I took my last final steps before exiting the tunnel's suffocating atmosphere. A sharp pain in my back became evident as if someone had stuck a needle in between the crevasses of my spine. My lungs felt like they were being gripped in the palms of a demon, causing me to gasp desperately for air. A large swoosh sound erupted from behind me. Startled and nearly out of the air, I turned around just in time to see the tunnel I had just exited from turn into a thin cloud of black smoke prior to vanishing into the air.
Turning back around, I noticed that I was no longer in a never-ending field of an abyss. Instead, I was standing just inches away from a row of hundreds of thousands of dungeons with demonic and spiritually-insane beings encased in them. Bouncing my eyes from dungeon to dungeon, I started to wonder how I will be able to find this warrior in the midst of all these supposedly damned creatures. Anxiously yet utterly nervous, I steadily began to creep my way down the seemingly never-ending row of maniac-filled dungeons. Nearly choking the sorcerer's book with my forearms, I quickly glanced at each prisoner's dungeon, hoping to find the one who holds a medallion.
I was greatly appalled by the kinds of unknown and rare species that had been locked away here for centuries. There was an ogre with werewolf-like features and a serpent with the head of a dinosaur and the legs of a scorpion, gnawing at their own flesh with blood splattered along the walls and the rusty bars of their dungeon gates. A spider the size of a cyclops was aggressively rubbing the bars of its dungeon's gates while simultaneously glaring and hissing at me.
To my right was a massive man-eating cockroach who had the wings of a large bat and the eyes of an angry beetle; wearing a dark faded trench coat and a black fedora hat with its antennas punctured through the sides. A nasty snail the size of a ten-story snot-ball was continuously squirting its gore along the ceiling and walls of its dungeon while a furious looking demon with the head of a mutated jaguar and the tail of an unknown feline, was attempting to destroy its dungeon by burning it down with red fire through its fire-breathing nostrils. Yet every time one of the bars was melted, it somehow replaced itself. It felt like it had been hours yet I've only managed to pass seventy or eighty dungeons in very little time.
In one of the dungeons to my left, my horror-filled eyes caught sight of a ferocious looking beast who was built to the size of an overgrown elephant and had the head of a bore (with impressively large tusks), the body of a tiger and the legs of a dragon. This beast kept its fiery red eyes locked on mine with its teeth and mouth soaked in its own saliva. Again, my eyes grew wide in fear and before I knew it, I began to walk with my head almost touching my shoulder blades. Its growl forged the insides of my stomach into a hefty lump of burning coal. Its white polished dagger-like teeth snapped at me angrily, its greedy eyes hungry in blood lust.
Unexpectedly, my heel bumped into something hard and jagged, causing me to swiftly lean forward with my arms now unfolded in front of me. I twisted my head in the nick of time just to see my entire body shift closer and closer to the ground.
"Aaah!" I whaled as I watched the sorcerer's book fling from my reach.
With a dull thud, my face landed first in the oddly warm sand-covered floor. Moaning, I slowly started to lift my head from the floor, my hair shielding almost all of my face. Racing my eyes to about 4 inches diagonally away from me, the sorcerer's book laid silent beneath a thin layer of sand. I quickly tried to scoot towards the book with my right arm extended outward and my fingers flailing about in desperation. A sudden sharp pain in my right foot caused me to lower down my arm and twist my head to see that my foot was pressing against a large stone rock which had many sharp jagged areas around it.
Maneuvering my foot into a more comfortable position, I continued to scoot upwards until I finally was able to grab the sorcerer's book. Snatching it by the bottom of its spine, I hurriedly waved my hair away from my face with one hand, holding the book in the other, all the while using my thighs and calves to balance myself up from the floor. My eyes flickered and spit across the page like a mad honey bee as they examined an odd looking image. When the sorcerer's book fell, it landed onto a particular set of pages that I had not seen previously.
Both pages were taken up by a mass sketch of an old-looking warrior with a mystical medallion dangling from its neck. On the left side of this warrior appeared to be some sort of staff or spear that looked like it was partially drenched in what I'm assuming to be blood. This mysterious warrior was holding this weapon in its right hand with vicious looking eyes and a small devilish grin. I winced at this while continuing to examine the nearly half-faded sketch. In my peripheral vision was a large bizarrely written phrase just underneath the center of the sketch. Flickering my eyes to the bottom of the sketch, I carefully tried to mouth the words which were written in a strange font:
Bhandramadh Nhalai Jzhaegh Magilichid Dhaganalhat
With my eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, I reread the phrase once more after looking back at the creepy sketch. The language that this phrase is in is Jhameish. This phrase roughly translates to 'the wise one who is the wielder of the Jzhaegh—the prime mover of peace and the destroyer of demons'. I tilted my head in confusion at this. The wielder of the Jzhaegh? What the hell is a Jzhaegh? Dumbfounded, I decided to switch my attention back to the warrior sketch. The sketch displayed the warrior wearing some sort of armor that had various unidentifiable items attached to it.
