Chapter Ten – The Blood Beneath Bonoman
Kwaku opened his eyes.
For several seconds, he could not remember where he was.
Cold stone pressed against his back.
The air was heavy.
He slowly sat up.
"Kwesi?"
No answer.
Kwaku looked around.
The palace was gone.
Instead, he found himself inside a massive underground chamber.
Ancient pillars stretched into the darkness.
Golden symbols covered the walls.
Some of them looked exactly like the markings beneath the temple.
Kwaku stood.
"Kwesi!"
A groan came from behind him.
Kwesi slowly pushed himself up.
"You're alive."
Kwaku nodded.
"So are you."
Kwesi looked around.
"Where are we?"
"I don't know."
Then they heard a voice.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Both brothers turned.
Adwoa stepped out from between two pillars.
Her clothes were torn.
Blood ran down the side of her face.
Kwaku rushed toward her.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
Kwesi looked behind her.
"Where is our father?"
Adwoa shook her head.
"I don't know."
"And the First Guardian?"
"She was fighting that creature when everything went dark."
Kwaku looked around again.
"And the creature?"
Adwoa's face became serious.
"It followed us."
A deep growl echoed through the chamber.
The three of them turned.
Something moved in the darkness.
Kwesi raised his sword.
"Stay behind me."
A tall figure slowly stepped into the light.
It was the creature from the palace.
But now they could see it clearly.
Ancient scars covered its body.
Black markings covered its chest.
And on its head was a crown made of dark metal.
Kwaku raised his hand.
Crimson energy formed around his fingers.
"You."
The creature smiled.
"You have awakened."
Kwesi pointed his sword at it.
"Who are you?"
The creature looked at him.
"I am the one who was imprisoned beneath this land."
Kwaku frowned.
"You're the commander of the army?"
The creature laughed.
"No."
Its smile disappeared.
"I am the prisoner."
Silence followed.
Adwoa stepped forward.
"Then who is the commander?"
The creature looked at her.
"You should ask your father."
Kwaku's eyes narrowed.
"Where is he?"
The creature didn't answer.
Instead, it turned toward the enormous stone structure standing at the center of the chamber.
A massive gate.
Ancient symbols covered its surface.
Kwaku stared at it.
"The final gate."
The creature nodded.
"Yes."
Kwesi stepped closer.
"What is behind it?"
The creature's expression changed.
"The things that your ancestors feared."
A low vibration passed through the chamber.
The symbols on the gate began glowing.
Kwaku's crimson mark burned.
Kwesi's golden mark responded.
Adwoa suddenly grabbed her forehead.
The three circles appeared again.
She cried out.
Kwaku caught her before she fell.
"Adwoa!"
The creature stared at her.
For the first time, fear appeared in its eyes.
"You."
Adwoa looked up.
"What?"
The creature stepped backward.
"You were not supposed to awaken."
Kwesi raised his sword.
"What does that mean?"
The creature remained silent.
"Answer me!"
Before it could respond, another voice came from behind them.
"Enough."
Kwaku turned.
Their father stepped out of the darkness.
His black sword was broken.
Blood covered his face.
"Father!"
Kwaku ran toward him.
Their father caught him before he could fall.
"I'm alive."
Kwesi approached slowly.
"What happened?"
"The First Guardian."
Kwesi looked around.
"Where is she?"
Their father lowered his eyes.
"She didn't make it."
Silence filled the chamber.
Kwesi tightened his fists.
"She died fighting that thing?"
"Yes."
Kwaku looked toward the creature.
"Who are you?"
The creature smiled.
"I told you."
"I am the prisoner."
Their father stepped forward.
"Don't listen to him."
The creature laughed.
"You still lie to them."
Kwesi turned toward his father.
"About what?"
Their father said nothing.
"Father."
No answer.
Kwesi's voice became louder.
"You owe us the truth."
Their father looked at his sons.
"You were never meant to know any of this."
Kwaku stepped forward.
"But we know now."
He pointed toward the gate.
"We know about the Two Suns."
He pointed toward the creature.
"We know about the First Blood."
Then he looked at his father.
"Now tell us what you have been hiding."
Their father closed his eyes.
"Your bloodline isn't a gift."
Kwaku's expression changed.
"What is it?"
"A prison."
The brothers stared at him.
Their father continued.
"Long before Bonoman became a kingdom, the First Blood appeared."
He walked toward the ancient walls.
"Those who carried it possessed powers beyond ordinary men."
Kwesi listened carefully.
"They became powerful."
"Too powerful."
His father touched one of the symbols.
"They believed they could control the power."
"What happened?"
"They opened the gate."
A deep sound came from behind the stone gate.
BOOM.
Kwaku stepped backward.
"And what came through?"
Their father looked at him.
"An army."
The creature smiled.
"Not an army."
Everyone turned toward it.
"A kingdom."
The creature raised its hand.
"The first kingdom."
Kwaku stared at the ancient symbols.
"What happened to it?"
The creature's eyes glowed red.
"It was buried."
"By who?"
"The ancestors of Bonoman."
Kwesi's face hardened.
"Why?"
"Because they discovered what the First Blood really was."
Adwoa spoke quietly.
"What was it?"
The creature looked directly at her.
"Power without a soul."
Adwoa froze.
The symbols around the chamber suddenly began glowing brighter.
The stone gate trembled.
Kwaku's crimson energy erupted.
Kwesi's golden energy followed.
Their father shouted:
"Get away from the gate!"
The brothers tried to move.
They couldn't.
Their feet were frozen to the ground.
The gate began opening.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
A thin red light appeared between the stones.
Then came the whispers.
Hundreds of voices.
Then thousands.
"Open…"
Kwaku covered his ears.
"Make them stop!"
Kwesi struggled against the invisible force.
"I can't move!"
Adwoa's three circles glowed brighter.
She suddenly screamed.
A vision flashed before her eyes.
She saw a burning city.
Ancient warriors.
A giant golden tree.
People running through the streets.
Then she saw two children standing before the same gate.
And beside them stood a young woman.
Adwoa recognized the woman.
It was herself.
She opened her eyes.
"No…"
Kwaku looked at her.
"What did you see?"
Adwoa stared at him.
"I was here."
"What?"
"I've been here before."
Their father became completely still.
Adwoa looked at him.
"You knew."
He didn't answer.
"You knew I had been here."
Their father finally spoke.
"You don't remember because I made sure you wouldn't."
Kwaku stared at him.
"Why?"
Before he could answer, the gate moved again.
A massive eye appeared in the opening.
The creature suddenly dropped to one knee.
"My king."
Everyone froze.
Kwaku looked at the creature.
"Your king?"
The creature bowed its head toward the gate.
"He has awakened."
A voice came from behind the gate.
Deep.
Ancient.
And powerful enough to shake the entire chamber.
"Bring me the children."
Kwesi tightened his grip on his sword.
"Who are you?"
The voice answered.
"I am the First Blood."
The gate exploded open.
A wave of darkness rushed through the chamber.
Their father grabbed both twins.
"Run!"
They turned toward the narrow passage behind them.
But before they could move, Adwoa stopped.
She was staring into the darkness beyond the gate.
Someone was standing there.
A figure covered in ancient golden armor.
The figure slowly raised its head.
Then looked directly at Adwoa.
"You finally came back."
Adwoa's face went pale.
Kwaku whispered:
"Adwoa…"
She didn't move.
The armored figure smiled.
"We have been waiting for you."
To be continued…