Author Games: The River of Night

Semifinals: Ramia Gamal

The temple was deserted. Yellow light filtered in from cracks along the ceiling tiles, causing the crumbling pillars to look polished once more and the dull sandy walls to gleam like gold. The room rose around her as if she was the idol it worshiped, the high, sloping walls bending around her presence until they resembled more of an arena than the center chamber. Flickering torches cast shadows through the room, the illusion of movement making her skin crawl. A balcony looked down from where Ramia stood below, watching her cautious movements as if an audience was truly present. The fragrance of incense was heavy in her lungs, the taste of foreign spices and herbs burned for the pleasure of immortals were familiar on her tongue. Bitter and sharp, she crinkled her nose, not a smoke for any god I know.

For once, Ramia did not like being alone. The crumbling temple should have made her confidence soar, renewing her strength and filling her with life enough to face what lie beyond. But the broken stone and decrepit walls did the opposite. I wish Ife was here. Her wisdom would do me well. She took a deep breath in, dust of the earth mixing with incense to fill her lungs. It did little to refresh her as she waited, eyes scanning each bend in the wall and looking behind every pillar. There's nowhere to go from here, she thought. Either I am too late or precisely where I need to be. Nothing in Heaven or Earth could answer her question, only the tell-tale hiss of a thousand snakes could give her what she needed.

Footsteps filled the air, echoing across the stone to raise clouds of dust in their wake. Ramia spun around, every muscle in her body tensing as her eyes scanned the room behind her for the source of the sound. Her lips pursed, brows furrowing in confusion as the empty space set off a dozen different warning bells in her brain. A voice broke the silence of the room, filling the space where the footsteps had been. "I had a very difficult time finding you, child," it spoke and she jumped in surprise. It's above me. Ramia stepped to the side, looking upwards at the balcony. "So many different names. So many different faces," the voice continued. It was a slow and mocking sound, like the teasing of a child with the intelligence of a king. A silhouette cast in the firelight caught her eye, the shape of a man, staring down at her although there was no body to accompany it. "It's bad luck to speak the names of the dead, you know." The silhouette moved, tapping the side of its head in quick succession. "They can still hear you," it whispered, as if sharing a great secret between them.

With each word, Ramia moved around the room, looking from every angle for any sign of the man. "Show yourself, coward," she demanded. Her eyes darted between the pillars of the room and the slope of the balcony, catching nothing more than the shine of metal or a flash of red out of the corner of her eye before the man disappeared. Minutes passed without answer, the sound of her own breath in her throat filling the silence of the room. He's moving, she thought, scanning even the darkest corners for a hint of the creature's face.

Footsteps filled the air once more, a heavy sound that echoed against the floor. Ramia strained her ears, listening closely as the creature spoke. "Even when I threatened to end your voyage," it spoke as if in awe with her actions, "you refused to give in!" The creature laughed delightedly. It was so close she could imagine his breath on the back of her neck and she lurched forward. Heart pounding hard, Ramia searched the area behind her and found it empty and dark. He's playing games with me. Trying to frighten me. "All I needed was a name, a real name." The voice was somewhere far off now, broadcast across the small room. Ramia could hear it now, the tell tale hiss below the soft cushion of his words. I must not show fear. "Once I learned that you were a champion of Neith, though, it was easy to put together. You're no fool. "

"Come out!" she ordered, the jagged edge of her word cutting through the quiet. "Or is the snake too cowardly to face me while weak?"

Once again, silenced answered her. Ramia waited, counting each second before he spoke again. His voice seemed to come from only a few steps away, a low and cautioning growl. "Be careful, child. You may be bold, but you're not a fool." Opening her lips to speak, less than a breath escaped her throat before he spoke again. She could feel his breath against the back of her neck, sense the presence of another body standing behind her own. "And neither am I."