The Devourer

A strange awakening

A strange awakening

Althea slowly opened her eyes and saw a white ceiling above her. She felt a strange tingling in her arms and legs, and it was hard for her to move. Her body was strangely weak and her mind was clouded, as if she had suddenly woken up after a few hours sleep. She had a vague memory of difficult breathing, but everything was currently smooth.

She had no clear memory of what had happened, but she was sure there should not have been all that light that hurt her eyes. Above all, there should not have been that white ceiling which she had never seen before. It was not the one of her office in the History Department at the University of Norcadia, because it did not feature the metal frame, nor did it belong to her house. The ceiling in her room was blue, she had painted it herself two years earlier together with Trevan…

She realized she was lying on a bed. She turned her head to the right and saw a window with curtains, from where daylight came in. Then she noticed a pole next to the bed. A bottle was hanging upside down, half-filled with clear liquid, with a small tube coming out of the cap and going towards her.

An IV! She thought in terror; her heart quickened its beats. By the Astrals, I’m in a hospital! Why? How did I get here?

She heard a noise to her left. She turned and saw an open door and a young woman wearing a light blue coat. Their eyes met and the nurse immediately ran back out the door shouting that the archaeologist had woken up. Althea sat up on the bed. Through the open door, she glimpsed the profile of a soldier, standing to attention.

Why is there a guard outside the door? She wondered in confusion, but had no time to think about anything else, since the nurse was back together with a doctor, a middle-aged woman wearing a white coat.

The latter took a quick look at the diagnostic tool placed over the headboard of the bed and saw that the heart and breath traces were regular. Only then did Althea realize that she was wearing her white nightgown and that she had sensors attached to her chest, above and between her breasts. The doctor approached her: she did not force her to lie down again, but simply examined her eyes, illuminating her pupils with a small torch taken from a pocket of her lab coat. Next, she motioned for the nurse to check the IV and finally asked the patient, in a calm and professional voice:

“Do you remember your name?”

“Yes, I am Althea Eburnis. And who are you?”

“Okay, that’s enough. Do you know where you are?”

“Well, in a hospital for sure” Althea said, a little confused, looking around. She noticed a vase of yellow flowers and an envelope addressed to her resting at its base on the table leaning against the wall opposite her bed. “But I don’t know in which city…”

“All right,” said the doctor. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Are you ever going to answer my questions?”

The doctor smiled sincerely.

“Your reaction shows that you have recovered quite well. But now, please, answer my question: what is the last thing you remember?”

Althea kept silent for a few seconds in order to concentrate. Suddenly, a man wearing military uniform entered and said in a clearly altered voice that startled Althea:

“You shouldn’t have started the interrogation alone, Dr. Belmis! Miss Eburnis was part of an expedition funded by the Army and the protocol for serious suspected accidents requires a military officer to ask questions!”

The doctor snorted and turned to him.

Serious suspected accidents? Althea wondered, stunned. Am I here because of an accident? What the heck has happened to me?

“You are absolutely right, Lieutenant Neralis, but it is not my fault that the patient has just woken up, and my medical protocols require me to make immediately sure of her health condition!”

The officer replied reciting the relative paragraph of the military regulation, but Althea was no longer listening, because she was trying to remember what had happened to her. Unluckily, the last memories that came to her mind referred to the preparations for the descent into the underground cave under the Giant’s Teeth that she had made together with her colleague Vemo Lanris and Trevan…

Her concentration was interrupted by the baritone voice of the Lieutenant, who had approached her bed on the opposite side of the doctor:

“Miss Eburnis, listen to me carefully: I am Lieutenant Inspector Nucio Neralis, responsible for investigating the accident occurred to the archaeological expedition. Now I am going to ask you a few questions and you must answer as sincerely as possible.” He started looking for something in the various pockets he had in his military jacket and went on: “First of all, don’t worry: there is currently no charge against you, but I must warn you that this conversation will be recorded and will then be carefully examined by the Military Inquiry Committee.”

