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The End of Infinity

Yup, its another chapter. I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment. However, its been scientifically proven that I'll die if you don't review. :\

Slowly, ever so slowly, I begin to come around. Groggily, I force my eyes open, revealing that I am back at the campsite, in my old tent. Brent's hammer no longer hangs on my back. I go to move, but am pulled back by ropes around my feet and hands. As well as binding my wrists, whoever put me in here has also wrapped a piece of cloth tightly over my hands, stopping me from using my fingers or even opening my fists. They have even thought to gag me, in case I try and chew my way out. Frustrated, I yell obscenities into the cloth across my mouth, yanking desperately at the ropes in blind hope. But it is useless. I have been captured, and my sentence will only be worse after my flight and fight. The flap at the entrance ruffles and I look up to see Biwon enter. Glancing furtively from side to side, he bends down as he approaches me.

"I'm guessing the running away plan didn't go as expected," he whispers, grinning nervously. I narrow my eyes and the smile drops from his face.

"Right. Not a time for jokes. Well, I have some bad news." He takes a deep breath, as if stealing himself for what he has to say. I grunt impatiently and he glances down, then pulls the gag out.

"I can't let you escape, I'm afraid," he continues, "I'm already in trouble as it is…" he trails off again and I sigh.

"Come on! What have they decided?"

"Well…Coalan has not been exactly truthful with his account, I suspect. He's claiming that you ambushed him, tried to kill him."

"What? How can they believe him? What about the others?"

"He's either bullied or bribed them all into submission. They're backing up his statement. They…they've ordered your death." My blood goes cold.

"They can't! It's against the laws of the tribe!"

"Which is the only reason you are still alive! They might obey the law, but they don't respect. In whatever way necessary, they will subvert the law and make sure that you die in a way that leaves them completely in the clear. Right now they are discussing options and-" He stops as footsteps draw nearer to the tent, then quickly slips the gag back in, ignoring my muffled protests.

"I'll do what I can," he whispers breathlessly, "But I can't promise that it will be much." With that final comment, he slips under the taut fabric at the back of the tent, almost pulling it out of the ground as he does so. The door flaps open and Kemble strides in, Coalan and Faolan close at his heels. Both of them have bloodied faces, but only Coalan is stained by his own blood. The chief looks down on me, a grave look on his face.

"We have come to a decision," he intones, his voice slow and steady. "The death penalty goes against the creed of the tribe. You will not be put to death" I slump, releasing the breath I didn't realise I hadn't realised I was holding. Kemble continues, however.

"The only suitable punishment is imprisonment. As we do not have any permanent residences to hold you in at the present time," he pauses, then stumbles forwards through his speech, "We will keep you in the nearest unoccupied structure, be it a home, a shop, a place of worship or a tomb." My eyes go wide as I realise what he is saying. Memories of running through darkness, of a monstrous creature run through my head. I buck like a horse as Coalan grabs me and pulls me to my feet, savagely yanking me back up as I begin to fall again, unable to balance well with my feet bound. Grinning savagely, he half-drags and half-guides me out of the camp, stopping only to allow another man to cut the ropes on my feet. Angrily, I lash out with my feet, but am quickly subdued by a flurry of fists that I am unable to defend myself from. Slightly dazed, I stumble the rest of the way, pulling away from Coalan occasionally, only to be pulled straight back. Finally, we reach the tomb and I bite down into the gag to keep from shouting out as I am shoved through the opening, an unholy wound in the side of the mountain. I glance around just in time to see Coalan and his assistants lifting up a large slab of rock, blocking off the entrance completely. I shiver in fear as darkness envelops me, then shake my head. My only chance is to think and stay calm. Breathing slowly, I lift my now unbound feet up, stretching further and further until my biggest toe brushes my chin grunting with the effort, I slip the nail under the scrap of cloth wrapped through my mouth and pull down sharply, yanking the cloth out of my mouth. Grinning, I bend down and begin to pull at the rope around my wrists with my teeth. After a few minutes chewing, my bonds fall to the ground and I stretch out, rubbing the red marks on my wrists. Even if I am free, though, I am still unarmed and as good as blind. Nevertheless, if I stay here, I am a sitting duck. If I move, I may find another way out, a source of light, or at least something I could defend myself with. Filled with trepidation, I take a step into the labyrinth, the darkness like a shroud, muffling my steps. A faint scuttling is rattling around in the darkness- the creature or just a rat? I can't afford to find out. The darkness swallows me up as I pad forwards into the catacombs. One thing is for certain. In just hours from now, either the beast will be dead…or I will be.
 
