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Crystal Smee

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Larvald swung his hammer like a pendulum, catching the one that sprang away in the back of the head and sending it crashing into the other. He landed with his legs spread, the basilisks between them, and quickly jumped to one side. Then he bashed both of them on the head. His ears heard a satisfactory crack as bones snapped and both skulls where smashed.

Glevea darted to his side, breathing heavily. "That was close," she whispered as she slumped against his shoulder. "Too close."

***

Lance trudged down the long, winding corridor with Amy at his side. His light blue sword was clutched in his outstretched hand, his other curving protectively around Amy’s waist. His long, jet-black hair shadowed his gaunt face, hiding his haunted blue eyes.

“There’s a door ahead,” Amy noted. It was tall and wooden, with iron bars across it. The wood creaked as she pushed it open. As she stepped inside, the floor rocked, and she stumbled backward into Lance.

“Demons…” he hissed. Amy let out a shriek, which unfortunately announced their presence to the lumbering beasts. Looming and swathed in a deep crimson hide, they had glowing black eyes and jaws that appeared big enough to swallow an entire man. Large fangs jutted upward from the uneven jaw, slobber dribbling downward from them to splash onto the floor. Thick muscles flexed with each stride. There were two of the monsters. Lance drew Amy back into the hall and slammed the door just in time.

Amy tripped backwards over something and Lance barely caught her with one hand, bracing himself against the wall with his sword-arm. He glanced down and was shocked to see a skeleton; bones shredded and smashed. The skull spun for a moment on the stones before rattling to a halt with blank eye sockets staring up at him. The mouth seemed to be twisted in a malicious grin, almost as though the skull knew something he did not.

26-Jun-2011 21:14:30 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:24:24 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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Amy saw the body and let out another shriek. Lance struggled to keep her upright. “Okay,” he said. “Like the golems – I’ll distract them, you run around and open the door, I’ll run through. Can you do that?”

“Y – yes,” she stuttered. He stroked her hair.

“It’s all right, we’ll be fine, I promise,” he told her. Then he propped her on her feet and squeezed her hand. “I’ll go first.” He cautiously opened the door and peeked inside. The demon was waiting for him as soon as he stepped past, swiping at him with a clawed hand. He threw himself to the stones and rolled toward the other, attracting the attention of both. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Amy dart along to the wall to the nearest door. Then he saw nothing as white-hot pain blinded his eyes and he was lifted into the air by one talon hooked through the flesh of his shoulder.

***

Dramen giggled as he leaned back in his chair. This was too easy. The way he had played their emotions against each other…too perfect. “Like puppets on a string,” he chuckled to himself. He was the master. Now, to kill the other one…He pulled out his blueprints and set about creating the perfect trap.

Exile hobbled up behind Katherine. Shock swept across his face as he stared at the charred remains of Zyran. “You – you killed him!” he stammered. Eta, too, seemed frozen in surprise. The masking rush of battle had faded away and he now returned to his senses. His face crumpled.

“I – I…” he collapsed against the wall. “Now I’m going to die.”

Exile frowned. “Why do I feel like the guy running this thing made that happen?”

Katherine glanced at him. “What do you mean?”

“He just… he seemed like the type of fellow who would do that. No one knew who had killed Zeldonfen, but it apparently was either Eta or Zyran. Or both. So he made one kill the other, then he would have the excuse of killing the second. Does that make sense?*

26-Jun-2011 21:14:46 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 21:24:40 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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

Katherine’s eyes shut as she thought. “Yeah, it does. I could see him doing that.”

Eta straightened. “Well, I might as well get moving. I’m sorry.” He sighed. “There’s…there’s more to this than it seems, I think. It looks like this ‘alchemist’ is masking something else with this contest. So, I wish you luck in staying alive. I think you’ll need it.” With that, he sheathed his sword and strode off down the hall, limping slightly from the wounds Zyran had left in his feet.

Exile sagged against the wall. His wounds had begun bleeding again. He slowly slumped to the floor. Katherine began to follow Eta, then heard Exile fall and rushed to his side. Tenderly, she retied the bandages as he sprawled on the floor, groaning from the pain.

