Blood Moon, page 34
part #1 of The Wizard's Journal Series
Alura finished placing grenade belts around the cavern with wolfsbane to hide any scent of gun powder. Once done, she came over to inspect my plastic pentagram.
“Ready to lift this work of art above the throne,” she asked.
“Yup, let’s get it done.”
Alura tied the end of a wire spool to the center of the pentagram and we held it up over the throne. The neat thing about PVC pipe is that it doesn’t weigh much and is easy to balance. With one hand holding the pentagram and the other a crossbow, Alura shot a dart dead center into the cavern ceiling over Ah Chuy Kak’s throne.
“Not bad, and with your first shot.” I said.
Alura grinned. “As always brother,” she said. “It looks like the dart set well and will hold your pentagram.”
After hoisting the pentagram up 30 feet to hide it among the dripstone formations, I took a white magic coin from my wizard bag and snapped it in half. The two halves sparkled and turned into powder in my palm. I then raised my hand and blew the powder up toward the pentagram and said, “Ecasenah,” causing the PVC pipe to fade and disappear. Bees wax aerosol spray made a perfect second pentagram around the throne. Once the bees wax dried, it too could not be seen.
“Okay, the trap is set. Now we cross our fingers, wait until the party begins, and hope everything goes according to plan.”
Thyzil finished hiding weapons and wolfsbane in various nooks and crannies of the cavern and then joined Alura and me at the rope ladder. I noticed our footprints were everywhere on the dirt floor – a small detail left out of our battle plans – so I summoned Kyiel and asked if he had any idea how to make the footprints disappear.
“This is a simple spell Azul that requires no magic coin,” Kyiel said. “All you need to do is call up your internal magic, speak the work windstar, and what you wish erased will be made so. First, find a spot where you will not make more footprints.”
Sound simple enough. I found an out of the way spot near the hole leading to the cave below. We stacked the emptied weapon cases next to large rocks and I cast another clamor spell making them invisible. We could see from behind them, but the other side looked like rocks and blended in with the cavern wall. I then pointed my staff toward the cavern floor and said, “Windstar,” creating a light breeze that turned into a gust and swirled the dirt around on the cavern floor. When the wind subsided, our footprints were gone and the wolf footprints remained.
“Okay guys, nothing left to do now but wait for the fun to begin,” I said. “Make yourself comfortable and get some rest. It’s going to be a long night.”
“Should I take my leave Azul?” Kyiel asked.
“You might as well hang around and keep an eye on things. Let us know if anything unnatural moves.”
“About Kyiel ... exactly what is his role in all this?” Alura asked.
I sat down leaning my back against the wall and tilted my hat over my eyes.
“It’s a surprise. Don’t do anything until after Kyiel finishes his magic show.”
It didn’t take long, maybe a couple of hours, when Kyiel appeared as instructed and announced he detected movement in the tunnel behind the throne. A few minutes later, several men wheeled a wagon into the center of the cavern. I wiped the ointment off from under my nose and smelt wolf. They were lycanthropes, not men.
The wagon had portable flood lamps attached to telescopic stands. Large batteries were taken off the wagon and placed at each corner of the cavern. The flood lamps came off next and the first one was hooked up to a battery only a few feet away from our weapon cases. I held my breath while one lycanthrope lifted his head up and sniffed. Could he smell us? Wolfsbane was all around where we were hiding to hide our scent. The fur ball made a quick inspection turning his head back and forth, then went about his business placing flood lamps at other areas.
Wolfsbane … don’t leave home without it … at least not on a full moon.
Several minutes later, a bunch of well dressed lycanthropes entered and took seats on the benches carved into the cavern walls. Things were taking on a real carnival atmosphere, missing only vendors selling balloons, soft drinks, and cotton candy.
Two large lycanthropes dressed in tradition Mayan garb placed drums on each side of the throne and began banging a beat. Then there was a sight I did not expect, not in the twenty-first century. Two fur balls walked out into the center of the cavern floor, faced each other, and turned into their natural ugly selves. They were large, seven or eight feet tall, and growled loud enough to nearly drown out the sound of the beating drums.
