Chapter 15 - Escaping Aurumaptra

Cato and Marcus were at the last leg of this adventure. They entered the fabled city of Aurumaptra, discovered the secret entrance to the entrapping catacombs, navigated through the trials of cardinal sin, and opened the golden prison cell using a deciphered combination. The last step was to disable the emanating forcefield holding its beautiful prisoner, Chrysos.

Without thought, Cato went to touch the forcefield but was abruptly stopped by Marcus, “How did you make it this far through life without thinking before acting? You see this goddess of potentially infinite power imprisoned and weak from this ancient barrier charged with mythical runes and you think it’s okay to waltz up and touch the fucking thing? Step back young monk and let me teach you something about precaution.”

Marcus pushed Cato back from the immediate area of the forcefield and tossed a fist-sized rock at the illuminated barrier. The stone disintegrated on contact without so much as a flicker in the runic field. Cato gulped a load of saliva at his potential mishap and nodded in acceptance of his ignorance. Marcus began inspecting the barrier with Cato close behind his every step.

The circumference of the barrier was lined with glowing runes different from the ones that kept the golden prison sealed. Again, the shapeshifter took out his journal and began jotting down the runes he saw. One rune leapt out at Marcus the moment he inspected it, a locust. He hailed his curious companion to see the familiar symbol, one that nearly matched the golden locust sigil burned into Cato’s left shoulder.

The duo gave each other a knowing nod, this locust rune was the lock holding Chrysos and Cato was once again the key. Marcus receded from the immediate area of the barrier as the wind shaman knelt to touch the locust rune. With caution, he placed his hand on the glowing glyph. The aquamarine hue that emanated from the barrier intensified as it shifted to a burning white fire that engulfed Cato. His golden locust sigil also ignited, syphoning the energy from the forcefield as it surged through the young monk’s body.

Far past what Cato could handle, his body convulsed from the overwhelming tidal wave of energy entering through the golden sigil. Once the barrier abated, the wind shaman was left sprawled and unconscious, energy arching through different junctions of his body. Marcus went to aid his comrade but stopped short at the appearance of a looming shadow. The shapeshifter lifted his head to inspect the source and laid eyes on the golden goddess standing over Cato’s still surging body.

She was by far the most gorgeous woman Marcus had ever seen. Long shimmering-floss hair that cascaded down her naked, sinuous body danced as it swayed in the still air. Perfect proportions mapped her hourglass figure, as though crafted by an artist. The shapeshifter caught his mouth gaping as he inspected her every inch and forced the open maw shut. Her skin was painted with gold that reflected speckles of light, like a rippling lake bouncing moonlight and stars in every direction.

Chrysos lifted the young monk with telekinetic influence as Marcus called out to the freed prisoner, “Hello there, I am Marcus of Kirill and we have come to set you free. Please tend to my friend if you can–”

A reverberating hum rang through the shapeshifter’s ears, “YOU WILL NOT ADDRESS ME DIRECTLY MORTAL. THIS DOMAIN IS MINE ALONE. I SHALL NOT ENTERTAIN THE CRIES OF INSECTS I STEP UPON.”

Chrysos lifted a finger as Marcus was swept from his feet and flung into the pewtered-stone walls, like a child’s ragdoll tossed aside. Blood spattered across the stone floor as the shapeshifter coughed and heaved on his knees. This was not the goddess of hope and goodness he heard stories of. No, this was a monster they unleashed from rightful containment. The shapeshifter was now certain this adventure was a set-up and they dove headstrong into willingly.

Chrysos turned Cato over to inspect his still pulsing locust sigil, “THEN AGAIN, SOME INSECTS ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD.”

She placed her hand on Cato’s sigil and syphoned the stored energy, effectively removing the excess power debilitating the young monk. The goddess inhaled deeply as the energy replenished her emptied stores. With Cato drained, she dropped him without care and rose to the peak of the room.

Cato remained unconscious, his lifeless body unaware of the events unfolding. Marcus regained his composure from the impact, as he tried to lift himself off the ground. The chamber quaked with ferocity at the release of its prisoner and invisible sigils lining the walls burst with white light.

This alarmed Chrysos as she pointed her finger back to Marcus, “I WILL NOT BE SUBDUED AGAIN! THIS CHAMBER SHALL BE YOUR HELL!”

Marcus slid across the floor to the same place Cato was dropped and Chrysos reignited the stilled runes around them. A neon barrier flickered into place and sealed the duo in its resolute embrace. The runes on the walls abated and grew steady as they dimmed into invisible nothingness.

Without another word, Chrysos gestured toward the ceiling and tore a hole from the crumbling foundation of Aurumaptra. She escaped with only a silver wisp trailing her demonic form, as she soared through the crepuscular skies.

Cato stirred and awoke to Marcus staring at the wall he collided with earlier. The shaman inspected his surroundings with blurred vision as he came to his senses. He suddenly sprang to life when he realized the blue haze clouding his vision was the forcefield surrounding him and his friend.

