Lying Dormant: Part II - The Shine of an Obsidian Heart
The Shine of an Obsidian Heart
There was a clear path up the side of the volcano. It was narrow and winding, but it was clear. Salah led on, walking quickly despite the incline. Rex and Byron kept pace, but they weren't sure how much longer they could keep it up. Just as their lungs began to burn, they found Salah standing still, just up ahead of them. In labored steps, they trudged up to Salah. The site before them commanded their attention, regardless of how tired they felt.
A large cave-like entrance stood before them. Trinkets and totems hung from its mouth, clanking together in the wind. A warm orange light flickered off the cold black rock walls. Two men stood at the front of the entrance. They had simple robes draped over their bodies, and held spears with sharp rock points. The two guards nodded at Salah in unison, and Salah then turned to his exhausted company.
"We are here. This is Kafakormalo, the holy temple of Kafaketai. You are welcome to come inside and meet with Ulakura, chief of the Mai-Ukau." Salah moved towards the entrance as he spoke, and Rex and Byron had little else to do but follow.
The light inside the cave and tunnels was produced by several torches set firmly in the stone walls. There was also natural light falling down, illuminating areas of Kafakormalo, as there were several openings within the tunnel system. Byron whispered to Rex as they walked.
"This was a lava tunnel. From previous eruptions. They put their temple down the barrel of a loaded gun." Byron's whisper nearly became a snarl. Rex gave a sharp nod and tried to be discrete as he gestured for Byron to stay calm. They continued on until the tunnel opened up to a huge circular room. Torches adorned the walls, and a few cylinders of natural light filled the center of the room. Quite appropriately, the throne sat in the largest cylinder of light, and in that throne sat Ulakura.
He wore a flowing bright red robe. It had some sort of script written along its hems, but to Rex and Byron, it was unreadable. Ulakura’s dark brown skin was weathered and rough, showing he was no young man, but he did not appear to be incredibly old either. He noticed the newcomers as they entered, and he stood up with his arms spread wide. There was a crudely made wooden table in from of him, very low to the ground compared to his throne. He pointed his arms to the table, and then, to the surprise of the two foreigners, he spoke in English.
"Welcome. Welcome. Sit, please. We may talk." His voice boomed through the room, thick with a strange accent, but the words were easy to understand. Rex and Byron looked at each other, both unable to hide some sort of shock at this, and then seated themselves opposite Ulakura at the tiny table. Ulakura settled into his throne and now towered above them. Rex's curiosity came spilling out before they got settled. He bowed before he spoke, not sure if it was mandatory, but felt he should show as much respect as possible in hopes of getting as much information from this man as possible.
"Great, uh, Ula-ku-ra. We thank you for your, uh, hospitality. I, uh, I must ask you..." Rex was trying to figure out if Ulakura understood all that he said, or if it was just simple phrases that were in his wheelhouse. Ulakura snorted and laughed, and leaned forward in his throne.
"Do not worry, friend. I know your language. Salah told me of your visit, and I told him to say little. The looks on your faces, oh, what fun!" Ulakura shook his head in delight. Rex smirked, feeling a little bit more at ease. This might be the answer to their prayers. He continued the conversation as Byron sat stolid and silent.
"How do you know our language? I must say it was quite a shock, and now I must know or it will eat away at me!" Rex tried to throw as much jovial personality back at Ulakura, and it was working. Ulakura clapped his hands once, and smiled as he spoke.
"Missionaries came here along with the builders of the village by the ocean. They offered us much. They spoke of many things, and we found the language to sound so beautiful. We took that for us. Not all here speak it. It is an honor given to those who serve Kafaketai well." As Ulakura mentioned the mountain, he chuckled a bit, and then his tone softened and become a bit somber.
"They told us of your god. We did not want. No one compares to Kafaketai. They were silly men, if I speak true." The somber tone faded, and Ulakura sat back in his throne, pleased.
"Kafaketai. Is that what you call the mountain, uh, the volcano?" Rex had almost gotten caught up in Ulakura's charm. He tried to focus again on information. However, Ulakura’s eyes now focused straight through Rex, and he felt a sudden chill scamper along his spine. Ulakura's words now had an edge to them.
"Kafaketai is both. He is the mountain. And the spirit inside of it. He gives us all we want, but we must appease him. His anger would be the end of all things, and we cannot allow that." Ulakura licked his lips, and his breathing had quickened just a pace. His hands now firmly gripped the throne as he looked Rex up and down, as if seeing him properly for the first time and making some sort of assessment. Byron had enough. This was not the direction he wanted this conversation to go. So, he chimed in.
"What does Kafaketai translate to?" Byron said behind cold glaring eyes. Ulakura regarded him coldly for a moment, taking his time before responding.
"If I was to use your language, the name is roughly Fire Demon. Yes, I believe that would be it." Ulakura shifted in his seat, and through a face of pure arrogance, awaited Byron's reply.
"’Fire demon?’ So, you worship evil, then? Or do you just chant to a dead mountain that does not reply?" Byron's contempt coated each word. Rex began to make coughing sounds to try to silence Byron, but it was to no avail. However, Ulakura was entertained by Byron’s words.
