The Last Lands

CHAPTER 1.24 SUDDEN MOMENTS OF CLARITY

The ominous chorus filled the deep and the cold of the cavern.

“My soul it stands for you

my legs hold me still

as we wait your mighty truth

standing on the lonely hill

Our will it waits for you

our arms outstretch towards the sky

deliver yourself true

and we will be free of lies.”

Wait a minute, this is a hymn, a Voss Novian hymn.

The cavern grew darker as the sun vanished beyond the veil of water behind them. The candles constantly flickered, betrayed great beasts that crept along the walls. Large chains had been affixed to the rocky walls with metal spikes. The metal gnawed at the Consumer's wrists, listening to the haunting song and soft cries of the kidnapped family to their left. Kad's arms were tied behind his back, a constant drip falling irritatingly on his shoulder. He pulled at the chains, but the spike was deep into the rocky flesh of the cave.

Easy now Kad, wait for the right time.

The zealots had arranged themselves roughly in a circle around the central urn as Raca prepared himself for whatever ritual was about to befall them. Ular stood closest to the strange urn, her arms outstretched, the loudest voice out of all of them. The rest of the singers shivered and held themselves close, their singing wavering as it drifted upwards. Raca had dissapeared further into the darkness of the cave. Kad could feel his energy as he undressed himself, applying a strange smelling paint to his body. Beyond him, he could hear the gentle screech of unknown terrors, gnashing winds scraping at stone in the dark. Beside him, he could hear Bimi's breath seeping through pained gasps.

“Hey.” Kad whispered. “Old man, are you alright?”

Bimi could barely lift his head. Something had been drained from him, leaving his soul ragged and torn.

It's the betrayal. It's taken its toll on the old timer.

Next to him, Naika had become a creature of pure, sublime focus. She was still, her breath controlled and easy. There was something in her hands that interlocked with the lock on her manacles that bound her. All around them, the chorus built and built to a crescendo that never appeared. Kad whispered her name, but she ignored it, busying herself with the chains around her wrists.

What do these idiots want?

“Bimi.” Kad whispered again. “Bimi, can you hear me? Are you alright?”

Slowly the old Consumer lifted his head.

“I'm sorry pushta.” He said wearily. “I'm so sorry.”

“It's alright.” Kad lied. “We need to do something.”

“What can we do?” Bimi said miserably.

Kad pulled at the chains. The metal spike was buried deep, unwilling to budge.

We won't be able to pull these out, not without feeding first, anyway.

“How's Naika?” Kad asked.

Bimi rolled his head limply on his shoulders.

“Oh, my sweet muymum. Why are we here? What have I brought us into?”

“Nevermind that now, we have to figure a way out of this.”

The other captives had resigned themselves to sobbing, seemingly awaiting their new fate.

They're not paying attention to us at least, still too busy singing their stupid songs. If we're going to figure something out, it has to be now.

The zealots raised their hands as they reached the chorus.

“My soul it stands for you, my legs hold me still”

“Bimi? Any idea who these guys are? Have you heard of the Sect of the Spider before?”

Bimi had given his head away to gravity, letting it hang in shame. Kad gently kicked the elder Consumer, bringing him back to the cavern.

“As we wait for your mighty truth, standing on the lonely hill”

“No, I have not, pushta. There are many cults in New Peridios, hidden from public eye, but I have never heard of this one.”

Kad's thoughts drifted back to the Silver Tooth, the sounds of hundreds of large legs scurrying through unseen tunnels, furious and hungry.

“Why a spider though? What is it?”

Bimi lifted his head slightly.

“I have heard things before. Great beings of power that existed in the old world, the Totemic Spirits.”

A gentle gust sprinted through the cave, bristling against the open flames.

“Totemic Spirits?”

“Our will, it waits for you, our arms outstretched to the sky”

“Twelve spirits, each for one of the tenets for magic, each taking the form of an animal. They say, these spirits would grant their followers great power, and choose an avatar to bestow their form and their might to.”

Clack.

“Are they real?” Kad asked.

“I do not know, pushta. There are few who still believe, but even without the spirits, belief can bring power to those who do.”

“Deliver yourself true, and we will be free of lies”

A great silence fell with tremendous force on the cavern, as the zealots lowered their arms, all eyes trained on Ular. She drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes in a subjectively profound way. She steadied herself, slowly opening her eyes. The chains of the prisoners rattled as she prepared to speak.

