Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 2; Chapter 17 & 18

17.

Hans Pieter stood over the stripped flesh of his best friend. Kruger. All that remained there were this clothing in tatters and the bones. The later were scattered but the friends of Kruger had picked them up. The Boers have lived there to know the scent and the predators who have fed on the remains.

“Bury him.” Hans gave the order.

“Did the lions kill him?” It was Bernard who asked.  He was the youngest there. He was the nephew of Kruger. It was his first battle then

“Yes, the lions kill him and then the hyenas fed on the carcass.” Hans looked at the young Boer. “This is the jungle.”

“Kill me when I am unable to move. I prefer dead by you than by the lions and hyenas.”

“And you will.” Soon the Boers took to their ride once again. They have ridden hard and fast, but none of them felt the tiredness in their bodies but only anger to avenge Kruger.

“We head for the Germans first.” Hans gave the morale call.

“We will take them all.” The call was the rally of the Boer.

Doctor Schmidt then was trying to further rally his men. He had lost the one that could lead them to the treasure and in his carelessness, the one had escaped. He had called on his men to all descend into the cavern. He has three tunnels to take and was unsure which one. He was expecting some less complicated then.

“Major, you will take two men with you to the tunnel that the savage took. If you find a cavern, send one of the men back. I will await your reply.” Doctor Schmidt then assigned two more groups of two to the other tunnels. “I will wait here.”

Major Talbot took to his assigned tunnel. He took small steps and saw the sprung traps. He cautioned the others in his team. It was during the track he hears screams from the other tunnels. So, they were careless and so far, he was doing okay. He came upon another cavern and saw the more doorways. They were not when he saw the others emerged.

“Henri died back there.” The one who took the other tunnel owned up. “It was a spear into his chest from the left.”

“I lost Dieter. He got his head cut off by the swinging blade.”

Major Talbot sighed. They have lost two more men to reach a cavern with no more exits. Or treasures. He sent his own team back to call the others. He then tried to figure out the savage got away. There must be tracks on the ground.  He saw then the tracks and it led to the wall. He approached the wall and studied it. He was looking for cracks or hidden levers. He saw then what may appear to be crack big enough. He reached in and pry at it with his fingers. The wall gave way and an opening appeared. He pulled hard at it and soon the doorway was opened. He looked in and saw at a distance more lights.

“Did you find something?” Major Talbot heard the voice. It was the Doctor. The Major turned and saw the Doctor had arrived with the others and there were the Bedouins. He nodded to the Doctor who rushed forth and went into the tunnel leading to the second third cavern. He was jousted from following up by the Bedouin named Ahmad. He took his place then two more behind Ahmad. The sight that greeted him when he arrived was wonderment. He was no treasure seeker or gold miner, but what he saw was magnificent. It was a huge cavern lined with machineries that hummed in a low tone, and in the centre was the blue flooring that did not looked solid with the wavy blue tinge beneath it. There were drawings and etching on the walls that told the tale of the final day of Man; the sentencing to the next dimension if it may interpret then by academics, the displacement there by the virtues of each person, and the ones that made it to upper level will survive on as sentients without a shell. The infirmed will be treated at the flooring with the injuries and pain. The flooring rejuvenates the infirmed.

“It can’t be.” Doctor Schmidt approached the bluish flooring. He then looked at Ahmad. “Could it be? The Qiyamah? The resurrection of the dead?”

“No, Doctor. The one you mentioned is the Day of Judgment, and that does not came described with such oddities.” Ahmad replied while motioning to the line-up of machineries there. “These are the works of Man with evil intentions.”

“If its not, then it could only be Lazarus Pool. And not all that Man invents are evil.”

“Lazarus Pool? Are we mad here? It’s a child fable. Like the Elixir of Life. It’s the same paradox and it led many Men to madness.” Ahmad voiced his protest. “I will continue my search. You can enjoy your pool.”

“That won’t necessary.” The voice came from above. It was Tarzan and he was not alone. He was with the child named Mili. And they were not alone for in the caves, soon emerged the panthers, their dark skin glistened in the simmering light. There were six of the panthers.

“You have intruded into the realm of Zalman. You came by the tunnels which were prohibited unless you are a Guardian or priests. For that, you will die for the intrusion.”

