The Land Below our Feet COMPLETE

Disclaimer: All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission. ------------------------ No peace can last forever, and they knew it. The ancient words told the old tales and taught them how to fear, to be prepared. But as new generations came by, they started to forget. With every moon that died and every sun that was born, the memories became foggy. The elders reminded them through the chants, the ceremony, and every offering they made to preserve the truce, but as time healed the wounds, it also wiped out the reminiscence of the truth. Slowly, but surely, it all started feeling like a bad dream from a very long time ago. Nothing but a story to make people recite the Selah and be kind to each other. No one now could attest the happening of something so extraordinary and archaic anymore, somehow it was easier to ignore it… and so they did. They thought the Gods had forgotten them, they thought that they were never coming back. And they were wrong. SOUNA Everyone was already busy in the fields the morning the beasts arrived riding the Durúita´s waves for the first time... Everyone but Souna. She had tossed and turned all night, haunted by the claws of nightmares, until exhaustion made her give up and led her to the palm trees. She walked in the darkness barefooted, without even worrying about the snakes or the crabs. She soon reached the bay effortlessly and sat on the sand with her back leaning on a palm trunk wider than three Kabil´s torsos together. Lulled by the waves swinging, and the salty taste on her lips, she finally closed her eyes and fell into the black nothingness of a dreamless peace. She couldn't tell how much time had passed when a soft tickling on her toes made her shiver, the sensation suddenly intensifying. When she opened her eyes, she found a familiar pair of frowning thick eyebrows. So, she smiled. -You weren't there when I woke up- He spoke in his deep voice - Are you still mourning? -No, I just couldn't sleep, I had a nightmare - She replied sighing- I can't remember what it was all about, just that it made me feel terrified. Kabil´s rough fingers traveled from her feet to her throat, describing curly patterns that made her tremble at his touch. He leaned forward, and she could smell the grass, the smoke and the salt... All trapped in his long, dark hair. She embraced him, her eyes shut, listening to his heartbeat. A strange feeling forcing her to open them a second later. With her chin still against his shoulder she searched the horizon. The sun was a newborn over the Durúita sea and the past night's mist slowly faded away. Then she saw them... The beasts. And that was the day she found out that her nightmares could reach them. ANAM Just as every morning, the old woman woke up numbed by the humid air that had broken through her bones the night before. She rolled a little on her side, and with a sigh, she stood up altogether. She fed the fire and let the water boil, then she added a few leaves. Very slowly, she sipped the liquid absentmindedly, then she grabbed her cane and doddered to the small entrance of the tiny room. Her home was a small, almost invisible cave hidden in a hill... And she needed nothing more. She wandered for a while until she reached the river. She followed its course with her eyesight to the place where it fell into the sea, a little further away. Suddenly she felt it. A cold wind blew freezing her heart and, in the blink of an eye, the water turned red as blood. Horrified, she reeled and stumbled on a huge stone, however managing to miraculously stay standing. She swallowed difficultly, catching her breath. Her eyes still hurting. She was as certain as she never was before: They were back. IKTAN Everything was ready for the ceremony. Iktan had worked day and night for a whole cycle. It was his first time in charge of the ritual on his own and he did not want to disappoint. Ever since the late Elder got bitten by a snake and died almost a solstice ago, leaving him in the front of the very own temple, Iktan had been feeling on edge and preoccupied… It was as if a very bad omen had begun with the Elder's death itself and was now about to hit… Hard. Of course, Iktan could not know this for sure. He did not master the arts of foreseeing, and he lacked the experience of the Elders. Because he was in fact not one, but a simple apprentice, prematurely thrown to the full extent of practices and obligations that he could barely understand himself... Yet. He knew Ahau, ruler of Lowland´s gate, was keeping a close eye on him and would be happy to sacrifice him in favor of the gods granting them a new Elder if he were to make the smallest mistake. The only reason he was still alive was because there was no one else to give this task to. The black fever that had spread a few years ago had left the population devoid of ancient ones, and with war seemingly looming on the horizon each passing day, every man and child able to hold a hatchet would soon be required at the front. Everyone but Iktan, who should remain and make sure the gods were to favor them… and that terrified him. Immersed as he was in his own thoughts, he'd initially failed to register the commotion growing outside. Until Canek, the small child that would sometimes help him with petty chores, suddenly barged through the door panting heavily before exclaiming: -Elder! You must come and see. There is a flock of beasts swimming towards the shore. KABIL As soon as his eyes landed on the beasts, Kabil´s breath got caught in his chest with dread, he turned around and started running towards the city gates. Souna followed him closely and tried to keep up with him. -Where are you going?- She yelled, trying to draw his attention and failing to get any answer from him as he kept running at full speed. His strong, tanned legs carrying him fast to his goal and leaving her far behind. He arrived at the huge reed doors and found the rest of his men already displayed around and ready to fight. So he reached behind his back and pulled his hatchet out, holding it tightly and scanning the horizon for any signs. Ten large beasts had already reached the shore, and they could see them in the distance, each of them an enormous monster, motionless and silent, bleeding a stream of creatures into the sea. -What do we do, Master?- A young kid barely strong enough to wield his weapon asked with a shaky voice at the impossible sight. -We wait- Kabil breathed out - Keep your eyes open! All of you! A few tense moments later, those same eyes widened at the sight of a big group of strange beings, with long golden manes and almost translucid skin, all covered in silver tin. The entire group of soldiers gasping in surprise at such a supernatural view. -Narben eld atreu!- The biggest one of them exclaimed, his potent voice resonating all around and making them look at each other in confusion. -Narben eld atreu!- The creature insisted, waving a long stick angrily in their direction. -We do not understand- Kabil spoke firmly, raising his sharpened blade - Go back to the beasts that birthed you… Leave now or prepare to die! Souna had barely gotten to where they stood, Kabil´s voice reaching her ears clearly. She spotted both groups of warriors and strangers through the bushes and was about to step out into the clearing when she was stopped by a cold, bony hand. -Don't – An old woman's voice ordered, her fingers closing around her arm tightly and preventing her from moving. A second later she heard a deafening roar and when she turned her head to where it came from, she found Kabil lying down on the dirt, a big hole torn in the middle of his strong chest, his eyes pointed lifelessly towards the sky. Before she could even begin to understand what had just taken place, a loud mayhem ensued, and she watched as warrior after warrior fell to the ground. The endless line of strangers soon marching over their dead bodies, knocking down the doors effortlessly and making their way inside, insensitive to the multitude of terrified screamers and panicked running villagers. Souna heard her own yells tearing her throat raw as she tried to break the stranger's embrace and run towards Kabil´s bloodied figure, her eyes crazed with suffering. Tears streaming down her cheeks and blurring her sight. -He is gone my child, they all are - The white-headed lady held her shocked figure closely, then dragged her by the hand - Come with me, there is a lot you must learn and we do not have much time.