Saturday… nearly eight days after their encounter with Guthullu, the brothers were both awakened by a surprise phone call…Daniel looked at his bedside clock…it was 6:30 in the morning. What kind of a sick bastard calls this early on a Saturday? Regardless he angrily picked up the phone and responded "Yeah, hello?!"
"Jesus, I am still drunk from last night---who the hell is this?!"
"Nathaniel?! What the heck brother?! What now?!"
"Good morning children….my most humble apologies for the intrusion---this could not wait---our visas are ready and as promised, we shall make the trip today---in 5 hours to be specific. Get your stuff ready and in a few minutes a black….not so creepy van will pick you up at your residence" Guthullu finished saying and swiftly hung up on them.
The brothers were both confused and shocked. Daniel had to come up with something to tell his girlfriend. Somehow, he still hoped this was all a sick joke while Nathaniel on the other hand, came to life with streams of joy and excitement, completely forgetting his sleepy state and weariness, "Did you hear that brother? Our dream will finally come true yoohooo!!!"
"Your dreams Nathaniel your dreams…this is just the beginning of a fine nightmare for me…anyways gonna pack my things and come up with something to say to my…ummm old lady." He Whispered trying his best not to wake her up.
"Who is on the phone my love? If its Nathaniel tell him to call later....it is too early for his drama." Lea hugged Daniel's hip from the back.
"It's from work----I---I really have to take it. You sleep tight, honey." His voice was shaking with uncertainty.
"Ohhh, are you getting nervous again? I know how terrible you are at hiding your nervousness from your dear Lea humph what if she finds out about everything---it won't be good –that's for certain nah-uh." Nathaniel teased, chuckling.
"Shut up Nate! I just have too much in my mind right now to deal with your coquetry."
"Whoa, I don't really appreciate the rudeness little bro!" he paused for a while before he continued, "Anyways you have always been a good actor but a terrible liar. Simply tell her that one of your colleagues has fallen badly ill and that you have to fill up for him on a business trip for a few days. She is most probably going to asks why is Nathaniel in the middle of the phone call just tell her that I am drunk and have messed up with your phone again and jumped into your conversation with your little…colleague who is a hot blonde with big breasts who happens to be dying to sleep with me and…"
"Ok--ok, I get it fine thanks…I guess. Talk to you soon." Thank God he is an amazing lying bastard. Now I have one less trouble to deal with!
He hesitantly turned around and began gently stroking Lea's hair, staring at her with a smile, "Baby, hey baby!"
"What is it my love? Did he finally hung up----oh good come back to bed with me I want to cuddle." She said in a childish tone.
"There is nothing in the world that I would love to do other than that right now my lovely Lea however----the choices I have to make today are not mine. I have to go on a business trip replacing an ill co-worker---it will only be a few days I promise!"
She arched a brow and looked into his eyes, "Why was Nathaniel on that call then? Did you finally manage to get him a job at your company?"
"Oh, heavens no! That guy will get us both fired within a few hours----he umm, he managed to jump in our call you know how much of a technology freak he can be---he sounded quite drunk and probably tabbed into our phone somehow. Anyways I have to get ready, the flight is in a few hours." He slowly got up from the bedside, hiding his face and hoping that his girlfriend wouldn't get suspicious.
"Where to baby? Send me pictures and keep me updated at all times!!" she followed right behind his footsteps and hugged him tightly from behind.
"It is---umm in the Middle East---Qatar yeah---Qatar we are headed there with the head of the department…really boring guy, sometimes I just want to kill him---if only that was somehow legal." Daniel nervously laughed sensing Lea's suspicion rising as she went into detective mode, her eyes wide open looking for the slightest signs of deception.
But before she was to do anything, his phone rang; shaking the night stand like a minor earthquake, "Hey it's your savior again, did you miss me?"----Nathaniel talked with his shoulder holding the phone to his ears as he got his suitcase and filled it up with all kind of summer clothing-----"Just making sure you don't mess this up more than you already have. Now before she asks you who this is just pretend that I am one of your colleagues! Knowing her too damn well, Lea is most probably going to ask you about the visa and other goodies so don't overthink and hold yourself together. Stay resolute and confident. Fingers crossed….you won't mess this up any further."
Daniel hung up the phone. Encouraged by his brother's words, he slowly began to adapt to a new mindset. He calmly began to wear a suit; he stood in front of a mirror and fixed his tie. Lea put her hands around his waist and began to think, her eye fixed on the carpet on their bedroom floor, "Baby what about the visa? Don't you like…need a visa to be allowed to enter Qatar?"
How the hell did he know?! Did he wire my apartment or something?! I have to get this place checked out, "Oh, that phone call was exactly for that---they can give me a weeklong visa at the airport there---EU citizen and all."
"Ok hon, if you need help with anything let me know. Should I make you breakfast? I can quickly make you the scrambled eggs with bacon that you like so much."
He turned back to see her, fixing his tie. Daniel was captivated by the sight of her in her beautiful, sexy negligee "Oh sweetheart, there is nothing you need to do but to kiss me and let me make love to you." he ran to her; grabbing her and kissing her intensely as she began laughing while both of them fell into the bed and began making out passionately.
"Damn, how I wish I could stay here and just do this all day---but I got to get ready and leave soon, they are actually picking me up---courtesy of the company for the late notice." he quickly checked the messages on his phone. Be downstairs in 10 minutes.
Adrenaline rushed in his veins. He ran towards a suitcase, filled it up with as much socks and underwear as he could and with his brush and shaving machine, he zipped it up and sprinted to the entrance. By then 7 minutes had already passed---he only had time to kiss Lea goodbye.
Grabbing her soft, beautiful face gently, Daniel kissed her several time as he held a toasted bread in his hand, "God I can never get enough of you." she laughed shyly kissing him back and wishing him good luck.
Barging out of the building like a Groom late for his wedding, the first object meeting his eyes was the black van awaiting his arrival, its glasses tinted darker than the night. All he could see was a bald driver wearing a black suit with sunglasses and right next to him sat Guthullu.
Daniel swiftly opened the door where the first person sitting next to it was to greet him, "How did you mess this one up, little brother?"
"Oh good, you are already here, now let's get the hell out of here before Lea smells something cheesy. I barely passed her extensive test; it is only a matter of time before she figures out something oozing out of this car." Daniel stared back at his brother and fastened his seat belt.
The van driver drifted out of the parking spot like the end of a heist. Walking inside the airport towards their gate; the three new companions were approached by yet another mysterious bald guy with sunglasses on who handed them over a briefcase.
He stared at him walk away and disappear in the midst of the crowd, "Goodness, that was completely normal! There was definitely nothing creepy about that at all!!"
"This will be the least creepy thing you would have seen once you wield the power of the Temhos, Daniel." Guthullu handed them over their passports and tickets while dashing towards their gate.
"Oh boy can't wait for the ultimate adventure offered by none other than Mr. Big baddy the Temhos which I totally signed up for…not to mention that I lied to Lea that I am going to Qatar, bet that would have been a trip to die for---and now I have to spend 50 Euros for the photoshopped pictures."
"Such a drama queen, just shut up and get inside the plane. Let us not leave the Temhos hanging for too long---after all it has been many years since it has seen some real action." And with that said Guthullu and the King Brothers boarded the plane.
The flight was long and uncomfortable. "Couldn't you buy seats at a lower price?! This seat is killing my back and myself slowly. It is like slow torture." Nathaniel moved around his seat like he was stuck on a leather sofa in the middle of a hot summer.
"There were little choices we could make when booking the flight---our stupid connections at the embassy got the visas ready very late into the evening and apart from connection flights that would have lasted more than 12 hours, this was the best option we had so stop complaining and stay put boy!"
"Whatever old timer…" whispered Nathaniel as he tried to take a nap but to no use as he turned and tossed on his seat several times before he sighed in anger, crossed his arms and looked out the window and began to distract himself the best way he knew possible.
After several hours they finally landed at a small airport near Bagdad. Guthullu rushed them, handing them over a map, "We have a short 50 kilometers ride to our destination. It should have taken us less than an hour but though to construction work at the highway, we have to use an alternative road---which will take us a couple of more hours." He briskly checked his phone, "Found it! Come on! Chop, chop! We got a campervan to catch, what is taking you so long!" He stopped and screamed at Daniel like a disappointed father.
