Teal'c continued along the tunnel, carefully avoiding the trench that had opened in the ground and fought the urge to search the bottom for his teammates. The trail was dangerous, but Carter and Jackson were not stupid and would have taken care while searching for Mitchell. He'd tried his radio, but there was no longer a signal.
"Teal'c, there's another barrier ahead," Tucker observed.
"I see that, Major Tucker," Teal'c said and dipped his head slightly once they reached the other side. "I believe it is possible to get through without using any explosives."
"It'll be tight," Malone offered.
"Indeed, but it does appear passable," the big Jaffa said and started through the narrow opening. The small flashlight he carried cast a bright white light on the walls, floor, and ceiling as he carefully picked his way along the tunnel.
"Do you hear that?" Malone asked.
"I don't hear anything," Tucker answered.
"I believe Sargeant Malone is referring to the fluttering sounds coming from the other side," Teal'c offered.
"It sounds like wings," Malone said.
"Maybe they have some pretty big birds there," Tucker said.
"If I am correct the sound is created by one of the serpents Colonel Mitchell saw," the Jaffa told them.
"Those things are real?" Malone asked.
"It is possible," Teal'c stated and pushed through the crumbling debris. He could hear Malone and tucker speaking in hushed tones, but he'd begun to notice a change in the lighting and switched off the flashlight. The walls seemed to glow as if they contained an element that made them similar to the walls of the caverns he'd visited as a young man.
"What is that?" Malone asked.
"It appears we no longer need flashlights," Teal'c told them and brushed away the debris that fell from above them. He glanced up, amazed that the ceiling was well over 30 feet above them and seemed to undulate with a life of its own. "We must keep moving."
Malone and Tucker looked up as Teal'c lead the way through the narrow tunnel, silently wondering whether the serpents the Talosians spoke of were as dangerous as those written about in children's books.
SG1SG1SG1SG1
Layonna's anger intensified as she was forced to watch Shanisia take charge of the other creatures of her kind. The Talosians who remained in their original forms turned their backs on her and walked toward the beckoning darkness. If Shanisia was right, then even her own kind had turned against her and she would not have them behind her. This was not going to happen, not now. She'd worked so hard to bring about the changes that would facilitate the survival of her species. If she could retake the power from the serpents, her kind would live for years to come with more Talosians to take the place of creatures like Shanisia. Even humans like Cameron Mitchell, who had a natural ability to see into this realm could make her stronger.
Layonna could see the group making their way toward the path that would take them to the tunnel that was the only access between this realm and the Talosian world. She could not allow that to happen and she allowed her mind and body to change her into her true physical form.
"I will not be stopped!" she shouted as her body undulated and rippling flesh slowly remade itself into an unrecognizable creature with translucent skin that ran red with bulging veins. Her eyes grew dark, with streaks of crimson flowing through what was once the cornea and pupils. The arms and legs, once long and slender bulged as muscles contracted and reformed into appendages that ended in sharp edged claws.
"Layonna, you are not to interfere!"
"You are not strong enough to stop me. I have spent decades rebuilding my strength and learning to deal with your weaknesses. I will no longer be denied because the rest of you have no desire to take your rightful place. We are the keepers of both realms and we have the right to take what is rightfully ours!"
"You are wrong, Layonna. We were never meant to own these creatures or interfere in the lives of the Talosians. We are not the strong ones...Shanisia and the others of her kind are. They choose to become the serpents and live in this realm..."
"Our realm!"
"No, it is not...it never was. You have read the origin of the Chagris, yet you do not understand what is written in our history and theirs. You believe we were intended to be the strong ones, but we were meant to guide the serpents and offer advice. We were never meant to bend them to our will."
Carter and Jackson could hear the creatures behind them and turned just as two creatures stepped from the darkness. They were unlike the serpents, and were hideous to look at, but they did not fear them. They moved to stop Layonna, but she flapped translucent wings and a keening screech echoed through the decaying forest.
