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Held
in the hollow of the twisted and gnarled bole of a cedar, the portal to that
part of the universe known as Solar:6 rose into view. A burning circle of
golden fire that was the Veil rumbled. It seethed outward, falling in an
ever-moving ball of flames. Laughing, the pack told Benny in no uncertain
terms what awaited him when they sold him to the Owl.
“Ten
thousand years ago, thy mother’s mothers didst defy the great lord. They did
pen him in that valley with his temple. Then was thy valley flooded and all
his slavlings didst die.”
The
asgina darkened:sun snarled at them
to be silent. They crouched low in the brush. One patted at Benny’s face
with a claw-hand stinking of snakes. He giggled.
“Soon-soon,
‘e shall riseth and rule. Thy body is but a toy. All humanity, thou shalt
lick his feet. Fools, all. Good for not, but food.” The demonic warrior
picked at his teeth. He giggled. “Thy brains. M-m.”
“Be
still, Lizzar.” The asgina shot his warrior a cold look and the warrior
glared in sullen rage at Benny. The moment the asgina
lord’s back was turned, he pinched Benny. Benny yelped and lashed out with
his foot. It caught the demon in the face and Benny felt its flesh tear. The
demon leaped on Benny and raised him up in one claw-hand.
The
ground shuddered and rumbled. The pack dropped Benny to face a double handful
of armed human spirits. The Wolf:Horde wore little beyond war paint and the
scintillating feathers of the Eagle. Trembling in the midst of them Ben Grey
sat a blood sorrel. His son didn’t recognize him. Eyes flashing, horses
reared on unshod, shining black hoofs. On their hides painted symbols of their
bravery seemed almost alive with past victories and future courage.
Warrior:demons cringed.
“Drop
the kid.”
Soft
blond, bloodstained hair floating in a growing wind, the pack’s overlord
shook his head.
“It
belong’th to one’s over-lord.” Baring his teeth, he brought out his
sword. “Let one’s warriors pass, else shalt it be scarred it for all
eternity.”
Wind
groaned through the tops of the trees. Around them light grew strong. A wolf
howled. It was answered in kind by others. Over them birds gathered, an eagle
floated above all. Golden eyes narrowed with disdain, wolves prowled out of
the brush to sit among human spirit:warriors.
The
asgina mocked, “Guardians of the
Forest of the Sun? Verily, how droll. In life thou humans could win not
against us in thine own turf. What maketh thou think thou can control in this,
a land with no true flesh.”
“Me.”
Mounted
on a red-gold medicine-hat stallion marked for war, the Wolf of Heaven shoved
his way through the Guardians of the Forest. He glanced at Ben and the man
gave a short nod.
Anger
seethed with the fierce power of the
Sun. At the sight of him, the demonic overlord blanched. He fought an
overwhelming need to prostrate himself before the Radiant One.
“Is
harming my little brother worth an eternity in the Pit?”
“If-
If we deliver not the boy, then Owl shall take us. My Lord-Wolf.”
Fighting
the pain of love, the asgina shook
himself and bared his teeth. He shifted, just a slight move. Both hands on the
haft, the demon raised a dying, pitted sword over his head.
With
an almost lazy gesture, the Wolf smiled.
“True.
But the Adversary can’t be everywhere at once, can he? And, demon, there are
no cowards in this place. We’ll follow you to the ends of the universes. And
beyond.” The golden eyes of the wolf skin cape flickered open, grew red.
Faint, hoarse, it whispered a sound.
Final
death.
The
sword moved, shivering in the demon’s hands. The end was due and their
punishment just, but no yet . . . Please thee, not yet.
“Thou
shalt grant us safe conduct.”
The
Wolf nodded. “To a place where you can exist. But do no harm. When you get
there, tell the pig herd I said hello.”
While
Ben watched in agony, massive hands snatched up a sullen Benny. The kid yelled
in shock and was slammed back into his body. He never saw the look of sorrow
on his father’s face.
Hiccuping
wildly, his eyes shot open.
The
faint ringing of the phone jarred his nerves. Benny shuddered.
That
had been close. Real close. ‘Bout browned my shorts on that one. Yo.
Playing
cat-&-mouse games with them, he usually he managed to avoid the ani:aka:ki,
Warrior:Guardians of the Sun, before they latched onto him.
Saved.
But it had been by that big ugly Warrior:Guardian, too. The mean looking one
with a face only a Mack truck, or God, could love. Geez-us.
Benny
shuddered all over.
The
phone jangled again. Benny opened his mouth to yell, “Mom,” then
remembered he was alone in the house. And why. Scratchy with age, the
answering service kicked in. Hearing a feminine voice on the other end, Benny
leaped from his bed and cannoned through the open trapdoor bare feet first. He
landed with a feline grace, snatching the receiver from its wall cradle.
Voice
lowered to what he hoped was a manly depth, Benny muttered, “Yo, babe?
Wha’s up?”
The
voice on the other end stiffened his muscles and singed his nerves.
©2002 StoriesByEmail.com
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