Zenak by George S. Pappas Page B

fearful of the high priest began to open the door, but then was stopped short by the captain of the gate when a series of blasts from the horns at the palace resounded through the air once more. The horns told the guards, through a code, that Vokar was holding their queen captive. The gatekeeper, upon finding out, quickly locked the gate and threw the key into the dirt. Then the guards surrounded Vokar and Mara.
    â€œGet off your mark, scum, so we may take you to the dungeons and our queen back to her rightful place,” the captain of the eastern gate said to Vokar.
    Vokar glared at the guard. He never realized how in­tensely loyal the military was to the king and queen and not to him.
    But this did not bother Vokar and he said, “Open the gates.” He said it with such fierceness and authority that the guards could not believe that the order was coming from such a small man.
    â€œOff your mark,” the guard ordered. He was not going to be intimidated by anyone.
    Mara laughing and rearing back her mark yelled out for Vokar to do away with these guards as he had done away with the palace guards. The men stared at the queen dumbfounded and then the captain ordered his men to take the two forcibly. But when the men tried to move from the spots they were standing in they found that they could not.
    â€œWhat sort of trickery is this?” questioned the captain. Fear shook his voice.
    â€œVery boring trickery,” said Vokar. Then he raised his hands toward the moon and called upon its spirits. “Down from the moon, Oh spirits of death, and take these fools who stand in the way of my destiny.”
    The echoes of Vokar’s words had not finished rebounding from the city’s walls when out of the sky creatures appeared. The bright red creatures were the size of large men but their resemblance to mankind stopped there. Their heads were hawk­-like and their bodies were like a great cat’s body. Large diaphanous wings spread out behind them.
    The ten guards fell to the ground. Their feet were still transfixed to the ground. They were cringing in fear and one had already died from fright. He lay on the ground; his face was contorted with twisted fear. The demons hovered above the men’s heads, saliva dripping from their sloppy mouths onto the men below. Then, as if they had not eaten in a week, the demons hurriedly fell to a bloody repast on the ten men.
    Vokar was quiet this time. He did not laugh. He was too worried about escaping to appreciate his deed. Mara, on the other hand, was in sexual convulsions as she watched the men’s entrails being ripped away from their bodies by the razor-like beaks of the moon demons. Vokar let Mara watch for a while for he knew it was now the one thing that made her quite happy. Then after a few moments even Vokar was revolted from the ghast­ly sight and with a gesture he opened the gates.
    â€œWe’re off,” he told Mara.
    â€œNo, let’s stay until the end,” begged Mara.
    â€œNo!” said Vokar firmly. “My destiny and the destiny of the Island will not wait any longer for your perversions. We’re off for Soci now.”
    And with that said Mara, her son, and Vokar left Deparne and the bloody demons to their feast. As they rode out Vokar remarked to Mara, “We must fly like the wind. Apparently, someone saw us leaving and thinks that I kidnapped you. At least that’s what the horns said.”
    â€œSo what?” Mara asked.
    â€œSo, my magic has not been perfected yet and I do not believe I can conjure up many more demons or melt many more men. But don’t worry, my dear loved one, by the time we reach Soci, I will wield the powers of the universe. I may even have these powers before we reach Soci.”
    Mara smiled politely for she had stopped listening. Her mind had drifted back to the eastern gates and she thought about all that had happened with relish.
    Mara and Vokar rode swiftly through the