The Smi

15: Meetings

I ran ahead, further and further into the cave-like temple. The walls were rigid, stone-carved, wavy, marble. I got so caught up in their beauty, that I ran into a giant stone plaque. I shook my head, dizzy from the crash. I was okay, though. Walk it off, I thought. I braced myself on my thighs and stood up.

"Autumn? Come on, wait up." Th others had almost caught up.

"Sorry, guys." I mumbled. I sprang up and read the plaque briefly. Interesting... I moved on swiftly. I kept running. I didn't know where to go. I looked around quickly. All I could see, for God knows how far, was stone walls. I just kept on running, running, running. I just had to be away from them, I didn't know why, I just did. I knew, that as I ran, I was getting myself further and further into a living death trap. I could feel it in the air. It sent chills down my spine. I ran faster. Suddenly, I came to an abrupt stop. I heard deep breathing somewhere in the distance.

"Oh dear God. Please be a draft, please be a draft." I whispered in fear to reassure myself. I gulped. I ignored my need to stay away from Aaron and the others, and slowly walked forward. I walked into the mouth of a new, unseen tunnel. It led to a new open area that didn't look that different. By now, it was definitely nighttime. Then, I heard a light chuckle in a deep voice. It almost looked like the arenas and coliseums that the Romans and Greeks used. I turned my head, looking back at the arch I had strolled through. As soon as I turned back around, the arch closed with the SLAM! of a rusted iron-cast gate. I ran back and shook the gate furiously. It wouldn't budge. I began to hyperventilate. GET YOURSELF UNDER CONTROL.

A wind blew across the clearing and that breathing continued, this time fading into laughter. Suddenly, it spoke.

"Did you really think you could save your friends?" The voice went into a quiet bout of laughing. The wind blew straight across the bottom of my jawbone and the tip of my chin. I clenched my jaw and squeezed my eyes shut. I took a deep breath in. It passed and I let out my breath. The wind and leaves began to gather at the far end. They swirled and whipped in circles.

"Hello, Autumn." The voice said in a calm voice, with a chuckle.

I stared forward, straining to swallow my fear. "Lucifer." I whispered coldly.

The leaves' pace began to race, faster and faster, until an image began to appear. The tall figure was unhooded, with long, wavy, nearly-white, blond flowing hair, and long, brown leather robes, pure nearly pale skin and a humongous pitchfork with flames running up every side, every prong. Every step he took, it clacked loudly on the floor. He walked up to me.

"Of all my names," he raised his chin and looked down at me, scowling, "You choose Lucifer." He said it slowly. Almost as if he were a snake.

"That is the name my people chose." I raised my chin to make my narrowing, suspicious eyes to meet his.

He chuckled and stroked my chin. My breath shook and I slapped away his hand.

"Feisty." He said, what I hope was, admiringly. "You are very bold to sway the hand Satan; of the Devil; of Lucifer." He chuckled with his teeth clenched. He grasped my hand tensely. "Do you know of the power that runs through these veins?" He bared his teeth slightly, apparently, hating my hand (I don't have a clue as to why).

"I'm no more powerful than Aaron, Rien or Ambur." I argued as he released my hand. There were quite clear fingerprints left where he had grasped my hand.

He scoffed and said, "Ha! You're special and you know it. You changed the letters on that page. Was that just," He paused and did a sarcastic jazz-hand gesture, "Magic and fishing line?" He was angrily sarcastic now. I looked down, considering the evidence. I had to admit, that couldn't have been fake.

"How do you think the CLUs at the abandoned house just disappeared, hmmm?!" He paused to take a breath and look down. "Are you and your little friends really that stupid?!"

I thrust him back, screaming, "Shut up, Lucifer! Go back to HELL!" I was furious.

"You just don't see it do you?!?!" He grabbed my hair and thrust my head back, so I had to look him in the blood-shot eyes.

"YOU ARE THE SMI!!" He shook my head as I clawed his hands. He finally let go, huffing and puffing. Turned around, he swore under his breath and whipped around when he had reached the other end if the cave.

"And now," He paused, for effect (what else could it be for?!), "I will kill you and the rest of your race, FOREVER."