Behind the warrior was what looked like a pair of swords crossing each other to make an 'x'. Its hair was mostly covered by a thin hood and its teeth resembled a demon's. The warrior was crouching down with its legs spread halfway open to reveal a waistcloth that had an imprint of some sort of symbol or hieroglyphic image. Its feet resembled that of a dragon with large talons. But what I noticed is that this devilish depicted warrior was sitting on something, nonetheless, I could not make out what it was.
"For a being who comes from the womb of a righteous one, you are not quite wise to have ventured here." A deep voice stated.
I quickly turned my head over to where the voice had come from, nearly dropping the sorcerer's book out of sheer terror. With my bangs wiped away from my face, I began to gaze deeply into this creature's blue glowing eyes with a mix of confusion and horror written on my forehead.
"Who...who.....who are you? What are you?" I managed to say, narrowing my eyes.
"You have caressed the pages of that book with your wondering pupils yet you have not made the conclusion as to who I am? Such a pity." The creature grunted.
Again, I just stared at it until my eyes casually dragged themselves towards a dull dust-covered red jewel attached to a gold laced chain. The jewel was surrounded by a thick plate of gold with symbolic calligraphy carved into it. My eyes widened at this as they started to dart back and forth from the strange sketch in the sorcerer's book to the demonic looking creature locked away behind black rusty bars.
"By the Heavens!" I whispered to myself, covering my mouth with my right hand.
The creature just gave me a freakishly looking grin. "And now a spark has flung from the stones, causing a great deal of flames." The warrior commented.
"You're.....you're....you're-" I began.
"Indeed, it is I, in the flesh." The warrior finished with a grin.
"What are you doing here? Why are you here? Who put you here? Did you deserve to be here? Are you able to get out? What happens if you do get out? Will they put you back in here? And what is this place? Why are there so many ugly beings trapped in here? Who are they? Where did they-" Again, I was cut off.
"Mark my words young lady: conjure another question again and your tongue will be fed to the mutant rats!" The warrior growled.
Silent I had become. With the sorcerer's book closed and tucked away underneath my right armpit, I had already run towards the warrior's dungeon, kneeling down on both knees with my hands clenching the charcoal covered bars. My eyes were pinned strictly on the warrior, examining him from head to toe. Indeed, there were a few features that were absent from this warrior; like the demonic teeth and the 'x' crossing swords.
"Do not mind these ruthless insects that parade in their filth or the reason for their imprisonment. Do not mind as to who is at fault for my condemnation or why my spirit has been thrown into the Nether Realm." The warrior commenced.
"But, if you must know, my spirit has had its final days in this wretched realm. The angel's horn will sound and when the last note has been played, Hell will become Earth Realm's returning foe. I should warn that a clear soul such as yours should not be wasted in the midst of lethal combat. Though I am fairly certain that it will." The warrior pointed out.
"And what exactly are you trying to say?" I questioned him, slightly offended.
"Do not be so naive, young one. Time is ticking and you only have but a short breath before death comes to snatch the life of all who are deemed eternal damnation. Nevertheless, the star does not fall far from the Heavens. Whosoever defeats all including the archangel Nolann in combat, will lift this devil curse, but for only a short time. He has a way of twisting the heart until it turns into a cold stone-hard lump of coal. But the one who holds power and is faithful to their oath will remain unseen due to His righteous hand." The warrior explained, using hand motions in order to paint a picture of clarification.
"Indeed I have heard of this combat but I do not know the consequences of engaging in it. Nevertheless, this war is not one I am concerned about. There is a bigger threat this day and it lies within the roots of my family. He who has the eye of a djinn is suspected to have caused a deformity within my genes. But what I am afraid of is that this deformity sits before my very eyes, contemplating a strategy of ultimate annihilation. My quest is to find a deity-made item with a centered jewel and use it sanitize my family and ancestors. But a certain bird has told me that the one held here is the key to revealing this item from the depths of the Earth." I shared, nervously rubbing the bars with my sweaty fingers.
The warrior had an odd look on his face, almost as if he was thinking. His blue glowing eyes were narrowed into what I assumed was concern. After a few moments, he spoke.
