The Dark Spirits Beneath by Kason Laufenberg (lightweight ebook reader txt) 📕

enough of a still-living husk for me to bring him back here to complete the ritual," he smirked, maniacally before continuing, "they did not die in vain, and rest assured, neither will you," Ruiz smirked, "but you... my dear Miss Marin... I want you to be last. I want you to see this next part."

Ruiz walked over, and looked down into the pit, before coming up on Becca's still, lifeless form. Taking the dagger in on hand, he drugs the blade alone one of her wrists and up her forearm, as she winced and writhed in her bindings ever so slightly. The blood from her wound dripping out slowly and flowing, funneling down the length of the stone slab, and into the waiting offering pedestal of the Chac-Mool. The yellow light from the put grew even brighter. Ruiz smiled menacingly and chanted something in what Layla assumed to be Mayan, in repetition, as he performed the same act on Becca's other arm. As the blood trickled into the collection plate as well, the light grew brighter still. And as his chanting continued to intensify, Ruiz raised the dagger in two hands over Becca's still body, ready to plunge it into her heart, when suddenly, Layla felt it...

The warm energy swirled around her and the entire room with an intensity Layla had never felt before. She could hear the chanting of hundreds of lost souls. She could see the faint forms of people in red warpaint and Ancient Mayan dress. She felt their pain and their sorrow and their sacrifice to a god that was not worthy of their blood. And she felt them yearning for justice. And as the energy spun faster and faster around Layla and the rest or the room, even Ruiz, who dropped the knife and went pale, could seem to see something happening.

"What... what the hell is this?! How are you doing this?!"

"It's not me," Layla smirked, "these are the countless souls, the many who lost their lives here, sacrificed in the name of your false god!" The warmth and energy had built into a fury of light and black smoke, forming into a shape Layla had seen before. It was the form of a massive black dog, with glowing red eyes. "They're here to make sure that their deaths were not in vain. That this dark evil stays locked away, and never grows to power, ever again!"

"No... they're all gone... Dead... Ancient, silent echoes of a past, that was not ready for... was not worthy of Kukulkan, in all his greatness!" Ruiz stammered as he backed away in trembling fear from the advancing, vengeful black visage.

While he was distracted by all this, Layla swooped down to pick up the dagger, and cut Becca lose, before turning her attention to a terrified Dr. Ruiz, who was still stumbling over rubble, and backing away from the black spectral hound, as it advanced, snarling and ferocious. Layla cracked a knowing smile. "Just because something is ancient, doesn't mean that it doesn't still deserve a little respect."

Ruiz spun around, and locked eyes with Layla, who growled, "This is for Alex!", before plunging the dagger deep into the man's chest. He staggered, bewildered, before tripping, and falling backward, into the glowing yellow pit, screaming terror and agony as he disappeared. Layla rushed over and looked down, as the opening to the pit was closing. There was no sign of Ruiz. All Layla could see, as the heavy stone slab slid shut, was an enormous writhing mass of iridescent green scales, and flashes of giant, scarlet feathers. And those eyes. Those evil, glowing, yellow eyes, looking up at her, with unbridled malice, before the opening to the pit closed completely with a loud thud.

The yellow light now was gone, Layla could see the moonlight just beginning to break through the trees, flooding the great hall with a vibrant azure glow, and scattered, piercing shafts of flurrying dust. The black dog, only partially illuminated, was already beginning to fade at the other end of the room, as its gaze remained locked on Layla. It didn't seem frightening or menacing to her. Not anymore. Right before fading completely, it gave an approving nod, before disappearing, into dust and nothingness.

Layla smiled. "Thank you, Sacniete."

It was at that moment that Layla gasped, as she suddenly remembered Becca. She rushed over to the stone slab by the Chac-Mool, and saw to her great relief that the girl was weak, but still breathing. She tore off strips from her shirt, and wrapped her wrists to stop the bleeding, and brought her down to the floor at the top of the stone steps. She cradled her across her lap, stroking her fingers gently up and down Becca's arm.

Layla looked up, and out through the door of the citadel. To a deep, dark sky, flooded with an ocean of stars, twinkling faintly in the distance. Across the full vista arched the winding path of the Milky Way, and centered perfectly on their vantage were the fourteen faint stars that make up the constellation of Draco. Layla looked down at Becca's dirty face, and gently brushed the hair from over her eyes, and smiling, whispered, "Think I'm ready for those margaritas now," before fully taking her up in her arms and beginning the long climb down the pyramid steps.

By the time Layla had reached the base of the massive structure, the sun was already beginning to make its presence known, announcing the coming dawn. Layla didn't care. She didn't skip a beat and was on her way heading due east. Back through the jungle. Back to the clearing. To the big red X on the map. That's where they'd find their ride, hopefully, and get the hell out of this God-forsaken place.

When she finally reached the clearing, Layla collapsed, exhausted, to the forest floor, Becca still weakly in her arms. The voices from before were silent now. And the warm, familiar energy was gone. Layla took a deep