either the beast will be dead…or I will be.
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woah this was cool.. though i didn't like this chapter that much it was slow well anyway you have me in tights and i hope you are surely gonna give goosebumps in the next update.

Anyway this was a pretty good chapter :)
 
Well, that's just great.

I bet Mr. Main Character's loving his tribe now. Yep. Good times, good times...

Overall, the chapter's good, but uncharacteristically slow. It's not like you to write something devoid of action.
 
See, I DO update...occasionally. This chapter is a little longer than normal, but I hope that you enjoy it! (if there's anyone reading this D:). So read, enjoy and review while you're at it!

I shiver as I slowly creep through the tunnels – partly from cold and partly from fear. It's been about ten minutes since I set off and I still have yet to see anything more than a faint shadow scuttling around a corner. The beast is nearby, that is certain. But it is toying with, hiding just out of site so that when the time comes…I push the thoughts out of my mind, then gasp as my foot glances something small and hard. A rock? A bone? I bend down and grasp at it quickly, desperate for the comforting feel of a weapon in my hand. My fingers slowly close around something cold and metallic and I grin. Fumbling in the dark for a second, I find a lid and flip it open. A small rock and something soft meets my fingers. Fiddling a little more, I find a closed loop of metal and strike it quickly against the rock a few times. Sparks leap into the air, landing on the soft, fine straw. It slowly catches light and I quickly hold up the glowing tinder, gripping the tinderbox in my other hand, the one that the women must have dropped down here last time. Glancing around, I notice in the dim light that unlit torches line the walls. Feeling the flames start to lick at my fingers, I hold the tinder quickly up to the nearest torch, sighing in relief as it catches. I see it has been coated in some strange, tar-like liquid, but I can't tell exactly what it is. Darting from side to side, I light several more torches, taking one in my right hand to use as a weapon if necessary. Still, I know that the creature fears the light, so the more of it I can create, the better my chances. Squinting into the gloom ahead, I stroll down the passageway, lighting torches as I go. My luck soon runs out, however. I reach a cross-road in the tunnels and am dismayed to find that none of the other corridors have torches. Grimacing, I grab one more from the wall and set out, a flaming baton in each hand.


