The Storm Runner

Against his better judgment, Zane goes to the volcano and brushes up against day-old demon runner poison that soaks into his skin. Brooks arrives and cuts his arm open to purge the poison. When the poison is gone, Zane’s arm heals by itself. Hearing his dog whimper again, Zane starts pulling loose rocks from one of the walls, revealing a narrow passage to a sacrifice chamber that is meant to be used to free Ah-Puch. Zane feels the god’s power calling from a pool of foul liquid. Above, demon runners hatch from pods around a stalactite. As the creatures jump down to attack, Zane grabs Brooks’s hand and jumps into the pool.

The demon runners give chase, and Zane hauls Brooks through the water to a cavern, where the demon runners disintegrate. Brooks isn’t breathing. Suddenly, Zane hears Ah-Puch’s voice. The god states, “I can save her” (125). Desperate, Zane picks up the owl statue from which the voice emanated and offers to free the god if Ah-Puch brings back Brooks and his dog.