Siren (Boyxboy)

Chapter 12: Into The Tomb •.•

"Gods, what is that stench?" Ajax asks, covering his nose. It slithers up my nose and I gag a bit. Squishing my nose shut with my fingers. What is that?

"Blood from ancient mages, protectors and juggernauts." Kiopi responds, the smell making me uneasy. Blood. Jesus. I continue walking behind Ajax. Vinmir and Sachi continuously glancing around. On guard. Of what, who knows?

"Why blood?" I ask, watching Ajax's shoulders stiffen. Stopping abruptly. I peer around him. Thick blood lines the bottom of the tombs stairs. It's like a pool made of blood. I look at Kiopi, disturbed.

"Blood would keep the evil away and keep Xyrie pure and safe. The blood is for him and the juggernauts to live on entombed in the glass coffins." My eyes widen.

"So there are people that are alive in all of that blood?"

"Yes." Sachi answers, gritting his teeth. Obviously the smell is getting to him. I slide my hand along the wall.

A torch still burns after hundreds of years. Lighting up the rather gruesome hallway. Blood stained floors, handprints left by the slaughtered all darkened by the centuries. Sitting upon a bench are 4 burnt corpses, staring in our direction. Smiles plastered on their disturbed faces. Happy to see us. Ajax cautiously takes steps forward to stairs leading up rather than into the blood pool. I watch the corpses heads move with our progression further into the tomb. I shiver. This is already too much for me. Vinmir pokes the face of a burnt corpse.

"Hey children..." A voice from the distance calls out, echoing in the dimly lit hallway. Vinmir flinches away from the corpse. It's mouth plops open. Eyes snapping open.

"Oh faaa..." Vinmir squeaks, jumping away. Shivering. Kiopi pushes him forward.

"Perhaps they will leave us alone if you leave them alone, young pup."

"But it just-"

"Let's go, Vinmir." Sachi grumbles, pulling Vinmir behind him. Vinmir keeping his orange eyes on the burnt corpse. Ajax and I walk closer to the top of the stairs. An old rusted door is chained closed. Lines of blood leading into the room. I tug on Ajax's sleeve.

"Maybe we shouldn't go in there." I suggest, rather disturbed.

"Nonsense, do you want to swim in blood?" Ajax scowls, grabbing the chains and cracking them apart.

"Okay." I whimper, stepping back.

The doors slam open on their own. Bodies line the ceilings, the floors, each seat, my eyes widen. This was not in the dream. Was definitely not! Is there something that I missed? Ajax walks in and glances around. Looking confused. Vinmir gasps, covering his eyes.

"Hell naw. It's like the tomb of horrors up in here." He whispers. Sachi looks around, scared. Cuddling up to Vinmir. Kiopi's eyes widen and mouth falls.

"What is this?" He questions, kneeling onto one knee inspecting a skinny child's body near him. Gently touching the child corpses sunken grey cheek. "Ajax, they let the children leave. In all the tales they let the children leave. But why is..." Kiopi trails up, pointing to the ceiling.

Our eyes follow his finger and see kids hanging from old ropes. Their bodies rocking back and forth slowly. The ropes crying. Ajax gulps, giving Kiopi a firm look of fear. Kiopi stands and walks to the middle of the room. A lone basin in the middle of the room. Hung upside down are more children. Their stomach cut with little to none blood trickling down into the basin. Adult Sirens with withered wings lay in a circle around them. Elves on their knees trying to cover their faces wanting to hide from something but what?

"Kiopi, this is unreal." Ajax states.

"Perhaps there was an expedition that we were unaware of." Kiopi's eyes look sadly at the slaughtered children. "Even so...why kill younglings? Who is vicious enough to slaughter kin?"