The Father's Curse

A fantasy short story filled with lies.

Bella watched her sleeping son, Julian, not yet a teen, and wondered if this would be her last day to see him alive. Although days were elusive in the darkness of the catacombs. No rising sun guided the rhythm of their once familiar actions. They slept when they were tired, ate when hungry and thought of nothing but the quest.

The mother cleric inspected her protective charms scattered around them, lights fading fast as the magic depleted. It meant Julian slept nearly a full cycle, a positive sign that he would be rested enough for the remainder of their journey, the toughest obstacle yet to come. She dared not tell him the truth about his absentee father, about the real reason for exposing her son to perils unknown. Time to wake and get on with it. Time to end the lies.

“Julian, son, we need to go,” Bella said, nudging the boy. His pet, Snooka, nestled between his arm and body, rustled awake first. The furry rodent, slinky and full of mischief and curiosity, pressed its cold nose against Julian’s cheek.

“Huh? Ugh, I’m so hungry,” Julian said.

“We’ll eat as we travel. Gather your belongings,” Bella said.

“When we arrive back home, I’m going to eat a whole boar.”

Hope, he still possessed it, fully expecting that they would enter into the deep and safely return to their lives as farmers or spellcasters for hire during prosperous times. Magic didn’t come cheap. And times were tough. Bella couldn’t help but smile at Julian’s outlook.

Snooka rode on Julian’s shoulder as the boy handed him tidbits of jerky. The animal grabbed the pieces with its tiny clawed fingers, tearing and nibbling the treat in smaller chunks. Julian fed himself with tallow bread balls, drinking water in large gulps from his flask to temper the salty meal.

“Pace yourself. It’s another cycle before we make the return trip, then another cycle before we’re home,” Bella said.

“You can produce water from a rock, yet you’re still worried,” Julian said.

“Yes, I can, but you can’t. If something happened to me, you would need to return alone.”

“Ludwig said you’re invincible — easily a tenth level.”

“That old fool was a great teacher, but overly confident in my abilities.”

“You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. I still miss him,” Julian said. He placed his hand on the magical dagger at his side, a gift from the wise elder, who never shared the true properties of the weapon.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. What I meant to say is nobody is invincible. Magic is a finite resource in many ways. Spells, charms, relics, all of them are only as powerful as the person doing the casting,” Bella said, gripping the amulet hanging around her own neck. “If I’m injured, or worse, then I’m useless. Remember your lessons. How can we ensure this doesn’t happen?”

“Conserve energy, be aware of my surroundings... and...”

“Strike first! You must remember, Julian.”

“Yes, of course, I knew that.”

Bella tried in vain to get Julian to understand the usefulness of the lessons. When she was his age, was she really any different with Ludwig? Only when tested in battle did it matter. No young cleric could comprehend the seriousness until Death threatened to kick down the door and collect on indiscretions past due. Aside from exterminating a few feral weevils, Julian had not been tested. That would change soon, under the guise of this treasure hunt, this falsified right of passage.

“Do you think we’ll really find the crystal?” Julian asked.

“If the map is accurate, and I believe it is, the price we paid will be worth it a thousand times over,” Bella said.

“If we don’t find it, do I still pass the trials?” Julian asked.

“That’s not for me to say.”

“Ludwig never mentioned your own trials.”

Bella stopped. On the wall up ahead she could see the faint green phosphorescent glow of a fattened Fang Worm, feeding off the algae blooms. Where there’s one worm, there’s bound to be others. The soil beneath them felt soft enough for a burrow, which could be why they chose this area of the catacombs to feed. Julian followed her eyesight and quickly removed a force gem from his pocket.

“No, you’re over thinking it,” Bella said.

“Conserve energy, but how?” Julian asked.

A few more Fang Worms recognized the presence of intruders in their domain. They began to glow, not just as a defense mechanism, but a warning they were capable of spitting venom. If Julian didn’t act they would move within range. Bella could dodge the quick streaks of fluid. Her son would not be fast enough.

