Whiteout II: 2 (Blood Sacrifice)

Forgot to post over the weekend, sorry about that, but Whiteout soldiers on! Just hit 23,000 words today. As always I appreciate feedback and will incorporate it when I get time to edit this down in December! Also remember, Death Co will resume on December 1st! Or earlier, if I finish this sooner. 

Thanks for reading,

Mac

2. Blood Sacrifice

     The chamber we were led into was even more frightening than the last, which was a feat, considering the floor had been littered with human remains. Strong men had come and grabbed me behind the arms, effectively cutting off my conversation with the ‘guardian’. We were drug through an offshoot in between pots of fire. Through the passage was a smaller, dimly lit room. It was perfectly square with stone figurines carved right into the four corners. They were different than the other room. These figures were humanoid.

     They were faceless and muscular. They were carved so that it appeared they were holding the room’s ceiling up. The ceiling they held was a mosaic with a large white yeti at the center, depicted as feasting on the flesh of lesser beings. It could have been a quite beautiful piece if I hadn’t been so convinced that I was about to be sacrificed to it. Directly below the mosaic was a stone table approximately ten feet in length, with mean-looking spikes on the edges. The floor around it was etched with lines, presumably to catch the sacrifice’s blood.

     “Now would be a pretty hot time for that plan of yours.” Muttered James. Ever sarcastic in the face of danger, a quality which I also possess. I can’t say that it’s one of my better aspects.

     Wish I had a plan to enact right now. The situation was desperate, I will not lie. Our weapons were in a room far away, and the guardian had spent far less time monologueing than anticipated. It would be our luck to catch him on a busy day. He didn’t even tell us why we have to die. Rude. The room itself wasa also far too austere to present any sort of escape route. There didn’t appear to be any passages other than the one we had come through, and the men holding us were far too strong for a fight.

     The only thing left to do was think, and hope that I got killed last, so that just maybe I could outlast Manchester. It was a petty goal, but it gave me a little hope in an otherwise futile situation. We were pushed to our knees in front of the table while a man dressed in what looked like war armor followed our captors out of the tunnel. Wooden and metal carvings mixed together seamlessly in his garb.

     The headdress covered most of his face, but left a hole where his unpleasant grin could still be seen. Just like that of the guardian it had long teeth hanging down from the top, representing the maw of the yeti. The bottom was thick steel armor plates that shifted together as he walked, held together by thin wooden strips that managed to bend without breaking. And our executioner is impenetrable. Can’t we catch a break? We always seem to in other places.

     Most of the cults that had held me captive had not been half as thorough. Their plans had holes in them, but this was no ordinary cult. By virtue of being ancient they had time to practice their techniques, honing them, learning from their mistakes. I was just below the cusp of innovation needed to figure a way out of their trap. It was maddeningly frustrating, but at the time I thought I was going to die, so it didn’t matter all that much.

     A prickle went up and down my spine as the man in the mask began to chant deeply. The small room left little room for any other sound. Occasionally James would whimper, but his captor put a stop to it very quickly. We all sat in silence as the executioner moved around the table in meticulous circles, brushing his hands over the surface and muttering incantations. The anticipation of death was killing me, and I wasn’t going to stand for it much longer.

     “Get on with it then! I haven’t got all night here!” The guard behind kicked me, but the pain didn’t make it past my mortal fear. Adrenaline was my one master in that moment, and I thought that I could get out. If there was a way I was going to find it. First thing was going to be to piss off the executioner. “A couple more kicks like that and your pal there will be out of a job.” I said jerking my head toward the masked man by the table. Which of course received another stronger kick to my ribs, sending me doubled over to the ground. Not wanting to lose my spark I fought back to my knees just in time to see the executioner walking towards me.

     From a sheath on his back he pulled a sword that nearly ran the length of his entire body. Its edge was jagged, coming to several points before running down to a smooth blade. It was a weapon meant for pain. This isn’t going to be as quick as I thought… Well, you’ve got his attention, what was the next part of the plan again? He brought the blade to my neck. Oh that’s right, die. That was the next part. He cuts my throat and I just die here. Well done.

     “You die last.”

     Hallelujah!

     “You will watch your friends suffer, until in the end you beg me for release, and then, you die slow.” His voice was the same broken accent as the others, but much deeper.

     Well, sort of according to plan. The man walked over and grabbed Lopsang from his captor, moving him toward the table. Lopsang was tied down and positioned so that his neck fell just off the edge of the slab. Throughout the ordeal he never said a word, never betrayed a sense of fear, and never said a word. The executioner held the blade over Lopsang’s chest in a stabbing posture.

