Atlas Cloud And The Amulet of Thieves (17 page)

“Don’t listen to him Atlas, he is lying.” Farro shouted out. “You will become a slave like his minions you see in front of you.” The hunters began to shake with anger, standing there in front of their next meal, stopped by an imaginary line. They couldn’t handle it. Some of them groaned in sadness and some of them spat and howled at us, staying behind the line. One of them wasn’t going to wait for his master’s order and ran towards us. We gathered ourselves readying our totems. The beast sprinted towards us, the smell of our blood fuelling its desires. Before we could let off a spell deflecting him away, he burst into blue flame, exploding into nothing but dust, Cain’s arm flickering with energy.

“No, not yet, we can’t have them all dying yet.” The hunters around him all stepped back. They realised who their master was and that his word was final. He didn’t even flinch; he had no trouble whatsoever disintegrating the hunter. That’s why they followed him. Fear adding to their negative emotions, it made them obedient. “Their time will soon end.” He said, his confidence cracked our hope. The animals’ faces lit up, as if they were dogs and he was holding out a treat for them. Everyone stood still, trying to show that we were not to be messed with. Even though fighting this many was too much, they would over power us in minutes. No one dared to think of it, we couldn’t turn back now so we had to fight onwards no matter the odds. He knew it as well, his eyes smiling at us, his confidence over bearing.

“You are pathetic!” I shouted at him. His teeth grinding down, he was spoken down to. Even Farro shot me a look. Cain’s face settled back to normal, he could see my hands trembling.

“Atlas my boy, you shall die last.” He turned to face his flock. “No one touches the boy, he is mine.” He said. The hunters were eager and ready. Roko and Eli stood together readying their weapons, Eli grasping his sword and Roko holding on to her pendant. A whisper intruded into my head. I thought it was the voice from before, but it was different. It was deeper; it was a man’s voice.

“Atlas, its Farro.” I looked over at him he was facing towards the hunters, with his staff ready. “When he evaporates away, you must chase after him. It is imperative that you reach the Amulet first.” He said his head still facing the enemy.

“I don’t know where it is.” I thought to myself.

“Follow your heart; I am sure that it will lead you to it.” Even in these crucial times he decides to speak to me in riddles. I knew what I had to do; I didn’t like the idea of leaving them to fend for themselves, a man down. But it is the only way. I looked at Farro, this time he faced me back. I nodded to him. This could be the last time I see them all.

20 –BOATHOUSE-

“Enough talking, I have an Amulet to claim.” Cain said. He spun around, his black cape of shadow following him. It surrounded him and his human-like form changed. He became part of the mist. His vessel darted away towards the manor. The hunters broke formation, running wildly at us. Without hesitation I sprinted forwards, dodging the hunters as I ran through them. Even though their master wasn’t there they still obeyed. Not one of them tried to stop me. Yelps from the hunters followed behind me. The others were running with me, trying to keep up but they had to fight the beasts as well. I fired bolts of magic behind me and in front of me. At anything that moved, trying to slow them down and give the others a chance. I fixed my sights on one far in front, my eyes focused and even though I was running full speed my breathing was steady. I created a short spear in my hand, like a javelin. As I was running I let go of it, throwing it towards my target. In mid-air the spear changed into a lightning bolt. Striking the hunter, it struck with such intensity that it burst through its chest. I killed it and I enjoyed every minute of it. Using magic was new to me but I was surviving on pure instinct. I glanced behind me. The others weren’t following me anymore; they were being overwhelmed by the monsters, fighting for their lives. I wanted to help them, I wanted more than anything to run back and fight beside them. But I knew there was much more at stake than just our lives. This was bigger than us. Two of the hunters broke away from the fighting. They spotted me on the stone steps up towards the manor. They howled ferociously, taunting me, their eyes bleeding with fury. Why was I allowed to leave? Consumed by bloodlust, they both completely forgot about their master’s orders and rushed towards me. Not wanting to attract any more attention, I opened the doors to the house.

