me so I would never forget,” Chuck said pointing towards his bandaged head.

“Your master? What does that mean? Who is your master?” Ben yelled.

With a menacing grin, the old man dropped his hood and began to unwrap the bandages on his head. From behind the man, Ben could see that the woman was beginning to stir just slightly. He tightened his grip on his bow watching both the man unwrapping his bandages and the woman behind him beginning to awake. When the old man finally removed the last wrap Ben could see that his head wasn’t covered in a wound at all, but was instead covered by the large slit of a snake’s eye over the entire scalp with large swollen red veins throbbing all around it. Ben backed away a couple of steps readying his aim on this new creature.

“What are you?” Ben demanded.

The old man laughed of pure evil with demon possession echoing in his voice, “I am Deemus, Demon Mage of Great Chaos!”

In mere seconds, the old man morphed into a different creature; His face began to contort into a paler version of itself and the red throbbing veins began to run throughout his entire body; Green scales began to cover his balding head to protect the eye; Large spines tore through his back all the way down to a large lizard’s tail which quickly began to protrude from out of his body; Sharp razor teeth filled his mouth, and with a cracking and snapping sound, the old man’s jaw shot forward causing his newly formed saber fangs to grow passed his cheeks. His body became larger with muscle bursting the robe open exposing his gray scaly skin.

As the man transformed into something inhuman, Ben loosed his arrow hoping to be able to penetrate the scaly hide, but with an uncanny quickness, the demon mage drew a sword from his belt and deflected the arrow away. In return, Ben drew his sword with his free hand and slung his bow back over his shoulder awaiting the creature’s counterattack. Ben stood his ground waiting for Deemus to attack, but instead the creature merely stood in his spot staring at him. Behind Deemus, the young girl had fully awoken and was startled by the sight of the lizard like creature standing with its back to her. She began to scream before she caught sight of Ben, not looking at her, but rather looking at the creature while shaking his head back and forth as if to tell her not to scream.

“My master knew you would be trouble after I told him you and your friends were here. I’ve been trying to stall the beast until my master arrives, but you have pushed my hand Elf!” Deemus shouted in arrogance.

“Well, tall, dark and gruesome,” Ben said slyly, “I guess I’d better watch my step then. I mean you are definitely a whole new way to describe ugly and you were only scratched by the monster.”

Ben’s calm and sarcastic remark only fueled Deemus’ anger.

“If you are so quick to die then come face your doom, Elf!” Deemus’ voice echoed in the chamber.

Inexperienced with a blade himself, the mage lunged at Ben unsuccessfully. Ben easily ducked under his swing rolling over to the platform the altar rested upon and cutting one set of bonds from the woman. She immediately sat up and began loosening the leg restraints as Ben rose to his feet and stood in front of the altar blocking the mage from attacking her.

In furious anger at having his sacrifice freed, the mage dropped to all fours pointing the large snake eye at Ben. With a few words muttered under his breath, the eye began to crackle with energy before three fiery bolts of arrows shot out from it towards Ben and the woman. Ben stood his ground hoping he could parry, but before the arrows could strike, they hit something like a large invisible shield just in front of him. Ben looked behind him to see the beautiful woman standing facing the creature and uttering something in an unknown language.

“Let’s get out of here now!” The woman commanded motioning for Ben to follow her.

He followed quickly behind her as she left through a back entrance so large Ben knew it must have been the path the Serpith took to get into town. Before they could get too far, however, they were both hurled into the air by a powerful force of air summoned by the enraged mage. Ben struck the wall hard and the ground harder. Standing, Ben could feel an increasing pain from his ribs making it hard for him to breath. Gingerly he drew his bow and arrow once again ready to shoot anything that came towards them. From within the darkness Ben could see the swift scurry of the man shuffling on all fours with the eye blinking up at them.

“Go for the eye!” The woman yelled out at Ben.

Taking aim, Ben shot his arrow into the dead center of the eye. Wailing in a demonic voice, the mage flew back unto his back writhing in excruciating pain. The woman floated down from the wall and landed gently on the ground next to Ben. Again she spoke in a language Ben knew was not magi or any language he’d ever heard before in his 300 years of life. Walking over and resting her hand upon the creature, the woman set it fully ablaze. She then rose up quickly and started out the back entrance with great haste. Ben tried to follow behind her, yelling for her to wait, but the pain in his chest overtook his breath and he fell to his knees. Hearing her rescuer fall, the woman turned back around and tried to help Ben to his feet and out of the cavern.

Quickly Jason and Lockefren entered the mine heading towards the tunnel Ben had taken when Jason realized Terrell was not with them any longer. Turning back towards the mines entrance they saw Terrell standing just outside searching the woods with his senses.

“What is it?” Jason quietly asked Terrell, walking up behind him.

“I hear a voice in the air. It is a voice of distress,” Terrell answered never opening his eyes.

“What do you sense?” Jason asked.

Opening his eyes and pointing down a small overgrown path in the woods, Terrell answered, “I sense nothing, but I see where the distress is coming from.”

Jason drew his sword ready for a battle when he saw a woman dressed in a white ceremonial dress struggling slowly up the small hill on the path. She was helping a man to walk who was supported on one of her shoulders.

“Can you help us?” The woman yelled out in exhaustion when she saw the two men up the path.

Jason and Terrell took off down the trail followed closely by Lockefren. When Lockefren realized whom the woman had resting upon her she raced with a sudden burst of speed in front of the two men and placed herself under Ben’s other arm. When Jason reached the two women, he took Ben from them both and effortlessly lifted him up into his arms.

“What happened?” Terrell asked inspecting the woman for any injuries.

“He rescued me from being sacrificed to the Serpith.”

Terrell looked at her alarmed, “Did he kill the Serpith?”

The woman shook her head, “No, he did destroy the two demon magi that had me captive though.” Looking at the woman curiously, Terrell asked, “Demon magi? Where did they come from?”

She nodded her head at Terrell agreeing that answers needed to be found and given.

“I will tell you everything, but first take him wherever you can get some help. He was injured pretty badly during his battle with the mage.”

At Albert’s house Lockefren wrapped up Ben’s ribs and gave him herbal medicine to numb the pain. Shortly thereafter Ben fell unconscious from a blow to the head no one had realized he’d taken. In his unconsciousness, Ben dreamed of the world in the way he felt it should be. It was filled with every race interacting peacefully with one another void of racism or hatred to mar their serene cohabitation. The blissful dream helped Ben to replace such a long needed rest in his mind that he didn’t want to waken. But as real as the dream felt, so did the nightmare that followed.

Now his calming dream was disturbed by an army of darkness filling the world with death and destruction. All races fought against one another rather than against the evil that had taken their free will and tranquility away. Demon Generals and undead soldiers ruled the world enslaving and killing all in their path. Ben looked in shock up in the sky and witnessed a face of pure evil smiling at his handy work in pride for all he had destroyed. Suddenly the face departed in fear when a shining star shot through the sky growing larger and larger as it fell to the ground until the sky was lit with only its light. The screams of unholy creatures dying in agony filled the air as Ben saw one lone man standing where the star had fallen battling the creatures with a mere long sword. Despite the overwhelming numbers of his foe or their talented efforts, the one man was able to thwart them all and consumed their power like a fire consumes a forest. When all had been faced and defeated, the one man turned his head slowly to look into Ben’s own eyes.

“You are needed to help me,” was all the man spoke.

As the man vanished, Ben was consumed in a large pillar of fire causing him to wake in a cold sweat.