After a short while walking, a faint murmuring reaches my ears. Not the screeching and scuttling of the monster, but the muffled sound of human voices. Running desperately towards them, I come to a corner in the tunnel and stop, confused. There! In the corner, I can see where there was once a hole, but a stone of has been dragged across, blocking it. I curse under my breath. The tribe has even gone round the edges of the mountain and sealed off every possible exit. Coalan is determined that I am not going to get out. But why? We have a rivalry, it is true, but this is attempted murder. What has made him stoop so low? Behind me, I hear a scuttling and an animalistic moan. The beast has arrived. Slowly, I turn around, peeing into the gloom not illuminated by the torches. I can faintly see movement, but nothing else. The thing is stretching up to the ceiling, almost as if it is expanding…inhaling. Gasping, I remember what happened to Ingrid and Amma. A gust of wind had blown out their torches right before they were attacked! Jumping to this realisation, I spin around and shield the flames with my body as a putrid blast of wind barrels down the tunnel. I stand fast, but the gust creeps round my side and one of the torches is blown out of my hands. Desperately, I hunker down, almost burning myself in my efforts to keep my one remaining light burning. At last, the hurricane dies down and I spin around, seeing the huge silhouette panting in the aftermath of its gust. Still, it remains just outside of the circle of light, impossible to identify. Realising this is my one chance, I dart forwards and swipe at what looks like a leg with the flaming brand. The burning wood glances off something hard and brittle, like an insects shell. As the beast screeches, a slight smell of scorched flesh fills the air and it retreats a little, fading further into the darkness. With the creature this close, I can dare not turn and flee, but I cannot fight such a huge monster with nothing but a flaming stick. I need a real weapon of some kind…but what? Crouching, I brush my hands along the floor, not taking my eyes off the animal that seems reluctant to come near to the flame again. My hand closes over a small stone and I grimace as I realise that this is the best I have. I will just have to use it creatively. Summoning all my courage, I stride forwards again and jab at where the beast's face should be with the torch. It screeches as the flames lick against its multitude of eyes and spins, blood dripping from its face. Crossing my fingers, I quickly pad backwards into the tunnels, then hurl the rock right over the beast's head to clatter down on the other side. Blinded, the monster is relying on its sense of hearing and slowly tilts its head, unsure which way to go. Slowly, it lumbers over to me and I back up, pressing myself against the wall and holding my breath in a desperate bid to keep quiet. Realising it may sense the heat, I reluctantly throw the torch after the pebble. It flickers and dies as it lands, leaving me in pitch black. Gusts of warm air blow over my face as the creature exhales into my face, unaware of how near I am. Finally, it grunts, dissatisfied and turns, scrabbling along the floor after the torch. Releasing my pent up breath, I hold onto the wall and break into a brisk walk, not daring to try anything faster in case I stumble and cause a loud noise that could draw the beast right to me.

"Hey!" I almost die from shock as I hear a whisper behind me. I spin and see a hunched figure with a small flame cupped in their hands. They spread their fingers a little, allowing the light to filter out a little so I can see their face.

"Biwon?" I gasp confused and he nods, then holds something out to me. Even in the flickering light I recognize Brent's old hammer. Gratefully, I accept it, then look up at Biwon.

"Why are you here?" I whisper furiously, "You're risking your life!" He chuckles drily.

"I know. I was one of the first to come in here, remember?" I frown, then glance at the flame in his hand, only just realising that it seems to be burning without tinder, twigs or any kind of fuel. The flame simply sits on his palm.

"How-" I start, but he waves his hand.

"It's not important. I came here for one reason, and that was to help you avenge the death of my friend." I nod. It makes more sense now. Melgon and Biwon were closer than brothers. Vengeance can drive a man to almost anything.

"Fine, but you don't seem to have remembered a weapon for yourself," I point out. He grins, a little eerily.

"I'll be fine. Just look after yourself…hang on." He walks over to the wall and pulls a branch off his back, before holding his flaming palm up to it. It quickly catches light and the short length of tunnel is filled with a faint glow. We aren't the only ones to appreciate it, however. A hissing emanating from the tunnels beyond the light snaps us back to full alert and we both grimace as the beast crawls out into the light…and blinks. I gasp as I see that its eyes are not even harmed. Unless…another scuttling comes, from the other end of the tunnel. We spin around to see another creature emerge, furiously screeching as blood seeps from its ruined eyes.

"There are two?" Biwon gasps and I nod.

"Apparently so."

"You didn't know either?"

"No…can you handle one on your own?" Biwon shrugs.

"I can try."

"Fine. You take the injured one, I'll deal with the healthier creature." He agrees and creeps a little away from me, facing his foe. I turn to face my opponent, who is seemingly salivating in anticipation. I imagine live humans are difficult to find when your hunting grounds are a tomb. Growling angrily and settling into a combat stance, I raise my weapon. The fight is on!

Dun Dun Duuuuunnnnnn! So...review plox?
 
