Deva, Temple of Treachery

Chapter 18

The water rippled as Silas slowly climbed down, his eyes watching the water for threats. Amara flinched everytime the water splashed and Silas froze in place, before he relaxed once more and took another step. He moved his feet along the mud, hoping to rattle any works in the banks instead of just suddenly step on one.

Sarthak seemed restless as he moved over to Amara and pulled close to him, putting a gun to her head. "Get a move on, Silas, or the pretty lady will be missing a part of her skull soon enough."

"Ignore him, Silas. Just make a run for it!" Amara shouted before her mouth was covered by a hand. Biting down on it with all her might, Sarthak let out a grunt and hit her over the face.

Wrestling the struggling Amara, Sarthak threw her to the ground and shot a warning shot just inches from her face, making her entire body grow rigid in fear.

"Hurt her and not even your gods will be able to protect you," Silas shouted back. His eyes flashing in anger, though they soon turned back to the water.

"Get a move on and she won't be," Sarthak shouted back but his eyes spoke of another thing. He had no intention of letting her go, but Amara was too scared to scream anything more. She considered using the mantra that Prahlada thaught her but she wasn't sure it would work on humans.

Silas grimaced and started to move again, then he stopped. His face going pale and eyes wide before he suddenly let out a shout as he was pulled under the water. His arms clawing to get to the surface, water splashing, and Amara screamed, trying to get to him but Sarthak just laughed and held her back.

She could only see his arms, then his fingers, then finally, his entire body was gone and the water went still as blood seemed to filled the area he was in.

"Well, that was satisfying," Sarthak's cold eyes turned to Amara laying frozen in place. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at the place Silas had once been standing."But we still need someone to lower that bridge."

Amara turned to him, her eyes angry as she stared into the gun barrel coming closer to her face. She could feel Sarthak's breath on her face. "And I think you should be next."

Amara opened her mouth to tell him to go to hell, when a gunshot echoed in the clearing. One of the men fell to the ground, and the other shouted. Shooting wildly as they fell to the ground one by one. Sarthak ripped Amara up from the ground, she let out a whimper when the gun pressed against her temple.

Her eyes searched for the shooter, tears flowing when she saw the familiar face. Amos stood there, coldly holding a rifle aimed at Sarthak.

"Who are you suppose to be?" Sarthak grunted, looking at the men shakily aiming their guns at Amos.

"The girl's guardian," Amos said, not releasing his eyes from them.

"And you just rushed in like a fool loosing your only advantage," Sarthak rolled his eyes, before shaking Amara. "Drop the weapon or the girl dies."

Amos eyes met Amara, calm and gentle. His eyes telling her to run and she listens. Her trust unhampered as she elbows Sarthak in the rips and throw herself away from the man.

She expected Amos to shoot but instead, he lowers the gun and raises his other hand. "Osrecca secidar segapnoc."

A sizzling noise echoed in the clearing, sounding over the flow of the river and a blue glow blinded Amara for a second, before it faded and the clearing sounded with a crackling noise accompanied by shouts in terror.

Opening her eyes, staring at the strange scene, Amara's brain tried to wrap itself around the conundrum of what happened. Glowing shapes, a circle around a pentagon engulfing a five cornered star around a three corned star shone all around the men. From the circle roots grew, twisting and holding down the men trying to get free.