The Song and the Serpent

“You all heard that too, right?” Kian asked after the echo of the main door shutting had died away. Hugo had left the temple just as Dias had slipped into his trapdoor, both of them trailed by their followers. Undelma had resumed its regular state; empty and dark.

“Yes, we heard it,” Adan replied, his dry throat cracking.

“Do you think he meant what I think he meant?”

“If you think he meant that he would invade Esta because a magical tattoo told him to...”

Kian nodded. “That’s what I thought I heard.”

“…Then yes.” Adan said.

Silence.

“Then I guess we have to escape,” said Kian. “Somehow.”

“I agree.” Said Adan. “Definitely a good idea. We should get on that right away.”

Another silence.

“Any notion on how we can do that?” Adan Asked.

“Well, that’s the rub, isn’t it? Talking about getting away is one thing, but actually doing it…”

“Terrific. Thanks”

They chuckled at each other before falling silent again.

They’ll have no warning if we die here, Adan thought. Everyone back home will be caught completely off guard.

He knew he would take any opportunity to escape, but how could he? They were well guarded in locked cages, with a vast city full of enemies surrounding them, and no clear way home. If they had an endless amount of time to plan, they might come up with something, but they didn’t. In less than two days, they would likely be dead.

Adan’s mind wandered to Layla, and her aunt Matilda and the rest of the people on Enys Island. They would probably be the first place Hugo attacked.

The thought of what Hugo might do to Layla made his blood boil, but what could he do? He was helpless. Unless he saw some way of escape, they would have to fend for themselves.

He realized he could only hope. Hope that Esta’s military might could repel this enemy. Hope that Hugo would pass Enys Island and attack the larger cities first. Hope that half a century of victory against their enemies would not end with this unexpected assault.

A handful of hours later, a short acolyte brought two small buckets of water up to the prisoners and passed one into each cell. They quenched their thirst, and Adan felt invigorated by the drink. The water was cold and clean, no doubt from a mountain spring nearby. He had drank nothing since they left the hull of Hugo’s ship, and weeping and singing were thirsty work.

The acolyte left the two buckets with them and returned to his trapdoor without a word.

Kian sighed after taking his last sip. “Well, for what might be our last drink of water, that wasn’t half bad. Never thought I’d enjoy a drink of water so much. I don’t suppose there’s any point in bringing us any food.”

Rocco almost huffed. “We are the food.”

“I don’t know,” Kian said. “By the time they put me in that arena, I might be hungry enough to eat that thing myself.”

Several more hours crawled by. The warriors faded in and out of sleeping, talking, and waiting. It was all they could do. Adan would occasionally stand and stretch his arms and legs. He didn’t risk walking in the pitch darkness, but he would move his arms and legs, and try to keep himself in good form.

“Why don’t we sing another song?” Kian asked after some time.

“Save your voice,” Rocco answered. “Those priests hated it more than I thought they would. Let’s save our next song for when they all come out. Then we can give them a rousing chorus.”

They discussed what song they would sing when the time came, and then all was quiet once more. Somehow, they all knew that they wouldn’t have long to wait.

After what must have been another hour of waiting, they heard it. The sound of footsteps echoing through the temple. Bare feet moved on black stone, and the prisoners sat up, alert and ready.

They heard a clap, and the torches ignited, revealing Dias with his hands together in the air, half surrounded by his followers once more. They chanted the obscure refrain about flesh and spirit once more, and then a group of eight acolytes began making their way to the stairs.

Adan’s heart began pounding again.

“Let’s sing when they begin their chant, before they release the drynth,” Rocco whispered loudly enough that the other prisoners could hear him. They grunted their agreement.

The acolytes surrounded the entrance to the second cage, the one next to Adan, Kian, and Rocco. They brandished their knives and the same thin acolyte with short blond hair removed his hood and produced a key. He unlocked the door and stood back, gesturing for the prisoners to exit.

Just as before, they were escorted out and down the steps. Dias clapped again and the ring of torches inside the arena flickered to life. The prisoners were led to the iron gate that led to the spiral steps.

The same heavyset acolyte removed his hood, revealing short blond hair like his fellow and produced the key to unlock the iron door. He returned the key to its place, and then held the door open for them. As they walked down the steps, he slammed it shut, and the locking mechanism on the door trapped them in with the nightmare that was about to be released.