Honestly, after reading the first few chapters, I can't find anything wrong with the story or the writing. It's been really interesting so far, and I wouldn't be surprised if this could be published! But that's my opinion anyhoo.
 
This chapter was the best one out of all, and seriously i agree to this can get published too :D only if the updates were a bit quick. Anyway nicely done.
 
Thanks to both of you ;) I know that updates have been a little...sporadic, but I no longer have exams to revise for, so I've got a bit more time to devote to writing now :D

EDIT: And here's proof now :D Next chapter is up and it needs reviewing. You know, if you read this and don't review, a puppy dies somewhere in the world. D: I just thought you'd want to know is all...

A cloud of flame erupts from the other end of the tunnel as I swing wildly, anger fuelling my strike. The beast, surprisingly agile, leaps back, landing safely in the darkness. I grimace as the heavy hammer head sparks against the floor, sending judders up the shaft and my arm. I glance round, wondering where exactly the intense blast came from, but all I see is flickering light, Biwon and his enemy hidden around a corner. I hear a scuttling and duck instinctively as one of the creature's taloned feet slices through the air, inches above my head. I need to be more careful. Screeching angrily, it steps forwards as another burst of flame erupts from around the corner, lighting it up and revealing it properly for the first time. It is horrific beyond description. It seems to be vaguely similar to a spider, though it has only six legs and they jut horribly towards the ceiling, before bending down once again to end in tiny feet, complete with large, curved claws. Its body is surprisingly large and matted with clumps of black, wiry fur, though it is bald around the face. The face…a cluster of hundreds of miniature eyes form a rough arc over its circular mouth, edged with a multitude of tiny teeth, arranged into several layers. As it roars in pain from the bright light, saliva drips from its jaws, pooling on the floor. Its body is covered in hard, brittle plates, like those of an insect, though I can see leathery brown skin between them. Sensing a weak point, I step forwards smartly and jab with the small spike on the tip of the hammer, trying to wedge it between the gap in two of the plates on its leg. Displaying surprising intelligence, it snaps its leg out straight and the plates close over the hole. I continue the attack, but the point glances off as if the creature is armoured with stone. Leering horribly, it lunges with its mouth and I stumble back as its claws slice straight through by thin cloth shirt and graze the skin beneath, leaving thin red lines. Seemingly excited by the smell of blood, it charges again, mouth open wide. At the same time, the flickering light from the other tunnel disappears and, in a state of blind panic, I throw my self to the side, swinging wildly. I hear a crunch, a yell of pain and a disgusting squeal. Seconds later, the flickering light reappears and I see my enemy has run straight into the wall. Fragments of stone litter its matted hide and a few of its eyes are leaking a vile yellow pus. Ignoring, I head towards the eerily silent tunnel where Biwon was fighting, gasping as I round the corner. The creature lies on the floor, completely blacked and seemingly burnt to a crisp. A few of its hairs are glowing faintly as they burn. Biwon is lying against the wall, clutching his stomach with one hand while a small flame burns weakly in the other. He sees me and beckons weakly. I hurry over, gritting my teeth as I see that his side is matted with blood. He moves his arm to the side, displaying an ugly gash which is steadily dripping. Groaning with the effort, he staggers to his feet and points down the tunnel.

"That…thing…it must be stopped," he gaps, then coughs violently, spattering blood onto the floor.

"I will stop it," I declare, grasping hold of his arm to support him. He shakes me off roughly, then takes several steps backwards and slowly steadies his breathing.

"You need light…to defeat it…I will provide your light." He looks down to the weak flame burning on his palm.