“Ow…” he mumbled through gritted teeth as she tightened the strip of cloth.

“Sorry,” she replied gently, loosening it slightly.

Suddenly, a scream rent the air. Exile sat up and his eyes met Katherine’s. “Eta….” They said in unison. Katherine helped Exile to his feet and they trotted down the hall, Exile hobbling while Katherine supported him. They reached an open door and hastened inside. Katherine gasped.

Eta hung from another vine trap. It tightly encircled his neck. Katherine tried to get to him, but Exile held her back. “It’s too late,” he told her sadly. And as she looked at him, she knew it was true.

Eta’s head hung somewhat to the side from the rest of his body. His face had become purple from lack of air. His eyes were crossed and bulging from their sockets. His tongue lolled loosely from the side of his mouth, spittle running idly off it to yo-yo into a puddle on the floor. His arms and legs hung limp. He mumbled a wordless groan, then hung still. An unseen breeze swung the body back and forth.

26-Jun-2011 21:15:07

Crystal Smee

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

Katherine replied, “At least we can get him down. He looks so…awful, up there.” Exile let her go. Yet as she rushed forward, the ground opened up in a gaping hole, like the jaws of a beast. Katherine staggered to a halt and fell backwards. With a loud noise like the crack of a whip, the vine released Eta and sped back up out of sight. Eta seemed to hang suspended in the air for a moment, and then he dropped like a bomb into the hole. For a long time, there was merely silence.

Then Exile and Katherine both heard a sickening crunch as the body hit the bottom and bones snapped like twigs. The ground lurched, closing the hole again and swallowing the body forever.

~ End of Chapter ~

26-Jun-2011 21:15:17

Crystal Smee

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Chapter 7

At that exact moment, Lance heard Amy scream. He was helpless, dangling by the threads of his flesh. He turned his head and nearly screamed with the agony. It seemed to shred every muscle in his body. Gravity taking its toll, the skin and muscle was ripping around the bloody, silver talon. He would fall in seconds.

Then the ground was rushing up to meet him. Pain seared his skull as it cracked on the stones. Behind him, the demon howled with rage at the loss of its victim. Eyes squinted to find him. He struggled against unconsciousness as black flashed before his eyes. His left arm was completely useless. He tried to move it, but there was no reaction. It dragged at his side as he used his right hand to hoist himself to his knees. There, he saw why Amy had screamed. He was momentarily paralyzed with shock.

A gaping hole had appeared in the ground, like the maw of the demon. Beneath her, rank upon rank of glittering spikes waited to impale her. These were the teeth of the demon, ferocious canines waiting to bite into her flesh. Amy was holding on by fingers at the edge. She must have opened the door and fallen.

“Amy!” he shouted. He began to crawl toward her. He moved with agonizing slowness, every inch of him protesting the movement. But he had to get to her. He could see, through blurred vision, that her fingers were slipping. Finally he reached her and sat back on his knees, then grabbed her arm with his good hand.

She moaned. “Lance – I can’t hold on.”

“No! I’ll get you out, I promise. Just a little bit longer, Amy.” His mind whirled. He wasn’t strong enough to get her out. Amy echoed his painful thoughts.

“Lance, you can’t. Your arm,” she sobbed. Tears streaked her beautiful face.

“Amy…” he groaned. “Just hang on.” He pulled with all his strength, but his right arm along couldn’t lift her.

27-Jun-2011 20:07:10 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:56:51 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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“You can’t, Lance. I have to fall,” she told him. Her voice had become startlingly calm.

“Don’t, Amy…” he choked out. He was surprised to feel tears tracing a path down his cheeks.

“I love you, Lance,” she whispered. She let go with both hands. Now Lance was all that kept her from death. “Let go, Lance. There’s no saving me,” she begged. “I’m sorry.”

“I can’t let go,” he croaked. He couldn’t. His fingers did*’t respond to his commands.”