"Why are you rushing us so much, I feel like there is another 9/11 taking place in this damn airport…" Daniel protested, a look of concern in his eyes.
"This country is still not safe, especially for you guys. This is the work of more than 28 years and thousands of people in the making, boy! You have no idea the sacrifices that have been made for you to be here today! We are to make no stops, no food or snack breaks but drive straight ahead."
Inside the parking lot, after running around for several minutes, they finally found their vehicle, the driver waving at them. Without exchanging a word, the brothers got inside the van found a bed and tried to sleep, surrendering their fate to their new mentor.
"Now Sleep tight, you two! In a few hours we will make history!" he fastened his seatbelt and began talking with the driver in Arabic which amazed Nathaniel.
Driving through the dead of the desert, the sun shined so ever bright, they could all feel the heat coming through the windows, but Nathaniel thoughts would not let him rest as his eyes constantly stared out, observing the skies like a lost child------How and where does Guthullu get his orders from? Who are these mysterious people, who wear a suit---the color the blackest I've ever seen! Is there a cult of Darkness worshipers? What is the covenant all about?------Eventually, overthinking got the best of him when his eyes felt heavy and so he turned around and fell asleep.
The thumps of arrows coming from left and right, what a strange Medieval-themed dream, thought Nathaniel, his eye lids constantly opened and he blinked for a few times before he forced them shut and continue his journey into the dream world---Nathaniel! Nathaniel…ohhh Nathaniel! He finally fully opened his eyes, "Nathaniel for Christ's sake! Get up!!!" the Thumps of arrows hit the campervans surface.
He fully rose up shocked and confused, "What the heck is going on!?!"
"What do you think is going on?! We're being ambushed you bloody idiot!"
An arrow landed from the sunroof to the middle of the vehicle. Guthullu quickly closed it and grabbed the marked arrow. The symbol of a scorpion with red eyes, "The heretics…but of course who else would know of our little trip but the three orders and---those damn fools!"
The arrows continued to hit the campervan, destabilizing the vehicle. The driver tried the best he could to control the steering wheel and stop the whole thing from crashing.
"Who the heck are the heretics?!" Nathaniel yelled asking, his eyes narrowed, struggling to keep his equilibrium.
"Really?! We are about to die and those are your last words?!" Daniel yelled angrily at him as if he had nothing better to do but to ask dumb questions.
"God damn it, at this point they---they are going to capture us and sacrifice you!!!" Guthullu said in a state of anguish.
"SACREFICE US?!" The brothers shouted simultaneously.
Guthullu looked at the window, dodging as many arrows penetrating the vehicle surface, as he could when one of them broke the window next to him and hit his arms, "God damn you freaks!! You will never get what you came for." he rushed to the first aid box and grabbed a bandage, "I will kill them myself before I let you lay a hand on them!!" a fire arrow flew into one of the tires and exploded, the campervan capsized instantly killing the driver.
Guthullu coughed and tried to see through the smoke. He managed to find a source of air and stop himself from fainting, "Ough---ough, damn those fools…..the harbingers!!" he dashed and located the duo. They were severely injured. He pulled them out of the blazing remains of the campervan and collapsed on the floor for some fresh air, his eyes fixated on the dry soil in desperate need of a miraculous rain when he noticed shadows covered the ground, he tilted his head, men and women covered from head to toe in bandage-like robes, their eyes the only part of their body visible. They surrounded them, crossbows in hand, ready to shoot, "Great---You have grown bolder through the years but this---this is just beyond what your little kindergarten has ever done, you play with fi----" a heretic covered his mouth with a rope, uncovering his face. "You are full of crap do you know that?! You thought us weak and incapable of disrupting your little trip. Your naivete and underestimation of us will be your doom, Guthullu!" Shouted the heretic in a strong Arabic accent, a scar covering his left eyes that seemed blind.
He looked upon the King brothers who were unconscious. "Take them away and heal their wounds. The harbingers must be made ready and in full health for the sacrifice ritual. The great old one will be pleased!" He smiled wickedly looking at them being carried away on desert sleds. "And now to take care of you!" he hit Guthullu with a wooden club in his hand.
Hie blinked a few times before fully opening his eyes. Still rather confused, he looked upon the skies above, they were dark. He gazed upon the near distance, they were indeed at the heart of the desert, the huge campfire in the middle the only source of light. The rope no longer covered his mouth but his hands were tied to a thick wooden stick buried deep into the ground, "Commander! He is awake!" a shadowy figure strolled close to him.
It was too dark to see it's face but Guthullu instantly recognized him, a disgust expression instantly covered his face, "Ibrahim---how kind of you to finally remove the rope you filthy Arab bastard. You were but an orphan when we adopted you and raised you as one of our own. You were trained to join our ranks and serve the harbinger, not sacrifice him!!?"
"Those days are long gone. I have come to face the truth," he looked satisfyingly to his men, his hands on his waist, "The lies the covenant fed me through the years, making me feel weak, an object as if I was nothing but an empty vessel. My only purpose to serve the Temhos. No!" he took a few steps away and turned his back to him, his face gazing upon the skies, "I am more than that!! And my siblings and I are here to prove this not only to you but the rest of the orders." He proclaimed pridefully as he sat on a chair leaning towards him, all the while Guthullu's eyes were wondering around, searching like a hopeless father.
Annoyed at his uneasiness, Ibrahim turned Guthullu's head to him with a knife, his face frowned, showing his teeth like a beast ready to strike, "Do not worry about your harbinger and his companion! They shall be fine; their injuries have almost been fully healed. Have you already forgotten that we are using the powers of the three orders against you so soon?! Ah, the dark, the light and the neutral, almost sounds poetic if you ask me. The good, the bad and the ugly." He rose up chuckling, grabbed a nearby crew member and passionately kissed her, leading her to a more secluded place, pointing the two guards to watch Guthullu, "Do not worry, it won't take long. The ritual shall be ready in an hour or two! Once we have sacrificed the harbinger and his companion and made you watch the whole thing, I shall slit your throat myself and put you out of your misery---as a personal favor."
Watching him fadeaway behind the curtains of the huge tent, Guthullu spit on the floor. Damn these heretics. I've been pointlessly pleading to the Covenant to take care of them for years…. I guess we are getting out of here my way then. He sneakingly took out a Swiss knife attached to his sleeves and calmly, while controlling his facial expression from the guards around him, began cutting the ropes. Ah, this use to be so much easier---now where are they keeping these two chuckle heads. He sneakingly cut off the rope, his hands were finally free but he couldn't move, not while the two grunts stood still in front of him. All was quiet when a whistle behind a huge cactus nearby attracted their attention, "Abdul, go and check that out!"
Fantastic, the perfect distraction---I think I am fit enough to take care of this one by myself. He swiftly rushed and tackled the remaining guard, throwing his rifle away, covering his mouth and knocking him out. Guthullu swiftly took out a pair of pink handcuffs from his pocket and got to work. I always had a gut feeling these were gonna become handy for something…else one day. He shook his head with a smile and rose up approaching the huge cactus cautiously.
"Pssssst, Guthullu, psssss over here!" he sneakingly walked by the tent Ibrahim. Good thing he was always a sucker for sex. That will be your undoing my friend! He instantly noticed the guard lay down on the floor, a huge stone crushed against his head. Checking for weapons and thermos for some water, he felt something sharp pointed against his shoulders. He slowly turned around imagining the worst, "Booo!" said a piercing set of blue eyes, her blond her peaking from her desert turban.
His cautious expression and fear were instantly replaced with a grin, "Oh my God, aren't I happy to see you!! My dear apprentice Diana!!" he whispered hugging her.
"Okay now…there is plenty of time to hug and show compassion later, master, now is the time to get the harbingers and get the hell out of here. Everyone at the temple is sick and worried about you guys!" she persuaded, letting go of him.
"They are sick and worried, and they only sent you to the rescue?!!"
"To be honest they have no idea I have left their little encampment…" she shyly looked away.
"Oh, this has to be some kind of joke…."
