Darren Shan - The Thin Executioner

“Those are the few I spare,” the woman said, her fingers tightening. “They are the ones I bless.” Heat spread from her fingers to Jebel’s chin, then through the rest of his body, a sudden burst, gone almost as soon as it formed. The woman released him and stepped back. “You may go now.”

“Go?” Jebel echoed, feeling light-headed.

“The power is yours. Use it well, as others before you have, to change the world for the better. I won’t tell you how to live your life — you will find your own way. All I ask is that you maintain the myth and claim that you completed the quest by killing your slave. You can tell your loved ones the truth if you wish, but when speaking to others please keep the lie alive. If the wicked and unjust learned of the truth, they would stop coming, and the world would suffer that bit more.”

Things were happening in a whirl. Moments before, Jebel had been anticipating a fiery death. Now, if the woman was to be believed, the legends were a trap, the strong and ruthless were executed instead of rewarded, and his punishment for weakness was in fact the very prize he had set out in search of.

“It will make sense later,” the woman said, having seen this reaction in others before him. “You will have plenty of time to reflect upon this day. I predict a long, glorious life for you, Jebel Rum.”

“But the quest is over? It ends like this? Suddenly, without any… any…”

The woman chuckled. “I could have lights explode overhead and the cave fill with music and cheering, but wouldn’t that be rather pointless?”

“I suppose,” Jebel muttered. His gaze came to rest on Tel Hesani again. “What about my friend?”

“I will bury him. I know the customs of the Um Kheshabah. I will see that he is given the ceremony he would have wanted.”

“Can I stay to help?” Jebel asked.

“I would not recommend it. I took the liberty of glancing inside your mind when I touched you. I know of the mukhayret and Tel Hesani’s wife and children. Time is against you. If you set off now, you will probably make it, but if you hesitate…” She shook her head.

“All right,” Jebel said, too tired and dazed to argue. He turned to go back the way he had come.

“Not that way,” the woman stopped him. “It would take too long.”

“What other way is there?” Jebel asked with a frown.

“There is a path deep underground. The crust of Makhras covers a series of mazes and tunnels. You can get to most places down there. Follow me.”

The woman set off. Jebel bent, touched the forehead of Tel Hesani, tearfully wished him luck in the afterlife, then hurried after his strange host.

The woman led Jebel to the rear of the cave and down through a hole in the floor. It was a difficult climb, but the rocks were so tight around him that Jebel could stop as often as he liked, jam himself between the walls, and rest.

They descended for an hour, maybe more, coming to an eventual halt on a hard, warm floor. It was completely black down there, but a faint glow came from the woman — her body was flickering with flames. As Jebel stared around, one of the flames broke away from the woman and brightened until it was the size of a torch.

“Follow this,” the woman said. “It will guide you to a spot close to your city. From there you can climb to the surface and be home within three or four days. If you march swiftly through the tunnels, stopping only to sleep, you should make it back in time for the mukhayret.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Jebel said. He felt totally drained.

“Of course you can,” the woman assured him. “You’re invincible now, stronger than any normal man. You can push your body to extremes you would never before have dreamt possible.”

“What about food and water?” Jebel asked.

“Water is readily available,” the woman said. “Food is scarcer, but there are plants and fruits that grow in the darkness. Most are inedible, but you can eat anything — poison won’t upset your stomach! Eat whenever you see anything that looks like it can be eaten, keep marching, and you’ll be fine.”

The woman kissed Jebel’s cheeks. “We won’t see each other again,” she said, “but I will think of you every day. I hope you have a good, long life. I’m certain you will.” Before Jebel could think of a reply, her form faded, and he was alone in the tunnel with the floating ball of light.

Jebel waited for his senses to stop spinning. When they didn’t, he put his doubts on hold, faced the light, and started walking. The light moved ahead of Jebel, guiding him away from the sacred mountain of Tubaygat and the mysterious, powerful, incredibly lonely woman who dwelt within.

The walking was endless but untaxing. As the woman had predicted, Jebel was able to march for many miles before having to stop. He had no sense of time down there, but by his rough reckoning he could go three or four days and nights without rest. And though he ate every so often, he was never really hungry.

The underworld was more beautiful than he had imagined. Fields of stalactites and stalagmites, waterfalls, unmined seams of sparkling crystals and gold, rock formations to rival even those of Abu Siq. But he seldom paused to appreciate the sights. He was mindful of the woman’s warning that he had to hurry, and while he didn’t care much about the mukhayret anymore, he was determined to save Tel Hesani’s family.

The light burned constantly as it glided ahead of him. Sometimes he talked to it, pretending it was Tel Hesani or one of his friends from Wadi. And even though the fire never responded, it provided him with company, and in the loneliness of the subterranean tunnels and caves he was grateful for that.

The tunnels twisted, dipped, and rose sharply. He often had to climb or pick his way around the rim of a crevice that seemed to drop away into the very heart of the planet. A normal human couldn’t have completed this trek. But Jebel pushed on without slowing, clearing even the harshest of obstacles with ease.

He thought a lot about his quest and Tel Hesani. He also returned to his meeting with Sabbah Eid time after time, replaying their conversation. She had said he should use his power to make the world a better place. But how? Become a soldier and kill all who were vile? Install himself as high lord and free every slave? Use his power to bend others to his will? Wouldn’t he become a tyrant himself if he did that?

Jebel wanted to make the most of his newfound powers, but how could he, when he didn’t know what he was meant to do with them?

After weeks of marching Jebel through the underworld, the light stopped moving at the foot of a wall. Jebel wearily reached up in search of a handhold. As he started to climb, the light didn’t rise with him but stayed on the ground.

Jebel glanced down, surprised. The light had flickered ahead of him all the way until this point, soaring when he climbed, sliding down gracefully into the dark when the path cut away steeply underfoot. Why had it paused now?

Then it struck him — the light had stopped because their journey had come to its end. Jebel looked up, and although he couldn’t see anything, he was sure this wall would lead him to the surface.

“Thank you,” Jebel said to the light. In response it began to dim, and he knew that by the time he reached the top, it would have quenched itself forever.

He climbed eagerly now, digging his fingers in where there weren’t any holes, gouging chunks out of the rock as if it was made of mud. He soon caught a glimpse of daylight, a pinprick in the ceiling of black. Aiming for it, he quickened his pace, his heart expanding as the sliver of light bloomed.

Eventually he crawled out into a small cave. Shaking, holding a hand over his eyes to protect them from the sunshine, he stumbled to the exit and sank to his haunches, breathing in the fresh air as if it was a fragrant perfume.