Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 2; Chapter 15 & 16

15.

Tarzan adjusted his sight from the dark tunnel that he had crawled half crouched from to the flickering light of the flame torches that lined the cavern walls. It was a small cavern with the ceiling height of twice that of Man and the radius was that of five man in height. It held nothing except the stone table in the middle and the three tunnel doorways on the opposite side.

“We seem to have stepped in from the Northern tunnel as shown in my compass. These must be the other three directions.” Ahmad consulted the compass in his left hand. “Its unusual the entrance to Zalman’s cave was to a cavern of four tunnels.”

“It would had been unexplained but the doorways each tell a tale.” Doctor Schmidt pointed at the top of the doorway there where they had stepped out from. There were characters carved into the stone. It was more like Sanskrit or ancient Persian.

“East held the words of the beholden, the North is the gifted, and the West is the Guardians.” Doctor Schmidt read the characters. He turned to the last doorway. “It says South to the Sun.”

“Each tunnel with the South and East held the heights for one to walk in but the other two were only half its height.” Doctor Schmidt gave more words to his findings. “It’s Zalman’ words of wisdom. He is speaking of the North as the people from the Queen who was reputed originate form the north of here, and the East is his own; the rightful people that he had named the Beholden. The place had its warriors who will take the West as its Guardians. There after the last is the East is where we are to head forth.”

“Wait!” Ahmad intervened in. “You said the scrolls spoke of a cave and here we are taking the entrance by the hole. He fell in and we found him to discover the cave.”

“The analogy of a cave in the ancient scroll could mean the hole for both held openings to another place. The four doorways tell us we are on the right track.” Doctor Schmidt replied. He then looked at Tarzan. “Am I not right, Herr Tarzan?”.

“I am not sure. I am just a savage who happened to be shot by you.” Tarzan offered a blank expression. “Zalman’ treasure may be just a myth ….”

“And yet you went to India to find yours?” Tarzan was startled that the German knew of his previous expedition with the others.

“Don’t be surprised, Herr Tarzan. We have ears and eyes on you. Sadly, our agents did not have you trailed to the end for we knew nothing of what transpired on the island. They did report that you were in the pursue of the treasure too.”

“Again, another foolish ambition of Man, and yet we returned with only the clothes on our back.” Tarzan replied.

“Gold and wealth will always surface their greed into Man, and the price they will pay is misery or death.”

“Man have lived on that foolishness with the ending that changed their life.” Doctor Schmidt replied. “I sought it for it will bring us fortune to expand our powers and influence. I believed in fate, Savage. I believed I am fated to find the treasure.”

“And death will avail you then.” Tarzan replied. “As those were foolish, they die for their foolishness.”

“Foolish or not, I say we advance or retreat.” Ahmad intervened on the discussion. “Tarzan, you will take the lead. Go East then.”

Tarzan stepped into the tunnel marked East. It was dark like the one where he had exit from but the new tunnel held some light a distance apart. He used his hands and feet to access for danger. Every step was carefully decided and then move on. It was with caution he stepped and his fingers on the surface reacted to his instincts. He felt every touch with his stretch out fingers looking for hidden switches or triggers. He was followed behind by two mercenaries and there was the leader in the form of Major Talbot backing them. His right-hand fingers felt something that gave way to his pull at his right-hand fingers. He called an action but the call was late.

“Trap!” Tarzan called out while he looked for it. He felt the lever pulled by his fingers but he was unsure of what the trap was. The wall behind collapsed in and the rows of spears swung down like a closing trap. The two mercenaries of the rear of the savage was struck by the spears, taking their soul and leaving them a mangled body with the spears plunged into the body.

“Don’t move, savage.” Major Talbot aimed the rifle at Tarzan from behind the wall of spears and dead bodies. Doctor Schmidt at the rear rushed forth and pulled at the rifle.

“He does not know. It’s the tunnel secret. There are traps everywhere.”

“The savage knows. He won’t tell us.” Major Talbot called out in anger. “He …”

“Where is he?” Major Talbot was surprised to see Tarzan up ahead had disappeared. He rushed forth and saw Tarzan had escaped them into the dark tunnel. He turned to the doctor. “You let him escape.”

“I did not, and don’t you ever accuse me again.” Doctor Schmidt hit back. “I run this expedition, and you may call me Doctor.”

Tarzan who saw the chance then to escape took off in a hurry. He was running blind into the dark tunnel but it was better to die then to wait his turn. He ran as fast his legs could take him, and ignore the hidden traps. His run was swift although he triggered off two traps; one was a swinging from the ceiling top was the mallet attached to the rope, and the other was similar to the earlier one. He barely missed the last one and had his left cheek scratch by it. He ran on and then felt the weakness in his legs. He fell forward and then by instinct he reached for the scratch.

Tarzan was poisoned by the wound. It made him weak. He looked down the tunnel which was still deep ahead. He then saws the approaching figure, and saw the dark warrior looking at him.

He recognised the markings; it was Azhare.

The warrior was a child.

16.

The Boer lowered the rifle after he had emptied the clip on the warriors. He had searched the land for the German expedition and then trailed them soon after. He was a tracker and having lived in the jungle for years, he knew the best routes. He soon found his prey was also stalked by one other; a group of dark warriors. He studied them from afar and noticed their markings.

Azhare.

The scout counted eight warriors and then he was surprised to see the white lady with them. She was their captive from the looks afar. That was unusual but he decided to watch the German first. Both groups were deep into the Queen’s land, and he was on the lookout for her too. He had never fought the Queen in his poaching hunts for a good hunter knew how to avoid the predators lest they become the prey too.