"Ah. Yes. I know this. I believe the word is ignorance. Yes, the silly men told us the same when they came. Before Kafaketai showed them his power. His will. His desires. They left, changed." The last word was said with some uncertainty. Byron rose to his feet, and so did Ulakura. Rex hopped up as well, ready to charge in to the upcoming confrontation. It was all for nothing. A loud bell rang in the room, and a procession of servants entered with food and drink. Ulakura's face immediately settled back to a calm state. Byron had not found this sudden peace, rage poured through his veins.
"Ah. Let us not throw words. Come, let us feast. Perhaps then we can discuss this more with less... fire." Ulakura grinned as he sat down. Rex plopped back down with a heavy sigh of relief. Byron did not sit right away. His eyes could not be torn from Ulakura. The fact was that Ulakura had now disregarded Byron completely, and was enamored with the servants coming to and fro. Byron slowly settled back down. He could not let this go, though. Ulakura knew something. Byron watched as he laughed, blind to the food placed in from of him and the drink poured into wood bowls. Rex had begun to drink at least. He was famished from the hike up, and the wine was actually decent.
Byron’s eyes moved from Ulakura as he began to notice the noise around him. Suddenly, Ulakura let out a joyous sound and Byron whipped back around. A woman with short, black hair, dressed in an elegant gown and headdress was walking towards them. She sat in the smaller seat next to Ulakura.
"My love! Was all well prepared for us and our guests, sweet Pasha?" Ulakura spoke with tenderness to his wife as she sat next to him and looked over the room.
"All, my love, is ready." She laughed softly and leaned over to kiss Ulakura. As she did, she crossed over into the light circling the chief. And that was when Byron saw it.
A shimmer. A flash. A shine. Something flickered on Pasha's chest. Among a myriad of necklaces and jewelry, one thing stood out. A black heart on a silver chain. A heart of obsidian. Rose's pendant.
Byron stood up immediately. Rex noticed and knew something had gone wrong, and he stood up quickly, and a little clumsy. He knocked over a few things from the table, and that brought the attention of everyone in the room. Ulakura and Pasha looked at Rex, who put out his hands in apology. Pasha giggled and Ulakura smiled, but Byron now called to them.
“Where is my wife?” He roared. Pasha and Ulakura stared at him, their faces going blank. Ulakura responded.
"Your wife, my friend?" He tilted his head in a patronizing way. Byron's inhibitions had finally shed from him, as he began walking towards the throne.
"Yes. My wife. Your bitch has her necklace. Now tell me where my wife is now, and return what is hers to me. This is the only time I will say this." Byron was almost monotone. Rex could feel the dread hit the room, as everything began to feel heavy and cold. Ulakura nearly spat as he laughed once more.
"You dare address me this way? I have given you food and drink, and you insult me and my wife!" Ulakura had stood up from the throne, but Byron paid no heed. He stopped moving towards the throne. Byron then knelt down. Ulakura looked around surprised at the sudden change. He did not see Byron lift up the cuff of his pants and pull out a silver object.
Byron stood quickly and brandished a revolver. He aimed it at Ulakura, his arm extended.
"I won't ask again. The time to talk is over." Byron squeezed the trigger and the gunshot blast echoed in the room. Byron had closed his eyes for just a brief second as the muzzle flashed, and when he opened them, he saw a guard's limp body in the arms of Ulakura, whose face was covered in a splatter of blood. A guard had stepped in front of Ulakura, and taken the shot straight to the head. Byron readied the gun as chaos erupted. He had Ulakura in his sights, his face of shock ignited the fire of vengeance within Byron. His finger wrapped around the trigger; he went to fire once more.
"Byron..." A pained call from Rex broke Byron's reserve. He glanced over, to see Rex grabbing his stomach, stumbling about. Rex's eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Rage overflowed in Byron. He looked back at Ulakura, and then the world exploded.
Byron fell to the floor as a guard stood behind him with a now slightly broken club. Ulakura let out a heavy breath and immediately reached to Pasha and held her for a moment. Once she was calm, Ulakura sat back in his throne. The servants had carried both Rex and Byron's bodies out of the room to be prepared for the ceremony. Ulakura beckoned to a guard near the entrance of the room, and Salah was sent in. Salah approached Ulakura and knelt before him.
"Do you know who you brought me, Salah?" Ulakura asked.
"They were tourists, Great One. Explorers." Salah said nervously.
"One of them, was the betrothed of Kafaketai's bride. The one who spoke to Kafaketai not long ago. He will be pleased with this, Salah. Very good." Ulakura said and patted Salah on the head. Salah exhaled with relief and smiled, until Ulakura grabbed his hair firmly and forced Salah to look at him.
"Where are the others?" Ulakura said with absolute seriousness.
"There, there were no others. No one else came. It was only, only the two..." Salah had found himself begging.
"Oh, Salah, despite the great offering you have brought, Kafaketai has a strong hunger. We do not have enough to appease him properly. Therefore, you shall also be part of the offering at the next sun. Be happy, Salah, you will serve Kafaketai well in this way." Ulakura smiled as he spoke Salah's death sentence to him. He gave one look to the guard at the entrance who quickly came and grabbed a weeping Salah and dragged him the same direction that Rex and Byron had been brought.
Ulakura smiled to himself. It would be a fine ceremony, and Kafaketai would be pleased. That was what mattered.
STAY TUNED FOR PART THREE TOMORROW
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