Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The blow forced Eanaf off his path and he toppled to the sands a few yards off. Our savior's shadow fell over us and my heart was filled with hope at the sight of Nabiha seated atop Benya. She held two vials in her hand and her person jingled with glass like a wind chime.

"And I will not suffer my ancestor's memory to be so sullied by your revival!" she snapped.

Eanaf righted himself and stretched himself to his full, lithe height as he snapped his jaws at her. "Your stench is all I need to know the truth of your words, mortal!"

Nabiha scoffed at him. "Don't pretend you are anything other than that, snake. My ancestor sacrificed his life to seal you because he did not have the nullifying abilities this man possesses."

Eanaf snapped his jaws at Ben even as his tendrils whipped about him. "I will deal with him as soon as I have finished with these sacrifices."

Dozens of people were trapped in the grasp of his shadows, and their bodies became illuminated by the dark light as Eanaf began to drain them of their very lives. Among those victims were Salah and his family. They cried out as their bodies glowed bright.

Lila tried to grab hold of the tendril and her hands passed through the shadowy form. Her effort was not in vain, however, as the tendril that held her vanished. She dropped to the ground in shock, but she quickly recovered and lunged at her suffering parents. Her hands worked the magic of Ben's family and the shadows were vanquished.

Her efforts didn't go unnoticed as Eanaf threw a dozen more tendrils at them. Lila threw herself on top of the shadows and they burst out of existence.

Eanaf let out a roar as the life source from the others slipped through the tendrils and into his body. "Your efforts are futile, mortal! I will take these lives and be returned to my full strength!"

Cries of pain wracked my ears as the victims writhed in pain. Ben rushed toward the nearest victim who happened to be the king and grabbed the tendrils holding him and his guards. The shadows vanished and the light around Eanaf diminished. Eanaf rushed toward him and Nabiha rushed to intercept, but she was blocked by a half dozen tendril shadows that latched on to Benya.

That meant Eanaf slashed at Ben's back. The god's claws cut through Ben's shirt and exposed his pale skin. Blood poured from the deep gashes and Ben spun around to block the next blow with his own claws. Eanaf's might was such that the force of his swipe threw Ben to the sands. Eanaf towered over him ready to deal a damaging blow.

"Ben!" I shouted as I stretched out my hand toward him.

A bright light burst out of Ben and shot out in all directions. Eanaf was blown back along with all his tendrils. His victims dropped to the ground, weak but still alive.

Ben gaped at himself as his dark shadows pulsed around him, flickering like hungry flames that cast a comforting warmth over the area. Lila, too, stared dumbly at her own body became illuminated with pure brilliance.

I blinked at them before I looked down at myself. A gentle glow enveloped me.

"What the hell?" I whispered as I turned my hands over.

A roar from Eanaf ruined the moment as the ‘god' climbed to his slithery body and his tendrils thrashed around him. His eyes blazed with fury at me and his fangs dripped with drool and poison. A horrible stench filled the air as he snapped his jaws at me.

There was death in those eyes, and it was meant for me.

I stumbled back as he rushed me. Ben and Lila both raced toward me, but the sand slowed them. The filthy stuff tripped me up and I fell backward onto my ass. Eanaf was on top of me in a moment with his teeth snapping at my face and his filthy claws digging into the flesh of my arms.

A primal roar erupted from the shadows of the waning night and something lunged onto the god's back. His attack bit down hard on Eanaf's throat and the snake was forced to rear back. It was then I got a view of my second savior, and my heart thrilled at the sight of the other dakhma from the oasis. My new friend clawed and tore at the snake's flimsy skin, tearing large gashes in Eanaf's flesh.

The serpent managed to grab hold of him and throw the dakhma, but Benya took its place. Nabiha herself tossed the vials at the god. They exploded against his body and created flames that scorched his scales.

Eanaf flailed about trying to extinguish the fires. My dakhma climbed back to his feet and grabbed hold of the god's tail. Lila and Ben rushed forward and grabbed hold of Eanaf's arms. Smoke rose from their touch and a horrible stench of rotten flesh filled the air.

I climbed to my feet, ignoring the blood that poured from my wounds, and met the fear-filled eyes of the god. "Time for some divine retribution, you bastard."

I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around his round body. Eanaf threw his head back and screamed. Black tendrils spilled out from his body and billowed around us like a stench-filled cloud. I shut my eyes as the darkness stung my open wounds and a faintness fell over me.

Eanaf's body shriveled and shrank. I stumbled forward and into a mass of darkness that choked me. It invaded my throat and panic overtook me. A strong pair of hands grabbed mine and pulled me from the shadows.

I fell against a hard chest as something warm touched my cheeks. My eyes fluttered open and I beheld the rising sun in the eastern horizon.

"Millie," a voice whispered, and I looked up to find Ben smiling down at me. "You did it."

I blinked at him as he nodded at the ground in front of us. A scorched spot of ruined sand was all that remained of the ‘god.' Everyone else among our companions gaped at each other with bewildered eyes.

Everyone except Nabiha. She strode over to the emaciated corpse of her sister and shook her head. "You naive fool. May you find peace in death that you didn't find in life."

"Lila!" Salah shouted as Fadila and he rushed over to embrace their daughter.

Lila was all smiles as she hugged her parents. "I have had an adventure, Papa!" Her parents could only cry for joy and nod their heads.

A soft smile graced my lips as I leaned my cheek against Ben's chest. The weariness I had felt earlier came back tenfold and I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open.

"You can rest," Ben whispered to me as he scooped me into his arms. "The danger is passed thanks to you."

I wanted to argue the point, but exhaustion took me into a deep slumber.