Soul Brigade

“Whatever happens, don’t have any fear, Steve. We have form in this domain, and everything that means. Just keep hold of the crystal,” she insists. “Do what I tell you, when I tell you to do it, and we’ll be fine.” She gives him a playful pinch on the bum, which makes him jump in front of her in the tunnel. “Go on; stop dawdling. We’ve got work to do.” He looks back at her. “Oh, that’s nice init? Send me up the dark, creepy tunnel, first. Shouldn’t ladies go first?” He chuckles nervously. “It’s a good job Stacey’s not here. I’d probably send her first.” “That’s not a very fatherly attitude; is it?” Michelle asks sarcastically. “Only messin’ widya, Miche’. Ya sure ya don’t wanna go first?” He nods encouragingly. She tweaks his bum again. “No; you’re all right. Off you go.” She chuckles quietly. Steve starts to edge along the tunnel. “Oh, thanks. Don’t spoil me luv,” he whispers. As they approach the opening at the end of the tunnel, the creepy sounds intensify, and are unmistakably sounds of human suffering. They carefully edge their way right to the end of the tunnel, which seems at first to open into thin air, but then they find a ledge, high up in a glowing cave. The cave seems to go on forever. They are both shocked to see an endless stream of souls running into a vast lake in the floor of the cave, being held captive by strange slithering serpent creatures at least five metres long, with massive fangs and a circular plume of feathers around the base of their huge heads. The souls are being shepherded out of the lake in small groups and moved around the cave by the serpents. The cave seems to hold representations of the ruined city above, with many souls forced to work on the pyramids, as they probably did when incarnate. More of them being tortured and sacrificed over and over again in a never-ending cycle of purgatory enforced by their captors. Steve reaches out a hand to Michelle and can keep silent no more. “Stone me. There must be of thousands of them,” he says. She puts a finger to her lips, and then speaks softly. “Shush. Look, over there. Can you see that strange, square-headed thing?” She points toward a temple, located on one side of a stepped pyramid-shaped building. His eyes squint as they follow the direction of her finger, until he can see the strange thing, which seems to be seated on a throne outside the temple. It has a strange square head, with large black obsidian eyes; its body is angular as if carved from stone, but similar to the shape of a man. It’s flanked by four strange beasts carrying ornate, deadly looking spears. They have men’s bodies covered in leather and metal armour, and swords hang from belts around their waists. Their heads and legs look like those of jaguars. “Tell me we’re not going there, darlin’,” Steve says nervously. She smiles calmly. “Yes; we are. We need to face all of them and free their tortured souls.” Steve has a moment of doubt as he surveys the huge cave and its contents. “How do we do that? I mean, I can’t even see a way down from here.” She continues to smile. “We have all the tools we need. You’ll instinctively know what to do. Just think outside the box, and use your willpower to make what we need to happen, happen.” He shakes his head despondently. “Trust me, and trust in The Source, whatever happens. Keep your crystal in your right hand and follow my lead. Remember; no fear. These creatures will feed off the negative energy of our fear, and it’ll make them stronger.” They give each other a cuddle, and suddenly Steve has an idea. “Do ya like water rides, Miche’?” She frowns quizzically. “Only I’ve had an idea pop into me head.” He grins. She’s no longer smiling, but instead quite serious and focussed on the task at hand. “You’re being guided to do something, so you better do it.” He doesn’t respond to her, instead asking another question. “So there’s no real plan then?” He frowns. “We’re just gonna dive down there and take on the malevolent beasts, with no plan?” “That’s right; we’re gonna wing it. The right things will come automatically.” She looks at him with anticipation. “You still haven’t told me about this water ride.” “Ever seen Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Miche’?” He smiles cheekily. “What, the cowboy film?” She frowns at him. “Come on; no sense in hanging about up here.” With that, he grabs her right hand in his left and pulls her with him, as he jumps off the ledge. “Oo-oh, no-oo,” she shrieks. As they plummet towards the ground, he pictures in his mind, the lady with the watery hair from the Moon Pyramid. Suddenly, a deep pool of crystal clear water appears below them, and it fires a pillar of water up to meet them to break their fall. Once they are safely down, every trace of the water quickly vanishes and leaves them dry. “How did you do that?” she asks. “What? You need to ask?” He grins stupidly. “Good; weren’t it? Bless the water lady.” Their noisy arrival on the cave floor doesn’t go unnoticed, and many angry, viscous looking serpent guards begin to slither towards them.