So, this is a lycanthrope’s version of a night out on the town. Their own members only fur ball fight club.
The two lycanthropes circled each other with their long black claws scratching at the air. Snarls and teeth gnashed as they drew closer to each other and began landing bloody blows. Some of the seated fur balls began changing and howled while the light of the full moon shined down through a ceiling hole at the top of the cavern. I’ll say one thing for the smelly wolfs. They can take a beating and keep on fighting like there was no tomorrow.
The two drummers began to slow down their beat and then stopped. Another fur ball came out from behind the throne, also dressed in traditional Mayan garb, and blew an ear piercing note from a long horn. The two fighting lycanthropes backed off from each other and limped slowly away.
Another wagon that looked like it belonged to a circus was rolled in. This wagon had bars on it, like a jail, and three people were inside. They were showing signs of transforming into wolves and it reminded me of the old lady in the cabin at Moon’s arena. Still human enough to recognize what was happening, they kept screaming in terror, which excited the fur ball audience.
Three lycanthropes pulled the infected prisoners out and placed their heads and arms into the stocks, like those used at the Salem Witch trials. All three prisoners were young and one was a women. The lycanthropes then walked over and stood next to their cheering audience.
Another horn sounded, this time three blasts in succession, and everything went completely silent. A gust of wind rushed from the tunnel behind the throne and a large eagle flew in circling the cavern several times to loud cheers and howls. The eagle swooped down in front of the three prisoners and changed into Ah Chuy Kak.
The grand fur ball stretched his slimy body into the air with arms raised high. Then he made a nightmarish scream that silenced all his cheering groupies. Strands of misty light began to leave the prisoners and enter Ah Chuy Kak’s mouth. He was sucking what was left of their life out of them. In a few seconds, the prisoner bodies shrank and shriveled up. Their eyes and mouths remained wide open showing the horror they had experienced, just like those at Sunset Park and in the cave below.
There was nothing we could do. They were still part human and Zeshtune law prohibited harming humans, even for mercy killings. Any harm against a human, even if only part human, carries serious consequences. The Zeshtune elders would not accept an emotional defense. I grimaced and Alura looked furious with tears running down her face. Thyzil gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the large claymore hilt he carried.
Ah Chuy Kak changed back into an eagle and flew to his throne where he transformed back to his hideous self. His audience howled and cheered as one well dressed fur ball approached the center and faced him. It was Senator Kendrisol, and this time he was campaigning to be named alpha. He spoke to his master in ancient Mayan.
“Great one, your children are here to honor you once again in celebration of the new moon. We ask that you name a alpha this night to bring order once again to the packs who serve your pleasure. Lupzarro and Moon are no more and I am next in line to be your first servant, should you find me worthy to receive such an honor.”
Politicians … I’m not sure what’s worse, the fur balls or our elected officials.
While Kendrisol continued his sucking up routine, I focused on building up my internal magic to cast the impenetrable barrier around Ah Chuy Kak’s throne. Magic surged inside me and it required all my effort to hold it back. While still invisible, I opened my eyes, raised my staff pointing it at Ah Chuy Kak, and shouted, “Cellvarim.”
The spell worked. Blue-white light rushed from the pentagram around the throne up to the one hanging above and trapped Ah Chuy Kak inside. The fur ball jumped off his throne and slammed into the barrier which made a loud crack sound while pushing him back. He tried again and again, and each time was pushed back by the barrier. Ah Chuy Kak then stood still looking around his magical prison and let out a terrifying scream.
Kyiel appeared in front of the lycanthrope audience who had now all changed into their natural selves, including Senator Kendrisol. Kyiel held out his hands and palms up with fire blazing out ten feet high, which stopped Kendrisol from advancing toward him. Then, five Alura and five Thyzil holograms appeared at different areas of the cavern, each with swords drawn and swooshing in the air as they stared down the snarling lycanthropes.
The real Alura smiled. “Nice diversion brother.”
Thyzil also smiled and said, “I look good out there, yes? Five Thyzils better than one.”
