The Last Celestial

Room Full of Bones

Lahdia felt her senses spinning, dizzying and bringing her to close and downright delirium. She was being pulled by the hair, the creature's hands were made of metal and its claws were sharp and had blood on the tips.

"Please, no!" She screamed, tears were streaming down her face as she tried to wiggle out from the grip of the monster. She winced as numbers of hair were being ripped off from her scalp.

The creature was huge --- eight feet tall and was wearing a Kabuki mask. It dragged her against the cold floor. And when they passed on a darker room, all the hair on her body stood up when she saw numbers of human remains, bones laying there.

"No!" She screamed and wailed, her voice was already hoarse from too much crying. "Please! I'll do anything, anything!"

Suddenly she felt a tug against her scalp, and she squealed and winced as she was hurled in the air and thrown like a piece of garbage.

"Ugh!" She groaned as her body bounced and rolled on the damp floor. Her body hurt so much and her head was bleeding. Immediately she squirms away after realizing that she landed on a mount of corpses, all sticks and bones.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god!" She whispered and cried against her breath as she pushed herself away until her back touched something cold making her wince.

She looked up and a throne was sitting in the middle of the burial. A man wearing a grey tunic was sitting there, and was looking down at her and was seemingly amused. "Woman, why are you so afraid?"

A shivering like sign came out of her bloody lips, and then she gulped and her eyes gazed up on the man looking down on her. The man's skin was pale as the lack of the sun on his skin almost made him look ghostly. His lips were ruby red and his eyes were piercing black.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The man said nothing but instead gave her a devious smile. He laughed at her pathetic state, then looked down at her... as if he's talking down at an animal. "Five years ago... you asked me to heal your son. A three month old boy from a sickness he can't fight off." He said and his voice was low and smooth. "...now, it's time to return the favor you owe me."

The woman's eyes widened as she remembered what the man was talking about. In a haste, she got to her knees and began cry. "I---I remember. I remember. I'll do anything... but please spare me. Please. I have two children. They need me... please, I'll do anything! Bu---but please spare my life."

The madman chuckled and was utterly amused. "Fine." He said, as he stared at the woman. "Strip." He said as he points at the woman's clothing.

The woman was shocked, yet she dared not to protest. She knew this man and his influence was scattered around the world. As she slowly removes her clothes her eyes locked with the man's eyes for a quick second. Her breath hitched in terror, the man's beautiful face changed into something terrifying.

He looked like a rotting corpse.

In sheer terror, she ran from the man only wearing her underwear. "Help!" She screamed and screamed repeatedly even though deep down inside she knows no one will be there to help her.

In mere seconds her footing went off and she was dragged back by an invisible force, and she was right where the man was standing. "And who said you could go...?" The man asked.

"Ple---please... spare me, please I beg you!" She screamed and wailed as she was lifted slowly through the air. Her face is now only a feet away from the man who cured her son years ago. "Please, my children... they need me..."

The man huffed and his breath smelled like decay, Lahdia almost hurled and her stomach turned. What was once a beautiful man turned into a revolting creature.

"A life for a life..." He said. "I was going to accept pleasure as an exchange for your little boy's health... but now, I'm going to take your life and that little boy of yours instead." Was the last thing Lahdia heard before the man opened his mouth and sucked all the life force inside her.

She flailed in the air as she tried to escape, but it meant nothing. Soon all life was taken from her and all that remained from the scorned woman was her skin and bones. Emir, the Undying man threw away her remains along with the other victims.

The creature he created took all of his strength away, and the life force he supplies to the orb drains him everyday. He roared when Lahdia's life force supplemented him, it was enough to fill his needs for a day.

"Sphinox!" He screamed, and the creature that dragged Lahdia to her doom emerged and showed up in front of him.

"Creator." She said, "You summon me."

"Golind... Golind is about to take the venom for me." He said, panting as he was growing tired. "He's taking too long, I need that venom now! Go to the dessert, and make sure he brings it to me."