“Who are you to tell us, Tarzan of the Waziri clan. You have no right to be here. You are not the Lord here. Sheena the….” Doctor Schmidt was cut off by the voice from the tunnel doorway.

“I am the Queen of the land, and behold what is on my land is under my protection.” Sheena appeared from the doorway. “You have intruded into the land and for that your punishment is dead.”

“Sheena the Queen, you cannot kill me. You cannot harm us all, Serene Mc Quire. I am your last living relative, Schmidt Otto Helmut. I married your aunt., You were there but you were a babe then. I gave you the amulet for your birthday that day. Your father told me he will have it on you forever. It held your mother’s photo.”

“A man who is to die will speak of anything. I hold not such pleasure of knowing you at all.” Sheena replied coldly.

“And you should. After all, I had your father killed in the expedition. He was threatening the German Empire then. As you are now.” Schmidt replied. He then signalled his men. “Have the machine gun ready.”

“We are ready, Herr Doctor.” The reply came from the rear. The doctor turned to look and saw his men had all died; slit on the throat or stabbed in the back by the Bedouins. All except Major Talbot.

“Unfortunately, your men had died.” Ahmad replied. “Only us, the untrustworthy Bedouins are here. With our other ally.”

“Major Talbot, what is the meaning of this?”

“I am aligned to them from the start. Don’t get into a fit there, Doctor. I am under the orders of the British Empire. My orders are from the highest. I am to betray you. My commander, Colonel Fleming will be extremely pleased.”

“Serena, I asked of you as your living relative. Help me.” Doctor Schmidt pleaded with the Queen. Unseen by her, he pulled out the Mauser from his holster. He aimed and shot at the Major. He was hit on the heart and fell to the ground. It was Tarzan who leapt into action on the treacherous German. He was recovered from the wounds on the bluish flooring and his strength was restored. He landed on the German and with his bare hands he grabbed the German on the head. He slammed the head onto the ground, and was then kicked by Ahmad who came to assist the German.

“Herr Doctor is my protectorate. You cannot harm him.” Ahmad faced the savage. He levelled the scimitar he held on his hands at the savage. “I am Ahmad of the Bedouin.”

“I am Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.” Tarzan hissed his name and drew his dagger. “Kreegah!”

The savage Lord charged at the Bedouin, and with the left hand, he gripped the scimitar blade and pushed it away despite the pain he felt there. He lashed out with his right hand holding the dagger at the Bedouin. He caught the surprised Bedouin at the chest with slash across there. He then released his left hand and turned his body to do a back slash on the Bedouin but the later had retreated. The retreating Bedouin bumped into his men in the cramped condition. The Bedouin regained his stance and then slashed at the savage with a series of swings with the scimitar.

The savage had retreated and jumped or rolled to avoid the slashes. He watched for openings that he could exploit and saw it. He slashed out with the dagger at the unguarded left leg but the Bedouin had that covered. The scimitar came down hard on the dagger blade and caused the savage to release the dagger.

“You are good but I am better. You have lost your dagger.” Ahmad smiled. He kicked the dagger back to the savage. “You can hold it one more time. I will not kill you unarmed.”

Tarzan picked up the dagger and then looked at Bedouin. That one named Ahmad held some warrior qualities in him. He then half crouched and planned his next move. He was in a disadvantage in the cavern and there were no trees to climb on. He looked around and saw the other advantage. He advanced in a charge and then dropped down to rolled at the Bedouin. It was an unanticipated move and with that Tarzan slashed the Bedouin at the left leg and that time he drew blood. He rolled away to avoid the slashing scimitar and crouched up. The Bedouin was hurt and like any prey, it will tend to its wound. He leapt high and came down with the dagger held downwards. The dagger missed when the Bedouin rolled away.

“You fight like a lion, savage. I am impressed.” The Bedouin smiled while he held his left hand to his wound. “You won’t give up.”

“And he won’t.” Sheena called out from the corner where she stood on the side. She saw the possible outcome of the fight and leapt onto the wounded Bedouin. Her spear went in deep into the left shoulder and then she twisted the end to pierce the heart. She pulled the spear out and then faced the other Bedouin.

