The Return

Malik was out ahead of the others by a few paces when he came to the hole toward the hallway. When he moved around the cave cell, he hoped the monster would be too big to come through the door. It had been a silly, but small comfort. When he saw the bodies again for the third time, he knew the hope was nothing more than that. Something had killed these people. 

Malik stopped before he tripped over a corpse below his feet. Embre and Khris could not stop fast enough to keep from knocking him to the ground. He turned his head, looking into the cold, dead eyes of a man. Malik wondered how much it hurt when this man had died. Would it hurt him more or any less when the monster came for him? 

Malik heard Khris scrambling to his feet next to him. Embre was around him somewhere too, but he did not hear her struggling. Had she done the same as him? Just accepted her fate? Maybe if they struggled less, the monster would take pity on them and finish it quickly. Malik doubted deep down the monster could feel any sense of remorse or pity. 

Malik squeezed his eyes tighter, seeing the black dots swimming across his eyelids. He resolved not to open them until it was all over, then it would not matter if they fell open or not. He heard the footsteps coming closer. Each footfall shook the ground a little harder than the last. It would be only a few more moments before he felt the sharp claws in his stomach and the piercing fangs at his neck. 

Malik almost opened his eyes. Maybe there was still something to be done. He was not dead yet. He did not manage to get them open. He heard another footfall, and then another. He heard Khris gasping for air, dry heaving what little contents he had left in his stomach. Malik did not envy him. At least Malik was semi comfortable on the ground. He wondered again about Embre and how she fared, but he did not hear her. 

Malik thought he could smell the beast as it drew nearer. It had the metal smell of blood and the sour scent of wet fur. It was not a pleasant smell by any means. Malik’s nose crinkled, and his belly swam. Malik could feel the monster hovering over him. It would be over in an instant. He opened his eyes. Even after he had resolved to keep them shut, he opened them. It was not the monster standing over him. At least not the monster he had expected. 

“You aren’t dead yet,” said Mollie, reaching her hand out to pry Malik off the ground. 

Malik reached out without thought and grabbed Mollie’s hand. He let her pull him to his feet. Blood soaked, uninjured, and hanging onto Egg Mollie stood over him.

“Where did you go?” 

Mollie shrugged. “I don’t really know.” 

That was as far as she got before the actual threat came through the gaping hole in the wall. This time it was the monster. This time it was not Egg hanging off Mollie’s shoulder. 

“I will explain it later,” Mollie said, pushing Malik backward. 

Mollie pulled her sword. It was bright as the noonday sun. Except it was not fierce orange, it was a bright blue. Mollie waved the sword back and forth, leaving small tracers in the air. 

Egg slid down Mollie’s shoulder and stood erect at her feet. Egg would not be of much use against the beast, but then again Mollie would probably not be lasting very long anyhow. Malik wished he had his bow with him; even if he doubted, he would shoot it. 

“Let’s just run,” Malik yelled to Mollie. 

She did not turn around to agree with him. “We can’t. It will chase us as long as we have the relic and we can’t leave it.” 

Malik was not sure why she was so certain, but he could hear the conviction.

Mollie switched her grip gripped to both hands. Egg brandished its claws out before its body. In moments they would join the other dead bodies. Malik was about to watch the only person left in the world that he cared about die. There was nothing he could do about it. He could pick up a pebble and throw it off the beast, but it would do nothing to help Mollie, Egg, or anyone else still left alive in the cave. 

Malik thought about giving a last-ditch effort to convince Mollie to run, but he knew better. Malik could not convince Mollie of anything. She was not a person who changed their mind easily. 

The monster came forward, trying a lazy swipe at Mollie’s right side. Mollie dove and came up, swiping at the monster’s hand. The monster only had to lift its arm to get out of reach. Even with the length of Mollie’s giant sword, there was just too much ground to make up. The monster came forward again with another swipe. This time it narrowly missed Mollie’s left shoulder. Malik knew when the beast started really swiping that this would be over. 

