The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction - Part 2

Chapter 349: City of Diya's Temple of Doom, Cave, Kamchatka Wilderness, 1960

City of Diya's Temple of Doom

Cave

Kamchatka Wilderness

Soviet Union

1960

There was a fiery light at the end of the cave passageway. It smelled of fear, sweat, ash and brimstone. Emily and Shorty cautiously moved to the entryway.

The altar dedicated to death was spread out before them, surrounded by a chasm of fire. A priest with horned headpiece strode, hands up, chanting toward the altar.

Shorty shuddered, pressing his back against the cool damp walls of the cave. "He's back."

"What?" Emily asked.

"The head priest from the Temple of Doom. He's down there - in the next room - walking around, chanting. His chants led the apkallu into the room."

Emily leaned over to look. Then drew back with a hissing gasp. "He's... just... evil..."

"I thought he was dead!" Shorty mumbled, sweat covering his face. "I saw him and his followers pitch off the side of the cliff and into a canyon river full of crocodiles."

"We are in the underworld," Emily reminded him.

"He can pull hearts out bodies," Shorty whispered, blinking back the nausea and the memories. Shorty pointed to an empty altar. "That's where I rescued Indy. They had him about to sacrifice Miss Scott."

"Not wonder she was mad at Dad when they re-met." Emily mused. "Where's the sacrifice?"

"It would have been hanging over the fiery chasm," Shorty pointed. "But I don't see anyone."

"That's because they got Dad. They finally got what they wanted." Emily collapsed trembling. "I can't believe he's gone..."

"Cheer up, Mama! Gwandpa will be back! He's a treasure guardian!"

Emily shook her head. "Little one, I don't know how things are your side of eternity... but people don't come back from the unseen realm here."

"No, she's right."

Shorty turned around and stared. It was a younger reflection of himself, with a tattered baseball cap - but this boy had Lizavet's eyes and some of her more angular facial features.

The boy grinned. "Hi, Dad."

Shorty looked at Emily perturbed and mortified. "I'm a dad...? That's my face - I have to be a dad to him!" He clutched the boy by the shoulders. "Son - where's your mother?!?"

"Where you left her....?" The boy looked confused. "With the apkallu...? And Grandpa?"

Shorty frowned. "She's supposed to be escaping!"

"We all are," Emily replied. "But not without the Seven Swords of Diya. We can't leave any of them in the possession of the apkallu. Or their servants."

Emily's daughter leaned over her mother's shoulder. "Then why does he have two of them?"