"Not to worry, I have already sent them a message with our location attached to it. Help should be on the way in a few---hours I hope…"
"Let's hope they arrive soon enough. I doubt we'll be able to take out all the guards before the initiation of the ritual---without getting killed first that it." he looked around cautiously checking their surroundings, "Now, I trust you have already surveilled their little camp---how many guards does this idiot have in his disposal?! Any idea where he is keeping the harbingers-to-be?"
Watching a guard approach their location, Diana pulled her master behind the cactus, "25 to 30 to my knowledge—there are keeping the brothers at the same tend he is----doing his little business in…this is their headquarters in the region."----Guthullu looked at it and scuffed---"it might not be much but their numbers are growing like rabbits. Something's got to give!" she shrugged.
"If we make it out alive and in one piece, I am definitely calling for an emergency meeting that and---after their transformation ritual the harbingers, with their newly obtained powers, should be more than capable of taking care of these wretched beings. Speaking of the harbingers---are the brothers ok?!"
"Yes, from the peek I was able to have inside the tent, there priestess has healed them to full health. They remain unconscious though."
"Her dark magic is keeping them in a state of dormant until the ritual is ready." he sneakingly jumped out of the cactus and with his Swiss knife hidden behind his waste, quietly approached the guard checking his dead comrade. He covered his mouth and, in an instant, cut the his throat, leaving him to bleed out on the cold, naked soil of the desert.
"Well, will you look at that, it seems my master still has the strength of a hundred men in him!" she held her hands behind her back giving Guthullu a prideful gaze.
"Now is not the time for compliments my not so humble pupil. I doubt we will be able to kill all of them without being spotted!" he rubbed his chin and thought about a desperate plan.
"What do you want us to do, master?! Hide in the shadows and hope and pray to the Creator for help to arrive in time?"
"Do you think we have any other choice?! Even I fell for the foolish trap of over-confidence in our abilities as an order---who am I kidding, our ways have become rusty and old, in desperate need for a reform---but that my dear is a topic for a different time. We shall find a safe corner and come up with a strategy in case all else fails in the end." He did the cross and looked around for the perfect location to hide, "Behind those craters, with me now."
They stealthily moved behind the supply crates and watched, the grunts were running around left and right, moving relics, statues, and braziers, clearly preparing the sight with a stage at the center of it for the inevitable ritual.
"FIND HIM!! FIND HIM AND LEAVE HIM TO ME!!! I shall torture and kill him myself!" Ibrahim came out of his tent and sniffed the air like a wounded wolf, searching for Guthullu's scent.
"He and his followers are too dumb to find us---and I still wonder how the hell did they manage to capture us..." he shook his head, tilting it to the floor.
The nightfall helped them shroud deeper in the dark. Even the clouds played a part in their rescue plan as they covered the moonlight, aiding them even further in staying out of sight.
"The altar is almost complete. Where could they be!?!" Diana tried to contact them, desperately holding on to her phone and transmitter.
"I doubt they will arrive in time---it is all hopeless." He robbed the sweat off his forehead, "The work of almost three decades will go to waste in a few hours." He sighed heavily and gazed upon the ritual site with his mini binoculars.
Diana thought for a few moments, grin covered her face as she hesitantly looked at her master, his eyes closed, mumbling and praying, "There might still be a way to save them, master!"
"Oh yeah? What would that be?" he whispered; his eyes still closed.
Sensing his master's destress and despair she continued doubtfully hoping he would cave in, "I could use the dark magic---"
"Never! Our order forbade the use of that magic a long time ago and I for one am not going to undermine our rul---"
"Master please! We have been stuck here for hours. They will sacrifice them at any given moment and our hard work will all go to waste. We must do something and I for one will not stand aside and watch them be sacrificed by some brainless, mongrels right in front of our eyes, without a fight," she whispered pleading.
He thought for several minutes, his eyes glued to the ritual stones, "They are going to lay them down on those stones and perform the ritual----a wide slit on their throat will do the job.
"Fine our sacred laws can be ignored for the evening---the covenant owns me one. What is your amazing plan, apprentice?!" his dark eyes pierced into hers, intimidating her.
"Finally, so tired of pointless laws and regulations."
"Alright, alright. Now can you tell me about your stupendous plan already!"
She took out a stash of white dust from her pockets, "This is no guarantee, but it is our only hope since the help doesn't seem to be even remotely close to our location."
"You are going to use drugs to---"
"Not drugs master, it is angel dust. With your permission, I could drop them into their mouth and with a tiny touch of dark magic---it should be potent enough to keep them alive after the ritual."
"So, there is no one hundred percent guarantee?!" he said, his mouth a hard line.
"Sadly, no! There is a chance that they might permanently die but"----she gazed at the ritual stones---"it is our only hope."
Guthullu got his Swiss knife ready and without hesitation, stood up and pointed his hands to the left to move. They approached the tent, knocked out the guards and hid their bodies behind the crates, "The Priestess has to go atop a mountain nearby and gather more dark energy for the final act. She looks exhausted. She has been healing and keeping the brothers dormant for hours."
"I hope she goes for that smoke break soon because I am so very tired and don't know how long I can keep going like that."
She swiftly handed over a flask from her pockets, "A little booze will keep you sharp." he took a few sips, "Let's hope no guard comes this way for a few minutes."
As luck may have it, only after a few minutes the Priestess stopped her prayers and walked out of the tent, her dizzy state made her eyes ignore the two trespassers hiding right at the entrance.
"Honestly I wish I asked for something else from the Creator."
"Master please, we need to be serious!"
She ambled close to the Kings, who were carefully laid on the Persian rug and put her soft hands around their faces, "Healthy and fully healed."
She stared at them in awe before she was pushed by Guthullu, "pour the dust inside their mouths already."
"The time for the final ritual is almost upon us and you idiots haven't found Guthullu?!?! He better be present and watch his harbinger die by the time we carry them to the alters!" Ibrahim shouted from the top of his lungs to his soldiers ordering them to search every corner of their headquarters while he slowly began to approach the tent, Guthullu's eyes were fixated at his shadow that grow bigger and bigger as he got closer to the entrance.
Diana was staggered, were they going to be spotted and captured? The fear took over her and she stood there motionless.
"Just pour it already!!" he whispered, urging her to finish the protection spell. And so she quickly poured the angel dust and began to cast the spell, her hands on their foreheads. The brothers shook for a slight second, "It is done master!"
"Good, let us sneak from the back. There is nothing else we can do."
They got out from one of the corners of the tent, far from the entrance. Diana helped Guthullu who's feet was stuck. They sighed in relief, looking at one another with a wide smile, glad they were out but before they were to take another step, they were faced with the shades of five soldiers, torches in hand smiling wickedly at them, "Great, the fun never stops!" Guthullu said annoyingly.
"Catch them! Leave them alive for the commander!" the two allies looked at each other and began running like all hell broke loose and before they knew it, the whole camp was running after them.
They ran as fast as they could and eventually reached the road out of the camp, but the soldiers were still right behind them, "Do not stop!! The commander will have my eyes if we lose them again!"
"Do you have one of those smoking bombs with you?!" wheezed Guthullu, desperately hoping that her answer would be a positive one.
"Of course, I have like eight of them inside my bag, master!"
"Do you really need my command to use them?! Just use a couple of them behind us, I think I sneak peeked a heel in the near when they were driving us to their camp. We can make our escape there!"
"What about the brothers, shall we leave them there to be?!"
"Of course not! Once we have lost Ibrahim's damn soldiers then we will find a safe spot to watch the ritual. They should leave their corpses for the vultures and if we are lucky and the spell took effect than they should be resurrected within a few hours. By then help from our useless brethren should have arrived and we should proceed to what we really came for."----he looked at the soldiers and back at her---"USE THEM NOW DAMN IT!"
She used all of the smoke bombs she had at her disposal completely covering the narrow road, all the while she covered her face with a head scarf and handed over a pair of goggles to Guthullu.
They ran for quite a while, "I think we finally lost them. Here, that should be the hill!" they climbed it as fast as they could, Guthullu still wheezing like and old hound.
Diana put her hands on his shoulders and helped him clime it, "Only a few more steps master. We have finally lost them; we just need to reach safety and from there we can search for a spot to watch the ritual."
