Ryan was falling for only a second before his feet landed on what felt like a dirt surface. He stumbled a little bit, but was uninjured from the fall. “It’s fine, it was a short drop,” he called up to his companions.
“Don’t wait,” Devonte called back. “Go!”
Ryan felt around for the way forward. The vertical shaft he had dropped down was barely wide enough to contain him, and after groping around in the dark, he ascertained that it extended in just one direction: towards the presumed home of the Smoothie King. Getting on his hands and knees, he began to crawl through the tunnel.
It was pitch black, and as Ryan proceeded, the tunnel’s ceiling got lower and lower. Soon, he was forced to employ a military crawl just to keep moving forward, and he began to feel anxious from claustrophobia. To stave off the impending panic attack, he reminded himself of all his Pelicans teammates who had died at the Smoothie King’s hand. He reminded himself how his own mind hand been overtaken by the King’s dark sorcery in order to create an arm-mounted flamethrower with which to incinerate those teammates. Their lives would never be brought back, but they could be avenged.
There was a light up ahead: the King’s chamber! Ryan shuffled as fast as he could, not having any plan on how he would confront the sorcerer living deep underneath the Smoothie King Center, but eager to get this unfortunate saga over with. He finally emerged into chamber lit a dimly by torches, its walls and floor fashioned from ancient stone.
Ryan’s attention was not drawn to his surroundings, however. It was drawn to the monstrosity occupying the far wall of the place. Ten feet tall and somewhat resembling an octopus, its head was covered with a thousand glittering eyes, all blinking at different times. Its mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth, as well as two large pincers dripping venomous saliva.
“You have made it far, Ryan,” the Smoothie King said. “But I am immortal. I have existed since time before time. I cannot be killed.”
Ryan felt his confidence wavering. He could only think of one thing to ask: “Why?”
“Before humans settled here, I slept peacefully. Then, they erected this disgusting city on top of my den, awaking me to a restless torment that has persisted for centuries. I cannot rest, yet I also cannot leave, for my essence is tied to the powerful river delta. The city of New Orleans must be destroyed!”
“But…the Voodoo Queen?”
“She was the first of your kind to discover me. I used her, first as a weapon, then as a guardian. Her voodoo magic was simply an extension of my power over all things seen and unseen.”
Ryan struggled to comprehend all he was hearing. “Did you lead me here?”
The creature’s tentacles slithered across the stone floor as it moved closer to its guest. “Yes. When I occupied your mind, I saw it was filled with the most vital nutrients I require: perseverance, desire, even lust. To consume those emotions would give me greater strength than I have dared to conceive of; that is why I have brought you here.”
A barbed tentacle lashed out and snatched at Ryan’s leg. He quickly jumped backward and ran into a corner. Grabbing a torch off the wall, he brandished it at the Smoothie King, hoping against hope that the heat and light would offer some protection.
“Silly human. I have no fear of flame. In fact, I crave it.” An obscene tongue-like appendage darted out of the creature’s mouth and snuffed out the torch. “Don’t worry Ryan. You’re not going to die. You will simply be dropped head-first into the howling abyss of insanity.”
Ryan closed his eyes and brought to mind the faces of all the teammates who had been killed. For some reason, they were all smiling at him, as if they had forgiven him for what he had done. Suddenly, he felt his mind overcome by a different force than that of the Smoothie King, a force of positivity rather than malice, and his eyes shot open. An orb of bright white light was sitting in his chest near his heart; it expanded and became more luminous as the Smoothie King retreated away.
A new strength was growing within Ryan; he continued to visualize his teammates until he realized that they were all standing there with him, clasping hands and each possessing a glowing orb like Ryan’s. Then, the power culminated into one glorious apex, and each orb shot out a beam of pure white light; these beams combined into one and struck the Smoothie King directly in its heart, killing it instantly.
Ryan slumped to the ground, exhausted and spent. Through half-open eyes, he could see the form of Eric Gordon leaning over him.
“It’s over, man,” Eric said, smiling serenely.
Ryan smiled weakly in return. “It’s over,” he repeated. “Are you really dead?”
Eric nodded. “Yeah, man. But so are you. It wouldn’t have happened without your sacrifice.”
Ryan reached up and grabbed his teammate’s hand. Then, he closed his eyes and finally knew peace.