The Beast Within
Chapter Four- Okku
"Are you alright?" Leela stopped and looked at her companion: "What's going on?"
"No…it's just…."She shook her head: "It's nothing."
"Are you sure?" Leela checked the angling upward slope ahead the tree root dangled tunnel ceilings, and the corner filled with thick, humid mist. She pondered if it was safe to stop and have some rest: "We can always stop and catch our breath a bit here. You don't need to feel oblige to escort me to safety by sacrificing your own well being, you know. I think we still have some healing potions in the backpack and I believe I can dig out some rejuvenation spell scrolls lying around somewhere…."
"I'm fine. Really." Safiya held out her hand and inhaled a deep breath: "This is… something I've been having since as far as I can remember. Look, I…I promise I will explain this to you later, okay? We really need to hurry. There is one final large offering chamber ahead and I am pretty sure the exit is at the other end."
"Alright…if you insisted." Leela gave her one last glace before tighten her grip on the sword and stepped forward again.
But the last cavern chamber was like no other. First it was twice as large compare to any offering chamber they had came across at the lower level; second, the stone where the large animal bones atop were carved in runes; other than the usual offering chest, which was frequently seen throughout the Barrow, there were several large poles, shaped in roaring bear statues, around the altar; moonlight shun through the small openings right above the rune stone; finally, there was something, perhaps Essence, humming in bright blue light in the ribcage where the large animal bones laid.
And there it was, in front of the bone altar, standing among the drifting mist, dripping water and the dangling tree root, were the largest Telthor bear spirit they had ever seen. Like Nakata the spirit wolf they had encountered earlier, the bear spirit appeared to be solid. Its hide was shimmering in vivid colours, mostly red, dark blue, yellow and white. Its silver sharp claws were as bright as moonlight. Its eyes glared at them with rage. Halo circled around its magnificently large body.
"Humph, I thought I smelled something foul stir in the air." The bear growled: "Go back…and die in the silence and the dark. I am tired… It was most unpleasant being disturb and woken up from your sleep."
"You are Okku." Observed Leela.
"Yes. I am Okku. In life, I ruled the world above – fish and fowl, bird and beast. In death, I guard this realm below, and I dream of wind and moon and sky." The bear bared his large teeth: "And I know what you are, little one. I smell the hunger that wakes in you."
Curiosity flicked across Leela's tinted blue face: "You…you know?"
"Of course I know." Okku tittered: "I have walked this Plane much, much longer than you, mortal. I've encountered, seen, or fight the most unusual things you can't even imagine. I know what you are and what's inside you, which is precisely why you can't reach the lands above. Your place belongs right here."
"Then what is it? What is it that reside me?" Asked Leela.
Okku's eyebrow arched: "You don't know what it is?"
"No."
The Telthor spirit's shrugged: "How inter—."
"I don't care what you smell or what you know, beast god. She's leaving with me. You will not have her." Interjected Safiya warningly. Her staff rose, and spells readied at her fingertips.
"Aye, aye, aye. What do we have here?" Laughed the Telthor spirit: "Wake up in the morning and suddenly decide to take a walk down here and fetch something you hardly know? Thayan, what do you care? I know your kind. You love your own lives above all else!"
"Oh, is that so? No, spirit god, you don't know me . But I know you , I know your kind: "The Red Wizard was surprisingly feisty: "I know your present form, all these lovely colourful hide… is only a fraction of your true self. Yes, I know. And I"ve shaped and bound far greater things than you. We are going to leave and there is nothing you can do to stop us."
"Cha-cha, nothing I can do, aye? I can think of a dozen." The giant bear god's eyes narrowed: " Gee, that's a nasty storm I smell on you, Thayan. Does your new buddy know all the secrets you are trying to hide? Oh, my. Grief and confusion beyond measure…and something much, much more…"
Safiya's voice raised: "Hide? I have nothing to hide!"
"Oh, really?" Said Okku archly: "Looks like they haven't tell you anything, haven't they? Haven't you experience something that you can't explain, came across something, or some placed, that is so familiar but you swear you it's the first time you've seen it? Throughout your life, you always feel like something missing, but you don't know what that is? Arh…Thayan, poor, poor thing."
The Red Wizard was absolutely bewildered, colour completely drained from her face: "How do you…..? What..what are you talking about?"
"Arh….I think you know." Okku jerked its nose: "But now…enough talk. I swore the oath long ago, so neither of you is leaving my den!"