"How do you do that?" I ask, half curious and half suspicious. He shakes his head. There is no time for explanations. As I watch, his muscles slowly tense and the flame grows stronger, growing bigger. In the darkness beyond, I can see the creature turning to face us. I growl, stepping forwards to face it once again. Biwon gasps behind me. I glance over my shoulder and gape, speechless. The flame has spread from his hand, flowing over his shoulder and down his other arm. Quickly, it covers his torso and legs, leaving nothing but his head. He looks at me and whispers quietly,

"This flame will never die, will never be quenched, regardless of wind, water or lack of fuel. Take it with you. It will no doubt be very useful." With that, he closes his eyes and the flames flow over his face, obscuring him completely from view. The shape of his body collapses into a small floating flame, which continues to light the entire tunnel despite its small size. It shrinks until it is small enough to be swallowed, almost. Tentatively, I reach out and take it into my hand as Biwon held his. To my astonishment, it is quite cool. A growl comes from the end of the tunnel and I hold up the flickering light, dazzling the ferocious beast. As if sensing my intentions, the last remainder of my friend, a small flickering flame, floats up, to rest above my head like a glowing halo. Gripping my weapon, I charge, screaming like a madman. The creature, blinded and angry, charges too, its mouth open. This time, I do not falter. As it raises its claws to strike, I duck and roll, ducking under the deadly claws. Leaping back to my feet, I take my weapon and, as hard as I can, I slam the head down on its cluster of eyes. It staggers, screeching, as they burst open, spattering me with yellow goo. Ignoring the filth, I swing again, and again. Soon, red blood joins the yellow and the thing, near dead collapses to the floor. Panting heavily, I lift the hammer, take aim just above the eyes, and thrust the point straight into the creature's brain. Its eyes glass over and, with one last moan, it releases its final breath. The beast is dead.


Well, with that, this part of the story is drawing to a close...but the story as a whole has plenty still to go ;)
 
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Woah!! this was uber cool, the description of the creature really made me like wow, i mean i was imagining it to be something really different and it came out to be something disgusting but horrid, and the fight description was very well done too, and now i'm seriously getting confused with the story, i mean how did he had the flame flowing, and with other things too, i know you'd cover that up, but anyway this was one fine chapter too.

Keep up the good work :)
 
And, after far, far too long, the next chapter is up (if anybody is even still reading this :P) yet more questions will be asked, a few answers may be guessed. Don;t worry though, as all will be revealed in the next few chapters (which I swear will not take as ridiculously long as THIS one did).

It isn't until I begin to come round that I realise I've blacked out. My eyes open slowly and I realise with revulsion that a sticky film of blood is gluing them shut. Raising a hand, I rub vigorously at my face, clawing at the dried blood and sending it peeling off like a thin layer of paint. Slowly, I calm down and glance around. The creature still lies dead on the floor. Above me, a small flame bobs up and down, independent of any fuel or fuse. I frown at it. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't respond. Groaning, I slowly pull my self up, leaning against the wall. Though my only injuries are two thin scratches, the battle has left me drained. On top of that, I am still completely lost and even if I could find my way back to the door, it is blocked and guarded. Shaking my head, I grab Brent's hammer from the floor, shoulder it and start walking. The flame, somehow recognising my movement, follows. As I walk, I hear muffled voices again and realise that I have reached the perimeter once more. Moving to the edge of the tunnel, I glance up and the fire, understanding immediately, flies up to examine one of the now boarded up holes. I frown. The covering, though clearly solid, seems to be a log of some kind. Reaching up, I jab at it with the hammer. It doesn't move, but thuds dully. The wood is fresh and apparently dry. I grin, then nod to the flame. Edging closer, the tip of the fire bends and strokes gently at the wood - caressing it, almost. A tiny fragment of fire breaks off, then seemingly burrows directly into the wood. For a second, nothing happens then, faster than anybody could have thought possible, the entire blockade bursts into flame and I reel back, arm raised to shield my face from the intense heat. Then, as quickly as it started, the fire disappears and I charge, already hearing shouts of alarm. With a huge leap, the top half of my body exits the hole and I scramble out into the cold light of the morning, glancing around through the smoke. Before anyone can spot me, I duck away and start to run towards the village, the tiny flame bobbing along behind. I have unfinished business here.