"You speak of an item that can only be retrieved by my means however this item you speak of is just as powerful as the medallion on my chest." The warrior concluded.
"Do you know of this item?" I questioned him.
"The Amulet of Jhaesu is an item that shall not be reckoned with. Many purposes for its use has been forged and sealed by a single divine drop of blood. Such power must be handled with wisely unless a downfall emerges from the abyss and into the soil beneath." Answered the warrior.
"What power does this amulet hold. Such an item that you have described must only be accessed by someone who has the strength of a bull, yes? I inquired curiously.
"You're quite intrigued by this...amulet. Tell me: why exactly do you need my assistance finding the location of this beloved jewel? You speak of a prince who has, as you claim, tainted the bloodline of your family yet you have not faced the enemy itself with a blazing sword and the flesh of a lion. You must be aware that such an item is not easily attainable. A jewel with as much force as this medallion will surely own the user who does not have the heart of a wolf." Explained the warrior.
"Indeed I understand but-" I began.
"Do you? A father raises his cubs to achieve maximum wisdom and knowledge. Such failed attempts usually lead to a bitter cold soul, much like the father of who sends their daughter off into the wild, naked." Hinted the warrior.
My eyebrows narrowed themselves until they resembled a wide 'v' shape along my forehead.
"That...thing is not my father! Such ignorant remarks will have your tongue snatch by a blade! You know not of me nor of my family. I am only here to seek out whom I assume is you who will direct me to the amulet's path! Once you have done that, be on your way!" I shot back at him, raising and lowering my eyes at him in disgust.
The warrior just sat there with a silly grin on his face.
"Your roots are soaked in a clan who shares great wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Your ancestors have gifted you a set of astonishing skills worth cherishing; no doubt they've taught you how to use them." Added the warrior.
"My word, the mouth on this one." I whispered to myself in disbelief.
"I assume you have the key to which will open the gates to this dungeon?" Asked the warrior.
"What are you-" I started, but something heavy dropped from within the closed pages of the sorcerer's book.
With a soft thud, a heavy item landed just a few inches away from the dungeon's gate. Hesitantly, I tilted my head down to see a dull gold key. Bending my tired knees, I desperately reached for the golden key.
Surprisingly, my sweaty dirt covered hands were able to grasp the key and without further hesitation, I put the key inside the gate's keyhole and it swung open. A sudden wave of fear washed over me. I stood there with the sorcerer's book tucked underneath my armpit, my eyes gazing at the warrior's image.
"Come hither young one. Fear not of me. I mean no harm." The warrior promised.
My legs cautiously walked themselves towards the warrior. With my eyes fixed on the strange warrior, I knelt down in front of him and put down the sorcerer's book beside me.
"Are you the one who they call... Kueshango?" I inquired softly.
"Why must you ask?" The warrior asked.
"The book for which I held has an image of a particular item much like the one you are wearing. It states that the one who owns this item is the one who will lead me to the amulet." I answered.
"You have heard of this medallion yet my name you have not specified your knowledge of it." The warrior replied.
"The author of this book has warned me of you. He says that you are the key." I summarized.
"Hmmm. Then I assume you have met that sack of unsalted butter. Do not heed to a single word from him as to he is like a piece of chewed up gum that is lodged between your heel. Care not of him, Rav, for he is the devil in disguise." Kueshango warned me.
I raised my eyebrow at this. "How do you know my name." I questioned him.
"I know all whom I encounter, Princess of Gervasio. Now enough prabble. Unlock these chains from my wrists and ankles at once." Kueshango rudely demanded.
"I am beginning to see why they have held you captive here. Your attitude is as poor as a bag of rotten corn. Surely that is no way to talk to a princess of high royalty. Where are your manners?" I confronted him coldly, crossing my arms against my chest.
The warrior grew angry at this and in response, he swiftly released his right arm from its position and latched his old, dry, beast-like fingers around my necklace-covered neck. A faint gasped slipped through my lips as he proceeded to pull me closer to him. His eyes were wide in fury and his mouth was quivering in disgust. For a split moment, I was sure he was on the verge of strangling the life out of me.
"To hell with your manners! This world has no place for innocent frolicking butterflies and fur-covered bunnies. You are in the Nether Realm for Christ sake! The world from which you were born in has been poisoned with the blood of the one who wears the crown of insanity. But I will speak in as many unpleasant tongues as I wish. The saints fear me now that they know that annihilation against me is fortuitous. If you want manners from me, then you'll have to force it out of me, princess!" Kueshango growled, eyeing me once more before tossing me away like a wrapper.