"Layonna, look around you and understand what you have done. Our realm was once beautiful and filled with hope because we accepted what we are, but you...with your need for power have brought us to this. You have destroyed everything we embraced and caused a rift that may never be crossed again."
"Do you think I am stupid, Rolian? I know who we are and I know we are far superior than the Talosians and Cameron Mitchell's people. They are there for us to use and if you and the others would simply open your eyes you would see that," Layonna snapped and turned away from the others. "I will not allow you to stop me...I will see that we are strong again!"
"Layonna, stop!" Rolian ordered, her voice melodic in spite of the slight quiver she could not hide.
"Go back to your lair, Rolian, I will see this through and perhaps I will allow you to embrace the power when the time is right," Layonna said and spread her wings. She flew toward the opening where the others had disappeared and smiled when she spotted Shanisia carrying Mitchell. There was no way that she could win against so many, but at least she could take Mitchell into exile with her.
Carter heard the high pitched screech behind her and covered her ears as she turned to see the winged creature bearing down on them. Where Shanisia and the others of her kind had a strange beauty to them, this one was hideous and looked like something out of a bad B movie. She knew who it was as Shanisia hissed before placing Mitchell on the ground.
"We will not allow you to take him, Layonna," Shanisia vowed as the others formed a protective circle around him.
Carter and Jackson knelt beside Mitchell as he tried to stand, but the weakness and changes to his body kept him from being able to do anything without assistance.
"G...get me up," Mitchell ground out through tightly clenched teeth.
"There's nothing you can do, Mitchell," Jackson told him.
"Shanisia and the others will stop Layonna," Carter said.
"Trust in my sister, Colonel Mitchell, she is far stronger than she appears," Darishik explained. He feared Layonna, but he had seen the changes in is sister since the Chagris had begun and knew she embraced what she was becoming. He did not share those feelings, but he would stand by her decision and accept her for who she truly was.
"He belongs to me!"
"No, he does not, Layonna. He is not a Talosian and what is happening to him is not right. He should have been given the choice," Shanisia told her.
"Do you not realize what you are, Shanisia? Do you comprehend the power you could have if you wanted it? You are stronger and better and you should embrace that."
"I embrace my choice, but I do not embrace what you want me to. I am not like you, Layonna. You are not of either realm and your own people have turned away from your beliefs. They wish to change the old ways and embrace the changes so that we all have a choice in what we do."
"They are weak!"
"No, they are stronger than you because with choice comes a strength born of giving..."
"You are wrong, Shanisia, because giving choices leads to indecision and lost chances. Where would we be...where would you be if you'd been given the choice of Chagris? Would you have chosen to become what you are if you did not understand what you are? Would you have embraced the chance to soared between the realms on wings or would you have remained a Talosia bound creature with little hope of ever seeing past the bridge of your own nose?"
"I would have kept an open mind as would the others like me. If this was what we were meant to be, then we would have gladly chosen it," Shanisia told her.
"You have no idea who you are dealing with."
"Yes, we do...and we will no longer allow you to force others to be what you want them to be. Rolian and the others have already seen what you have blinded yourself to..."
"Rolian and the others are weak, but I will leave you all to your new beliefs if you leave now."
"We are leaving..."
"Without Colonel Mitchell. He is the price of your freedom. It is a small price, is it not?" Layonna said with a grin.
"No, it's not!" Carter snapped and moved to shield her friend with her body.
"There's something you don't know about us, Layonna. We don't give in to terrorist tactics and that's exactly what this is," Jackson said and joined Carter even as Mitchell struggled to stand.
"Should that not be Colonel Mitchell's choice?" Layonna asked.
"You didn't give him a choice before," Shanisia spat.
"Perhaps not, but I will give him the choice now. Is your freedom worth more than theirs or will you stay with me so they may return to Talosia? The choice is yours, Colonel Mitchell," Layonna stated.
"I..."
"No, he won't stay here with you, Layonna, and you know why?" Carter asked.
"What reason would you give that would explain putting one man's life before so many?"
"One man's life is worth fighting for no matter what the price," Jackson answered. "Mitchell doesn't belong here."
