The Song and the Serpent

The last three survivors didn’t have long to wait.

They heard the movements of the worshippers on the main floor below them, and they knew it was time.

Adan was alert instantly, and he stood up, waiting for what he knew would come. He nearly slipped and fell as he stood, partly out of excitement, partly because his knees felt weak from hunger.

With a loud clap, the torches were lit again, and Dias stood surrounded by his entourage of white robed lunatics.

“From flesh to spirit, from spirit to flesh, all shall see the domination of the One.”

The same eight acolytes detached from the group and approached their cage. When they had whipped out their knives, and the skinny blond haired youth had unlocked it, the three of them stumbled out onto the steps. Adan could see the effects of hunger and despair on Kian and Rocco as well as him. They moved slowly and carefully down the steps to avoid a tumble.

As they were escorted to the entrance to the arena, Rocco leaned to the side and began to tip over. He stumbled and nearly fell, catching himself before hitting the stone floor.

Adan’s heart pounded as he stepped closer to the iron gate. He knew he was approaching his death. He savored every sensation as he neared that dreaded door; his bare feet on the cold stone, the flickering of the firelight on the torches, the nearness to Kian and Rocco. He wished for one last look at a blue sky, or the feel of sunlight on his skin, or a breath of fresh wind, but he knew it was vain.

His heart beat felt like a hammer in his chest as the heavier acolyte produced his key and unlocked the door.

Adan wasn’t afraid of death anymore, but he was afraid of pain.

Kian entered the iron gateway first, then Adan, and finally Rocco. Rocco stumbled again as he entered and ran into the acolyte holding the door open for them.

The heavy blond haired youth shoved him inside with a grunt before slamming the door shut.

The three of them walked down the spiral staircase together. Adan hardly noticed the cold iron on his feet.

When they reached the sandy floor, Dias shouted, “Open the gate!”

“Get two axes before the door is fully opened,” Rocco whispered in an urgent voice.

Adan and Kian looked at him in surprise.

“What?” Kian asked.

“Get two axes and get close to the door on either side. Make for the chains that hold the door open. It will take them some time to close the door. Once the drynth is fully out of its hole, cut the wood where the door is secured to the chains. Just try to stay out of sight so the drynth doesn’t come after you first.”

Kian and Adan looked at each other in confusion.

“Won’t that just trap it in the arena with us?” Adan asked.

“Yes.”

“But why?”

“You’ll see. Trust me.”

Kian squinted at Rocco as the chains rattled and the door began to open. “You’ve a plan.”

Rocco nodded.

“You meant what you said to that priest then?”

“Every word. Now, go!”

Kian and Adan looked at each other and nodded, before separating, Adan moved right and Kian left, scouring the sand for axes. They passed several dark areas where the blood of their companions had stained the sand. Adan found an old, double bladed ax half buried and walked quickly toward the edge of the door.

The worshippers began chanting. Adan ignored the acolytes surrounding the arena.

The giant trapdoor was partially open, and he could barely see the black hole underneath it. He quickly ran to the right side of the door and stood near the large iron hinges at the back. He saw that Kian had found another ax and moved to the left side.

The worshippers must have assumed that they were trying to flank the creature, for they continued to chant without interruption.

The great door continued to rise. Adan could see several hand and foot holds in the old wood. It was fitted together in such a way that it would be easy to climb to the top once opened.

He looked back at the entrance to see Rocco standing where they had left him. He had found a war hammer in the sand and stood holding it, looking up at the chanting worshippers.

The door was nearly upright. Adan heard the familiar hissing sound. The creature was about to appear. Adan prepared to climb the door. Then he and Kian looked back at Rocco.

Rocco was staring directly at Dias the Priest, who watched him with triumphant eyes. Adan noticed the other worshippers watching Rocco as well.

Rocco looked at them for a moment. Then he held up his hand. With a flourish, something appeared in his fingers. Something small and metal that he had been concealing.

A key.

The key to the arena entrance.

In a flash, Adan understood Rocco’s plan. Apparently Dias did as well.

“No!” He screamed.

The chanting worshippers stopped at his exclamation.

Rocco sprang toward the steps and sprinted up them.

“Stop him!” Dias shouted.

Adan wanted to watch, but he knew he had to climb while all eyes were on Rocco. He quickly clambered up the back of the door while holding the ax.

He reached the top and eyed the first of the three chain hooks. Four giant nails stabbed into the thick beam and held a plate that attached the chain hook. Adan knew he wouldn't have long to work, and that it would take a lot of time to dislodge the plate. He began hacking furiously at the wood around the metal.

A loud banging sound drew his attention toward the entrance.

Rocco had opened the door and was holding the worshippers at bay. He was swinging the hammer in wide arcs to ward off the acolytes, and striking the hinges on the entrance door whenever they gave him the opportunity. Two acolytes lay dead at his feet. The others surrounded him with brandished daggers, looking for an opening in his defense.

“Stop him! KIll him! Get that door shut!” Dias was shouting from across the arena.

The large, dark shape of the serpent slithered out from under the gate on which they stood. The drynth didn’t look up at Adan or Kian. Its attention was drawn to the noise coming from the entrance.

Adan and Kian were for the moment unnoticed by all. Adan kept hacking at the wood around the hook plate.

“Close the trap door!” Dias’s voice rang out with panic.