A large glass of fresh air entered into my lungs, causing me to pant in exhaustion. I had landed on my back with my hands resting on the sandy ground, below my shoulder blades and my knees perched up.
"Release me!" Kueshango roared again, grabbing onto the chains in vexation.
Without further hesitation, I raised my left hand so that a bundle of red mana could surge from my palm. Aiming my hand at the warrior's wrists and ankles, I sat quietly trying to regain my breath as the red mana curled around the warrior's chains prior to crushing them into a pile of mashed pieces of metal. Once this had been done, Kueshango proceeded to rise from his former position while caressing his wrists.
"The tournament begins at the break of dawn. We must find this amulet at once before time beats us to it." Krishna stated, looking at me in pity.
"Right you are. Let us go." I replied nervously as I began to stand up and brush the sand off my dress prior to gathering up the sorcerer's book into my arms.
Once I did this, I turned around to see that Kueshango was already outside the dungeon's gate.
"Wait!" I called out, as I rushed to meet by his side.
As I was getting closer to him, I noticed that he was much taller than I had expected. The image in the sorcerer's book soon became a blur in my mind as I continued to examine this strange warrior.
"You speak of this amulet yet the location to you is unknown?" Kueshango inquired, not bothering to make eye contact.
"Well... yes. The sorcerer has told me that you would guide me to it. He assumed that you knew the location to this item." I protested, looking up at his dark-toned face.
Unfortunately, he did not answer and instead, kept his speedy pace towards a large pair of oddly formed, charcoal-colored gates.
"If you don't mind me asking: how exactly did this sorcerer die? Who was he and why is he trying to help?" I questioned.
Suddenly, Kueshango stopped dead in his tracks and spun around on his heels. His eyes were piercing into mine and his lips were quivering.
"I'd highly advise that you keep your questions in that tiny brain of yours. History will no doubt, repeat itself." The warrior growled through gritted teeth.
Gasping, I stopped my speedy walking and lowered and raised my eyes at him in disagreement and astonishment.
"You have some nerve throwing your spittle at me. I only ask these questions because I am completely oblivious to what may happen in the near future. My lack of historical knowledge between you and this... so-called tournament and the events within it only raises my curiosity. Do not forget who you are talking to, warrior. I am the princess of Gervasio. Due to my parents' efforts to keep me locked away in the palace, I have yet to uncover the affairs written beyond the walls of this empire, let alone knowing the full history behind the cause of this realm's condemnation. So if I were you, I would watch that tone of yours, mister." I ordered before storming off in the direction of the haunting gates.
After a few seconds, I heard a low grunt coming from the warrior, but I ignored it.
"You will correct yourself young one. The wretch will smite any tongue that dares to deform its temple. They are hostile towards beings who dwell in blasphemy." Kueshango stated out loud.
I could suddenly hear his thundering boots chasing after me yet I kept my face steady and continued on to the black hellish gates.
"And by that statement is the reason why I suspect of your own condemnation. You continue to mock the one who is true and refuse to see who the real perpetrator is. With such a lost heart, I am questioning why this sorcerer has led me to you. You are not as wise as you may think." I scoffed.
Abruptly, Kueshango grabbed the upper part of my right arm and yanked me around until his glaring eyes met mine.
"You listen to me you little prick! I have had enough of plague-filled scoundrels such as yourself who dare to mock my deeds! I have spent centuries in this hell hole due to a sin which was proclaimed to be of my doing! I don't know who you think you are but you will not stand here in my presence and defile my name with your wretched tongue! Now if I were you, I would keep that rotten tongue of yours sealed away behind those crusty lips and to make certain that that dust-covered lump of skin you call a body stays no less than seven feet ahead of me!" Kueshango demanded, the veins of his neck nearly poking out.
"You dare to raise the notion of my body being smothered in dust!?" I cried out in fury.
"Yes! You and that loose tooth of yours!" Kueshango shot back.
I gasped in disbelief at this as I covered my gaping mouth.
"You dare to insult to me? A princess? You poisonous hunchback toad! You slithering, ill-minded, half-witted, birdbrained, low-life, can't-keep-a-dictionary, can't-keep-an-oath for nothin' donkey!" I screamed back, nearly standing on the nails of my toes.
At this point, I could practically see the steam rising from the small holes of his large elf-shaped ears. But I can see that he was attempting to lower his blood pressure. Breathing from out his nostrils, he closed his eyes for a few seconds before reopening them in a calm manner.