==========================

The fortress was designed meticulously --- carefully by the association's trusted architect from many years ago. The rooms of the Keepers were made in two rows and the hallway is wide for many people to be able to walk through. At the end of the hallway is a big entrance on the right side where a room was supposed to be built.

Night came fast in the desert, it's the first day of the month of October and the Celestial Cusp as they call it is near. Days are shorter and the nights are longer, especially in the Sahara desert where the Bane of Scorpio lies.

Guards were speeding towards the catacombs where the Relic is locked and sealed away. Two by two, they march down the spiral stairs made of cement and stone. The loud bangs coming from the soles of their feet resound around the rooms near the entrance of the catacomb, just behind the troops consisting of thirty-eight strong men and women, behind them is Nathaniel.

His face displays dismay and the aura he's emitting is dark. His brows and forehead were creased and both of his fists were balled tightly. Black uniforms were draped on his shoulder, signifying that two guards of the Relic had quit and turned back on the association. It happened again, and he's clearly pissed off.

When all of the guards successfully went down and headed straight for the catacombs, he screamed loudly --- almost deafening to the ears. "ATTENTION!" He called, the muscles and veins on his neck accentuated. "To the assembly room, to those who are awake, now!" He went to the nearest fire alarm and pressed the button, making the loud siren roar and resound everywhere.

Everyone was actually sleeping, now they are all awake and frantically getting out of beds.

=========================

Aiziah and the others groaned while rubbing the goop out of their eyes. She dragged her feet lazily and then sat on an empty chair next to Elly, Phing and Zebedee. "Stupid, Nathaniel." She mumbled under her breath. "I was having a good dream... and I've been having fewer and fewer of those thanks to his Spartan training."

Zebedee yawned and stretched her limbs. She looked at her wrist watch and clicked her tongue when she saw the time. "It's only one in the morning..." She opened up the palm of her hands and winced when she felt her blisters c***k. It was from carrying a heavy boulder. "...god, I can't wait to get married --- get pregnant and rest for three years."

"Yeah, getting pregnant is the only way to take a vacation as a Keeper..." Aiziah chorused.

The two women continued to whine and complain about their everyday lives, while Elly and Phing remained silent. There was immense tension between the two of them. And it began a few weeks ago, when Elly began to question Phing's identity.

The room became quiet when Nathaniel stood in front, and on his both hands he held out two uniforms of the Guards of Scorpio's venom.

"Okoye and Chidi just quit." He announced with a monotonous voice, a tell tale sign of his sheer annoyance. "As a rule, forty people must be guarding the relic. No exception."

All the Keepers groaned as they knew what was about to Happen. It was extra work with little reward, it was extensive work, especially since they know the consequences and the yearly event during the Moon's rising.

Nathaniel sighed and clicked his tongue. "There's sixty people in this room, at least two of you need to volunteer. No one will be sleeping unless someone is responsible enough to take the job."

Numbers of Keepers sighed and clicked their tongues along with their continuous complaints and sighs. Nathaniel thought that this was going to be a long night. He lowered his head and scrunched his face in dismay.

But then he heard the sound of a chair scratching against the ground. And the abrupt sound of someone standing up.

"I'll do it." Phing said while raising his right hand. "I'll volunteer."

Nathaniel huffed and smiled. He was about to say something when the sound of the wooden chair hitting the ground shocked almost everyone and looked at its direction.

It was Elly. "Then I'll volunteer as well." He said, standing tall while looking at Phing.

Phing's lips curled into a smile, but his eyes suggested otherwise. He stared at Elly with so much murderous intention, that if he wasn't careful enough, the real shade and color of his eyes would reveal who he truly was. "Perfect. Then it is settled." He said, then he faced Nathaniel with the same smile he gave to Elly. "When will we start?"

Nathaniel walked towards the two in a haste, and without speaking, he tossed them the uniform. "Now. Go get changed and suit up. Tell me when you two are ready, I'll give you the other protective gears."