Malik swallowed the fear building inside his chest. There had to be something he could do. He would die anyhow. Should he not make it worthwhile? Maybe he could save Mollie or the others. Malik looked around for anything he could use to help. There were weapons across the ground. Discarded swords, a broken spear, and even a few knives, nothing Malik knew how to use, but he could give it a shot anyhow. 

Malik picked up the closest sword. He waved it around a few times, still unable to use it. Maybe he should have pressed Abrie for more information. Maybe Abrie was a liar and a killer. There were too many maybes. 

“Over here,” Malik yelled, holding the sword above his head. 

He had no delusions that he would kill the monster with his lack of skills. Even with a lot of skills, he would have died. However, he could distract the beast long enough for Mollie to do what she needed to. 

The monster shifted its feet and peered back over its shoulder. Malik waved the sword back and forth. The monster growled and turned, using its massive arms to pivot across the cave floor. 

“What are you doing?” Mollie yelled. 

Malik gave the most nervous smile and continued waving the sword. 

“You will get yourself killed,” she informed him. 

Malik thought it funny she would point that out. They were all going to die, just like the mercenaries Sweet Tongue had brought. He continued waving the sword until the monster was within ten feet of him. The creature reached its arm out and with a flick it smashed its hand into Malik’s chest. Malik was not as quick as Mollie had been. His body flew five feet backward. It would have flown more if it had not been for the very solid wall behind him. Malik hit expending all his air. The white light that flashed before his eyes preluded the pain jetting through his body. Malik thought he may have already been dead. What a lame attempt at helping. He had only given Mollie five seconds at the most. That would not be nearly enough to defeat the monster. 

“If you are going to do this then get up,” Mollie said into Malik’s ear. 

Malik thought his eyes had been open, but when he opened them Mollie was standing right beside him. She must have run over when he had fallen. The light touch on his arm hurt, but also felt comforting coming from her. 

“I am not sure I can.” 

Mollie stood and pulled him. “No time to think about things.” 

She pulled him toward her in an embrace. Malik felt the vibrations run through his body as the monster’s claws ripped out a chunk of the wall where he had been sitting. Malik kept hold of Mollie’s biceps. This was the place where he wanted to die. Looking into Mollie’s eyes and seeing nothing else in the world. Mollie moved, leaving Malik reeling forward. 

“You circle to the left and I will go right,” she said to him. “We will find a weak spot on it.” 

Mollie already moved away from him. Malik noticed that while he had flown, crashed into a wall, and narrowly missed being turned into shredded meat; he had never dropped the sword. 

“Circle!” Mollie yelled. 

Malik turned to face the beast followed Mollie around the small hallway. Malik moved behind the creature. He would not provide any real support for Mollie. She had too much confidence in him. Malik avoided two bodies from the monster’s earlier escapade and stepped toward the hole in the wall toward the cell. 

There was very little room inside the hallway. That meant Mollie and Malik almost ran into each other as they circled. Lucky for them, the beast had just as much difficulty moving. Malik stepped backward with the help of Mollie and avoided a crashing fist. Somewhere to the side, Malik heard Embre let out a squeal. He gave a brief glance and saw her standing alone in the corner. Malik wondered where Khris had gone. Did he finally lose his nerve and make for the hills? Malik did not get a lot of time to ponder on Khris’ whereabouts. The next swipe took him on the shoulder, and he stumbled back. The blow was only glancing, but the sharp claws took out a gash. The warm sensation of blood tingled over his skin. The way the liquid bubbled up mesmerized Malik. Mollie was to him in an instant. 

“Dodge!” 

Malik could hear her, but her words barely registered in his mind. All he could think about was the blood coming out of his arm. 

“Did you hear me,” Mollie asked, shaking him. 

Malik looked away. Oddly enough, the wound did not pain him. After all the pain building inside him over the last few days, this did not hurt at all. Everything was very far away. He knew Mollie was right beside him, but she could have just as easily been a hundred miles away. He could feel her touching him, but he could not register her beside him. 