He pulled a small black rectangular recording device out of one of his pockets and placed it on the bed next to her.

Althea was embarrassed and coughed briefly partly to clear her throat and partly to take time, then sighed and said:

“Look, I honestly remember nothing about what has happened. The last thing I recollect is that I was preparing the descent into the underground together with my colleague Vemo and the expedition engineer, Trevan, I mean, engineer Londis…”

With a gesture of disappointment, the Lieutenant turned to doctor Belmis and asked her in no uncertain terms:

“Can it be?”

“You don’t mess up with your mind. Professor Eburnis has been in a coma for three days due to the trauma suffered following the collapse of the cave… Honestly, I would have been amazed if that had not brought any kind of consequence, such as amnesia…”

Upon hearing those words, Althea turned pale.

“Three days?” She whispered. “Cave collapse?” Then in a louder voice she added: “Have I been in a coma for three days? But it can’t be! What happened?”

“You should be the one to tell us, madam” the Lieutenant pointed out.

“I… I don’t remember…”

The officer turned to the doctor with an interrogative expression and she said:

“There is a good chance that listening to the story of what happened can help her recover her memory…”

Neralis sighed: it was easier for him to ask questions than to talk about something.

“Very well, I will quickly tell you what happened, hoping that something will come back to your mind. We know that you were part of the University of Norcadia scientific expedition, co-financed by the Army, as the person in charge of the archaeological excavations. According to reports from your colleagues, the expedition was not focused on archaeological researches — which had been added later — but on biological and geological surveys to study the reasons for the advancement of the Great Desert. About two weeks ago, one of such surveys found an enormous cavity under Mount Cor-3, and the instruments highlighted the presence of human buildings. That’s when you were called to study such find, because of your specialization in ancient history and also because you had previous work experiences in underground sites. Together with you, some elements of the Special Corps were added to the expedition, because of the increased degree of security due to the potential importance of the find…”

“Luckily you were going to be quick” said the doctor, sitting on a chair taken from the foot of the bed.

Althea stifled a laugh. The Lieutenant glared at the doctor and went on as if he hadn’t been interrupted:

“Preliminary surveys reported the fragility of the ancient tunnels leading to the buildings, moreover both geologists and engineers advised against opening new alternative entrances, as they could have caused collapses, thus destroying the whole site. This is why, it was decided that only a group of five people was to go underground: the chief archaeologist, that is you, the chief engineer Trevan Londis, captain Abel Eburnis and sergeants Nerio Devralis and Ostar Sevanis; the three soldiers, were to perform the usual security duties plus labor function under your direction. Some of your colleagues complained of the choice to limit the scientific representation in the group to an archaeologist only, but Colonel Veramis pointed out that Captain Eburnis had studied biology at the Military Academy, while Sergeant Devralis was specializing in engineering and sergeant Sevanis in medicine.” Lieutenant Neralis shook his head with a smile on his lips and commented: “Can it be that there are people who still do not grasp that not all soldiers are brainless brutes?”

Taking advantage of the interruption, the doctor cleared her throat and said:

“It’s all very interesting, Lieutenant, but if your story is any longer, I’m going to get some breakfast…”

“I’m almost done.” He retorted irritably, paused for a few seconds to recover clarity, and went on telling:

“Three days ago, exactly at dawn, the five of you went into the tunnels under Mount Cor-3. The thick layers of rock prevented the communication equipment from working, so nobody knows what exactly happened down there…”

“Why?” Althea asked with a slight tremor in her voice. “What happened?”

The lieutenant was about to answer her, when voices were suddenly heard from the corridor, especially someone asking to enter the archaeologist’s room. Althea saw the soldier guarding her door block a person.