I had built up more internal magic and was ready to cast a silver dust spell. I raised my staff and shouted, “Clotasia soot,” causing a stream of white-silver light to disperse from where we hid the silver bars and race up the walls to the ceiling, as well as cover the dirt floor. Silver strands of light also stretched out into the air across the cavern.
Ah Chuy Kak pointed at the hologram warriors and screamed, “Kill them.”
The lycanthropes started chasing ten holograms that continued somersaulting and dodging in all directions. A few lycanthropes crossed paths with the silver streaks of light and were cut into halves that burst into fiery ash. Once the fur balls cornered the fake Aluras and Thyzils, they attempted to tackled them, but to their surprise went right through the holograms and tumbled across the dirt floor. All the fur balls were stunned and went silent.
“It’s the wizard. He is here. Find him, kill him,” Ah Chuy Kak shouted.
It’s too late you slimy freak. I shouted the word, “Ecasenah,” which created a vacuum and expansion of air that pushed silver dust all over the floor, walls, ceilings, and of course, the angry fur balls. The dust stopped them in their tracks while they howled, coughed, and rubbed their eyes. Some fell to the ground gasping for air
Three loud explosions went off and I saw the hole in the cavern ceiling sealed off with a titanium net. Lieutenant Mack also sealed off the other two access points. No way out now. Kill or be killed.
I looked at Alura and Thyzil and grinned. “Your turn,” I said.
The silver dust made the fur balls perfect targets for the real Alura and Thyzil who sprang into action. Alura ran forward jumping from the top of a rock and somersaulting into to several rolls. She bounced off one lycanthrope to the next all the while slicing them with her two silver swords. By the time she landed on the ground, more than 10 fur ball were burning piles of ash.
Thyzil ran into the battle with a Gatling gun in each hand shooting bullets filled with liquid silver into anything with long teeth and furry faces. Lycanthropes dropped to the cavern floor howling in pain as they also burned into piles of red hot ashes.
Not to be left out of all the fun, I ran into the battle swirling my staff shouting, “Raza zitum,” sending blue-white saw discs out like Frisbees with razors. One fur ball jumped in front of me as I ran toward Ah Chuy Kak. My reflexes caused me to point my staff forward which struck the fur ball turning it into flames. Another two came from each side as I turned in a circle repeating the words raza zitum, sending out more magic discs – they were like hot knifes cutting through fur ball butter. The discs entered and exited them repeatedly until they fell to the ground in flames.
Ah Chuy Kak kept screaming, “Kill them, kill them, kill them,” while banging on the barrier with his fist. I looked up and pointed my staff at him.
“Be patient ugly, I’m coming for you next,” I said, causing Ah Chuy Kak to pause and stare me down, to which I grinned and nodded. “That’s right, your time on Earth is up, and this time there’s no escape.”
Ah Chuy Kak continued staring showing pure hatred and contempt. “Kill them, kill them, kill them,“ he shouted again as he banged his fist against the barrier. The great Mayan overlord was acting like a toddler having a tantrum – not so tough now.
Alura jumped up in the air and spun like a deadly top as her swords glowed blue-white and swooshed through the air. At least eight fur bars were taken down before she landed and rolled picking up two grenade belts that were covered under dirt. She swung the belt around her head and released them pulling the pins free. When the grenades exploded, several nearby fur balls lost their heads – I mean they literally lost their heads. Their bodies fell to the ground and burned while other fur balls lost arms and legs that also burned into ashes.
Chapter 31
Thyzil used up all his Gatling gun magazines and was now shooting a shotgun in one hand and swinging his claymore in the other as only he could. Lycanthrope heads, arms, hands, and even legs flew into the air in all directions creating trails of smoke and fire.
“Want to play doggies? Come, we play more,” he said and roared in laughter.
You would think after seeing a few dozen lycanthropes get chopped into fiery body parts, the fur balls might back away from Thyzil. I guess they are less intelligent when in their furry state because more rushed Thyzil and their body parts also were sent burning through the air.
