Lost Empire (14 page)

A brief crackle of lightning flashed just outside the entrance, illuminating the dank stony walls for a second before the growing darkness swallowed the room once more. He sat on the cool sand and watched as the final layer of redness left behind by the setting sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains. Black clouds ponderously rolled in, covering any stars that might have been out this evening. A dim, struggling ring of light was all that could be seen behind the black curtain, giving away the moon’s approximate location. Light, drizzling rain peppered the grass as it wiggled like tiny fingers in the light, cold breeze.

With his new friend now curled up in a ball, his scaly side rising and falling with the steady breathing of sleep, Eric actually felt a bit lonely. At least the creature bounding around had provided some distraction—distraction from his current predicament; his hunger, his misery; the fact that his all-too- important mission had been a complete failure; the unbearably painful reality that he would never again hold...
Jade?

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Certainly he had just imagined it. The dark, robed figure that just flashed across the entrance was no more than his own longing; his imagination conjuring what he wanted to see. “Jade?” came his weak, questioning voice. A whisper was all he could summon, for any more commitment than that would lend strength to his growing madness, madness that was increasingly becoming difficult to deny. It simply couldn’t have been her, but he would give anything at all to see her once more.

Now on his feet, he glanced toward his sleeping friend once more before scurrying out into the light, misty rain. Icy bits of snow now blended in with the light rain and growing fog. Low, rumbling thunder echoed off the endless sea of mountains, reminding him once again how truly lost and alone he really was. The fog had grown quite dense, especially given the extreme elevation. He could be hidden amongst the clouds for all he knew. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he squinted hard as his head whipped back and forth. Everything seemed normal enough. There was no sign of anyone, as best as he could tell.
I was so sure I saw
—

The sudden quiver of black clothing fluttered from the corner of his vision. He turned just in time see a black robe whirl around the side of one of the trees. He dashed through the fog and hooked the tree trunk with one arm, spinning himself in a complete circle around it. Nothing.
I’m going mad
.
That’s all there is to it
. Just then it became clear; he could feel the dark presence lurking behind him. Hot black smoke released into the air the moment Eric gripped his angry blade; an emotion he could certainly relate to, knowing full well without turning around...this was not Jade. A slow, long hiss filled the air as Spark came free inch by inch. Every inch of exposed blade crackled into flame as the fire licked the air with an insatiable hunger. He turned even slower as anger coursed through every inch of him.

“
Show yourself, or I shall remove your hood after I’ve removed your head,” he hissed toward the black cloaked figure standing before him. With its dark hood hanging low and hands locked together between loosely hanging sleeves, its shoulders began to shake with low, rumbling laughter. Jagged lighting forked across the sky as the rain intensified. Large drops of water sizzled against Eric’s sword as he held it out wide, waiting for his answer. Eric’s threat had been no threat at all, and he didn’t plan to wait much longer.

“
Who am I?” came a shrill hiss that didn’t match its low booming laugh at all. “Why, don’t you recognize me? After all, our hearts beat as one...Eric Aethello.”

“
I will not ask you again,” Eric growled, pointing his sword toward the dark specter. Flames pulsed angrily across his blade. Raindrops sizzled into nothing before ever touching the flame as Spark pleaded, begged, to be fed.

“
Oh, but I’ve already answered you...Gate Keeper. Is that not what they call you? Is that not the lie you’ve been told by so many?” Eric slowly lowered his sword, keeping his eyes glued to this specter. “Do you still not know who I am? Then perhaps your eyes will see the truth where ears have failed to hear it.” For the first time the specter released its hands from under his long, hanging sleeves. They were gray and gnarled, with long, wiry, black hairs thinly spread about. It slowly reached back, sliding gnarled gray fingers across its drooping hood. Eric held the sword up once again as he braced, but then it fell from his hand, the flames extinguished long before it every hit the ground. His blood froze as horror flooded through him.

He stared unblinkingly at...himself! It was the same face he had seen back at the palace: an older, sicker-looking version of himself. It began to boom with hollow laughter once more as a thick, snakelike tongue whipped around in the air. Blinding golden light cascaded from its eyes and mouth before consuming the entire being in a bright yellow flash. Its thunderous voice echoed off the mountains one last time. “You must release me!”

Lighting crackled across the sky, followed by lazy rumbling thunder. Eric fell to his knees as the cold rain and snow peppered his face. Had it all been some kind of illusion? Maybe. Was he going mad? Almost certainly. The only thing he knew for sure was...he was wide-awake. That was no dream.

Chapter 9

Athel and Jacob sat by the low fire as it crackled and fizzed in the light misty rain, each with their hands stretched out, trying to savor every bit of heat. Jacob had gathered two thick piles of leaves, which they would use as beds tonight. He figured they just needed a little drying out and then should do just fine. Each time he asked her if she was all right, she simply nodded her head absently before shivering for the hundredth time. At least she was acknowledging him now, if not actually saying anything back.

“
You know, Athel, I’m pretty sure it’s just the two of us now. I just don’t see how the others could have survived that storm.” He folded his hands across his knees, letting out a deep breath as a puff of steam rose up. “You know, Eric and I used to play together as children. I’ve known him my whole life. Not that we’re very much alike, mind you.” He laughed as he gazed up to the night sky.

The moon was hidden by dark clouds, and even the stars couldn’t penetrate the black cloak. An owl hooted off in the distance, pulling him momentarily from his happy childhood memories. Within seconds the hoot was answered by a distant howling, most likely a wolf or coyote. He shivered before scooting closer to the fire, then reached out to give Athel’s knee a slight shake.

