International Legends

Chapter 26 - Jasper

I am mesmerized upon entering the hallway of the huge castle of Basques. Crystal corridors that seemed to reflect into infinity. It was disorienting as was the clash of the crystal with the stone cover paths and old paintings depicting many worlds and creatures I had never seen.

We make our way to an open room with two large double doors painted purple with gold handles. I feel a pair of eyes watching us from two giant winged statues holding swords. I could have sworn one of them moved. I jumped instinctually at my attacker. Just when you think nothing could surprise you.

I have seen monsters tear people limb from limb. I have had to cleave my way through zombies to prevent them from tearing their family and friends apart. I was beyond words. What came to my mind exactly was "Shit."

I regretted vocalizing that the second it was out of my mouth. Oh and the diabolical threat I was protecting my group from was a crystal and bronze statue. My scythe hits it with a rebounding clang that shacks me and rattles my skull but that wasn't what shook me into freezing in place. That was because I was seeing Sophia the Nun giving me a gasp . I mutter a weak apology for the swears. Feeling like a kid getting scolded for speaking out of turn.

"You know how he is," says Jodinia. "What are you thinking?"

"Please my lady," says Sophia, "You know I wouldn't do this if I felt we had a choice."

"Well, maybe there is a chance this 'Basques' character will be helpful to us all."

As the two continue to chatter over Leo as if he's nothing more than a misinformed schoolboy, I ponder the looks of the castle and the character they describe - who sounds more like a monster that they are sacrificing us to. Weirdly, I would prefer that to an observer of realities but judging from the fact we aren't in my home world the chances of a monster owning a castle are not high.

We were suddenly flanked by the two statues. I knew there was something off about them! When you grow up in a world where demons are constantly attempting to attack, you develop a good sense of what a threat is. These birdman statues were ominous; they had a weird power about them.

"Oh," I hear Ozara whisper "They look like..."

She's cut off by the statues who say, "If you have business with master Basques, we shall be escorting you to his meeting room."

"We are his friends," says Sophia, "Surely there is no need."

Sophia was sweet and calm, surprising with the size of the weapon she wielded.

"Rules are rules Sophia," says the statues, "We don't need a bunch of morons here who are going to be wiped out by the tests."

I look up at them, the two goons look as if they had wandered out of a loony-bar. Snarling and laughing, as if we were the stupidest three persons of which they had ever seen. Their eyes, staring at mine as if they could disintegrate me on the spot, and their voices taunting, "What are you going to do about it you giant, aborted baby?"

I am held back by the tiny nun, fighting every urge to throw myself at them, shouting "Say that one more time you brain-dead robot piss!"

"Robot piss? Really?" was a good sum of the reactions to this, and the two statues threw themselves into a grand laughter. Then I turned around and screamed in horror as the small toddler, the demon baby Claire, was dragging myself into the room.

"What is Claire doing here?" I ask. "Let me go, let me have him."

I was dragged away against my will, still hearing the laughter of the statues going "Go ahead mortals, and invite the burned baby more often", as Sophia hastily explained, "I don't know! She just follows me around everywhere!"