"GOD DAMN IT!! WE LOST THEM, YOU IDIOTS…now he will have one of our heads for this…" screamed a soldier looking around desperately for the prisoners.
Relieved from their words, Diana held on to her master and continued to stroll, "I saw a spot form atop the mountains surrounding their little encampment, it is from a safe enough distance for them not to notice us."----Diana looked at the skies.
"We're almost there, come child."
She gave a hesitant look----"Master, the crack of dawn is nigh…what if the ritual fails, then we have not only failed our order but billions of people desperately awaiting justice for the wicked.."
He ignored her words and hid himself behind a huge rock and with a look of concern yet a determined tone said, "Then we shall look for another way to save this world from its wicked people. To police mankind---we have done all we could with our limited resources. I am just---I am just grateful that you came to my rescue and…also to have been carrying angel dust with you. Without it we wouldn't have had the slightest of chance to save the brothers. Now let us watch and hope these two chuckle heads make it out alive. I hope you get to meet them. They are arrogant and a bit stupid but they seemed to have the potential to become the harbinger of the Creator's wrath."
"We will see about that, master." Diana sneak peeked from the rock, they were carrying the brothers to the alters, laying them carefully on the ritual stones. Ibrahim stood near the alter right next to his priestess whose eyes were closed, meditating when the guards came back to him, giving him the news. Without hesitation or any reaction, Ibrahim took out his Arabic sword and chopped one of their heads. The rest of them got on their knees and begged for their lives but he simply ordered them to step down from the alter.
"It is time my brothers and sisters. This shall be a testament to our defiance of not only the filthy covenant who dares serve this monster but also the rest of the orders who have not only ignored our prophecies but who have dared to sabotage our efforts to bring true balance to this wicked, imperfect world!"
The priestess put her hands on their foreheads which immediately woke them up from their state of dormant.
"What the…where are we?!" Nathaniel looked in horror at the crowd present before them, torches in hand booing them as if he and his brother were accused of witchcraft, ready to be burned at stake.
"What the hell is the meaning of thi---" Daniel protested before his mouth was covered by Ibrahim, "Shush, little one. You and your boyfriend shall meet the great old one and serve him in endless torment.
"Ohm, not to sound homophobic but even if I was into men and he was not my brother, Daniel would be the last man on earth I would date."
"BROTHERS?! What were they doing taking two brothers to the old temple?!"-----Ibrahim rubbed his chin for a while----"It matters not for whatever their plan was it shall be ruined by your deaths," he laughed wickedly, "NOW MY PRIESTESS, BEGIN THE RITUAL, LET US PLEASE THE OLD ONE!!!" everyone in the crowd cherished and applauded him.
The priestess opened her eyes, grabbed a red hefted knife and began chanting, "Shandara, ubito dalamala, Shandara ubito dalamala!!! SHANDARA UBITO DALAMALA!!! Oh great old one! I call on to you to accept this humble sacrifices from us, your royal servants to aid you in your torment and to empower you to break out of your prison and guide us to a world without evil and sin!!"-----Her knife began to shine dark purple---a black smoke began oozing out of it.
"WHAT THE HELL, WHERE IS THAT OLD FOOL, BROTHERR!!!!?!?" Daniel screamed at Nathaniel who was staring back at his brother in disbelief----Oh this better be a freaking nightmare….please please please God tell me I am still sleeping sound and quietly inside the campervan------she heled the knife up high imbuing it with her dark magic before she grabbed Daniel's neck and slit it open wide, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! DANIEL!!!! NOOOOO, YOU DAMN BASTARDS YOU---KILLED MY LITTLE BROTHER!!!!" cried Nathaniel, tears filled his eyes as he gazed upon the skies hoping for a miracle.
Diana looked away and hid behind the rock, "What if---" she turned to Guthullu but stopped mid-sentence. With his eyes closed and a rosery in hand, Guthullu was praying, desperately hoping for the spell to work.
She took out her transmitter and phone and hopelessly tried to communicate with the covenant, "Even if they come it will be too late…"
"With all though respect master, you are stating the obvious.." she said sneak peeking behind the rocks, looking at Nathaniel who was still looking at his brother's lifeless body.
"I really want to make this one suffer and learn of our suffering. For over twenty-eight years, my brethren and I have endured agony from the endless sacred laws of the covenant serving this stupid, wicked deity they dared call mankind's police. So many of us were sentenced to death for disobeying the puniest of their Godforsaken laws but no more!! Today is just the beginning of our path to vengeance!! We shall be victorious!!" Ibrahim screamed holding his sword high as his soldiers cheered for him chanting and singing his name.
"Do it then you bitch----to hell with you, the covenant and the stupid Temhos---with my brother dead this all seems pointless---do it!!! DO IT!!!!" Shouted Nathaniel, tears still filled in his eyes as he stared hatefully at the priestess and surrendered to his inevitable fate.
"If you are so eager to meet your end then you shall have what you ask for. You may proceed my Priestess!"
She bowed before Ibrahim, " Shandara, ubito dalamala, Shandara, ubito dalamala, SHANDARA, UBITO DALAMALA!!!" she held the ritual knife up high but her hands began to shake. She opened her eyes and grabbed Nathaniel's face but a force was preventing her from finishing the ritual and so she began to chant even louder, "Shandara, ubito dalamala, Shandara, ubito dalamala, SHANDARA, UBITO DALAMALA!!!!" the clear skies were filled with stormy clouds as the clap of thunder gave her the strength to finish the ritual and cut his throat.
He laid there bleeding and struggling to breathe, Nathaniel could not take his eyes off from his brother, Daniel's eyes were open wide towards the skies and before he knew it, he too ran out of oxygen with blood filling his throat. His shaking feet slowly stopped. He too was gone, the crack of dawn shined on his lifeless face.
"The harbinger is dead! His torment shall be legendary!!! DEATH TO THE HARBINGER AND DEATH TO THE THREE ORDERS!!! WE ARE VICTORIOUS TODAY!!!" everyone cheered and began dancing. Ibrahim held his priestess's hand and walked her down the alter ordering his men to stop the celebrations and pack some supplies, "There is no time to celebrate now. The festivities shall wait! For now, we shall move onwards to our next mission." He held his head high and nodded, "It cannot wait any longer, brothers and sisters we are moving out! Quickly, before the full dawn of the sun!!!"
Diana stared at them in disbelief, "You knew all along, didn't you?!"
Guthullu held on to his rosary, his eyes still closed, "Know what exactly?!"
"That they had to immediately move out of their little headquarters after the ritual!" she protested angrily.
"Yep, Ibrahim thought I was unconscious the whole way to their camp---I overheard things here and there. Now let us hope your spell worked else…I don't know." He opened his eyes and looked at her, his expression unreadable.
The camp was quickly evacuated like a swarm of locus that was done with destroying the farms in the region, ready to move on to the next and a few minutes they were fully gone, leaving the camp and the Kings' corpses as a gift to the heartless desert and its inhabitants.
Guthullu got off from the ground he was sitting on and took out the rope around his waist, "Now to see if they made it out alive…." He sighed heavily, tightened the rope around a huge rock and began climbing down.
The master and apprentice slowly approached the alter and looked upon their corpses. Daniel's eyes still faced the sky while Nathaniel's were still wet with tears facing his brother, "Our order had one job and we failed marvelously at that----even if the spell works it will be hard to earn their trust again!" Diana closed their eyes.
"That's a problem for another time for now let us hope that they come back to life." He said strictly with a frown.
Suddenly, they heard pebbles fell from the mountains above them, "Snap they are back prepare yourself, child!" He grabbed a nearby Arabian sword and shielded Diana, "WHO GOES THERE!! SHOW YOURSELF!"
"Guthullu?! Is that you down there?!"
That voice sounds awfully familiar---"Who are you?! Show yourself!!"
"It is I, Daniela! We received an encrypted message from Diana that we were unable to comprehend, it simply held a location and"-----they grabbed on the rope and slide down and strolled towards them casually before stopping and noticing the corpses in horror, "Please tell me they are not the hosts…"
"Sadly, they are!"----He stared at the brothers with a heavy sigh and continued, his fist ready to strike the first person to get near him, "What took you so long and what do you mean by an encrypted message?! Didn't you sent them a clear message indicating that we are in danger, and we need help?!"