“Let go,” she pleaded. *I love you, Lance. I’m so sorry.” The tears welled again in her beautiful eyes. Lance choked on the lump in his throat. Then, finally, his fingers unwound. She dropped down, falling backwards. She landed backwards on a spike. It protruded through her middle. Lance couldn’t watch as the blood seeped downward to stain the spike into a pillar of crimson. He did*’t see the tears streaming from her eyes. He did*’t hear the last breath escape her dried lips, whispering, “Lance…”

Amy only knew the pain. It clenched her body in a tight vice until she couldn’t breath. Desperately, she fought for air. She saw Lance turn away, unable to watch her die. “Lance…” she croaked. It was a feeble attempt. He knelt at the top, so far away, huddled over and convulsing with sobs.

She tried to inhale again. Nothing came. A red haze settled over her eyes. Then Amy knew nothing at all.

***

Alyson’s eyes flickered open. She groaned and sat up. Realization and remembering hit her like a brick. She glanced down at Matthew, sprawled on the stones beside her. His chin was covered with light stubble and his eyes roved behind his eyelids in some unknown dream.

She stroked his cheek gently. “Matthew,” she murmured. “Wake up.” He grunted. One eye opened and stared blearily at her.

“Wha…?” he mumbled throatily. He was obviously not as quick in waking up as her.

27-Jun-2011 20:07:42 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:57:16 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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

“We’ve got to get moving.” Alyson scrambled to her feet and picked up her pack. Then she produced a chunk of cheese and tossed it at him. It him in the face and he sat up, hands scrabbling for it. “We can eat as we go,” she explained.

“Fine,” Matthew grumbled. He prodded his chest where he had been wounded. *Can we take these off?” he asked, plucking at his bandages. “They’re tight. And I think the bleeding stopped.”

“All right,” Alyson conceded. “But you probably shouldn’t put the armor on just yet.” He nodded obediently and lifted his back to his shoulder. The canvas bulged where he had tucked his platebody away. Then he gleefully began to unravel the bandages as they trodded toward the nearest door. When they reached it, Matthew hurried in front, holding his pack up as a shield. Having seen two of those arrows, he did*’t think he’d seen the last of them.

High above ground, Dramen watched in his glass orb. He cackled wickedly. The miss of the arrow had been a disappointment, but he had other surprises.

“Nothing can save you now,” he whispered madly. Nothing could contain his maniacal laughter as it shook the very foundations of his castle.

***

Matthew nudged open the door and stepped inside. Alyson followed cautiously, every muscle tense.

Suddenly the room turned green to Alsyon’s eyes. Everything had a greenish tint. She felt something cool and slimy on her arm. Reflexively, she flinched, but the feeling did not fade. Tentatively she glanced down and saw a jade misted spiraling hungry around her forum, emerald tendrils probing her skin as though alive. The same was happening around her legs.

Now Alyson understood the green tint. It was a gas. She guessed it was noxious too, otherwise, what would the point be? “Matt!” she screamed, struggling not to inhale.

27-Jun-2011 20:08:36 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:57:55 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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

Her head began to pound from the lack of air as she searched for her companion. Finally, she spied Matthew. He was staggering toward the door. By the look of his flushed face, he had realized not too breathe, too. Alyson slapped at the tentacles of fumes as if to beat them back while she bolted toward the door. Of course, it did*’t work. Black patches flashed before her eyes as she stumbled into Matthew. He had waited to open the door so the gas wouldn’t seep into the next room.

She nodded affirmation and he slid it open to let her through. He was right behind her, darting through the minimized space and slamming it shut. Alyson did*’t see any more green, thank the Gods. She gasped frantically, each breath filling her with cool, sweet, refreshing air. It had never tasted so good.

Beside her, Matthew was on his knees and panting. Alyson forced herself to slower breaths, each one deep and calming. Finally her vision was completely free of the black haze and she looked around. There was a cot in one corner. The sheets and blanket were severely shredded form Armadyl-knew-what kind of bugs. She glanced back at Matthew, who was now huddled on the ground and coughing. His face was the color of ashes.