“Leave here and you will be spared.” Sheena told them. “Its not me who will hunt you but these Guardians will.”

The eight panthers roared then and the Bedouins retreated. They have no more fight in them with their leader dead.

“Leave no one alive.” Mili told the panthers who then rushed after the Bedouins. The screams of the prey could be heard with their calls for mercy or to curse at their fate. It was all over soon enough. The eight panthers stepped back into the cavern with their jaws and paws bloodied.

“Guard the cave.: Mili instructed the panthers. The cavern was soon left with Tarzan, Sheena and Mili.

With the lonely Doctor Schmidt.

“Tell me of my father.” Sheena crouched next to the German.

18.

“I am telling the truth.” Doctor Schmidt leaned on the cavern wall. He was wounded in more places that he could reach. The Queen was relentless in her method of asking; the kicks and blows was causing the elderly doctor pain.

“Your father was a slave master. He traded with the Company.”

“The Empire’s company?” Sheena asked.

“No, it was a private group of investors. We have British, French, Boers and Germans. I was from the last group. Your father was the British partner. He held the interest of several.” The doctor explained it all. “The one that controlled them all is the Boer. His name is Hans Pieter. He owns a big estate and interest in your land.”

“The others are Andre Clements, and Roger Cargill.”

The names embedded into Tarzan and Sheena mind.

“Leave now, Doctor. You will live to tell the tale to your partners. Tell them that I will come to see them soon.” Sheena told the doctor. “And I have no living relatives. My caretake was last, and died many years ago. If my father was a slave master, then I am the slave to the land he exploited. I will protect this land from others like him.”

“You letting me go. I know of this place.” Doctor Schmidt had the puzzled look.

“I said I let you go but there were conditions that you bring the Boers here. They are nearby. Find them and bring them here. You need your sight for that. You could do with one eye though.”

The caverns and the tunnels were silent most times but the cries of the ones hurt could be heard echoing there. Jane heard the cries and tried to establish the source. She had armed herself with spear and the dagger she found on the dead warrior. She staggered on her movements for she had not fully recovered. She relied on her senses taught to her by John.

“In the jungle, the five senses of yours will make a difference to your survival.”

She listened hard and then went the way she thought was the right direction. She went behind the altar and into the tunnel. It was not one but a series of tunnels. She did not encounter any traps but she found some unique items; machineries or unexplained items. She looked at the unexplained items; they are the ones she had never seen before. She had seen something similar during her capture by the Tall Man. The same ones that took her unborn baby.

It had to be destroyed.

Jane took up the blunt end of the spear and hit against the machineries. The breakable parts came off and the siren went off. It was screaming for help.

She went at where the breaks exposed areas. The machinery emitted sparks and more sirens. 

It was at an alarming rate of run then when Doctor Schmidt ran out of the tunnels, fumbling his way in the darkness on one eye. He ran on without looking back with his left hand bloodied from holding the emptied cavity on the face. He did not know where and how he got out but he was at a different entrance. It was one with the undergrowth on the sides, but there was salvation.

“Hans! Help me! The Queen is mad.” Doctor Schmidt collapsed on the ground. Hans had dismounted with his Boer warriors. They were to enter the cave when the doctor bailed out in fear. Hans crouched down and offered his bandanna to hold the blood from the cavity and then offered the doctor a drink.

“I…. No, she is mad. She carved my eye out so that I will tell all of it. I told her. She is mad.” The doctor was screaming out his fear. “She is….”

“You told who? The Queen of us?” Hans asked.

“Yes, I did. Or she would had ripped my heart out.” The doctor called out. “Help me….”

Hans released the doctor from his hands and then stood up. He looked at the figure lying there like a broken doll. A figure who once had sat upright and voiced out like an Emperor. He was no more that personality. He was a broken man. In the jungle a broken figure was akin to an old or wounded one. It will have to be killed.

The shot came into the left eye cavity into the brain. It was a merciful kill.

“The Queen is inside. This is the place. I want all of you armed and shoot at anything that is not us.” Hans was specific. He had lost one man that day, and was not keen to lose anymore. He counted nineteen left and they will be nineteen leaving there.