Alura threw more grenade belts that pierced lycanthropes with precise explosions. A fragment from the grenade hit my hand and it burned like hell, but didn’t pierce my skin. Alura’s daggers were flying in all directions hitting fur ball after fur ball, mostly dead center in their heads. When the daggers were gone, she pulled out both Desert Eagles and began shooting with her usually accuracy while running, jumping, and somersaulting.
I finally got closer to Ah Chuy Kak while some of his groupie fur balls were trying to free him from my trap. They were clawing at the barrier in a ferocious but futile attempt while their Mayan overlord continued banging his body into the barrier with greater velocity. Ah Chuy Kak kept screaming, “Kill them … kill ... kill … them …” He sounded desperate now and realized he might not escape this time.
The fur balls tying to free Ah Chuy Kak saw me coming and faced to battle me. I didn’t get a chance to accommodate them because Alura and Thyzil ran past me and cut their heads off.
Ah Chuy Kak stood still glaring at us with his eyes wide open, no longer showing arrogant confidence. Instead, the mighty fur ball had fear in his eyes. For millenniums the Darkzon overlord walked this world infecting and murdering innocent humans without answering to anyone. He had escaped me 25,000 years ago in the Mayan city of Tenochtitlan, and according to Yochi, it wasn’t the first time. It was different now. The fur ball was trapped like a wild animal and he knew it.
I looked over to Thyzil and saw blood running down his arm. It didn’t seem to bother him in the least.
“What happened to you?”
Thyzil looked at his arm. “This … it is nothing. Doggy bit me.”
“You’re not going to grow pointy ears are you?’
Alura laughed. “Azul, you know that Zeshtunians can’t be turned. We are immune to a lycanthrope bite.”
Thyzil rubbed his ears. “Pointy ears maybe good look on me, yes?”
“No, it would not look good Thyzil, not at all,” Alura said, laughing and shaking her head in disagreement.
“Perhaps you are right princess. I am plenty good looking now,” he said and winked at me, causing Alura to smirk and stick her tongue out at him.
I turned my attention back to Ah Chuy Kak and looked at the top pentagram, which surpassingly was undamaged. If I penetrate the barrier with my staff, it will disappear and Ah Chuy Kak would likely escape. I had to make his prison more compact, but knew of no magic word or spell that could help me.
I raised my staff up pointing it to the top pentagram, closed my eyes, and focused on lowering it. A light began to take shape in my mind and words of many tongues rushed by until one word stood alone. I opened my eyes and said, “Levitsum,” causing the wire holding the top pentagram to snap. I then moved my staff slowly down and the pentagram followed as Ah Chuy Kak watched in fear. The ceiling of his prison was closing in as he feverously slammed against the barrier and watched the pentagram get closer. A few moments later, Ah Chuy Kak curled into a ball as the barrier encased him completely leaving no room to move.
“You can not kill me wizard. If my body is destroyed, I’ll take another,” Ah Chuy Kak said. “You can not kill me,” he repeated with hatred, and in a sign of renewed confidence, he growled.
I pointed my staff a few inches from the barrier that was covering the wizard star on Ah Chuy Kak’s forehead. The star began to glow white hot and Ah Chuy Kak screamed in pain, once again appearing vulnerable.
“I’m not going to kill you Ah Chuy Kak. I’m going to send you back to oblivion,” I said and pushed my staff forward toward the wizard star.
A loud clap of thunder unexpectedly sounded when my staff touched the barrier. The next thing I knew, I was lying on my back 30 feet away looking up at the cavern ceiling. I was barely conscience. When I lifted my head up, I saw Ah Chuy Kak stretching his arms and head as he howled, and then he glared at me.
“See wizard, I told you so. You can not kill me, but I can kill you,” he said, forming a grin so wide it nearly engulfed his twisted face.
What the heck just happened? I felt like I stuck a screw driver into an electrical socket. The bigger shock though was that fur ball somehow freed himself from my trap and zapped me across the cavern floor.
Ah Chuy Kak pulled the necklace off his neck and tossed it to the floor. The center stone of the necklace, which moments ago was an amber color, was now blackened and shot sparks and small trails of smoke into the air.