Panic set in, “What happened? Why are we inside the barrier? Where is Chrysos?”

Marcus solemnly replied without averting his gaze from the bloodstained wall, “She’s no goddess. She’s a monster and we are her latest victims.”

“But that can’t be. She told me–“

“She lied and we fell for it. Stupid fucking bitch. But she hasn’t gotten the best of us yet.”

As Marcus finished his last sentence, the gelatinous plasma ooze he coughed up after colliding with the wall was now taking form. The amalgamation swirled and swayed, gaining in size with every second Marcus bore his will into it.

Cato’s eyes widened with frightful concern, “Marcus, what is that?”

“That’s our ticket out of here.”

The blood-soaked ooze shapeshifted into a crude, naked rendition of Marcus. It stepped with encumbered motion, gaining composure as it grew nearer. Once the doppelganger reached the barrier, it was as dapper as the man contained with Cato.

The replica spoke with genteel esteem, “It seems you two are in a most foul position, would you like assistance?”

Marcus replied with a cool cadence, “Ah yes, that would indeed be desirable.”

“Of course, at your revered service.”

The original Marcus turned to his companion and knelt to his level, “Cato, I know this sounds ludicrous, but I need you to activate your gourd the second dummy Marcus frees us from this cell.”

“But, how’d you do that? And what do you mean, only the locust sigil can undo the barrier?”

“Well, that’s not entirely true. While you were unconscious, I studied the runes that generate the barrier, and it seems that a sacrifice would also suffice. I guess the locust was nothing more than a pass for the creator of this prison to move freely. But this place will start to blow the instant that barrier goes down, so I need you to launch us through that skylight the moment the bubble pops. Do you understand?”

“But–“

“There’s no time for uncertainty, I’ll answer everything the second we’re out of here. Wait for my mark. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

The wind shaman gave an adamant nod and prepared for their escape. The clone Marcus placed his hand on the locust sigil and burst into flames. As he burned, the barrier walls deteriorated and freed the two adventurers. In that moment, the walls once again ignited with white light.

Marcus screamed at the wind monk, “NOW!”

Cato uncorked Gobu’s gourd and sent a typhoon of air rushing under their feet. The tornado that erupted lifted Cato and Marcus through the cavity left by Chrysos, as the room was engulfed in light. The entire city of Aurumaptra began collapsing as the golden pillars fell into the imploding core. As they landed safely on the outskirts of the city, the entire realm began disintegrating. Cato saw the remnants of the doorway leading to this realm fading with every passing second.

The monk sprinted without second thought toward the freedom of the diminishing light. Marcus was close on his tail, pushing the shaman to run faster. They dove through the sunbeam doorway in the nick of time, as the city crumbled into oblivion behind them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A sullen mage grasped at thin air as his two friends vanished in a burst of light. Despite his efforts, Rhemar could not reach his comrades in time before they were spirited away. The mage let out a howl of disappointment as he dropped to his knees.

“Why dammit? Why could I not have been faster? Why am I always fucking things up? Stupid mother of a–“

Before Rhemar could finish his lament, a doorway opened in the spot where Cato and Marcus disappeared. Rhemar launched to his feet in a rush to make the grade and leapt into the sunbeam door. He did not make it through before a diving duo came barreling out, tackling him to the wet ground.

Rhemar moaned with aching pain as Marcus lifted his head to see the reality he left behind. The shapeshifter took Rhemar by the head and kissed him with longing intent. Cato let out a chuckle and rolled off the embraced lovers.

Rhemar pried off the lonesome shapeshifter and got to his feet in a hurry, “What in Bythion’s name happened?”

Marcus dusted off his pants as he replied with satisfaction in his tone, “We made it out of that hell in one piece. I’m starving. Wait, have you been waiting here all this time? That’s so revering.”

Rhemar shook his head in utter confusion, “What are you talking about, you two were only gone a few moments. I saw the doorway close and then reopen with you two flying out.”

Cato let out a relaxed laugh and slapped his forehead in relief, “No time passed, Ha! Holy mother, I’m glad to see you Rhemar.”

Rhemar was undoubtedly confused but could see his companions were laden with fatigue. He got to his feet and hailed them to start the trek back to home base. The three travelers regrouped at the campsite and went over the events of the previous night. Cato told the bulk of the story and Marcus gave a worthy rendition of the sexy yet sinister Chrysos. They thanked their lucky hats for delivering them from certain doom and gave Rhemar a pitying pat on the back for his absence in the excitement. They were still in one piece but felt used and abused for their role in freeing the demonic goddess.

Over a simmering stew, they settled in for the night and silently deliberated about the evil they unleashed onto Nazar. It was jarring to think they abetted such a sinister entity without question. They agreed to be more vigilant in the future and interrogate everything with unbiased objectivity. Another encounter like that could surely spell disaster for the group and potentially the world. The night grew its darkest as the three adventurers sat in pensive silence.

After a long hour, Rhemar broke the sound of the flickering campfire with a single question, “What do we do now?”