Reacting swiftly, she hurried to him and hauled him up by the shoulders. His knees buckled, but she propped him up and pushed him onto the bed. She rolled him over and straightened him. His breathing regulated more, and finally the coughing stopped. He shut his eyes gratefully and breathed slowly. Alyson produced her canteen from her pack and pressed it to his dry lips. Some escaped and trickled down his cheek, but most spilled into his mouth. Matthew swallowed feebly.

“Are you okay?” Alyson asked.

Matthew croaked, “My chest * it hurts.” Alyson lifted up his tunic with one hand and stifled a gasp. The wound from the arrow had turned raw and red. It oozed bubbly, milky-yellow pus. The gas had somehow infected it, she guessed.

27-Jun-2011 20:09:23 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:58:15 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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

She tore a strip from her shirt and pressed it to the ****, but the pus continued to ooze. “How bad?” rasped Matthew.

“Pretty bad,” she admitted. “I’ll clean it up as best I can.” She gingerly poured some water onto the wound and he gritted his teeth in pain. A hiss escaped his lips. *I think you’ll be okay, though.”

When she finished and had effectively bandaged the wound again, he sat up. “We have to keep going,” he told her.

“No, you need to rest,” she protested. “That’s the only way that nasty thing on your chest heal.”

“What does it matter?” he countered glumly. “We’re probably going to die anyway.” Alyson’s beautiful face crumpled and her eyes welled with tears that she was too proud to let fall.

Matthew couldn’t help it. He leaned forward and kissed her. She collapsed against his chest, struggling not to sob. He held her close, murmuring, “It’ll be okay, I promise. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It’ll be fine. We’ll survive.”

Neither of them saw the green mist that passed between their lips.

Larvald straightened. “Come on, we should probably keep going,” he muttered. She straightened as well.

“Don’t you want to rest some?” she protested, gazing at him with her irresistible emerald eyes.

Larvald shivered. “I want to get out of here,” he groaned. “I’m sick of this place.” He gazed fearfully at the snakes and quivered again.

“All right,” she conceded. “Let’s go, then.” She led the way into the next room. It was longer than it was wide, nearly bare of furnishings. There was a low table in the center, laden with heapings of moldy food. Flies buzzed hungrily at the remainder of what once would have been a mighty feast.

The two hurried down the long chamber. Minutes later they reached the next door and pushed it open. There was a tiny room, more like a corridor, that was a dead end in either direction. There was a door in front of them, however. Larvald pushed it open and stepped inside.

27-Jun-2011 20:10:05 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:58:36 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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

Katherine and Exile stared at the spot where Eta had been swallowed up, unable to tear their gazes away. Katherine sagged against Exile. She had seen too much now. First Zyran, then Eta. What would she do if this happened to Exile as well? She couldn’t bear to think of it, and buried the grim thoughts in the back of her mind. But she couldn’t stop the itching notion that if she had been a little more convincing, neither Eta nor Zyran would have died.

Exile, too, was at a loss for words. Suddenly, he seemed to read her thoughts, as he said, “Don’t blame yourself. You did all you could. It was their foolishness that killed them.” Somehow, though, they both seemed to know it wasn’t foolishness. The dungeon seemed to be playing tricks on their mind. They had been tense from the start, but lately the desire to get out brushed aside all common sense. Exile had felt it too after being attacked by the snakes, and Katherine was beginning to feel it as she watched her companions die.

She grabbed his arm and tugged him fretfully along. He limped behind her to the door. The next room was gigantic. It stretched before them, seemingly endless. Exile gazed at the monstrous wall that marked the other end, so far away. A tiny brown speck was the next door. There were no monsters in this room, at least. But what about traps? He tread carefully, spreading his glances around between the floor, ceiling, walls, and nearby doors. His eyes flitted from spot to spot and he toyed with his daggers as if dying to have an excuse to use them.

It seemed to take hours to reach the next door, although in reality it was a matter of minutes. Katherine reached it first and glared at it, as if daring it to open. Exile bit his lip. “Scared?” he questioned, the corners of his lips twitching in a half-smile.

27-Jun-2011 20:10:20 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 00:58:54 by Crystal Smee

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SotD2: The Cycle Breaks