Queen Nakuba seemed to know every tunnel in her lair. It only took an hour to break from the gloomy, hot tunnels, out into the fresh, cold night air. And I took more than my share of breaths, trying to rid the reek away, and the fungusy taste on my tongue.

“You came on the right night.” She said, extending her body high enough to see through the trees. “There seems to be a ceremony of some kind.”

“A ceremony?” I looked at Panch. Both our faces twisted in anguish. “What do you think it could be?”

“It’s begun. The wendigo is trying to bound his spirit to your young chieftess.”

“We need to hurry!”

The Queen heckled and hissed. “Have you ever seen a grub make haste? We take our time, young shaman. It allows us to be better prepared.”

“Prepared? Prepared for what?”

“For what lies ahead, of course.” She began to shuffle down the hillside. “It’s easier to see traps that way.”

Panchu said grimly. “I still don’t know why we’ve come here … I say we forget the girl altogether.”

“Girl?” The Queen scooted forward, up and over a trunk with the same girth as one of her body segments. She looked upon me. “One that you fancy?”

“No.” I clenched my teeth and clutched my spear. “Not for a long time now. I loathe her.”

“Loathe? Funny way of showing it.”

“We're here to kill that Wendigo," I pointed the speartip downward. "Saving the chief's daughter means nothing to me."

"If you say so." The creature lifted her head and followed black orbs with an electric, blue ring around them. They soared towards the ceremony. "Looks like the grim orbs have come to pay tribute."

Panchu must've felt their energy. He trailed them with his snout. "They come at the call of chaos."

Me, two demi-gods, and a horde of thirty grub strong inched our say down the mountain. I kept praying to The Great Spirit that the ceremony wouldn't be over by the time we got there, and thankfully it hadn't. In fact, it hadn't even begun.

In a clearing of the trees sat a rounded stone stage, with pillars extending, evenly spaced apart. Each pillar was ten-foot tall. Grayish-white. And beat from centuries of storms. At the center of the stage sat a stone altar. On the altar laid a girl who was as still as the dead, yet there was still a lightness about her flesh that told me she was still alive and breathing. I was happy to know that.

I gazed upon her longer than I should have. Never really laying her much attention. Not since she'd returned. But I recalled our younger days. When we were close. And when she treated me like … I shook my head. My eyes have always belonged to Onwae. But for a moment I let them stray, looking upon the olive-skinned girl whose hair was a black only found on ravens feathers. The robe that covered her was thick and tan, shielding her from the cool night air that seemed to only get colder while the temperature dropped.

The Queen leaned half of her many tiny feet against an enormous tree. She leaned outward. Red eyes upon the girl. Mandibles rattling. "Well, now, " She hissed. "The girl is quite the beauty."

Panchu let out a low, mocking laugh. "Ya. Who can even give a demigod a headache."

"If you'd like, after we've killed the grim, I could take the girl and feed her to my grubs." She looked back at them and they quietly rattled their mandibles. "They still haven't had a proper meal. And though there is not much meat on her, we'll be sure to pick her bones clean."

"No!" I shook my head. "She's the chief's daughter. We have to ensure her safe return."

"I wouldn't have opposed of it." Panchu sighed. "But I'm just the side-kick."

"Are you, now?" The Queen hissed and heckled. "You say this much, but I can see in your eyes that you have plans for this boy. What they are, I'd be interested to learn one day."

I glared at both Panchu and the Queen. "Nobody has plans for me but me, got it?" I squinted, looking upon the stage. "Where are all the spiders? I thought you said they aligned with Xukai."

"In the shadows, perhaps." The Queen pulled away from the tree and scooted further down the mountain. "Let's move out!"

From behind me, I felt a jerk that pushed me closer towards the stoned stage. My body moved forward, aching for me to turn around and run. It would've been the smart thing to do, but I never seemed to listen to my head. Always more focused on what my heart said. And it said to kill that nasty beast before it would gain control of Meeka.

"Nobody move until we see the wendigo—" the Queen took a low, hissing breath. "There he is. Right on time."

From the shadow I saw the familiar red eyes. Wicked. Haunting. And as crimson as blood. My heart skipped in my chest. I wanted to run. Where? Who'd come with me? And all I'd be is a coward. I am stronger than that …

The eyes shifted right and left, slowly growing as they walked to where they girl lay. Torches around the stone stage cast enough to brighten the creature as he met it. Palish-blue, twisted skin from his shoulders to his hooves. Some places drooped. Others were tight, revealing his ribs, arms and leg bones beneath.