Coalan's tent is empty. I quickly sweep the small shelter in a matter of seconds, checking that he isn't hiding somewhere. But he has gone. As I move to leave, I hear voices go past the tent and hang back for a second. I hear Kemble's voice, but it is too low to understand what he is saying. Gritting my teeth, I nudge the tent flap open an inch and peer out. Before I can stop it, the flame slips out and floats off. I grit my teeth. Kemble is standing just outside, deep in conversation with Coalan. A few words drift my way.

"It doesn't add up, Coalan…I need to hear his side of the story." I breathe a sigh of relief. Something in Coalan's lies is unravelling and it seems that Kemble is about to order me to be released from the tombs…where I no longer am. I curse under my breath as I realise the implications. Fleeing from my prison is hardly going to make me look innocent. Outside, Kemble turns and wanders off, leaving Coalan with his head bowed, hidden under the hood of his cape. The doctor glares after him for a moment, before snapping out of it and spinning to face his tent once more. Quickly, I duck back inside and step smartly to the side as the flap flies open, hiding most of my body. Coalan walks straight to the other end of the tent as I slowly advance towards him, though he seems unaware of my presence. He pulls his cloak tighter about him as I watch, then slowly dips a hand into the folds of his cape, before drawing out a tiny glass vial. Inside, a bilious yellow liquid sloshes around. A vile smell spreads through the tent the second he removes the stopper. For a second, I hold it back, but before I can stop myself, I give a great, retching cough, the foul tendrils of the evil stench clawing at my throat. Coalan whirls around and immediately sees me. I gasp as his hood falls back. Something has happened to him, though I cannot tell what. The skin around his left eye seems melted, like the wax of a candle left burning too long. The eye itself is a pale cream orb, completely devoid of any blood vessels and looking almost deformed in his destroyed socket. Oddly, the wounds look like old scars, not fresh damage. With his remaining good eye, Coalan glares at me.

"You have already escaped…I knew you had defeated it but I was not expecting to see you so soon." He glances down at the vial in his hand.

"I am somewhat unprepared, you might say…" I growl angrily.

"What are you talking about? What happened to your eye?" He sneers.

"Why, you did this, of course. When you destroyed my beautiful vessel, a part of me died alongside it…an unfortunate side-effect and not one I was expecting." He looks at me again and I notice something odd about his good eye – a faint flicker of a spark, jumping around behind the iris. It flashes brightly for a second and Coalan shudders. He raises the glass to his nose and takes a deep sniff, grinning foully. I slowly raise the spiked hammer, pointing it at him. Something is wrong here. With the spiked tip, I jab in the direction of the odd, yellow liquid.

"What is that?"

"A most marvellous concoction, made from the saliva of a great bear, the milk of she-wolf and the venom of a deadly cobra. Stewed for two phases of the moon, kept boiling hot by night, but freezing cold by day." He sniggers.

"Making it is no easy task, I can assure you. But the effects are quite amazing." I grit my teeth, my stomach coiling up inside me, writhing like a snake caught by a bird.

"Coalan! What does it do?" He looks at me once more and the spark is spinning behind his eyes, slowly staining it a deep, blood red.

"It gives me…power." Cackling, he raises the vial to his lips and swallows the tiny amount down in one, licking his lips as though drinking the most delicious stew. At once, he throws back his head and begins to scream, but it is a scream of mingled triumph and pain. The tent flaps fly open as Kemble rushes in, but I barely give him a glance. Coalan is changing – his face elongates, then compresses (though the scars remain), his fingers stretch to be as long as daggers, his body growing taller and thinner. His hair pulls back into his skull, until only a thin layer remains. Still growing, he takes an ungainly step towards me. Kemble shivers beside me.

"Coalan!" he shouts with more bravery in his voice than I have in my entire body, "What are you doing?" The doctor looks at him, snickering.

