Team of Seven Heroes Short Tales 4 Chapter 19

19.

Junior

The journey came to an end just before the dark storms. Fifty riders in dark robes approached them. The English were quick to reach for their rifles but Madame Deauville stopped them. The French lady rode up to the approaching riders.

“Hail Guardians of the Desert. I was expecting you.” Madame Deauville looked at the riders. “I am Madame…”

“Madame Deauville. I am aware of your identity. I am their leader, Akbar of the Guardians. I am part of the Council of Elders.” Akbar rode up towards the French lady. “Your reputation precedes you. We have been watching you for some time. Ever since you return here as the Manager of the Dining Car. You have been busy removing the treasure hunters or the grave diggers. Your secrets were safe with me.”

“And yours are with me.” Madame Deauville reply.

“For today we will share one secret.” Akbar looked at her. “We are going to the Hidden City.”
“Have you been there? I meant inside it.” Madame Deauville looked back. “Have you?”

Akbar shook his head.

“I …. We are no allowed to go in. We were to patrol outside the boundary. Not this time. The clouds meant something happened there. I know you travelled with the Van Helsing’ lover and child. They may be the cause of the storm. I have to know. For me to know I have to bring them there.”
Akbar motioned to the surrounding dunes where long rows of riders in the dark robes. They all drew out their scimitars above their heads. They all also started shrieking at the top of their voices. Madame Deauville estimated that there were about two thousand of them there.

“You brought out the ten tribes.” Madame Deauville smiled. “I heard of them but never in the full force.”

“Yes, and we have the French with us. They claimed to hold the Philosopher Stone.”

“The Stone is a mystery in life. It may never exist anymore.” Madame Deauville smiled. “They are lying.”

“No, Madame. You know its true. The Stone exist. It was once held in trust by you with the consent of Imtep. The Stone was once the gift from the others to King Solomon. It was fabled that the King used it to make his wealth but it came with a price. It saps the soul in small dosages. It was why the King hid the Stone among his treasures given to the Pharaohs. Maybe he thought the Stone will be kept safe.”

“Yes, you are right. I was the guardian of the Stone. I have it with me. The one that the French have is a fake.”

“You admit to it then?” Akbar asked. “You also know that the ancient text spoke of the day the dark clouds will prevail over the City. It will end the reign of Imtep. And a new legend will begin. It was all stated in the ancient texts. Imtep time here is over.”

“How did you know all of this? It was only in the prophecy and that was hidden in the dark.” Madame Deauville queried.

“We are the Guardians of the Desert, and among our devotion was to Anubis, The God of the Underworld. We also safeguard the gateway to the Underworld. The undeserving ones are prevented to leave there. Or vanquish by us.”

“Are we in need to fight our way out or can we move on?” It was Hasnah who voiced out.

“We are moving on, Madame.” Akbar replied to Hasnah. “We have to hurry. The storm had taken on more force.”

They soon caught up with the French team and took the lead to the Hidden City. The dark storm was there and so were the hordes of demons all standing to await their Master. There were the dark huge scorpions, the undead bodies, the serpents and the deserts deadly creature. There were also the huge centipedes which was the length of the five feet. There were a few huge demons that resembled the Minotaur’s that stood at over twice the height of Man and double the dimension with a nastier look. They were all shaded in the dark green which could had been the moss that grew over them but it must have been rarer to find any in the desert. It probably came from the other side. They were all surrounding the Hidden City and waiting to protect it.

“We need to get into the City.” Hasnah voiced out. “For us to kill Imtep at the same chamber area where we will complete the final delivery of Imtep from this world.”

“It shall be done.” Akbar signalled the army of his to move forward. It was the English who intervened.

“May I suggest, dear Sir. I could open a corridor for you. My Vickers is deadly.” Major Chips had his boys set up the gun aimed at the demons. “When we opened up, you can move to create more diversions on the right and left. The others can then move into the City.”

It was an unusual move but Akbar agreed. The Vickers mounted on the sandy ground bellowed out its own sting and it mowed down some nasty looking creatures. The huge nasty scorpions veered to the right when some of them were shot. Their reaction was to attack on the others within striking the range of its sting. One of the scorpions went for the huge centipede with the sting on the centipede body but the other was not giving up with its bites on the scorpion’s body. It was soon a battle of stings and bites before the centipede curled up and the scorpion withdrew but it was attacked on by the other dark creatures. Eventually, it also went down flat on the sandy ground.

“Rip them a corridor, boys. I am riding in.” Major Chips mounted his horse and followed the others who was galloping towards the corridor opened by the Vickers. He saw then the army of dark robed figures have formed a wall between them and engaged the demons. The riders ploughed into the demons with their scimitars swinging and slashing at anything that was unhuman. He saw a rider went down and the centipede went at the rider with the bites. The rider screamed with the agony before he died.

Akbar was on the right group and used his rifle to clear the path. He emptied his ammo clip and then reached for the reload when the stinger on the scorpion struck at the rear of the horse. The horse went down just before Akbar jumped off. He had lost his grip on the rifle and rolled with the fall. He stopped looking face up and saw the centipede rushing at him then. He had not time to draw the scimitar and kicked out with his legs at the centipede jaws, before he rolled onto the left side. He pulled his scimitar out but before he could pull it out completely, the centipede was onto him. He held the scimitar in front of him with his right hand on the hilt and the left hand clasping the blunt inner side above the hilt. The blade was stuck to the centipede fangs preventing it inches from Akbar’ face. He pulled the scimitar hard across the closed jaws and sliced at the centipede flesh there. He then twisted the blade and shafted it into the centipede throat. He rolled away before the blood of the centipede spurted onto his body.

“Oh, boys. These guys are not tougher than we thought.” Major Chips watched the Vickers bullets impacted on the huge creature which it took on quite a lot of bullets which would had tore a normal man into pieces. The Minotaur danced on the impact but it took several steps forward before it fell onto its face.

“Now shoot that centipede. I ain’t got all day.” Major Chips then rode forward on his horse. Hasnah had then taken the lead on the ride towards the City with Abraham and Yukio on her right side. The cage with the lynx was in the horse with Hasnah.

The French lady was on her left and before that were the French on horses provided by Akbar. They reached the outer Main Gate and it was guarded by the two huge scorpions. Hasnah did not stop in her gallop while pulling the scimitar given by her father. She waved it at them but the scorpions did not move.

“Damn! Why won’t they move?” Hasnah cursed out. She then saw Major Chips rode ahead. He took out from his trouser pants the belt of three grenades. They were the Mills bomb, a design by the Mills Munition Factory. It was an earlier design but it worked. The grenades exploded above the scorpions and scattered them from the doorway. Hasnah was stunned by the explosion but the English Major had ridden on and then dismounted. He then pushed at the doors to open it.

“Anyone care to help?”