"I did master I don't know what---"
"It is not her fault, Guthullu. There is an ongoing sandstorm in this region. That is probably the reason why we were not able to receive a clear message. Please tell me you guys had a plan?!!" Daniela looked desperately to the Kings' lifeless bodies.
"We performed a protection spell with angel dust and dark magic before the sacrifice took place---that was the only thing we were able to do. There were just too many of them."
"Too many of who?!?!" Daniela shouted; her hand clutched. She stared at the two with a frown, in awe and disbelief, not fully able to accept their failure.
"The heretic kid and since when do you call me by my first name?! It is Sir for you, young lady!"
"My apologies sir. I---I—" Guthullu stopped her, put his hand on her shoulder and he stared back at the altar. Diana checked her watch, "Any moment now----it has been two hours since the ritual. If the spell worked then they should come to life soon. Why do they strip them Butt naked again?!"
"Don't you see their weapon?! They are still fighting with crossbows and swords; they do everything in accordance with stone age---how in heavens name haven't we annihilated their little gang is still a mystery that makes me boil in rage every time it crosses my mind."
"Guys, guys, that is of second concern right now, what is important is that the spell is going to work and"----she looked at her watch yet again---"they should awaken fully healed from that little cut on their neck any moment now!!" They all sat there and awaited the brothers' awaking.
Hours passed pointlessly as the sandstorm calmed down and Daniela contacted the rest of the people from the covenants, "We have waited 12 hours but there is no signs of the harbingers coming back to life, the spell didn't work. Mission----failed the harbingers K.I.A."
Diana held Guthullu's shoulders and guided them to the approaching helicopter. They trudged towards it but Guthullu stopped and looked at their corpses in utter sadness one more time, "I promised them I would keep them safe and I failed---twenty eight years of work ruined by some cavemen-like organization…."
"You will be fine, master!" she put her hand on his face and tried to comfort him, but he pushed it away, "No! I will never be fine with this failure. I will never forgive myself for it…" He turned his back from the altar, his hands in his pockets, staring at the pebbles and rocks on the desert floor as he continued to trudge towards the helicopter which had landed in the middle of the heretics' encampment. They heard a grasping noise behind them. "What---whattt—in heaven names happened!" Daniel got up and grasped for air. He touched his blood covered neck, which was almost dry by the desert's sun, breathing heavily while looking confusingly to his surroundings.
A surge of energy and joy ran through Guthullu's body as smile covered everyone's face. He, Diana and Daniela ran towards him, ignoring his nakedness, "WHOA! Cover up Don Juan! Give this guy something to wear. I haven't seen his business down there since we were kids."
They turned around and saw Nathaniel who stood beside a flat stone, his hands on his hips staring at them with a smirk, "Omg, can someone pass him something to cover his…thing." Diana said looking away.
"You are both alive!!! Praise the Creator and the three orders!! Here kid, cover your junk will you, there are ladies here!! Have some manners!"
"Not my problem at the moment, your stupid ass covenant failed to protect us!! Remember?!" Daniela's companion ran back to the altar and handed over his clothes. He got dressed, his eyes narrowed, the eyebrows above them frowned and his eyes focused on Guthullu ready to tear him apart. Daniel had not seen him this angry in many years as he confusingly put on his clothes too, constantly checking his surroundings like a crazy person, "Something about him is not right." Daniela whispered from the corners of her mouth, "Do you blame him? He literally came back from the dead." Diana whispered.
"If we failed then how do you think you are alive when a priestess of the heretics slit your throat open?! Huh?!" shouted Diana while she came between them, protecting her master from a potential fight.
"Enough all of you!! We have to burn their little headquarters and get you out of here and this time"---he paused for a little while---"This time, we will safely and definitely get you to the temple for the transformation ritual!" Guthullu said strictly, gaining his momentum back.
Daniel was still in a state of shock. He watched them argue like a life-less robot until Daniela guided him to the helicopter. The members of the covenants set the encampment fully ablaze, "That should teach them!" said one of the covenant soldiers.
"Don't be so optimistic, lad. We just set ablaze to a bunch of tents, a couple of crossbows and a few supply crates, nothing they will have a hard time replacing." Guthullu's hands were clutched, he stared deep into the flames and closed the doors to the helicopter.
Nathaniel looked at his brother concerningly, something about him was obviously off, "Daniel?! Are you ok brother?!" Daniel simply gazed upon him and stayed silent. The expression on his face one of terror and despair.
"He will be alright. He'll need some time to recuperate from literal death, Nate boy,"
Nathaniel instantly turned to him with a frown, controlling his anger and his clutched fist from making a move "You call me Nate one more time and I will punch you so hard in your face that you will need twenty six different plastic surgeries to even remotely look like a human again."
Everyone watched in destress, the situation was escalating fast thus; Daniela intervened. She changed her seat with Guthullu, "You better leave them alone sir. The spell had severe mental effect on their brain---it was dark magic after all. Not to mention that it took the spell more than twelve hours to take effect. It might take hours if not days for them to go back to their normal state of mind." Daniela patted his shoulder, comforting him as he put his head on the helicopter's seat, closed his eyes and tried to rest.
The helicopter landed at the encampment of the covenant, Nathaniel looked out the window, he saw a lot of tents and people with uniforms lining up next to the helicopter pad and in the midst of the encampment, he spotted a huge crater, "I suppose that is the way to your little lost temple?!"
"Yes, at long last we are here after a day of delay!" Guthullu excitingly got out and hugged some of his comrades with a wide grin on his face, "It is good to see you in one-piece Guthullu. We thought they had gotten rid of you for good this time."
"You wish, Darren!" the allies walked towards the tents hoping to get a few minutes rest.
"Now jokes aside, I am glad you and the hosts are alright but we have a new set of problems coming our way that require immediate action!" Guthullu stopped walking sensing the worst, "What do you mean? What now?"
He huffed and stared at him wearily, "Well, long story short my men found a trail of desert sled that seemed unusual for this region and followed it…it---led to the heretics and their half-blinded leader Ibrahim. They seemed to be headed to the cave of keys!"
The future harbingers stood still, Nathaniel stared at him curiously sensing something wrong while Daniel's head was down, drowned in his sorrows, confused. Guthullu knew he had to fully control his reaction, "What? I thought that cave was lost for good!" he whispered carefully pushing Darren to a corner, "Apparently they contracted some excavation league that opened the way to it."
His short-lived joy was instantly replaced with fear, his hands began shaking----how in heaven's name will we make it out of this one---- he sighed, "As if having survived this mess was not enough now time itself is against us! Daniela!! Daniela! Come here, I have words with you!" he faked a smile, but she knew something terrible was going on.
Guthullu quickly explained the situation to her and so she gathered a few of her men and left as quickly as she could. At that point it was no secret that something terrible had yet again taken place.
"What's the trouble now master?" Diana approached him, concerned about his wellbeing.
"The heretics have opened the way to the cave of keys. If they manage to destroy the key to the crater's entry, then no one will be able to go in or out---even if we make it inside in time tomorrow, we will probably be stuck there forever." he sat on a chair, he couldn't get his eyes off from the stones on the ground counting them like a crazy person.
"We can convince the Kings to perform the ritual tonight! We've got everything!"
He looked back at the two who were tired and angry, "I doubt we can even force them to----I—I must rest---a few minutes will suffice. Be a sweety and babysit them, will you? They both have---mommy issues." He rushed inside a tent, lay on a bed and meditated.
Nathaniel wondered around and switched focus between the two and his brother---I really don't care about what's going to happen next, I need to make sure Daniel will be fine----he thought. Daniel's eyes were no longer fixated on the floor, he looked up and his sad expression was replaced by a rising anger. What is the deal with this guy now?! "Feeling any better, Dan?"
"Oh yeah, I was sacrificed to some old creature and came back to life after 12 hours, I am fantastic Nate! Thanks for asking!!" he said sarcastically, the tone of anger hard to ignore in his voice.
"Alright, I get it you are mad and angry and so am I but we made it out alive!"
