Mars Underneath The Sceptre of Eternity

Escape

When Deodara opened her eyes; she felt pain in her entire body. Someone poured a bucket full of water on her face and jerked violently. Her guard Ellanoes pressed her left arm tightly and pulled her up on the rocky terrain. Deodara felt hot blood in her mouth; her eyelids were heavy to open; still she tried to open her eyes.

"It is the final moment, Princess." Ellanoes, the muscular women in scarlet breeches and doublet told her; "You are in front of the Dark Caldera."

Deodara felt cold wind passed inside her body; she saw a massive gigantic moon on the western horizon; 'The Evil Moon' it appears occasionally.' She thought. She looked down and saw a vast crater just below the cliff. She saw reddish, yellow liquid substance in the crater. 'The magma river, Tophette; the river of hell.' She thought; 'It will snatch my life.'

Her guards prepared her for the final journey and forced her to stand straight. "Don't worry; very soon, everything will be finished." Asmin smiled.

Deodara looked around and saw only four women guards in the place; she knew, Ergonn and his men had gone to Cave Nocturlia and his other men had followed them to collect the horses. A few of them would wait there for the entire month to receive the King and his followers fresh from the victory. Villagers and town folks from the downhill would also join them in a the coming fortnight. A little fair or gathering would be organised to celebrate the new king's victory over the dark forces.

"Stand Straight, Princess." Another guard whose name she did not know shouted at her.

'No, Ergonn cannot rule the planet; I have to live, I have to rescue my son, otherwise he would meet a sticky end like me.' Suddenly she got a new strength and jerked her body violently; she pushed her guards backwards; two of them instantly fell into the Dark Caldera with a loud scream; but the other two got back onto their feet quickly.

Deodara found herself on a narrow embankment whose one side had a vast crater and the other side had a pile of loose boulders and pebbles. Her captors stood on their feet; Asmin bared out her sword; Ellanoes jumped downhill; she wanted to call other guards.

"I am enough for you, Deodara." Asmin stretched her sword towards her. Deodara felt cold steel at her neck.

"Surrender," Asmin said.

'I am already dead; if I surrender I'll die; if I fight, I may live.' Deodara thought and suddenly moved right side, at the edge of the embankment; Asmin also moved leftwards and she stood at the other edge of the embankment which was overlooking towards the Dark Caldera. Deodara caught the sword in bare hand and moved forward; Asmin stepped her right foot on a slippery lava stone. She could not control her balance and fell into the Dark Caldera.

For a moment; Deodara thought that she was free from her captors; but suddenly she felt dragging towards the crater. She noticed carefully and saw; Asmin was dangling from a big boulder and her sword got stuck within Deodara's braid. She could not maintain her balance and fell on the Embankment.

Asmin was dangling on the Dark Caldera and she tightly held Deodara's braid in her two hands. The guard was far stronger than Deodara; she was pulling her towards the Crater; "You witch; if I die, I'll kill you too."

"No; give me your hand; I'll save you, Asmin." Deodara pleaded helplessly; "Why are you listening to Ergonn? You were my palace guard; I was kind to you when I was in power. Ergonn is an alien; nothing else."

"I am listening to the Grand Seer; not an alien King. You have violated the sacred Order of the Scarlet Sea. You are not auspicious for our kingdom." Asmin replied back.

Deodara stretched her right hand to Asmin and said; "We are in danger; we can decide all these things later. Give me your hand and save your life."

Asmin took her hand; Deodara tried to pull her up, but suddenly; she felt Asmin pulled her towards the crater. Deodara's hand slipped and she lost her control completely. Suddenly she found, she was in the air without any support. She was falling down and down. She heard, Asmin was laughing from the Embankment.

Though Deodara was not prepared for such treachery; but tears came into her eyes. She was falling rapidly into the vast crater. She was feeling light and free from all bondages. All of her sweet memories came into her mind; her childhood days in her father's palace; her first meeting with Synus and her wedding and finally Deoes's birth.

'Forgive me, my little son; I cannot save your birthright.' Deodara thought.

It was too dark to see anything; Deodara felt a strange cold breeze around her body; she was falling through a white mist coming up from the River Tophette. The air had a bad smell of burning flesh; she could not breathe; very soon; she need not to breathe.

She had no idea; how long it took to reach to the bottom of the Dark Caldera; but when she finally felt the heat on her back's skin; she screamed. Suddenly; she saw a red light emitted from her ring. The red light covered her body entirely and the molten magma of River Tophette could not touch her skin.

'Amazing'; Deodara said; 'Synus was right; this ruby is no ruby; but a red crystal from Terra Tenebris. It can save one from fire and heat.'

Deodara started swimming in the molten magma; she was cautious of her magic ring; she could not afford to lose it now. She felt excessive current in the river; she tried to swim towards the current; but trying to look for caves or stone shelter. Two sides of the river had no hanging rock or caves; here rocks could not survive in the solid state. Deodara saw in the bright reddish light of the molten magma, the rocks just above the river had rainbow coloured banding; they were emitting various shades of lights. She could not resist to appreciate the beauty.

Suddenly, Deodara noticed that the River had ended abruptly. As she came near the ending point; she noticed that it was a waterfall, no, no magmafall. The molten magma was falling from a great height; she felt horror struck, but had no way to retreat.

Again; Deodara felt the light feeling; she was falling from a great height. Having no idea, where she was going, she closed her eyes; immense fear clouded her all senses and she felt that she was drowning in an eternal depth.

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