“You can’t stop me from entering!” A man was shouting vehemently. “People have a right to know what happened in the desert! Half the city is still waterless after that explosion in the Giant’s Teeth! If the Army damaged the aquifer…”

Lieutenant Neralis apologized to Althea and quickly headed for the door. He stopped on the threshold to further block access to the room and then said firmly:

“You know better than I do, Mr. Vonardis, that you cannot have any contact with the survivor of the accident until the preliminary investigation is over. This is the third time you try: there won’t be any other. I advise you to walk away nicely and not to come back, else I will be forced to put you under arrest for obstructing the investigation!”

The survivor of the accident? Althea thought troubled. Just me? What about Abel and Trevan?

“All right” said the man — whom Althea could not see — with angry resignation, pulling away from the guard’s grip. “But I’ll file a complaint with your superiors!”

“Ok, very good,” said the lieutenant ironically, “go file a complaint… but go away!”

Practically shouting the last words, the officer closed the door and went back to Althea.

“Sorry for the inconvenience,” he said in a calmer voice, interpreting her silence not as concern but as embarrassment. “Some people just don’t know their place.” He glanced at the doctor, who had been careful not to look upset by what had happened, then turned back to Althea and went on:

“So we were talking about the accident. In short,” and here he glared at the doctor, who had rolled her eyes, “at eleven twenty-two of the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the year 2012 ETE, that is three days ago, there was a huge roar and Mount Cor-3 collapsed on itself, destroying in all probability any ancient building that was down there. Several debris even managed to reach the expedition camp — which was not nearby — but luckily nobody was injured. Everyone was desperate for the five of you, who were stuck down there, but you — and you alone — came out of the entrance tunnel set up by your engineers in order to reach the ancient network of underground passages. You were not in good condition and your clothes were all stained with blood. Witnesses say that, a few seconds after having come out, you fell to the ground and passed out, going into a coma. Your colleagues rescued you and, given your situation, brought you here to the hospital…” He was silent for a moment, in order to highlight what he was going to say next. “However, there is a fact that is really strange: the analyses by our technicians revealed that the blood, soaking both your body and your clothes, was yours; nevertheless, no wound has been found on your body… How can this be?”

Althea was stunned. It was difficult for her to believe the Lieutenant’s story, but she did not see why he should have lied to her.

“I don’t know what to say… but what has happened to Trevan, Abel, and the other two sergeants? Did they manage to escape?”

Neralis shook his head sadly.

“We don’t know yet. Excavations to reach the cave, where you were, are still in progress and it will take some time before they get there.” He was deep in his thoughts for a few moments, then added: “Among other things, there is another strange fact: how did you manage to climb back to the surface if every passage was unusable?”

Althea’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise. Her shadow had quickly stretched to the foot of the bed, then had reached the wall in front of her, taking on a vague humanoid appearance, which, however, did not resemble her much.

Both the Lieutenant and the doctor were alarmed to see Althea’s reaction, mainly because the device above the bed headboard had begun to detect an acceleration of her heart rate.

The projection of the shadow on the wall began to take on consistency and came out of the surface of the wall itself, as if it were a person covered by some kind of long dark gray cloak open from the waist down, with its sleeves reaching its elbows, where they were replaced by long brown clawed gloves. A large hood was lowered on its head. Only, there was nobody inside, as was clear from the lack of legs in the open part. In short, she was facing an empty gray cloak, hovering and watching her.

“Althea…” was the deep whisper that she perceived coming from that absurd shadow of some sort.

She screamed. It was a cry full of terror and anguish. She raised a trembling hand to indicate what had come out of the wall, trying to warn those with her, but neither the Lieutenant nor the doctor seemed to see anything. In fact, the doctor hastened to take a syringe from the small emergency pouch attached to the foot of the bed and injected her with a sedative to calm her down.

As sleep was coming with its restful calm, Althea heard the doctor scolding the officer and warn him against questioning her again before she was actually ready to face an interview.

Just before she fell unconscious, Althea heard that low, whispering voice again:

“I’m out at last…”

With a ghostly shiver, her mind went back to the first time she had heard that voice…

… Darkness. Silence. Torpor.