Daniel got to his face, his eyes narrowed, his hands clutched ready for a fight, "Yes, we made it out alive! But there is a huge difference brother, I NEVER EVER signed up for any of this…" Nathaniel looked away in shame, there was nothing he could say. Seeing no reaction or answer, Daniel began to trudge deep inside the encampment, "I just hope they got booze around here!"
"They sure do plenty. Follow me, I'll show you the tent to our booze supply." Diana guided him to a nearby tent, "You are being too harsh on your brother!" she whispered carefully.
"Lady, you know nothing about us, especially my selfish brother else you would not even bother say those words. He is an egocentric, selfish moron who only cares about himself." he said in a low voice, avoided eye contact with her, his hands clutching so ever hard in anger.
"You are wrong---I was there when they sacrificed you---Nathaniel screamed in anguish when you died. He begged and urged the heretics to sacrifice him 'because there is no life without my brother' his words not mine." He thought for a short while, still avoiding eye contact with this stranger who had no reason to make up stories and lies.
Hence Daniel emerged with two bottles of gin in hand, throwing one at Nathaniel's feet----No matter how mad he is he always somehow has my back, guess I should consider myself lucky!
"So ah, I guess you guys are in no humor for introductions? Just take a rest at a nearby tent and we will perform the transformation ritual tomorrow in the evening." She said shyly strolling away.
"There is no need for that! I over-heard your little conversation with your dear master." shouted Daniel, everyone turned their heads to him expecting the worst, had he changed his mind about the whole transition, "If your little order of imbeciles is ready and the night's darkness is what you need for that transformation ritual of yours, then we shall do it right now!! What say you Nathaniel?!" he slowly turned to him, giving him an expecting glance.
Nathaniel's eyes widely opened and dilated, a smile appeared on his face, but he quickly hid it and appeared serious. He could not believe his ears, was this really his brother talking or did he finally lose his mind. Daniel's face showed nothing but determination, his head held high, his body fully open, "If---you are ready then so am I." he stood next to him tall and proud, throwing the ball in the covenant's court.
"It is done then," he nodded and turned to the others, "If you manage to be efficient and preform the transformation ritual tonight then we shall go through with it and defeat those cavemen bastards once and for all!!"
"I hope it is not one of their little jokes---I just can't believe they are ready to go for it. This is absolutely fantastic!!!" Guthullu said cheerfully putting on his shoes and barging out of his tent.
Diana hesitantly trudged to his side and whispered, "Master, I assume you haven't fully explained the ritual to them."
"Ahh, but of course, my dear Diana I---I…wait, come to think of it I was going to do it a few minutes before our arrival here but then the heretics attack happened and the rest….the rest is history so regretfully no, I have not." he said rather carelessly as he began to pack the necessary tools and artifacts while giving quick instructions to the people around him.
The Brothers sat on some crates and began drinking, awaiting the covenant to make preparations. Diana clutched her fist and stood there for a bit before she gathered enough courage to approach them.
Daniel rolled his eyes and looked away, "Great, what does this one want again?"
"I don't know, she is kind of hot though." Nathaniel checked her out, taking a long sip from his bottle.
"Nathaniel, can I please talk to you in private?" she muttered nervously looking at Daniel's reaction. He still didn't seem fully stable.
"I don't see a reason why you and I should talk in private…I mean we just met and it would be super rude if we didn't talk in front of my brother, huphm, are we keeping secrets from him?!"
She pulled Nathaniel to the side far away from Daniel, "Woah, easy there missy, you might be my type but I am not that easy!"
"Is your brother ok? Isn't he acting….umm…unusual?"
"Ah yes, my little brother Daniel the do-gooder."-----he hugged the gin bottle, holding it tight in his hand, gazing upon the dark horizon----"Nope, he has always been a wierdo so it does not surprise me that he might not back out but come up with such courageous ways of just wanting to finish business and get the hell out of this hellhole, that or he had some prep talk but I doubt the latter. Only he gets my prep talks---either way I am happy we are alive and ready to become the harbingers of Temhos---at long last."
"Alright, that was not the answer I was hoping for but such reactions are not far-fetched when you literally came back from the dead. Now please go back to your brother I still need to talk to both of you."
They walked back to Daniel who was still drinking sip after sip from his bottle joyfully smiling and staring at the stars, "Oh no need to explain anything to me you! I am at that level where I am not drunk but I just stopped giving a damn about pretty much everything except---maybe getting over this crappy ritual and go back and sleep in a quiet, safe bed right next to my attractive girlfriend and fall asleep between her breasts." He closed his eyes and hugged his bottle with a childish smile.
"Ohm, that was a little too specific. Miss---umm---Diana I assume, please don't be shy and take the board!"
She strolled right between them, her eyes and mouth hesitantly wondering if she should let out the next couple of words out of her mouth. Nathaniel gave his trademark smirk while Daniel continued to watch the skies, completely ignoring everyone and everything around him, "Do you guys even know what this ritual is and what are its content?"
"Nope!" they shouted simultaneously.
"Nor do we care to know! We came here to finish this damn forsaken ritual and go back to our homes and fight off crime or whatever but instead we get captured by some fanatic freaks who are somehow even weirder than your little, pathetic order. And you know the best part? We got killed by them and now we are here after"---he checked his watch---"two dead bodies and 15 hours later and you ask me if I care about the procedure of the ritual we travelled over 4,000 Kilometers for and literally died for?!"-----He stood up from the crate, his eyes red, talking like a totally insane person wrongfully released from an asylum-----"NO! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW AS LONG AS I REMAIN ALIVE AT THE END OF IT SO CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THAT WE WILL STAY ALIVE AFTER THE RITUAL?!"
She took a few steps back; Daniel bloodshot eyes were wide open staring back at her like he was on the verge of total insanity. But can I blame him? I guess not. "Of course, you will survive the ritual and be returned home safely! That I can guarantee."----he seemed to have calmed down as he took a seat back on the crates----"I shall leave you be before we are all called for the initiation of the ritual." She strode away uncomfortably.
Nathaniel looked away in shame, there was nothing he could do or say to calm his brother down----He is right…he never signed up for any of this and on the very first steps of becoming the harbingers, we already died once…For the first time in years, he felt guilty.
Suddenly everyone at the encampment were called forth by the sound of a trumpet, "Gather around my fellow servants of Temhos, we are alas called forth for the ritual! This evening is going to be a historic one not only for the Temhos covenant but for all of mankind." Guthullu said pridefully wearing a black rope.
Diana rushed to him. This could be a suicide mission…what if they get stuck inside forever? "Master, maybe we should wait for Daniela and her men to return, what if the heretics succeed at reaching the cave and close the crater forever? You and the soon-harbingers-to-be will starve and die in there!" she warned, failing to hide her wariness, looking at him strictly.
The expression on his face was unreadable, "We shall proceed with the ritual regardless of the outcome from Daniela's crew." He watched the King brothers approach the altar with determination. They strolled by the countless members of the covenant standing by the massive crater, "These idiots had this many people working for them, and they still managed to get us killed?!" Daniel lashed out as quietly as he could.
"Relax brother, we shall have our revenge not only on Guthullu but on their wicked, pathetic order, I promise you!" he whispered with a cold heart look on his face that made Daniel stop and think for a bit. Now that look is one, I haven't seen since high school…oh he is pissed alright.
"Move! let us pass!" Nathaniel strolled by, gently pushing people in front of him to the side. They were Greeted by some of the most loyal servants of the covenant, Nathaniel stared at the servants. No paint on their face or scars to make them unique or damaged. No drama, blah this people lack imagination. Apart from the onyx robes covering their body and face there was nothing shady about them, or so it seemed.
He shook his head in disappointment and stood right by Guthullu, his hands covering his crutch in submission to his soon-to-be-master.
"Now before we proceed with the ritual, I believe the future harbingers have the right to know a little about our current quarrel with the heretics. They all stood still, carefully listening to what he had to say next, "The cave of keys was or rather say---is an ancient place where, as the name suggests, is the key to closing and opening the gates and crates to the many hidden temples and sacred sites in ancient Babylon. Closing a gate or crater is one thing but destroying the key to it may permanently entrap the people within the temple---so my question for you tonight is, are you truly willing to take the risk? Alternatives to opening the gates have been lost to us for hundreds of years and there is no clear path out of here. If our men fail to stop them just as they sadly did with the sacrifice ritual, we will all stay trapped inside the crater until our dying breath. So, what say you? Do you still want to do this, Daniel the honorable?"
