Boondocks: An Asian Evil Apocalyptic Thriller (Survive the Doom #1) || Excerpt

CHAPTER NINE

The Present

The candles blazed high in the air above the center of pentagon, almost parallel to Dansh's face. The crackling sound of fire filled the cave and the embers made it seem as if the cavern was glowing. Dansh turned around, a wide smile on his face. His body was feeling ice-cold in triumph, a snake of joy wriggling through his nerves. He could barely control his excitement; Dali was finally making her way back to the world. The flames suddenly leaping even higher told him that it was time to prepare the captured people.

Elisa's tears had stopped as she stared into the fire; her heart was pounding faster and faster with a terrifying thought. Will the churel actually return? Or is this just a horrific prank?

Rahul was watching Dansh's face glowing in the light of the flames, his shadow huge and terrifying on the wall behind. When the enchanters opened their eyes and stood up, Rahul strained to hear their words. He wanted to know whether the churel was really coming. He had heard the horror stories, but this time, he may be about to experience one live.

Yet all the while, he still wished that his instincts were wrong; that black magic was just an illusion; all the horror stories he had heard from his grandma were just myths.

The enchanters turned around, their heads bowed.

"Only an hour, our lord," said Unan.

"Bring the villagers," Dansh ordered.

Rahul and Elisa's eyes widened. Beads of sweat gathered on their faces; their clothes were now wet with perspiration. Rahul was confused. The churel is already waking up; why does he want to capture the villagers now?

Dansh turned to Elisa and Rahul. "No one can stop me from becoming an immortal now. Once she returns, I promise to bring doom all over the world and end humanity." A shining smile of joy rested on his face as he waited eagerly and impatiently for Dali's arrival. Then he laughed.

All this time, Elisa and Rahul had believed he just wanted to wake up Dali and harm the villagers—perhaps a few more in the nearby cities. However, now it seemed that Dansh's horrific plan was to end humanity in its entirety. Their brains were frantically trying to render a helpful idea that could help them protect themselves, the villagers, and the world.

"No need to try and plan anything," Dansh said to them, as if reading their minds. "There's no way out from here."

"I dare you to fight me, bastard," raged Rahul. He glowered at Dansh, returning to his earlier plan, the only one he had, and trying to evoke his ego and anger. "Without using your childish magic tricks."

He wanted one more chance to sever Dansh's head from his body.

Dansh cackled.

"Are you trying to enrage me into accepting your challenge?" asked Dansh. "If so, that's childish, boy." He grinned.

Rahul sighed in disappointment and banged on the cage bars.