It was dark, only the moonlight was allowed to enter through the windows, casting its ever knowing rays of reflected light into the living room. No one has lived here for years. Spider’s cob webs inhabit the rooms, coating the furniture in grey cloth. Where would the Amulet be? It could be anywhere. Before I could contemplate which room to search first, the door behind me started to break and splinter. I put across a wooden beam to lock it; throwing anything I could find against it. Chairs, tables even the rug on the floor, anything to keep them out. I think I have bought myself a couple of minutes. Hastily I gamble up the stairs, looking for the princess’ room. There wasn’t much to go on, they all looked the same. I could hear the scratching on the door, the hunter’s’ stench seeping through the cracks. I ripped apart the first room, looking for any clue. I don’t think it’s in the house but maybe there is a clue to where it really is. I examined the room. Paintings of small boats mainly decorated the room. The book mentioned something about boats. This must be her room. I look out of the window, hoping to see all my answers, but no, greeted only by the moon and the waves. The manor was built upon a small cliff face; below the window were rocks, sand and the crashing waves of the unforgiving sea ready to snatch you away from reality, drowning you in the beautiful but deadly blue liquid.

Something flashed from the bottom of the cliff face, it looked like a reflection. I arched my neck trying to get a better angle. It was a piece of glass. A window! There was a small house down there. I moved to another window hoping to get another look. There it was staring me in the face, the boathouse something so blatant. I had to get down there, but how? A burning sensation struck me in the chest. The poison was trying to envelope me, to destroy me. Not now, not while I am so close. It was stronger than ever I couldn’t keep on my feet. I fell to the floor smacking my head against the hard wood panels. I gathered my thoughts and hobbled under the window sill, propping myself against it. It was winning, getting the best of me. It felt so evil, rotting away my flesh. I couldn’t stop crying, it was too much to take. I tried to pull myself together to finish this but it was too aggressive. I sat there in silence watching as the veins in my arms bulged. The scratching and clawing at the door had stopped. They were inside. I sat towards the door, watching it, without blinking, without losing concentration. Knowing that at any minute they would find me. If I am going to die, I am going down kicking and screaming.

I closed my eyes and kissed my dad’s ring. It was the only thing that was left of him and it will be here with me to the end. The door slowly crept open. I was ready for any demon that crossed through the door frame. I sent out a pulse of energy snapping the door from its hinges, it hurtling down the cramped corridor. I begged my body to its feet, leaning against the window behind me. I wasn’t sure if I got the monsters behind the door or not. I could smell them but the pain that I was enduring was clouding my senses. I couldn’t hear anything, but a high pitch ringing sound in my head. It was trying to break through my skull to freedom. For a moment I stopped looking at the door. That was all it needed. It leaped from the shadows; I jumped backwards, dodging the claws that were aimed for my throat. I cradled a fireball in my hand, creating it from the thin air, filling it with my frustration and rage. It jumped for me again but this time I was ready. I let loose the inferno. The flame sphere smashed into the hunter, lifting it off its feet and sending it across the room, crashing into the bookcase. I got back to my feet, it wasn’t moving. I couldn’t take a chance and leave it there without checking. It would sneak up on me in a second and end my life with one fell swoop. I lurk over to the beast, cautious. The hunter crushed under the bookcase; if it was alive it wasn’t going to be very mobile. I leant over, attempting to hear the beast breathing, looking for any sign of life. The creature emerged from the rubble, its leg trapped beneath the debris, helpless. The pain in my chest emerged also, crippling me, causing me to fall backwards. The hunter was trying to shake his leg loose of the bookcase so that he could taste on my fresh flesh. It stared at me drooling writhing around, trying everything it could to get to me. And then it stopped. It stared straight into my eyes; I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to strike it dead, cutting its head from its shoulders. But I couldn’t, I slid backwards, resting against the wall, hoping that any second the pain would subside so that I could finish this.

The beast started howling, calling for others, it wanted me dead at any cost even if it meant feeding me to his brothers. I could hear rumbles coming up the stair way. The shadow of the hunter plastered on the wall as it climbed the stairs. I was unable to move, unable to defend myself. When the shadow becomes reality and the hunter finds me I will be done for. The beast trapped under the bookcase was almost mobile as well, wriggling and howling in frustration as it tried to squirm free. I placed my hand on my heart trying to heal the wound, at least enough to give me control of my body back.