"Coalan is…no more…" he hisses, an evil leer splitting his face in two. The chief tries again.

"Then who are you?" The thing cackles and I realise with unerring certainty that I can no longer even be sure of its humanity. Leaning forwards, it whispers in a voice that burrows into my mind,

"My name is Legion. For we...are many." And he throws back his head and laughs.
 
"My name is Legion. For we...are many." And he throws back his head and laughs.
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Like, wow! :D


Right, you seem to jump tense a little, but I'm too tired to look at that now.
There are some errors in the first chapter, but it's easy to see how you've improved chapter by chapter.

Sorry for the fluffy review, I'm off to bed now and will try to do a more in-depth one tomorrow.

:D
 
And here we are again, updating way behind schedule :D Ah well, at least its here, slightly longer than usual, and offering answers instead of questions. Read, enjoy and, most importantly, review!


Raising my weapon defensively, I take a cautious step back, not daring to even blink with this creature in front of me. It bends down a little, leering horribly.

"Explain," I demand, jabbing in its direction with the spike that tips my hammer. The creature nods, running a long, black, forked tongue over its lips.

"Very well," it hisses, "There is no harm in you knowing of events that cannot be stopped." I narrow my eyes at it and it continues in a voice like gravel.

"Coalan, your doctor, has been meddling in things he ought not to have been for some time now. I am speaking, of course, of Black Magic." Kemble shakes his head, stunned.

"No! It's impossible. Coalan was not an evil man, nor was he a sorcerer!" a dry chuckle is his only reply.

"Your ignorance of magical lore is amusing. All living creatures possess some power; sorcerers are merely gifted with an extraordinary abundance of it. Coalan had managed to obtain some books on simple magic and began to dabble. At first, he was content with small things – basic charms for granting luck and enchantments on the tribe's weapons, to make them stronger and more enduring. Amateur antics. But, like so many before him, he was lead astray by the possibility of power and attempted to summon a minion to control." The creature pauses for a moment and looks me in the eye.

"But the spell went awry. He delved deeper into the underworld than he meant to, deeper than any living man could comprehend. And there, he found me."

"So what are you then?" I spit, "A devil or demon of some kind?" It cackles foully.

"Yes, I am, as you so crudely put it, a demon, but I feel I should inform you more. I have no true body and no true form, for I am nothing but emotions, memories and thoughts – the most horrific parts of the souls of the dead. Their hatred, fear and prejudice are condensed into one malevolent entity – myself. That is why Coalan did not, at first, realise that I had entered his body and doomed him to death." I continue to glare at him.

"What do you mean?"

"For several weeks I lived, hidden, in the back of Coalan's subconscious, gradually influencing him to concoct a potion that would give me full control over his body. However, when your tribe set up base and the foot of this mountain, there was an opportunity I could not resist. The creatures that lurked within. Although peaceful, I knew that they could damage both your morale and your numbers." I frown

"Those beasts were not peaceful," I reply, but the thing waves its clawed hand.

"Well, not once I'd driven them insane, obviously. They viciously attacked several of your tribe and I even managed to manipulate the tribe through Coalan into getting you trapped in there with them!" The thing's grin drops.

"Of course, I had not expected you to survive so easily, yet it is of no matter. Though Coalan still battles to control this body, it is all he can do to stop me from killing you where you stand." I almost laugh at the irony, but the direness of the situation stops me.

"So," the creature continues, "When do you plan to start running?" I frown.

"Why should I run from you?"

"Not from me, fool. From the minions of my magic. Coalan's willpower is holding back my hands, but his magic is no match for mine and I can use it unimpeded. My allies will be here soon. Look outside. Go on." Walking backwards, so as not to take my eyes off the beast, I push open the tent flap and gasp at what I see. Less than a league to the east, a black cloud is swarming across the moors. Even at this distance, I can see what it is. Insects. Millions upon millions of crawling spiders, stinging wasps and scuttling centipedes. I curse as Kemble backs slowly out of the tent, followed by what was once Coalan. The rest of the tribe is simply standing and staring in shock at the attacking horde.

