The Ethereal Saga - Volume Two - The Abyss of Abaddon

Chapter Ten - Hungry Not Hungry

"Get the taser ready," said one of the voices as they finally reached the top, "I don't want that thing biting you. You know what happened to the fella' who you took over from don't cha? Poor guy." The sun was bright, and harshly aiming right into Alex's eyes. He winced and squinted his eyes to try to see through the glare. The guards were not tall at all. Barely standing 4ft tall they were almost as wide as they were tall.
"She didn't kill them!" one of them said.
"I can see that!" the other replied.
As they hesitated, Alex felt his movement become less restricted. Whatever the clay-like substance was, it seemed to melt very quickly in the heat. Any second now, he thought, he would be free. The four of them very purposefully said nothing. Each of them not sure what their newfound reptile friend would do and not confident enough it would not involve them to make any sudden movements. Alex saw through his pained squinting expression, one of the small fat men reach into his pocket and pull out a device of some sort. A small crackling bolt of electricity darted on its tip. Alex could feel the Ophidian's fear.
"Stay back," said the taser-wielding fat man to the serpent which hissed at him.
He turned the taser toward Alex, "What are you doing here? Who are you?"
"We're lost," lied Alex, "Fell in to your little well here."
The other fat man guffawed audibly, "What? All of you?"
The first of them shrugged, "I don't know Cairn, maybe they did? We never have anyone down there. Well... Not without us chucking them in there first."
The blazing sun passed behind a cloud. Alex fidgeted slightly, aware of his newfound advanced movement. He shared a look with his father whose strong determined look seemed to indicate he had not yet had the same luck. Alex chose to stay still for now, aware of the weapon being pointed at him. His vision improved dramatically, and he almost laughed inappropriately at the sight that greeted him. The men were indeed short and fat. They each had messy, curly and dirty beards with shiny bald heads. On their backs were rucksacks of various tools, which Alex was sure could probably do more lasting damage to them than the taser. Still, he did not want to test any of them out. Besides that, the two men were almost identical were it not for wrinkles on one of the men's forehead. Suggesting quite an age difference, Alex wondered if his inexperience might prove useful. Obviously this was something Zach had noticed too as he decided to break his silence and spoke to Cairn rudely, "Ever actually use that on anything with legs before, son?"
The younger stumbled a response that sounded something like, "Shut up."
"Tell us or-" Cairn hesitated," -or my friend Cern here will zap the truth out of you."
"He will?" Cern replied surprised, "I mean. Yeah. I will."
He held the device closer to Alex and pressed the button close to his face.
"Uh.." he mumbled, "Like this right?"
The tip of the arc touched Alex's cheek slightly and sent a shock a painful shock through his head. Alex shrieked in pain.
"Alex!" Zach and Michael shouted in unison.
"Shit," said Tom struggling in the clay, close to popping out a shoulder.
"You bastard!" Shouted Michael as he freed one arm. A bright white aura emanated from his hand and floated swiftly to Cern's face. He shrieked and with his retinas burning he dropped the taser clutching at his face.
Suddenly things started happened quite quickly. Tom and Alex freed themselves from the last of their clay bonds and dived at Cairn, tackling him to the ground.
"ARGH!" He shouted, "Get of'a me!"
"Oh shut up," said Zach who held his hand threateningly toward him, "You Vikenes are so annoying. Don't try anything or I'll do ten time worse to you."
The ophidian, seized its opportunity and, now safe from the offending taser, darted to attack the temporarily blinded Vikene, Cern.
"NO! STOP!" shouted Alex sensing the creatures intentions.
There was a horrible snapping sound as the creature unhinged its jaws and quickly proceeded to wrap its head around Cern's left leg. Biting down, at the knee, his leg was separated and almost instantly swallowed whole.
Cern feinted and a pool of deep red blood formed swiftly.
"JESUS CHRIST," yelled Tom.
Alex panted in shock.
Michael turned to his side and vomited in disgust.
Not hungry, was all the creature intimated to Alex.
"CERN!" cried Cairn, "Oh god no. Not again. Not again!"
Alex turned angrily to the legless Vikene and kicked him in his side, "Maybe if you hadn't been zapping the thing within an inch of its life, she would have more respect for your friend there."
"Alex..." Zach said in a quiet tone and , "Calm down mate, he's not getting up any time soon."
"NO," Alex replied angrily, "Thisss idiot was going to zap ussss!"
"Alex, what are you-" Tom tried to ask.
"What?" Alex interrupted, "You think I'm over-reacting?!"
"Just a little mate," Tom replied place his hand on his friend's shoulder.
Alex recoiled angrily and hissed angrily before placing his hand on his mouth in shock.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I don't know what- I don't understand what I'm doing."
Michael explained, "It's the quintessence son. You're feeling what that thing is feeling."
The Ophidian hissed. Rude.
"It's not her fault," Alex claimed, "They tortured her. She's angry and scared. She's so scared."
"She's a monster," said Zach.
"Yeah well, we all have a bit of monster in us," said Michael surprising everyone.
"She likes you son. See if you can calm her down."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" said Zach still pointing his hand at the still bipedal Vikene as if he were holding a deadly weapon.
"It's fine," interrupted Alex stepping toward the serpent.
She hissed nervously a she approached.
"Be careful mate," Tom said.
Alex gulped down some sick as he moved towards her, past the legless fat carcass on the ground which now stewing in its pool of blood.
He knelt down as she raised her head to come to meet him. She seemed confused.
Food promised. Food given.
"Yeah..." whispered Alex as they stared inches apart from each other. The Ophidian swayed gently from side to side, blood on its visible fangs.
"Not really what I had in mind," he said, "Where did you come from? Where's home?"
She responded negatively and hissed sadly.
"No home?" asked Alex, "That's okay. They're over-rated anyway."
She gently moved closer and around him, wrapping gently around his neck again. Alex allowed this, sensing the lack of malice. She was inspecting him.
"Look, I know you're angry. But you can't do that again."
"THAT THING NEEDS TO BE PUT DOWN!" shouted Cairn.
Tom kicked him in his chubby legs, "Shut it, Bashful."
The Ophidian recoiled in fear from the shouting.
"It's okay, it's okay," said Alex, "I won't let them hurt you anymore."
Protect? He was able to discern.
"Yes, I can protect you from them," he promised.
The creature signalled negatively again. She focused strongly looking at Alex's eyes and sent a clear message.
Protect each other.
Alex felt a wave of calm come from the Ophidian as she glided happily along his shoulders.
Alex recoiled initially but allowed the show of affection.
"Did you just..." said Tom, "Did you just adopt that thing?"
"Please," said Alex, "I'd rather have her on our side than not."
Tom and the others couldn't help but agree with that.
"and besides," said Alex, "Less of the it. Call her Ophie."
"What the hell is wrong with you people?!" Cairn cried.
Michael knelt down next to the floored fatso and spoke, "Don't suppose you know any henges around here do you?"
"Never heard of 'em. Look, just let me go please, I wont-".
Michael shushed him, "Thought not."
He breathed audibly and looked at Zach for approval. A curt nod gave it.
Zach stepped back as he and Tom helped Cairn to his feet.
Michael looked down at him, "Take us to your leader."