Into the Fairylands
By J. R. Bennett
<Chapter XI~*~Chapter XIII>
<Chapter XI~*~Chapter XIII>
Chapter XII
Making things Undone
~*~
It took a
few minutes for everyone to climb up but once they were up, Ed, Zach, Travis,
Alice, Bug-a-boo, Little Dill, and Jolly Roger could easily see what was before
them. The new area looked vast with rows
of torches burning for miles illuminating a white marble floor. In the middle was a massive stone block serving
as an alter with runes inscribed all over it and dried blood on the top while a
foul smell of incense hung in the air.
Everyone
approached the stone; it smelt of decay and seemed to be the only smell that
could overpower the incense. Bug-a-boo
surveyed the runes on the alter.
“What does
it say?” Travis asked Travis.
“‘Here are
the damned.’” read Bug-a-boo. “‘Given up
in the name of Father Horcus for the forgiveness of the Lone Titan.’”
“Must be
where Manoo’s minions take their victims,” commented Ed. “The whole place reeks of death.”
“There’sssss
more life than death here little man,” hissed a voice from the black shadows.
“Whose
there!” cried Alice.
“I am
everywhere and nowhere.” the voice taunted.
“I am duel. I am multiple. I am one.
Sssssome call me the Lone Titan, others the Basssstard of Horcussss.”
Everything
seemed to happen at once. Out of the
shadows came a snake like creature, head of a snake, torso of a man, and the
lower half the body of a snake. The
torso was dressed in ancient armour and was wielding a large battle-axe in both
its hands. The creature charged at Ed,
axe poised ready to strike. Ed tried to jump to the right to avoid the attack
but was stuck by the edge of axe and collided into Zach, hitting the hard
marble floor and crashing into one of the torches.
The creature
recoiled ready for another strike. Zach,
still in pain from the collision, hurled a hunk of burning wood at the
monster. With luck, the burning wood hit
the creature but it was still attracted by the others. It was about to pounce again when a large
hand from the dark appeared and grabbed the creature.
“That isss
enough.” the same voice hissed and the hand gripped the creature.
“Who is
this!?” called Bug-a-boo.
Alice and
Travis ran over to Ed and Zach. Both
were badly hurt from the attack. Zach’s
shoulder was scratched and bruised and gashed across the back of his head. Ed’s face was badly cut, his left eye not
even being spared from the assault.
Alice and Travis wasted no time bandaging Ed and Zach.
Out of a
heavily shadowed end of the room appeared a big head with handsome face and a
nattered mess of long black hair.
“It issss
I, Manoo.” the face hissed. “Damned to live my daysss on thisss rock they call
Sssspyrussss.”
Bug-a-boo
produced from his coat a sapphire orb and proceeded to shake it. The orb began to glow and, as Bug-a-boo let
go of it, floated up high above everyone.
The orb let out such a radiant glow that it illuminated the entire room
more than the torches. It was then that
everyone could behold Manoo, the titanic child of Horcus and the titan
Ironbone.
Manoo was a
massive titan, over one hundred feet in height while dressed in rages with
chains and fetters latched around his arms, legs, and neck. His body was riddled with patches of snake
scales while the right side of his torso was fused to the wall.
“Who
daresss disssssturb me in my sssslumber?” the titan boomed.
Bug-a-boo
gave a curt bow and introduced himself and the others. The titan hurled the snake creature across
the room and leaned as best he could to take a closer look at the others. In the meantime, Ed and Zach were able to
gather enough strength to stand.
“I
apologissse for the reaction of Temor.”
Manoo hissed. “He issss my guard
and ssssent to prevent anyone from breaking my soul.”
Manoo
pointed to the rune and blood covered alter.
“So that is
how Horcus has kept you trapped.” Ed commented.
“The story
of my sssssealing has been wrapped in a lie of rebellion on myssself and my
worssssshipersssss.” Manoo explained and
told his long tale, seeming not to hiss as he spoke this time.
“Long ago,
before time eternal, the first gods Void and Naught fashioned the universe by
taming dragons and locking them in spheres.
Unsure of what to do with these creations the two fought and Void slayed
Naught. Horrified by his sin, Void went
into a long sleep that will only end when time is over. He will destroy all
creation to revive Naught.
“From
Naught’s blood came the oceans; his flesh became sand and soil, Naught’s hair became
all flora; his teeth the twenty-four gods of the Zeltic lore; and his bones all
the creatures of creation. Among the
bones came the first masters of the world, the titans. The titans believed the world was their birthright
and enslaved all creation for their bidding.
For 40,000 years, titans ruled like gods and worshiped the twenty-four
gods as thanks for this right, holding Horcus as the highest of them all.
“Eventually
humanity and the Fae became tired of their gigantic overlords and
rebelled. Among this rebellious group
was a cult who sacrificed all that were slayed as tribute so that they may
defeat the titans. Horcus became enraged
and wanted to destroy this cult, he intended to wake Void and bring about the
destruction of the universe so that he would win, even if it meant becoming a
tooth. I objected and helped the cult,
now called Manookoo, and attacked Horcus.