“Brothers, sisters of the Sect.” She said, her voice rising. “This is the moment we've been waiting for, for so many years. Can you feel it? The excitement? After all this time?”

The followers began to bow their heads, murmuring softly in agreement. Ular stepped away from them, towards the urn, which stood, silent and still, a nightmare brought forth from sleepless dreams. Her hands hovered above it, her fingers willing to stroke the clay prison holding the promise of a horror from another time. Her followers watched them with deranged awe, she was a prophet promising salvation, though Kad knew there was only malevolence within.

Something's about to happen, we need a plan, damn it...

Kad shifted, trying not to jingle his chains as he leaned across from Bimi.

“Naika? Are you alright?” He whispered.

Naika did not move, her fingers still nimbly trying to insert something into the links of the chains.

“Shhhh.” She hissed.

Ular turned her head at the sound, withdrawing her hands. A strange curiosity filled her face as she slowly stepped towards them. The sounds of flickering flame and dripping water were constant, even as the roaring waterfall fell into static noise. Ular paused before them, unsmiling, her eyes taking on properties of a day-dream as she studied the seven captives, like a child choosing toys from a shelf. She pursed her lips as if to speak, when a sudden great rush of wind escaped through the back of the cavern.

Kad braced himself as they were battered by the great gust of wind, the flames on the candles bowing low, taking the light away from where they were sat. A great whistling scream soared past them, a chill that bore itself into Kad's very bones crept upon him. The wind escaped the cavern, breaking against the falling water and into the evening sky, turning into vapour as it died. Slowly, the fire restored itself, a deep silence sat heavily as the zealots looked among themselves. Even Ular looked shaken, diligently combing her hair with her hand into some suitable fashion and gulping deeply. Kad's breath was heavy, his body shaking with cold. Ular looked at them, and then at her followers, and a deranged smile slowly formed.

“Just the wind.” She said quietly, stepping back towards the urn. “It is of no matter, brothers and sisters.”

The crowd looked nervously among themselves, as Raca finally emerged. He was topless, with red and black paint roughly smeared over his face and body, from the tips of his horns, around his eyes, to the ends of his fingers and toes. A crude symbol had been painted in mimicry of that which was on the urn. He stood tall and strong, the bringer of the haunted screams and its very defier. Suddenly, all eyes were on him, his fists curled up tightly, his grey skin puckering at the chill as he stood, a warrior coated in the blood of an unseen deity.

“I am ready, sister.” He said confidently.

Ular smiled with unwavering delight towards the Rhinox. The other zealots however, looked more shaken at the sudden howl that been carried through the cavern. Kad could smell the fear was ripening between their huddled group.

“Then it is time.” She said in a low voice, stepping towards her most devout follower.

She tentatively reached for the Rhinox, delicately stroking his chest, and pulling back with black and red finger-tips. Raca smiled patiently at her, as she sent a questioning look into his eyes. Kad felt the shimmers connect, feeling the uncertainty emanating off of Ular, but for a moment, she was reassured by Raca's smile.

“Time to begin.”

*******

Raca kneeled in the centre of the cavern, his hands together in prayer. Kad could hear him reciting something close to the Voss Novian's chant, but it had been altered into something more distinct. The rest of the followers prepared for the opportune moment, lighting sage and incense, relighting candles. Several of them had picked up the clay pots of paint Raca had used and had advanced upon the captives. The noxious smell coaxed itself towards them before Kad even realised what was happening.

He struggled as the long, nimble fingers of an Eve roughly poked into his cheek, leaving a trail of paint behind them. Each of the captives had a follower assigned to them, and Kad could hear the children splutter as they wriggled, the mother crying in protest, and the father weeping softly. Naika retained her statuesque pose, though Kad could tell that whatever she had been fiddling about with, she had since halted.

She's waiting now, waiting for the opportune time.

Ular had stood by the plinth which had held the urn before, her back to the captives as she prepared something for their sordid ritual.

“It's strange to think, isn't it, my siblings?” She said, her voice rising with intensity. “Only a few years ago, we were slaves tot eh churches. The men in power who preached about gods, how we were doomed to punishment for not fulfilling demands we could not possibly achieve? How they tortured us as children, groped us, forced us to comply under the fear of an eternal damnation only they promised us. That ends now. This, my brothers, my siblings, is what we've been holding onto for, for so many years.”

Slowly, she turned to face the prisoners, as the painters backed away.

“I awoke one morning, realising that the pain would never go away. The threats, the lies, the incessant punishments. I realised that we would forever be trapped by them...if we don't break away from them ourselves.”

