BY Manaly Talukdar
My soldiers never came back. It’s been three weeks since they made their way for this cave
castle— an abyss for sinners. The smothering darkness blinded me, the fleck of light from the
roofless dome miles above was no different than a star (lightyears afar) stitched in the night
sky failing to cast even the faintest gray tint of an illumination. My arms outstretched, palm-
slapped the clay textured pillars hurdled between. Water dripped on the flooded floor like the
tickings of a clock, the hems of my dhoti drenched in mud water festered with chunks of
human feces. With the back of my hand I swatted the flies that buzzed around with zest,
bathing in the offensive vile smell. The word Hygiene was foreign to Kroja, a barbaric animal
who limped within the walls of his den unbothered to discard the putrefied junk. My face
scrunched up in disgust as I curtained my nose with a sateen handkerchief. Even the ale I
chugged on to soothe my jittery nerves couldn’t shake the feeling that a pair of eyes
surveilled every movement of mine.
“Kroja! Where are they?” My voice echoed back. The stench of rotten meat stained the
atmosphere as I descended down a steep slippery stairwell encrusted with algae. Had his
tastebuds changed? Forgotten how to barbecue his meals? My steps halted midway when a
guttural cry bounced and sizzled out, then a sudden crash of blood curdling scream pierced
through my ears. “Norkov! Jade! Cezar!” I was served with dead silence. A giggle danced
along the beat of flapping wings. “Who’s there?” I punched the air, engineered to rely on my
muscle memory of fight reflex. No response. I was sure that he’ll use my men as a bargaining
chip, their lives for his freedom, claim an equal right to live amongst the mortals. They
must’ve been chained, castrated in a windowless room, tortured for hours. He’d recognize
Jade and Cezar, the two soldiers who were ordered to shackle and drag him through the
streets whilst civilians pelted bricks and stones at the bad omen. Their wisdom ripened after I
spared incessant warnings, infused them with a sense of doom if they ever dared to orbit near
the Darkness— terrorized them about Kroja’s curse infested with his unsympathetic wrath if
his corrosive stare befell them.
My pace quickened till the fire torches clung on the brick-red walls of the tunnel warmed up
the corridor which grew narrower as I progressed, my claustrophobia heightened. A rusty
iron door marked a dead end of the linear path. I tried twisting the handle, shook the door by
its frame but it was glued shut, I nicked my fingers in the process. As I turned around to trace
my way back, a copper glazed metal barrier stood erect— a rat caught in a mouse trap. The
air thinned in my lungs, the idea of dying in a confined space seeped in. “What the hell is
this!? Kroja! Open this god damn door!” I balled my fists and banged on the ironclad door, a
cascade of thuds boomed. It finally clicked open with a cackling squeak. A candle-lit
chandelier hovered mid-air (the sole source of light), the lead marble floor covered in patches of shapeless apricot beige linoleum was littered with lumps of flesh. The rustle of chains,
chants of gibberish mumbles, muffled cries of despair played like rhythms in an orchestra
which harmonized a song of pain— a chamber of jailed compartments that housed an endless
series of elevated floors that skyscraper-ed to the beyond. He preyed upon the souls trapped
within these cellblocks, red-circled their sins, scribbled out a crude verdict for their upcoming
rebirth either as an unloved human who would have no roof over their head or food on their
plate, or a feral cat chased and assaulted for sadistic pleasure. How many had he imprisoned?
My neck prickled at the thought of my soldiers being imprisoned amongst them.
“The Prince of Light finally graces us with his presence!” He greeted me with a chirp of
mockery, blanketed behind the shadows, leaning on the third floor’s balcony railing ornate’d
with wind-chimes of bones.
“Release them!” I demanded.
Kroja slithered down an onyx monolithic column, summoned himself face-to-face in front of
me. Scaled skin of midnight, emerald viper eyes, skeletally starved to the rib, wrists
bejeweled in copper bangles, cheeks clean shaven, matted hair ran from his scalp till his
waistline like a high current waterfall— my shadow self, a mirror which ruthlessly contorted
my features. “Chopping my leg off wasn’t enough for you,” he said as he flaunted the tip of
his coiled anaconda tail, “and apparently, neither was locking me up in this abyss for an
eternity ... so you put a price on my head.” My jaws tightened.
“They came here to avenge their fallen comrades. I couldn’t keep sacrificing my men for
your pet’s unusual diet!” I growled. “The world could do without you and Tara’s cruelty.”
“Getting rid of your own flesh and blood for world peace. How heroic, Jorah!” He chuckled
which exploded into a ripple of chortles, “The weight of that golden crown has indeed
smitten your better judgement.” My fingers twitched at his insult. “Here, have my head. At
least, I’ll be free from this hellhole.” He slid out a machete hidden inside the forest of his
matted hair and tossed it at my feet, provoking me to quench my age-old pursuit, “and once
I’m free, someone has to take my place.” He hissed out his forked tongue long enough to
stroke my chin, bared his stalactite shaped fangs. “Your pristine light will begin to fade.