I screamed out in pain, it wasn’t working; it was only making it worse. The hunter was at the top of the staircase, it looked straight into the room, straight at me. But it didn’t run or howl it was just staring at me. It walked slowly into the room sniffing and looking around as if I was bait in a trap. The yelps of the other beast took the hunter’s attention away from me. Any second now they will be on top of me ripping away my flesh, feasting on my innards. And I will be powerless to stop them. The new member of our little party helped the hunter out of the rubble, both of them glaring at me, licking their lips. One of them leant over towards me, smelling me up and down. Its breath on my neck, the foul taste of death on my lips almost made me sick. It looked over my injured shoulder, examining it with its nose. It reeled back. They both stood there over me, smiling and angry at the same time. I was one of them; the same blood flowed through them as it did in me. The hunter in the forest saved my life and ended it, all in the matter of minutes. They weren’t going to kill me, they knew that soon I would be one of them and that the torture I would endure changing would be enough to satisfy them. They are parasites, feeding on the anguish of others. Usually they cause the pain but this time they get to stand and watch as I die and am reborn as a slave, a monster.

I could sense the feeling in my legs again; it was enough to make me stand. I leant against the window behind me. They looked at each other wondering why I was standing. “Kicking and screaming.” I whispered to myself. ‘Breathe’. I took in a big deep breath through my nose. I could feel the magic fill my body, charging through me. My totem began to glow, a blue aura surrounding it. Everything slowed down around me, time slowing, giving me more time to think. I bent my knees slightly, giving me more power in my punch. I uppercut the hunter on the right, magic flowing through my totem, channelling it into the beast’s chin. The creatures face and body froze over in a second, its jaw smashing into a million pieces as my fist crashed through its skull. The rest of its body followed suit and exploded into shards of ice. The hunter next to it stepped backwards overwhelmed with what happened to his brother. I needed to get down to the boathouse, and this hunter was coming with me. I grabbed the beast, holding it tight. I bent my knees a second time, launching us backwards. The window cracked and smashed as our bodies hurtled through it. The cold night air flowing over us as we plummet to the shoreline, nothing but the breeze in our way to slow us down. I tried to stop us spinning, leaving the beast on the bottom to take the brunt of the fall. It wasn’t going to be enough. I create a bubble around us, the hunter too close to my body to create the orb around just me. The cliff walls rushed passed us, the sand and the tide below getting closer and closer. I close my eyes concentrating on the bubble, trying to keep the magic strong. Crunch.

21 –THE PRINCESS AND THE PAINTER-

The sea’s out stretching arm flowed over my body, engulfing me in the salty water. Back and forth it tried to sweep me away with its tides but it couldn’t. I was alive, the hunter under me and the magic I used breaking my fall. I rolled off the carcass. It stood no chance. Even with the barrier its organs still took the brunt of the force, exploding in its chest, it was nothing more than a bag of blood now. I lay on my back, not wanting to move another inch. I think I’ve broken some ribs and my arm feels dislocated. It was hard to breathe, the air reluctant to fill my lungs. The only thing I could see were the stars, bright and plentiful. Guiding traveller’s home, keeping the path lit with the aid of the moon. It was beautiful. Magnificent and I didn’t want to leave its sight.

But I had to. I sat up, the boathouse from the pictures sitting there in front of me. A lonely boat on the side, tethered to a wooden post, swaying in the tides. It was old and beaten the hut was on its last legs. I needed to get in there and find the Amulet quick before more hunters showed up. I crawled towards the splintered door, pushing it ajar and peering inside, the black death inside me trying to stop me but I was fighting it. It was dark and lifeless in here, the same as upstairs, except this felt untouched. The manor looked as if thieves and looters went through every drawer, but this place was different. It has not been touched by any soul for almost two hundred years. And why should it have been? Why would a priceless artefact be kept in a broken down shack anyway? That’s the reason it must be in here.