"My specialty is the control of living creatures," the demon explains, "and insects, with their simple minds, are so easy to manipulate. So, I ask you again, when do you start running?" I glance at Kemble, then at the other tribesmen.

"Now!" I shout loudly, "We run now!" The thing cackles as the advancing army washes towards it and, one by one the people peel away and begin to run, dropping their belongings and abandoning their homes, desperate to escape. Gritting my teeth, I run to Chieftain Kemble, who is frozen in shock.

"Chief, we must go!" I yell, but he pulls away from me and his hand drops to his belt where a short, curved sword is fastened. I understand immediately as he glares at the thing that has taken over Coalan's body.

"I do not recommend it." He shouts, "If self-preservation is involved, I will be able to overpower Coalan and fight." The chief growls.

"Aye," he replies in a low voice, "But you will not overpower me!" with that threat, he charges forwards, yelling madly as he slashes like a madman with his sword. The beast simply stands there as Kemble draws closer, pulls back his arm, and then sinks his sword right into the foul creature's chest. Kemble freezes, grinning, but the thing simply glances down at the blade embedded in its chest. Kemble's smile turns to a gaze of horror as it grasps the handle and pulls the sword out, with no mark of blood upon it.

"No!" he yells defiantly, but it is the last word he speaks. With one swift cut, the sword slices through flesh and bone to send Kemble's head falling to the ground. That snaps me out of it. I spin on my heel and begin to run like mad, aware once again of the flame bobbing alongside me. Just yards begin, pitiful yelps erupt from Kemble's hut and I realise with a shiver that Faolan must have been tethered inside. My legs pound into the soft earth as I reach the bulk of my companions, the insects still closing the gap. Human screams fill the air now, screams of men and women and, worst of all, I hear the bawling of a baby whose mother has fallen. A small group of wasps draws up next to my head, great huge things the size of small mice. I lash out at them with my hand, ignoring the pain as their stings dig into my skin, but hey ignore the blows and fly for my face. I close my eyes, only to open them as I feel a burst of heat in front of me. The small fire has attacked them and now they plummet to the earth, burning. The horde is lapping at my feet now but I can see ahead the shine and splashing reflections of a river. They cannot follow me into the water. I spur more speed into my legs, but I can feel that I am tiring and something huge, with far too many legs is crawling up the small of my back. The flying beetles and bugs dive-bomb the few remaining survivors, pelting our faces. I shield my head with my hands and charge blindly forwards, but that is my undoing. My foot catches in a hollow and I fly forwards spectacularly before landing face first in the dirt. In an instant, the bugs are on me. I leap up again, but am already covered it an endless sea of legs, feelers and stings. The sound of the stream is deafening now, or is that the cockroach buzzing in my ear? A centipede, larger than a snake, is crawling under my thin cloth shirt and I can feel it biting my stomach. Then, I shout as my feet leave solid ground. A small spider flicks into my mouth and I almost gag, but with a deafening crash I smack into the surface of the river. The insects peel away like a foul coat and, writhing madly, I reach under my shirt to pull out the centipede and, vengeful, rip it in half. As a few bugs writhe, drowning in the water, I glance around to see if there are any other people. I see only one other man in the river, floating face down, his back covered by bugs. On the shore, a twitching hand is the only sign left of the only other person I can see. Shivering, I glance up and down the riverbank, but as far as I can see, it is lined with the insects, the servants of that murderous demon. Then, something nudges me in the back and I jump, expecting another centipede. But it is the opposite. A small, wooden rowing boat. As I gaze up in a mix of gratitude and anger, the person I least want to see bends down and reaches out a hand to help.

"I think," Ingrid says slowly, "That you have some explaining to do."
 
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