You’ll avoid mirrors, reek like a raw fish but you’ll get used to it.” He winked. My heart sank
in my stomach, goosebumps sprouted on my pale skin, a cold shiver ran down my spine, ears
pulsated. “The ones I spare my so-called cruelty for are right here.” He swung his hand
around, gesturing at the entire prison chamber. “These souls have either defiled the innocent,
slaughtered for pride and vanity or have corrupted impressionable minds. Some of your men
belong here too, the ones who still have their minutes on their clock but need to be stopped.
So I let Tara have them for dinner.” He gleamed. “Have you forgotten what I’m all about,
brother?” He arched an eyebrow. Silence had grabbed me by the throat, he scrutinized my
wisdom.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Kroja continued, a hyena-like cackle ping-ponged around the prison
chamber, a man whimpered in pain. The grills of a cage rattled open, the insides faintly lit by
candles upholstered on the chandelier. An obsidian featured vulture stood over Norkov, claw
deep in his back as he lay on his stomach, gapping puddles of blood that oozed across his
body, an eye missing from its socket, blood sprayed from his mouth as he belched out an
inaudible cough. The most formidable knight of my army, who could burn a village to the
ground at my command, defeated and on the verge being devoured.
“Either you save him or save yourself from becoming me. Only one of you is getting out of
here alive.” He announced. I collapsed on my knees, the crown weighed like a boulder.
“Choose, brother.” I couldn’t. I couldn’t imagine myself living in this murky abyss, wearing
the shoes of my shadow self for an eternity. I didn’t want to lose Norkov whose fierce loyalty
I had treasured since the beginning of time. The Darkness had finally caught the Light by its
leash. “Kro, I shouldn’t have locked you up like an animal. You shouldn’t have been amputated nor feared.” I began to plead, fumbling through my confession of unfairness done
to him.
“I was rather treated with disgust than fear.” His words a bare whisper.
“I couldn’t possibly ask for your forgiveness, but if you give me a chance to earn it ...” He
bore a numbed expression as I continued making my promises “I could give you land and
fortune, you wouldn’t have to live in this sewer anymore.” I paused, nails buried in my
palms, “I will make a public apology, redeem your reputation. Make people bow their heads
for you! But please, have mercy on us.” My beg for forgiveness masked as a bargain. My
promises: a product of barter.
“Isn’t that mat smooth?” Kroja eyed the carpet I rested my knees on, “it’s new!” Was he
trying to change the subject? “Sure, but will you let us ...” I froze when my fingers traced the
surface of his new flooring muddled with discarded brownish-red organs, it was oddly
smooth, like skin. I stared at the linoleum wide-eyed, my mouth fell open, tongue dried. It’s
human skin!
“I used Cezar and Jade’s meat-suits. Never thought they’d make a nice piece of decor.” He
smirked, claiming a slice of victory. The helpless cries from the doomed souls tuned out as
my vision blurred, my heart throbbed in my throat, I was kneeling in the pool of my deceased
soldier’s remains. My mind reeled a scenario of Kroja sinking his poisonous fangs deep in
their necks, taking his sweet time tearing off their skin, their flesh slushed upon this very
floor. “They tried to tear off Tara’s wings.” He served his reason for slaughtering my
seasoned warriors. Did they scream? They had a profound tolerance for pain.
“O, yes. They screamed ... for days.” The scavenger read my mind, “Your dead soldiers
raped, maimed and killed thousands ... if not tens of thousands. Mere blunders you call it,
don’t you? They died in agony, I made sure of that.”
“I’m not getting out of here alive.” I muttered to myself, unaware until now that I wielded a
staunch blind faith over my appointed army.
“You’re still the Light, if I snuff you out, the sun will never rise again” he said, “I’m good at
revenge, but I’m not that good at revenge!”
“But after what I did to you ....” My voice trailed off.
“I have learned to live in the underworld. Turns out, I’m stronger here than up there in the
mortal realm.”
I failed to meet his gaze, my head bowed, fingers clutched my hair as his hand rested on my
shoulder, “But if you really want to make an effort, you can begin by holding your men
accountable for their crimes,” Kroja suggested, “Don’t make me come after them before their
time runs out.” The rusted iron door flung open as Tara pecked and chomped on Norkov’s
flesh, sipped his blood till the light left his eyes
Manaly Talukdar was chosen as a finalist for her short fiction "Where is Grandpa?" in "The League of POETS" Weekly Contest (Week 1). She has been featured in Wilderness House Literary Review, Across The Margin, BlazeVOX Journal, Academy of the Heart and Mind, Coalition For Digital Narratives, Masque & Spectacle, Corvus Review and The Broken Spine. "Flesh and Blood" will soon be featured on Kaidankai: Ghost and Supernatural Stories! You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @manalytalukdar and read her stuff on: https://linktr.ee/manalytalukdar