Mollie pushed Malik backward. He stumbled over a fallen mercenary and fell into the cell room. The claw narrowly missed his head. The growl the monster emitted made more rocks shower from the ceiling. He could not even see the ceiling. He could just make out the occasional jutting spires. Almost like an upside-down castle tower. The spires jutted out of nothing, it seemed. Malik focused on them, trying to stop his world from spinning. He heard Mollie grunt from somewhere. He lifted his head to see her. She landed a blow onto the monster’s leg, but the creature did not bleed. It gave another roar and a few more pebbles fell onto Malik’s head. He reached up, brushing away the dust. 

“Get up,” said someone beside him. Malik looked over, seeing Khris crouching next to him. “I have a plan, but I need your help to do it.” 

Malik tried to blink away the swimming dots blotted across his vision. Khris stood, not helping Malik to his feet. Malik groaned, hiccupped, convinced himself not to vomit onto the cave floor, and then tried pressing himself up. The shoulder wound had not hurt moments before but now glared to life. He stopped pushing. There was no way he could help Khris with any plan. There was no way he would survive for much longer. His time was up, and he just hoped he had done enough to help the others. He knew that he had not, but he still hoped. 

Khris was back over him. “Come on!” Khris did not share any sympathy for Malik’s death. Malik could feel the glaring eyes of accusation. Those eyes said how dare you die before saving me. Malik felt Khris pulling on his good arm. Malik’s feet instinctively moved. He was no longer in control over his body or mind. “There is a platform just across the room.” Khris pointed with his left hand, while holding Malik steady with his right. “There is a pillar that can be climbed, and it leads to the spires above our heads,” Khris nodded to show the spires Malik had noticed while on the ground. “If we can get to them, then maybe we can use one to drop onto the monster from above.” 

Malik looked, but not for long because it made him feel dizzy. “I can’t climb,” was all Malik could muster to say. 

Khris looked around again, maybe looking for someone else in the room. “Well someone has to climb.” 

Malik looked at Khris, “I guess that someone is you.” 

Khris shook his head. “I can’t do that,” he pleaded. 

It was useless, Malik could not help him. Malik could climb nothing. Khris’ head swiveled back and forth, looking for a way out. Then he closed his eyes and Malik thought he saw tears falling down from the corners of Khris’ eyes. It may have just been the blur in Malik’s vision, but he thought he also heard him taking the sobbing breaths of someone who was crying. Malik could not feel sorry for him. Malik was dying. It was hard to feel sorry for someone else when death came. 

Malik heard Mollie scream from somewhere in the hallway and some of his reality seeped back in. The pain came with it, but mostly he just thought of Mollie’s death. He felt strongly about that. Even if he would die, he did not want Mollie to share the same fate. 

“Where?” Malik asked. 

Khris had not been paying attention to Malik. He was too busy with his own thoughts. When Malik spoke it shocked Khris back to reality. 

“Where is what?” 

Malik took in a deep breath; this would be the last thing he ever did, and he knew it. This was his big moment. 

“Where is the reachable spire?” 

Khris looked relieved he was being taken off the hook. He went to press on Malik’s shoulder to guide him and for the first time saw the wide gash the monster had left him. Khris’ face contorted, but he was too excited about not having to climb to mention the severity. 

“Just follow me.” 

Malik followed behind Khris as fast as he could manage. He knew every wasted moment was one closer to Mollie’s death. At the base of the platform, Khris showed him the route he would need to make to get to the top. It would be nearly impossible with only one arm, but Malik resigned himself to give it his best effort. 

“How do we get the monster over,” Malik asked. 

Khris picked a few of the rocks from his pocket. “I will urge it toward the spire, and you drop it.” 

Malik nodded. He doubted this would work, but he had to give it his best effort. Not for himself, but for Mollie. He only nodded toward Khris and used his good arm to push himself up onto the small lip of the platform. 