Knock. Knock. Knock. The creature's hooves beat against the stone.

Even from in the woods, I could smell the carrion reeking off the rotting flesh. It carried even without that wind. A smell that burned my nostrils, and rid away the stink of the grubs surrounding me.

The creature's head bobbed into the light. First the pale, white haired snout, and the red eyes. Then the sharp, rat-like ears, and satin-black antlers that extended from his head, with several broken and sharpened points. Now fully in the light, I saw it was hunched. That it's legs and arms were as thin as a childs, yet long and dangling. And hands large, with four fingers that came to daggered points.

He walked with a hunch. Bobbing. Knock. Knock. Knock. And halted. Standing over the girl. The red in his eyes blackening. His snouts frothing and dripping yellowish-white saliva. A creature out of nightmares … but this time I was hoping the young girl wouldn't wake up.

The black orbs danced over his head, spinning around. Their electric blue rings pulsing, brightening the forest. The night fell silent.

“We need to strike!”

“And we will.” The Queen nodded. “Now!”

I felt a knock on the back of my head that sent me to my knees. Warm liquid ran down the back of my head. Dizzy. Light fading in and out. What happened? Where did I go wrong? Panchu’s growls and roars were all around me. “Get up, Kai! Be strong! Run!” But no matter how hard I tried, my limbs betrayed me. Muscles constricted. Eyes fading. Light. Black. Light. Black. Darkness finally swept over me to the chorus of Panchu’s roars.

When I came to, I was still surrounded in darkness. I fought my eyelids open. Each stuck. I blinked several times. Tears running down my cheeks. What happened? Where am? Above me, blurry black and blue lights danced. I blinked again. And again. And again. My eyes slowly cleared. Rounded, black orbs with blue electric rings hoovered twenty feet above me. I struggled, shifting from side to side. Why can’t I move?

“Better not to squirm,” A harsh, shrieking voice said. The one that invaded my dreams, and conjured up my nightmares. “I’m glad I found you …”

I blinked three more times. Each time a pale, twisted, and droopy fleshed form came more and more into view. The reek was unbearable and I gagged. Decaying flesh. Rotting fish. Dead rats. A mix of everything. A carrion reek that suffocated the air, and took away my breath with each breath.

The creature looked down at me gazing into my spirit with those crimson red eyes. Terror made me tremble. Fear made me struggle. And pain made me groan. “What is going on?” I yelled, bringing my chin to my chest. I saw the tight web that held me still. “Release us!”

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“Release you?” The wendigo hissed. “But you’ve only just arrived.”

I tilted my head left, resting my cheek on the cold stone. I shivered. Next to me the black-haired, olive skinned young chieftess. Her eyes closed. Breathing lightly. Beautiful. At least I had her to look upon before the creature did what he wanted with me. No matter the pain, I wouldn’t cry out. I wouldn’t allow him that pleasure.

“Why have you not killed me?”

The wendigo made a snorting, grunting noise. Froth falling from his snout. It dripped on the sides of me, nearly making its mark on my face. “I can’t kill you … no … not yet.” His jaws opened and snapped closed. Rotting, black teeth, riddled with white spongy bugs inside. “Not when we are still bound to one another.”

I raised an eyebrow. “We were never bound. Panchu defeated you. I am bound to him.”

“Yyyesss.” The creature nodded and snorted. “You are. It was the only way to keep you alive. Do you think he picked you, boy, to save your life?” He shook his head. “He bound to you to eliminate the part of me that’s inside of you.”

“I-I don’t understand.“ I felt dizzy and sick. Nothing made sense. How could he be bound to my spirit? He was defeated … wasn’t he? “You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

“Can my grubs eat the bearpine now?” Queen Nakuba asked. “They’re hungry. They need the provisions you promised us.”

The wendigo turned his snout and snapped. Glaring. The Queen looked away from the beast. How could a grim bring her that much fear? She is a demigod. Why is she submitting to him? “Don’t be a coward,” I said. “Help us! He is only stealing your home … and your nest.”

“Fool!” The Queen rattled. “That was not our nest. That was the nest of the spiders Chief Acrach. We cleared him out. All we had to do is capture his nest, and threaten to kill them all, and the spiders left until our work would be done.” She let out a low, hissing laugh. “We are from the dark forest in the shadow territory … and are loyal to only one … Lord Xukai.

