The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1) by Gwyndolyn Russell (100 best novels of all time .txt) 📗

The Thin Hex Line

The Soul Eaters

Gwyndolyn Russell

THE ARTIFACT

There the crystal sat upon a pedestal of black stone. It hovered, slowly spinning in place. Bits of the stone arched up and towards the glowing crystal. Its light was bright enough to blind when looked directly at. A faint hum came from it, a voice calling for them.

This was it. Everything they had fought to retrieve. This was why they lost their friends.

On closer inspection, something moved beneath its surface. Lines streaked up and down beneath its surface. They moved in motion with his eyes, as if following his gaze.

Come to me…

Creatures scattered out of sight. The crystal was their only light in the cavern. The hair stood on the back of his neck. He was trapped in the crystal’s gaze. Captivated by the surreal refinement of internal endlessness. He had to have it, but his body hesitated. His mind screamed to touch it. Snatch it from its pedestal. Yet his body trembled at the thought.

Hisses from the shadows embraced him and made him freeze in place. The sounds of claws scratching against stone.

“Take it.” A resonating snarl from the ether. A gust of icy wind blew down his spine. “Take it!”

At first, he thought it was the crystal talking. Yet the voice was familiar. It vibrated through his bones, churned the marrow that filled them.

“We must have it.”

He reached out, twitching fingers glazing through the beams of radiating light.

Come to me…

He heard its voice then. Pulled his hands back.

This crystal should not be touched, and he knew it somewhere in the pit of his stomach. No human should. No creature alive should.

Come to me…

A growl came from the darkness. His bones trembled. He looked over his shoulder. His stomach twisted. Glowing red eyes pierced through the shadows and into his very soul. He swore he saw teeth glistening under the blue hue of the crystal.

“They come!” The raspy voice bellowed through his being.

Snarls and hisses grew louder and louder. Claws scraped into the stone above, below, at the sides. Faint reflections of blue caught his eye.

Come to me…

The crystal hummed louder. He reached again. Grabbed the crystal with both hands.

The earth shook something awful. The cavern threatened to cave in over his head. Water splashed as a hurricane coming through the tunnel.

He pulled, yet the crystal did not budge.

A shriek from the shadows cut him like a knife.

The tremors increased. He didn’t know which was worse: The world cracking apart under his feet, or the sudden guttural growl threatening to break his bones with sound alone.

He yanked on the crystal. It let loose. He tumbled backwards, clutching it like a baby to his chest. Something rotten wafted to his nose. His hair tingled. Goosebumps textured his skin.

“They are here!”

ONE

We were scot-free. We made it out of that death cave, soaking wet. The taste of salt in our mouths. I don’t think I have ever run so fast in all my life. Not even back in boot camp. All we had to do now was climb up the basalt pillars and get on some steady, solid ground. I couldn’t wait to be as far from the ocean as possible. The smooth stone was wet, my hands and feet kept slipping off. Reaper and Yaaranam were right above me, reaching down to grab me as soon as I reached them.

That was when the sun was abruptly blocked out. A black shadow laid over top of us, cold water trickling down like my personal storm cloud. I didn’t even have time to react! I was already up in the air, kicking my feet and waving my arms around like a madman. I was screaming. Free falling to the dirt. I saw all three trucks and everyone else panicking.

I stopped. Midair. I couldn’t move my arms or legs. An intense, stabbing pain rushed up through my body. It flowed in unison to the blood coursing up one side and down the other. That was when it clicked in my head.

Something huge had caught me in its mouth. One of its conical teeth thrust into my thigh. Its other teeth were poking at the rest of my body. I was stuck in a cage of bone. My pants were more wet, soaked straight through, and it burned like hell. Disgustingly warm. I could feel the creature hiss. I gagged on its breath. It must not have brushed its teeth in a hundred years.

I didn’t have time to figure anything out. Everyone was shouting. They were shooting. I could hear Mjolnir and Fenris both snarling. The creature descended back towards the water. I was helpless. What the hell could I do against some sort of colossal sea snake when I was already stuck inside of its mouth?!

Nothing! That’s what. I was going to die. This was it. Drowned in an ocean on some random ass planet I didn’t even know the name of. A snack for some stupid snake with the intelligence of a jellyfish. I guess I could see how long I could hold my breath. Break my last record, even if no one else would know.

You’re probably wondering how I even ended up here. Fuck, I don’t even know. How does a soldier of the Human Federation end up in the mouth of a sea serpent? He’s got to be either stupid or brave. It’s not like I waved my arms around and called its mother a sea hag. I have something it wants, but I can’t get into that yet. That’s not how I ended up here.

No, it was a series of unfortunate events. Bad decisions. A lot of beer. A desperation for a good heroic story. Everyone knows a hero rises from tragedy, and I am not short on that.

You know that, though. You should anyway. I know you’ve been watching; if you’re even real. Captain is probably praying to you right now. Begging you to snap your fingers and make me magically appear next to