Even with the negligible amount of effort exerted, the pain was almost too much to bear. Between Malik and the spire was fifty feet of wall, rock, and ledges. Some ledges were only just big enough to place toes into wedges and pull up with the strength of arms. Malik only made it ten feet before he had to stop, vomit, and then think of nothing but helping Mollie to get back to his feet. He heard the echoes of Mollie grunting. She was still alive, but for how much longer? 

Malik pressed forward. His hand slipped on the moving rocks. For a moment he dangled with the tips of his toes dug into the side of the wall and one hand gripping a ledge no bigger than the width of his palm. Malik could not imagine how he kept from falling, but after a few precarious moments he regained his balance. Pulling up, he grabbed the next handhold and pulled his foot up. With each movement, his body begged him to stop. There was no use going on, it told him. He wanted to listen, but every time he heard Mollie grunt or scream, he pressed himself onward. There was no telling how many more screams those lungs would have left in them. He just had to go a little further and he would make it. 

Malik wished he could wipe the sweat from his forehead. Over halfway up, the blood and sweat mixed on his shirt. His arm was now barely usable, and it was pure luck the ledges were widening enough for him to only need his legs and one arm. He took a glance at the spire looming over him. It was about six inches thick at the tip and about seven foot long. It would be like a javelin once released down onto the beast below. It would be a miracle if this worked, Malik thought. He had not spent a moment second guessing Khris and his idea. He had just wanted to save Mollie so much he jumped on it without reservation. This far up he did not see how he was to chop the rock from its base, or how he would aim it. This would have to be precise, and it would take every bit of luck he had ever gained. Malik looked down toward Khris. Fifty feet seemed less high back on the ground. It still seemed high then, but it seemed manageable. Now he was floating in the sky, looking down onto a petrified Khris below. 

Khris waited for him to get into place. Once he was there Malik knew there would be little time to get things done. He would have to hack at the spire with all his might and use everything he had to get the needle to drop. He pressed onward and moved. He did not do it with any speed, but slowly he made his way toward his spot. 

Bloody, soaked, and tired, he finally made it where he should be. It was a blur to him how he had done it, but there he now perched on top of the world. Looking below, his vision swam, and his mind faltered. He pulled the borrowed sword from his back. There was plenty of room next to the spire to plant his feet. His first hit did nothing but reverberate through his body with a shock of pain. His next hit was nothing better, but by his fifth he chipped away at the rock. By his fifteenth hit, he made some headway, but his body promised to stop soon. Khris waved frantically below him. He yelled to the beast. The beast took several moments, but it finally poked its head into the room. 

This would work. Malik would save Mollie. When the beast walked into the room Malik felt the spire shake. The heavy footfalls were enough to make even Malik’s teeth rattle this high, or maybe it was just his imagination. 

Khris continued to wave, and the beast continued to come nearer to him. Malik took several more swings, getting the spire to position. Mollie chased after the beast. He hoped she did not ruin the plan. He had to save her, and he had no time for her to put a kink into that. 

The monster paid no attention to Mollie. It focused on the easier prize of Khris. Khris stayed put for much longer than Malik would have given him credit for. Malik grabbed onto the spire, tugging and feeling it give way. With a good kick, the spire would fall. The beast stepped into position. Malik reared back and kicked with all his might. The spire did not move. Malik kicked again and again, and the spire shifted. Malik threw the sword at the spire in frustration and the sword and spire both fell toward the ground below. The sword landed with a thud on the ground at the monster’s feet. The actual spire missed the beast by a good five feet. The monster looked up, making eye contact with Malik. Malik collapsed to the ground. He had failed. Everyone would die, and it did not matter. 

The beast roared, but not in anger or fear. It roared the last roar of death. Malik peered over the ledge and saw that Mollie had sneaked up behind the monster with the diversion and jammed her sword through the base of its neck. The sharp point protruded from the front of the monster’s skull. The creature looked down. Mollie slid down the creature’s back. Malik would have to ask her how she had climbed the beast so fast if he lived. The beast did not make it to the ground before its body vanished and Mollie’s sword clanged to the ground. Mollie ran to Khris, and then Malik closed his eyes. At least Mollie would live.