“Open the door!” The Chief Priest cried. Adan heard the excitement in Dias’s voice, and it made his skin crawl.

“Ready?” Rocco asked.

Adan and Kian nodded.

The chains rattled again and the great wooden door began to lift. Just as the worshippers began their ghastly chant Rocco took a deep breath and His deep voice rang out in the temple. Adan, Kian, and the five warriors in the arena joined in.

Western men, your fellows call you!

Up, lest worse than death befall you—

As they began to sing, the torches in the temple began to flicker and sputter. By the time they reached the second line, they went out completely, plunging everything into darkness.

“Silence, fools!” Dias screamed.

They stopped singing.

“What…?” Said Kian.

As soon as they stopped singing, the torches sputtered to life again.

Kian looked at Adan. Adan looked at Rocco.

Rocco looked at them and furrowed his brows. “Did that just…”

Kian began again, and the others joined him.

Western men, your fellows call you!

Up, lest worse than death befall you!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

The torches sputtered in their sconces and began snuffing out.

“Stop!”said Rocco.

They obeyed and the torches relit. Their flame illuminated the giant wooden door as it continued to open.

“We can’t,” said Rocco. “We have to be silent.”

Adan and Kian didn’t ask why.

They can’t fight if they can’t see, thought Adan.

The giant trap door reached its zenith and they all began to hear a familiar whistling hiss. The acolytes chanted with more enthusiasm. The five warriors were grouped together at the base of the steps, weapons in hand.

Adan gripped the bars and watched as a familiar shape materialized out of the dark hole and coiled onto the sandy floor. For the second time, it eyed its prey and bared its enormous teeth.

“Keep singing!”

One of the warriors had shouted above the chanting.

“Don’t stop!”

“But the torches!” Rocco shouted back. “You’ll be killed!”

“We’re already dead men!” The warrior shouted.

Adan saw the determination on the faces of the others beside him as they watched the monster slither and coil closer.

Adan, Kian, and Rocco looked at each other as the worshippers chanted on.

“Please! Don’t let them be the last thing we hear!”

Rocco bowed his head. Then he continued the song. Adan and Kian joined him, and the torches went black as they sang.

Advance the flag of Esta!

Hurrah! Hurrah!

And drive our foes beyond the woes,

And live or die for Esta!

To arms! To arms!

And conquer peace for Esta!

To arms! To arms!

And conquer peace for Esta!

“No!” Adan heard Dias shout as the temple went dark.

He could hear the other warriors singing along with them in the blackness.

Hear the Northern thunders mutter!

Eastern flags in West winds flutter!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

Send them back your fierce defiance!

Stamp upon the accursed alliance!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

Shoulder pressing close to shoulder—

Several cries sounded over the music. Two voices in the arena became silent, but the others continued.

Adan felt tears in his eyes and his throat constricted again, but he kept singing, forcing the words from his throat.

Another voice in the arena went silent with a choking sound.

Shoulder pressing close to shoulder

Let the odds make each heart bolder!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

For faith betrayed and pledges broken,

Wrongs inflicted, insults spoken.

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

Adan, Kian, and Rocco were stomping their feet on the ground. The last two warriors in the ring were still singing.

Adan tried to ignore the sounds of scuffling, slithering, and hissing that kept breaking through the chanting.

Cut the unequal bonds asunder!

Let them hence each other plunder!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

The last two voices in the ring went silent once more.

The three of them stopped.

For a brief moment, the torches sputtered to life, revealing the arena below. Three bloody corpses lay in the sand, one warrior remained standing, holding the giant serpent at bay near the steps. The fifth warrior’s body was nowhere in sight.

“Don’t stop!” The last standing warrior cried, pointing his blade at the beast.

With an effort, they sang the last verses.

Then at peace, and crowned with glory,

Hear your children tell the story!

To arms! To arms! To arms, in Esta!

Advance the flag of Esta!

Hurrah! Hurrah!

And drive our foes beyond the woes,

And live or die for Esta!

To arms! To arms!

And conquer peace for Esta!

To arms! To arms!

And conquer peace for Esta!

Silence.

The chanting, the hissing, and the cries had stopped.

The torches flickered to life. Only the great serpent could be seen in the arena.

The warriors were gone.