“In the
long fight, Horcus cursed me and my followers to this rock. Now I must spend my days feeding on the flesh
of innocent who are made to appear as sinners of unknown crimes. What I would give for this fate to be
over! Alas, I am forced to stay and rot
in this tomb.”
“There may
be away.” Bug-a-boo replied and explained about the sealing of Manoo’s soul to
the rock.
“The only
thing I know that has the seal of my father would be on the alter,” said the
titan and proceeded to reach with a mighty fist to destroy it. As the fist became close, a flash of white
light and the fist flew back.
“Of
course.” Ed mumbled weakly. “The seal can’t
be broken that easily. Horcus probably
knew that would happen eventually.”
Everyone
examined the alter. In raised letters
and covered in blood on top of the alter was a large rune in the middle of an icositetragon
made up of a series of intricate runes.
“‘Only my
breath can break this curse.’” Ed read from the runes.
“I doubt
Horcus would want us to shout ‘be gone’ or something like that.” Zach added.
Little Dill
jumped on top of the alter and began to blow on it, taking deep heaving breaths
and blowing as hard as he could.
“It’s no
use.” Bug-a-boo said as he picked up the small toy and placed him on the floor. “This is far more complicated.”
Little Dill
was having none of it. He jumped up and down trying to get everyone’s attention
for another idea but was ordered by Bug-a-boo to stand a side and wait. Annoyed, Little Dill ran up to Jolly Roger
and began to whisper something into the seagull’s ear. Roger nodded, Little Dill jumped on Roger’s
back, and the two flew off to where some of the broken torches were burning. The seagull gripped the piece of wood that
was burning on one end and carried it the best he could to the alter.
“Tries
this!” Little Dill cried.
“It’s worth
a try.” Jolly Roger argued. “At worse
nothing happens.”
Bug-a-boo
let out a hard sigh and reluctantly agreed.
Jolly Roger
dropped the burning wood on the alter.
The flame burned for a short while until the flames died out and wood
became only red embers and black ash. In
seconds the blood converted surface began to burn; smouldering at first and soon
yellow and blue flames began to lick the air and spread across the alter until
the flames burst into a mighty combustion that put out the rest of the torches.
When the
smoke and drama had died, the only light that was in the space was the glowing
orb. The orb slowly floated down to
Bug-a-boo. The alter was only rubble and
the torches now just poles of wood with chard tips. Manoo crawled forward, everyone could see
that his skin was free of scales and the walls of the rock.
“Thank
you.” the titan said. “It has been a long time since I could
breathe air freely and feel the sun upon me. I shall not take this gift you have given me for granted.”
“You’ll
have a very different world to see once you leave here,” called Bug-a-boo from
below.
“That is
something I look forward to.” Manoo replied.
Suddenly,
from the far end of the cavern there came a sudden gust of fresh air and light
from outside as two large stones slid away.
Beyond everyone could see blue sky and ocean with not a speck of purple
fog to be seen across the horizon.
“It’s
beautiful.” Manoo muttered as a tear rolled from his great eyes.
Everyone
agreed.
Manoo crawled toward the opening. He didn't flinch away from the light; the great titan only closed his eyes and let the warm sunlight wax across his pale skin and the cool sea air blow through this mane of hair.
There came
a rumbling; the ceiling began to quake and slide down. Manoo quickly braced himself against the
ceiling and pushed against it with all his might.
“I should
have expected my father wouldn’t want me to leave here.” Manoo commented.
Everyone
looked up at the titan.
“Go!” Manoo
ordered. “My time was over eons ago!”
Ed, Zach,
Travis, Alice, Bug-a-boo, Little Dill, and Jolly Roger ran for the
opening. Pulling up to the opening was
the eagles and the boat-sled – now more boat than sled! Everyone ran, water from the opening slowly
flooding the room and reaching their knees as they reached the boat.
There came
a cry of pain from inside Spyrus, followed by a force of air escaping from the
opening. The eagles tried to move fast
but the ropes snapped, sending the boat one-way and the eagles another.
Everyone
was able to steady the boat. The boat
drifted for a fair distance before seeming to stop. The party watched as the great rock Spyrus
sank into the ocean, leaving white capped waves in its wake.
“So falls a
once great mighty god.” Ed said in awe.
“There are
no gods, Ed.” Bug-a-boo added. “Just
powerful beings who buy into their powers.
Horcus thought he was able to keep humanity under the thumb of the
titans and in the end, he and his kind are now but myths of the past while
Manoo remains trapped in Spyrus.”
“No.” Zach
said calmly. “I think he’s finally free.”
No more was
said as just then there came the sound of a faint whistle. Everyone looked back to see the Pedigree charging along the sapphire
waters with black smoke billowing from her funnels and white foam slashing away
from the bow.