Yet despite this, there were no calm nor tranquility in Althea. There were anger, fury, anguish.

Her life was ending because of violence, injustice, betrayal.

And it was not just her life that was about to end.

She had suddenly sensed something, like a touch not in the body but in the mind, which had had a truly incredible effect: it had been as if time had stopped.

Before her, the darkness had moved and had folded on itself, taking on a strange shape, that of some kind of empty dark gray cloak. Even if she had not seen any eyes under the hood lowered on a nonexistent head, Althea had had the distinct feeling that being was looking at her, and very intensely too.

Who are you? She had dared to ask, almost convinced that it was Parvis, the Astral after whom the smaller moon was named and who, according to tradition, accompanied the souls of the deceased to the Silver City

The answer, however, had not been what she had expected:

“Enàbram” He had said in a low whispering voice, “he who dwells in darkness.”

That definition, although slightly different, had called to her mind the inscription she had read on the tomb, along with something else that she had forgotten until then.

Are you an Abyssal? She had asked with growing terror. One of those whom the Astrals exiled from the heavens?

“That’s it” He had replied in a seductive voice. “But unlike your dear Astrals, I can help you.”

A hint of hope had kindled in her and she had immediately asked:

How?

“If you agree to make a deal with me, I can give you a new life, as well as new skills that will help you take revenge for the wrong that has been done to you.”

And what do you want in return? She had asked him, justly doubtful.

“The deal implies that I bind myself to you, to your body and to your soul” he had replied, apparently sincere. “Moreover, thanks to the energy that will come from the consolidation of our bond, I will be able to take us away from this place and thus be free to move in the surface world, where the light of day will no longer be able to annihilate me.”

Nothing else? Just this?

“My freedom from this dark place in exchange of your life is only the beginning of the deal. When you want new skills, the price will be a piece of your soul. The cost may seem high, but the gifts that I will bestow on you will be yours forever… and there are many things I can offer you…”

CanI ask you anything?

“Not exactly, but know that the capacity, you will ask for, will cost a part of your soul which must be as close as possible to the spirit of the request.”

Althea had hesitated. That strange discussion was not quite clear to her, however she had believed she had fully grasped its basic idea:

But if I lose my soul, that is myself, what can the deal with you do for me?

Enàbram had retorted in an even more persuasive voice:

“Are you telling me you really don’t want to know why your brother has shot you? Don’t you want to take revenge for Trevan’s death any more? Don’t you want to know what was hiding in these ruins, or whether there are new secrets hidden elsewhere? Do you really want everything to end like this, in the darkness of oblivion?”

Althea had been torn. What she knew about Abyssals, about their being dangerous and unreliable, was pushing her to refuse his offer, but this would also have meant that her life was about to be inexorably over in that instant and that she was never going to discover the truth about what had happened.

“Time’s up, Althea” the Abyssal had urged her, whispering. “I cannot hold your soul back any more: you must decide now. Do you accept the deal with me? Do you accept that I become your Abyssal and you my Aegis?”

All of a sudden, the feelings of anger and pain — that she had felt when her brother had shot her — had surged in Althea and she had instinctively exclaimed:

All right! Deal accepted!

Althea had immediately felt a new force pervading her and life had come back to her.

“The deal is sealed” Enàbram’s voice had rung in Althea’s mind…

… She opened her eyes again. The light was setting, a clue that she had slept most of the day.

She sat up on the bed and looked around. She was still in the hospital room and was alone. On the table opposite her bed, there was still the flower pot with the envelope addressed to her, and now she also noticed that her backpack was under it.

She would have liked to take advantage of the calm of that place to relax, but she remembered everything that had happened to her: Trevan’s death, Abel’s betrayal, the deal with the Abyssal…

It was too much to accept in a single instant and Althea could no longer resist the tension, pain, and anger. She covered her face with her hands and burst into silent tears.

CHAPTER THREE