Okku's glowing eyes turned fierce. He lashed out, claws sweeping widely, trying to push Leela against the wall. Leela dodged sideways and rolled over, avoided the Telthor spirit. Quickly vaulted back to her feet, the druid's left hand reached her back and drew out another small dagger. She sprung around, whirled and swirled out with her weapons. Fluffy the spider leap onto the bear's back and sank its pincers deep into its hide. Almost at the same time, the Imaskari Golem glided forwards swiftly, waved its heavy fist and throwing punches from the side. Okku staggered backwards slightly and launched another round of the attack.
Safiya stood slightly afar. Her fingers glowed with blue lights and sizzled with sparks. The Red Wizard of Thay recited her spell loudly. Lightening began zapping down from the ceiling and turned almost everything into rubbles. However, they did not seem to affect the spirit bear. They simply bounced off from his thick hide.
"Think these will effect me, do you?" Snarled Okku, while trying to shake off Fluffy from his back. Seizing the distraction caused by Safiya, Leela leaped off from the tree root she has been dangling on and sank her sword into his spine. The bear spirit growled, trying even harder to toss them off. Teeth gritting, holding dare on its back, she hissed a set of syllables without thinking. Large Dire Bear conjured out of thin air and raked directly towards Okku. The Giant Telthor bear spirit was now hugely out-numbered.
"Wow, superb!" Shouted Safiya below: "Teach me that spell when we have time!"
"No problem!"
Okku let out an earth-shattering roar. He stood, tipped the druid off to the ground. His halo around his body brightened.
The airs within the cavern swirled and were thicken with blood scent. Leela dragged herself to her elbow; saw more Telthor spirits appeared out of the shadows. Suddenly they were surrounded by the spirit army.
"He's calling out more spirits to help him!" Safiya waved her staff and thunders began to howl above them, followed by swarms of meteor as large as those bears falling around them. She just cast the Meteor Swarm spell.
"Do more of these!" Leela shouted at the top of her voice. She came to her feet; saw the golem engaged with two Telthor bears, without even the slightest dent oh its body.
"Oh, no problem!" Safiya gave the druid an affirmative nod. More bombarding meteor followed. The cavern now was now soak in the mist of dust and falling debris. There were burning tree roots everywhere. Nobody could see anything further than an arm's reach.
"Fluffy! Web!" Leela called out her trusty companion. A series of clicking and whooshing sound, and some low struggling grunts followed indicating Fluffy had got the message.
The air genasi narrowed her eyes and saw a glimpse of colorful shade moving about through the mist. The bear god was still among them.
"Right, warm-up's over." The corner of Leela's lips curled up. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand: "Time to play."
She swirled her weapon, holding both the sword and the dagger in reverse grip. The air soon settled and the dust was cleared. Everything gradually became visible once again.
Leela took a quick scan around the cavern. She saw Safiya still standing neared the entrance tunnel with one spell scroll in her hand. Her eyes traced along with her fingertips, seemed about to recite some spell. Fluffy trapped at least two Telthor spirits with its web, pinned them up at the walls. The Imaskari Golem had just slain another spirit animals and has the utmost curious expression on its face, watching them disperse into a cloud of dust. Judging by the Essence scattering around it, it must had killed off at least half a dozen. Okku the Telthor bear god leaned against the offering stone; panting, his hide was patched with burnt marks.
The druid took a deep breath, leaped forward and ran towards Okku. She came to a halt a few meters away from the spirit bear and slide underneath him. Before he could react, she scythed the enchanted sword through his thick hide.
The bear's raging roar quaked the whole cavern. He stood once again on his two feet, and launched a series of bashing assaults on Leela right beneath him. The air genasi managed to roll away just in time. Sliding the dagger against her belt, she climbed up the nearby column and grasped a handful of tree root draped from the ceiling. Okku's heavy claws weren't far behind. She swung between tree roots, occasionally descended to attack the Telthor animal spirit leader. Every stab the sword weaved caused deeper wound.
Something flew past Leela's ears. She glanced down, saw a hail of purple magic arrows hit Okku head on. Hands still sizzled, Safiya's lips uttered more spells. This time she summoned two long swords to join the fight.
The battle with Telthor spirits was now full on. With her companions dealt with the others, Leela could focus on dueling with Okku. Waving her sword and dagger, the druid slashed and hacked the Nine Hell out of the bear god. That, along with Safiya's large area spells, soon slowed down Okku's attack. The injuries appeared on his body were a lot more and severe.