Everyone's eyes turned to him, truly expecting him to decline the offer and ask to be transferred back to Vienna.
He briefly looked at the crowd unimpressed by the masses, "YES I DO!!" He screamed from the top of his lung, holding his head high, his shoulders wide and his hands behind his waist, "I am, sadly, a man of my words so when I say we will do it tonight then the ritual will take place! So onward!"
Guthullu pushed them to the side for one last time, "Now before we go on---there is one last choice for you to make," Daniel rolled his eyes but Nathaniel seemed to know what that choice would be, he stood there emotionless, in anticipation of what was to be said next, "One of you need to carry the burden of becoming the alpha of your little pride!"
He let out an exasperated huff and turned to his brother, "The choice is quite obvious, now isn't it brother? Asking the must redundant question ever! The burden falls to Nathaniel of course for I never asked for any of this," Daniel pointed his fingers at him accusatively. "I am doing this only for you---if we die I hope you get a one way tickets to the depth of hell!" he said angrily through his gritted teeth. Nathaniel simply stared back and without a word looked upon the skies.
The moon was covered by the cloudy, dark skies and the breeze of the cold-hearted desert ran through their hair and skin giving them goosebumps, reminding them that they were in unfriendly territories all the while they curiously looked at the loyal servants, their ropes and their limited numbers when one of them began to guide them into the crater, handing them a rope that would lead them down.
They were immediately greeted with a horror feeling down their stomach. A loud scream pounded against their ears making them bleed to a point that it filled their hearts with a dreadful feeling of despair and fear. They screamed in agony and anguish, hopeless as to what was to follow next. But after a few moments it all stopped---the feeling was still there but something was helping them resist the primal urge to scream.
"What in heaven's name was that?!" shouted Daniel, fully alarmed and terrified of what they were to face next.
"Ummm---don't worry about that, boy! That is just the beast showing its teeth through vivid imagination." He yelled from atop the crater.
Going down deeper, they felt the ever-cold atmosphere, they breath turned into vapor. Daniel slowly landed on the surface, their only source of light the hole from which they came down from. They looked at their surroundings when Nathaniel spotted something in the dark distance and curiously strolled towards it. He looked in awe at the clay towers of the lost temple of Babylon, his eyed widened and an uncontrollable smile covered his face, "It is beautiful! A little different from its description but still…beautiful."
"Whatever, the sooner we get over this ritual the sooner will get out of this creepy place, as you always say, fingers crossed the heretics won't succeed." Daniel said observing the cave-like place in fear but then, a not-so-distant memory came to his mind. The back-flash of a promise he made to his dear best friend Lucia, "I will face my fears, I promise you!" I have to stay strong and face this. I must embrace my fears no matter the cost. I have already conquered death….I can do more----with that thought, Daniel's determination regrew within him, the fear faded in the background as his curiosity began rising. He approached the clay entry to what remained of the temple touching and analyzing its scriptures.
The loyal servants and Guthullu followed behind them and swiftly began to initiate the ritual as if there was a time bomb in the near. They lighted up several candles, brightening up the undergrounds and elevating moral among one another all the while Guthullu began ferociously cleaning the dust from a pedestal that stood at the center of an altar, "So what is the story of this little temple of yours again?" whispered Daniel from the corner of his mouth.
"Jesus, you forgot so soon?!"
"Honestly I rarely listened to anything you had to say about the Temhos." He looked down, embarrassed.
"Whatever!" sighed Nathaniel heavily as he looked back at the servants standing atop the alter, holding hands and humming something gibberish. Guthullu took out a staff from a lengthy crate and began cleaning it. Nathaniel had trouble seeing the details on the staff---What the heck is that anyways----"Nathaniel! My dear older brother, could you educate me on the Temhos and the history of this place a little further instead of acting like the total douche that you usually are."
He turned to him with his typical smirk, "Goodness, someone has to educate himself in my long delusion and he needs to do it fast!! What has befallen you brother? Have you finally gone mad?"
"I simply remembered a promise I made to an old friend…" Nathaniel chuckled a little before he approached the entry next to Daniel and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, "Very well then, if education is what you want then you shall have it! This here is what remains of the once great temple of Esagila a temple dedicated to the great Babylonian God Marduk. This is where the grand magi of the city captured the last harbinger and imprisoned the Temhos more than 2,500 years ago or so they thought…"
"What do you mean so they thought?! Where they more harbingers after the imprisonment that I should know of?!" he said rather irritated.
Nathaniel sighed and rolled his eyes, his brother's endless curiosity was triggered so late into their trip, and he was in no humor to help him out with it, "That I have no idea about. Fingers crossed; our benefactors will do a better job at teaching us about this thing's history than protecting us from our not so creepy, medieval-loving enemies."
He pointed to Guthullu realizing that he had finally laid the staff on a pedestal, "wait, that's not a staff, that's a scepter! Taking bets on where he is going to shove that into." He chuckled before the joy was taken from him by the thought of the heretics' succeeding.
Not too far away, Daniela and her men had been sneakingly and swiftly investigating the roads. When she noticed familiar tracks, turned off her motorcycle and inspected, "That must be it! The only peace of technology they use is their stupid desert sleds. We need to keep moving in silence, we are closing in, I can feel their scent in the air."
"But commander, according to Guthullu, Ibrahim moved his entire army. How can our few numbers stop him?" a covenant soldier said carefully awaiting a well-thought answer.
"He is not taking all of them inside the cave. That place is supposed to be smaller than our break room. He has probably stationed them somewhere else while he and his priestess are breaking the keys. Now onward! We have to stop them, for the covenant and for humanity!" they went on ahead on their electric motorcycles.
A few kilometers down the road, they spotted more desert sled tracks going off road hence they turned off their flashlights and followed the them until they reached the mountains. There they came across the entry to a cave, guarded, well-hidden within the walls of the mountains far away from the main road.
"Bingo! Hide your vehicles, leave them behind these rocks, we make our move now!" she whispered, fully analyzing the hostile environment they were in ensuring to count every single man at Ibrahim's disposal.
She approached the entry and hid herself behind a rock, instructing her men to do the same near her. There were only two guards protecting it, "Where are the rest of his men? Derek, go and find out where the others are staying. We can take care of Ibrahim and his priestess."
Derek nodded and left their side. Daniela signaled the remaining men to move forward, quickly killing the guards, hiding their bodies and moving inside the cave. They instantly spotted Ibrahim and his priestess along with five other guards. They were all touching the cave walls like crazy people, "They are probably still looking for the right key, I hope they are not stupid enough to destroy all of them."
Suddenly a soldier noticed Daniela's crew and pointed his crossbow at them, "Commander! They are here!"
She instantly used her taser weapon, knocking him out permanently, "That's right, we use modern technology! And it is lethal too!" she mocked pridefully pointing to her taser.
Ibrahim's hand clutched, he showed his teeth and growled before he put out the torches and began running deep into the cave, "Now! Destroy all of them!"
"But it will forever close the gates to the other temples! We need those gates open!" protested the priestess. His eyes frowned and he stopped, grabbing her arms and squeezed them harshly, "YOU WILL DO MY BIDDING OR DIE!!"
"I thought this cave was not that big…" said one of Daniela's companions.
"Well, no one from our generation had seen it---it is possible the tales from our order had underestimated its size and length. Don't you just stand there, we got flashlights now follow them before they find the key lever switch to the temple!"
Ibrahim's men ran in the dark until he stopped and reignited one of the torches, "Good, we found a few of the keys. Begin destroying them!" He opened the sack and threw some pikes on the floor, "GO! GO! GO!"
"Forgive me commander, but isn't that counter intuitive? If we close all the gates the damage will be permanent. I know it will really ruin the three orders but it will ruin us, too! We are still looking for the cipher!" said one of his men in an American accent.
"Ibrahim, I told you we need some of the gates open indefinitely." Urged the priestess.