Kian fell to his knees. “What have we done?”

The monster slithered back into its hole and the great door began to close.

Adan watched as one of the acolytes detached from others. Dias the Priest walked away from the arena until he stood alone, glaring up at the three of them.

The other worshipers began walking back to the open trapdoors in two lines. The Chief priest remained in the center of the main floor, staring at the three of them.

The last thing they saw before the great door closed and the torches sputtered out, was that hairless face staring up at them with spite and hatred.

“There was nothing else we could have done,” said Rocco, breaking the long silence.

Adan and Kian were silent.

“We gave them a better death than they would have had without us. It’s the best we could’ve done.”

More Silence.

“The torchlight wouldn’t have helped them. It didn’t help the others before them.”

“We don’t know that,” said Kian. His voice was low and quiet, almost inaudible.

Rocco breathed in, as if he wanted to answer, but instead he sighed and fell silent.

Adan knew that Rocco was most likely right. He knew that they had done all they could. But he also knew that he would always remember the cries of the dying men, and the sight of their bloodied bodies in the arena.

Not that it mattered much. He didn’t have long to live with his guilt.

There was nothing else to do but wait once more.

Adan’s throat was parched. The singing had made him thirstier than he had ever been, and he felt weak from hunger. He knew they wouldn’t stand a chance in the arena now. They hadn’t eaten since the extravagant meal on Enys Island, and just thinking about it made Adan’s stomach growl. He would have given anything for a simple crust of stale bread. Even the smell of blood couldn’t assuage his hunger.

“You sound just like him,” said Kian.

Adan’s head jerked up.

“What?” Adan croaked.

“Your father. You sound just like him when you sing.”

“Oh.”

“I haven’t heard you sing since…”

Adan didn’t reply.

Kian sighed. “It’s good to hear it again. It takes me back to my childhood.”

“I haven’t let myself really remember until now,” said Adan. “I guess I’ve been holding it in, giving myself to my work instead.” He breathed a sigh. “Not much point in resisting anymore, I suppose.”

“It’s strange,” said Kian. “Knowing that we’ll see him soon. I thought I’d be terrified to die. But I’m not.”

Adan and Rocco didn’t reply.

“You should be,” a deep voice said on the steps.

A match was struck and a candle lit. Dias the Priest stood outside their cell, illuminated by the flickering light.

The three of them leapt to their feet when they heard his voice.

“Your singing and your talk has done nothing to save you,” he said. “In the end you will all die alone, just as your companions before you.”

Adan looked at Rocco to see rage in his eyes.

“At least we will die like men, proud of who we are and what we’ve done. And we won’t be alone.”

Dias stepped closer to the bars, candlelight accentuating his eyebrowless face. “Everyone dies alone. No one can accompany you into the void. But what does it matter? You’ll be gone from this world.”

Rocco didn’t reply. He turned and sat down, looking away from the priest.

The hairless man took another step forward. “Answer me, you fool. What does it matter? What does anything in your life matter? The greatest thing you will achieve in your miserable life is to be food for Sithril.”

Rocco ignored him.

“What do you say to that?”

Rocco slowly turned his head to look at the deranged priest. “‘He who tries to reason with a fool has become a fool himself.’”

A quote from the writings of Luxes the Conqueror. Rocco looked away again, ignoring the glare from the Priest of Sithril.

“I almost wish you could live a little longer, and see your own folly. I wish you could see the things that have already been revealed to us, the secrets of the universe that the One has unveiled, and the power that we will unleash on the world. But we all have a role to play, and yours is to appease the One by the spilling of your blood. There will be no more foul singing in Undelma after that.”

Dias turned to walk down the steps.

“One word, priest,” Rocco said, getting to his feet.

Dias paused and looked back.

“By all I know, and all I have seen, I can promise you one thing: You will not live to see the things you speak of. They may happen, and they may not, but you will not see them. You will not live another day. That I promise you.”

The conviction in Rocco's voice was undeniable. He believed what he was saying.

Dias stared at Rocco for a moment, apparently uncertain of how to reply. Then he turned away and muttered, “More empty words.”

He blew out the candle as he walked down the steps. They never heard the trapdoor open and close as he descended into the lower levels.

“What was that about?” Kian asked.

Rocco sighed before answering. “A fool’s hope.”