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SotD2: The Cycle Breaks

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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Glevea screamed, diving away from the falling body. She landed near Larvald, clutching her shoulder. Larvald could see a huge glob of blood staining her tan shirt. It was steaming; dragon's blood, not hers.

"It--stings--" she gasped. Larvald didn't know what to do.

"Take your shirt off," he suggested urgently. She obliged, stripping to a thin undershirt. She tossed the ruined shirt to the ground. Luckily, the blood had only barely seeped through past the thick outer clothing, and she was free of pain.

Larvald tried not to stare, but he couldn't resist looking at Glevea. Slender, tan, with golden hair cascading around her shoulders. He realized she was glancing impatiently at him. His face flushed a bright red.

"Had a good look?" she teased playfully. He blushed deeper. He felt as though his cheeks were on fire.

"Sorry. It's just--I mean--You're beautiful," he stammered. He wanted to slap himself. What girl would be interested in him? For starters, he had only one arm. He wasn't exactly handsome, either. Scars criss-crossed his burly face. Thick red hair and bushy eyebrows had always given him a wild look. He was Fremmenik, after all.

"So I've been told," she replied with a shrug. Her emerald eyes glittered with the compliment, though. "C'mon. We need to get moving."

***

Zeldonfen sighed. He was the only one left in the starting room now. Far off, he could hear the echoing shrieks of his fellows. He wasn't sure where to go. There was only one door no one had gone through yet. Not wanting to spend his entire time trailing the others, he strode quickly toward it. The handle turned easily in his hand and he was halfway through the doorway when the ground shook. It heaved, throwing him to his knees. He could see the stones shifting to split. A crevasse, deep and wide, was forming. The ground beneath his feet quivered as it began to crack and crumble away.

24-May-2011 04:42:59 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:18:06 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Mustering his strength, he vaulted across to the other side. He tumbled into a heap, halberd and bow clutched tightly in his arms. He crawled into a sitting position, gazing silently as the pit widened, like the gaping maw of a bloodthirsty dragon. And this mouth had teeth too. Hundreds upon hundreds of spikes lined the near-invisible bottom of the hole, warning a painful death if one was to fall.

Shuddering, he scrambled away with a muttered prayer to Saradomin. He had best continue on his way, he told himself. Finally, he found his feet, and began to trek the long, winding corridor ahead. He leaned on his halberd for support, finding that his knees still shook with shock and fright.

~ End of Chapter ~

24-May-2011 04:43:12

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter 4


Exile twitched on the ground. The potion was vile-tasting, like rotten eggs mixed with dirt and few other nasty ingredients. Then he stopped moving.

Katherine gasped. Her hand clutched Exile's arm in a tight vice. Then Exile spoke.

"I--think it worked," he said in amazement. The hoarseness had vanished from his voice. The gashes on his body were still there, but they no longer looked angry and raw from the poisons. Katherine tried to speak, and found she had no voice. A lump clogged her throat, and a relief for Exile that she hadn't known she had been harboring swelled deep within her.

Zyran grinned in delight. "Amazing!" he exclaimed. "What luck!" Eta collapsed.

"Saradomin be praised!" he mumbled from the ground, color returning to his pale cheeks.

"The rags are soaked," Katherine announced suddenly, holding up the strips of cloth they had found to staunch the blood. "We need something to bind his injuries so we can keep moving."

Eta quickly removed his tan shirt, revealing a muscular, slightly hairy chest. "Here you go," he offered, tossing it to Katherine. She raised her eyebrows at his hasty offer, and he shrugged.

"It's the least I can do," he said sheepishly. She returned the shrug and tore the shirt, wrapping each rag around a ****. Finally, Exile was all bound. He rose slowly, leaning heavily on Katherine's proffered arm. Finally, he stood, though he wavered a bit.

"Let's go," he urged. The small party filed into the narrow corridor on the other side of the room, with Zyran in the front, Exile and Katherine next, and Eta bringing up the rear. The corridor was long and winding, yet they moved quickly. For perhaps an hour they wandered blindly onward, barely able to see ahead. Finally, they stopped for a rest. Exile collapsed against the wall. He was shivering and convulsing. His lips were nearly blue.

26-Jun-2011 21:00:33 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:18:34 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
"Cold..." he muttered at Katherine's worried look. Eta heard. With a small, warm smile he removed his blue cloak, leaving him completely bare at his torso except for the harnesses of his blades. He handed it to Exile, who grabbed it gratefully and huddled low to the ground. Katherine squatted beside him, eyes burning with fear for her companion.

Zyran, who had been scouting ahead, came sprinting back, melding from the darkness beyond into their view. He was doubled over, panting heavily.

"Someone's coming!" he blurted between labored breaths. Eta bounded forward, unsheathing his twin blades in one smooth motion.

"Let them come," he said dangerously.

The arrow whizzed toward Matthew. Alyson was petrified with horror. A normal arrow would bounce off of armor such as Matthew's, glittering with the sheen of a master crafter's work, yet it was not so. The arrow sliced the metal with ease, such as a knife would slice butter.

Matthew stumbled back with a cry. Alyson gripped his arm as he collapsed. "Poison," he whispered faintly, knowing it as he felt the toxins spread liquid fire through his body. Radstrom was at his side in an instant, fumbling with something inside his scarlet robes. Finally, he drew forth an amulet bearing the symbol of the Night Elves, a dark purple, five-pointed star with an ivory crescent cradling its right side. He turned to Alyson, his green eyes haunted.