     “Any last words?”

     “You will regret this.”

     Damn. Why couldn’t I have been that cool and composed?! In a matter of seconds Lopsang had managed to die with more grace than anyone I have ever known, and at the moment, I hated him for it. Bastard thinks he’s so cool. We’ll see who’s cool when they’ve got that blade sticking out of their abdomen. I’m not proud of my jealous and irrational side, but you wanted the whole truth so there it is.

     “I don’t think so.”

     Spoken like a true henchman. Lopsang remained calm, and I started to believe that he had a plan. Come on man, don’t pull this Obi Wan bullshit, do something. You’ve got something right?! The blade came down swift and went through Lopsang like butter. There was a thunk as it hit the stone behind him and blood began to fill the slab. Oh dear God no.

     “My turn.” Whispered Lopsang, dribbling blood from his mouth. The room flashed green and red. Smoke replaced the table and powder filled my eyes. There were quick motions and what sounded like the cries of a wounded animal. The flashes of light continued and I could hear movement around the room. There was the clash of steel as weapons collided. A spark flew off right next to my face and my ears rung with the sound of combat.

The next few seconds dragged on and felt like chaos in that tiny room. The pressure behind my hands was gone and I realized that I had been freed. After a few seconds the powder began to settle and Lopsang sat unscathed upon the table, brushing the colored powder from his skin. “What the fuck?” Was all I could muster. James sat dumbfounded next to me, unable to even make a sarcastic comment.

“It’s a rather long story. Why don’t I tell you once we’re out of here.”

“Fine by me. After you, powder god thingy.” We started to move out of the room but James remained on the floor, sitting silently with his mouth open. “Oh come on James, not the first time you’ve seen a little magic, let’s get moving!” James continued to sit still, frozen.

“I almost died…”

Oh shit. Here comes the redefining moment where caution becomes paramount after a near death experience. “You didn’t come as close as he did! I mean, he got stabbed for Christ’s sake. How is that by the way?” Lopsang lifted his shirt to show no damage whatsoever. “Well that’s a neat trick; you’ll have to show me that sometime. Come on James get off the floor!”

     “They almost killed me!”

“Well it won’t be almost if you just sit there with your mouth hanging open like a trout!” I shivered at the thought. Trout are one of the vilest creatures that inhabit this planet. James stood up and began to follow us, dazed, but steady enough to walk. “Which way buddy?” I said to Lopsang, assuming that he had become the plan-maker. It’s kind of hard to resent a god who saves your life.

Lopsang ran out the one door and we followed in step. The whole temple had a different feel to it when I was unbound. The architecture was masterful and one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen, and then the bullets began to ring. Why can’t these guys just stick to arrows. I had hoped for a sacred rule of sorts that prohibited modern weapons in the temple, but the shattering brick beside my face proposed otherwise. The bullets came close but hit everywhere around us. To this day I’m not sure if it was Lopsang re-directing them, or just sheer, dumb luck. Either way I was grateful not to have another hole in my body. The arrow wound from the market began to throb as we ran and the adrenaline wore thin.

“Hey, can you do something about this pal?” I motioned at my arm to Lopsang. He didn’t even turn around, he just kept running. We passed myriads of passageways and warriors, but no matter what we went the right direction and the guns never touched us. It wasn’t until we got back to the entrance that things got a little dicey. We skidded around a corner and into the open space that was the entryway to the temple. In front of the one door stood a veritable army of men with guns and The Guardian himself.

“Well it looks like you’ve managed to extend our talk just a little longer Dr. Ventner.”

“Actually I didn’t do—“

“Modesty does not become you Dr. Ventner. I am afraid that once again we have reached the end of the line for you. You’re not getting past my soldiers, and I don’t see any reason why I should let you live. So I must bid you farewell and adieu my little friend…”

     Sure, now he starts monologuing. The wall of soldiers was menacing, that was for a minute or two.

     “Any last words?”

     They always do that… Lopsang did not answer this time. Instead there was another brief flash of powder and all of the soldiers were on the ground in various states of dismemberment. Now that’s a blood sacrifice. Lopsang picked up one of their rifles and walked calmly over to The Guardian.

     “Impossible. We are the guardians of…” he never finished the sentence. Lopsang shot him in the head and let the body drop.

     “Sorry, I’m not one for long speeches. Come on, hurry!” Lopsang ran to an offshoot of the entrance where our gear had been held. Lopsang threw us the bags and a couple of the soldier’s rifles.

     “Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt…” I’ve never been fond of traditional modern weaponry, but sometimes it was necessary. With our bags back in tow we ran out into the cold night air once more, leaving the temple behind us…