Duality : Book 1 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 22 (edited)

Chapter 22

The Elysium forest is thousands of years old. It stood there long before there was a ruined city nearby, long before any kind of settlement existed there. The forest is deep and dark, it is old and brooding, full of massive trees with thick and twisted trunks. Twisted roots stuck out of the ground. Even in the middle of the day, very little light can penetrate the canopy of leaves. Jason stumbled onwards, branches slapping and scratching his face. There were no paths to follow, roots constantly tried to trip him. Even with no paths or any sort of landmarks, Jason knew where he was going. Not much further now, he thought, as he tried to untangle his robe from a small bush. Up ahead was a clearing, golden sunlight poured down. A wide open grassy area free of trees and only one large rock sat in its very centre. As Jason entered the clearing he thought to himself, this is wrong, that really shouldn't be like that. Laid upon the stone was the second half of his book. The book that was meant to be buried in the tomb under the stone circle. When he had performed that spell on the hilltop he had a vision of a time long past. He saw the Temple Druids' graves in a tomb under the hill and then in the centre of the tomb stood a pedestal with this book upon it. Jason froze in place, something was very wrong here.  A rustling from the trees caught his attention. No! it can't be!

Janus stepped into the clearing and Jason recoiled at the sight. The demon stepped into the sunlight so that Jason could see the full extent of the damage. All that remained of the right side of Janus's face and neck was a solid slab of pink scar tissue. He wore a long sleeved white robe that covered his body, but instead of a right hand there was only a lump of ruined flesh with four lethal blades sticking out of it. Jason backed up a step and drew his sword. Almost instantly it erupted into emerald green flames. The ruined part of Janus's face was set in a permanent snarl, the good side joined it. Those green flames brought back memories of the hilltop, and the unending pain.

"No more magic tricks."

His words came out slurred and twisted by his ruined mouth. The flames on Jason's sword dimmed and then died out. Jason looked down at his sword in confusion, concentrating hard he made the flames reappear.

"I said no more magic!" Janus growled.

Once again, the flames died out. The sun went behind a cloud and the whole clearing darkened and seemed to close in. Jason swore violently and tried to bring his magic back. The trees and darkness kept closing in but the fire would not come.

"You are just a mortal," Janus rumbled. "I don't know how you channel that magic but it stops now. You will die like the mortal you are!"

"So be it!" said Jason as he took up a fighting stance, sword raised high. Janus made a strange noise that may have been laughter. A slight flick of his good hand sent roots racing from the ground and wrapping themselves around Jason's legs.

"What the hell..." More roots surged up and wrapped themselves around Jason's arms. "Coward!" Jason snarled. "Fight me fairly!"

Janus just stood and watched. "Why should I?"

Jason struggled against his bonds desperately trying to cut himself free. Janus growled and the root around Jason's wrist began to squeeze. He tried with all his might to hold onto the sword but the root kept squeezing tighter until with a sickening snap his wrist broke. Jason cried out in pain and despair as his sword dropped uselessly to the ground.

"You are nothing but a filthy coward!" Jason snarled. "You are pathetic, you know you can't beat me fairly!" Jason roared in pain as his other wrist shattered. 

Janus steeped right up into Jason's face. "Firstly! I did beat you! I pinned you and your little whore to the wall, secondly I owe you pain!"

Jason's arms were roaring in pain but still he struggled against his bonds. "I will kill you!"

"No, you won't. You are in no position to make such a threat. Tell me something, are you familiar with the bible?"

"Obviously!" Jason spat out. More roots rose and wrapped around Jason's forehead and neck.  Janus tapped a blade at the spot where his eye had once been.

"So, are you familiar with the saying 'an eye for an eye'?"

Jason tried to struggle, to move but the roots were holding him firmly in place.  Janus raised his bladed hand up in front of Jason's face.

"You cost me an eye and caused me a whole world of pain!" One of the blades began to extend, Janus positioned it right over Jason's eye. "Now I am going to return the favour!"

Pain exploded inside Jason's skull as the blade was driven home, the silence of the forest shattered by his screams of pain.

"Yes, that's it!" growled Janus. "Scream out all you want!"

The demon carefully carved away until the eyeball dropped to the ground.  Blood gushed from the gaping wound, Jason's skull felt like it was on fire. Fear and despair were filling him. No one knew where he was, no one was coming to save him. He thought he had known torture but the beatings and pain from before his execution were nothing compared to this. Janus stepped back to admire his handiwork. Half his face twisted up into an evil grin. Jason was completely at his mercy.

"I was going to take your other eye as well but I realised that I want you to see your death coming." Jason was in too much pain to even reply, he hung limply in his bonds. The roots pulled Jason into an upright position while others pried his one remaining eye open. Janus raised his clawed arm high, the sun came back out and glinted off the steel.  Jason took a deep breath. So, it is over, no one can save me now.

As the blades plunged towards his chest, Jason wondered what the next world would be like. Was Eva, right? Was the next world much worse than this?  Janus roared in triumph as the blades rammed home. Blood shot from Jason's mouth and as he began choking on his own blood, only one thought stuck in his mind, where is the raven?

****

Hel stood gazing at the moon, she made a quick mental calculation. There was maybe an hour till dawn. The legion of Passus stood silently behind her, still as statues. Janus had disappeared early in the morning and still hadn't returned yet I guess it's up to me to lead the attack then? The coast was still about a mile away and the whole plan hinged on the element of surprise. Janus planned to storm the island before the defences could be raised. Hel scowled into the dark. The island was sacred ground, it held the power of the Aesir and neither she, Janus or the Passus could set foot on it. Still, Janus had a plan and it involved the prisoners. She held the rope too. Hel guessed it would be ritual magic, maybe their blood could break the power of the gods? Hel gazed at the prisoners. They were all small and withered, noosed at the neck and had bald heads. Their sunken lifeless eyes stared at nothing. Tugging sharply on the end of the rope Hel began the march towards the coast. Without giving any command, the silent legion of the damned followed.