"It seems as if someone has done their homework. Nonetheless, I'd prefer if you would keep your mouth shut from here on out. You have such a delicate little brain. It would be a shame if someone commits such a grim act towards it." Kueshango commented through gritted teeth, resuming to a stern face after smiling sarcastically.
With those words, the strange warrior walked past me, his shoulder rudely bumping into mine. I turned around and watched as his heavy footsteps seeped with animosity.
"Hey! Patience is a virtue. You will learn how to control your anger and repent for what you have done if you truly want to be released from your condemnation." I called out as I followed him.
Once again, Kueshango spun around on his heels as I was making my approach.
"What do you know of me in order to speak such words!? Have you no clue of the torture I went through in order to get here? Thou shalt be ashamed of thyself for such premature notions." Kueshango announced angrily.
"These "premature" notions are of light, warrior. Though I may not know the details to your suffering, I still, however, have concluded the reasons of why you have been punished to damnation. This suffering and treachery you endure are your own doing." I noted.
"My own doing? What such blasphemy have you conjured? I am one who defends this wretched realm from predators such as your family! Do not toy with me, little one. For if I were not alive, this world you call home would have been the ashes beyond the mountains of Hell." He argued back with a slight snarl.
"On the contrary, your very eyes deceive you and the fog has been cleared from your mind ages ago. I suspect that from the midst of that tiny black heart of yours that you indeed know that it is you who has bound the lands of this realm to the Hell's chamber floors. The past lingers onto you as a mosquito lingers onto its victims. You seek to throw your sins unto others in hopes that your own wrongdoings will help pay for what you deem as their inevitable damnation. You do not care for the lives of-" I began, but the monstrous warrior cut me off.
"ENOUGH!" Kueshango roared, his booming voice echoing down the spider-covered walls of the Nether Realm.
"The sorcerer was indeed right to have warned you of me. Deranged peasants such as yourself would have not lasted a single second in my presence. It befuddles me to see that you, however, have managed to keep your way with me. Yet you dare to make a mockery of me and spit on my name, all the while having the unplaced courage to ask for my aid in finding an item that could potentially lead all of us into a sealed fate of complete and utter annihilation? You are either brave or foolish." Kueshango scolded, his eyes piercing into mine.
"Brave or foolish, I'm still alive." I snapped back, putting one hand on my hip and shifting my neck to the right, raising an eyebrow.
At that moment, a large creaky bang sounded from the right side of me. Simultaneously, we both turned our heads just in time to see the black rusty gates of the Nether Realm noisily shapeshift themselves into a pair of dark brown double doors which were in the process of opening. I watched in utter bewilderment as these double doors completed their metamorphosis and with ease, slid their creaky arms outward to reveal an odd mirror version of the deserts of Gervasio.
"Not for long." Kueshango added before walking off towards the double doors.
Half stunned, I followed his path to the portal with the sorcerer's book still clenched in between my armpit.
I felt an odd wave of energy brush past my skin as I carefully walked through the mirror portal. It almost felt like I was going through an ocean of clear gelatin. With a watery sounding swoosh, the mirror portal snatched itself away from my body and without warning, the double doors slammed themselves shut. I and Kueshango both turned our heads and watched as the double doors disappeared into a thin cloud of dark grey smoke.
"Ohh ho ho goody, more travelers have arrived from the wretched place below! Gosh! I was starting to wonder if there would be anyone left that I could assist!" A loud joyful feminine voiced called out.
Startled, both I and Kueshango snapped our heads to see an average height woman standing no more than five feet away from us, showing off her wide smile and flashing her pearly whites.
She was wearing a very modern version of a red and gold sari (which was quite revealing, if I may add). Her neck was covered in two pairs of gold necklaces with red rubies and diamonds embroidered in them. Her eyes were hazel brown and were masked with black eyeliner. Her lips were painted rose-colored red and were giving off a seductive glossy look. Her ears wore a pair of matching red and gold earrings that had red bird feathers hanging from them and her nose wore a matching nose ring.
Her smooth dark brown hair was partially covered up with a red see-through veil laced with puny gold diamonds. Her nails were painted red and her wrists wore five pairs of red and gold bracelets, her biceps armed with gold thick bands. Her feet wore seductive heels with her toes painted the same color as her fingernails. Her skin was fair and the red and gold sash that went with her sari was waving gracefully at the warm felt breeze.
"And who might you be?" Kueshango questioned as I cautiously walked up beside him, keeping my eye on the strangely dressed woman.
"Why, my name is Eia and I am fully at your service." The woman replied, bowing down.