“Music!” Julian exclaimed.

Julian rummaged through his backpack as Snooka jumped down and scurried about, scared and excited by the sudden movement. The boy pulled out a pan flute, then stepped forward so the beasts could hear the folk sounds of his people. No sooner had he blown the first note than Bella screamed. A worm breached the ground cover and took a bite of her ankle. She grabbed hold of the monstrosity and spoke a few words using a secret tongue. It shrieked, green ooze pouring out of its nostrils and mouth, then went limp, shriveling up dead.

Julian played a soft melody, notes stuttering, slightly off key. The other worms shuddered, slithering away, deeper into the catacombs, away from the awful sounds. He turned his attention to his mother, who already understood the dire consequences of being infected. Bella sat down, impacted by a growing dizziness, untied a satchel from her belt and poured out its contents. Several small vials rolled onto the ground.

“Take your dagger and cut the venom sack inside the dead worm’s mouth. Place a few droplets into the vial containing daisy root and mix it well,” Bella instructed.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I didn’t think fast enough. Maybe I’m not ready,” Julian said, his voice wavering.

“Keep your wits. You did well. I should follow my own instructions — aware of my surroundings,” Bella said. She grimaced and tried to contain the fury now running through her blood.

“I’m going to pass out, unavoidable I’m afraid. When the tips of my fingers turn green, lit up by the phosphorescence, place the anti-venom under my tongue. Do not do it beforehand, or I’ll surely die. Wait too long, and it’ll produce the same outcome. Do you understand?” Bella asked.

“Yes, I understand, Mama,” Julian said. The anxious voice of a babe on the cusp of manhood would be the last thing she heard before blackness shrouded her vision.

Bella awoke to profound silence. A familiar blackness surrounded everything, as the thud of her heartbeat threatened to burst through her temples. She took a cool drink of water from the flask lodged in her belt, each swallow bringing relief. Her amulet no longer hung around her neck.

“Julian? Did you put out the torches? The light brings protection,” Bella said. No answer.

“Julian? Julian!” Bella shouted. Her voice echoed down the chamber, bouncing off the stalactites and the walls of the catacombs, returning back to her without a reply from her son. She knew then what had happened. Something, or someone, took him.

Bella searched across the ground with her hands, unable to locate her satchel, curious if it had also been taken, or if she had been moved. She stood up cautiously, attempting to regain her balance and composure from the lingering effects of the venom. A hidden pocket inside her blouse contained shepherding powder for emergencies. She poured the contents into her hand and breathed warm air onto the granules. Heat and smoke rose up from her palm and formed a tongue of fire. Bella breathed gently and the flame lifted from her hand into the air, growing twice in size and illuminating the walls and ceiling.

“Lead the way,” Bella said. She followed, reluctant at first, then anxious with every passing moment. In the absence of a reliable source to keep time, she couldn’t grasp how much of the journey remained. She loved Julian and hated herself for exposing him to danger.

The shepherd’s flame knew how to reach the final destination, forming a magical symbiotic relationship with Bella. She studied the map before their departure, memorizing the safest, most reliable path. Ultimately, the quest would not lead her and Julian to a crystal. It would lead to unspeakable danger, one she wanted them to face together. Her miscalculation gave rise to fears her son would die alone, afraid in the darkness, and she would quickly follow. From the darkness a voice whispered, confirming her suspicions.

“My deeeear, sweeeet, Bella,” the voice said.

The entrance to a large cavern opened. Torches on the walls flicked into existence, lighting a treasure room stacked with mounds of gold and jewels. The shepherd’s flame extinguished, its purpose fulfilled. Mysterious symbols lined the stone floor, where a cloaked figure stood at the center. Julian lay unconscious nearby, Bella’s satchel by his side. Snooka poked his head out from the boy’s backpack, content to stay unnoticed by the dark presence.