The wending raised a four-fingered hand. She silenced. He then looked upon me, gazing into me, and bringing more fear into my heart. “I almost had you, boy. But while our spirits were binding, Panchu attacked me and bound his spirit to yours.”

“Why?” I shook my head. “I don’t understand …”

“Because he hates grims.” The creature gruffed. “It was a grim that took his last shaman, or were you unaware? Of course you were. He never told you. He never told you how the grim forced his spirit out, and took over his shaman.” He chuckled and hissed. “That’s why he saved you, not cause he cared, because he hates us. And wants all of us dead.”

I hated the creature, but his words rang true. Why else had a demigod chosen me? He wouldn’t. Not a boy who was passed by every guardian. One who was scared even though he pretended to be strong. Why choose me? He wouldn’t. He would avoid me like I had some kind of spirit plague.

“This was always about revenge for your Panchu.” He snapped, brushing the white hairs beneath his snout. “To kill us all … and now the three of us our bound as one.”

“Three?”

The creature walked around the stone bed we rested on. “Yes. Our three spirits are bound. Tied in a knot until the host dies, and that host is you, boy.” I trembled. “Or until we are powerful enough to knock out the other spirit.”

I lifted my head, “As I told you before, I will never allow you to bind to me!”

"You?" He laughed. Warm, sticky froth dripped on my face. "Who said anything about you? You've had your chance … I am binding to her." He brought his snout down, breathing in Meeka's smell, and strands of her hair.

"Leave her alone," I screamed, my skin burning. "Take me. I'll get Panchu to unbind from my spirit. You can have me instead. I beg of you. I won't fight it this time."

The creature raised an obsidian blade above his head. And in the light, I saw their edges were jagged and keen. A knife that'd been beaten by a stone to perfection. Would this be my last memory? Of him, bringing that blade down upon me?

Suddenly, something caught my eye. A rustle in the trees behind him. I squinted, watching as a black blur descended from the treetops. Not fast. Not slow either. But at a speed that kept whatever it was silent.

As it approached the orbs, hairy, eight-legged appendages came into the light. It's exoskeleton black. No green. Though the darkness made it look as black as the night sky above. Two hairy mandibles crept open, while eight black eyes, dancing with torchlight, watched. Hunted. Ready to come down upon its unsuspecting prey.

The wendigo brought the knife downward. I felt the tip touch my throat. Was I dead? No. A sting nagged at where it nicked me. Above, the wendingo flew, embraced in the archnids, limbs. Tugging. Fighting. Slicing. Green ooze and crimson liquid showered the ground.

The Queen let out a shrilled hiss. "Archnids!"

Blurs of white segmented bodies and black eight-legged bodies danced around me. Mandibles clamping. Strange shrieks, and eerie snaps interrupting the beat of my heart. I took a slow breath. "I've got to get out of here." Then pushed with my elbows. It stretched my webbing bondage. Stretched again and again. It was spongier than any rope, but much stronger. I needed help … I needed …

Panchu!

I closed my eyes and focused my breathing. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. My lungs lifted and fell. Shells crunched. Mandibles snapped. The sounds drew away my focus. "Breath." Air drew through my nostrils slowly filling every empty cavity in my chest. "Breath," I whispered. "Focus and breath."

Darkness swept around me. One that brought the eerie. A cloak thick enough to hide the chaos ensuing around me. My protective cloak. I stepped right, turning around in a circle. Only a sea of black around me. The kind of sea that'll drown you in sorrow if you stay too long. My world now silent.

"Panchu?" My voice echoed off in every direction of the void. I looked back. To my right. Over my left shoulder. Forward, where forward maybe. "Panchu!" Again my voice trailed into a chilling tone. Lost. Afraid. Alone. I placed my hands to my lips. "Panchu!" This time I hung on his name and it carried longer and further then before, echoing off for several seconds.

"I'm alone." I lowered my chin to my chest. "He's nowhere to be found."

Strange ideas began to crawl through my head. Wicked things. Ideas that made me shiver. What if they've torn him from me? What if I would never feel his spirit again? Hear his smug voice, or his constant sarcasm? What if he were gone forever? Lost in his own void?

What if … what if Panchu is dead?

Alone, I spun around in circles. I looked for the horizon. No where. Up. Down. East. West. Front. Back. Every direction was just cold blackness. I closed my eyes and reopened them. Again. Again. And again. Nothing. Only the void. I blinked several times. Rubbed my knuckles in my eyes. Covered them with my palms. Held my eyelids tightly closed. Everything led me back to the void. To nowhere. To the empty, blackness that seemed to be slowly swallowing me.