In her hands was a knife, curved at the end, serrated like a Cacharis's teeth.

“Don't you just love those? Those, sudden moments of clarity.”

The captives began to struggle at the sight of her. Her eyes became cruel, her smile was of one detached from reality. Even Kad felt the cold spike of fear push itself past his spine. Ular noticed this, and for a moment, appeared to relish in it, before turning to the followers, who had amassed around Raca.

“After tonight, we, the scorned, those who were betrayed from the hands of the church, those who claimed to want to help us, guide us, who tortured us for their own amusement, we shall rise, with a new power. We will awaken the great spirit of the spider, taken into Raca's form, and a new order will be established.”

She raised her knife into the air, holding it like a conquering warlord. The crowd cheered, letting whatever fear they held before melt and reforge itself into a primal anger. Ular pumped the air again, and again, stoking the fires beneath them. Without another word, she walked towards Raca, who raised his arms up to either side. His prayers had given way to a meditative state, his eyes closed. Drops of water rained on him, smearing parts of his anointed paint. She took the urn from in front of him, leaning down to whisper something in his ear even Kad could not hear against the still cheering crowds. Ular held the urn aloft, as eyes followed her as she walked back towards the captives.

“This is where you play your part, my friends.” She said, feigning compassion.

Kad pulled at his chains a final time, feeling the grim sensation of defeat as the spike remained embedded into the wall. Ular grinned at his struggles.

“Do not worry.” She said, brandishing the knife. “This will be quick, and we thank you for your services.”

The crowd chanted their thanks in unison, as Ular moved away from kad, and towards the child furthest away from him. The mother screamed.

“Please!” She wailed. “You don't have to do this! Just because we follow Voss Nova?!”

Ular hissed in dissatisfaction.

“Not because of that. Beacuse there needs to be someone to help us, because we need to see if this power is useable. It's only a little blood I require, just a little to awaken the energies that will be. You should all feel lucky, being chosen to awaken that which has slumbered for many thousands of years. ”

She held the youngest child's face between her fingers, the children's scream echoed through the cavern, the pain

clawing away at Kad's very being.

“You can pray to your god, if you think that will help.” Ular said coldly. “But I can tell you, from experience, he won't answer you.”

She placed the tip of the blade on the child's cheek. The stench of fear was horrific. Kad gritted his teeth.

Clack.

“Wait, don't do it, it won't work.” He heard himself calling out.

Ular turned curiously, as did Naiak and Bimi.

“What do you mean?” The Cacharis shouted from among the crowd.

“You need blood to awaken its power, right?” Kad said, thinking quickly, of anything.

Damn it, there's only one way this can go, isn't there?

“That is correct.” Ular said, still holding the child.

Not if you keep your fool mouth shut.

“Then it won't work on them, they don't have enough Nexos flowing through their veins. Not like us. Course, you can still try, but it'll be a waste of time, and I'm tired of waiting in the cold. I just want to get this over with, I'm tired of waiting to die.”

Ular stood up slowly.

“You are not here to die, Consumer, though you will face judgement when the Spider is awoken.”

“But they're Consumers.” The Umbral follower said. “Won't their blood be tainted? Or something?”

“Yeah!” A High-Evean woman with red hair shouted. “The blood should be pure, use the child!”

“Do whatever you want, I just think you'll be wasting time. Out of all of us here, only us Consumers have a high percentage of Nexos running through our veins, ain't that right, old-timer?”

He roleld his head towards Bimi, who huddled his frail body closer into itself.

“Please pushta, be quiet!” Bimi whimpered.

That might help them believe that load, actually. I doubt anyone here will despite it, after all, that would require knowing anything about Consumers.

Ular smiled, revealing her tusk-like teeth jutting out of her bottom gum.

“Very well. A volunteer.” She said joyously, turning to the crowd. “I always like to see a volunteer.”

She walked towards Kad, who braced himself, but she stopped before she reached him, instead turning towards Naika, who remained still.

“You.” She said. “You are strong, by far the strongest here.”

She placed her lilac fingers at the base of Naika's chin, lifting her head so Ular could stare into her sightless gaze.

“Not her.” Kad shouted.

Ular sighed.

“Why not?”

“Because, like that family over there, these two aren't pure-blood, not like me. They've got Goblin in them, now that is tainted blood.”

The crowd began to murmur, even Raca opened one of his eyes at this.

