Servant To A Zealous Master

CHAPTER 8

The next place in our journey makes my skin crawl. We're entering a temple for heretics. God will not watch over us in this place. As they have their own gods and this is their jurisdiction. The interior is dimly lit with torches scattered about. They illuminate golden walls with strange scrawlings all over them.

We progress further into the unholy place and find ourselves surrounded by strange persons who burst forth from the wall, wrapped in linens of some kind from head to foot.

We strike out at them. My master waving about the whip, which again turns metallic, but doesn't barb. I attack as best I can, as neither the ash, nor the holy water, has any affect on them. They're heretics, but that doesn't mean they're in league with the dark, while Sypha uses her magic to immolate and penetrate the numerous bodies charging at us.

After a fashion there's nothing left standing, except for us. And the injuries we sustain are only superficial, except for my master, whose arm is encircled by the metallic barbs crawling up his arm. But he's used to it and soon, it's time to move into the sanctuary of these strange gods.

Before us stands a wide open floor, covered with golden tile and a large coffin-like structure in the middle of the floor, also covered in gold. At the far end, against the wall, are three statues, one a woman with a lion's face, another a man with a dog-like creature's face, last another man with the head of a bird. I can tell there's something dangerous about the room and I'm right.

When we're smack in the middle, near to the coffin, the statues crack and fell away revealing three strange persons that directly resembled the outer shell. They shout at us in a language I can't understand, nor do I think my companions can either, but it's obvious they're angry.

The cat lady bolts from her place, advancing upon us, a slim ax in one hand and an open claw in the other. Whilst she's doing so the other two let fly their weapons. The birdman throws a curved sickle-like sword and the dog man throws its staff.

The feline woman closes in upon us and my master lashes out at her, but is unable to keep up with her quick reflexes, as she deftly dodges the attack and strikes out with her own weapon.

I intercede with the ax, taking the brunt of her assault and it's at this time that the other weapons catch up with us. The staff flies like a lighting fast arrow and nearly catch Sypha, but she's able to deflect it with a solid piece of ice.

Then comes the curved sword. It passes right through our group and we all have to duck, as it slices through the air and it becomes immediately evident that the birdman is capable of controlling it, as it cuts back to us.

I'm able to subdue it with my ax and keep it from striking any of us. In the meantime, my master handles the cat woman. He spins the whip about and it protects him from the feline woman's onslaught.

Sypha casts bolts of ice at the other two, who remain standing far on the other side of the room. They're able to dodge with some difficulty and the staff reappears in the dogman's hand.

I know if we're to have any success we will have to take on the two who stand distant. A thought shared by our sorceress, who gives me a reassuring nod.

I close the distance as fast as I'm able while the dogman holds his staff in a defensive position and the bird man stands ready with his recently returned sword. I let fly the knife, but since he possesses no dark heart, it can't strike true. Still, it's a swift weapon and able to bypass the dogman's defense, lodging itself into his side, causing him to howl in pain.

Sypha strikes out with bolts of ice and fire, which the bird man is capable of destroying with his formidable weapon. I close the distance and now stand toe to toe with my adversary. The canine male swings his weapon and I barely avoid it, while I strike out with the ax, but it can't break the staff, as it's not manifested by evil.