Had he done it? Had the Wendigo taking control of me?

Fear crawled through my body like grubs. Inching across my body. Picking at my skin. I scratched. I pulled hair. I rubbed myself down. Nothing. The crawling never left. The silence … that strange, deafening silence never left. Only reminding me what it meant to be alone. I was alone. And I was trapped.

My heart pounded. I lifted my chin to the blackness above. Filled my chest with air. And with all my might, and the last bit of courage, I expelled the air from my lungs. I found the voice deep inside me. The voice that rests within my spirit. And now found, I screamed.

"Panchu!"

A snort and grunt came at my back. I spun around eyeing the orange apparition sitting only twenty feet away. Fading in and out, then glowing. Two rounded ears. One rounded head. And an even rounder body. The apparition turned, revealing a long orange snout.

A low, grizzly voice echoed, "Kai?"

"Panchu!" I felt lighter. I tried to move my legs, move in his direction, but my body failed to respond. "You're alive?"

The apparition shifted from side-to-side, grunting. Growling. He snapped, "I'm trapped …"

"As am I."

"What is this … where are we?"

"We're in the void." My voice carried to him. "The Queen has betrayed us … bound us with her web … so I had to find you. And I have using spirit focus."

"You used that and you used a focus call … that's how you were able to wake me up." He shook his head. "I feel … dizzy … the Queen must've used a paralysis toxin on me."

"She has that power?"

Panchu chuckled, "she's a demigod ... she has many powers."

I frowned and shivered. What other powers could she muster? What powers did the wendigo have? I was afraid to find out. I stood tall. "You can break your binds? You're not an ordinary bear. You're a bearpine. A guardian. A demi-god. Use your quill and tear through them.

"You're right!"

The orange apparition glowed brightly. Flashing bright oranges then a vibrate red. Orange. Red. Orange. Red. Each shift in color came a grunt or a growl. He lifted his snout and roared, glowing bright as a setting sun. The apparition jerked side to side then stopped.

Panchu growled, "nothing. We're expending too much spirit energy. We need to leave the void. I can only break free in flesh form."

I raised my fist while curling my lips. "Let's do this!" Panchu gave a single nod. I closed my eyes tightly. Took three steady breaths. And opened my eyes.

Crunching shells and snapping mandibles sang their horror song in my ears. Blurs darted past me. Giant shadows of eight-legged creatures and mammoth worms danced to the flames that flickered. A cruel dance. A fateful dance for some. And a victorious dance for others.

"Panchu!" I yelled, leaning my face to my right. I squinted, trying to locate him.

A soft, sweet grunt caused me to glance left. Next to me the young chieftess moved her head. Eyes fluttering, but staying locked. "Hmmm?" She mumbled, delicately. Sweetly. Unaware of the chaos around us. "What's happening?"

I replied calmly. "Go back to sleep, little one. Everything will be alright—"

Her eyelids snapped open. Pupil shrank, revealing the brownish-gold iris beneath. They glowed brightly in torchlight. Beautifully. Much too perfect for the chaos ensuing around us. They trembled and the girl breathed heavy.

"What is that?" She said, wiggling like a butterfly trying to break free from her cocoon. "What's going on? What have you done to me?"

"Me?" I furrowed my eyebrows. "I was here trying to rescue you!"

She looked down at the webbing that bound me. "Seems like you've done a great job!"

My lip quivered. If only she knew what we'd been through. If only she knew who was around us. If only she knew what was going to become of her. Then she'd have at least a single decent thing to say … wouldn't she?

"Are you going to get me out of here or not?" She said in a tone that made my veins throb. "Or are you just going to lie there?"

"I'm working on it!" I turned my head right. A black and white blob rolled past me. I followed it, watching as a grub and spider slammed into a tree. Their mandibles sunken in each other's shell and cuticle. I called out, "Panchu!" I looked back to her. "He'll be here shortly—"

"Where's the others? Where's Garnak and Juk?"

"It's a long story," I said sharply. "But can't you be a little grateful I am here?"

"Grateful?" Her daggered tone cut through mine. "What is there to be grateful about? You're a captive just like me—" Her eyes widened and mouth fell open. "There's a giant bug behind you …"

A hiss and a haunting flutter caused me to turn and look upon curved, sharp black pinchers, protruding from a pale-white, rounded head. Red-rounded eyes gazed upon me. Pus dripping down an orifice with jagged teeth. The mandibles snapped.

"Hungry … So Hungry!"