“He's up to somethin'.” The Cacharis growled.

Ular released Naika.

“Fine.” She spat. “If you want to be the first to go, then you shall have your wish.”

Before Kad could even respond, the blade was sunk into his cheek. He howled in pain as the metal tore deeply, his cheek stinging with thick, dark blood. The cold fire sent spasms of pain through his jaw and down his back, as he endured what seemed to be hours of torment, before the knife was pulled backwards, his wound weeping. He gritted his teeth, hissing light breaths through the gate of his teeth. He heard the sound of the urn's lid carefully being opened, and as it did, something within awoke.

I've never felt anything like this before, its stirring, and insatiably hungry.

The other Consumers began to writhe at the sensation, a primordial fear striking at their cores. Ular scraped the blade alongside Kad's cheek, the blade dripping heavily. A feral grin appeared on her face as the dark blood fell into the abyssal mouth contained within clay. The urn began to shake and holler, and whatever abomination was within began to shift and mutate. Ular felt this, and quickly returned the lid to the urn. A quick flash of fear flushed through her, and uncertainty spread through the crowd.

“What now, sister?” The Sloukian follower asked.

Ular held the urn aloft, trying to keep it stable as she forced a smile over her face.

“It is awakening.” She called out.

Kad bowed his head, tryign to let the pain pass through.

“Kad?” Naika whispered. “Are you alright?”

Kad bit his tongue.

Clack.

“We have to get out of her, muymum.” Bimi panted. “We have to leave this place, before-”

“Calm yourself, poppo.” Naika answered stoicly. “I'm working on it. We just have to wait for the right moment.”

Ular walked towardsa Raca, and handed him the urn, he held it aloft to tentative applause, before opening the lid and drinking whatever was contained in there. The family besides them began praying to Voss Nova. Kad heard the sounds of falling chains as Naika dropped the bonds she had unlocked. The crowd paid them no heed as they watched Raca replace the lid of the urn triumphantly, still kneeling, his arms outstretched, and awaited the gift of the spider.

Before Kad could communicate anything, his nose began to twitch, his ears hearing dark mutterings of a forgotten language, when the shimmers appeared. Suddenly, the Consumers where in a frenzy, like sharks detecting blood. The shapes of the energy were immense, multiplying, unlike the feeling of any Sape he had ever felt before.

“What is that?” Naika asked.

“I don't know...I have never felt such a thing.” Bimi said, bowing forwards.

The captive family watched as the Consumers became feral animals at the sense. There were several figures, each containing great hosts of Nexos energy, but it was more than that. Each being seemed to hold two types of energy that grinded against each-other. Kad saw these as colours he had never seen before, what other beings might call a deep crimson and a cold azure. His teeth began to grind and itch.

Something's coming, and suddenly, I don't fear the cultists anymore!

Whatever the beings were, they were approaching the cavern, cloaked. There were six of them, travelling through the network of tunnels that tore through the mountains.

“We need to go.” Kad said, and the other Costumers agreed.

The family watched them, muttering among themselves, confused and deeply frightened, feeling that they were surrounded by monsters on all sides. Naika slowly shifted to Bimi, a small piece of metal still between her fingers. Unshackled, she gracefully slid across and began to work on Bimi's chains. Kad was so focused on the feeling of the new entities, he barely noticed what had begun to happen to Raca.

The Rhinox begant os hake and shudder as other followers grabbed his hands. The Sloukian took his left, kneeling before him, whispering conscious guidance towards them. Ular tried to reassure the worried zealots, but Kad could feel the uncertaintly grow as Raca pulled backwards, tryign to flee. He was held by the other followers as he began to choke and splutter. He fell forwards onto the floor, and begun to scream in agony. His alrge fingers groped at his chest.

“Relax, brothers and sisters!” Ular called. “This si part fot he process. To gain power, we must endure pain, to gain-”

Raca roared as something began to appear on his back. Large bumps began to form, writhing along the thick grey skin of his spine, when they suddenly burst. The crowd screamed, stepping away, as eight large spikes ripped through his torso and into the air, ever growing. Even Ular watched, mesmerised by the horror of what was unfolding. The spikes soared through the air before suddenly bending and falling back to Aerth. The spiky legs sunk into the rocks as Raca convusled with pain. Ular shouted his name, walking toward shim, when his body was suddenly jerked upwards. His great arms and legs hung limply, his eyes had become empty and his mouth was agape. His new wounds wept freely as he dangled between eight fearsome legs. A large mass began tos lowly emerge from his back, tearing at its flesh, before stopping suddenly. Raca had become a marionette as this new abomination rose, standing taller than any Sapient, born from evil and blood.