It was not long when he saw the German expedition burnt a part of the jungle. It was an unexplored part of the land where even himself will not tread in. He heard the Queen retribution was cruel and vicious. He was ever surprised to see the German expedition had stopped there. It was then he focussed on the Azhare group. They are keeping them distance and have taken up their camp a distance away. Three of them then took off with the lady to the deep jungle. He was not to make out their destination but he knew it was done his task. He will locate his own fellows Boer then. Their hunt had come to an end and the culling will take place.

Unknown to the Boer, he was watched by one other.

The Queen was no fool in her own land. She had tracked all of them but with the differing signs, she had hung back to observe. She saw the Boer retracing his tracks and decided to follow him. After all, the other two groups were already at Zalman’ location. They will be there for a while, from her assessment. After all, gold have a way of influencing their mind.

And Man do silly things for it.

Sheena knew her way around her land. She waited at the turn where the rider will be blinded by the trees when they turn around the corner. She waited there and at the notice of the rider, she swung from the tree with the vine. The swing gave her the impact she needed to topple the rider. She released the vine and then sat astride the rider on the chest with the dagger at the throat.

“Speak with truth, Boer. My hand tires from the wait. It will ask me to slit your throat soon.” The Boer was brave but it knew when death was imminent regardless. The rider shook his head and the Queen had to do the worst to get the information she needed. She started with the shoulder blades to the armpit; both sides and sliced to the chest before moving to the abdomen. She was doing what the predator does in the kill; immobilized the prey on the upper limbs before biting into the abdomen for the nutritious innards. The rider screamed and tried to shake the Queen off but the scream was stifled by the piece of flesh from the left shoulder and the torture continued. The rider soon talked and the final cut was the heart. The Queen stood up. The body covered in blood but the hyenas that stood on the side was uninterested in her. They knew where the best morsels are in the carcass.

‘There was another group.’ Sheena thought hard. That group held the white lady. It could only be Lady Jane; the one she had come to rescue. She thought harder and realised that the dark warriors were bringing Lady Jane to be sacrificed.

“Mother Jules….” Sheena hissed the name. She cursed the elderly who still follows the old ritual. She knew in her heart, Zalman was best alone untouched for there were curses on the area. That was why she agreed with the younger elders to leave it alone but the white man had never given up on the treasure, if there was any there. She had not seen any and neither were the elders with an exception of Mother Jules. She professes to not only see it, but touch it. The later was her testament accepted by them for she was blind.

“Could you feel gold?” Sheena had questioned the elderly lady. It was to lead to her banishment from Mother Jules hut and then to the banishment of Mother Jules when Sheena supported the others. It was war of hate between them.

Zalman.

It all ends there.

“I will stop the believe. I will destroy the cave, and Zalman will not be mentioned again.” Sheena spoke out in anger.

Anger was also in Jane when she was pushed to face what may be described as a thick undergrowth that covered the tree trunks. She was still tied on her hands but her legs were free and could walk. Mutale who brought her there have another warrior with him. He stood before the undergrowth.

“I, Mutale of Azhare tribe. I am the fifteenth generations to be given the task of protecting the cave. I stand before you to ask for permission to enter inside.” Mutale voiced out. He then drew the spear from his side. “I will shed my blood here to show my sincerity. My blood for your permission.”

Mutale sliced the spear head across his left palm. The blood seeped from the shallow wound and dripped to the ground.

“The blood is there. I am your Guardian.”

If there was really magic in this world, there was a show then that will amazed even the believers.

The undergrowth stirred from the leaves to the vines and then the branches to the trunk before it parts to reveal the cave entrance. It was a narrow one but two persons could march in. The inside of the cave was dark but to Mutale, it was his call to go in. He grabbed hold of Jane’s hands and dragged her in. The other warrior hesitated and Mutale told him to get the others.

“Guard here.” With those words, Mutale entered the cave with Jane. It was not dark inside but the intake of oxygen from the opened doorway, ignited the torches. They were in a cavern that was huge and with the ceiling high. The cavern was lined on the side with the eight feet statues that was seen by the German. Those statues were in the pristine condition with the armour shiny. Not a single dust settled on it and the weapons looked dangerous.

In the middle of the cavern was the long altar that items of worshipping were laid there, and before it was the stone table.

“Get on the table, lady. Your blood is now required. We are at the front entrance. With your blood, I can call on the Celestial Guardians to protect the land. And what was Zalman’. Hail the Queen Sheba, the true Queen of the land.”

“You are a bigot.” It was the voice of the small child who was in a woman’s body. It was Mili. She had no rifles but she held a spear. She leapt from the celestial giant frame where she had remained hidden. She thrust the spear into Mutale’s chest. The spear head went in deep and the blood spurted out. The blood form Mutale spurted onto the table.

It was a blood sacrifice then.

Meanwhile Tarzan leaned on the wall nursing his wounds. He was upset at himself, getting hurt on his carelessness and then to be cared for by a child. The child placed him on the flooring and then he felt sleepy. The flooring was unlike any for he felt his wounds healing then. It was healing fast which was what prompted him to rolled off there and leaned on the wall. He was led by the child into the new cavern where the place was not inlaid with gold but with machinery that hummed on a low tone. He had never seen such machinery and the ones that he had seen were noisy and emitted hazardous gas. These machineries were silent and yet he felt the vibrations of power.

A kind of power he had not felt before.

Tarzan is a savage and yet a gentleman. Even that he feared the new magic then.

It was savagery in the wildness unseen then.