“I want the Maxim setup here. If we need to leave fast, it will be our final stand. Dieter and Perry will be our flank guards. Two more of you will stay back too. Stay good and alert. May the God be with you.” Hans then picked out the lamp he had on his horse. It will light the path for him. He walked in and soon followed by the fifteen others. They had no fear for they were Boers.

Tarzan was one then, with his dagger bloodied. He left the spear inside the Bedouin. The Bedouin will be left there to rot till the flesh dried from the bones. It will be sign for the others that will dare to come in there. He then heard the sirens and did Sheena. It was Mili who reacted first.

“The machineries are under attack.” Mili scooted off back in the rear tunnels. Tarzan and Sheena followed suit. Those tunnels they took were Man high in the height and was wide for two persons. Mili ran with the speed and agility of the jungle bests, and soon reached the cavern where she saw in horror the damage done by the lady.

“Stop! Mamie Jane. You are …. hurting the machines.” Mili rushed forth and with her smaller frame, she slammed into Jane and they both collapsed on the ground.

“Mili, how did…”

“Hush, Mamie Jane. You are hurting the machineries.” Mili pleaded. “You can’t hurt them.”

It was then Sheena appeared with Tarzan at her side. Jane glared at the woman she was there to kill. The fact that she arrived with her lover made her angry. She pushed Mili off and then stood up.

“Sheena of the Jungle. I demand the right of battle with you, bitch.” Jane reached for dagger tucked into the waistband.

“Jane, I can explain.” Tarzan stepped forth but he was pushed aside by Sheena.

“Your lover called me to a battle. And she insulted me by calling me names.” Sheena glared at Jane. “More to that, she had done it on my land. This is one battle I must do.”

“Jane…” Tarzan tried to ease the tension but was snapped off.

“Say no more, John Clayton. The sight of you here with her spoke of your love for me.” Jane in her anger spew out more accusations. “We have lost our child and you amuse yourself with one other. Are we beasts or humans? I am not sure which are you of now.”

“Jane…” Tarzan looked for words but the words were taken from his mouth by the charging Sheena who had heard enough from Jane. She was already upset with the intrusion and then the insults just fuelled her anger. It had to happened then.

It was not a fight of two women but of two warriors with the intent to kill each other. They were both armed with the daggers.

Sheena held the dagger with the blade facing downwards unlike Jane who held it the other way. Both of them moved at a distance apart from each other but that was soon to merge when Jane charged into Sheena. He came in hard and used her dagger to attack at Sheena’ hand holding the dagger. The move surprised the later who retreated to avoid the kill move. If Jane had slashed at Sheena’ hand holding the dagger, she may have maimed or caused the other to drop the dagger but her attack failed. She backed up and waited her next turn. Sheena meanwhile switched the dagger to the other position and did a series of thrusting moves at Jane. Jane retreated on the moves and waited her opening. Jane saw it and moved in fast with the dagger cut into Sheena’s left arm. The other screamed out and then retreated.

“You fight well with the dagger, Jane. Tarzan had taught you well.”

“I rely not on him for my skills. I have Balando to coach me. One does not live like a Waziri unless one masters their fighting skills.” Jane rubbed the sweat off her arms across her lips. “You are with the Azhare. Don’t they learn to fight with daggers?”

“The Azhare have fought with daggers long before the Waziri.” Sheena replied. “Just as we have bedded your lover before you.”

Those last words taunted at Jane was hurtful. She lost her composure and charged at Sheena. It was a blunt move but the lady had her fight moves planned. She ducked on seeing Sheena’s thrust and then turned her body to drop on the side with her right arm swinging out for the cut at the left thigh. Jane fell down and then rolled over before she crouched up. She would had done it smoothly if not her earlier wounds. She did crouch up but then had to fall forward on the pain. She went down flat on the ground face down into unconsciousness. Sheena had pulled her left leg back but then when she saw Jane fell, she charged in with the dagger for the exposed back. It would had pierced the flesh there into the heart from the rear but the move did not happen as expected. Tarzan had extended his right arm and grabbed the dagger. He had held the blade that cut in deep into his palm.

“Stop, Sheena. She has lost to you.” Tarzan looked at the other. Sheena looked back at the man who had pleaded for his lover. She knew then she had lost too.

“Take her away.”