"I have seen my kinsman dead, and I did nothing but move on and leave him behind, his body rotting on that spike. Arvenous was more than a friend, he was a brother of the Blood Elves. My blood is his blood. Alyson, here I lay my honor at your feet." Here his voice became rushed, quavering with tremors of uncertainty. "I can transfer the poisons from Matthew to myself, and die in his place."

"What?" Alyson gasped. Radstrom took a shaky breath.

"I wish to die with my kin. But I need your help. Will you give it?"

26-Jun-2011 21:01:01

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Alyson paled. "I...Radstrom, I don't know..."

"Make up your mind!" he growled, then flushed. His hands were shivering. "Just...just pull the arrow out for me." He placed one sweat-soaked hand on Matthew's forehead, the other clutched his amulet. Alyson remained motionless, shock freezing her bones.

"Pull it out!" he ordered her. His tone of voice held a commanding note that compelled her to follow his instructions. Reluctantly letting go of Matthew's arm, she clasped the wooden shaft in both hands and tugged it free. She could feel it dragging through his flesh, but continued until it rested in her trembling palms, glistening with Matthew's blood.

Radstrom had begun to chant. "Myros hanni ara. Myros haran ara. Myros haran ara!" he murmured again and again. Suddenly, a burst of purple light was emitted from the wound, and violet sparks skittered up Radstrom's arm. Alyson gasped and shrunk back, tears trailing down her ashen cheeks. Radstrom began to glow with an eerie violet aura. His body convulsed, and he collapsed on the floor.

***

Lance and Amy sprinted headlong across the room, dodging the restless golems. Huge feet stomped down a hairsbreadth away from Amy and she shrieked, throwing herself across the room. Lance whipped past her, making it to the door and shoving it open. But Amy did not come hurtling through, as he expected. Surprised, he whirled back to the room.

Amy was huddled in a ball on the ground, sobbing and wailing as the golems lumbered around her. They were closing in, having spied their helpless prey. Lance lurched forward, frantic to save her. He had to leap aside and roll on the floor to dodge another beast. Then he was at her side, scooping her up into his arms and clutching her limp body to her chest. His silver gloves clenched her body close as he dove between the monsters and reached the doorway safely. There, they tumbled to a halt, landing with Amy safely under his body.

26-Jun-2011 21:01:26 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:18:52 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He clambered off of her, feeling awkward. His skin was flushed from exertion and embarrassment. It took Amy a minute to gather herself together.

"You -- you saved me," she said feebly. Lance squatted beside her.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah..But why did you save me?" she repeated. Color slowly returned to her face and her voice became calmer, smoother.

Lance shrugged. "I just had to. Would you rather I let you die?" Then he smiled a boyish, roguish smile. She laughed. The sound was like music to Lance's ears, and for a second, his cheeks grew even rosier. Amy grabbed his arm and hoisted herself to her feet. She tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"C'mon," she called, prancing down the corridor. Lance hastened to follow.

***

Larvald and Glevea meandered down the hall in a solemn silence. Glevea laughed in her head as Larvald constantly stole glances. She knew she was beautiful, many had told her such, but from Larvald -- It just seemed to mean something more.

She wasn't sure what it was, but something about Larvald just...she couldn't put it in words. She shrugged inwardly. What did it matter?

Ahead, she saw a door. She touched Larvald's shoulder and he glanced up. They reached the door in minutes. The gloom seemed to press in around them. There were no torches nearby, only the stony darkness.

Glevea thought she heard a scream far away and shivered slightly. Larvald touched her arm awkwardly, as though trying to offer reassurance but not sure how. She turned and tugged the door handle. It squeaked open.

Suddenly there was a loud crash. Larvald stared around wildly as the crumbling of stones rumbled in their ears. He grabbed Glevea around the waist with his good arm and dove through the doorway. Behind them, the walls collapsed in to form a complete solid block.

Glevea could feel the stones clamping on her leg as they barely made it through. They tumbled to a halt, her tight in his embrace.

26-Jun-2011 21:02:08 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:19:06 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
She glanced up at him, his face barely visible in the near-pitch black darkness. He stared back, gazing into her jade eyes.

For a moment they remained like that, simply surveying each other. Finally, Larvald began to wriggle free, his arm stuck beneath her.

She leaned upward, capturing his lips for a brief moment. Then she rolled to the side and Larvald jumped to his feet. Glevea guessed he was blushing furiously, though she couldn't see. In the awkward silence, he hastened to the next door and pried it open. He shuffled into the narrow hallway, Glevea on his heels.

The corridor was short and the door was right ahead. He pushed on it, but it refused to budge. He turned to Glevea, suddenly finding her pressed tight against him.

"It's uh, locked," he explained gruffly. She smiled.

"No problem," she replied, producing her picklock. Finally the lock clicked and they stumbled into another furnace of a room.

Glevea sighed.

"Not another dragon," she moaned. In reply, a jet of fire shot into the air above them.

***

Zyran and Eta stood ready. Footsteps echoed down the corridor to announce the intruder's presence. Behind the pair, Exile lay sprawled across the hall with Katherine at his side.

yran waited, judging the oncoming figure's location. They held perfectly still until the shadow was among them, at which point they leapt forward slashing. The figure hardly even had time to scream. All that came from their throat was a strangled, gurgling noise. The figured stumbled and tripped over Exile's body. Exile yelled in agony, not prepared for his injuries to be disturbed.

"Exile!" Katherine shouted, scrambling to her feet and catching the figure. She punched him square in the jaw. The figure let out a moan. The figure appeared to be little more than a shadow, though it seemed to have some substance. Eta spun and slashed blindly with his twin swords. He could barely even see the thing. Who knew if he had even struck it, or someone else?

26-Jun-2011 21:02:37 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:19:22 by Crystal Smee

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