Author Games: The River of Night

Finals: Khalid Masud

Khalid felt as if his leg would collapse at any moment. His lungs ached from breathing ragged breaths and holding back harsh words. His eyes stung from flung sand and unspilt tears. His head throbbed with the heavy beating of his heart, the adrenaline still coursing heavily through his veins. Even his heart was pained, though why was harder to explain. Hardships had littered the journey, making him feel much older than he appeared, and yet much younger than he had ever been. Now, however, the journey felt close to its end.

Weak light spilled from the jagged opening as they traversed the cavern. It flickered and shifted like a small candle in the middle of a raging storm. The candle's flame was resistant despite its weaknesses, struggling against the forces of nature that attempted to snuff it out. The babbling of the stream became a distant memory, the low ceiling dipping in once more. As the space grew smaller, the band grew wearier. The God of Chaos may have disappeared, though the threat of danger remained ever lurking.

The Underworld was a place for the dead and the toll it had taken on all of them could have been considered a reminder. Masika's steps were less graceful, the heavy steps that fell belonging to someone older. Ife's back had become more curled, hunching over greatly in an effort to keep herself moving. Not even Ramia had remained unscathed, her shoulders sinking inward whenever too deep a breath entered her lungs. Khalid was sure they were all ready for the gods' quest to finally be over. They had been through more than their fair share of grief.

Yet when they entered the next room, a much darker tone filtered through the room. It whispered in their ears of death and misery, of failure and disappointment. All movement stopped as they looked upon the god, ice freezing them in place despite the warmth the god before them had created. Had they been too late? The God's body lay before them, trickles of blood leading to streams that curved into rivers and emptied into the lake below him. His eyes had grown closed, his beak sewn shut. Each blue feather on his head had been dipped in a deep red, the biggest of the wounds a stunning gash across his bare chest. Beholding the god was terrifying, but not for the reason it should have been. It wasn't in fear that he would smite one of them down but in shock, that they might actually watch the creature die.

The softest shuffle broke the suffocating silence. Ramia brushed past the girl in front, her movements jerky yet not broken. A single step forward was all it took to rouse the god. One eye opened briefly, only enough to catch a glimpse at the four of them. It was gold in color, with its black pupil causing for the briefest of reminders on how Apophis's eyes had gazed upon them. Nonetheless, there was a certain warmth held within the god's golden orbs that quickly melted the returning feelings of fear and anger.

"So you are finally here." Ra spoke with a deep tone that dove right to the base of Khalid's spine and caused it to shiver. However, the words were not spoken in anger but as a simple truth. The most emotion that could be scavenged was the faintest hint of relief, as well as the small groan of pain that came out after it. "I wondered if you would make it before that wretched snake came to finish me off."

Khalid didn't mention it, though by the scene in front of him, he knew the snake was not needed to end the god's life. A simple lack of blood loss would be all that was needed and for that, the time was becoming increasingly short.

"We have, and we have ensured that he won't be returning for quite some time," Ramia informed Ra, her confidence flowing with her words just as it had the first time Khalid had heard it.

Assumed to be a nod, the God shifted his head as best he was able. "That is indeed good. Are you all that's left?"

A silence bloomed with the words, quiet glances exchanged with the others as well as the ground. They had lost so many along the way, it was fairly pitiful to admit the truth. Although, the amount Ra already knew was uncertain. Thankfully, an answer to the question was put on hold. A loud protest to his pain erupted from Ra's lips, one of his hands reaching up to cover the large wound. For a moment it flickered out of existence and then returned again, the god too weak to make it disappear.