“Let him go, Baphomet, please,” Bella said.

“Does he know, Bella? Does he know of his father, of the true purpose behind your quest?” Baphomet asked.

“He doesn’t know anything. I brought him here, of my own volition. He’s innocent.”

“Innocence. Could such innocence take my life — take the life of the father he’s never known? You’ve always acted out of desperation, made careless decisions at every passing cycle. I gave you the son you so desired at a cost I must now collect.”

Baphomet removed his robe. Hooves supported equine limbs and a flowing tail, which led up to a powerful human torso and a devilish elongated head. Spiraled horns curved out from the beast’s temples. Julian’s father smiled, then pulled a sword from its sheath. Before he could rush forward to strike a final blow, a small critter scurried up his legs and onto the arm holding the sword. Snooka latched down, chewing out a small chunk of flesh.

“Agh, foul pest!” Baphomet screamed, violently tossing Snooka aside. The animal crashed against a treasure chest and lay still. The distraction gave Julian enough time to rise to his feet and use the force gem. A buzz of electrical current swept through his arm and concentrated on the gem, building up power, then erupting as bolts of lightning that struck his father. Baphomet stumbled backward but did not fall. Julian reached into his mother’s satchel and pulled out her amulet. He tossed it in a wide arc to Bella, who caught it mid air. She kept it raised high and a cascade of light and vibrations emanated from the artifact, enveloping Baphomet, slowing his relationship with time and space. His forward steps arrived in slow motion, but his vast power allowed him to continue pursuing Bella.

“Julian, it has to be you! I can’t keep him back forever. The dagger, use it!” Bella screamed.

Julian held the dagger in a tight grip. He had so many questions. To end it now would only add to the uncertainty, the doubt regarding his origins and why his mother involved herself with such a terrible being. She lied to bring him on the quest. Would she tell him the truth once he killed his father, plunged the dagger into his heart? Or, would the lies that brought him into these catacombs weigh on him forever? No answers would bring him perfect peace, but at least he would have the opportunity to uncover the truth. He lunged forward, sticking the knife into Baphomet’s ribcage up to the hilt.

“A son just like his father! I die today, but the worst of me will live on forever in you,” Baphomet said. Julian stepped back as radiant beams exploded from his father’s body. Baphomet disappeared in a burst of light, rejoining the dark cosmos that birthed him.

Bella approached her son, fully aware that he could still be upset, possibly never recovering from the broken bonds of trust.

“You said it had to be me. Why?” Julian asked.

“Baphomet deceived me in the form of a man. I married him, desperate for affirmation and a sacred love, but I could never conceive. He promised me a child at a great price. On the eve of your thirteenth year, my life would be traded in exchange for yours, unless...” Bella struggled to continue.

“Unless he died by my hand,” Julian said.

“He revealed this only after revealing his true self. I knew, Julian, when I died, he would come for you. No matter what I said or did, he would work to deceive you just as he did me.”

Julian walked over to Snooka and knelt down beside his only friend, crying over his lifeless body. A few droplets fell onto Snooka’s fur and seeped into his skin, the love bringing warmth and breath back into the pet’s heart and lungs. Snooka leaped into Julian’s arms, nuzzling up close to his body.

“By the Divine! Pay no attention to the lies out of Baphomet’s mouth. No man indwelt with his evil could bring back life,” Bella said.

“I don’t blame you for your choices. I would have made any sacrifice to save you,” Julian said.

“We both have a lot to learn about love and loss,” Bella said.

“We can think it over — after we figure out how to carry back this treasure,” Julian said, smiling.

Bella hugged her son tight, hopeful tough times were behind them.

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This short story is in response to Prompt Quest #1, a writing prompt adventure provided by the Lunar Awards. I run the awards, which are a great way to connect with other writers and discover the best indie fantasy and science fiction on the Substack platform.

Prompt Quest #1