"You are wrong," Layonna snapped. "He was chosen because he could see the creatures even when he did not know of their existence."
"Don't you mean your existence?" Carter asked. "If what we are seeing is your true form then you are also a serpent..."
"An ugly one," Jackson observed.
"Beauty has nothing to do with appearance...To me you are vile creatures who should never be allowed to procreate," Layonna spat.
"Layonna, you will leave them alone and not interfere in their or you will be severely dealt with."
"By who, Rolian? You are weaker than Mitchell's people and know nothing of my strength. I could destroy all of you with a flick of my..."
"Claws?" Jackson interrupted with a shudder as he looked at the woman who no longer bore a resemblance to the Talosians or the serpents who soared above them.
"I will not allow you to leave with him."
"I'm n...not staying!" Mitchell told her.
"Then you will die with your friends, but yours will not be an easy death, Colonel Mitchell," Layonna vowed.
"My Life...my death...my choice," Mitchell managed.
"No, it became mine when I allowed you to see what we are..."
"You broke the laws of the Chagris, Layonna!" Rolian spat, anger evident in the obsidian eyes as the flutter of hundreds of translucent wings broke the near silence that had descended over the area. "You know the punishment for doing that is severe and will be..."
"I do not fear you or your punishment, Rolian. I am stronger than all of you..."
"No, you are not," Shanisia interrupted and cast a glance over her newly formed wings. "Colonel Carter take Colonel Mitchel and leave with Darishik and the other true Talosians."
"We can't leave you here alone!" Darishik said.
"I will not be alone, Brother, for I have my new family surrounding me," Shanisia said and turned to look at him with eyes shining with bright light. "I will never forget my origins and if we are allowed I will cross between the realms and seek you out. Tell mother this is my choice and was not forced upon me."
"I will, Shanisia, be strong and come home when you are able," Darishik told her and hugged her before turning to the others. "We must leave now...Shanisia and the others will make sure Layonna does not follow."
"I will not allow you to take him!" Layonna bared her claws and snarled as Shanisia and the newly formed creatures surrounded her.
"There is nothing you can do to stop them," Rolian said as the elders joined them. "We stand with our children, Layonna, they are our future."
Carter and Jackson bent down, pulled Mitchell to his feet as Darishik and the others hurried down the path that would lead them to the threshold and back to Talosia.
Mitchell gritted his teeth as his friends tried to help him, but their touch sent waves of pain across ragged nerve endings. He tried to ignore the fire burning in his gut as he stumbled along, supported between Carter and Jackson. Their were several loud screeches from behind them, but he couldn't turn his head to see what was happening. He closed his eyes, waiting for the nauseating dizziness to end, but it seemed like there was nothing to ease the discomfort.
"We're almost there, Cam," Carter tried, but the truth was she had no idea how long it would take to make it back through the anomaly that seemed to connect the two realms.
"...k..."
"Colonel Carter, let me help," a large Talosian said and quickly took her place.
"Thank you," Carter said and looked into Mitchell's eyes before turning and setting a faster pace in hopes they could get through to the other side before Layonna caught up with them. She knew there was a good chance Rolian, Shanisia and the others would manage to capture her, but the woman seemed fixated on Mitchell and determined to force him through the final phase of the Chagris.
"Colonel Carter!"
"Teal'c, we need to get back!" Carter told him, surprised and pleased to see the Jaffa. "Shanisia and the others are trying to control Layonna, but if they can't hold her then she'll come after us."
"This way...but there are many dangers," Teal'c told her and lifted Mitchell into his arms as they followed Malone and Tucker back through the narrow path.
Jackson had never been so glad to see the Jaffa and relinquished his hold on Mitchell. The changes were not just physical and he knew the colonel was having trouble staying conscious as his body continued to undergo the Chagris. He hoped it would stop once they made their escape from this realm, but if Layonna was telling the truth, Mitchell might not survive the journey. They reached the opening to the tunnel and he heard a high pitched cry come from the man cradled in Teal'c's arms and knew this would not be an easy trip for any of them.
TBC