Adan looked up to see the Chief Priest looking at them and realizing what they intended. Adan glanced back toward the entrance just in time to see Rocco smash the last hinge on the iron gate. It fell to the floor with an audible clang.

Rocco dropped to the ground, set down his hammer and picked up the destroyed gate in one quick motion. In an incredible display of strength, he lifted it high and hurled it at his attackers. Several of the acolytes were struck by the iron cage door and the rest backed away.

The giant trapdoor jerked and began to descend. Adan began chopping at the wood again.

The drynth slithered slowly toward the entrance, moving closer and closer to the base of the stairs.

“C’mon you filthy beast!” Rocco bellowed, kneeling to pick up his hammer again. “Do you smell that?” He gestured to the blood of his enemies on the ground. “You want more of that? Come up here and get it!”

“Kill him!” Dias shouted, fighting to get closer to the door, but his acolytes were panicking now. The monstrous serpent was approaching the entrance to the arena, and there was no iron gate to stop it.

The creature began slithering up the spiral steps toward the door.

With one last swing, Adan broke the plate free of its bedding. He looked over to see Kian, already moving to the middle hook, the final hook.

Adan walked carefully along the top of the giant door, which was still descending slowly.

“What about Rocco?” Kian shouted over the din.

Adan looked back toward the skirmish.

Several of the worshippers had fled the doorway, but five had remained to fight Rocco, and Dias had nearly reached the spot. Rocco was caught between the acolytes and the serpent.

“I don’t know what his plan was,” Adan replied. “But let’s finish this and trust him.”

They began hitting the wood around the last hook, alternating strikes on different sides. They kept glancing up to see how Rocco fared.

“That’s right!” Rocco shouted. “That’s right, you mangy lily-livered oozing snake! Come up here and have a feast!”

The drynth was halfway up the stairs.

Adan and Kian’s axes rose and fell on the old lumber. The great trapdoor had stopped moving. Whoever had been trying to close it had obviously given up. There was a shift under their feet as two of the nails in the plate jerked free.

Adan and Kian paused, trying to regain their balance. They looked down to see the two remaining nails holding the weight of the entire trap door in place. It would give out underneath them at any moment.

Adan looked back at the entrance. Dias had reached the entrance and drawn two knives from his white robes. He tried to dodge Rocco’s swing and slash at his side, but Rocco twisted to avoid the blade, and with blinding speed, brought his hammer down on Dias’s back.

Adan heard the thump from across the arena.

Dias fell to his knees.

Adan saw the drynth reach the top of the steps behind Rocco. The monster lifted its head to strike.

“Look out!” Kian and Adan shouted together.

Rocco bent over and grabbed the Chief Priest. Without looking back at the serpent, he lifted Dias over his head with a grunt. Dias tried to squirm free, but Rocco held him with incredible strength.

“Here’s your precious pet!” He shouted. “Now go and meet him yourself!”

He threw the priest toward the giant snake just as it struck. Dias’s scream was cut short, and his body never hit the ground.

Adan heard a loud groan, and looked down to see the last two nails ripping free of their wood bedding. The weight of the door was pulling free of its last chain.

Adan and Kian looked at each other with sudden understanding. Then they jumped into the air. The force of their jump tore the nails free and the door slammed down behind them as they hit the sand.

They rolled to their feet and began running toward the entrance to the arena.

They looked up to see Rocco chasing the last of the acolytes toward their trap door, with the drynth following close behind.

“You won’t get away with your heathen villany this time!” He shouted as he ran.

The terrified acolytes practically dove into the opening in the floor until there was one man left. The white robed worshiper tried to pull the door shut, but Rocco reached the man before he could close it and hold back the terrible judgment upon them.

With one swing, Rocco splintered the trapdoor and smashed the skull of the acolyte.

“Get yourselves out of here!” Rocco shouted, looking down into the arena. Adan and Kian stopped and looked at Rocco, standing above the opening as the serpent coiled closer.

“Get out and warn our people!” Rocco shouted.

Then he leapt into the opening with a shout.

“Rocco!” Kian shouted.

After Rocco disappeared, the drynth eased its massive head through the hole in the main floor. Adan heard screams and shouts from within as the massive body of the monster disappeared into Undelma’s lower chambers.

Adan and Kian dashed up the iron staircase and through the open gateway. They tried not to slip on the bloody floor as they ran toward the opening.

The desperate screams of terrified men could be heard through the trapdoor, but they could see nothing. All was blackness in the chambers below.

“What do we do?” Adan asked, looking at Kian.

Kian stared into the darkness without. “Come back,” he whispered. “Come back up. Please…”

One by one, the screams of the acolytes were cut short, until the only sound was the hissing of the giant monster.

“Rocco…” Kian whispered, as if willing him to appear in the opening.

Then, from the dark silence, a single voice could be heard.

The sun begins her red descent.

The working day is swiftly spent.

We long to break our toiling fast

To end our day at board at last

From deep within the bowels of the temple, Rocco was singing. The torches on the wall flickered in their sconces. The hissing of the drynth grew louder, but they could still hear Rocco’s voice.

Hurrah! My lands, we ride for home,

Through fen and forest, field and ford,

Return we now to hearth and—

The voice was cut short. The torches reignited.

Rocco was gone.

Adan looked at Kian. Kian stared into the black hole without looking up.

“Returns he now to hearth and hall,” Kian chanted. “To feast, and toast, and rest at board.”