“
Stay with me now,” he said with a smile. “You know, he was the one always trying to keep me out of trouble. Whenever I thought of a prank or joke to play on the townsfolk, he would always try and talk me out of it. Not that I ever listened, of course.” He looked to Athel, whose distant eyes remained glued to the fire. At least she appeared to be listening. “He even stood up for me when no one else would,” he sighed loudly. “I had a thing for the ladies, you know. And...well...I guess I got my hands on the wrong one. I remember the day Trish’s older brother gathered a bunch of the neighborhood boys. They were set to give me the thrashing of a lifetime, one I most certainly deserved. But just when they were set to pound me, Eric stepped right in front and told them it had to be one-on-one, or they would all have to go through him.” He laughed absently to himself. “You know, they all backed down immediately. I mean...Eric is not small, you can see that. But it’s more than that. He is a natural leader and doesn’t even realize it. He hated fighting, but he hated injustice even more. Whenever he spoke, people listened.” He was suddenly thankful for the light rain. He didn’t want Athel to see his sudden tears forming. “And now he’s gone. My best friend is gone.”

Two hands sliding gently down the front of his chest broke him from his trance. Athel’s beaded braids rattled lightly on the side of his head as she pressed her cheek against his. He clasped his own hands around hers and leaned his head back. A deep rumble steadily rolled from her throat as she rubbed her breasts up and down his back. Was she...purring? “Athel...Athel what are you��”

A strong hand clasped over his mouth with lightning speed, turning his head sideways. “Shhhh,” she purred. “I never did say thank you for saving my life.” Jacob mumbled something inaudible as her hand gripped the sides of his mouth even tighter. Her cold, wet lips began kissing their way up the side of his neck, stopping at his ear before delivering a sharp bite. He flinched at the sudden pain, but was not exactly struggling to get away either. With her silver teeth clasped tightly on his ear, she tugged several times, shaking her head back and forth as her beads rattled away. She finally stopped pulling when Jacob let out a soft whimper, but even then delivered one last hard bite before driving her tongue in as deep as she could.

With a sudden push, she toppled him backward, then mounted him with the same lighting speed she had shown earlier. Athel dropped down flush across his chest, forcing him to carry her full weight. She slithered along him like a snake, then hovered over his face with their lips almost touching. “So you believe your best friend is gone forever.” He began to protest the painful bluntness of her statement, but her lips pressed hungrily against his, choking off any words before they could form. She pulled back, then continued purring like a cat while sliding her tongue along his neck, then up across his lips and face. She drove herself down again, kissing him deeply before her teeth began working harder than her lips, biting his lower lip and even trying to grip his tongue.

Jacob was always one to adapt to any situation easily. It had been his very nature for as long as anyone could remember. His many sexual exploits were nothing short of legendary. But for the first time, he had serious doubts as to what was happening here. For one, he could not even decide if this was pleasure or agony. And why was she acting like this now?

He could feel the light ridges along her bare back, left from the whipping she had received not so long ago. He ran his hands across them twice before sinking his fingers deep into the back of her beaded hair. She seemed to be purposely fighting against his every movement. When he tried to pull her head down to kiss her she reared up with a hiss, wiping her tongue slowly across her silver teeth. When he pushed her away using his grip on her braids for leverage, she lunged down effortlessly, as if he had the strength of a mere child, and sunk her teeth into his neck.

He could taste his own blood as she licked his neck and face like some sort of animal. “So you believe the two of us are the only survivors,” she hissed between her licking and biting. “That both the Gate Keeper and Guardian have succumbed to a little water while the two of us yet live. My, my...how convenient that would be.” She stopped her aggression momentarily. Gazing down on him, the crazed look had left her eyes, replaced by sudden clarity. She finally looked sane, in control. “I suppose we no longer have any responsibility to our friends or our most important mission. We can just run off now and have a family of our own. Let the world fend for itself, for it’s no longer our problem.” She leaned down and gave him a soft, sweet kiss before moving in close to his ear. “Tell me Jacob...now who is the coward?”

Wait, how did you—you heard me
?

As if nothing had happened, she rolled off of him and crawled on all fours to her private leaf pile. Athel flopped down on her stomach while facing away from the fire. “Good night, Jacob,” she whispered sleepily, then yawned innocently. Her breathing became deep and steady, as if she had just...fallen asleep.

Jacob spit out a bit of blood before looking back to her. Wiping a bit more from his chin, he shook his head in disbelief. “What the hell was that about?” After spitting a few more times and wiping his hand across his burning face and neck, he thought it best to just follow her lead and sleep it off. Flopping down on his own pile of cool leaves, he gazed up to the starless sky. Despite her obvious bout with insanity, she might have actually made a point. After all, neither he nor Athel were anything special, but somehow they had survived. Eric had proved over and over again that he was a survivor, and Jade had beaten impossible odds most of her life. They very well could be alive.

He had never felt so ashamed. If there was even the slightest possibility they still lived...
I won’t give up again. I swear I’ll find you. Both of you
. Completely exhausted, he rolled to his side, trying to forget about what had just happened.

****

The fire popped loudly, causing Athel to stir a bit before opening her eyes. She gazed around in a sleepy haze, completely confused for a moment. Thinking hard, she tried to remember why she was laying in a pile of leaves next to a fire. Searching her memory, she instinctively knew that Jacob was supposed to be here with her, but he was nowhere to be seen. Over to her side was the rustled-up pile of leaves where she was sure he was supposed to be.

She got to her feet as she scratched her head.
What a bizarre dream
. She never denied the ongoing crush she had on Jacob, but in her dream her fantasies had played out in such a twisted way. Of course she would never have done
that
in real life.
It’s probably best I don’t even tell him about my sick dream; he’ll think I’m crazy. But where is he anyway
?