“Mother of the sky...” Bimi gasped.

“Naika, we have to move!” Kad shouted.

“Working on it!” She shouted back.

A bellowing howl emerged from the monstrosity, as the followers began to flee. Candles were knocked over, people pushed into each-other in the cave of shadows.

“Wait, don't run!” Ular shouted. “It is just Raca! The appointed vessel! We must await his judg-”

Quick as a flash, one of the great legs rose, and darted towards Ular. It swiped at her like a scythe, carving through the middle of her face. She screamed as she fell, blood spraying through the cavern, and the beast roared again. The Cacharis screamed, and bound towards the lake on the other side. The Sloukian stood before the creature, waving his hands and calling for Raca's name, and was swiftly impaled by one of the legs. The zealots were in a panic mass, all heading for an exit or hiding place, but unable to find one as the creature began its rampage. It used its great legs to slice and stab at whoever was in front of them.

One of the chains popped with a distinct sound.

“Got it, poppo!” Naika shouted, releasing Bimi.

She began to shuffle to Kad, when the creature squatted slightly. It trembled and roared, its body shaking wildly, as the air began to fill itself with threads. Not as thick as silk, almost translucent, as if they were trapped between worlds, the danced throughout the cavern, before burning in the air. The space became distorted, and rocks were ripped to shreds at their touch. Stalactites began to fall, rocks began to crush more people, as the Cacharis nearly made it to the exit. Suddenly the threads wrapped themselves around him, igniting his body, before tightening, slicing his body into several parts.

“We have to go, muymum!” Bimi screamed.

“Not without Kad!”

“I'll be fine!” Kad shouted, perhaps a life. “Save the children!”

The family tried to reach each-other, screaming each-others names as the cavern began to crumble.

It's no use, we'll never get them all out in time, just look after yourself, Kad.

“No, we can't leave them.” He said through pained teeth.

The Umbral was crawling on the floor, fear dripping from his body, when he noticed the Consumers and froze, forgetting the murderous creature behind him.

“Naika, take off my cover!” Kad shouted, and Naika obeyed.

The Umbral struggled to his feet, Kad's cloak and blade still hanging close to his body. The fresh air on Kad's mouth was refreshing, and his teeth were unleashed. He drank deeply from the screeching cultist, who contorted his body as he was sapped. It wasn't much energy, but it was enough for him to feel the cut in his cheek began to sew itself back to life. His wrists began to tighten with strength, and eh felt the fear of those he intended to rescue grow. The Umbral sank backwards, drained and unable to move.

Kad grinned, pulling against at the chains, feeling a coil break under the spike. He stood up, hands still bound.

“Find cover, try to escape if you can.” He shouted, feeling the fear leave him as strength surged through his veins.

The great beast screeched again.

“We must leave together!” Bimi shouted.

Kad's clack was obscured by more screams of pain as he darted to where the family was. One by one, he pulled the chains away from the spikes, feeling his strength rapidly escape him.

“Run!” He shouted at the family. “Find somewhere to hide!”

All aroudn the falling water, the strange, astral webs began to appear, turning falling liquid into bubbling steam, and slicing apart rocks.

“Take the family, get themselves somewhere safe!” Kad shouted at Bimi and Naika.

“Where?!” She shouted back, still hearing the creature scuttling around, quicker than what he thought was possible.

“Into the tunnels, go!”

Naika knelt by the Dvergr family, before leading them off. Bimi waddled behind them, keeping up as best he could. Kad ran forwards, seizing his cloak and scimitar. The Umbral grabbed at his arm, fury seeping through his eyes. He opened his mouth, baring fangs, bracing for another sonic song, when the creature found them. A giant leg was raised as the abomination called forwards, the Rhinox's body still swinging limply beneath its faceless mass. The leg struck the bat in the chest, sending Kad receding backwards. It reeked of a dark, primordial energy, putrid and ancient.

I can't drain this, it will be poison!

The creature called out, its eight legs thundering towards them.

“Kad!” He heard Naika scream.

He reached his bound arms past his feet, gripping his sword and cloak tightly, awaiting the hideous creature, when he felt the strange pulsating sensation.

They're here!

Around the edges of the cavern, six figures had appeared, cloaked and hidden, each baring immense surges of power.

Yet another ancient and forgotten evil!