"….Checky mortals!" Cursed Okku: "You had no idea who you are dealing with. Wait till you see your doom!"
Then without warning, he disappeared.
"Wha—?" Leela blinked her eyes, unsure what she had just seen.
"Leela! Oi! Need help!" Shouted Safiya: "Horde of Telthor spirit army down here, if you don't mind!"
"Oops!" The druid turned her attention back to the cavern. She quickly jumped down from a column and rejoined the fight. With the leader's gone, it didn't take them long to clear out the entire cavern. When it was all finish, both of them was lying on the floor, panting, too exhausted to move even a single muscle.
"Gods……" Sighed Leela.
Safiya chuckled.
"Been ages since the last time I fight like that!" The air genasi stared into the settling mist.
"…. The last time I participate something like this was during my last year as an apprentice at the Academy!" The Red Wizard giggled weakly.
"Where…where do you think Okku go?"
"Oh, that." Safiya turned her head around: "I don't think this is the last time we see the back of him."
"I suppose you are right." Leela grinned, watching the two summoned longswords vanished with a pop sound: "Now…I hope there will be no more damn spirit animals 'cause I am bloody exhausted. An ant can easily stab me to death."
Safiya laughed.
They rested in that cavern long enough before any of them were able to stand up and totter a few steps again. When they finally managed to make their way to the exit and blinked their eyes against the soft morning Sun, both the air genasi and the Red Wizard were let out a sigh of relief.
"Finally! No most moldy stone walls, glowing evil looking mushrooms, and dead animal bones!" Exclaimed the young wizard: "Gods, I never thought I would miss the surface this much."
Leela smiled, feeling the morning breeze gently brushed against her face. She inhaled deeply, and again. A cooling energy surged through her, waking up every single cells within her body. Swirls of air started circling around her, sending some of her lose hair flying against the wind.
"Wow…" Safiya was in awe: "Now I can see what you mean by 'can't breath'."
The air genasi's grin deepened. She jerked her head around. Saw their faithful golemn companion had collapsed onto the ground, returned to the dormant state: "Oh, is that meant to happened?"
"Yeah, unfortunately the essence within this golemn only last just enough for us to make it out of the Barrow." Safiya shrugged. She bent over, opened golem's chest again and fetched a glowing essence out of its body: "Still…we can keep this. At least its legacy will live on, aye?"
Leela caste a side-glance at the Red Wizard.
"How are you faring?" Asked Safiya.
"I am alright."
"Are you sure?" Safiya arched her tattooed eyebrow: "You've been eviscerated, paralyzed, assaulted by spirits and dragged through an underground caverns by someone you hardly ever known, anyone in your shoes would definitely throw away everything and have a mega tantrum by now. And yet you're still standing. I haven't even heard you whining."
"Do you want to hear me whine?" Leela amused.
"No, not really." Safiya smiled: "At any rate, we should find some nice little Traven after we enter the City, have a little rest before we go to see this…Lieanna person. Let's hope she will have all the answers."
Leela nodded. She was bewildered when the Red Wizard pulled out a black robe from her bag and put it over her existing red one: "It's not that cold."
"No, it's not. This is for concealing my identity." Safiya withdrew a black cap from her bag: " Rashemi aren't famous for their hospitalities. They especially distrusting of Thayans, ie, me. So while we are here, I reckon I might as well not showing off my red robes… just in case."
"Anyone goes near you or make any comment about you being Thayan, I will personally feed them to Fluffy!" The druid pointed at the giant spider on her shoulder.
"Arh…there is no need." Safiya sniggered: "At any rate…thank you."
"For what? Feed Fluffy?"
"No, I mean you actually show any concern about me. Usually people just don't care."
"Why would they not care ? Don't you have friends?" Leela watched the Red Wizard checking her reflection on the nearby pond.
"When your mother is the headmistress of the Academy, everyone is your friend." Smiled Safiya sarcastically: "But most of them are for their own purposes. You wouldn't call those people your friend."
"I see."
"And you." The Red Wizard glanced at her: "We only just know each other for how long? A few hours top? And you are actually showing signs of concern about my well being. Now that's something."
"Well," Leela shrugged: "You fight your way out of that Barrow with me. I consider that is something that friends do."
"…Alright, thanks again." Smiled Safiya shyly: "Now, lets find somewhere to eat and drink. I was told Rashemi eat squirrels. Their roast squirrels are the most excellent!"