Ibrahim, however, seemed reluctant to listen, shaking his head and denying to acknowledge the truth in her words, "We are wasting precious time saving them---"
"NO! not if I read the symbols atop every key. Once every key is touched a symbol imbued with dark magic will appear briefly," she caressed his shoulders and chest, "I can read and tell if it is the key to the temple of Esagila or not." Hearing her words, and her soft touch, Ibrahim reluctantly agreed.
Meanwhile, Daniela and her men followed them deep within the cave until they notice a fire light, "It must be one of their torches! Stay low!" she whispered.
"And here we thought this place was just a small cave with barely enough space to place five people in it….more like five miles and more to be discovered." Wheezed one of her men as he got his gun out.
They slowly sneaked behind Ibrahim and his men, who were too busy touching and helping the priestess read the symbols on top of each key. One of her men took out his gun and began shooting at them but the priestess turned around and in an instant casted a spell imbued by dark magic, "You can no longer use your technological gadgets!! Now you know why we stuck to the old ways!" she laughed, casting another spell granting dark vision to Ibrahim and the rest of the soldiers.
"At least now we know why the live like the Amish…so now what?!" said Daniela's companion in the middle of the cage surrounded by nothing by utter darkness, "Now you follow the sound of my voice and the sounds of their pikes hitting against the rock, I saw the symbol appearing on top of the keys, it brightens up the place for a short while before it fades away. follow me! We don't have much time!"
Back at the temple, Guthullu called forth the King brothers, "It is time, Children! Join us in this holy ritual of transformation at once!" The servants stood in line in a circle around the altar while Daniel and Nathaniel walked up the stairs up to the pedestal.
He instantly grabbed their hands and began chanting all the while the crater began to shake, "Oh brother…not this again. Between the heretics trying to close the entry to this place and their ritual going sideways, let's hope we will make it alive this time."
"Don't you complain now, this was your freaking dream not mine!" Daniel talked looking back at him with a slight angry expression. He desperately held himself together and tried to control his anger and fear of failure in front of the crowd around them.
"Dorona, habari, teriso, Dorona, habari teriso, DORONA, HABARI, TERISO!!!" Guthullu let go of their hands and grabbed the scepter, hitting its end against the pedestal several times. The servants began to chant too. The temple shook again, as if a minor earthquake was taking place. Guthullu opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, "It seems the heretics are getting closer to the key---the lever switch!"----He did the cross---"I hope Daniela and her crew can handle this. We only need a little more time…just a couple of more minutes!!"
Even though his hands shook a little, Daniel kept himself together, his eyes met Nathaniel's that was also terrified, "Together, brother! Now it is not only your choice but mine too!"
"Family and blood above all little brother!" he said warily.
"Family and blood above all!" they stood tall and strong next to one another, their bond unshakable.
At the cave of keys, Daniela and her crew spotted Ibrahim through the red symbol that briefly appeared at the corners of the cave, "Alas, I know where we are! Follow me Ibrahim! The lever switch to the temple is in the near! There is a stone gate we can close and stop them from following us!" she closed her eyes and breathed in the air, becoming instantly worried, "I can sense that the harbinger did survive the ritual!" the priestess shouted as she began running, Ibrahim growled and began to follow her.
Meanwhile the only thing Daniela could hear were the sounds of a huge rock moving, "Damn it, I can't see anything!"
"I can!" said one of her crew members, she turned around. He was wearing a night goggle that shined bright in the midst of the dark.
"Her magic has probably faded behind the wall! Put your equipment back on, we need to move that rock and stop them!" they swiftly surveyed their surroundings, "There! Move it!!" they pushed it but to no use. It was simply too heavy, "How did they move it, that half blind moron has less men than us!"
"They used a lever switch from the inside…it is probably magic bound." Daniela sighed heavily her frustration hard to hide as she clutched her fist and began hitting the rock several times before her crew stopped her, "We will find another way!"
"What way!? They are moments away from destroying the key---the lever switch is all that is holding the entry to the crater open." She said desperately thinking about a solution.
Guthullu continued to chant and hit the scepter's end at the pedestal, his chanting became stronger and louder as the earth began shaking harder and harder by each passing second, they all could see the way out of the crater slowly closing. Hopeless and with no choice, the servants looked one another.
One of them strolled near the alter, took out a knife and slit his own throat and with that everyone knew what to do. One by one, the servants cut their own throats, falling on the floor like lambs.
Nathaniel put his hands on his head, his eyes wide open in horror while Daniel almost broke down to the floor as every single servant laid dead. Guthullu continued to chant and hit the scepter, "Why would they do that?! OH MY GOD THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!" Screamed Daniel.
"It had to be done boy! With their selfless sacrifice, the beast will finally be able to break out of its chains!"
The pedestal began to finally crack, a loud growling of a lion-like creature followed as strong whirling winds appeared out of nowhere, surrounding them, making it hard to stand still. Through the crack came out a onyx mist and with it the dark whispers of a woman that sounded so ever familiar to Nathaniel, "So it was truly you…in the forbidden forest----" the mist began to travel first surrounding Daniel.
"IT IS TIME!!! EMBRACE THE Temhos, DANIEL!! DO NOT DENY HER, HER PRIZE!! DON'T FIGHT HER!" Guthullu strugglingly shouted through the whirling winds. Daniel panicked a lot more than he was already, but Guthullu's words gave him courage to stand still and surrender, "Whatever…..let's get this over with!" he mumbled shivering and shaking uncontrollably.
And thus, he was instantly claimed by the Temhos as he screamed in agony while the mist went deep into his body through his mouth and nostrils. Guthullu strugglingly put away the scepter and tried to stand still, defying the ever-shaking earth, his eyes were fixed at the ceiling wondering what was going on in the cave of keys.
"If their magic is pacified then we can use our explosives! We can tear down this rock into pieces!"
"She is right, Daniela! This might be our only chance!" she stroked her chin hesitantly before she ordered her crew to plant the explosives crossing her fingers for it to work.
As she pressed the button, the rock shattered into a million tiny pieces. They rushed inside to stop Ibrahim, tried to hold them at gun point, "I can't use my magic against them anymore---my magic is depleted! We must run, Ibrahim!"
"NO! NO! THE KEY IS NOT DESTROYED YET!! THE LEVER SWITCH IS STILL PARTIALLY INTACT!!"
"Run you fool, live to die another day! We will find a way to change the circumstances to our favor!" Ibrahim clutched his fist and growled at Daniela before he grabbed his priestess and began running for his life.
"Follow them!! We need to capture him at all costs!" Three of her men followed them as she and her crew member stood still and guarded the lever switch, "That was a close call, commander! I'll say nice work!"
Daniela sighed, "I'll need like two weeks off from work for this crap! Let's hope Guthullu and the boys made it."
Nathaniel seemed puzzled as he watched the Temhos take over Daniel, dreading the worst, his brother's screams echoed through the temple like nothing he had witnessed before, "Do not worry…your brother will be fine." The same voice whispered into his ears once again, "Nathaniel….you have come for me at long last…" the mist took the form of a woman, her face still unclear to him.
"Yes it has been long…" he mumbled, falling and crawling backwardly on the floor, overwhelmed by this dark presence. It began to fill his mind, painful memories of the past overwhelmed him, "AHHHH! ALL THE MISERY I WENT THROUGH….IT WAS YOU!?" "Indeed, it was me, Nathaniel! Now at long last we will be united!"
He crawled back, but the shadows followed him. He pointed his fingers at it, his hand began to shake in utter fear, "Yes too long, too…LONG!!" she screamed.
"Do not resist it! It is your destiny boy!!"
"I—I am not sure if I want this anymore!" his voice trembled staring at the onyx mist dreading and shaking like a hopeless child, "There is no turning back! Do it now! Embrace the Temhos just as your brother has before you!" Guthullu cried through the remaining whirling winds pointing to an unconscious Daniel.
HE looked at him, his brother had done all of this for him and he could not let his childish fears control him hence with a frowned face, he took a deep breath and touched the onyx mist, embracing and allowing the Temhos into his very soul and thus; the mist entered his body leaving him in a near state of slumber and unconsciousness.
As Nathaniel laid on the dirt in front of the temple, his eyes were almost shut closed and all he could hear before passing out were the words from Guthullu, "Now rest children, the Temhos will guide you out…I however----"